Behind the Scenes: Choosing Fabric for a Petite-Friendly Dress

This year is the Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac. Even though it is already about three months into 2026, the Lunar New Year usually arrives later in the season, and the celebration often lasts about fifteen days. Because of that, it still feels like a meaningful moment for me to pause and reflect a little. ☺️

Like many small brands, I am also aware that the economy has been uncertain recently, so I am just taking things one step at a time.

Over the past months I have been working behind the scenes on a new piece for the brand. The dress is still in the early stages and not in production yet, but I thought it would be nice to start sharing parts of the journey throughout the year.

The goal is to create a petite-friendly dress that blends everyday ease with a slightly polished look.

Exploring Fabrics

Lately I have also been thinking about how fast everyday life can feel. Small moments of self-care can help bring a little balance. I hope the story of creating this dress can be part of those small moments of slowing down and finding a little balance.

Sometimes when traveling, I like to walk into small craft or fabric stores and touch different materials. Even fabrics that look similar can feel completely different once you touch them.

For this style, I was drawn to fabrics that feel soft but not too shiny. A slightly matte surface tends to look more relaxed, and it also works nicely for petite proportions. Fabrics that are too stiff or too shiny can sometimes overwhelm smaller frames, so I often look for materials that feel soft and balanced.

The fabric I eventually chose comes from a mill in Portugal, a country with a long textile history and strong craftsmanship.

What caught my attention was that it felt soft but still had a bit of texture. It felt light and breathable, but not too thin.

When I checked the composition, I saw that it is a blend of three fibers.

• ECOVERO viscose
• SEAQUAL recycled fiber
• A small amount of linen

ECOVERO viscose helps give the fabric its soft and smooth feel. The fiber is developed by the Austrian company Lenzing and is made from wood pulp sourced from responsibly managed forests. Compared with traditional viscose, the production process is designed to use fewer resources and create less environmental impact.

SEAQUAL fiber has a different story. It comes from the SEAQUAL Initiative in Spain, which works with fishermen and coastal communities to collect plastic waste from oceans and beaches. The plastic is cleaned and processed into textile fiber. I like the idea that materials that once caused pollution can be turned into something useful again.

Then there is linen. Linen comes from the flax plant and has been used in textiles for centuries. Flax can grow with relatively little water compared with many other crops, and the entire plant can often be used. Because of that, linen is often considered a more environmentally friendly natural fiber.

I especially like the linen texture in this fabric. It gives the surface a slightly natural, matte feel, which is something I do not see very often.

The Color that Stood Out

One idea behind this dress is to blend a slightly elevated look with the ease of everyday style. I wanted something that sits somewhere between formal and casual. A piece you could wear in daily life but still feel a little dressed up.

When I was looking through the color options for this fabric, this coral red immediately caught my eye. The mill offers four colors for this material, and this was one of them.

Technically I could request a custom color, but the minimum would be around 400 meters. That is a bit too much for a small brand at this stage 😅

Luckily this coral red was already very close to the color we had in mind for the design, so it felt like a natural choice. It also fits nicely with the warm colors I often imagine for the brand.

The color is a soft red-orange that feels bright but still easy to wear. It is the kind of color that looks especially nice in warm afternoon light, whether near brick buildings, by a garden, or sitting by a window in a cozy coffee shop. It can look beautiful even in simple everyday settings.

The color also has a slightly festive feeling. Shades of red often appear in holidays and joyful moments in many parts of the world.

It made me imagine this dress being worn in different situations. Something comfortable enough for everyday life, but still special enough for a dinner, a gathering, or a small celebration.

The dress is still in development, and there are still many small details we are continuing to refine.

I look forward to sharing more of the process here as the design continues to take shape.