Fresh Shop: Dream Nation

Etsy.com handmade and vintage goods
DreamNation

Story by DreamNation

Published on Sept 15, 2011 in Shop

Every day, our community grows in unexpected and delightful ways. For our Fresh Shops series, sellers who have been on Etsy for a mere handful of months or are awaiting their first sale introduce themselves. Here’s a warm welcome to all our newbies!

Hi, my name is Luiza Jacob and I’m 31 years old. In 2004 I finished studying at the Faculty of Fashion Design at Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz, Poland. For graduation I made a collection inspired by swimming foams for surfers, and it was then that I knew I’d be making sportswear rather than wedding dresses in the future. My personal exploration wasn’t quite finished, however, and I wasn’t ready to make my own label, so I left Poland and moved to Ireland. I lived in an amazing place, a small village by the sea where I met group of artists who lived on the island nearby. The artists were almost completely self-sufficient — they manufactured various handcrafted goods and had their own vegetable garden. It really opened me up to the environment and made me enjoy living there.

After my return to Warsaw I found a job at a large, world-famous brand to learn how it works from the inside and to pay my bills. Not surprisingly, it was a nightmare — I felt like I was brainwashed and that I was actually cheating customers by selling them overpriced goods made in China. Around that time I watched the documentary The Corporation and decided I’d had enough. I began to read about ecology and started to live a more sustainable life.

After two years of work for the brand, I got pregnant and promised myself I wouldn’t go back there. I also finally decided what I wanted to do for my own fashion label — make colorful clothes that are modern, comfortable, and made from eco-certified fabrics in affordable prices. I came up with the name “Dream Nation” because I’m a dreamer and because street fashion is about creating a community of “we” instead of “I.” My mission is to show that sustainable fashion can be very cool and that people don’t have to make a choice between ethics and style.

My design process starts with a sketch of a print, and then I put the print into Illustrator and send it to a printing company. I’ve always loved geometric abstractionists such as Piet Mondrian or Kandinsky and I still find them very inspiring. When the fabric is finished I decide how I want to use it and cut all the pieces in my studio. I also have one lady who helps with sewing — my shop is growing faster than I expected and I need the help!

It was a long journey for me to find what I love, but today I can honestly admit it was worth it. I’m a happier person now that I have my own shop and it’s so fulfilling to make something that I believe in.

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