Only SIX WEEKS until Omaha Fashion Week kicks off another exciting season of fashion and glamour February 23rd-29th, and we’re thrilled to share more about our amazing lineup of designers!
"Sonder" is the notion that each random passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own. This idea of a modern fairytale is realized in whimsical, ultra-feminine garments by Meghan Williams of Love, Meg.
How did you get into fashion? Share a little about your background.
All things pretty and girly have always been my thing. My mom still loves to tell the story about when she would take me shopping and I would say to her, “My skin is tingling!” as I walked by the gorgeous clothing. Although drawing and creating have always been what I’ve loved most, I didn’t always know I wanted to be a fashion designer. I did, however, know that I wanted to work in the fashion industry, so my first year of college I majored in Apparel Merchandising. If I’m being honest, wanted to major in Apparel Design from the beginning, but I doubted myself and didn’t think I was good enough. That entire year I witnessed others creating and doing what I knew I would love, so my sophomore year I finally stopped putting myself down and switched my major. As cheesy as it sounds, I cannot imagine who I would be today if I did not take that leap. Although I have had a lot struggles and mental setbacks throughout my design path, I have completely found what I am meant to do. No matter how much stress a garment puts me through, in the end, when I am finally able to breathe and actually look at what I created, it is the very best feeling in the world.
The mood for “Sonder”, a whimsical modern day fairytale.
Describe your brand and the feeling you want it to convey. How was your brand concept born?
Although fashion has always been one of my greatest loves, there have also been times when it was one of my greatest enemies. I am a proud curvy woman, which is a phrase my old self would have never imagined saying. I grew up with the beauty standard that I needed to look a certain way, and that was just never going to happen to me. Although creating new outfits brought be joy, it also at times brought me so much sadness looking in the mirror. In recent years, the apparel industry has started to take steps towards the recognition of all body types, but there is still so much further to go. I don’t know when, but a switch went off in me and I finally realized my body was mine and my body was beautiful. This is a feeling I want to help create for woman when they wear my garments, and that’s how my brand came to be.
My brand name is “Love, Meg”, which I chose because I imagine every garment I create and sell as a written love note from me to the woman that needs it. The three letters in my nickname, Meg, also have a very special meaning: M – Making, E – Empowered, G – Girls, which is the one main goal that guides my brand. As women steps into a Love, Meg piece, they are stepping in to a whimsical world that is completely their own. This world is full of their own passions, adventures, laughs, cries, lessons, and memories. The essence of my brand is meant to empower girls to finally feel beautiful in her own skin and her own body; no matter what it may look like. Love, Meg uses luscious textures, feminine embellishments and details, rich fabrics, and silhouettes meant to flatter all body types. All of these elements are a part of the brand to help celebrate our femininity. In the creation of our collections we pull inspiration from the strong women of the past, and the strong women we know will be in the future. Love, Meg is more than a clothing brand. We are a community of women interlacing together through life.
A sneak peek at the first five garments of the “Sonder” collection.
What are your personal goals, or goals for your brand?
I have huge goals for Love, Meg. After college, I hope to get a job somewhere in the industry to get me started so that I can gain more knowledge, because I still have so much more to learn. Love, Meg will always be something that I am trying to build on the side, and someday, I hope to be my own boss and make Love, Meg my own business. I really want my brand to stay small and intimate. I’m trying to steer clear of the fast fashion scene, and I want my garments to be those special one of a kind pieces a woman holds in her closet for a cloudy day or a special occasion. I think the industry needs to start making moves towards this way of fashion - creating more timeless, special to the customer pieces that will last longer than a season. I really hope to own a Love, Meg storefront someday, but I don’t want it to be just a clothing store. I have always imagined it as a women’s creative community center. I picture many different creators working together to build up women. Not only will I sell my Love, Meg pieces, but I also hope to sell pieces from other vendors and local creators of all kinds.
Describe your favorite project(s) that you have worked on.
My favorite project is one I actually made earlier this semester. It’s titled “Happy Accident.” The piece means so much to me, because the meaning behind it is something personal and something I often need to remind myself of. Like every human, I make a lot of mistakes. Big or small, when a mistake happens, you can’t do anything but move on and make something out of it. I can relate this to a lot of things in my life. When I have messed up design work in the past, I make something out of it that I end up enjoying more. For this garment, I spent an afternoon having fun and making spills. I took a full pot of coffee and I just spilled it all over pieces of paper. I then put these pages in to Photoshop, cut out the spills, and arranged them into a repeat pattern. I had this pattern put onto Cotton Sateen fabric and I made a classic feminine dress out of the mess of a print. It’s time to start embracing our mishaps!
Recent project titled “Happy Accident”.
Describe the collection you are creating.
My collection is titled “Sonder,” which is the idea that everyone has their own story. This line is all about evolving imagination. In our fast paced world, Sonder will allow you to step in to a fairytale of your own full of whimsical fabrics, lush textures, timeless silhouettes and an ultra-feminine flare. Whatever your story may be, let your story be your own.
Where did you find inspiration for your new collection?
The inspiration for this collection came from the word “sonder,” which is the idea that each random passerby has a life as vivid and complex as your own. I never knew I could be so inspired by a word, but I have been so fascinated by this definition. One of my very favorite pastimes since I was a little girl has been to imagine the lives of the random people around me. I imagine my own perfect storybook for them in my head.
On my way home from work, there was this tiny little park between two tall high rises called Greenacre Park, which is where I sparked my second piece of inspiration. The park resembles a fairytale in every way, with its billowing trees and flowing waterfall. I would always stop here to take a moment to escape the hustle of the city - I journaled, I sketched, I took it all in. Every day, I sat amongst all different people escaping the New York craziness with me. For my line, I want to create a whimsical fairytale inspired storybook through my collection of garments. Each ensemble will have its own character with a story of their own behind it. My line will bring across the meaning of “Sonder.” Once upon a time, and one story at a time.
A little peek at some of the design elements and trends you will see in “Sonder”.
What are the signature styles or silhouettes of your collection?
In my line, you’ll see mainly dresses and top and bottom skirt separates. I have a love for asymmetry when it comes to designing, and you will definitely see this throughout my line. When designing for all body types, I really had to think about what would be flattering for all. I did this by first thinking about what I looked for when shopping for a new garment, and then also surveying friends of all different body types to see what they looked for and what made them feel beautiful. Almost everyone, including myself, looked for some sort of accent at the waist. I love the idea of focusing in at the waist because it celebrates curves and lines of a woman’s body. Another big part of my collection is drama in the sleeves. Voluminous sleeves are becoming major in the industry, and they also fit in perfectly with my ultra-feminine theme.
Here is a look at the color story and fabrics of Love, Meg’s upcoming collection.
How do you balance creativity/innovation with consistency in your work?
Balancing creativity with consistency is something I find very important when it comes to designing, and it’s also something I hope to grow and improve on as I move into my future. When I got started in design, all I knew is I wanted to create beautiful things that could help others feel beautiful. In all of my work, it starts with that initial inspiration, and this is the most creative part. Sometimes my ideas go wild and I want to do so many things with a piece, which is where consistency comes in. To match a piece with the rest of my work, whether it be in a collection or a stand-alone garment, I have to think of the goal behind my brand in the first place. This is how I keep it consistent. I think about why I create in the first place, which is to someday give clothing to women to help lift them up and make them feel beautiful. It’s simple as that. I am constantly designing for the customer I have in my head, and that is how I keep my designs all on the same path.
You can see Love, Meg on the runway during our EVOLVE Featured Designer Showcase on February 29th! To learn more about Meghan and her work, visit her website and follow along on Facebook and Instagram as she puts the finishing touches on her collection! Snag your tickets to OFW’s Spring 2020 season today!