Welcome to Jumeaux Journal

Hi, it's Becky! First, thank you for reading the blog. This is a place where I'll share a bit of everything -behind the scenes, the design process, inspiration, randomness, and even some of my personal life. I thought it might be refreshing for me to not use AI at all when writing and editing these posts. Which means it may be more genuine, but there also might be some more typos and run on sentences...

How Jumeaux Started

Jumeaux started as an experiment when I found myself in the midst of a divorce while at the same time deciding to leave my long career at Free People. I had no plan what I was going to do next. I had always dreamed about starting my own clothing line or boutique. Honestly, I had always been too afraid to give up the stability, steady income stream, and healthcare benefits. When I suddenly found myself without those things, the fear dissipated. In my mid-forties, it felt like now or never. If I didn't pursue my dream now, I may suddenly find myself at retirement age having never done it. After my divorce, it also seemed like the perfect time for reinvention.

I had a manufacturing connection out of India, the company "Pretty Lady." I worked with them during my time at Printfresh, and the owner became more than a business colleague, he was sort of like a paternal figure. Pretty Lady made my wedding dress, made all sorts of beautiful thing for my son when he was born, and was always there for me through my career changes and life stages. They specialize in small quantity embellishments, so I had the idea to start Jumeaux with a line of upcycled items. Pretty Lady agreed to help me out, but from the beginning we both hoped it would grow into a full collection with ready to wear items. I realized I didn't want to stop there. Pretty Lady is known for their elaborate embellishments that are often seen on celebrities. I wanted to make sure I had fun, utilized their talents, and decided I would also create a line of higher end pieces with lots of embellishment detail. I call that collection heirloom -the pieces are so special, they are meant to be handed down from generation to generation.

The upcycled experiment went exactly as I hoped. Every piece was meticulously embellished by a small team of artisans, communication with Pretty Lady was delightful, and this gave me the confidence to move forward with a full collection. We now have our three segments: "Upcycled" reworked vintage or pre-loved clothing, "Jumeaux," our collection of elevated wardrobe staples made in small batches, and "Heirloom," limited edition special pieces meant to be handed down.

Stay tuned for more about the brand, the name, our guiding principles, and more about me, Becky Dator, the founder and designer here at Jumeaux.