Kim Lyons, the owner of boutique Cotton and Grain, and Andrea Jones, a local sewist (thats sewer + artist), have paired up to create a new seam dream team. They’ve recently revealed the first in their designer dress series that’s been a year in a making: “Past Midnight.”
How did the collaboration start?
The dress is currently showcased along with inventory from Cotton and Grain at DAHR in downtown Southern Pines, the sister store to Furniture in the Pines owned by Sanna Nassar. The addition to the clothing collection is a longtime dream come true for Kim, who has had the idea in the back of her mind for years as she prioritized her business.
“When I was given the opportunity to help open DAHR with Sanna Nassar, I saw how welcoming the community was to our idea of this lifestyle boutique focused on mixing furniture, design and clothing. I realized this was the right platform to launch my idea.”
Kim had always wanted to expand her product offering with in-house designed pieces, but there was one little obstacle — she hates to sew. It wasn’t until a friend introduced Kim to Andrea in March of 2021, that all the pieces seemed to fall into place. Kim had the sketch, and Andrea had the skill of turning this dream into a reality one swatch at a time.
How was the process of designing?
Andrea is a full-time sewist who typically works with fabric and pattern companies to use her experience and talents to create pieces using their materials. This collaboration stretched the boundaries of her comfort zone.
“Kim asked me to do something far more creative,” says Andrea. “There was no pattern. She had the ideation, and I got to create it. Much of what goes into this starts before I begin sewing.”
Andrea translated her technological user experience to clothing. She took Kim’s idea, and went back and forth on the design and fabrics used to make sure the end result was going to be beautiful and wearable. The end result? One that showcases the strengths of both.
What is the future of the Designer Dress Series?
This intention behind this collaboration dress series is community focused: to create exclusive handmade dresses in inclusive sizes. The design duo hopes to launch a new dress each quarter, and while their inaugural piece is truly one of a kind, future dresses will roll out in various sizes and be available for purchase at DAHR.
“Besides being in the awesome DAHR downtown, this is definitely one of the most fulfilling and thrilling accomplishments for Cotton & Grain,” Kim says. “This partnership is wonderful and has given me such a sense of fulfillment.”
Those interested in Past Midnight are invited to borrow the dress for a small fee. All inquiries can be sent to Kim at info@shopcottonandgrain.
