INSPIRATION STATEMENT

Time flies when you’re having fun, Baby!

Phew, we have been on the road for six weeks, and just like that, we are heading into the final two weeks of our seasonal Pop Up Series. We are living proof that time indeed flies when you’re having fun, and boy have we had FUN!

San Francisco feels like it was ages ago. That said, the reflection of our incredible time there is still fresh in our minds.

We were greeted with gorgeous spring weather, and a very vibrant events calendar that included daily hikes through the spectacular Presidio, delicious meals with friends, art, ballet, and a healthy dose of sightseeing. We love playing both tourist and resident. Each day we looked forward to discovering something new. This could be a new city park to run the dog, finding the steepest hill in the city, or locating the best bakery or cafe.

To be clear, there is so much abundance and goings on, that you may never reach an end!

Wayne and I loved rediscovering one of America’s most beautiful cities.

Yes, San Francisco did take a major hit from the pandemic (as has nearly every major city in the US), But, we can comfortably say that the city’s rebound is apparent, and exciting to behold. What is most noticeable is the resilience and resolve of the local community and residents to turn the page, shrug off all the bad press, and move their beloved city forward toward its future. The positive mood and vibe on the streets is palatable. To be clear, all cities are being forced to reimagine how, and most importantly what will fill the void of the empty storefronts, vacant office buildings, and the shuttered restaurants that represent an era gone by. Our city centers were built for a bygone time; a different generation. We need to accept that. A new vision and the ongoing search for workable solutions are yet to be imagined. San Francisco looks to be well on its way to finding one, and preserving the spirit and the soul that has always been the beating heart of this shining city on the hill.

Coming back to Seattle is bittersweet. We love reconnecting to our community and friends. We love seeing our Baby & Company faithful, and making new connections to share in our story. 

And yes, the city is crowded and busy and full of life. The Pike Place Market is brimming with fresh flowers, fresh fish, local fruits and vegetables, and local crafts. The restaurants are full and lively, however, if you will indulge me, as a native downtown Seattleite, I feel the need for a bit of a rant.

I really try to stay positive about the good things that are going on in the city, but… I just gotta ask: what the hell is being done to help clean up Third Avenue and the Pike / Pine corridor?

Seriously, why does it continue to be one of the worst areas of the city? Why is more attention, or the effort to clean it up not happening? It has been bad, and getting worse for more than a decade now. The area on Third Avenue between Stewart and Union is the unfortunate site for a major bus transfer zone. The light rail stop is right there as well. The vacancies and the sense of emptiness of the entire city block have kept it a respite for crime, drug dealing, and an overwhelming population of the ill and the broken. Can nothing be done to make these critical bus stops on Third Ave safe? Seriously, now! I get that the city is working with a severely understaffed Police Department, but is anything being tried, proposed, or explored to help find some solutions to help break up the ongoing loitering on Third Avenue between Pine and Union? If you are from Seattle, you know exactly what I am talking about. It’s so discouraging because we want to see the city ”take the turn”.

Everyone loves a great comeback, and watching San Francisco navigate its way back has been inspiring and encouraging. It gives both Wayne and I a feeling of hope and optimism that our home town of Seattle will find it’s footing, and tap into the beating heart that made Seattle such a special place.

It will be up to the whole community to stay engaged and fight for it. Change, and the answer to the many issues that are dragging down progress are slow and complicated. However, I just know the tide will turn and the braintrust, ingenuity, and imagination held by the citizens of this great city will pull it off, and reimagine a city for tomorrow.

One of my favorite inspirational quotes that helped us navigate Baby and Company into her future: Don’t try to remake the old. Instead, rebuild the future.

Come on Seattle - Let it Rip!

MY DEAR TEJAS TRUNK SHOW

We can’t wait to introduce you to the incredible Susan Kim!

 

Our Designer Residency and Trunk Show: My Dear Tejas

 

About Susan:
"For years I've thought of a fringed buckskin jacket I had in college...it's the inspiration for an exciting new project that marries my sustainable sensible side with my studied design aesthetic. A recent visit to a ranch in west Texas illuminated my vision of reworking the fringed college jacket into a simple and elegant deerskin jacket, using sustainably sourced American leather from deer that roam the wide open expanses of the land. I am quite drawn to Texas and feel a calling to move there soon, placing roots and working alongside partners who will join me in moving my vision forward. I have chosen a north American tannery whose work combines elements from the late 1800's and is working to keep the tannery traditions alive alongside skilled leather garment craftsmen from Texas with deep values surrounding their craft. Your purchase supports our work towards regenerative clothing...for years the hides from these deer were thrown into landfills or sent overseas for tanning. While most tanneries have migrated out of North America, we are partnered with one of the few left who are keeping this tradition alive. Since much of the work we do is by hand, each piece is unique and there may be variations in the hide that occur such as scars and scrapes. We believe this variation holds a special value and shares our unique story of preservation, mindful processing and nod to the past."

Baby & Company hosted our first My Dear Tejas Trunk Show last summer in Sun Valley, and a deep and wonderful relationship was formed. Susan was best known in the Bay Area because of her impressive boutiques: Workshop and Dosa, which she closed a few years back. Susan and I are quite opposites - Susan’s style and design are clean and minimal. Susan’s eye is modern and architectural, playful yet refined. Her deerskin coats reflect all of these qualities; every detail attended to. Somehow we have formed a symbiotic balance between the quirky and eclectic sensibility that is Baby & Company and the clean & sublime of My Dear Tejas.

NO RAIN, NO RAINBOW

SEATTLE POP-UP