Lost & Found
By Chelsea Edmonds, Founder & Lead Designer
Photography By Flying Solo
Clothing Construction & Stylist: Emma Manis
Designer: Chelsea Edmonds of Sadie James Hat Co.
Sadie James Hat Co.’s journey to Paris Fashion Week was a dream realized when founder and lead designer Chelsea Edmonds debuted her collection, The Lost Girl, in February. Selected by Flying Solo NYC, an esteemed platform known for identifying the world’s most promising designers, Chelsea teamed up with clothing stylist Emma Manis to bring her life-inspired, wearable storytelling to life on the Parisian runways. Here, Chelsea shares with us the inspiration behind the collection.
Being accepted to participate in Paris Fashion Week through Flying Solo was such an honor for Sadie James. Flying Solo accepts Designers from all over the world, so to be selected to participate in their ‘Ones to Watch’ show was an unbelievable opportunity! My collection, The Lost Girl was loosely based on my own personal story, but can relate to so many. It was a story related to finding your way in this world. The collection showcases many keys, chains, and locks to represent feeling locked into the normal societal expectations. The final look, The Lost Treasure, closes the show and represents the idea that you were the treasure the entire time and following your heart is always going to guide you down the right path in this lifetime. All of my hats are meant to spark emotion, make you think, and make you stare!
The Story of The Lost Girl:
The lost girl is misunderstood by most, with eyes peering constantly. She changes her mind often, she moves fast, yet never stops moving forward. The lost girl is often greeted with doubt, expectation, and questioning… While the girl seems lost, what others don’t see is that she knows exactly where she is going. The truth is, she has never been more confident in her direction. Soon they will see the chains break free, and those same peering eyes will be looking at her a little differently. Yet, what they don’t know, is while they think she found her way, she will always be lost, because it’s where she’s always preferred to be. You are left to wonder, who is the one that is really lost?
The Lost Girl is a collection about the journey, breaking what’s expected, and living in the unexpected. The Lost Girl is about trusting your path, and moving forward even when others turn around. Because living in the unexpected is where you’ll find the most extraordinary things…
When you’re lost, it sparks creativity. It requires you to think differently, and requires you to find solutions. We are never truly found because life is filled with wrong turns. The choice is yours on what path you choose to take. Will you stay lost or play it safe?
