As a lover of retro aesthetics, I was smitten the minute I saw Street and Saddle’s Summer 2021 collection! This summer I’ve really made it my mission to add more vintage casual inspired pieces to my wardrobe. Prior to even seeing Street and Saddle’s new summer collection, I was already turning to the 40s and 50s for everyday style inspiration. In terms of casual yet still put together looks, those eras did it best in my opinion. My photographer and friend, Shauna Penchie, aka Little Photo Fox, introduced me to the Vancouver BC based brand last fall and I was immediately drawn to the quality and craftsmanship of their pieces. This summer, it was most definitely an honor to be able to model so many of the pieces I fell in love with on Instagram. NOW, let’s get to know owner and designer of Street and Saddle, Katelyn Woodburn!
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
My official title at S&S is Owner and Designer – but I do almost everything, from customer service and cutting/sewing (alongside our amazing sewing team) to packing orders and drafting patterns. I first fell in love with apparel design when I sewed myself a Beatrix Kiddo costume in high school (you know, the yellow pleather motorcycle suit). There was probably more hot glue gunning than sewing going on back then, but I really loved the 2D to 3D process of it, and after that I didn’t want to do anything else!
What inspired you to start your own brand?
I grew up really loving horses and literally anything that had to do with them, so that has really infiltrated the personality of S&S. But I think the main driving force behind the brand is the talented sewers and tailors who make every piece of clothing right in our studio. The more I learned about sewing and garment manufacturing, the more in awe I was of what an incredibly skilled trade it is – and how underappreciated it is as well. Working with craftswomen (it is a very female-dominated trade) who are fairly treated and compensated has been very important from the start. We also started offering custom sizing very early on – which has been so challenging and rewarding! My favourite thing to hear from client’s is “I never knew clothing could feel this good.” That means we got the fit perfect 🙂 And we’ve recently expanded our size range to include 4X and 5X. As much as I love the fabrics and the creativity, it has always been important to tackle these fundamental issues with fashion – in our own little way.
I love your new collection and the retro vibes! Was there a specific era that inspired you most and what was most inspiring about that era?
Equestrian apparel has a very vintage vibe to it. From cowgirls to Derby parties, polo players and dressage, the style is very classic and iconic. We start with styles inspired by the equestrian world, and layer in references from the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Our Summer collection had some strong forties hints – from the wrap dress (whose twirly skirt is a nod to Dior’s 1947 New Look), to the denim shorts (inspired by an outfit my granny wore when she was a rebellious teenager at the time). I find that from a sustainability perspective, looking to those decades is very important. Styles from that era keep coming back again and again and again, whereas a lot of modern trends are much more short-lived.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your entrepreneurial footsteps?
Make sure you love the good, the bad and the ugly of your business. Being an apparel designer is fast-paced and creative which I knew that I would love, but there’s a lot more math, finance and logistics than I anticipated. So you have to learn to like each part of the job, whether it’s sewing or spreadsheets! I would say that one thing every entrepreneurial role has in common is needing to make a huge amount of judgement calls and decisions every day. So whether that excites you or stresses you out (or both!) should be an indicator of whether that kind of life (because it does really consume your whole life) is a good fit or not.
What do you have planned in the months to come for Street and Saddle?!
Right now we are working on our Fall 2021 collection, which releases at the end of August – and it’s so gorgeous. It’s still a secret, but we went for a very 1970’s varsity vibe with the collection. So expect some tailored indigo denim, jewel toned satin jackets, and faux tortoiseshell detailing.
Special thanks to Street and Saddle for partnering on this post! Be sure to follow Street and Saddle on Instagram and shop the complete summer collection here !
Photography by Little Photo Fox, check out more of her work here and give her a follow as well!