Fragments of making, materials, and design in progress.
I make clothes at the speed of a stitch. The Journal exists to show that the design process speed: measured, human, and precise. In a world that often asks designers to perform rather than to make, showing the design process is crucial. Think of this space as an editorial archive, not a blog: a place where process, images and short essays are collected with care so you can understand how House Ade is built.
What you’ll find here
- Fragments: brief, visual notes from the workbench: a seam turned by hand, a drape test in window light, a pattern curve that suddenly makes sense.
- Process Notes: clear explanations of how pieces are made: why a hem is hand-finished, where an interior anchor loop sits, how an adaptive closure preserves line without compromising ease.
- Materials Lab: readable, evidence-based writing on fibres and function. We are natural-first (cotton and linen lead); when a small synthetic component improves fit, recovery, or longevity, we use it sparingly and disclose the exact percentage and purpose.
- Field Notes: observations from places and people that shape the work: markets, studios, books, and landscapes.
What this says about the brand
The Journal is where I make value visible: the inside finishing, the logic of a neckline, the reason a sleeve contains elastane, the time and judgement that sit behind a simple line. If you’re a customer, you should be able to see, in one glance, why a garment feels different and lasts longer. If you’re press, you’ll find a consistent record of method, not marketing.
Why write at all?
Because clothes are arguments about how to live. Writing prevents me from drifting into surface and reminds me that design has obligations: to fit, to move, to endure, to be repaired. Publishing here also keeps the brand honest. When I say “natural-first,” you’ll see the fibre choices and the exceptions. When I talk about adaptive design, you’ll see the placements, not just the promise.
How to read this space
Entries are spare on purpose. Comments are off (this is an archive), but conversation is welcome through my letters: quiet, bi-monthly notes that sometimes become physical mail. If you want to be first to receive them or to hear when a new study is ready, join the letters here.
For editors & collaborators
You’re welcome to quote short excerpts with credit and link back. Each Journal entry includes accurate materials information and captions.
The Journal will grow slowly. That’s the point. If a seam takes time, so will the words about it.
Until next stitch,
Lade — House Ade