Blue Gradient A-line Shift Dress – available in linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen
I’m so excited to announce the debut collection of Jamie Lau Designs prints this season! I am both print and color obsessed and always wanted to design my own textiles. Here’s a glimpse of some of my new designs which will be available at this year’s holiday shows and beyond.
One of my favorite designs is the bias cut Blue Gradient A-line Shift Dress (above) – available in both linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen. I was inspired by the painterly landscape surrounding the Arashiyama and Sagano area of Kyoto and a piece of Japanese stoneware reminiscent of rippling water. For a more behind-the-scenes look into the inspiration and design of this dress, check out my four-part Hand-Crafted Clothing guest blog series on Spoonflower – from color palette and design inspiration, to textile design and garment construction (Part I and Part II).
Blue Gradient Tote Bags in a textured linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen
We also have unisex tote bags in the blue gradient print, available in both linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen – perfect for gifting during the holiday season!
Blue-green color palette inspiration
For my prints, I was heavily inspired by nature and gradients occurring in the natural environment. I also love an ombré color palette and collect paint chips for inspiration. In addition to dresses, we also have separates, starting with a fun pair of textured linen-cotton canvas Blue Gradient Resort Shorts in a rippling water print – great for wearing as-is or layering with opaque tights during colder winter months.
Blue Gradient Resort Shorts in a ripple print
You may also recall my ombré red velvet and pink wedding color palette, which I wanted to explore again with clothing.
Pink ombé color palette inspiration
For the Niwa Draped Cocoon Dress, I was inspired by strolls in The Regent’s Park in London. I love this draped silhouette and the interplay between the flora and grass – another piece that is great for layering.
Niwa Draped Cocoon Dress in a luscious organic cotton sateen floral print
This floral printed dress is sewn in a luscious organic cotton sateen and features a front and back yoke.
Back yoke detail
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting two very talented Marimekko designers (illustrator Aino Maija-Metsola and clothing designer Mika Piirainen) during their visit from Finland for the Cooper-Hewitt Design by Hand series. Their work is so inspiring and I love the bold pops of color and use of prints in their designs. Of course, I had to wear something that was also designed by hand and print filled.
At the Cooper-Hewitt Design Center with Marimekko designers Aino-Maija Metsola and Mika Piirainen
This is just a snippet of what’s new. Stay tuned for more to come and I hope to see you all at this year’s holiday shows! If you’d like to place an order, email us at jamielaudesigns@gmail.com.
Sneak peek of more Jamie Lau Designs fabric swatches
I photographed this look against one of the many Instagrammable walls and street art in LA. I came across this black and white photorealistic mural of palm trees by Noah Abrams Studio while strolling along Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice.
This gathered-waist silhouette features flattering cap sleeves, a square neckline, and center back zipper. I added inseam pockets versus sewing patch pockets so I would not distract from the flow of the print.
Follow me on Instagram for more scenes from this trip. If you are interested in placing an order for this dress in this fabric or another cotton option, email us at jamielaudesigns [at] gmail [dot] com. 
My favorite part of the design process is fabric selection. For this new spring shirt dress design, I paired a crisp, luxury cotton shirting fabric by Burberry with a contrasting hand-dyed blue cotton for the outer cuff layer. To further add interest to the overall design, I chose glazed marine blue buttons to highlight the polka dot print.
