PHILADELPHIA — Rosemary, the designer behind the brand Edaalia, grew up knowing that she would work in the fashion industry, but never in her wildest dreams did she imagine starting her own brand. Adventurer at heart, she decided to go back to school for fashion design. She stumbled upon Made Institute in Philadelphia and knew it was the right school to launch her career. Her graduation show came at both the right and wrong time, in February of 2020.
All of her hard work was presented at Philly Fashion Week, with hopes that it would propel her career, but shortly after the show, the world shut down due to the pandemic. The aspiring designer thought this was the end of her journey, until she got the opportunity to volunteer in her heritage country through Birthright Armenia.
She eagerly took this opportunity; however, circumstances beyond her control redirected her plans once again. Just as she was about to leave for Armenia, a full-scale war between Armenia and Azerbaijan broke out. She went fully aware of the dangers but eager to help her country in any way that she could. She split her time between doing humanitarian work and working for a fashion company in Armenia.
Fast forward to the present, and the west coast native now splits her time between Philadelphia and Armenia. The designer has rebranded her company to be a ready-to-travel brand manufactured in Armenia. She coined the term ready-to-travel for attire that has the aesthetics of a ready-to-wear brand, but the comfort and practicality needed for traveling.
Interest in travel has significantly increased due to the pandemic and added connectivity through social media. People are traveling and posting about their travels like never before. As an avid traveler herself, Rosemary understands the importance of the perfect travel wardrobe. The designer wants to contribute to the interest of global exploration and self-_expression_ through fashion. Edaalia is meant to be an _expression_ of beauty, wonder and boldness. The designer wants her brand to help women explore the world with confidence. By working with local women artisans in Armenia to produce her brand, she hopes that she can inspire travelers from all over the world to visit this tiny country of wonder.
October 14 will be the first official relaunch of Edaalia at the 10th anniversary show for Made Institute. At the show, Rosemary will be selling her first mini collection of travel sets, which were inspired by her many trips back and forth to Armenia. She wanted to create something comfortable, breathable and effortlessly cool. She will also be showing three looks from her larger spring collection, which will be available for pre-order. To watch her journey leading up to the show, you can follow her on Instagram. Tickets to the show are available at https://made-institute.com/.
About the show:
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023, at 6 p.m.
Location: Cherry Street Pier, 121 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard Philadelphia, PA 19106
As a testament to 10 years of transformative fashion education, Made Institute is thrilled to announce its 10th Anniversary Fashion Show fundraiser. This milestone event will celebrate the remarkable journey of Made Institute and its commitment to fostering creativity, innovation and inclusivity in the world of fashion.
About Made Institute
In the fall of 2012, Made Institute CEO Rachel Ford started teaching sewing classes in Old City. She wanted to share techniques she had learned working 10 years at the Philadelphia Opera to the city’s growing number of makers and designers. Now, Made Institute offers courses for sewing enthusiasts and teens, but also a full curriculum of professional fashion design courses that help students to realize their entrepreneurial goals.