Welcome to Grows As It Goes
This is how we do it.
The New Mexico state motto is Crescit eundo, or “It grows as it goes.” I’ve always loved the idea as a life mantra, reminding us to keep growing and expanding. Though I’ve lived in Colorado and New York (actually, if we’re keeping track, it was more like New Mexico > Colorado > New York > New Mexico > New York > Colorado), the Western sensibilities I was raised with continue to guide me.
I launched my fashion career in 2002, creating handbags from vintage and reclaimed fabrics and garments in the attic apartment of a Denver Victorian. From there, everything kept building on itself: I studied women’s apparel and accessories, photography, and upholstery at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York; I founded the Brooklyn Fashion League, a shared space and design incubator for makers, fashion start-ups, and independent brands, in 2012; I moved into curtain-making and worked on projects for the North Carolina Museum of Art, the MoMA, and the United Nations. All of these experiences helped shape my career as an accessories designer and consultant in both fashion and interior design.
Eventually, I wanted to start a family and it seemed like an obvious move to bring my New York fashion industry experience back to Colorado. I’ve always wanted to create a business that supported women. My mom was a single mom and I often thought growing up, “There has to be a better way to help women and mothers. Then, I had my daughter just as the COVID-19 pandemic was ramping up. Being a mom, being a designer, and being conscious of the planet all came crashing into one another.
When I decided to start Grows As It Goes, it was based on a simple philosophy: Nothing is mass-produced and everything must support women somehow. The fashion industry is one of the largest polluters and I didn’t want to keep feeding that unsustainable monster. I want to design stuff that doesn’t contribute to the downfall of the planet. The climate is finally getting the attention it deserves but there’s still a lack of sustainable interior items. My leathers are selected with environmentally responsible producers and I’m choosy about my production partners. And I’ve carefully curated products from like-minded vendors who also put people and planet first.
Many of the products we carry are made in America, but we also support craftswomen in other countries. Something you may not realize is that it’s difficult to source all of the necessary supplies from US manufacturers — sometimes even trying to find small items like snaps or buckles is next to impossible. Our promise to you is that we are incredibly choosy and aim to be as transparent as possible. You’ll know where something is made and by whom. And you can trust that the person who made it was paid a living, ethical wage and created the item with minimal impacts to the environment.
Just as lightning gains momentum as it moves through the sky, Grows As It Goes feels like a culmination of my journey. I’ve found my center and my calling. And I’m so glad you’re all here to share it with me.
