New York Fashion Week this year had a lot of young designers on its circuit. Among them was a familiar name: Mila Sullivan, who returned for her third season on the runway.
Her “Laid Bare” show took place in a quaint theatre in downtown Manhattan, featuring a series of romantic, ethereal outfits made from a variety of vintage and repurposed materials—a Sullivan signature. In the background, musical duo Leya provided vocals while a ballerina took the stage for a performance.
“My inspiration always is materiality, because I’m always collecting and finding vintage and upcycled fabrics, so that’s usually where my process begins,” Sullivan told Retail Brew. “But this year, I actually wanted to push that even further by doing a lot of natural dyeing.”
The result was an SS26 collection that incorporated dyeing using produce such as avocado and cabbage along with silhouettes inspired by vintage theatre and dance costumes.
“Pretty much almost every collection look had at least one dyed piece, which just made it even more process-based,” Sullivan said, explaining how the designs were meant to evoke “memory and material.”
Her focus on upcycling and natural dyeing reflects a broader movement among younger NYFW designers, many of whom are experimenting with heritage materials and DIY techniques in the face of rising costs.
But whether it’s Fashion Week or a regular day crafting a custom look for a client in her Williamsburg studio, Sullivan’s process begins with sourcing vintage fabrics and materials at thrift stores, which she has been doing for six years.
“I love using natural materials, so trying to get cottons, linens, and silks,” she said, adding that FabScrap, which sources dead stock from bigger brands, is an instrumental resource for small business owners like her who are looking for new materials that can last longer.
“If a textile has been around for this long and is still surviving, it’s probably made a lot better than the current textiles that we know, that we’re seeing from fast fashion companies,” she said.
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While thrifting and buying new materials for cheaper prices may seem like a cost-effective way to make things work as a young designer in New York, cost is a constant consideration for Sullivan who identifies as a team of one.
“A lot of people are shocked by the price tag, and it’s important to let people be shocked by it, because then we will start to understand the work and the time and the quality of clothing,” she said. “It’s trying to make my pieces as accessible as possible, but also paying myself, which is a very tricky thing.”
Of course, putting together a New York Fashion Week presentation only adds to those costs, which is why Sullivan believes it is critical for small designers to have sponsorships.
“When you put on a show, you’re not actually making money from that,” she said. “It’s not like you’re selling the pieces; it’s more of a PR stunt, so that you will then get more people to hopefully see your work and want to put in orders.”
The designer’s candor underscores a reality for many independent designers where Fashion Week shows are investments, not moneymakers. However, as she contemplates the future of her brand, the designer hopes to collaborate with a larger retailer in the future. Still, she doesn’t see herself “putting at least any of the pieces of this sort into production” anytime soon.
For now, her plan is simply to come back to the runway in September.
“I have played with the idea of showing in February as well, but just because I’m such a tiny team, I’m still trying to figure out whether that would be possible this season,” she said. “But definitely you will see me next September.”