Does the end of the year also make you reflective? I was legit wide awake for hours last night thinking about the past 4 years of RESPONSIVE TEXTILES.

Fun fact: I created the name for a class assignment in 2012. At the time, I thought it'd be a surface design studio, something a little closer to the graphic design degree I was finishing up. Its mission? To design fabric that's RESPONSIVE to your individuality, body and lifestyle. (Sound familiar?)

Jump to 2014. I’m in the middle of brunch (where my best ideas happen), and I decide apply to Fashion Week San Diego under the name RESPONSIVE TEXTILES. The medium would now be knitwear, but my mission hadn't changed. Back then, I was a graphic designer trying to be a knitter. Literally. I was figuring out how to make clothes while trying to discover what my aesthetic was. Check out Season 1 for reference, though prepare yourself for A LOT of crop tops. Looking at it now, I think what I created in that 1st collection was more on par with what I thought handmade knitwear was supposed to be rather than what I actually wanted to offer.

Comparing it to my most recent collection though, I realize that I'm no longer a graphic designer trying to be a knitter. I'm just a knitter who no longer apologizes for being mostly self taught. Over the past six collections, I've honed my creative voice into its own, and the clothes I'm creating reflect that. They are functional, polished and thoughtfully designed to serve women better. They're what I want to offer.

It’s amazing how things happen. You get a class assignment, which blossoms into an adventure you never thought you'd take. You pick a brand name to rep your mission statement, but later it becomes an industry term for smart, tech fabric (truth). You just never know what will take and how things will evolve.

So if you're reflecting on your past year and feel like you fell short, know you're not alone. (I'm right there with ya!) Also, trust that you've probably planted seeds this year that are going to grow into something later, just don't give up. You are on your way! We all are.

Happy Holidays!

xKristine of RESPONSIVE