61 always had creative tendencies that were encouraged and fostered by her family, particularly her mother, Cait's biggest fan. Seeing Star Wars Episode I, with its elaborate and structured costumes made Cait curious to explore fashion and design.
Slow Fashion – Designer Cait Shea Clark is in no Hurry Photos and profile A. DiMartino
I
magine your clothing closet for a moment. You may even have multiple closets (no judgment). Does it contain only the essentials, or is it a myriad selection of tops, blouses, pants, dresses, scarves, coats, shoes, handbags and accessories? What if there was another way? A closet with far fewer items, sustainably made by hand, environmentally friendly, designed and crafted with skill, love, and care, all meant to last a lifetime, and with comfort in mind. Is this idea preposterous, a far-fetched fantasy, a unicorn found at the end of a rainbow? No, this defines the Slow Fashion movement; idealistic, thoughtful, well-intentioned and ultimately, a return to how clothes used to be made before mass manufacturing and distribution existed. Cait Clark of CAIT SHEA Designs and Sprouted Coffee Bar in Chester CT is passionate about many things. Her life of creative tendencies has culminated in her own slow fashion line that "aims to return to the days of cottage industry manufacturing of small capsule collections; intentional, well-designed pieces meant to a last a lifetime." Cait, a Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) alumna, recalls knowing she wanted to be in the world of fashion as early as 11 years old. Growing up in Columbus Ohio her grandmother taught her needlepoint and crafts at a young age. She
When Cait was 12 she moved to Ivoryton with her mother and stepfather and went on to attend high school at Valley Regional. There she took Home Economic classes that shaped her creativity and future. Her teacher, Margaret Kangley, was a positive influence in Cait's development as well as building her creative confidence. Kangley, a painter, taught at Valley Regional as well as Wesleyan University. Although Cait wanted to attend Parsons School of Design in NYC, Kangley wanted her to attend RISD and knew she would need a portfolio of her work to accomplish this. Kangley converted an old garage into a workshop for the students. Here they were able to get "dirty," work with charcoal and other mediums, liberating her young students' creativity. She brought live models for the art students to draw life from three dimensions. She actively encouraged Cait to dream big and pursue her dreams, to turn her passion into a career. Cait even began designing and hand sewing a line of women's handbags while she was in High School. This was when CAIT SHEA Designs was born, and she started selling her bags while still a student, solidifying her desire to make this into her career.
Cait enrolled at RISD after graduation and found herself attending intense full-day classes. Three days a week she attended 8-hour classes with an hour break for lunch. Her major in Apparel included courses on drawing, studio pattern design, sewing, draping, and tailoring. The other two days were liberal arts classes and the history of fashion. RISD and its instructors were intense, critical, challenging – excellent preparation for "the real world." In the world
