Suzy Cherry, Designer & Co-Founder of Dainty Rascal
Last but certainly not least, Suzy Cherry’s sumptuous pink ball gown took our breath away, so much so that we felt it deserved the “Cover” of this article. The voluminous skirt required more than 10 yards of fabric, a super-soft hemp/silk jacquard featuring a subtle cherry blossom print. The dramatic bustier is adorned with freshwater pearls and Swarovski Crystal beads. Not included is the occasion; it’s fitting for a princess at a royal ball.
“I chose the hemp silk jacquard and the hemp silk charmeuse because of its perfect mix of incredible softness, and its remarkable durability. Once silk begins to shatter, there’s no saving it. I can also wash the hemp gowns because it won’t shrink the way pure silk does,” said Suzy. She explained that endurance is very important to her because she envisions her couture will become heirlooms, passed down from one generation to the next. Where as silk is unlikely to last more than 75 years without disintegrating, she said, “Hemp, however, will last through generations.”
A San Francisco area designer and founder of Dainty Rascal, Suzy specializes in ultra-feminine, vintage-inspired designs. All of her gowns are custom made to order and designed to accentuate and flatter the best features of a woman’s body, regardless of size. She also has a flare for the dramatic. “The weight of the fabric also adds a luxurious drape, and when I spin in these gowns, they twirl with enough force to start a tornado.”
Not all of her fashions are made from hemp, but she’s in the process of adding more hemp-silk gowns to her couture and bridal collections, and she’s more than happy to incorporate hemp at the client’s request. Demand for hemp is really growing, she explained. That’s especially true in the Bay Area where her clients are in hot pursuit of eco-anything. “Just adding the word “hemp” into my tag words on my online shop brings me tons of extra traffic.”
She also appreciates the sustainability factor — that hemp helps to neutralize radiation and breathe oxygen back into the air. “Thank you, hemp. I love to breathe!”
Suzy Cherry is currently in the process of expanding Dainty Rascal line, her designs can be custom made to order through custommade.com or in her Dainty Rascals shop on Etsy.com. She has something for everyone with prices that range from $180 to $2,500.
Additional Image Credits:
Deborah Lindquist Cassandra Dress, Nick Berard
Suzy Cherry Cover Photo by Dale Newman, Red Ball Gown Photo by Bruce Barielle