There are parcels that are awaited with extreme anticipation. Do you know that feeling? You're sitting on the edge of your chair, impatiently checking your watch every now and then, always wishing for that little package to come. Well, that was excactly what I did last week when indeed the delivery man rang at my door to bring a small bundle of clothes I had so hoped would arrive in time for Easter.
I cannot stop looking at the vibrant colors and simple yet brilliant design. Samuel, naturally, looks very dashing in them and I bet he appreciates the softness of the beautiful eco-cotton fabrics, too. While I'm always a sucker for classic patterns that are easy to match with others (dots, stripes), nothing beats Charley Harper's fun illustrations on a toddler's shirt, don't you think?
When I first unwrapped my parcel and saw the beautifully colored clothes and light fabrics, it made me long for summer at the ocean: never-ending days at the beach, Samuel running down to the water, his happy face covered in strawberry juice, building sand castles, sticky fingers on warm skin. All this and more in a small bundle of clothes - that's what I call a great deal!
For now, until the weather warms up, a trip to the local Natural History Museum has to be enough. Samuel obviously had a lot of fun crawling from room to room in his non-restrictive Swiss Dot Roamers and as usual, discovering the world around him.
Since she's obviously the best person for the job, Rona, very graciously, agreed to answer some questions about Otto Finn and more. Thanks, Rona! x
Dear Rona, how and when did you and Ross get started with Otto Finn?
Otto Finn Wear started when our little Otto was 10 months old and between sizes. Inspired to outfit our little guy with pants that stayed on while he adventures, we began to draw up patterns and sew samples. Pooling together our sewing expierences, we introduced our small batch Wear Collection.
How did you come up with the name Otto Finn?
Ross and I had the name Otto Finn in mind for several years. We wanted the name to be a reflection of our design aesthetics and leaning toward Scandinavian modern design and German sensibility. Otto is a family name that we both adored. It is both German and Scandinavian, reflecting Ross' heritage. We admire the work of Finnish designer, Finn Juhl, and love his name so we incorporated it into the name of our company.
How has the birth of your son changed your life professionally?
We actually established Otto Finn to start a home goods line. Ross has been designing porcelain lamp shades for a couple of years and we have been making textile products as well. We have been trying to transition to a vialable studio space that is large enough and functional for ceramic production. We moved from NYC to the Pittsburgh area for that reason and are still in process of making it happen while we renovate our future home studio. Otto came along in the midst of this change. While we are still planning to work on our Otto Finn Dwell line, we started a Wear line out of necessity for our little Otto.
What do you value in children's clothing in general? How do you incorporate those values in your own children's clothing line?
The Otto Finn Wear collection was built on the idea that clothes for little ones can have contemporary design, comfortable fit, and lasting quality. Our clothes are meant to be passed down and cherished. We are commited to create durable, beautiful, and environmentally conscious apparel by using ethical manufactured, quality made organic or sustainbly produced fabric. We didn't want to spend our time creating fast fashion/disposable clothing and compete with the likes of mega corporations who use cheap manufacturers overseas (many times in questionable conditions). We decided to invest in an industrial serger (we already had several industrial sewing machines) so that we could make clothes with strong stitching and professional seams in our home studio.
In your professional collaboration, how do you and Ross divide your responsibilities?
Ross and I collaborate on the designs of the pieces. He is the primary pattern maker and sewist. I work on the design and photography for the website and am the voice behind our social media presence.
What are you inspired by when working on new designs?
Comfort, fit and practicality. It seems like I'm overstating the obvious but we've had trouble with some clothes and have had to literally cut out the neck to make them wider and cut off cuffs so we didn't have to struggle to get Otto in and out of clothes. We test our samples on Otto and see how our clothes fit him as he moves before we introduce them.
Is there a any piece of clothing that you remember specifically from your own childhood?
When I was seven, we moved to the US and didn't have much in earthly belongings. My new best friend Mimi, who was five, gave me some of her dolls and shared her toys with me. Her parents taught her to be a kind little girl. They had me over after school just about every day.
Mimi's mom sewed basic tops and skirts for her and made some for me too. The simple idea of making clothes for children nearly disappeared when fast fashion developed. I'm glad that the craft, quality and story behind makers are becoming an integral part of why someone chooses to purchase an item. To this day I'm grateful to Mimi's family for their generosity and friendship and to her mom specifically for setting a good example and teaching both of us so many good values.
What does a typical day for you and Otto look like? What are your favourite things to do with him?
Otto takes two naps a day so we generally stay inside during the first part of the day. At home we play with his toys, read, and listen to his dad's records. When he is done napping in the afternoon, we take a walk outside. We usually head to the library because he loves climbing up the big stairs out front. Once inside we play with the wooden puzzles, do a little reading and chat with the children's librarian about our day. Some days we head to a little park in the next town or the Y for his swim class. Now that the weather is nicer and we have a bike seat for Otto, we'll go for bike rides along the bike path.
What surprised you about motherhood? Has the way you see your own mother changed sice you entered motherhood?
I'm learning to be a more flexible and present person. All my preconceived notions and ideas about mortherhood and how I would raise my child went out the window once I had Otto. Motherhood is an ever-changing experience and I'm constantly learning to shift my point of view as I go along. It's not as fixed as I assumed so we try to go with the flow.
My mother raised my sister and I all by herself as a single parent. With one child I'm already busy and some days can barely keep up. I'm not sure how she managed to raise the two of us in a new country while making a living and learning English. I've always admired her, loved her and thought she was a strong woman. Since becoming a mom myself, I've gained a fraction of insight on what she's had to go through.
As someone who previously worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, how do you plan on introducing Otto to art? Do you have any specific approaches?
Otto's been going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art since he was a little tiny babe. Now that we are living in western PA, we are members of the Carnegie Museums in Pittsburgh and of the Children's Museum. We want him to be comfortable with museums and to feel that he can interact with the pieces. The Children's Museum is a wonderful place for him to explore and he just loves it there. He currently loves the third floor which is all about exploring water with water wheels, sprinklers, vortexes, ice cubes and the like. We try to go once a week. As for art in our daily lives, I think he will see what we are working on and join us on the side when he's a wee bit older.
What part does photography play in your life? How has it changed since Otto's birth?
I'm a professional photographer and have always worked in museums or privately for museums and other institutions. I've always maintained my own photographic projects and am an exhibiting artist. While I was pregnant with Otto I made a new body of work, The Lore and the Lure of Key West, at the Studios of Key West residency in Key West, Florida. Currently I'm preparing to exhibit the work down there next month. Since Otto's birth, I haven't had as much time to photograph but hope to get back into it when he's more mobile and can join me in holding a camera up to his eyes and experiencing the world through a viewfinder.
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