Jacquie Moesel, children’s clothing designer and owner of Moesel Clothing, partners her designs with a women’s collective of artisans in Peru to realize her vision for a special line of children’s knit clothing. She is passionate about ethical production and honoring skills when working with makers.
What inspired you to start Moesel Clothing?
I started Moesel Clothing a few years ago with a very dear friend of mine from Peru. He was interested in helping grow economic opportunity for Peruvian artisans and he had brought some samples of clothing done by artisans on a visit to Austin, Texas with an interest in distributing the items in the U.S.
I could tell the original samples were very well-made and high quality, but I didn’t think the designs had the right look and feel for U.S. markets. We spent that visit discussing the idea of creating something on our own. I came up with a first round of drawings to be made by the artisans in Peru. That was the start of all the adventures to come!
Do you knit or crochet? If so, how does that inspire your designs?
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I do not knit or crochet, but I have always loved fashion. I spent hours upon hours drawing clothing designs as a child – never thinking that all that practice would be useful some day!
How do you come up with new designs?
I try to create designs that will highlight the artistry of the makers. All of the pieces in the current collection have hand-sewn features that illustrate the skills of a women’s collective that completes all of the detail work. I also design to utilize locally sourced Peruvian cotton in colors that represent the landscape and environment of Lima, Peru – the ocean, the greenery, and the buildings of the city.
Tell us more about how you found the makers in Peru and started that business relationship.
My friend in Peru had original contacts with small batch manufacturers and a women’s collective of makers that were very skilled and needed more work. Before the production of the current collection, I also visited Lima in November 2016 to meet with the makers myself and discuss future designs and develop our working relationship. The makers are all so amazing and I feel very fortunate to work with them.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Start small and be willing to iterate! When I first started out, some of my original samples didn’t quite capture the look and feel I wanted. My first instinct was to scrap everything and start completely over with different designs. Thankfully, an industry expert advised me to keep the concepts, but slightly iterate the designs and process to get closer to what I wanted. I think it is inevitable to make some mistakes in the beginning. But by keeping my first sample runs small and by making slight changes as I proceeded, I was able to successfully get to a production that I really love without too much lost investment.
What piece of advice would you give someone who is thinking about starting a business that works with global makers?
For ethical production, I think it is essential to have in-country contacts and experts help ensure fair working conditions and living wages for the makers. It is ideal if you can visit and see the production process as well.
Additionally, when working with artisans, I recommend collaborating with the makers in a manner that highlights their skills, styles, and locally sourced materials, rather than just coming up with your own ideas and trying to get them produced.
Finally, say yes to slow! Ethical production (especially when done internationally) takes time. It is really important to factor time into your process and stay flexible.
Is Moesel Clothing your side gig? Or main gig? If it’s your side gig, what do you do professionally?
Moesel is a side project that I work on in my free time – almost all of my free time! I also have a Masters in Social Work and Community Organization and I have a full-time job doing policy and social justice work for a national non-profit. Additionally, I have a four and a half year old daughter, so it is a busy life.
Do you make samples? If so, do you have a studio? What does it look like?
The actual samples are made in Peru, but I do work with a technical specialist in Austin, Texas to help put measurements to my design concepts before samples are made. I send to Peru a full technical pack with design elements, colors, measurements, and drawings and the small-batch manufacturers work up the samples for review before moving forward with production.
Have you every had a ‘never again’ moment, then gone and done it again?
I have certainly learned a lot during these last couple of years of working on my production. But I’ve tried to remain open and flexible and take small steps along the way. I would say thankfully I haven’t had a “never again” moment yet. So far, my only regret is that I didn’t start this work years and years earlier!
Where can people see your work?
Moesel Clothing can be found online at www.moeselclothing.com. I will also be at a number of pop-up markets this fall and winter. To keep up to date on various markets, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/moeselclothing/ and Instagram at www.instagram.com/moeselclothing/.
Anything else you’d like to share?
I have learned so much about ethical production and global production over the last few years. I feel very fortunate to work with such amazing artisans and small-batch manufacturers in Peru. Sharing my knowledge and resources with others interested in doing their own thing is something I love to do. For anyone who would like assistance with ethical production and sourcing, please contact me at [email protected].
Interview posted October 2017
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