It happened unexpectedly.  Walkingthrough Chelsea on my way home from work on a particularly muggy Indian summerevening, I decided to step into a familiar photo gallery to abuse their airconditioning and cool off for a moment.  Browsing the summer group show—aloose theme of the Great American Landscape—I paused in front of a particularlyrich print of Ansel Adam's "Cathedral Peak and Lake, Yosemite." I couldn't move on. Though I had seen hundreds of Adam's prints before, thisparticular image held me captive...The austerity of the peak, the rich texturesof the rock, the vast, dynamic, unadulterated wilderness and the serenity ofthe lake—a small hole bored its way into my heart and after I regained mysenses I rushed out of the gallery and hurried home.

 

That night I bought a ticket toCalifornia and a guidebook to Yosemite for the upcoming Labor DayWeekend. 

 

 Yosemite is a place of rough cut beauty.Full of soaring peaks, crystalline lakes, and flourishing forests, it is theultimate antithesis to city living.  Fresh, spontaneous and indomitablelandscapes ever changing, awash in a palate of vibrant colors, uniquetextures and sensory details—I could not help but be overwhelmed withinspiration as I trekked my way through the park.  From the granite nogginof Half Dome to the dangerous beauty of Rainbow Falls, I took note of how everydetail of my experience reminded me of something visual and physical that couldbe translated into a textile, a color or silhouette for a dress…

 

Back in the gridded concrete jungle, myown kodachrome prints tacked on the wall around an Ansel Adams poster (I justhad to…) the Yosemite line was born.  Embracing the colors, textures andspirit of the park, Yosemite is the ultimate collection for an early fall tripto cooler, cleaner destinations (even if it's just the local park).  Itembraces a bit of the maverick spirit, adding ruffles and frills, but also autilitarian practicality with super tailored silhouettes in polishedeasy-to-wear fabrics.  Yosemite is for the woman who knows how to workhard and play even harder; one who loves the feel of grass beneath her feet andthe sweet sage smell at the top of a tall mountain, the mist from a waterfallon her face and the warmth of the earth under her as she lies down in afield.  So go ahead, slip on a dress from the Yosemite collection and takethat trip—even if it is only in your imagination.