When I say every Lolly J piece has a story, I mean every part of it. Right down to the label stitched inside.
Before I even had the machine, I had the vision. I wanted my labels to be something special. Not a generic tag — a secret gift for anyone who owns a Lolly J garment. Something that says this was made by my hands, just for you.
I started looking up local embroidery companies to bring it to life. But everything in me resisted it. Everything comes out better when I do it myself, and trusting a company with something this personal felt impossible. How do you hand your vision to a stranger and hope they get it right?
Then out of nowhere, I get a call from someone I consider an auntie — Auntie Matilda. She tells me she has an embroidery machine just sitting there. Hasn’t used it. And she feels like it’s been on hold especially for me.
Y’all. Tell me that’s not wild.
So now I’m the proud owner of an embroidery machine, all thanks to Auntie Matilda. Y’all don’t understand how much a blessing this is for the brand. And don’t worry — this baby is going to WORK.
But getting the machine was just the beginning. The logo took work. I stitched it over and over — too small, too big, the stitch not clean enough. I kept redoing it until the size and the stitch were perfect. My name in cream thread on dark denim, exactly how I pictured it. I wasn’t settling for close enough. This label carries my name. It had to be right.
And now every Lolly J garment will carry that label inside. A secret between me and whoever wears her. My name, in thread, in every piece.
So now you know the story behind the label. See you next Friday — you’ll be getting the story about the pieces I’ve created so far.