Author: Lisa Jones-Tomassini
Published: 09/04/2021
From the time I was young fabric was something that both excited and fascinated me.
When I was 5 or 6 I remember loving the texture and stitching details of my mum's silk shirts and the structured wool skirts she would wear into the office.
I would take her silk shirts out of the good will bags, clip off the pretty buttons and stash the fabric just because I thought they were so beautiful.
When I was in 6th grade my grandma Gena said she would make all of my clothes for school, if I wanted her to, and of course, I was absolutely thrilled!
I pick out every detail from the patterns to the fabric, the buttons, the zippers, the thread color, no matter how bizarre the application or how crazy the combination, I got every single detail my heart desired! Needless to say,
the joys of middle school! But looking back now, it was worth it! By the time I was in high school my love of fashion had become a full-time passion. We had a great sewing instructor who fostered creativity alongside practical sewing skills. At one point we did a fashion show in the local Bend River mall. After the show, while shopping, (thank you mom and grandma for coming) one of the malls boutique owners had asked me what brand my dress was. It was the one I had just modeled in the wee show. Talk about cloud 9!! I was beyond flattered! That one comment reinforced the idea that I could steward my own brand.
In my 20s I sought out the best fashion school on the west coast…all signs pointed to Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM). There I studied textiles and design. I graduated from FIDM, Los Angeles with a degree in textiles and an eye on wearable expression. Immediately after graduation, albeit a bit
I went headlong into collaborations in which we were designing, creating, & reimagining clothing, at the same time, developing new materials and techniques with many of LA’s suppliers, manufacturers and vendors. Together we created mini collections and as a way to inspire, showcase and SELL supplies and services. The idea was to sell, designs, fabrics, trims and/or production, to the design teams based in LA.
As I began to expand my skills I started working outside of the United States, saying yes to any interesting projects that involved garments, fashion and/or textiles in any form. In the years following I was allotted a vast array of opportunities. I got to dip a toe in different corners of the industry, truly experiencing a vast many facets of what it was to be “in the fashion industry.” I gathered perspectives and working experience from the agricultural fiber fields, through to sewing, production, distribution and retail.
I worked with designers and manufacturers who specialized in swimwear, knitwear sweaters, denim, tees, sportswear, yarns and technical materials.
I spent a few weeks in Morocco learning a lot about leather, leather goods and the process of tanning. I traveled to Italy many times for textile, and yarn trade shows as well as garment trend research. I represented several high-end Italian yarn companies,
as a brand sales rep, a freelance designer, and a sourcing specialist. I spent a number of years working out of LA manufacturing and production plants who specialized in dying, knitting and sewing. I worked in Lima Peru, as a production manager. I worked with a company, HQ in Banff Canada. with factories in Aliquippa, and Lima, Peru as a technical designer, (OOOh the stories I have.. but that's for another post! )
Working in such a variety of positions, traveling quite a lot and seeing the of much of the industry from the inside, I began to see what worked and what didn't....what positively contributed to the consumers. what did not, the efficiencies and inefficiencies of the industry. I met many amazing and talented people from all walks of life, as a result, inspired by design but also by the way people live. Exposure to the industry, to incredibly fun and talented people, and diverse cultures helped shape what and how Throckmorton Jones is today.
I adore divine and decadent details, designs proven by the wisdoms of years gone by, the art of innovation, the pure joy of owning what one truly loves, the glory that permeates the air when synchronistic collaborations take place, the confidence of a woman whose garments are uniquely expressing her own style.
Talented, and unique people from all walks of life and various corners of the earth inspired me.... not only aesthetically but also functionally. And thus a brand of unique and exceptionally designed offerings was born... Throckmorton Jones. (well after many rocky starts!)
Hugs,
Lisa