This New York-based fashion designer has found inspiration for her self-titled clothing line out West.
In 2006, New York City fashion designer Lindsey Thornburg traveled to Peru to hike through the Andes Mountains and visit the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu. But what moved her most on her journey to the “Lost City” weren’t the ancient ruins or even the majestic scenery; it was the textiles she came across along the way. “The indigenous people’s clothing was so beautiful and bright,” she says.
Upon returning to the States, Thornburg decided to re-create the bright wool garments she’d seen swaddling the Peruvian highlanders, but with her own American heritage twist.
Pendleton Woolen Mills’ wool fabrics, with their cultural resonance and vivid prints, seemed like a natural textile choice. So Thornburg cut into a vintage Chief Joseph blanket — which had once belonged to her grandfather, a Montana rancher — and refashioned its folds into a billowy cloak. Pleased with the resulting garment, she then launched a full line of bold outerwear, which quickly caught the attention of The New York Times’ Sunday Style section and, soon after, Pendleton. In 2011, the textile company approached Thornburg about selling her line of cloaks made from Pendleton wool alongside its blankets. Joining forces with the illustrious Western company, she says, “has been an honor and a privilege.”
More recently, Thornburg looked to the old frontier for inspiration, riddling her spring 2019 collection with ruffles and gingham prints — in line with the current prairie trend — and we can't get enough of it.