MILOS DRESS: A FOREVER PIECE

Back in 2018, my cousin Nic came to visit me from Québec. We both love thrifting, so of course I took him to all my favourite local spots for a little (very mindful) retail therapy.

 

One day, we walked into a shop filled with bold, costume-like pieces. Colourful, dramatic, very fun but not exactly harly jae.

 

And then I saw her.

 

She was cute, but far from perfect. A bold red & yellow Hawaiian print (definitely not something i would ever add to the collection lol). Nic didn’t really get what I was seeing but her silhouette stopped me in my tracks.

 

There was something about her shape. Simple. Easy. Timeless.

I could already picture her in a beautiful European linen. So I brought her home without a second thought.

 

Months later, my pattern maker and I started re-imagining her.

The original dress gave us a great base, but linen changed everything (especially around the elastic at the bust, back, and neckline).

 

After a few samples, a lot of tweaking, and plenty of patience…
She finally became exactly what I had been picturing in my head.

 

I named her Milos after the Spring of 2020, the season she launched, and the year I was supposed to get married in Milos, Greece. Of course, 2020 had other plans & we ended up getting married locally instead.

But her name stayed carrying with it all the hope and excitement I felt at that time.

 

Since then, she’s quietly become one of the most constant pieces in my wardrobe. And without planning it at all, she’s been there for so many of the biggest moments of my life…

Even though I wasn’t in Greece like I’d imagined, I still found a way to make her part of my wedding day.

In July 2020, I wore a satin version while getting ready. a small moment I’ll always treasure.

In January 2021, she was the star of my maternity shoot.

Just a few days postpartum, I wore her at the old harly jae studio in Vancouver.

Those early days of motherhood were tender and exhausting and beautiful all at once.
and she was one of the only pieces I truly loved wearing.

She made me feel comfortable. Confident.
A little more like myself again.

She was perfect for breastfeeding too (even with the occasional leak 😅) and somehow survived that stage completely unstained.

What I loved most was how forgiving her fit was.
Even as my body changed so much, I could still wear my original size comfortably.

She carried me through those tired-but-happy days with so much ease.

All the way through my daughter’s first birthday. Wild to think how much time had passed, and yet I was still reaching for the same dress.

And last year, as we prepared for the 2025 pre-order, she was there again…
This time, while I was growing my second baby 

This dress has held so many memories for me and seeing her become part of your stories too has been one of the greatest joys of my work.

Thank you for walking down memory lane with me.