The smell of hairspray and heat greets me as I cross the threshold. Models, designers, stylists, and assistants chatter busily as they rotate from clothing racks to the well-lit makeup artists’ chairs.
Jillian greets me like a friend, gratefully accepting the iced vanilla latte I’ve balanced across the length of The Doman from Houndstooth Coffee to Balenciaga, having forgotten that Coach now has has coffee shop that would have made for a much shorter caffeine quest. It’s been a year since I was at The Domain, a year since the last Austin Fashion Week I attended.
Her table is strewn with fresh flowers, lace ribbon, woven baskets, and kits holding the essentials of any designer on show day: hair pins, thread, hot glue gun. One thing stands out from the rest – a bedazzled baguette.
Jillian laughs as she tells me that her fiancé asked her if her brand was really just so she could indulge in her favorite things, flowers and bread. That’s the name of a restaurant I would happily eat at, I tell her. Model Rachael Healey, wearing The Kailey Dress agrees.
This is the third Austin Fashion Week for Dallas native, Jillian, and there are elements of her first collection in her newest that make the Lillian Jenae brand recognizable through the years. She has prepared seven looks this season for the runway, with more already in the works for the summer. Feminine without the frills, modest without the frump, the pale green & bright white color palette is offset by the addition of a dark trouser that her longtime model and friend will wear as the finale look.
“How often do you design a new collection?” I ask.
“More often than I can afford to.” She says with a slight grimace. Not a surprising answer, since Jillian often designs her prints and has fabrics custom-made.
In between models fitting looks, makeup touch-ups, and testing pairs of shoes with each garment, Jillian tells me about her first-ever runway show… at New York Fashion Week. Already a massive undertaking, she had to prepare her collection TWICE (thanks, COVID). Despite the rewrite that was the year 2020 for just about everybody on the planet, Jillian enjoyed the process and learned to be more intentional with her details, making sure that each look could stand on its own and connect the dots to each other. She’s planning a trip back to New York this Fall, and is already working elements of her personal outfit desires into her upcoming collections.
How does she keep track of all of these ideas, and designs, and show calendars (on top of planning her own wedding!)?
“I tuck away bits and pieces,” she says, taking inspiration from previous collections, favorite movies (Pride & Prejudice is one of them, of course), botanical gardens, and designing for herself. The Dahlia Vest came about because she wanted a vest, but none of the retail options available fit quite right. “Can I lean over in front of Grandma?” she asked herself.
The bow-bedecked cupcake skirt – officially called The Margot Skirt – is my favorite, closely followed by a printed canvas tote bag adorned with a lace ribbon bow. But who am I kidding? I would wear every element of this collection without hesitation. It’s nostalgic and fresh, bright and muted, simple and whimsical.
Branching into accessories is the next stage of the Lillian Jenae brand, starting with jewelry. Too many things to create? Never!
After assisting with some hairbow tying, I tag along as two of the ready models escape the backstage madness and dodge raindrops to capture a few photos with Jillian’s friend and official photographer.
As calm as she’s been for these final two hours, I think she’s grateful for the moment to herself to change into her own runway outfit and check the final details. The show order, is still unfinalized, which seems on par for the designer who asked herself the night before the show “Should I bead these pants?” before convincing herself that no, she should, in fact, go to bed.
