Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cristin Drescher. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cristin, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve done was my first custom order soon after starting Lark & Loe. I developed a mini capsule collection with the client for their nephew who was just born out of the state. A mini capsule collection is a few garments (4-7 pieces) that coordinate to maximize wearability. Through this conversation, I was able to connect with the client and learn more about him, his family, lifestyle, and values. Based on the baby’s age and regional climate, we chose colors, fabric materials, and styles that were best suited for him. I loved having the opportunity to create a unique heirloom gift. This custom order helped set the tone for the personal investment I make with each continued customer interaction and unique order I take on.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

With a degree in Fashion Merchandising and a background in sewing, I began making clothes for my son. The first item I made was shorties for his first birthday. Ultimately, I decided to make them because I wasn’t satisfied with the selection from manufactured brands. I wanted clothes for him that were quality natural fabrics, fit well, and free from excessive prints and phrases. I added a few baby shower gifts to my list of makes and quickly realized I wanted to continue sewing. From there, I made the decision to commit full-time to creating a brand and pursuing my passion. I began dreaming up the idea for Lark & Loe while browsing a variety of “first-time” outfits for my son. I wanted every outfit for him to be special, and there were so many ideas I had for him that I wasn’t finding from existing brands.
I landed on the name Lark & Loe when I was still in the early stages of bringing the brand to life. Lark is defined as an innocent, merry adventure. I love the idea of my son and other little ones wearing the brand as classic and simple clothing that allows them to move and explore as they develop. With styles that are free from exaggerated designs, I hope it allows their individual personalities to shine. The second part of the name, Loe, comes from my son Loewen! Without him, I wouldn’t have had the inspiration to dream up the brand. Everything I make has an influence of Loe and things I would love to see him wear.
All of the baby clothing and accessories offered in Lark & Loe are created by me. I select the fabric and styles for everything in the shop. I complete every step in the process from cutting the fabric to sewing, tagging the item with sizing and listing it on the website.

Two key features that I love about my shop are offering small batch and gender neutral items. The small batch aspect of my shop is important for a number of reasons. All of my products are handmade and not overproduced. I keep a small inventory that is constantly rotating with new colors and fabric materials. With small batch garments, I’m also able to add customization like embroidery or other unique customer requests. Secondly, the clothing styles and colors I use are gender neutral. The styles I create are visually simple with an emphasis on quality and comfort. An important quality of gender neutral clothing is giving focus to the baby’s personality and milestones they’re achieving. Babies grow through their clothing so quickly and I want everything I make to have the option for the longest use possible. With an emphasis on gender neutral, this allows clothing to be passed down to little cousins, siblings, and other newborn friends.

The fabric I source for my shop is from other women owned businesses, most often milled in the U.S. and occasionally in Europe. The fabrics I use for creating clothing are natural fibers (cotton, hemp, bamboo) and have a range of certifications from organic to Oeko-Tex 100. This is so important for baby clothing because it meets the standards for product safety compliance. Natural fibers ensure that the materials are breathable and there aren’t unnecessary chemicals included in the fabric that is being worn by the baby.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I feel an overwhelming amount of gratitude when customers share their stories and photos of purchases with me and how they’re being used. I’ve seen the clothing I create used in small everyday moments as well as larger life experiences like baby announcements and shower gifts. No matter what the occasion is, it’s so special to know that my work is included and important in other people’s lives.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

A book that I found particularly helpful during the beginning of my creative journey is What Do You Do With an Idea? by Kobi Yamada, Mae Besom (Illustrator). The book addresses feelings of insecurity and imposter syndrome. Eventually through persistence and hard work ideas are nurtured and grow to make a difference in the world. This book celebrates the uniqueness that everyone has within them and is so encouraging to protect and grow those ideas just a little bit more and eventually share them with others. I love how What Do You Do With An Idea? can relate to so many people and be a light of encouragement through any creative stage they may be in. Any time I hear this story, I’m reminded to keep going and pursue my ideas!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.larkandloe.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larkandloe/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/larkandloe

Image Credits
Sydney Barrett