ABOUT SARA JOY
"Growing up, everything had to be embellished. I would paint on top of the clothes I made, embroider them, and glue rhinestones on. I was and still am detail obsessed."
This colorful mindset and love of detail blossomed fully when Sara Joy launched in 2020. A creative brand made to spread joy and contagious positivity through original print and vibrant color. You'll see an ease of wear you love, versatility in the softest pieces and an investment in joy you'll have forever. Continue on for a timeline of how the brand came to be, the ups and downs of launching and where we are today.
SUMMER 2008 - FALL 2016
IN LOVE WITH NYC
I moved to the east village after graduating Syracuse and never looked back. I used to make clothes for my friends after hours at work (insert Jena who just brought me one after 15 YEARS OF NOT SEEING HER). Solid work experience as a designer yet often told "my prints too bright my colors to bold". Rose the ranks in print design and became a print-aholic encyclopedia. Also, got married and got pregnant!
AND THEN EVERYTHING CHANGED
SEPTEMBER 2016
I've always been a glass half full type of girl but becoming a mom really shook things up for me. I had to dig deep to find happiness. Fashion has always been a form of self expression but I started using it as a happiness tool.
JANUARY 2017
I started a new job, and along with flexing creativity and loving it, I had to seek help for Post Partum Anxiety. Therapy helped me find myself again. I thrived at work, directed a design team and fell in love with the hustle.
MAY 2019
I was back from my 2nd maternity leave and still loving work - fulfilled, creative, and happy. Suddenly and quickly, our design division was shut down. I lost my job. Enter: sadness, devastation, shock. It was horrible. Yet also... it was summer. And you know how I feel about summer. Suddenly I was free as a bird with 2 babies and corporate severance. All at once, life felt so good.
MAY 2019 - AUGUST 2019
CREATIVE INCUBATION PERIOD
I spent the summer walking the hills in town, brainstorming what would be Sara Joy. I even kept my kids in daycare part time even though I wasn't working. I made space for myself and soaked up every moment. This was one of the best summers of my life and a pivotal moment in time.
AUGUST 2019
SARA JOY, LLC
...was officially formed. That summer, my wheels were constantly spinning, finding connections, speaking with anyone who would talk to me in the industry, looking for my factory. I placed my first factory order in December 2019. The dream was coming alive! Production was underway and I was getting ready for an epic spring launch.
AND THEN SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENED
MARCH 2020
I know, it happened to you too. The world shut down. Including my factory with my first production order inside it. So I did what every other person on the planet did. I cried, and then I tie-dyed everything in sight. My apron, my socks, loads of Hanes T's. And... masks.
APRIL 2020
In between Tie Dye sessions and homeschooling my 3 year old, I hosted Virtual Art Parties at night for my sanity. It was basically coloring with my friends on Zoom, but I started asking for donations. I designed a coloring book and used the donations to print and distribute 800 books to 9 different hospitals during early pandemic days.
MAY 2020
On a tie-dye high (with a permanently stained kitchen -shh); I launched masks for sale. With an amazing supportive community I sold out in the first 24 hours, and the whole story landed me on Fox5NY being interviewed as a tie dye designer.
SUMMER 2020
SUMMER OF SARONGS
I will never forget the moment the FedEx truck pulled in with my first 2 sarongs. Finally after excruciating patience and anticipation my resort wear business could actually launch. The support was incredible, yet pandemic life made things interesting. My favorite silver lining from this horrible time was the family photoshoot I orchestrated at my parents house. Thanks Dad for playing photographer.
APRIL 2021
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF DOPAMINE DRESSING
ALL THE EVENTS!
LIVE PAINTING AT THE FAENA HOTEL
JULY 2021
Swim week activation with custom live painting on Resort wear which launches the in store collab between Sara Joy x Big Bang Boutique
MOTHER'S DAY AT BLOOMINGDALES
MAY 2022
An epic 3 day event with my Mom by my side - selling a wild amount of coverups to friends family and every Bloomies customer under the sun
SARA JOY X TEREZ LAUNCH
NOVEMBER 2022
An exclusive collaboration with Terez, I hand painted and embellished upcycled Levi's denim jackets with sparkly and amazing New York City skylines. There's a juicy back story to this one and I encourage you to read it. This collaboration lit my soul on fire and reminded me of the artist I am.
2023 AND BEYOND
SARA JOY UPCYCLED
Let's elevate your travel wardrobe! Passionate about being an eco-chic business and bringing art into the collection, I am thrilled to launch these limited edition, hand embellished pieces. Stay tuned in for new printed cover ups and get in touch when you need that special embellished jacket. I cannot wait to see where this journey leads.