We’re a few days from officially welcoming fall, but are you having mixed feelings about it too? Like a part of you is looking forward to cooler days, warmer colors, and exciting festivities centered around the season. Yet, another is hesitant to kiss such a splendid summer goodbye.
That’s exactly how I feel. After the past couple of locked-down summers, traveling freely, being with family, and enjoying the delicate summer sun were a breath of fresh air.
As you may know, my family and I went to Thailand for the summer after three years of being unable to visit. It was the break that we needed. In the six weeks we were there, we did many fun things, and I’m thrilled to share photos and highlights of our trip.
Highlight #1: Family and friends wearing matching Mome outfits
At the beach
Famous for its beautiful beaches, a vacation in Thailand is not complete without a trip to the beach. So my family, my mom, sister, aunt, and puppy Bing-soo, went to Pattaya, a popular destination on the eastern coast of Thailand.
We stayed at a lovely resort with villas facing the idyllic beach, where we made new core memories while the calm waves rolled and kissed the shore and the tall coconut trees and lush greens gently swayed in the background.
Speaking of core memories, my family, including Bing-soo, indulged me by wearing matching Mome outfits in our fun, vibrant, and perfect-for-the-summer Lemon prints. Aren’t they the most supportive?
With the women who lift me up in this journey. From left to right: my son in a Custom Boy Shirt, me in a Custom Ann Dress with nursing zippers in midi length, my daughter in a Custom Puff Sleeve Dress for Girls, my mom and aunt in a custom women's shirt, my sister in a custom shirt dress, and our fur baby Bing soo in a bandana.
Bing-soo and Rita are the best models in their custom Mome pieces in Lemon. prints.
My family, especially my mom and sister, are my best cheerleaders. They encouraged me to start Mome and helped me develop ideas on fabric and design, among other things. So, it feels good to see them wearing our latest custom pieces.
And in the city!
You know you have the best girlfriends in the world when they show up wearing your designs to your meet-up.
Mome Girls and Kids. What my friends and I are wearing from left to right: Jesmine Dress with nursing zippers, Juliet Dress, Little Juliet Dress, Custom Tie Shoulder Dress for Girls in Lavender, Custom Boy Shirt in Lavender, Custom Lan Dress in knee-length and Lavender, Blue Charita Dress with nursing zippers, Pearl Jumpsuit, Everyday Shirt (Green), Everyday Dress (Green).
These girls and I have been close friends since our days at the College of Pharmacy. Now, most of us are moms, some are currently pregnant, and some gave birth just this year. One of my friends even wore the Charita dress with nursing zippers, and she was pumping for her baby when we were chatting.
The support I get from these ladies knows no bounds. When they knew I was launching my ethical clothing brand for women and moms in 2021, they became my first customers. Of course, some of them weren’t even moms yet at the time. Still, they supported me wholeheartedly.
When you receive this kind of love, you cherish it. That’s why I’m always grateful for their support and friendship.
Highlight #2: Finally meeting Kanlaya, our seamstress partner, in person
If you’ve ever bought a dress from our custom and small batch collections, I’m pleased to introduce you to Kanlaya, the owner of our partner seamstress company in Thailand.
Kanlaya in action—even with a mask on, she exudes a quiet strength and beauty, doesn’t she?
We finally met in person after over a year of only video chatting since Mome began. So it felt good to sit down and talk about our lives, goals, and plans. Kanlaya is kind, friendly, and passionate about what she does.
As a woman and small business owner of an ethical clothing brand, I want to support other small and women-owned businesses. Mome’s mission to help women feel confident and at their best goes beyond creating beautiful, comfortable, and functional nursing-friendly dresses. We also want to uplift the lives of the women who make our pieces by paying them well and ensuring they are in safe working conditions. I’m glad Kanlaya shares this vision.
It was also the best time to discuss how we can solve current design challenges, improve our products, and make you, our dear customers, feel that you get the best value from your Mome pieces.
We also discussed our plan to expand our team and support other small businesses, especially Thai artists and artisans. Finally, of course, we spent time discussing our upcoming special collection, which led us to meet again for a fabric store tour—another highlight of this trip.
Highlight #3: Fabric Stores Tour with Kanlaya at the Phahurat Road
During our next meet-up, Kanlaya and I went to Phahurat Road in Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok. It’s known for its fabric stores and shops for all the materials used in making clothes—buttons, zippers, hooks. You name it!
Remember the Tweed, Wisteria, and Everyday Dresses we released earlier this year? We visited the fabric supplier we worked with for those designs. We even saw our brand photos displayed in front of their stores, which was a heartwarming moment for me.
Timeless fabrics in a store at Phahurat Road. Do you see the ones we used for the Tweed Dress?
We also went to a store selling laces imported from around the world and a shop that supplies high-quality zippers. This unassuming material is an essential piece to Mome’s dresses with hidden nursing and side zippers. I was very excited to find a store that carries these kinds of zippers because they’re not easy to find here in the US.
Such a gorgeous and intricate lace, isn’t it?
Finally, I was also happy to find gorgeous fabrics in preparation for next year’s collection. Hint: It involves Disney. 😉
Getting ready for the next journey
I hope you enjoyed the highlights of our trip to Thailand. We were there for nearly six weeks, but it felt like a whirlwind. It always feels that way when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? After all, it took two years to happen.
Visiting my home country, being with dear friends and family, and meeting partners who support me and my vision for Mome, I came home to Seattle feeling rejuvenated and eager to work on the projects we have in store for you.
Now, my partners and I are getting ready for the next steps in our journey as an ethical clothing brand for women and moms. We would love it if you could come along!
