There is much to be said about what’s missing in fashion and design. I find that there is a lot of local talent pushing the boundaries of imagination with just a few ensuring their visions are founded in, and remain, centered on eco-conscious principles. Hailing from Mississippi, designer Zay Morris has found a home for himself and his multidisciplinary, sustainable design house Saint Michèle Atelier in New Orleans, Louisiana. With over 10 years in the design world, Zay has established a reputation for evocative fashions, sharp statements, disruption, and having an eye for what feels like home—in the truest sense of the word. From fashion to photography, film, furniture, and home decor, Zay Morris presents an edge that is much desired. In his one-of-one pieces, one can become familiar with his influences which include natural spaces, socio-political happenings, and giants of the fashion world including Kerby Jean-Raymond (Pyer Moss), Jerry Lorenzo (Fear of God), Vintage Ralph Lauren pieces, & Japanese brand Kapital Global. With just one look, Zay Morris’ work speaks for itself.
Founded in 2019, Saint Michèle Atelier is anything but conventional. A vital component to Zay’s creations is an intentional praxis of ethically sourcing fabrics and materials to create sustainable pieces. The brand has met its success while limiting any harmful impact it may have in an industry where waste is common, and excessive. This unique approach contributes to the very personal experience clients can expect to have with a product that translates directly from vision to reality that cannot be recreated as it would in fast fashion or larger establishments. When asked about his methods for ensuring ethical practices when seeking materials, Zay shares: “Sourcing is the best part. From thrifting, estate sales, vintage shops, bin hauls, and donations. A lot of the dead stock fabric I use for limited collections are found at old fabric warehouses throughout the south, with it being my primary source of building collections to keep 80% of my work sustainable.”
Zay and his team behind Saint Michèle Atelier do not work within the strict confines or expectations of the fashion world at large. Instead, the brand paves its own way. You will find a playful blend of textures and techniques, which Saint Michèle Atelier perfects through a distinct experimental design process. Each piece Zay and his team puts out is an undertaking of several hours building a collage of dyed, distressed, embellished, deconstructed, acid/sun-washed garments all by hand. I have followed Zay for years — since his days leading sixofspades.studios — as he created visual artworks and curated shows highlighting local and regional artists. In all that time, throughout all of his works, the common factors have been remaining connected in community as well as a universal nostalgia that I believe many can relate to. Being someone born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, familiar with the historic rock/grunge scene of the Lower East Side, I can see a bit of my city reflected. What I see in his work is a mirror held up to the past and present; an inclusive lens that welcomes a punk politic and Black diasporic celebration, as well as challenges our needs as consumers of tradition whether it be the traditions that inform aesthetic, uniformity, or process.
For Saint Michèle Atelier, disruption becomes the ability to bear witness to how fashion and art can transform. That can come by the repurposing of fabric, reimagining it with close attention to manipulation and pattern-making to establish something new out of the old. Sustainability, as a technique and a goal, provides a perspective allowing new life to come from the opportunities we tend to overlook and take for granted. This value is a clear driving force for Zay: “Sustainability played a role for a few reasons. One being my early access to thrifting growing up. When I entered the design space I took the traditional route a few times and ended up extremely unfulfilled, so I decided to take a different approach when I started working on this new project…it was only right that I take a deeper dive into it. It helps keep my creativity at an all time high.”
Follow Zay/Saint Michèle Atelier on IG as well as the contributor Malika Aisha
