The garments they’re presenting beg for this kind of close inspection. Take, for example, the skirts. Lean in for a close look, and you’ll see the incredible technique behind the puckered fabric — the woven elements, the multi-colored knots, the stitching, the raw fringes. A pale-blue mini dress seems simple enough at first glance. But peek at the side details, and you’ll notice fabric unraveling into threads before coming together into a weave, like wispy strands of hair twisted into tight braids. 

It was almost exactly two years ago when I first met Sarah. By (a fortunate) happenstance, we found ourselves standing next to each other at another brand’s show. “I love your outfit,” I said — or something to that effect. It was dark denim, with swirls of white stitching, and stray threads cascading down the sides. Raw and unfinished, there was something so undeniably cool about it. She smiled, and in her gentle and thoughtful manner of speaking, she told me how she made it in collaboration with Danish it-girl brand, Ganni. What? Really? I was so impressed. 

Then I learned her story. While pursuing a degree at Design Academy Eindhoven in the Netherlands, the British-born textile designer began experimenting with new methods of loom-weaving. After two and a half years of development, she created a zero-waste garment production technique that now sits at the heart of her brand. By weaving the pattern pieces directly into the cloth (as well as employing a special way of cutting and sewing garments), she found a way to leave not so much as a scrap of fabric on the cutting-room floor. 

It’s that re-thinking of the “system” — fittingly, where the brand’s name was plucked from — that’s played a huge part in Stem’s success. At Stem’s small-but-gripping spring-summer 2025 presentation, dubbed “The Pulling Collection,” we’re offered a peek into Sarah’s newly developed process. “I would receive the fabric sometimes from the mill, and these loosely woven areas would have been pushed and pulled from the finishing process,” she tells me. “And I just noticed that was quite a beautiful detail.” And so, she started experimenting.

“I just noticed that if I did it in a more considered way, in different rhythms, and then also kind of pulled in different directions, that it manipulates the fabric, kind of similar to smocking,” she says, “and it also just merges craft and industry.” Two years in the making, this new method of “smocking” resulted in a six-piece collection that’s in-every-way playful and meticulously crafted.

What I loved most

I’m impressed by Sarah’s technical skill in the centuries-old craft — and how she was able to turn mistake into mastery. Transparency, too, plays a pivotal role in her brand. Sitting in the corner of the room, one of Stem’s team members demonstrates the “pulling” method, looping threads around her finger, twisting them, and knotting them. Such an insightful addition to a stellar presentation.