By Eva Fydrych
The Archive of Feeling
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Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell
Some designers begin with a sketch. Kaylie Caswell begins with a memory. For the founder of House of Caswell, clothing is an emotional anchor, a tactile diary entry. This belief fuels her womenswear label, conceived as wearable art—a numbered edition accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. It’s fashion as a curated archive, designed not to be consumed, but to be collected and remembered.
This practice is rooted in her guiding principle: Artful Nostalgia. It is the deeply held belief that clothing is a tactile vessel for memory and emotion, intentionally designed to capture a feeling, a moment in time, or a specific quality of light. This philosophy transforms her collections into more than seasonal wardrobes; they become archives of personal and collective sentiment. It is the conviction that what we wear can evoke a profound sense of connection—to our own past experiences, to a bygone era's elegance, or to the quiet emotion of a place—making fashion a powerful, wearable language of recollection and feeling.
Caswell’s path is unconventional. Best known as the bassist for the band Berried Alive, her design career began by translating the band’s visual identity into merchandise. Yet the impulse runs deeper, to childhood sketchbooks and garments sewn by her grandmother that revealed an innate, time-traveling sense of style. “I often felt I belonged to another era,” she has said. This polymathic background is central; the tactile nature of applying pastel pigment—a medium she embraced for its immediacy—felt akin to playing her instrument. It was a natural step to transform one of these original artworks into the complete visual narrative of her debut collection, Still Life, cementing a vision where art and attire are in constant dialogue.
Still Life collection, Look 1, The Adriana Ensemble (Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell)
"Memory, movement, and color as a visual language."
The Canvas of Clothing: Debuting "Still Life"
The debut of House of Caswell finds its material expression in the Still Life collection, a line where the boundary between the studio and the wardrobe dissolves. The genesis is a single, original still-life composition by Caswell, its chromatic energy and formal balance meticulously translated into a series of limited-edition prints. This foundational artwork acts less as a mere inspiration and more as a genetic code, determining the collection’s vibrant, mid-century-inflected color fields and its sense of deliberate, graphic composition.
Conceived as a versatile uniform for the itinerant creative, the capsule prioritizes intuitive cohesion. Pieces—from fluid shirting to tailored separates—are engineered to interlock, facilitating a narrative of dress that spans a day spent sketching in a sun-drenched piazza to an intimate gathering in a borrowed flat. The fabrics, chosen for their beauty and quality, include crisp printed denim, airy cotton, and saturated silks, balancing structure and ease. Ultimately, Still Life is less about a specific destination and more about a state of being—one of curated experience, where what one wears is both a point of departure for adventure and a cherished souvenir in itself.
Still Life collection, Look 6, The Veronica Ensemble (Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell)
Still Life collection, Look 3, Evie Cutout Dress (Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell)
Still Life collection, Look 4, Sophia Mock Necktop & Adriana Printed Denim Jeans (Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell)
The deliberate choice of “House” in the brand’s name is a nod to the great couture houses and the artistry they embodied. Caswell’s designs are a tapestry of vintage references—reinterpreted through a contemporary lens to create silhouettes that feel timeless yet distinctly modern. Proudly manufactured in the United States from globally sourced materials, each piece is produced in limited, numbered editions, accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity. This transforms a garment into a collectible work of wearable art, underscored by subtle details like custom linings and thoughtful finishing that reveal a devotion to integrity.
The Woman of the House: Curator of Experience
The House of Caswell woman is, in essence, a curator. She ties her clothing to memory, seeking garments that will create new moments to cherish. She appreciates craftsmanship, subtle rebellion, and the balance between structure and softness. For her, luxury lies not in excess, but in depth: the quiet confidence of something rare, refined, and made with intention. The collections are designed as capsule wardrobes for a perfect trip or a specific chapter of life, with versatile pieces that move seamlessly from elevated streetwear to striking statement attire.
Still Life collection, Look 8, Mia Silk Shirt & Pants (Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell)
Still Life collection, Look 2, Lydia Tank Dress (Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell)
Still Life collection, Look 9, Tatiana Baby Tee & Adriana Printed Denim Jeans (Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell)
Still Life collection, Look 6, The Veronica Ensemble (Photo courtesy of Kaylie Caswell)
"A vibrant, modern statement meant for the creative traveler and collector alike."
Looking ahead, Caswell’s ambitions are mapped with clarity. By 2030, she intends for the brand to produce four core collections per year plus monthly artist collaborations, be carried by a luxury department store, launch an accessories line, and sell internationally. Further goals include introducing menswear and childrenswear, using exclusively sustainable materials, and being featured in Vogue. “These are not declarations of certainty,” she notes. “They’re intentions with structure—a way of honoring the dream without letting fear dictate its scale.”
Kaylie Caswell (Photo courtesy of the designer)
House of Caswell is, as its founder acknowledges, still in its earliest chapter. It represents a quiet but potent continuation of fashion’s purpose: to embody memory, to inspire feeling, and to become part of a wearer’s story. Kaylie Caswell is not just designing clothes; she is building a house of meaning.
Website: House of Caswell & Kaylie Kaswell
Instagram: @kayliecaswell
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Fashion Editor & Stylist Verdict
From a purely visual perspective, House of Caswell’s debut Still Life collection achieves what many emerging labels strive for: immediate coherence and a distinct point of view. Kaylie Caswell has not simply created clothes; she has built a fully realized aesthetic universe from the ground up. This is a designer with a clear, confident vision for her brand’s legacy, underscored by a genuinely compelling personal narrative that feels authentic rather than manufactured.
Professionally, what impresses most is the sophistication of the storytelling, which extends seamlessly from the brand ethos into the physical garments and their presentation. The Still Life campaign is a masterclass in tonal consistency, showcasing a deep understanding of a curated color palette. The prints—originating from Caswell’s own hand—are applied with a painter’s eye for scale and placement, resulting in combinations that feel daringly artistic yet entirely wearable. This is not art for fashion’s sake, but art as fashion, integrated with purpose.
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Photos courtesy of Kaylie Caswell and Canva; Art direction: Eva Fydrych | Fashion Studio Magazine
From a stylist’s lens, the collection’s true strength is its intelligent versatility. The silhouettes—featuring considered cuts and interesting forms—are designed with a modular mindset. They possess the rare quality of being statement pieces that don’t demand the spotlight. Each item can be effortlessly grounded with classic wardrobe staples for daily wear or amplified for dramatic effect. This built-in flexibility speaks to a deep understanding of how modern women actually dress and live.
The strategic decision to use Caswell’s original fine art as the sole print source is a powerful differentiator that injects profound value and authenticity. Looking ahead, the stated intention to evolve this into a platform for collaborations with other artists is perhaps the most exciting prospect. This promise of a rotating, interdisciplinary creative dialogue positions House of Caswell not as a static label, but as a dynamic cultural curator—a living gallery for the body. It’s a compelling proposition that elevates the brand from a clothing line to a collectible creative enterprise.
Our verdict? A remarkably assured and polished debut. Caswell has laid a formidable foundation built on art, memory, and wearability. We will be watching—and styling with—this brand closely. The journey has just begun, and the fashion landscape is richer for it.
Eva Fydrych
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