“I have always been fascinated by portraits that included personal details of the sitter, whether it was a favorite pet, a book, or handwork. For my own portrait, I knew I wanted to include my life-long connection with sewing itself. The gown I chose to make is largely inspired by the portrait of of a young lady by Antoine Vestier in 1788. The pinked short sleeves and layered zone front evoked my own nostalgia for the layered t-shirts of my youth.”