For Immediate Release:
Read this release on MichiganPR.net
Summer Clothing Designs by Ivey Abitz
Inspired by the Past, Featured
for the Future
The Ivey Abitz summer collection for men and women
features a nature-based color palette inspired by a beach
cottage theme. This summer, Ivey Abitz makes vintage-
inspired designs practical by incorporating present-day
features, like a gadget pocket for mobile mp3 and phone
devices. A website movie narrated by the designer sets the
mood for this light, nostalgic collection.
Mackinac Island, Michigan, May 17, 2008: Ivey Abitz, a
made-to-order garment design company, has unveiled its
summer 2008 collection through its website, IveyAbitz.com.
The summer collection features the new women's Barton
Cottage designs and the new men's Oscar designs.
Inspired by Memories of Summer
According to designer Cynthia Ivey Abitz, “The designs are vignettes of memories. The
kind of memories that make me yearn for summer year round. They were created to
echo the movement and rhythms of summer seen in the freedom of ties and the
fluidity of the fabrics."
That fluidity is controlled by the wearer. Many of the women's Barton Cottage pieces
come with a long tie made of matching cotton lace that can be tied in any way to get a
desired look. Ivey Abitz suggests using the tie or accessory sash to accentuate the waist
or create a boxy look, depending on the figure.
Natural Fibers and Hand Dyeing
Both men's and women's collections feature natural fibers, including linen, cotton, and
silk. The custom colors are created by hand in a series of special dye baths in the Ivey
Abitz studio.
Designer Cynthia Ivey Abitz describes the color palette as an attempt to capture the
ambiguous and ever-changing tones found in a lake setting. They are tones she became
familiar with as she grew up taking summer trips to the family cottage on the sandy
shore of Lake Huron.
Some of the colors are ambiguous in that they change as the light changes. The color
"Lake" can appear a silvery gray under cloudy skies and a greenish blue when the sun
comes out.
The soft nature-inspired colors are balanced by a bold blue and white striped
seersucker, aptly named "Sky Blue."
Featured for the Future
All of the designs in the men's Oscar collection can be worn as a three piece suit, but
Ivey Abitz says “they're smart enough to be worn casually, too.”
Both men's and women's designs are versatile enough to handle many different
occasions, summer life on the beach, or everyday life in the city.
Ivey Abitz claims the summer designs were inspired by the past, but are also deeply
rooted in the future. For example, the Oscar Jacket and Oscar Trousers feature a
pocket designed specifically for mp3 players and mobile phones.
Cynthia Ivey Abitz says, "Gadgets tend to get lost in standard size pockets, so we sat
down with our mobile technology and came up with custom pockets. There's no reason
you should have to sacrifice function for form."
Customer Connections
Technology-friendly pockets are just one way Ivey Abitz is melding the past with the
present. The company's website, IveyAbitz.com, currently features a full-fledged
shopping basket for online purchases, as well as a blog where customers write about
their everyday experience wearing Ivey Abitz.
Customers can also view a short website movie, narrated by the designer herself, that
combines a summer beach cottage experience with a couture designer showroom. The
fact that the garments appear on dress forms rather than on live models isolates the
fabric, focusing the viewer's attention on its movement in the wind, demonstrating
literally the "movement and rhythms of summer."
Garment Pricing and Details
Ivey Abitz garments fit women US size 2 to 18, men US size 28 to 44. Average made-
to-order delivery time is 4-6 weeks. Rush orders are accepted based on production
schedule and reduce the time to 1-2 weeks. Designs range in price from $40 for
accessories to $1,200 for an elaborate coat, depending upon the intricacies of the
design and fabric selection. The average garment price range is $250-350. There are
no order minimums.
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Ivey Abitz is a Michigan-based garment design company launched in 2006. It
features seasonal made-to-order collections through its website, IveyAbitz.com.
Designer Cynthia Ivey Abitz and her husband Josh Ivey Abitz are co-owners and
are year-round residents of Mackinac Island, Michigan.
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