Meet Emily von Trapp
Emily von Trapp, Sustainable Flower Farmer at her
own business von Trapp Flowers in Waitsfield VT.
Emily farms sustainably grown specialty tulips, annual & perennial cut flowers In Waitsfield, Vermont.
Emily is the third generation to cultivate the land where she sustainably grow over a hundred thousand specialty tulips, in addition to many varieties of annual and perennial cut flowers in Waitsfield, Vermont. Being he daughter of a horticulturalist and self-taught master gardener, she grew up surrounded by her parents gorgeous gardens and blooms at the von Trapp Greenhouse in Waitsfield. Emily has been selling sustainably grown seasonal flowers in the form of my 'Market Bouquets' to markets in Central Vermont for over 20 years.
I’m grateful for the opportunities I have to collaborate with other makers and business owners through this platform. One of my favorite collaborations has been with maker/designer Tove from tove wear. to create the Farm Apron Dress.
A couple of years ago I stumbled upon the Maker Skirt created by Tove and I immediately fell in love with this piece of clothing and the intention and investment that is literally woven into it. It is ethically produced with a focus on the things that truly matter: certified organic cotton, and fair wages, all while working towards environmental and social change. The end result is the perfect blend of function and sustainable fashion.
After purchasing a Maker Skirt of my own, I inquired about collaborating to create an important replacement piece of workwear. When we met I brought with me a thirty- five year old apron that belongs to my father. The apron had endured a lot of wear during many greenhouse seasons and even more wear, as I ended up using it frequently too. It got to the point where my father and I were reaching for the very worn apron at the same time, and I realized we needed a solution.
Tove and I discussed what functional components I was looking for, and the idea of creating a new piece of clothing all together. Not an apron, and not a skirt, but rather, blending the best components of each piece of workwear/clothing into something new altogether- an Apron Dress. Tove immediately began drawing out the initial pattern for the first prototype. Over the next couple of months we met up a couple of times. Tove made the first prototype out of curtain material and we checked the design to make sure it had all the components we both envisioned. Tove kept the tulip style pocket from my father’s apron in the design, which feels perfect given that I am a tulip farmer.
~ Emily.
These amazing photos of Emily at her farm are taken by Jamie at Due West Photography based in Lake Placid NY.
We are very proud over this collaboration, and the Farm Apron Dress in sustainable denim has been a hit! Just as all of our other organic cotton garments they are available in 5 fabrics; Raw, Indigo and Ligh Denim, and Grey and Brown Chambray. They are available in 5 sizes with more to come this winter. It is a feminine cut that makes you feel stylish while doing what you do, just like the wrap-skirts, the Maker Skirt, our original design from 2017.
Tove Wear is a slow fashion brand, and we craft our designs based on what people are looking for in durable, made-to-last clothes. Clothes that inspire us in our everyday jobs, projects, hobbies, and in life in general. We are so glad that Emily reached out to us with her idea, making it possible for us to offer this wrap-dress in sustainable denim co-designed by a sustainable flower farmer from Vermont, in our collection at Tove Wear.
