Le Harvest

Phaedra Cassidy
Owner of Le Harvest

Where do you live

Joshua Tree, CA

What is the story of your brand and how would you like it to evolve

With ten plus years working in the fashion industry, primarily as a stylist and editor, I have intimately seen the ins and outs of a very destructive industry. Ninety-eight million tons of non-renewable resources are extracted per year to produce clothes that are often used for only a short time and after that sent to a landfill or incinerated. Total greenhouse gas emission from textile production is 1.2 billion tons annually. Fast fashion is the second largest environmental polluting industry in the world after the oil industry. These facts led me to create LE HARVEST. The intention was to curate a shop full of beautiful, handmade pieces, including the works of small independent labels with a shared ethos, and to up-cycle found clothing that might have otherwise ended up in a landfill. My hope is that by curating and sharing the works of talented artisans from near and far, I can help others to experience the heart and soul of handmade and do so in support of our beautiful planet.

I am hoping to evolve the brand into a lifestyle brand by adding more home goods and eventually personal styling and interior styling services.

What inspires you and helps you get into a creative flow

Nature, travel, and time alone are all crucial for emptying out my system and clearing the channels. I like to think of the creative process as a flow similar to meditation, where I become a vessel for divine creativity/consciousness to conduct THROUGH me. Also, a good old fashioned notebook + pen is highly effective at aiding in the process. There is something very concretizing about putting down my thoughts on paper. It helps crystallize the vision and manifestation process.

What is the message that you want to express through your product/service

I wish to express my lifestyle values through the brand. Values that imbue simplicity, slow mindful living and essentially a minimalist approach to living. I really subscribe to the idea of less being more. Only buying what you truly love. Treading lightly on this planet.

What does the word beauty evoke for you

Nature! Organic beauty. With all of its imperfections. Wabi-sabi really. Oh and light. I have a fascination with the beauty of light in all forms. This is quite evident in my color selections.