Nestled in the heart of Portland, Oregon, French Meadows is a woman-owned and operated brand that serves as a beacon of slow fashion and eco-conscious craftsmanship in a world that is plagued by fast fashion and excessive waste.
We specialize in corsets, Renaissance Faire costumes, and other enchanting items, all lovingly crafted with a feminine and whimsical touch. Our commitment to sustainability runs deep, with many of our exquisite creations made right here in our cozy cottage industry home studio.
Every item from French Meadows is prepared and nurtured by our small team of faeries, who hope that with each item you receive, it brings you one step closer to the enchanted. Join us in embracing a slower pace of life, where butterflies dance, lavender fields stretch on for miles, and whimsy never ends.
I’m the owner of French Meadows, and I also handle a few other tasks such as designing, sewing, customer service, shipping, ordering, marketing, research and development, styling, photography, editing, or in other words… everything!
I learned corset-making in college during my studies to be a fashion designer, and throughout my college education, corsets were always on my mind. After college I worked in the fashion industry in many capacities in sewing, costuming, and patternmaking, but I continued making corsets as a hobby. In January of 2018 I started selling my corsets on Etsy as an experiment. As interest in my work started to develop, corset making quickly took over my life. Many late nights and weekends were spent at my sewing machine, and the endless rolls of fabric stashed around my living room were constantly outgrowing their space.
I eventually took the giant step of leaving my full time job to focus on French Meadows, and I’m so glad I did! The support for slow-fashion and sustainably-made products has been overwhelming, and it brings me so much joy that people would continue to support brands that focus on caring for people and the environment. As interest in this brand has grown, I’ve acquired some help and am lucky to have a small team of women who continue to make French Meadows better and better everyday.
For behind the scenes photos and videos, follow me on Instagram @french.meadows or on TikTok @frenchmeadows
At French Meadows, we take pride in our commitment to preserving the planet while crafting exquisite custom-fit clothing that embraces your unique style. Sustainability is at the core of our ethos, and we achieve this through a variety of methods:
All of our corsets and many of our clothing items are handmade right here in Portland, Oregon. We employ a small team of local artisan women to help craft these items, and by doing so, we can ensure the folks who make these items are treated fairly and paid living wages. It also means we can reduce packaging and carbon emissions by staying local.
Custom fit clothing just fits…differently. In a world of fast fashion and one size fits all, many people are used to wearing ill fitting clothing they end up getting rid of after only a few wears. By tailoring each piece to your specific measurements, we not only eliminate excess fabric waste but also provide a perfect fit, extending the lifespan of your cherished wardrobe additions.
By producing limited quantities of each garment, we minimize waste and maintain an unwavering focus on quality. Many fashion brands over-produce styles that get thrown in landfills to make room for the next season’s trend. All of our items are either made-to-order or produced in small quantities, so you’ll never find us throwing clothing away. We focus on styles that are timeless (we’re talking about hundreds of years of history kind of timeless!), so not only can we save clothing from the landfill by bringing it back season after season, but you can also wear it year after year in style.
We take eco-conscious packaging seriously, and we strive to minimize our environmental footprint with every package we ship. Most of our packaging materials made from recycled plastics, paper, and cardboard, reducing the demand for new resources and diverting waste from landfills. When your order arrives, read the info on the outside of your packaging for more information about where it came from and tips on how to recycle it.
All made-to-order items are handmade in Portland, Oregon. This means that your item will take some time for us to make — typically between 6-10 weeks, depending on our current order volume.
You can guarantee your processing time by selecting a Priority Processing Upgrade from the drop-down menu.
Please note that the processing time does not include shipping time. For example, an item purchased today with a 4 week processing time will be shipped 4 weeks from today.
Standard size corsets/stays are considered made-to-order unless otherwise noted. For custom fit items, this processing time begins from the time you submit your measurements. Failure to submit your measurements in a timely manner could result in your order being delayed.
Please note that the estimated delivery date is just an estimate. We only have a small team of fairies to help pattern, cut, sew, and ship your order, so sometimes orders can get delayed by a week or two. If you need your order by an exact date, we highly recommend adding Priority Processing to your order.
*Please note that the estimated delivery date will not update on this page, regardless of which Processing option you select.
