About Us
Company Philosophy
"Clothes that make you look better than you are, but more like yourself..."
Philip and Anh believe that clothes are art, a harmony of beauty, practicality and sustainability. Even though clothes reflect our uniqueness, they are not meant to set us apart, but to subtly communicate beauty, thoughtfulness and ideas to the world. We like healthy materials and strive for a zero-waste approach. Anh is using our leftover bits of natural fabrics for her For The Home line. 10%-15% of our sales have been consistently used to support the arts, education, drug and violence prevention programs, in the US and Southeast Asia.
Where to find our clothes?
We design and make our clothes in Providence, RI, capitol of creativity and history, and home to Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Our studio is housed in a redeemed textile mill (one of the oldest in the US), and is only a few blocks from the fabulous Italian restaurants on Atwells Avenue in the historic Federal Hill neighborhood. Besides offering our clothes through trunk shows, national juried art shows and our web-store (www.philipsawyer.com), please feel free to call for an appointment to visit our studio at 60 Valley Street, Suite 29, Providence, Rhode Island. Our studio is also in our home, where we raise our kids and often entertain family and friends.
Company History
Philip's mother and grandmother, both excellent quilters and seamstresses, taught him how to sew when he was a teenager, perhaps to help a frustrated boy solve his problems of not finding clothes that fit properly. Philip has been specifically influenced by the excellent craftsmanship from his Mennonite heritage which can be seen in all of Philip Sawyer Designs' garments.
Anh is an author (Song of Saigon, Warner Books), and naturally has an eye for styles that are unique, classic but always youthful, sexy, flattering and contemporary. Philip taught her to see beauty in simple but well made things. They collaborate in designing the women's line. Anh's For the Home line will be available soon.
In 1978, at the first Christmas together with Anh's family, while her siblings received jewelry or expensive store-bought presents from their spouses, Philip presented Anh with hand-embroidered apron, hand-made by himself (and further deepened Anh's dear parents' fear of how this artist would support their daughter). Philip went on to finish a Masters in International Affairs at Columbia University (MIA '87), and worked on many educational and medical humanitarian aid projects. But his love for clothing design and clothesmaking prevailed.
Thirty years later, in 2005, with Anh's and the children's support (they wanted their happy daddy back), Philip left his non-profit work and started Philip Sawyer Designs. We give God thanks, and are grateful for the many clients and friends who have helped our little design company continue to grow in spite of war and the economy's ups and downs.
"Clothes that make you look better than you are, but more like yourself..."
Philip and Anh believe that clothes are art, a harmony of beauty, practicality and sustainability. Even though clothes reflect our uniqueness, they are not meant to set us apart, but to subtly communicate beauty, thoughtfulness and ideas to the world. We like healthy materials and strive for a zero-waste approach. Anh is using our leftover bits of natural fabrics for her For The Home line. 10%-15% of our sales have been consistently used to support the arts, education, drug and violence prevention programs, in the US and Southeast Asia.
Where to find our clothes?
We design and make our clothes in Providence, RI, capitol of creativity and history, and home to Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Our studio is housed in a redeemed textile mill (one of the oldest in the US), and is only a few blocks from the fabulous Italian restaurants on Atwells Avenue in the historic Federal Hill neighborhood. Besides offering our clothes through trunk shows, national juried art shows and our web-store (www.philipsawyer.com), please feel free to call for an appointment to visit our studio at 60 Valley Street, Suite 29, Providence, Rhode Island. Our studio is also in our home, where we raise our kids and often entertain family and friends.
Company History
Philip's mother and grandmother, both excellent quilters and seamstresses, taught him how to sew when he was a teenager, perhaps to help a frustrated boy solve his problems of not finding clothes that fit properly. Philip has been specifically influenced by the excellent craftsmanship from his Mennonite heritage which can be seen in all of Philip Sawyer Designs' garments.
Anh is an author (Song of Saigon, Warner Books), and naturally has an eye for styles that are unique, classic but always youthful, sexy, flattering and contemporary. Philip taught her to see beauty in simple but well made things. They collaborate in designing the women's line. Anh's For the Home line will be available soon.
PHILIP SAWYER DESIGNS 60 Valley Street, Suite 29 Providence, RI 02909-7405 Tel. 719-649-5424 Email: info@philipsawyer.com
