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. Clothes reflect our uniqueness, they subtly communicate beauty, thoughtfulness and our distinct ideas to the world. PSD likes healthy materials and strives for a zero-waste approach.  The leftover bits of our natural fabrics go towards Anh's For The Home line.  10%-15% of our sales have been consistently used to support the arts, education, and drug and violence prevention programs in the US and Southeast Asia. 

Where to find our clothes?

We design and make our clothes in Boston, MA, in Fort Point, the oldest and largest artist community in the northeast. Our studio and showroom is housed in a redeemed mill building, and is only a few minutes from South Station, Chinatown, and the Financial District. Our studio is also in our home, where we often entertain family and friends. 

Feel free to call for an appointment to visit us at Midway Studios or you can find us at trunk shows, national juried art shows, and online . 

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.

Anh is an author (Song of Saigon, Warner Books) and social justice advocate. She has a natural eye for styles that are unique, classic but always youthful, sexy, flattering, and contemporary. She and Philip are experts in seeing beauty in simple, well-made objects.  They collaborate in designing the women's line.  Anh's For the Home line will be available soon.

In 1978, Philip and Anh spent their first Christmas together with Anh's family. While her siblings received jewelry or expensive store-bought presents from their spouses, Philip presented Anh with a hand-embroidered apron, exquisitely hand-made by himself (a romantic gesture that 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 over the years, but his love for clothing design and garment creation prevailed. 

Thirty years later, in 2005, with Anh's and their children's support, Philip left his non-profit work and started Philip Sawyer Designs.  They are grateful for the many clients and friends who have helped our little design company continue to grow despite war and the economy's ups and downs.