A talent for sewing and drawing landed Tracy Reese a spot at Parsons at a special time. The Detroit native came to New York in the early 1980s, when the school was still situated in the Garment District. “Parsons was in the thick of it!” says Reese. 

Reese recalls taking classes in draping, patternmaking, and textiles. She remembers wearing a lab coat and white gloves while examining rare garments in The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s costume archives. Her student designs were critiqued by Donna Karan and other fashion giants. Classmates like Marc Jacobs became friends and collaborators.

After graduation, Reese built a successful business and made a big name for herself. She ran her eponymous fashion line in New York City for 23 years, winning accolades and dressing celebrities including former First Lady Michelle Obama.

In 2018, Reese decided to close her business. Having seen the effects of fast fashion and “the constant need for newness” on people and the planet, she felt that “the old system doesn’t work anymore.” And she missed her hometown.

The time seemed right to move back to Detroit and start a venture involving more sustainable and equitable practices. “My hometown has so much heart, grit, and opportunity,” says Reese. It also has a thriving creative community to tap into. Reese named her initiative Hope for Flowers.

Reese still designs beautiful clothes featuring her trademark use of striking color and flattering cuts, all while redefining the way a fashion business operates. Her company makes community outreach a priority, offering free art classes for young people and workshops for adults on everything from jewelry making and bookbinding to composting and gardening.

“Hope for Flowers expresses my hopes for the planet,” says Reese, “and for the seed of creativity in us that needs to be nurtured.”

hopeforflowers.com