It has been a while—longer than I ever intended, yet exactly as long as I evidently needed.
When I closed the doors to the final physical Devil May Wear shop in 2022, I was beyond exhausted. The weight of the pandemic, the relentless hustle of independent retail, and the constant, deafening hum of the "more, more, more" culture had left me depleted. I found myself at a crossroads, questioning the very core of my craft. I needed to step back and ask a difficult question: Can Devil May Wear exist in a way that adds value to the world, rather than just adding to the noise?
So, I went into a cocoon.
The Lesson of the "Goo"
For the past two years, I leaned into the world of academia, completing my Masters of Interdisciplinary Design at Emily Carr. I went in thinking I was there to teach, to share my twenty years of industry experience with a new generation. Instead, I was the one who was schooled.
My students reminded me of the raw, unfiltered spark that happens when you create something with deep intention. They helped me deconstruct my own process and realize that the "messy middle"—that transitional space where the caterpillar literally turns into soup before becoming a butterfly—is where the most important work happens. In that "goo," I stripped away the expectations of what a fashion brand should be and started dreaming about what it could be.
The Ultimate Redesign
Then came the biggest shift of all: I met the coolest person in the world. My baby.
I’ll be honest with you—I am a planner. I had envisioned a maternity leave filled with productivity. I pictured myself at the sewing machine during nap times, flawlessly rebranding, redesigning, and relaunching.
I completely underestimated the beautiful, all-consuming work of motherhood. My "relaunch" has been slower, quieter, and much more humble than I ever anticipated. It turns out that caring for a new human leaves very little room for the "hustle." But in that forced slowness, I found my way back to the heart of why I do this.
From "Stuff" to Practical Magic
I’ve had many misgivings about "making more stuff." As someone who has championed sustainability since 2003, I didn’t want to be part of the problem. Yet, I found that I couldn’t keep myself away from the craft.
I’ve come to realize that clothing isn’t just "stuff"—it’s Practical Magic.
I believe that how we do anything is how we do everything. If we treat our clothing as disposable, we are subconsciously practicing how to treat our planet, our friends, and our own spirits as disposable, too. I believe we should be able to have anything we want—but not everything we want.
The New Path Forward
I am returning to the driver’s seat, but the map has changed.
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Small by Design: I am keeping things intimate. No staff, no rush, and no selling for the sake of selling.
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Materialism Reimagined: I want us to be more materialistic—meaning we have a much greater appreciation for the actual materials we invite into our lives.
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Discouraging the Excess: My mantra now is to discourage you from buying anything you don’t truly need. I want to encourage research, patience, and a "less is more" approach.
The website is currently a bit of a ghost town. Most products are unlisted as I take the time to re-photograph, re-describe, and "re-love" each piece in a way that reflects this new vision. I am still here, and I am still shipping out special requests for those who reach out via email, but the public-facing relaunch will happen at the speed of life.
I am making things for people who want something truly special, occasionally. I am making things for the people who believe, as I do, that the more we love what we have, the less we actually need.
Thank you for waiting for me. I am so glad to be back in conversation with you.
With love and magic,
Stephanie
