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We first met the budding Ohio fashion designer back in February when the world swooned over her handmade creations. Working primarily with paper, tissue, tape, and this holiday season, gift wrap and glittery garlands, Mayhem would slay a Project Runway unconventional-material challenge. With the help of her “assistant paper dress maker,” otherwise known as Mom, Mayhem was able to live out her stylish fantasies, whether it was remaking their versions of the red carpet’s most talked about gowns, or simply constructing original styles.
Between the mother-daughter duo’s blog, Instagram, and rave reviews from the press, J.Crew just happened to find its next collaborator. “When we met with Mayhem for the first time we were really curious to see how she would work and were amazed to watch this barely 4-year-old girl start meticulously folding the pleats on a skirt and placing stones very specifically and carefully on a top she had just fashioned around herself,” Jenny Cooper, head of Crewcuts design, said. “She has such an inventive and creative personality that really resonated with us.”
This spring, Fashion by Mayhem for Crewcuts will debut in a nine-piece capsule collection — not too shabby for someone who's yet to graduate elementary school — with items starting at $22.50. Jewels, pom-poms, and tassels give the clothing an appropriately whimsical feel that’s sure to win over her peers, just as they did Jenna Lyons. While it’s obvious that this crafty kid is having the time of her life, the goal is ultimately to inspire other young designers (and their DIY-pro parents) to take their visions to the next level, too. Click on to see a first peek at the lineup, and the mini visionary testing out her designs’ twirl capabilities. (Spoiler alert: They're impressive.)
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