Jo Baudendistel

Hometown: Farmersville, Ohio
Collection in three words: Escapist. Comfortable. Soft.

Marie Antoinette is the inspiration behind Jo Baudendistel’s collection. But not the Marie Antoinette most people picture. “While we have versions of her in pop culture that talk about how she was materialistic and vain, she actually hated court life and preferred to spend her time in her country home with a few of her closest friends,” Baudendistel says, adding that Antoinette was pushed by the rest of the court to present herself in the classic corseted and hooped styles of the day. Baudendistel’s collection, La Petite Maison De La Reine (the little house of the queen), pulls inspiration from Antoinette’s silhouettes and tendency for comfort as well as the popular color palettes and prints of that time. Sustainability is also a top concern, says Baudendistel, who used 85% thrifted materials. “I believe that part of the answer to the fashion industry's pollution problem is moving back to slow fashion, and taking pride in the pieces that we own.”