Behind the seams: Who is Ivy & Me?

by Brooke Bateh

Say fromage!

Allow me to introduce you to Ivy & Me's owner and lead designer, Meredith Bateh. 


When she's not taking pictures of herself taking pictures (see right), Meredith pursues all things fashion, art and Jolly Ranchers. To capture her interest, strike up a conversation about trends, crafts or innovative marketing.


Growing up, Meredith and I always daydreamed about becoming fashion designers and starting our own line. Doesn't every little girl dream of doing just that? Well, Meredith was actually serious about making that fantasy a reality, and here we are!


Meredith studied fashion design at one of Paris' most prestigious mode schools, ESMOD. After graduation, she decided to come home to her Southern roots and completed her M.A. at the Savannah College of Art and Design. 


She knows her stuff, y'all. She creates all of our patterns and stitches all of our garments herself. 

Ahhh, Paris.
Ancient castles and shopping.

I love to help Meredith come up with concepts for our collection. For the most part, I work with the paints and dyes and lead our marketing efforts. I've always had a thing for drawing and painting. Nothing keeps me more centered than playing with colors and creating things with my hands. 


When we were young, our family moved around the world quite a bit. I guess it was a natural choice for me to study International Development and Anthropology at McGill University. We've lived in the Belgian countryside, in the Andes, in two frozen cities of Canada and in the hustle and bustle of Mexico City. All of our experiences have shaped us and our love of people. Wherever we went, our parents always made sure we were exposed to culture and the arts. At the time, our day trips to endless cathedrals and museums seemed so totally uncool, but of course as adults we came to appreciate, love and eventually miss the worldly education. I doubt we will ever really settle down in one place and give up the excitement of travel!


Our work for Ivy & Me is inspired by the visual arts, modern architecture and elements of nature. We're both very drawn to colors and are fascinated by their effects on mood, light and personality. The clothing designs are born of an admiration for textures and patterns and how they come together. Our distinctive fabric patterns blend modern and retro styles. 


We value the original and the new, which is why each of our garments is a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork, and all of our designs are limited editions, at least for now.


We love what we do, and we hope that you will, too!

Meredith on the left, Brooke in the center, 
Cinco de Mayo party-goers in the background. 

Check us out at www.etsy.com/shop/IvyandMeApparel