Megan Nielsen: Laid-Back, Outback Style

When Megan Nielsen was a 9-year-old in Perth, Australia, she began ripping her clothes apart and re-fashioning them to her own style with a sewing machine -- always the tell-tale sign of a budding designer. But Megan never imagined that she’d someday forge a career out of creating her own designs, even though it was a perfectly natural progression. As a child, she played dress-up with her mother’s ‘70s wardrobe, and still feels a wistful connection to fashion from that era. Design is so much a part of who she is, that she doesn’t recall a time in her life when she wasn’t re-casting clothing to her own aesthetics.

“When I first started out, I sold pieces to friends as something to do for fun on the side,” Megan says. “I had studied to be an accountant; I’m a self-taught designer. The accounting,” she smiles, “certainly comes in handy now.”

Megan unfurled her debut line in January of 2010. Her distinctive styles have a timeless quality in spite of modern lengths and cuts, and are often feminine, sweet, and embellished with pretty details and flourishes. The vivid beauty of Western Australia’s wildflowers – the pink boronias, red kangaroo paw, magenta paperbark blossom and eucalyptus with blood-red blossoms – is captured in many of her patterns.

Also evident in Megan’s designs is a down-to-earth outback sensibility, highlighting youthful styles and shapes, khaki, neutral and natural tones, ease of movement, and endearing simplicity. “I had the Australian lifestyle and color choices in mind when designing my line,” Megan says, “which is laid back, comfortable and easy. I remember it was hot all of the time when I was growing up, so clothes were less formal.”

Whimsy, Romance and Motherhood

Americans who delight in Australian lingo will love many of the whimsical names Megan chose for her designs; in her Fall 2010 collection she featured the Wattle Cardigan, Brumby Skirt, Darling Range Dress, Matilda Bay Dress Gumnut Coat, Eucalypt Tank Top and Banksia Top.

One of her all-time favorite Rit Dye hues is Wine. “My first collection highlighted personal designs in white silks and cottons, which I hand-dyed with Rit,” she explains and adds, “I’m still looking forward to using Teal!”

She prefers liquid Rit and likes to overdye clothing in order to revamp it – which means she often re-dyes an already-dyed article of clothing to create a more vibrant or different hue. She discusses this process in detail in her “Design Diary” blog.

Megan’s third collection will debut this spring, and she has another slated for Fall 2011. Her maternity wear and ad hoc sewing patterns have become incredibly popular, offering sewing tips and stylish nursing bras, maternity lingerie sets, and pretty yet practical maternity clothing. She empathizes with young mothers who want to be stylish but need to be practical and comfortable, as Megan, 26, has two toddlers herself. Her eldest child is 2 ½ years old, and her youngest is only one, so she knows how to design for the unique and varied tasks of motherhood. She’s a firm believer in showing off the baby bump and celebrating pregnancy, and doesn’t believe that fashion options should be limited during this joyful period of a woman’s life. As a result, her clothing offers a fresh and buoyant take on maternity clothing.

Living with her husband and kids an hour south of Washington D.C. in a semi-rural part of Virginia, Megan loves her home in the U.S., which provides ample space to commune with nature, yet is still close to the conveniences of nearby cities. Nature’s hues, shifting seasons and bounteous variety inspire her designs, and the quality of her clothing shows that she truly loves what she does. She redesigns some of her older pieces just for fun, and finds contentment in meeting creative challenges.

Embracing the Female Form and Vintage Aesthetic

Megan’s favorite fabrics for fashion are soft silks and luxe cotton, and her signature design silhouettes include an ultra-flattering skirt and feminine, defined waist. There’s something theatrical about her designs, as they seem to emphasize simplicity with a large button, contrast piping, or rippling line of ruffles – and her casual wear has a charm and elegance that elevates it into the realm of special. Though you could wear Megan’s designs to the local park with your children, you could also wear them to work, or on a date, or to high tea. They’re remarkably versatile.

The waist is a focal point in her collections, whether highlighted with a simple leather belt, cropped jacket, textured knitted sweater, empire waist, vintage scarf as a belt, or row of buttons on a skirt. By contrast, some of her other clothing is reminiscent of the baby-doll lingerie style and transfers it to a chic, swingy pink coat or casually elegant shirt. Her clothing blends in with the female form and seems to be a natural offshoot of the woman, as opposed to overshadowing her or redefining her shape.

Other feminine styles that Megan embraces are tunics, dresses and form-fitting jerseys. Just as she celebrates the baby bump, she also lauds female curves and forms with styles that flatter. Although thoroughly modern, her clothing designs hint at a pastiche of different eras: the funky color schemes of the ‘70s and ‘80s, the high hemlines of the ‘60s, the pleats and collars of the ‘50s, the bows of the ‘40s, the simplicity of the ‘30s, the silk and satin of the ‘20s, and the lace and delicate flowers of the Victorian era. And yet there’s something wholly unique in each of her designs that emblazons it with her stamp -- something only Megan Nielsen can offer.