"The world is moving so fast," Patricia says, "And I find that sometimes women can’t let go a bit; they don’t allow their femininity to happen. And I try to have my clothing read a lot more soft, a lot more sensual, so that women aren’t afraid of that side of themselves. Because the cold, hard edge side of women is so easily there."

A master of the fine art of creating and manipulating textiles and dying fabrics, Patricia’s designs are lush, unique, brilliant, ethereal, sensuous, and, of course, very feminine. Patricia is of Taos Pueblo and Polish descent, and her creations incorporate the visual landscape, the symbolism, and the esthetics of her Pueblo origins, and the skills of sewing and pattern making of her Polish ancestors.

Patricia uses fabrics such as velvet, silk charmeuse, silk organza, felted wool, and chiffon. Into these fabrics, Patricia incorporates delicate, elegant elements, including gold thread and emu feathers. She also distresses her fabrics, sometimes burning holes into them, sometimes painting on them by hand, sometimes silk-screening the pattern onto the fabric, and sometimes using her own innovative methods. She often works in black or white, but the beauty of her desert surroundings may just as well inspire her to work in brilliant colors. The dyes are her own blend.

Patricia Michaels and her children.