With an emphasis on sewing and sustainability the Tess van Zalinge brand is a perfect fit as Brother’s newest sewing ambassador.
Tess van Zalinge created her eponymous fashion brand in 2016 and has since been illustrating how sewing, embroidering, and quilting allow creativity and innovation to take form. At the intersection of couture and ready-to-wear, Tess van Zalinge offers a new, contemporary take on fashion by combining local culture and heritage at the service of femininity.
At odds with fast fashion, Tess’s commitment to sustainability can be felt everywhere in her work. Each piece is created to be one of a kind, something to be cherished and passed down the generations, as garments were before the invention of techniques of mass production.
Every scrap, every piece of waste is found a new purpose, and new creations are made of Tess’s old creations or deadstock materials. Tess also believes in working locally and paying a fair wage, using skilled local crafts people at her own atelier.
The Brother x Tess van Zalinge partnership started with Brother’s new flagship sewing, quilting, and embroidery machine, the Aveneer EV1. Its advanced technology made it the ideal creative partner for Tess to create incredible, highly structured garments with.
The first project undertaken as part of this ambassadorship was the creation of the ‘Brother look’ dress for the Aveneer EV1 promotional videos, which launched the Aveneer to the global market in August 2024. Combining sewing, quilting, and embroidery, the statement piece became the inspiration and anchor garment for the ‘momentum’ collection.
The look was proudly displayed during Amsterdam fashion week, showcasing the vision of its designer, the skills of her team and the capability of the machine.
"Partnering with Brother and using the Aveneer EV1 has allowed me to push the boundaries of craftsmanship, blending modern technology with sustainable, timeless design. Each piece I create is meant to be cherished, reflecting my commitment to slow fashion and local artistry” says Tess van Zalinge.
Roné Auret, General Manager for Marketing at BSME said: “One of our main goals is to support new talent, in whatever category of sewing, quilting, embroidery or crafting that they work in. We are extremely happy to have partnered with Tess, something obvious after the incredible piece of fashion she created for the Aveneer’s promotional video.
‘Brother’s goal is to remain ‘At your side’, and that includes developing machines at the cutting edge of technology which will then help creatives make their complex sewing and crafting projects a reality.
‘Tess’s commitment to sustainability also resonates to our own values, as is her dedication to the use of local heritage and craft techniques in her designs, making this partnership all the more natural and valuable’.
Tess will continue her incredible work and create more unique fashion designs with Brother’s support. We can’t wait to see what this Brother x Tess van Zalinge ambassadorship is going to bring!
