about
In 1998…
With a thrift store used sewing machine and some vintage dresses used for fabric and trim, i created my first designs. i wanted something to wear to clubs - something that looked and felt like the music i loved.While working graveyard shifts at a computer lab, i taught myself how to build websites so that i could sell my work. rosemortem.com was born with basic html, low res print photo scans, and subculture support i'd never dreamed of.My first customers were friends from the club scene: people who wanted skirts long enough to touch the floor while wearing their doc martens, people who wanted something unique rather than mass produced. i think we all wanted clothing that, when we put it on, made us feel like we were our truest selves.In 2001, i was given a mix tape with the song Dark Romantics by The Awakening. Those lyrics resonated with me - we were indeed the dark romantics of our time, They became my label's tag line: Dark Romantic Couture. As years passed, i designed for artists, musicians, actors, and performers of all kinds. My work was featured in books and magazines, and i traveled to do fashion shows and festivals. and then in 2007…
The Awakening toured the USA and i met the person behind the band's music, Ashton Nyte. We have been partners ever since, and i am still just as mesmerized by his beautiful voice, lyrics, and melodies nearly twenty years later. We married in 2009, raised a family, released albums, and toured the world. For years i continued to make clothing that felt like it was the perfect accompaniment to the music. And then in late 2019, more than twenty years after i had started Rose Mortem, i decided to finish a life goal: my master's degree (at Harvard).I finished my studies during the pandemic, but decided against selling my designs in the same way as before. An average of 100+ orders per year was not a sustainable pace for me any longer, so i pivoted back to my first love: drawing, painting, and bespoke designs for private clients.present day 2026+
Thanks to the encouragement from so many lovely people i met on tour, i am working to turn some of my drawings and paintings into limited edition designs printed onto high quality clothing, with ethically sourced and environmentally friendly materials. Absolutely no AI has been used in any of my work (nor will it be, ever). My hope with this new chapter for the Rose Mortem label is simply to create and share, and give us another way to have clothing that (still) feels like the music,
With gratitude,
Rose.