SUSY MULLANEY
Pendleton Coats, Vests & Vintage Fur Hats
Susy Mullaney, born in Burnt Hills, New York, was inspired to sew as a young girl while watching her mother, Mary, design and craft beautiful silk and wool neckties that were sold to upscale haberdasheries throughout the state. The family moved to Seattle in the early 1960’s where Susy designed and sold blouses to local hip boutiques while she was still in high school.
She moved to Aspen, Colorado in the early 1970’s, where she created Western shirts for many of the locals and shops. Recycling fabrics became a fun and profitable business at this time. She would make coats and vests out of hand-stitched vintage quilts; vests and pants from recycled Levis. Susy also had a small business creating a line of children’s clothing using nontraditional fabrics such as tapestries, antique lace, embroidered table runners and floral tablecloths.
Living in places such as Aspen, Colorado, Lahaina & Maui, and Bisbee, Arizona and finally landing in Taos in late 1987, she was inspired to produce an exciting new line of Southwestern apparel. It was a natural transition to create coats and vests made from traditional trade blankets that date back to the 1880’s. These richly colored and beautiful Native American designed woolen jacquard blankets are milled in Pendleton, Oregon. Every detail of these coats and vests are U.S. made including the Southwestern design nickel and brass buttons, as well as the wool/Dacron felt bindings that she uses to detail the edges of her work.
At the new millennium, Susy went back into the recycling mode. Scouring thrift stores and rummage sales, even the occasional yard sale, she now collects vintage fur coats and wraps, which she fashions into marvelous hats. Finding and taking apart the vintage mink, rabbit, fox, raccoon, Persian lamb and coyote coats and wraps, and creating these wonderful hats has not only become a lot of fun for Susy, but has kept her extremely busy as they have become very popular and are a “must have” for locals and visitors alike. Susy has an eye for detail and her workmanship is always appreciated for its perfection. Sewing is her passion and it shows! Susy works out of her home studio on Taos Mesa where she lives with her mother, dogs, cats and parrot.
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