This year, I’ve watched many of my small business friends close their doors. Despite their hard work, creativity, and passion, they couldn’t compete with the overwhelming pull of convenience and cost-cutting from larger companies. Every closure breaks my heart—not just because I understand their struggle firsthand, but because each one represents the loss of something unique and irreplaceable.

As a small business owner, I’m deeply aware of how much your choices matter. Every purchase from a small brand like mine directly supports real people, real artisans, and real dreams. This holiday season, your choices are more powerful than ever—they can help keep the businesses you love alive.

True Cost Transparency: Let’s Break Down the Amara Gown

The Amara gown, made from 100% silk charmeuse or crepe de chine and lined in silk, represents everything my brand stands for: timeless beauty, ethical production, and quality that lasts. Here’s exactly where your money goes when you invest in one:

• Labor & Cutting: $150

Each gown takes 10 hours to create, sewn by talented female artisans in Italy earning $15 per hour, a fair wage that honors their craft.

• Fabric: $125

We use 5 meters of premium silk, sustainably sourced to ensure both quality and minimal environmental impact.

• Trims: $7

Details like invisible zippers and thread are small but essential for creating a seamless, polished finish.

• Packaging: $10

Sustainable, plastic-free materials protect your dress and align with our eco-friendly mission.

• Shipping: $40

Your gown is made just for you shipped safely from Italy to your doorstep using eco-conscious couriers.

• Total Cost to Produce: $332

The Amara gown retails for $628. Why the difference? Part of it accounts for the margin needed to ensure my business remains sustainable—covering studio costs, marketing, and future collections. And because I also work with select wholesale partners who take a percentage of each sale, I need to price my pieces to remain viable across different channels.

Small Business vs. Fast Fashion

 Rebecca Elizabeth Amara Gown

Typical Fast Fashion Gown
Handmade by skilled Italian artisans   Mass-produced in factories overseas
Ethical wages and fair working conditions Exploitation of workers, low wage
Premium natural silk biodegradable Synthetic materials, takes up to 200 years to decompose 
Fair transparent pricing Hidden environmental and social costs no transparency in pricing
Low environmental impact (tree planted for each dress) Low waste cutting and fabric scraps reused High carbon emissions and waste

 

Fast fashion cuts corners at every step, prioritizing volume over value. My gowns cost more because they reflect the true cost of craftsmanship, sustainability, and care.

Your Choice Has a Ripple Effect

When you shop small, you’re not just supporting my business—you’re championing:

• Fair wages for artisans.

• Sustainable production methods that respect the planet.

• A better future for fashion, moving away from waste and toward timeless quality.

Plus, with every dress sold, I plant a tree as part of my commitment to sustainability. It’s a small but impactful way to give back to the planet we all share.

The Holidays Are a Time for Thoughtful Choices

This season, your gift choices carry more weight than ever. By investing in a dress from Rebecca Elizabeth, you’re helping me keep my dream alive while making a real difference in the fashion industry. You’re saying yes to timeless quality, sustainability, and ethical practices—and no to disposable, exploitative fashion.

So whether it’s the Amara gown or another piece from my collection, thank you for considering the power of your purchase. Your choice can keep a small business alive, support artisans, and even plant a tree.

 

With love and gratitude,

Rebecca