Our Story: Sustainable Fashion Rooted in Healing & Upcycling

Our Story: A Journey of Growth and Connection

Our Story

Sarah Tremain is more than a fashion brand — it's a creative lineage, a healing practice, and a call to remember what's already within us. Founded by designer Sarah Culbertson, the studio transforms textile waste into artful, size-inclusive garments adorned with original prints created from the encaustic paintings of her mother, artist Tremain Smith.

Rooted in intergenerational trauma and healing, Sarah Tremain reimagines pain into purpose. Each design begins with one of Tremain Smith’s paintings, translated into bold, layered prints that become beautiful, functional garments. These creations honor the legacy of their relationship — blending family, resilience, and artistry to inspire connection and self-expression.

The brand’s signature collaboration began during a college draping assignment. Asked to use a “hard-edge” artist for inspiration, Sarah phoned her mother for ideas. Her mom simply said, “Well, I’m a hard-edge artist right now.” That spontaneous moment became the seed of something much deeper — a merging of personal history, fine art, and fashion into one healing, wearable story.

After earning her BFA in Fashion Design from Columbia College Chicago in 2013, Sarah launched her first collection of custom garments. In 2015, she debuted her ready-to-wear line at Vancouver Fashion Week. But just as momentum built, life shifted. Following the death of her grandmother, Sarah began to recall repressed memories of childhood sexual abuse. From that point on, healing became central to her creative process, guiding the brand’s evolution in deeply personal ways.

At Sarah Tremain, every garment is a quiet act of revolution — made through intentional design, sustainable practices, and emotional truth. We upcycle and repurpose materials into one-of-a-kind pieces that celebrate storytelling, empowerment, and courage. Fashion becomes a tool for transformation — both personal and collective.

Through some purchases, customers can support survivors directly. A portion of proceeds from select items benefit WOAR: Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence. In addition, shoppers can opt to contribute to community healing services like trauma-informed yoga and therapy. As we grow, we’re working to redistribute those contributions directly to practitioners so someone in need can experience a session — no strings, just care.

Together, we’re building something much bigger than a wardrobe. We're creating a community rooted in resilience, where artistry, sustainability, and advocacy go hand in hand.

Our Future

Looking ahead, Sarah Tremain envisions becoming a nationally recognized leader in sustainable fashion — known for transforming textile waste into artful, healing-centered design.

Over the next decade, we will grow into a vertically integrated studio with a dedicated in-house team producing limited collections and hosting trauma-informed design workshops. We’ll partner with mission-aligned stockists who share our values of slow fashion, size inclusivity, and care for the earth and each other.

Our digital platform will expand to include a curated line of art-printed home goods, accessories, and upcycled clothing, as well as a growing membership program that supports circular fashion through mending, education, and community storytelling.

At the heart of our future is care — not just for garments, but for people. We will deepen our mission by sponsoring healing services for survivors of sexual violence, embedding restorative care into our business model through direct donations, creative collaborations, and long-term community partnerships.

Our Philadelphia-based studio will remain our anchor — a safe space for creativity, skill-sharing, and meaningful connection. Through public events, artist residencies, and mentorships, we’ll support the next generation of designers, makers, and changemakers.

Through it all, Sarah Tremain will remain rooted in sustainability, equity, emotional truth, and the belief that fashion can be a force for cultural and personal transformation.