Designed by
Mary Rose MacDonald has always had a morbid curiosity and a craving for beauty. As a queer, nonbinary woman with an alternative sensibility, they have long felt a kinship with other outsider artists.
Their 2023 diagnosis of early-onset arthritis spurred them to pursue their childhood dream and enroll in Made Institute to receive a certificate of fashion design. Their graduate collection will be on display at Philly Fashion Week in September of 2025.
Their work takes inspiration from the dark and grotesque and transforms them into ethereal works of art. Their designs are frequently informed by film, history, and the interplay of light and dark. They endeavor to honor the female form through their decisive silhouettes and use of diaphanous materials.
Our Values
While we specialize in traditional women’s wear, we are honored to dress bodies of all shapes and sizes and all identities. There is a home for everyone at Curio.
We have not, and never will, utilize generative AI for our designs, marketing, or anything else. We believe that there can never be a replacement for human creativity and labor.
Curio is very conscious of the fact that the fashion industry is the most wasteful industry in the world. We endeavor to use dead-stock fabric and reclaimed materials at every possible opportunity. All garments are made to order so that no stock ever goes to waste. We aim to create well-made couture garments that can be passed onto the next generation.
