What does it actually take to turn a swatch of fabric into a garment you love to live in?

In this episode of The Joy Club Podcast, Emily McCarthy takes production on the road to New York City, recording from inside the office of one of Emily McCarthy's manufacturing partners with Assistant Apparel Designer Stella. Surrounded by hundreds of swatches, Emily and Stella pull back the curtain on what really goes into building a collection, from the master list of raw materials, to choosing the fabrics that will define an entire season - as they work on fall and holiday 2027.

Stella walks through the emotional side of design: the fabrics she falls in love with that never make it into a collection, the real cost behind luxury materials like silk and cashmere, and the moment she doubted a fabric that went on to become one of the brand's most beloved prints. She and Emily also get into what customers can't see when they're shopping online, why hand feel matters as much as how a fabric looks, and the ongoing debate between beauty and comfort that shapes nearly every decision they make.

This is a behind-the-scenes look at the science, the risk and the heart that goes into every Emily McCarthy piece before it ever reaches you.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 - Welcome & coffee behind the scenes at a New York City manufacturer
• 4:00 - Inside the bill of materials: how one garment gets months of attention
• 14:00 - The heartbreak of falling for a fabric that doesn't make the cut
• 21:00 - The fabric neither of them believed in, until it became a favorite
• 40:00 - Why comfort matters as much as beauty in every garment

Mentioned in this episode:

• Emily McCarthy Luxe Foundations collection
• Emily McCarthy fall & holiday 2027 collections

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Links: Emily McCarthy | Designer Fashion & Lifestyle Brand Joy Club Podcast on Instagram

Tags:

1. Emily McCarthy
2. Joy Club Podcast
3. Behind the scenes fashion
4. Fabric sourcing
5. Fashion design process
6. Apparel design
7. New York City fashion
8. Emily McCarthy collection
9. Sustainable fabric choices
10. Fashion brand development