The Full Story

Cherry Swan Designs was created by mother/daughter team Cherye and Alison Weintraub. Cherye (mother) taught Alison (daughter) how to sew when she was a child. Alison always kept sketch books of clothing designs through her childhood into her teen years. Over the years Alison worked as a clothing and costume stylist in Miami and New York City. In 2014 they decided to start Cherry Swan Designs, selling hand made costumes and clothing at art markets and events. Starting in NYC at Artist and Fleas in Brooklyn, they offered leather fringe clothing and decorative lingerie. They wanted to focus on creative designs pushed by the desire to use as many used and found materials possible, creating one of a kind pieces guaranteed to stand out and keeping fabrics and materials out of the landfills.

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In 2016 Alison moved from NYC to New Orleans and in 2017 took CSD full time. Working New Orleans art markets and events, surrounded by the incredible art, music and love of the city, really pushed Cherry Swan Designs into evolving into what it is today. In March 2020 when the world ended, Alison lost CSD due to the city shutting down completely for months. In 2021, as the pandemic eased up, Alison left New Orleans and hit the road, traveling around the country exploring, gathering materials and visiting friends and family. She returned to New Orleans in 2023 and restarted Cherry Swan Designs and dove back into the New Orleans community. She now travels half of the year vending at events and festivals around the country.​

"Inspired by color, movement, drag, burlesque, sustainability, creativity and fun. We design for anyone and everyone. All shapes, genders, colors, sizes are welcome. We love creating pieces from random scraps and see where the process takes you. When someone finds that special design we created and fall in love with it, that is why we do this."​

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Cherry Swan Designs is also a part of the No Name Collective, a women-led design collective. You can find CSD in New Orleans, NYC and everywhere in between.  @nonamecollective_bk