Four Twelve

This past August, it was my amazing luck and pleasure to meet the now and future fashion talent Jesse Zand Hansen. 

Jesse’s Dad Tim, was shopping at fourTWELVE and casually asked if I might be willing to meet with his fashion obsessed son Jesse…sure, why not…I was not prepared for the talent force that showed up a few days later…wow!

Jesse’s sketches and ideas were inspiring, beautiful, and way beyond his years.   It was also clear he was very serious about fashion and up for a challenge…good timing…we needed a great window for the Maine Boats Home and Harbor Show in less than a week, so I asked Jesse if he might be willing to do this…again…I was not prepared for the whirlwind of creativity that happened…

Jesse hard at work...

Jesse designed and made a gown and skirt from signal flags…spot on concept and brilliant design.  We put them in the window ASAP and the ball gown was immediately snapped up by our local mover-shaker-fashionista Polly Saltonstall.

A beautiful window...

A zillion kudos to Polly for recognizing this budding talent and having the great aplomb to scoop up the exclusive gown…a few fit details later and she was off for the evening….and later shared that she spent most of her evening fielding questions about her dress….yay Jesse!

The final fit...and just right for dancing...

I look forward to following Jesse’s career, in whatever medium(s) he chooses, AND convincing him to work with us on more projects.  When I asked Jesse for background details to include with this…he sent me a very polished bio, (of course), and I see no reason skip a word….

My Bio

Name: Jesse Zand Hansen

Age: 12

School:  Harborlight Montessori School (Grade 7)

Birthplace: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Interests: Skiing, sailing, rapid sketch, oil painting, fashion

I’ve wanted to be a fashion designer about as long as I can remember.  I started sketching clothing at age 3. At least, that is what my dad tells me.   One of my first dress designs was an empire waist ball gown covered with flowers for my adoptive grandmother.  I still look at it and think, “it’s not bad”, but I would change a few things.  I started to get serious about designing and making clothes when I was 8 or 9.  I took sewing classes after school at “Sew Creative” and designed, cut and sewed all of the costumes for my school play “The Wizard of Oz” which took months. I became interested in re-using items for fashion.  I entered two items into a “Wearable Arts” exhibition at a museum including one made from re-used packaging components and tissue.  I’ve reused everything from pipe cleaners to newsprint to colored plastic bottles.  I re-made men’s neckties into long flowing skirts.  When the necktie skirts were seen at a Montessori education fundraiser, I received several orders, including from people I did not know!  My favorite design from re-used fabric is a halter ballroom gown I made from antique nautical flags.  Ms. Bowley featured this gown along with a nautical skirt I made in her store window in Rockland Maine for the Homes and Harbors Boat Show.  This was the first time I had anything in a store, let alone a boutique window!  With school starting, I plan to return to my painting and sketch classes and have in mind several fashion projects.

Bravo Jesse!