DRESS COZY: A BRAND WITH SOUL
Dress Cozy. The name alone could be a manifesto.
Dress Cozy made its second appearance at Vancouver Fashion Week on April 11, 2025. A whole month has passed since the last whirl of heels and photo-ops at Vancouver Fashion Week, and I've intentionally let the fashion dust settle. While I usually rush to get my thoughts out within days of a standout show, this one called for a pause, for reflection. Two weeks post-VFW, I sat down for a coffee with Dress Cozy's founder and design visionary, Carol Botelho and Karyn RuDance, her dynamic creative director. But before that caffeine-fuelled conversation, I dove headfirst into the digital threads of Carol's innovative world. And let me tell you—while the brand may be minimal in media presence, what you find feels considered, curated, and cozy in the most soul-soothing way. Dress Cozy isn't simply about comfort but clarity of vision. A lifestyle ethos stitched with care, purpose, and an unapologetic dedication to feeling good in your skin (and your cozy outfit).
Dress Cozy: Where Comfort Meets Conscious Design
Some Background...
My online quest led me to look at other interviews, one in particular with Vancouver writer Marilyn R. Wilson, and information on the Blanche McDonald Centre website.
Founded by Brazilian-born designer Carol Botelho, Dress Cozy emerged from a deeply personal journey of self-reconnection following motherhood. Without formal training in fashion design, Carol's path was unconventional; she embraced hands-on learning, driven by curiosity and a desire to create garments that honour body and spirit. Her experiences led her to study Global Fashion Marketing at Blanche Macdonald, further refining her vision for the brand.
Dress Cozy stands at the intersection of fashion and wellness, offering made-to-order pieces that prioritize comfort, sustainability, and timeless design. Each garment is crafted in Canada, utilizing sustainable materials and ethical production practices. The brand's commitment to slow fashion is evident in its approach: producing fewer, high-quality pieces designed to last.
Dress Cozy's philosophy is not just about clothing; it's about creating a sanctuary through fashion—a space where individuals can feel seen, held, and empowered. Their designs invite wearers to embrace their true selves, making fashion a companion in self-discovery.
Dress Cozy In Conversation
I was excited to sit down and talk with Carol Botelho and Karyn RuDance. I had met them both at VFW, but during the hustle and bustle of a fashion show, one doesn't have the opportunity to engage fully. I wanted to know about the show, the brand, and how it came into being.
My first question for Carol came easily: “How did the collection come together, and what was it about?”
With a luminous calm, the kind that only comes after a whirlwind, Carol smiled and shared, “I was approached to do this collection just thirteen days before the show. Imagine that! I graduated from fashion school that day and got the call by nightfall. Wild, right? I knew I had to say yes. No time for hesitation — I had an opportunity and needed to rise to it. But believe me, I had the idea already. I say I ‘slept on it,’ but let’s be real — there was no sleeping. I remember I called Karyn, and the process began."
That sleepless night birthed something radiant. Carol’s concept began, like many collections, from an intensely personal place. “It started with my story—and the stories of other women. It’s about growth, change, and development. It’s about the beauty and the chaos of becoming.”
She found her metaphor in nature’s most elegant transformation: the butterfly. Carol said, “I was drawn to the butterfly’s life cycle—all those gorgeous, painful, necessary phases. It reminded me of what I was experiencing as a woman and what so many of us go through: the becoming, the evolution, the unfurling of wings.”
And so, the collection took shape — both intimate and universal, soft and strong — under the name: Metamorphosis – The Becoming of Her
I understand an idea is one thing, but how do you bring that idea to reality? How do you get that onto the runway in a couple of weeks?
Carol's exuberance and vitality are her fortitude, and she doesn't miss a beat with her response. " It's about teamwork, and I couldn't achieve any of this without a great team". Carol works with a seamstress who is her right hand, and from there, they hired and put together a team that could produce 12 looks in as many days. The brand Dress Cozy is about more than clothes on the runway; a big part of that is the presentation on the runway. Having seen the brand's last runway show gave me insight into what to expect. The creative director, Karyn Rudance, produces the runway presentation, which is atypical of a fashion show. With a background in dance, Karyn choreographs a runway that uses movement to enhance the theme and engage with the audience. The models are more in the vein of performers than models.
DRESS COZY - A REVIEW
The life cycle of a butterfly, the Metamorphosis, is a theme as old as time. It has found its way into many fashion collections and runway shows. There is nothing new under the sun. To take a theme that could be cliche and embed it with real intention is admirable. In this case, the designer has used the theme to symbolize the journey of personal transformation from the caterpillar to the final beauty of the butterfly. The show opened with a video presentation that illustrated the metamorphosis. The metamorphosis of Carol Botelho is her story to tell; what she shares with us on the runway is ours to relish.
The opening look—a patchwork top paired with a vegan leather skirt—whispers of transformation, or rather, boldly announces it: Dress Cozzy is evolving. There’s a metamorphosis in motion, and it’s as intentional as it is intriguing. As designer Carol Botelho shared, “I have the intention of transforming my brand to include two lines in one, and I'm looking at doing more custom looks, inspired by my runway collections.” Carol shares that she was recently hired to produce a red carpet look. I find this intriguing; the future of Dress Cozy is taking flight.
Now, the first time I encountered Dress Cozzy, the aesthetic was minimalist—clean lines, quiet elegance, and a focus on simplicity that spoke volumes. But this collection? It’s speaking a new language that still holds simplicity in its bones but adorns it with richer, more complex expression.
The collection came down the catwalk like a metaphor brought to life—an elegant metamorphosis charted in fabric, silhouette, and colour. Divided into distinct segments, each look represented a stage in the butterfly’s transformation, beginning in the hushed stillness of the cocoon and culminating in vibrant, triumphant flight.
The opening segment embraced a muted autumnal palette—think mossy greens, chocolatey browns, and quiet earth tones—anchored by garments with a more rigid structure, echoing the containment and tension of transformation. One standout? A sharply tailored black top with a sculptural peplum flaring to pointed edges, its shoulder cutouts mirroring that angular geometry. Paired with fluid, voluminous trousers, the ensemble struck a poetic balance between restraint and emergence.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK BY ARUN NEVADER
The collection came to life through the choreography, and as the more fluid garments emerged, the movement became larger and more rhythmic and reflected the butterfly in flight. A rusty orange tiered floor-length gown is like the designer saying to women, I understand you and want to make clothes you want to wear. These clothes are full of the vigour and flamboyance that comes from a woman wanting to dress for herself.
The final looks of the collection brought the butterfly into full, resplendent view—garments that didn’t just flutter down the runway, they soared. The designer never overwhelms with colour, vibrant yet controlled, alive with movement and meaning. Instead, she whispers in layered tones and nuanced shades, letting her palette hum rather than shout. A sheer fabric gown in a rich burgundy is diaphanous and would put the wearer in the running for" best dressed" at any formal function. The finale gown is a column of 1200 hand-cut butterflies, a moving metaphor. While some may be of the mind that I laud compliments without any criticism, some pieces could have benefited from editing or a second thought. However, I have seldom seen a collection that is as focused and true to its intentions. If the designer suffers from any fault, she may have too many ideas, which may serve her well as she proceeds.
This collection is a tale of colour, form, texture, movement and vision, converging with business acumen, teamwork, raw talent, and deep-rooted passion. Too often, emerging labels lose focus. Not here. Like the monarch butterfly mid-migration, this brand is finding its wings and flying in the right direction.
