When Sarah Piasecki and her sister Christine Bitetti set out to create Izzy Lee's, they weren't fashion designers. One worked in commercial real estate, the other was a physician assistant. They were just two sisters, home during the uncertainty of the pandemic, searching for a way to transform unimaginable loss into something that could bring comfort, beauty, and hope to other families.
Izzy Lee's was born after Piasecki lost her daughter, Izzy, at birth, with the sisters creating the brand as a way to celebrate her life while supporting other families navigating their own journeys to parenthood. "We wanted to honor her in some way and turn our heartache into something positive," Piasecki says. Six years later, their Maine-based children's brand has grown into a thoughtfully curated collection of organic cotton clothing, blankets, and baby essentials inspired by the place they call home. From playful lobsters and sailboats to woodland creatures and coastal color palettes, every pattern feels unmistakably Maine.
Look closely at an Izzy Lee's print and you’ll notice rainbows tucked among the trees or woven into a nautical scene. They're intentionally subtle, less of a design statement and more of a quiet discovery. Rather than covering every collection in obvious rainbow motifs, Piasecki wanted the symbol to remain deeply personal. For some families, it represents a rainbow baby after pregnancy loss. For others, it reflects a long road to parenthood through IVF, adoption, or other unexpected journeys. Hidden within cheerful children's prints, the rainbows become a small reminder of resilience that means something different to everyone who finds them.
While the meaning behind the brand runs deep, the clothes themselves are designed for everyday childhood. Soft jogger sets, cozy sleepers, striped pocket tees, and mix-and-match separates are made from organic cotton that's durable enough for playground adventures but soft enough for afternoon naps. It's a practical collection with an elevated aesthetic, offering pieces parents actually want to dress their children in without sacrificing comfort.
Creating those collections is a collaborative process that starts, fittingly, with Maine. Piasecki and Bitetti begin by gathering inspiration, building mood boards filled with colors, landscapes, and textures before working with a children's apparel designer to bring their ideas to life. One season might draw from the rocky coastline, another from the quiet woods that define so much of the state. The goal isn't to create souvenir clothing but rather to capture the feeling of growing up here.
Asked where she finds inspiration, Piasecki points to the coast. "The beaches and the ocean," she says. "Being on a boat. I love the rocky coast." It's easy to see that influence throughout the collection, particularly in favorites like the Casco Bay striped pocket tee, a playful nod to the state's iconic shoreline that feels just as appropriate on a family vacation as it does at the neighborhood playground.
Like many small businesses, Izzy Lee's has evolved considerably since its earliest days. The sisters initially manufactured their products in the United States before partnering with a production team in Sri Lanka to keep quality high while making the business sustainable. Throughout the transition, one priority never changed: maintaining the exceptionally soft organic cotton fabrics customers have come to expect.
Piasecki hopes families see each piece as more than another outfit destined for the laundry basket. She thinks about the first swaddle, the outfit worn home from the hospital, the pajamas saved long after they've been outgrown. Those everyday items become keepsakes because of the memories attached to them. "I wanted the clothing and the blankets and everything to feel like those moments are so special and memorable," she says.
That philosophy has resonated with customers, many of whom have reached out to share their own stories. "I've connected with many women over the years who've gone through something similar," she says. "That was really the hope in starting Izzy Lee's—to make people feel less alone."
As Izzy Lee's continues to grow, the sisters are dreaming up new prints, dresses, pajamas for older kids, and expanded retail partnerships throughout New England. Every new collection is guided by the same philosophy that inspired the first: beautiful, Maine-made memories stitched together with quiet details and a little more meaning than meets the eye.
IZZY LEE'S | izzylees.com
Designed in Maine, Izzy Lee's collections are available online and at Hatch in Brunswick, with additional New England retail partnerships continuing to grow. The organic cotton line includes baby essentials, sleepers, jogger sets, and children's apparel featuring the brand's signature coastal and woodland-inspired prints.
"Those first moments with your baby feel so important. I want our clothing to feel just as special and memorable."