It’s a typical weekday morning in Rochester. The birds are chirping, people are hustling to work, and, nestled deep in the heart of downtown, you may find Andrea Geer stashed away in her studio ready to design some uniquely stunning pieces of fashion. Entering the space, it is easy to understand how it inspires her so deeply. Floor-to-ceiling windows, an expansive layout, and an iconic view of the Kodak Tower greet her everyday as she steps into what she lovingly refers to as her church. “I love this place. I come in here and I’m happy; this is where I get to be an artist.”
Geer grew up in Corning, loving the visual arts. Focusing primarily on painting, she always knew she wanted to pursue an artistic path. To make her artwork completely accessible, she decided to dive into the world of fashion design. “Once you create something that, to you, looks beautiful, then you can put it out there and people can enjoy it on a daily basis.”
Her journey in fashion began twenty-five years ago and has continued to evolve. When you take a walk through her studio you will notice enormous canvases adorning the walls and piles of small paintings scattered about her many work surfaces. These paintings, along with her digital drawings, are the basis for every piece she creates. They all begin as a piece of art and are then printed on the appropriate fabric and turned into a beloved garment. This may involve digitally drawing in some new elements, refining edges, and layering pieces she thinks would pair well. The process is complicated and tedious but one that has become second nature to her over the years.
As a maker who values the power of a small business, she takes great strides to be present and fully educated on every aspect of her business. “What I do is not separate from what I make.” Geer has two fashion lines: Andrea Geer and Weekend By Andrea Geer, and she is intimately tied to the manufacturing process. For the Andrea Geer line, much of the fabric is milled here in the U.S. and is printed in a Pennsylvania factory. This fabric is then shipped to her studio where she will design, cut, and assemble the garments with her team. For her Weekend line, she collaborates with a factory in the Dominican Republic that uses a technology that allows it to print nearly any design on any type of fabric and manufacture on demand. This means that clothing is only created when an order is placed, allowing for minimal fabric waste. Between her Rochester team and national partners’ dedication to quality and efficiency, Geer has been able to expand in a manageable way that stays true to her business ethos.
About the clothes: bold pops of color, eye-catching patterns, soft, breathable fabrics, and flattering cuts are what you’ll find when perusing a rack. When asked about her top-selling design, Geer quickly responds that her thermal knit tops are the most popular item. Ribbed and stretchy, these tops are easy to pair with your favorite jeans for a night out with friends or with sweatpants for a cozy evening on the couch. Available in long sleeve, short sleeve, cropped, and non-cropped options, there is a perfect version of this top available for every taste.
Movement and comfort are key when it comes to Geer’s pieces, as her colorful tencel blouse demonstrates. Paired with high boots and soft leggings, this look is stylish and comfy. Her cotton circle skirts also shine and have the best dimension for the perfect romantic twirl. We’ve paired this skirt with cute black ankle boots and a pink cotton top from her Weekend collection, giving it a fun and playful vibe.
But we truly cannot speak on comfort until we look at the boho dream that is Geer’s kaftan dress. Featured here in three different prints, this dress has a loose, long sleeve, bell-shaped drop skirt, and truly formidable pockets (a rarity in the female fashion space). Paired with your favorite shoe, or, like the designer herself demonstrates, a comfy pair of jeans, these stylish pieces add a fresh new dynamic to any wardrobe.
Knowing that Geer’s pieces stand on their boldness alone, we would be remiss not to feature a matching look. Green, brown, and blue come together in this coordinated pant and shirt ensemble to create a look perfect for any sunny fall afternoon. While the patterns of the pieces are not the same, it has always been Andrea’s express goal for her customers to explore and experiment with her designs. Throw things together that you may think don’t work, put on the piece that feels bold and loud—you never know when you might find your next favorite outfit.
So now that you’ve met Geer, I’m sure you are wondering how to get your hands on her beautiful collections. As luck would have it, all of the pieces featured in this issue are available online. You can purchase both Andrea Geer and Weekend by Andrea Geer directly through andreageerdesigns.com, and you can visit her partners at the Artful Home (artfulhome.com) to find even more options from her Weekend line. If you love some-thing, make sure you jump on it, since she does semiregular refreshes of her website throughout the year. How could she not? Finding inspiration in everything from the parks of Rochester to the bridge carriages in Paris, it seems Geer will never be far from her next beautiful design.
Photographer: Mike Hanlon
Makeup: Bree Masco
Hair: Michelle Doyle
Models: Eustacia Garrison, Jade Metzger, Liliia Ozturk
This article originally appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of (585).
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