Late last night, a three-alarm fire tore through Hampden’s Historic Castle at Keswick, destroying Jill Andrew’s Bridal Atelier — a space filled with love, creativity, beauty and connection for countless brides and families. So many have experienced some of their most joyous moments within the four walls of this studio all created by Jill’s hands, heart and beautiful spirit.

While we’re so grateful everyone is safe, the loss is total and completely overwhelming. So we are asking our community to come together to support Jill during this time, and enable her to focus on what is most important – – her family and navigating her life and business after this loss.

Every single creation Jill makes is a masterpiece. Much like her gowns, her studio was a true work of art. The studio contained Jill’s life’s work, which was absolutely astounding and irreplicable—but it was far more than a workspace. It was a huge part of Jill’s identity—gorgeous, unique, imbued with history and meaning, welcoming, magical, and so uniquely her.

The studio contained years of carefully curated jewelry, hand-sewn gowns, and irreplaceable materials which were all were destroyed. The studio was filled with absolute treasure -- custom wedding gowns, dresses that had been passed down through generations being reimagined by Jill, and couture pieces tailored by Jill for her loyal clients. Every corner held something special: French silk flowers crafted to Jill’s exact specifications, handmade hats, and bolts upon bolts of vintage fabrics, imported silks, and delicate lace collected over years. Not to mention, equipment, industrial sewing machines, irons, steamers and so much more. There was custom cabinetry, antique display boxes, her computer equipment, and the list goes on.

Jill gives freely and possesses deep care for the community. When COVID hit, she immediately pivoted her work to making masks. She built a small community of sewers who were able to earn income when many had lost their jobs, cutting and stitching masks from their homes using Jill’s pattern. Her compassion and creativity have always reached far beyond Baltimore. She helped design the ingenious Ebola suit for frontline workers in West Africa. One of her gowns is featured at the Obama Presidential Center, bearing a “Jill Andrews” tag — a symbol of her craft, her care, and her undeniable impact. Now, after all she’s given to others, it’s our turn to give back to her. Jill has poured so much love, talent, and heart into our community and now it is this very community that can help her find a new normal.

Baltimore is a city of heart, grit, and so much love, and now is the time to show it. We need to rally around her. This fundraiser will help her get two feet on the ground and back to doing what she loves. This journey will be a labor of love and every donation, no matter the size, helps one of our own begin anew.

With love and gratitude,

Abby Lattes, Suzanne Brockman, Kim Strassner, Leah Hewitt and Caitlin Kotchman