Jody Davis: The Baltimore Designer Bringing Orioles Spirit to the Runway
When Baltimore fashion designer Jody Davis imagined the stages her career might take her to, a baseball diamond wasn’t on the list. Yet on July 12, she stood on the mound at Camden Yards, confidently throwing the ceremonial first pitch before the Orioles faced the Miami Marlins.
“I won’t say it didn’t bounce,” she joked with her signature laugh, “but I got it over home plate.”
That pitch was just one highlight in a month filled with Orioles pride and personal triumphs for Davis, whose downtown boutique, Jody Davis Designs, is known for polished, practical womenswear. Her latest project? Transforming the Orioles’ 2025 Birdland Hawaiian shirt print into a capsule collection of six chic, functional garments—including pants, dresses, a jacket, and a two-piece set.
The design, featuring the Orioles mascot, Maryland blue crabs, flowers, and tropical plants, debuted during the team’s July 8 and July 12 giveaway nights. The first 20,000 fans each game received the shirt, while Davis’s one-of-a-kind creations were auctioned at the Orioles Authentics Store, raising over $1,000 for the Baltimore Design School, where she serves on the board.
“I wanted these to be stylish yet functional pieces,” Davis said. “You can wear them to the game, then straight to brunch or errands. And yes—every piece has pockets.”
From a Tablecloth to the Big Leagues of Fashion
A Baltimore native and Western High School alumna, Davis’s love of fashion began as a teenager, though she initially treated it as a hobby. Her first “design” was cut from an old yellow linen tablecloth with scalloped edges—hardly high fashion by construction standards, but enough to turn heads. Encouraged by family, especially her elegant Aunt Ruth, Davis began envisioning a career built around her creative gift.
After seven years in a government job, she decided to pursue fashion full time, eventually earning a place at New York’s prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology—though not without a setback. Initially rejected for her sketching skills, Davis took classes in Baltimore and draping courses in New York before reapplying. The same counselor who had turned her away before admitted her on the spot, citing her determination as proof she belonged.
Since then, Davis has designed for high-profile clients including Iyanla Vanzant and Maryland’s First Lady Dawn Moore. Her work reflects her philosophy: individuality over imitation.
“There’s a style in Baltimore that’s unique,” she said. “We’re not afraid to be ourselves, and that’s what I bring to every design.”
Inspiration, Process, and What’s Next
Davis often begins with a thought—a mood, an upcoming event—and builds from the fabric up, draping it on a dress form until the garment reveals itself. She draws inspiration from unexpected sources, especially shoes. “I see a fabulous shoe and immediately imagine the outfit that belongs with it,” she said.
Her advice to emerging designers? “Find your niche. Don’t chase trends—create from your authentic self. That’s what people respond to.”
Next for Jody Davis Designs is the continued evolution of her signature “power suit” and the launch of Lux Leisure, a line of luxury leisurewear that transitions seamlessly from the office to travel to weekend outings.
As for that Hawaiian shirt collection, Davis hopes the fans who wear her creations feel the same joy she felt designing them. “Every stitch has love in it,” she said. “Fashion is my gift, and I want that gift to inspire.”
If you want, I can also design a shorter, high-impact version suitable for a glossy sports-lifestyle feature with a focus on the Orioles collaboration.
From : Baltimore Orioles shirts
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