Fort Worth’s Sainty Nelsen and SaPeyKa Team Up To Release New Mother-Daughter Quilted Jacket Capsule

Seasonal gatherings and markets at Round Top have become the state’s go-to backdrop for buzzy launches, including the recent debut of a mother-daughter capsule collection with strong Fort Worth ties. With a vintage yellow Bronco displaying dozens of handcrafted jackets, a cocktail bar, live music, and golden sunset light washing over an open Central Texas field, the Sainty Nelsen x SaPeyKa Mommy & Me collection officially launched just weeks ago.

The collaboration between fashion designer Kendra Brooks and award-winning producer and actress Sainty Nelsen grew from a friendship between two mothers who wanted a stylish way to connect with their daughters. The hand-sewn, reversible jackets — released under Brooks’ brand SaPeyKa — are made from repurposed blankets sourced from India.

“Kendra has this extraordinary ability to turn vintage textiles into something that feels both timeless and completely fresh,” Nelsen tells PaperCity Fort Worth. “I wanted to build on that magic in a way that felt personal to modern families.”

Brooks says the matching jackets fill a need for kid-friendly gifts from Round Top, adding with a laugh that before the new line, many past customers told her their daughters would steal their SaPeyKa jackets.

“It was fun to see mothers and daughters get to match and have their own sets,” Brooks says. “It’s been a really fun experience to watch. People are picking up on the concept pretty quickly.”

How Kendra Brooks Built SaPeyKa From Vintage Textiles

Brooks, who splits her time between Dallas and Crested Butte, Colorado, founded SaPeyKa in 2016 after falling in love with repurposed Indian textiles that her husband’s business partner brought back from India.

“We were using them everywhere,” she recalls. “At the time, my daughter was little. We brought them out for picnics or put them on the couch. They were indestructible. I fell in love with the textile.”

She began importing more blankets and selling them to friends. With a love for fashion and a background in fashion merchandising, she eventually launched a jacket line using the same repurposed textiles, creating one-of-a-kind pieces centered on upcycling and handmade production.

Since launching, SaPeyKa has expanded into a broader collection of silhouettes made from the same blankets, including blazers, capes, coatigans, cropped jackets, fringe crops, ponchos, short-sleeve crops, and vests. Brooks credits Nelsen with originating the idea for the mother-daughter capsule, envisioning it as a fun gift mothers could bring home to their daughters after trips to Round Top.

“As a mother, I’m constantly thinking about what my children will remember,” Nelsen says. “This collection is about giving them something tangible to hold onto, something that says, ‘We were here, together.’ ”

Jackets Stitched With Meaning for Mothers, Daughters, or Best Friends

Brooks says the new line has had a popular reception, partly because the nature of the fabrication process means paired jackets do not exactly match even though they share a common origin. The fashion designer has received some surprising requests, ranging from mothers with multiple daughters wanting four-piece sets to close friends hoping to create matching friendship jackets of their own.

“We plan to restock and fine-tune our new styles,” Brooks says. “Sainty lifts your spirit up and makes you feel like you can conquer anything. She is the true epitome of women supporting women.”

Whether celebrating friendships or mother-daughter relationships, the collaborative release, Brooks says, has been joyful to work on.

Nelsen, who spoke with us last year about her past battle with cancer and advocacy for cancer awareness and medical research, says the line touches on memory and meaning.

“These are for mothers, daughters, best friends, and anyone who wants to feel connected through what they wear,” Nelsen says. “These are heirlooms in motion. They’re meant to be worn, lived in, and passed down with stories stitched into every thread.”