Californication Mochila via Weavers of the World, $130 — Californication Mochila via Weavers of the World, $130

Spotted in SOHO: colorful mochilas

July 20, 2015 in INTERVIEWS, STYLE

I was walking to brunch in SOHO with my sister and cousin and spotted these beautiful hand woven bags. We were really hot so I just grabbed a card and we rushed off to air conditioning.

These bags are by a company called Weavers of the World and each bag, called a mochila (it means backpack in Spanish), is hand woven by the Wayuu Women in La Guajira, Columbia. Each mochila takes three weeks to make.

I love these bags so much! They each have a really tasteful color scheme that is both minimal and fun. Check out their full selection of colorful mochilas next time you are looking for a fun bag or backpack.

Inspiring Studio Spaces for Fashion & Design

March 03, 2015 in IN THE STUDIO

I just moved into my new apartment and am doing a lot of research as to how to design my home studio space. I have a much bigger room than before, but it is still small! I need to get set up soon to get back to the collection I'm working on, but it's really important I get set up in an organized manner that also inspires me.

What do you think of these spaces? Do you have a home studio? Share a link in the comments!

Images: (Top Left) Fashion Designer Jemima French's home studio via The Independent , (Top Right) Johanna Schneider's home studio via Freunde von Freunde, (Upper Middle Left) via Style at Home, (Upper Middle Right) Mand… — Images: (Top Left) Fashion Designer Jemima French's home studio via The Independent , (Top Right) Johanna Schneider's home studio via Freunde von Freunde, (Upper Middle Left) via Style at Home, (Upper Middle Right) Mandy Pellegerin's home studio via Fabric Paper Glue, (Lower Middle Left) Rebecca Atwood's home studio via Apartment 34, (Lower Middle Right) Lindsay Stetson's home studio via Eva Black Design, (Bottom Left) via Vosgesparis, (Bottom Right) via Homedit

Capsule Trend #2: Destination Sourced

February 25, 2015 in INTERVIEWS

(or Made in _________ )

Here's part 2 of my Capsule Show NY recap. Travel is often cited by fashion designers as an influence. What makes these designers different is that they're focused on a particular place, produce in that place and/or evoke that place throughout their entire collection. Made in the USA is highly valued because it's assumed it's higher quality and that there are better conditions for the workers, but have you ever seen this Portlandia Reverse Sweatshop clip? It doesn't matter where something is made if it's not made responsibly. Being made in Bali, Tallinn, or Africa can be just as highly regarded if it's done sustainably and responsibly. Often it is even better quality, especially when it comes to artisan techniques. Overseas doesn't have to mean high minimums or sweatshop labor and inspired by travel doesn't have to mean exoticizing the local culture. Here are some of my favorite designers sourcing their brand and designs globally on their own terms.

Cleobella

Angela O'Brien and her husband Jim founded their clothing and accessories line in Bali, Indonesia, where they develop their products with local artisans and small factories to create sustainable jobs. When not living the island life, they are in SoCal where they have a boutique in Sunset Beach (one of my favorite beaches). Their A/W collection features intricate beaded goddess crop tops, fringe, simple prints and gown-like dresses you can wear all day in rosy maroon, chalky black and cream. It's like the wardrobe of a chic genie. While it's more fun to wear these pieces with your toes in the sand, they are just as functional for subway rides and layering under a winter coat. You can shop their current collection here: Cleobella.

R/H

Designers Hanna Riiheläinen and Emilia Hernesniemi met while studying in Helsinki, Finland. Their new work includes a fun purple crush velvet dress and top in their signature Mickey design, to-die-for wool coats, and a modern light denim bomber and pant set. Their minimal color palette, body-conscious shapes and graphic prints ooze of sophisticated Scandinavian design. They are based in Helsinki, Finland and produce in Tallinn, Estonia. You can shop their collection at RH Studio.

Tejido

Tejido shop is a textile and accessories brand that works with artisan communities in North and South America. Back in 2013 they had a kickstarter campaign to work with an artisan cooperative in Arequipa, Peru and now sell to retailers like Free People and Club Monaco. I go gaga over their prints and like the more subtle purples and monochromatic pieces from their upcoming collection.

Svetlana

After working with Stella McCartney and Alberta Ferretti, Mariana Iacia created her own vegan fashion brand. Based in Brazil, Svetlana includes swimwear and ready-to-wear in bright colors with custom prints. You'll be able to shop her collection soon here: Svetlana -- check it out before I buy her whole collection.

Batabasta

Spanish-Japanese duo Clara A.Montsalvatge and Leticia Cano Baba are shirtmakers based in Barcelona, Spain. They design strong prints in simple shirt bodies for both men and women. They source their fabrics in Shanghai and sell online at Batabasta. As they say, printed silk shirts are always in style.

Indego Africa

Indego Africa, a nonprofit lifestyle brand, is based on economic empowerment and education. They partner with cooperatives of female artisans in Rwanda and sell their handcrafted products online. 100% of the profits fund job skills training in design, production, entrepreneurship, and English and Kinyarwanda literacy for the artisan partners. You can shop their beautiful housewares, accessories and jewelry online at Indego Africa.

More photographs here from the Capsule and Axis shows! Read our first recap of the Capsule Show and check back for trend #3 tomorrow!

Trends that will Transform the Fashion Industry

February 25, 2015 in INTERVIEWS

I spent Sunday exploring the Capsule Womenswear A/W 2015 and Axis Show in New York. It was the first trade show I’ve ever attended as a blogger and I'm happy to report back some new designers and interesting trends I discovered. I’ve been to textile shows in Los Angeles and done shows in San Francisco as a designer/maker, so it was new to be on the other side of the booth. Just as exhausting, but in a different way.

I’m not big on trend projections - I think fashion trends are kind of like self-fulfilling prophesies. The more you know about the industry, the more you realize how interconnected everything is and how much it literally comes down to who can get what fabrics and meet certain minimums and what dyes are available that year and what car color is projected to be popular in the next 3-5 years and who happened to cover what look first and how many people she convinced that it’s a thing.

Yet, there are some trends in fashion that are fundamentally changing the way the industry works, the way you shop and the traditional idea of trends altogether. While some of these trends have been going on for a while, they were super evident at this year's Capsule Show of Womenswear A/W 2015. Increasingly. these may be the only trends that matter for emerging designers. A new designer may not be able to compete with established brands for access to certain fabrics, certain trend projection research, a certain scale of production or PR that creates and sustains trends, but she can stay true to her vision and quickly bring new ideas to market. For many designers at the show, this meant producing locally, using natural and sustainable materials and mastering new and traditional techniques for unique garments and accessories. I predict more buyers will find the following trends desirable to their customers and that these concepts will continue to be valued by emerging and established brands in the many fashion seasons to come.

(or DIY you can't do yourself)

Not all designers went to fashion school, but they all at some point have to figure out how to create what's living in their imaginations. These designers have embraced traditional techniques, spent hours upon hours prototyping, and gotten their hands dirty with ink and their fingernails dirty with fibers. I'm confident they have poked themselves with a pin on many occasions and have stayed up all night tinkering around with a pattern, a hand-painting or their website (that they also run). There's nothing new about designers that are also makers, but it is notable that these designers are producing high quality work and running their own online shops and social media content.

Kahle

Mary Kahle is designer and creator of her namesake line Kahle, which means unadorned or bare in German (funny we both have an affinity for our last names--Etxe is from my last name). Her line features hand-manipulated fabrics, raw edge denim, luscious wool knits, structured basics and sleek asymmetry. Kahle is based and produced in Brooklyn, NY.

M ake it Good

Make it Good is the sister line of housewares craft line Nell & Mary. Their new collection features their signature original hand screen printed designs, textured knits and breezy silhouettes. Krista Stovel, part of the team behind both brands (also including Leah Stovel Bloom and Avery Bloom), showed the collection along with new Nell & Mary designs. Based in Portland, Oregon and produced in the USA, you can visit their online stores here: Make it Good and Nell & Mary.

5-Knot

Taketo Nishino and Ena Kizawa are behind this concept brand that uses upcycled Levis, found souvenirs from world travels with Japanese textiles and Italian thread. I really enjoyed the feels of each piece -- evoking Southwestern kitsch, film noir nostalgia and classic style. You can find more of their work on 5-Knot. They are based in Japan.

DeNada

Virginia Blanca Arrisueño, the designer behind accessories line DeNada, brought a machine look to demonstrate hand made weaving at Capsule. It was mesmerizing to watch her loop the yarn and use a knitting needle to maintain a the same distance amongst the loops. I'm in love with DeNada's chunky knits and monochromatic color palette. DeNada is based in Washington, DC. Visit the online shop here: DeNada.

Minna

Sara Berks creates one-of-a-kind textile-based artworks. She uses simple frame looms and a variety of fibers to create colorful and whimsical landscapes that can complete a minimal modern apartment as easily as an eclectic cottage. You can purchase her work at the Minna online shop.

Brooklyn Tailors

Created by Daniel and Brenna Lewis, Brooklyn Tailors started when the couple started giving custom fittings out of their apartment. After gaining a following of friends, they developed a menswear collection focused on fit, quality and design. They showed their new womenswear line of tailored suits, minimal prints and a delightful range of blues for fall. Brooklyn Tailors is based in Brooklyn, New York.

Future Glory

Theresa Lee and Jennie Chen are behind the socially conscious handcrafted bag line Future Glory. Their totes, backpacks, pouches and cases are minimal and chic, with quality construction and attention to the details. I love their Walking Rock Rolltop Backpack, which incorporates two classics: Pendleton Wool and Top Grain Leather. Shop their collection on their online store.

Emerson Fry

I first noticed Emerson Fry at last year's Thread show at Union Market. Their collection incorporates hand-painted details, unique prints, a subtle color palette and simple silhouettes you can wear all day and into the evening. Produced in the USA and around the world when using traditional location-specific techniques. You can shop online at Emerson Fry New York.

Palette

Meline Katchi and Mike Megrabyan created the Palette series of designer notebooks after filling their own notebooks full of sketches when working on footware designs. They also produce how to videos to help designers transfer their ideas to paper. You can buy their Sneaker Palette and Stiletto Palette journals online.

Alfie

Aelfie Oudghiri combines her interests in global textiles and whimsy to design rugs, pillows and home decor. Aelfie rugs are handwoven in India and designed by Oudghiri in Brooklyn. She just finished some new picture frames that should be available on the Aelfie online store soon!

Matine

Carolyn Misterek started in leatherwork after studying painting and earning an MFA in Art History. Misterek uses natural hides and dyes, cuts, sews each piece herself. Matine is based in Washington, DC and you can purchase her minimal bags here: Matine.

Check back tomorrow for trend #2!