I came across Duckie Brown in WWD's CFDA insert; with all the rage of tee shirts and jeans it's good to see tailored clothing. Duckie Brown has a great approach to menswear with their pairing of classic design with bold color and pattern; it's almost a fearless approach at times. The Fall collection is a bit more somber but Spring really shows an elated injection of color. To learn more or carry the line contact them here.
Lauren from Second City Style (a fab Chicago e-zine) passed on this cool collection to me. Eskell is the brain child of two Chicago friends; the collection was dreamed up in high school (or smoking behind the bleachers...darn teenagers). After studying design, Elizabeth and Kelly created a contemporary collection far from kids play. I love their pairing of texture, shape and color; it makes for a very refreshing line.
I'm in an art loving mood today and these pieces from Kristin Laing stood out to me. Kristin studied silver, copper, and blacksmithing and launched her silver collection in 2004; her current collection is inspired by vintage textiles, travel, and nature. I'm getting the feel of antique vases and keepsakes from this collection; very nice. View the collection here or at one of my favorite haunts, Trunkt.
Mark Schwartz emailed me some time ago about his work and I've been trying to figure out the best way to feature them, I figured today is a good day for something a little different. Mark is an acclaimed shoe designer and in 1997 decided to approach the form with a paintbrush. You would think I spend enough time looking at shoes; but I would love to have this wallpapered in a dressing room...or a fabulous girly boutique with framed vintage Vogue covers and plush winged back chairs. Check out Mark's website Shoes As Idea to see more of this beautiful take on design.
My first thought when I saw this was...it reminds me of modern furniture. Seriously; I adore clean lines on furniture and clothing, it's a mark of classic design. To find this aesthetic in jewelry was the highlight of my day; Michele Scholnick is the designer behind this cool collection. A true artist, Michele jumped through a few career choices before coming back to design. I'm glad she did; her work has an incredible organic nature and beautiful lines. See the collection here (men and women). I wonder if she plans on doing home accessories anytime soon; I see a silver vase in my future.
Heike Jarick took on the world to launch her collection; schooled in London, designed in Milan, and back to the New York. The spring 2006 collection is inspired by the romance between heiress Maria Ferreyra and rebel Che Guevara. Heike really captured this spirit with the updated flirt and refined but tough look of the respective collections; the collection reads like a book. What fun! See the entire line here.
It's only Memorial Day and already I'm longing for the beach. Sand between my toes, a nice tall lemonade, trash blowing across the beach...sorry I live in New York. When it's time to hit the sands I'm going to pack Lisa Curran along for the ride; inspired by her own ill-fitting trauma Lisa created a collection of suits to hug and flatter any figure. See the entire line (including cute maternity suits) here.
I met designer Megyn Florence last week at the launch party for Coutorture and was reeled in the second she described her work. Her collections pair couture details with a RTW concept in an absolutely seamless union. Megyn's signatures are her sculptural silhouettes, innovative construction, and a penchant for antique details. My favorite part? It is still incredibly wearable. Genius. Contact Megyn to learn more about the collection (she also offers one of and couture pieces).
You've got to see it to believe it. This is one of the most unique approaches to jewelry I've seen in awhile. Alex and Chloe jewelry is a throwback to your rebellious years with punk rockish symbols cut into gold and plastic; bats, swords, mix tapes, even a silhouette of Kate Moss (insert your own joke, I'm tired). Here's where you can get that rush again without piercing your tongue.
Rena Tom ought to be a milliner according to the number of hats she wears; designer and store owner she still finds time to dream up these beautiful pieces of jewelry. Her spring collection is inspired by nature and features ebony, horn, pearl, and fascinating petite pendants. Rena owns Rare Device; a tiny haven filled with an impeccably curated selection of independent designers.
'A dress is made by walking through a square of cloth'. I love independent design for just this reason; things that make you go hmmm. Inspired by couture and cubism Jeremy Liang creates his collections on the body to appear unmodified from the front; from profile angles define the body's planes. I noticed there were a lot of winged and angular details to the back and shoulder; almost suggesting that the clothing has become an extension of the body. I knew that Psychology degree would come in handy one day. You can see the rest of this amazing collection here.
London based Matthew Williamson is one of my favorite designers for his use of color and pattern. His clothing gives the feeling that he has explored the world before hitting the sketch pad; sort of multicultural pattern meets french Riviera. Uncomplicated fabrics merged with feminine silhouettes; what's not to love? View the latest collection here.
This isn't exactly what you would call a hush hush collection; since launching in 2002 Christopher Deane has been sorrounded by accolades for their collections. One must give due credit when two twenty somethings can create elegant, luxurious, and sophisticated clothing that can grace any woman. Find the Christopher Deane collection at these select retailers or contact the showroom to purchase (trade only).
Secrets out....I'm obsessed with bags. Not very well kept huh? Who needs to when Bliss Lau makes such cute bags. My guess is that when the trend of the half-my-body-hobo is over Bliss Lau will still be around. The bags have unique shapes, understated details, and great texture. Brooklyn based Bliss (grin) takes inspiration from her native Hawaii and musical instuments to create very original designs. Above is the accordian which can be purchased for a song... sorry, couldn't help it.
Saturated color. Pretty feminine shapes. Paris-based-Greek-designer Erotokritos gives us drab, stodgy Americans a look at the good life with his spring collection. Erotokritos stays true to his reputation for infusing color and a touch of Parisian chic into his clothing; the line is truly, incredibly feminine. The collection is available at the designers Paris boutiques; contact him here to find more about global retailers.
