by urbansocialite on June 26, 2009
Okay, I’m not quite wired yet, but I do plan on slowly work up to that level over the course of the day so I can go out and unwind later! I love today’s designer…. I especially love her chaos bangles (in name and form)!
[wired] is a collection of accessories made entirely from reclaimed and surplus industrial materials. The materials used come from the discard piles of various local Chicago industries and include alternator wire, rubber and transistors. Each piece is handmade individually, and is either one of a kind or produced in limited quantities. The found materials dictate the design of each piece and foster different design challenges than traditional materials.
[wired] designer Melissa Kolbusz holds a BFA in Industrial Design from University of Illinois at Chicago and also studied at the Universitá di Genova in Italy. She has worked in the fields of furniture design, engineering and architecture. In 1999 she began [wired], a project creating jewelry from recycled and surplus materials, which has since branched out into other accessories and art installations. Her work has been published in the books Green Design (NY) and Recycle: The Essential Guide (London), Style Naturally (San Fran) and featured on the WB Morning News in NYC and NBC5 News in Chicago.
In this age of mass production and big business, recycling has become an integral part of contemporary life. A positive strategy for counteracting the waste created by industry is to recycle these materials into creative, wearable accessories and fashions that challenge the designer to think outside the box. By partnering with local industries, [wired] reinvents and revamps the surplus produced by these businesses that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Every sustainable [wired] piece is an individual work of art, crafted locally and by hand, that its owner can wear for a lifetime, rather than having these materials go to waste in their original state.
Check out [wired] on Etsy, Stars and Infinite Darkness, and Elegant Roots.
Free song download of the day:
by urbansocialite on May 19, 2009
OMG… can you believe how fast May is zipping by? I refuse to let this summer slip through my fingertips like last summer!! I have tentative plans for a trip in June and will be on the Vineyard for the 4th (maybe I will see you there?) … anyway, my summer wardrobe is officially boring so I’m definitely in the market for some fun new stuff.
I am painfully bad with my website e-mail… so I apologize that I am not giving the proper person credit for Popomomo (if it’s you, shoot me an email today and I promise I will include the fact that you suggested this awesome designer in the post!). Anyway, I am also sorry for all the unanswered emails. I really appreciate all the site suggestions and inquiries and I respond to all of them, I am just a bit behind. Ok enough rambling… more on today’s designer:
Popomomo stands for post-postmodern movement which designer Lizz Wasserman explores through clothing. Instead of floating in relative perspectives and endlessly reworking the past, her work focuses on the new and true.
Growing up in Milwaukee, Lizz started her design career at the age of six by passing her mom sketches of clothing for ‘production.’ She soon learned how to sew and let her mom get back to work. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in sociology, she received an industrial sewing machine and a dress form for graduation.
Lizz has been designing popomomo since 2002, when she started designing for Urban Outfitters and Free People in Philadelphia. Looking for something to balance her mass-market and consumption-heavy day gig, she found in popomomo the freedom to try any shape or idea.
Since then, the line has evolved into a full two-season collection while Lizz has moved to brooklyn and now LA. Popomomo was nominated for an New Garde LA gen arts award in early 2008 and was selected for the first Gen Art/soyjoy fashionably natural show which kicked off LA fashion week in October of 2008.
The Popomomo line is locally produced in LA using sustainable and/or organic fabrics and wash techniques and tries to work with other companies with similar beliefs whenever possible.
Check out Popomomo’s website and buy on ShopFlick and Green With Glamor! (Yes dad, the top dress is actually named “The Buckminster”)
P.S.
- If you are in the Boston area, the wonderful ladies at Black Cat Rescue just got a litter of adorable little black kittens that need loving homes (they rescue all sorts of cats from all sorts of situations, not just black cats!). Stop by Black Cat Rescue for more details!
- If you are looking for a good workout, you can thank Kate for suggesting Core Fusion. Classes are run out of Exhale Spas but you can also buy the video at places like Amazon.com. Take it from someone who was subjected to torturous workouts while running D1 track & Field, this is probably the best workout I’ve ever done. Definitely worth checking out a class. The best part? If you buy the video, most come with a coupon for a free class!
by urbansocialite on May 7, 2009
A busy day at work then off the Red Sox! I feel like a real Bostonian…. sort of…. I still don’t get the whole baseball thing but I’m really trying!
Today’s designer is the illusive Mr. Larkin. The label is illusive because I don’t actually know very much about the designer behind the brand, but I do love the designs that make up this self proclaimed, “eco-project.”
The Huffington Post interviewed the designer who was born in Oklahoma, grew up in Texas, and went to fashion school in Texas, L.A. and overseas. The designer toured with some bands, moved to Paris, moved back to LA, fell in love, and moved to San Francisco where Mr. Larkin was born. Apparently, this talented designer wanted to be a veterinarian but, “the only thing I was ever successful with was this…so I went with it. I believe in a sustainable lifestyle…so does Mr. Larkin.”
Anyway. Elusive. Kind of like… that trip to the rock that someone owes me….
Enjoy :).
*You can thank Lindsey L for correcting my illusive/ elusive confusion. That’s what I get for posting @ 6am with no coffee!
by urbansocialite on May 6, 2009
Mmmm… fresh coffee! Hopefully I will have a better start to my day as a result (or at least fewer typos in my post). At the risk of going on for several paragraphs, I am going to refrain from going into anything hinting at the personal and get right into the designer of the day, Marian Schoettle AKA Mau.
Mau’s garments are essentially built: with all detail emerging from construction decisions. The material is featherweight Tyvek (R): a high performance non woven taken from construction and graphic trades and adapted and manipulated for these awesome designs. Along with excellent performance properties, Mau was drawn to the material because it looks fragile and perishable like paper but is in fact a tough and resistant modern material. Not only that, the material is partially recycled and is recyclable! Be sure to check out the online store as well!
by urbansocialite on May 5, 2009
Mmm…nothing like drinking yesterday’s coffee today… and by mmmm I mean, ewww…
At the same time, I am still drinking it… too lazy/ tired to brew a fresh pot. Oh yeah, its like that!
Anyway, speaking of yesterday, today’s designer just so happens to be hierapparel(hier= yesterday en français, in case you didn’t know….although the designer is using it in the Greek prefix sense meaning sacred)…
This Chicago based designer specializes in unconventional apparel and accessories. Pieces that are somewhat ornamental and function to alter one’s geometry, to accentuate parts of the body and complement our asymmetry. The pieces are always embellished with some sort of organic material like, shells, minerals and fossils or with one of a kind buttons made by Perishables and various found objects. The clothing is constructed with materials like canvas, wool felt, cotton, bamboo and Lycra knits, leather, hides and burlap.
I think the bags are phenomenal and I as much as I fluctuate back and forth with this whole obi thing, I think her’s are pretty awesome.
by urbansocialite on April 30, 2009
I just wrote this whole long bit about my crazy life history with various cell phone companies — it was like 3 paragraphs long… I concluded with my undying love and devotion to T-Mobile (who, by the way, totally hooked me up with unlimited calling for $50 a month…) anyway, my computer went haywire for a brief second (or maybe I accidentally hit the back button) regardless, I lost the rant and I’m too lazy to retype it…
Moving on today’s designer…
Mandinka Designs, is the brainchild of Mandy Curl, has become a thriving business that’s run by both Mandy and her magnificent mom, Liz Curl. In her own words:
Our process begins with the Hunt. We love to go hunting in thrift shops for gorgeous suit coats with fabulous linings and labels. The labels are like little works of art in and of themselves. We “ooh” and aah” loudly while people look at the two strange women flipping through the men’s suit rack. Once we get the coats home we “fillet” them into the various parts- sleeves, collars, pockets, etc. Then the real fun begins as we collage them into the varying styles of handbags, totes and accessories. Of course, no part of the coat should be wasted, so we make our adorable bugs out of the leftover sleeves.
We love what we do and pride ourselves on our couture quality construction and craftsmanship — it is the number one compliment we hear from our customers. We hope you enjoy our creations as much as we do!
I love Mandy’s creative approach to handbag design! They’re truly unique and of course, no two are alike!
by urbansocialite on April 28, 2009
One of my favorite things about spring and summer is the way the ever-present sun casts a new light on old situations. I think it has something about the sharpness of the rays, the extended hours in the sky and the shadows cast… the culmination of these things can lead to a lot of insight if you are willing to it the proper attention.
Moving on…
Today’s designer is the super-talented Elena Garcia. Born in Spain but based in London since 1992, Elena Garcia originally trained as a linguist, specializing in Public Services Interpreting. Her interpreter’s job has led her to work with many local groups and has made her aware of the problems faced by migrant communities and people in penitentiary institutions. Following her passion for design, in 2001 she decided to re-train as a designer and went back to education, finishing a degree in Surface Textiles for Fashion at the London College of Fashion.
Elena’s work blends daring design, traditional techniques, and luxurious, eco-friendly textiles to create beautiful, timeless pieces for women of all ages.
Elena’s ecocredo:
Our Ecocredo. Organic, Pesticide free, Fair trade, Local, Ethical, Sustainable.
Like you, we are concerned about the welfare of our planet. We often think about our children and wonder what problems they will be faced with for generations to come. As creators - as designers - as business owners - we have a responsibility to do what we can to preserve our world, so we source locally whenever possible, and we only use fabrics that are rapidly renewable and pesticide-free.
Our A/W collection features silks farmed from silk worms and mulberry trees that are pesticide-free and silk yarn processed without chemicals. Most of our wool comes from British Blue Faced Leicester sheep that are reared organically. The garments are handcrafted in our studio or by small local manufacturers and social enterprise units, giving something back to the community. The dyes we use are free of metal, amine, and azo compounds, and specialised dyeing is done in our studio. Batch dyeing is sent to a local dyeing company. All promotional materials are printed on FSC certified paper using vegetable inks.
At present we work with the HEBA Women’s Project in Brick Lane, London, and have plans to collaborate with the Working Chance Community Project, a local charity that aims to re-insert women in society after they have been in prison.
Her clothes are beautiful, good for the environment and good for the community… definitely a designer after my own heart!
by urbansocialite on April 23, 2009
So, I guess Earth Day was actually yesterday, oops! Whatever… like I said a few days ago, Earth Day is every day, and you know I’m committed to writing about designers who feel the same way. One of my favorites is Frei, by designer Annie Novotny. Her clothes are good for the earth and good for the body (I adore the way they drape, fold and accentuate… her designs are absolutely wonderful)! Frei clothing is created and sewn in Chicago (miss you Rob!). All designs are 80% organic, use no agrochemicals and employ low-impact or no-impact dying. Plus, all items are shipped using recycled materials. If a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ll stop here . . . clearly Frei’s gorgeous designs speak for themselves. Enjoy!
by urbansocialite on April 21, 2009
I am obsessed with Aventura for the sole reason their music has gotten me through this transitional New England “spring” period. But for Romeo Santos, I would probably be sitting on a beach somewhere in South or Central America, margarita in hand, responsibilities out the window. Thanks to my over-active imagination and a 20 minute subway ride in the morning I can kind of day dream myself into a place that, to date, has prevented the plane trip … which is good considering my current financial state!
Anyway, as you know it’s Earth Day, or was Earth Day (isn’t every day Earth Day?!)… and Loyale is a perfect sustainable clothing company to share in consideration thereof!
Loyale is a fashion-forward, sustainable clothing company that aims to make the simple act of getting dressed in the morning world changing. In 2005, Jenny Hwa founded Loyale to provide eco-chic apparel for women who are equally conscious about fashion as they are about the environment. The intention of Loyale is to inspire activism by designing stylish clothing that is crafted exclusively using sustainable fabrics and to create a shift in consciousness where commerce and compassion for the planet can coexist. These convictions, coupled with her work experience at Catherine Malandrino, Kate Spade, Chaiken and Calypso Christiane Celle, as well as her business and fashion degrees from Dominican University and F.I.T. laid the foundation for the creation of Loyale.
Loyale’s clothing is inspired by understated sophistication, alluring fit and sustainable fabrics for the fashionably conscious set. Taking an ecological stance, while creating frocks with beckoning silhouettes and charming details are Loyale’s signature criterions.
Hwa incorporates organic cotton, factory reclaimed overstock fabrics and color grown organic cotton in her design. She also contributes 1% of Loyale’s annual profits to green corps, a non-profit that trains the next generation of environmental leaders. And lets be real, I wouldn’t be writing about her if her designs weren’t fabulous!
Enjoy and Happy Earth Day/ Week
happy earth day - receive 25% off the collection 4/22 only with the coupon code: apr22loyale + there is also free shipping!
by urbansocialite on April 17, 2009
Every time I think I have things figured out, things get more complicated. Not in a bad way, in an intriguing sort of way . . . but complicated is complicated and I am definitely a fan of simplicity (contrary to what my current circumstances may suggest)!
Good thing fashion is simple! Today’s designer is MercyHouse, a new label from London that takes a playful approach to the typical tee. MercyHouse believes in beauty, equality and innovation. They are a season-less women’s t-shirt label that incorporates the understanding of women’s elegance and style through a unique backdrop of luxury fabrics, yarns, leathers, clays, precious metals, stones and beading. These components are used for stunning and exclusive handmade embellishments appliquéd onto beautifully cut and sewn 100% cotton and bamboo t-shirts. MercyHouse chose T-shirts because they are universal, not bound by gender, race, religion or even weather! MH aims to take this age-old clothing item that is usually dominated by graphics and revamp it into a funky, vibrant and fresh closet must have. I love the top tee… so cute!
P.S. For whatever reason I have had Aerosmith’s “Crazy” stuck in my head all morning. I’m pretty sure the guy in the video who steals her purse is Sawyer from Lost :)!
