Monday, August 31, 2009

Monday Dose of I: How to Believe that Anything is Possible



Warmi

With the fashion year "starting", like the school year, lately, things have been a little hectic. Returning home, taking care of business amidst changing up the office, boxes and moving crates everywhere, putting the last touches on the the Bonbon Spring '10 Collection, loading Fall '09 (still), and then I think of these small independently run companies, absolute labors of love, and remind myself that much more than I think is possible. I can do better than this. I am lucky to have shown with these designers. They really are inspirations.

Sylvia Toth, designer of Warmi. Each season she takes my breath away. While she lives and works in Paris, each piece emphasizes the skill of the women crafting her work in her home country of Colombia. Her designs are sophisticated and feminine pieces, each piece numbered and signed by its creator. What I love about Sylvia's work and philosophy is it's humility: each piece reflects her love of the good work of the artisans who realize her designs and the creative spirit of both her country Colombia and her adoptive city of Paris. It's powerful and gorgeous stuff. (The top three are new for Fall). Read here about the women who weave and knit her designs.





Mi PuroCorazon
Carolina Restrepo is originally from Colombia and lives in Lima where she designs these gorgeous bags bursting with rich color and layer upon layer of detail. Her designs mix her love of the traditional handiwork of Peru's indigenous artisans with her own modern inspirations and boundless imagination and energy. She works closely with the knitters, crocheters, weavers and sewers that come together to create one bag. She is also irreverent and full of absolute pure love, one of my favorite combinations. Read here to see how Comparte Corazon is doing.

Designed by Aurelyen, French but has carved out his life in Peru. Working directly with his sewers, paying a fare wage equally to both the men and women who work with him, each piece is handmade and even the raw materials are sourced in-country, giving steady work to Peruvian companies. Read here to see the depth of his commitment and dedication to the country of Peru...it's awe-inspiring. And the clothes are beautiful, utilitarian and artful.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

I think these are called "lunch break musings"

The forest hike we took in Glacier National Park was really wet and lush and looked like fairies parked themselves in places like this when no one was looking. I hear fairies aren't always nice but they sure live in nice places...like this I bet.

photo via Saipua

Came back to see on P's blog that Sarah from Saipua has just reopened her new shop a few blocks away from her old shop. It's so beautiful, it's making me weepy. I bet fairies will move in over there too. Nice work but be careful Sarah...

photo: ed levine (his own signed copy)

On Sunday, Sandy and Craig came over and we watched a documentary "I Like Killing Flies" in which we learned a lot about life and became immediately enamored with the protagonist, restaurateur Kenny Shopsin of Shopsin's. An excellent welcome home. Buy his book "Eat Me" and let's all become regulars please.

Back to remodeling, now wishing I could hire the architect that Sarah from Saipua had to make my new place as magical too.

Dejectedly, took a lunch break (after about twenty minutes of looking at the mess) and architected this sandwich, of which I am quite proud, from whatever I could find. I toasted spelt bread, maneuvered some puréed garlic scapes with olive oil and sea salt (that I just so happen to have in a jar for such events as omelettes or the random pasta tossing), soft goat cheese from Consider Bardwell Farms, pineapple sage and sweet basil leaves and the only tomatoes to be picked from this rainy summer's doings, and for good measure a plopping of hummus. Topped it with some mint salt that Aran left here for us. Good lunch.

Next up: New Fall Collection will go up on website next week. Very exciting. End of Summer sale, a giveaway or two, all kinds of things I have in store for this beloved blog and my beloved friends. Now back to the studio.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Today's Souvenirs

wild berries for marie

the sun river in the rain for nadia

lawn art for asya

silhouette for vana

old timey toy traveler for molly

an american cafe for alexa

craig's house of murray's hotel, livingston, montana

snacky west for sandy

best trading post I've ever been for marichelle

exquisitely crusted piece of huckleberry-peach pie for aran

a little morning horse-riding oufit perhaps for melissa?

cabin in the middle of nowhere for jen
plus
wall for her fur-covered fish

an interior to play with for eva

the entire town of butte, montana for rachel
(you won't be sorry butte)

this buffalo (in lieu of a motorcycle) for giovanni

wild grasses and flowers to go with the berries for marie

ideas for a national park-themed room for lil bee

street art and a bar in montana for kaelea

forest, waterfall and rainbow for ada
(sorry-the unicorn got away)

a simple vintage place for maria

baby animals for P

sunset chase for mom and dad

extremely happy flower for everyone

Some souvenirs I brought back.