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November 28, 2014 - Comments Off on Small Business Saturday: Where To Go + Where We’ll Be

Small Business Saturday: Where To Go + Where We’ll Be

One of many must-visit Small Business Saturday spots

The Thanksgiving feast is over, and hopefully you're all rested up after one (or three) holiday naps. If you haven't already, make sure to give our Thanksgiving playlist a listen—we promise it isn't one of those Christmas-only compilations that gets old after the third listen. A good part of the Thanksgiving weekend fun are the traditions that come along with it—and shopping may play into those, depending on how claustrophobic and patient of long lines you are. It can be easy to forget about Small Business Saturday with all of the unpleasant-looking media Black Friday receives—when tends to be more and more each year, it seems. But this weekend is the perfect time to support your favorite designers, makers, and artists, while checking off people on your gift list at the same time.

The shopping opportunities in New York City are overwhelming, especially once the first snow hits and your trips to various brick and mortars hold more regard (shopping for others is always intimidating, no matter how well you know them). Of course, we're here to help make that a little easier on you. Make sure to pay a visit to your favorite local designers and visit us at one of the pop-up locations we're involved in this Small Business Saturday. Here are our must-visit spots:

Young & Able, Lower Manhattan

There's a tiny storefront in Lower Manhattan that you won't want to miss. Young & Able is a month-long pop-up retail space created specifically for your holiday shopping needs. You may remember us inviting you to their launch party a couple of weeks ago (which was an absolute blast, complete with a photobooth). You can find some of our designs at the space, but you can also find a selection from all of the designers (which range from local makers in NYC to international designers all the way from Australia) online. The physical space is open from 11am-7pm daily—go give it a see before it closes its doors on December 21st.

345 Broome St. New York, NY

November 12, 2014 - Comments Off on Round-Up: Five Must-Have Scarves for Fall (and Winter)

Round-Up: Five Must-Have Scarves for Fall (and Winter)

Photo cred: Francisco Osorio / Creative Commons

Fall is an exciting time for fashion, and we don't just mean those of us looking to discover forgotten favorites at the back of our closets. With the cooler temperatures comes an opportunity to layer on more complicated combinations of style—some for the sole purpose of keeping us warm, and others, well, just because. If there's one accessory that falls right smack dab in the middle of those wardrobe agendas, it's the scarf. From infinity scarves to delicate silk handkerchief throwbacks, there are all kinds of styles for any situation you can think of.

We corralled some of our favorites below, but (as always) we'd love to hear from you. Make sure to share any standout scarves. We're even interested in those, um, more out-there suggestions—like this. You know what they say about form following function.

Calling All Commuters: Sash-ay Scarf, Vespertine NYC

There's no such thing as being too visible when it comes to biking—day or night. This scarf from Vespertine NYC is a way you can add a little safety flash that won't pull away from your outfit when your bike is locked away waiting to be ridden home. The design features a woven 3M threading that illuminates when in direct light, meaning you stay highly visible without committing to any unsightly neon colors. Coming in at $92, you're jumping in on the 3M trend—and keeping yourself intact—for a steal.

January 4, 2010 - Comments Off on Jill – Reclaimed Wedding Dress

Jill – Reclaimed Wedding Dress

As founder and editor-in-chief of green design blog Inhabitat, Jill was only willing to go the sustainable route with her wedding attire. In addition to sourcing minimal impact materials, we wanted to design a dress indicative of Jill's sophisticated style, in a silhouette that was fun and fresh, and also re-wearable. We first started by exploring fabric options such as organic cotton tulles and silks, such as the below.

Jill was then offered her fiance's grandmother's Victorian wedding dress from circa 1900, which was a beautiful lace gown, completely deteriorated in most sections, but intact in others. Jill had already decided that she did not want a full-length gown, but I had to make sure that we had enough material from the vintage gown to create even a knee-length dress! Through careful cutting and efficient patternmaking, I was just able to make it work, utilizing the lace's scallop edges at the neckline and asymmetrical hemline of the dress.

The lace needed to be carefully cleaned and restored back to its original colour, as pictured below.

We both love the colour green, and decided on a hand-dyed ombre (green with a gradation from light to dark) silk charmeuse for the underlayer of the dress. From my collection of vintage lace trims, we selected one to use for the straps, which I dyed using green tea to match the ivory of the dress lace.

The wedding and reception were held in San Francisco's beautiful Presidio Park, which tends to become cool at night, so we made a custom bolero jacket in a matching green to cover Jill's arms.