How good is Pamela at Market Publique? I knew SATC wardrober Patricia Fields had a penchant for vintage, but Pamela’s post on how much vintage appeared throughout SATC2 really impressed me. Imagine all the hunting it took to find the right pieces for not one, but four looks, at a time. Check out all these vintage spottings!

And no, I haven’t seen the movie yet, but the time will inevitably come…

Refinery 29 recently spotlighted NYC artist Francesca DiMattio, whose thrifted and artsy wardrobe (not to mention decor) is so inspiring.

“My mom raised me exclusively on thrift stores as a little girl and taught me to look for new shapes and feel for quality fabrics. It’s exciting for the eye to see something different, so I look for shapes that are not common. As a result I often find myself holding maternity wear, and clothes in my closet range from size 0-16. An outfit looks great when it’s a little unfamiliar.”

“Everything I buy is under $20 (except for shoes), but recently I found two silk Anne Klein II tunics, which are like large tank tops that I am excited about.”

“I like things to have lived a little before me. My couch is from the old cafeteria at Cooper Union; we found the stools on the street, the table is from Craigslist, the chairs are from a friend’s antique store in Hudson, and my husband made the kitchen bench from found wood on the street that he then treated and stained. Also, I love fake flowers and always keep bouquets around the house. Initially, I made them for the centerpieces at my wedding, but I made a couple more for our home.”

Read the full article, and enjoy more images, at Refinery 29.

as to why so many cultures around the world

have their own different-yet-similar geometric patterns.

Looms!

The similarity among patterns would come from all cultures having the same design challenge: There’s only so much you can do with line patterns, as in weaving or with a knitting pattern. Right? Have I broken my own case? ;)

I can’t get enough of the updated versions of these patterns, either…

Mociun Day Coat, Pendleton Meets Opening Ceremony Wool Zip Vest and Twelfth St. by Cynthia Vincent Oversized Navajo Sweater. And it’s here for spring, too — I just spotted these brand new flats at Habitat, also by Cynthia Vincent! Good stuff.

Turkish kilim pillow cover via eBay, Bauhaus rugs via Wikstenmade and Native American weaving via Rockwell Museum of Western Art. Loom image via Hayden Loom.

]]> http://fashionlovespeople.com/2010/02/04/patterns-looms/feed/ 0 http://fashionlovespeople.com/2010/01/11/inspired-by-geometry-culture/ http://fashionlovespeople.com/2010/01/11/inspired-by-geometry-culture/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 22:41:22 +0000 Janette http://fashionlovespeople.com/?p=1675 I’m all about geometric designs right now. A year ago I was assigned a story for a local magazine about a local rug shop that specializes in semi-antique hand-knotted rugs, like this:

I learned that hand-knotted rugs are so special because they don’t have a pile, which means they don’t wear down like traditional synthetic carpets, which means they can last pretty much forever. Apparently they’re most expensive when they’re either brand new or super old, but the medium-aged ones (“semi-antique”) are the most affordable. (Read: Still $1,000+ for something room-sized. That’s why I don’t have one yet.) My favorites are the old Middle Eastern ones that have a palette of earthy red, black and white, plus some unexpected neon colors. It’s like the color palettes make no sense, and yet they make perfect sense. And, even though they’re they’re covered with pattern and color, they somehow work as a perfect “neutral” in a room.

Then this winter, I started seeing a handful of Native American-inspired geometric prints, like Mociun’s awesome blanket coats:

Note that she is standing on the coolest old hand-knotted rug ever! Its patterning looks so random.

At antique stores I’ve seen lots of pillows made out of vintage rug remnants, which are a more affordable way to start my collection. The site Vanishing Textiles labels what culture each one is from, like:

Turkish,

Afghani,

Navajo.

They seem to have a cohesiveness that brings them together… and yet they’re from different sides of the world! And many are from a hundred or more years ago. It’s kind of like we’re all more alike than we realize, and we always have been.

Does anyone know how these these graphic likenesses across cultures have happened? I’d love to know more from a historical perspective. Any closet anthropologists or design history majors out there? :)

Vintage necklace from My Inheritance
Price upon request, 973.233.1112

Tee by Stewart+Brown: i love you s/s tee
100% organic cotton
Ethically made in the U.S.
$64

Handbag by Matt & Nat: Takumi
Vegan leather, from the Japanese Paper Collection
100% recycled magenta faux suede lining
Comes with detachable shoulder strap
$123 (on sale from $245)

Denim by Kuyichi: Lisa Skinny Jean, at Ascension (formerly Adili)
98.5% organic cotton, 1.5% elastane
Recycled leather back patch
Ethically made in Tunisia, SA 8000 Certified Production
$151.54 (price depends on the day’s exchange rates)

Shoes by olsen Haus: Balance
Faux suede, 100% vegan
Made “with a high standard of ethical social responsibility”
$205

Vintage dress from The Way We Wore
Moschino mini dress, hand-picked in LA
Price upon request

Recycled leather bag by Novella Royale
Made from vintage leather jackets, with organic cotton lining
Ships in recycled vintage fabric dust bag
Handmade in Los Angeles
$584

Vintage riding boots from santokivintage on Etsy
Brown Italian leather riding boots with gold metal details
Size 6.5
$69

Fishnet tights by Foot Traffic
(We actually don’t know much about this company except that its business in located here in Kansas City)
Also available in Plus Size
$12

kb

If you’re crazy about vintage pieces and one-offs (and you don’t mind waiting for things to ship from the Spain), I have a new site for you. Stella McClure just launched Stellar Boutique, an awesome collection of handpicked vintage items and many unique creations from up-and-coming designers.

Candy Stripe Dress, $92.09
Hand sewn by Italian designer Lia Lee from deconstructed vintage clothing

Stella spent three years doing the same thing at Portobello market in London, but now she’s made all the world her stage with her gorgeous new web store (serving the US Dollar, Pound and the Euro). Her vintage pieces are pricier than some, but when it comes to well-curated selections, I can be forgiving of that.

80s Zipper Jacket, $66.98
Vintage

Home wares and Menswear are coming soon!

Dress by Bibico: Bib Dress
Made of jersey
Ethically made by women in India and Nepal, as certified by the International Association of Fairtrade
£34 £24 (ships from the UK)

Necklace by Alkemie Jewelry: Froggy Necklace
Made of reclaimed-metal
Made in the U.S.
33″ long with a ring-and-toggle clasp
$210

Vintage oxfords sold by The Spectrum on Market Publique
Leather
Size 7.5
$15 “Buy now” price; auction ends August 9

Cardigan by Stewart+Brown: Lace Yoke Cardigan
100% Mongolian cashmere
Hand knit in Mongolia
$350

Hair ribbons from Near Sea Naturals
100% Organic cotton
Dyed using eco-friendly dying processes
Made in the U.S.
$2.18/yard

If you haven’t already seen this movie, you should go. There’s a “playing house” scene at Ikea, a choreographed musical scene with strangers in a park, a disgustingly realistic relationship and, clearly, Zooey Deschanel’s gorgeous retro style.

Hollywood Crush talked with costume designer Hope Hanafin about it… she said that Zooey wore the color blue in every scene to bring out her eyes and to set her apart from everyone else in the film — no one else wears it. It attracts our eyes as viewers and symbolically reflects Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s love for her. Pretty cool.

Much of her wardrobe is vintage, with a mix of new — and affordable! — stuff. Hope said, “Though I have great respect for these romantic comedies where secretaries are wearing Prada, I wanted ['500 Days'] to be kind of the anti-’Sex and the City.’ So, Zooey’s wearing clothes that her character really could afford, things are also repeated. Her clothes are a mix of things from [places like] Old Navy, GAP, BCBG and then there’s a lot of vintage.” Gotta seriously appreciate that. (Sorry about throwing a few pricey items into the outfit… we typically can’t afford them either, but they’re fun to look at.)

Also — check out this amazing music video Zooey and Joe made on the side! For “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?” by She & Him.

(I’d embed it, but that version plays an un-pause-able ad every time you load the page. Ugh.)

Movie stills from Fox Searchlight

Last month about seven of my coolest friends pointed me to a site they knew I’d love: The Uniform Project. They were all incredibly right. As an exercise in sustainable fashion, Sheena Matheiken is wearing the same dress every day for a year — the charcoal tunic you see above. In her words:

There are 7 identical dresses, one for each day of the week. Every day I will reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accouterments, the majority of which will be vintage, hand-made, or hand-me-down goodies.

The mastermind behind the uniform dress is my friend and designer, Eliza Starbuck. We took inspiration from one of my staple dresses, improving upon the shape and fit to add on some seasonal versatility. The dress is designed so it can be worn both ways, front and back, and also as an open tunic. It’s made from a durable, breathable cotton, good for New York summers and good for layering in cooler seasons. With deep hidden pockets to appease my deep aversion for carrying purses.

The Uniform Project is also a year-long fundraiser for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that is revolutionizing education in India. At the end of the year, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project to fund uniforms and other educational expenses for slum children in India.

Each day’s outfit includes a description of where its accessories came from.

For more, check out DailyCandy’s video interview with Sheena, read more of the site’s own description of the concept and the cause, and if it strikes you, donate accessories or donate funds to the Akanksha Foundation. Almost $5,000 raised so far — congrats!

jc

Now go: Market Publique Shop or Blog. This bomber jacket is only available for nine more days…