Hi-Lo: Heeled Sandal

I fell in love with these Laurence Decade sandals but also found a nice little substitute from Ash.

ASH - Quantum Sandal - $235
LAURENCE DACADE - Deric Calfskin Leather Heels in Beige & Silver - $1,140

Delpozo FW 2014: Making Of

At the moment I'm in love with all these behind the scenes films that document the garment creation process for what we might simply dismiss as read-to-wear. The time, effort, and love behing every garment is astounding. I recommend taking a look at the FW 2014 Delpozo collection after watching this film!

DELPOZO - BEHIND THE BRAND - MODA OPERANDI from Moda Operandi on Vimeo.

Making of Christian Dior Haute Couture SS 2011

Haute couture is such a beautiful, lost art that is hard to appreciate now that we are so far removed from the creative process of constructing clothing. This film is an eye opener for those that have never constructed a garment and even more so for those who have never explored the world of couture. Dazzling.

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Prabal Gurung SS14 Campaign

Prabal Gurung releases the first images of their Spring 2014 campaign-- their first print campaign! I'm definitely in love with the moody blues and oxblood.

Rebirth

An animated self-portrait exploring the idea of rebirth and illustrating the transfer of energy from one incarnation to another. This painted this stop frame animation took five days, using face paints, a mirror and a camera. Astounding.

Moynat: Discreet Perfection

The assumption is if you have heard of Moynat, you would never question the price point. But chances are you haven't...

The illustrious French malletier (luggage maker), founded in 1849, is just slightly older than its fashion revival contemporaries: Louis Vuitton(1854) and  Goyard (1853). Moynat was one of the very first leather goods houses of its day. Known for its traditional know-how and skills base in handcrafting made to order luggage and travel goods, the house became famous for its designs for the automobiles, as well as for its technical innovations such as making its trunks lighter and waterproof.

LVMH acquired Moynat in 2010 and relaunched operations in December 2011. A boutique was opened at 348 rue Saint-Honoré (down the street from Hermes). Although practically no one knew of the brand's existence prior to the relaunch, Moyant is practices in discreet perfection and illustrated in this awe inspiring craftsmanship video below...

 







Looking to get your hands on one of these beauties? Tote bags start at $1,135, handbags range from $3,340–$6,680, and exotic skin rings in at over $30,000. Good luck!


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We Are Islanders: Tidal Collection 2013

As you all probably know by now, I love almost all things black and white. A couple months ago I received a pressbook and lookbook from We Are Islanders and was blow away not just by the amazing textures at play in the collection, but the time, history, and pure artistic love put into the Tidal collection. In addition the three that make up this design collaboration are focused on making the industry better (hey, sustainability and working conditions in the fashion industry was a huge topic in 2013).

From salmon leather to tide dyed fabric off the Dublin coast, I fell in love with this collection. Check out the images below and read the interview I was lucky enough to get. If you're in Europe, you might be able to find some of these pieces in person but I'll have to wait until We Are Islanders crosses the pond...

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INTERVIEW WITH WE ARE ISLANDERS

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When I think of the stereotypical American view of Ireland I think of cable knit sweaters, wellies, and lots of green rolling hills... but your collection has a totally different feel. It seems much more modern and stark. How did the collective decide on this aesthetic? I love it!
Thanks Christina! The aesthetic has been a long time coming and is a combination of a re-dress's research into unique Irish and other sustainable materials and a keenness to reinvent that idea of a contemporary Irish label. It's hugely inspired by the sea (as you'll have guessed by the name!) and the maritime history of Ireland which is overlooked sometimes. There is huge cultural diversity in the country and as Islanders we've been fortunate to welcome pretty much every cultural influence to our shores. This influence of different cultures has been a massive part of revisiting what it means to be Irish and an Islander.


Wow, there is so much behind your inspiration... We Are Islanders is a collective. How did the three of you come to meet? What is the design process you go through? Was there a certain thought process or mood during the design stage?
We are all committed to making the industry better and met through running events to promote that ethos in Ireland. The design process is always start with materials, then shape and cut. The mood stems mainly from installations or visual art project I'm working on as you can see with the Tidal collection.


You dyed a piece using the high tide of the Dublin Coast Line... Are the rest of your pieces made in Ireland too? (Check out the video here).
Yep!




Having designed and sewn a few things, I always feel an emotional connection to a certain piece. Do each of you have a favorite or story about a certain piece? 
I think for all us the Tide dyed pieces are the most emotive. We spent hours digging holes and constructing chambers on the Dublin coastline. The work was hard and all done by hand... you don't get much closer than that.


Haha, of course not. The film of the process was completely inspirational. The Tidal collection brings a contemporary twist to Irish fabrics. Can you describe some of these materials for those that are not familiar? 
The Irish fabric are wool and linen both historic Irish fabrics. The linen is finished using a beating process which gives us that amazing finish.


I love linen. It can be so simple and luxurious. There is a lot of black in this collection... I wish I could feel some of the pieces! For example, what does salmon leather skin feel like and how did you stumble across that type of material?
Textural contrast has been a huge part of this collection so combing salmon leather and linen and wool was an exciting process. The salmon leather feels softer than leather and has more stretch.







I am absolutely obsessed with the Tweed Wool Throw Coat. It looks like a piece that I could effortlessly wear again and again. Do you have any plans of stocking in retail stores in the US? I'd really like to give the piece a whirl. :)
In January we'll be trading in Paris so we hope to see some American buyers there!


I hope to see pieces in the US as soon as possible. I need to know what salmon leather feels like. What's next for the collective? Any exciting things we should know about for S/S 2014?
For spring summer we'll be dying using other tides and working with new Irish producers to push the concept of an Irish fashion brand further.


Other tides... I can't wait to see what's next!

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