designer's library

Dagmar

Nice logo and nice clothes by Dagmar. And they're Swedish...of course.

Pattern Magic Vol. 2

Alright. Since Lisa's told me that she's "tired of looking at the computer wires" on the previous post (and really, so am I)--I've finally put together a new post. Things have been super busy lately and because of all the work I've been producing over the past month and half, it's given me some carpal tunnel issues. Great. So I've had to limit my computer work, like blog posting.

But anyway, I got this book called Pattern Magic Vol. 2 a few months ago. While I don't plan on making any of these pieces (I don't know how to sew and the wearability of some of the pieces are totally questionable--like the bottom image), I was intrigued by the sculptural and architectural forms of the clothes. Really beautiful pieces.

Stylized Sculpture

Dress by Junya Watanabe. Photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto.

Dress by Issey Miyake. Photograph by Hiroshi Sugimoto.

I'm really hoping I can visit the Asian Art Museum before this exhibit goes away! Hmmm...maybe this weekend.

Stylized Sculpture: Contemporary Japanese Fashion from the Kyoto Costume Institute
October 12, 2007 – January 6, 2008

Anthro Boots

Aren't these boots from Anthropologie super cute? I love the description:
"Steely leather lace-ups are at once old-fashioned and avant-garde." Word.

Ohio Knitting Mills

I want to visit this shop: Ohio Knitting Mills in Brooklyn, New York. The sweaters above are my favorites. Apparently, this company produced knit goods from 1947-1974 in Cleveland and had the foresight to keep several thousand production samples and the hindsight to open a shop in a hip neighborhood. I love the fact that they're brand new vintage duds without the stank thrift store scent, but I wonder how much they are...

Tsesay

Saw the cardigan (on the right) by Tsesay in Lucky last month. I'm drawn to the overscaled pleat details.

Keep & Share

I love design companies with a great aesthetic and an equally great design philosophy, like Keep & Share (which I discovered via Karin). I think it's helpful for designers to have a creative mission statement or design philosophy/manifesto so that every piece of work they introduce is charged with their ideals and fulfills their vision and goals. (Though there are plenty of folks out there just looking to jump on bandwagons and turn a quick buck, being a trend-chaser is hardly a philosophy!)

Keep & Share is a luxury knitwear label out of the UK. Here's an excerpt from their philosophy that I particularly enjoy, which talks about consumption and disposability:

"True to our name, we create quality pieces that will transcend short-lived trends and age gracefully; versatile products that can be worn in different ways and by different people over their lifetimes."

My favorite piece is this apron!

And I like that they use their scraps to make other products like these cushions. Nothing goes to waste.

Creatures of Comfort

When I saw the Creatures of Comfort website (via Lena Corwin), I wanted to buy practically everything on the site (had not been for the hefty price tags on most items) especially these lovely pieces...

Rebecca Turbow

I like design that's driven by a concept. It's definitely not something you see too often in fashion design. So when I saw Rebecca Turbow's line called "Safe Clothes"--I was intrigued both visually and mentally. On the visual level, the space agey girls along the white and teal color palette spoke to my inner mod-girl. Mentally, I wondered why it would be called "safe"? According to Turbow, the clothes are meant to make the wearer feel emotionally and physically secure. And every detail underscores this concept. She utilizes both soft (for comfort) and sturdy (for durability) fabrics. The circular padded forms are strategically placed around areas that would need protection (i.e., vital organs like the heart). And teal is a soothing color which is why they're used in hospital scrubs. I like the fact that she thinks about details like this--so things that seem arbitrary are not. The thing is I would have liked her clothes anyway based on aesthetics alone. The concept is the icing on the cake.

I hear she's expanding into menswear, childrens, and even home wares...can't wait to see it!

Orla Kiely

Isn't that little snoopy detail cute? Orla Kiely always seems to have the right mix of vintage and modern sensibilities--from the bags, to the clothes, to the photo styling. I love the layering of a vintage pattern dress against a vintage pattern wallpaper.

As I look at Orla Kiely's work, it makes me wonder why I'm drawn to her or why I repeatedly check her website. Okay, I sound like a design stalker. But seriously, what makes some independent design businesses more successful and why are we drawn to some designers more than others? Of course the common thread among all good designers is churning out great looking and functional stuff, that's a given. But some rise above the pantheon of designers with that certain je ne sais quoi or it-factor (yes, I watched American Idol last night, don't ask). What I think it is, is that some designers with their definitive aesthetic and personality created a culture around themselves and their business. Yes, a living, breathing, thriving culture. Did this culture develop organically or was it contrived? Who knows. Is this the product of successful branding? I don't know. But once you have that culture established, I'm guessing you've essentially developed fans for life.

Besides Orla Kiely, other designers who have this culture-aura about them is Lotta Jansdotter, Kelly Wearstler, Barbara Bestor, and of course, Johnathan Adler. They have all essentially created a signature style and definitive body of work in a relatively short period of time. Any of them could bust out a notebook, a line of shoes, a building, a monograph of their work, or even a book called "All About Me" with just the details of their lifestyle--and I'd buy all of it (except the building of course). A few already have penned their own books.

Now, I'm not saying you need to have this culture-dimension to your design business for it to be successful. Plenty of designers get on just fine without it. But I think it's something worthwhile to think about.