Design Star: Malene B. of Malene B. Carpets

I met Malene Barnett approximately 2 yrs ago at a Tory Burch Foundation Networking event that mutual friend, handbag designer Nneka Saran, had invited me to. Nneka and Malene were both participants in the intensive entrepreneurship program that took place earlier in that year. As I was meeting women throughout the room and exchanging business cards, not one but ALL said to me, "You must meet Malene!" once I told them I was starting a line of home goods. So I marched over to woman with the tapered haircut, silky smooth brown skin and smile as bright as the sun; and introduced myself. Now, just so you know, that's not really my style. I prefer introductions because people can be cold and standoffish and downright rude when approached by a stranger but not Malene. She greeted me warmly. We quickly discovered that we were FIT alums and the conversation flowed smoothly. I asked her questions about approaching new stores with my line and she so graciously dispensed advice that still stays in the back on my mind to this day.

In the next few days I received my FIT magazine, HUE and guess who was featured? Malene B, of course! Her work has been featured in countless magazines and online publications and rightfully so. Malene B. Carpets are not just beautiful, they are soulful and come from a place of authenticity inspired by her travels. It has been an honor to have the opportunity to interview one of my favorite designers for The Lifestyles of the Authentic & Creative.

1. Please introduce yourself. 

My name is Malene Barnett and I’m the Design Director and Principal of Malene B Carpets. 

2. What do you create? 

We make handmade custom carpets and home furnishings for luxury residential and commercial environments.  Each product we create is inspired from my travels and passion for all things art and culture. 

3. How did you get started on your creative path?

My creative story starts in third grade when I was placed in an artistically talented program. The kids were encouraged to express themselves through drawing and painting.

4. What inspires you to create?
I love culture, rituals, celebrations and the stories behind these traditions. Combined with our planets landscape, these elements set the stage for creating the quintessential Malene B design.

5. How have you been able to make a living by being you authentic & creative self? 

I worked in the rug industry with major players for 10 years. And, before launching my business, I studied the design industry and the paths of its most renown entrepreneurs.  My personal savings were the foundation for opening Malene B Carpets. To date, I have not taken out a bank loans to support this venture. 

Prior to opening, I purchased a house.  Since my home was priority,  a grassroots approach to business building was its format.  I relied on word of mouth, heavily networked and developed great relationships with media. 

The first 4.5 years were really rocky. I had no credit cards -- maxed out on home renovations. I operated on a cash basis and only bought what was affordable.  If I couldn’t afford something, I created it or waited until I could afford it.  I trimmed spending to the basics: no cable, no landline phone and no vacations. My life had to be simplified to accommodate my entrepreneurial lifestyle.

6. What new projects are your working on? 

In the Spring of 2015,  I’m  launching a new collection of carpets, tile, wallpaper and decorative accessories all inspired by my mother’s homeland, the Caribbean island of St. Vincent.  Also, I recently forged

a partnership with Kravet, with whom I will launch a carpet collection in 2016.

7. How can people find and support your work?

You can visit my website:

www.maleneb.com

instagram @malenebcarpets

Pinterest maleneb

twitter @malenebcarpets

Facebook Malene B

Retail Store:

Peace & Riot, Brooklyn, NY

Receive more frank business advice from Malene B. on this amazing panel of entrepreneurial women designers on February 15th in Montclair, NJ.I'll be there.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heres-her-story-tickets-14902168788

It's so inspiring to see how bootstrapping, dedication, building relationships, and creating a beautiful product line will pan out and bring our entrepreneurial dreams to fruition.
Many, many thanks to Malene B. for sharing her passion with us.

Design Crush: Product Designer Stephen Burks

This NYC-based brother designs it all, and everything that I covet: furniture, lighting fixtures, vessels... all combining modern aesthetics with artisan handicrafts like weaving and crocheting. For someone like me, who has evolved from fashion design to handbag/shoe making to furniture and home goods design, while staying true to my craft as a leather artisan, I am simply in LOVE with his work. His collaborations with international luxury
brands Missoni, Roche Boboi, and Calligaris have made his work sought-after worldwide.

 

Keep up with this creative genius at his website: http://readymadeprojects.com/

Fashion ReDesign Birthday Parties and Deck Design Workshops

Are you in NYC or North Jersey and have a 'tween or teenager have a birthday coming up? Show him/her that you're the COOLEST parent ever and book a Fashion ReDesign Birthday Party at The Crop Shop! (Hosted by me) Your child and his/her 9 besties will explore how to transform everyday items into fashionable accessories and garments.

Activities may include:
• Upcycle Market Bag
• Gemmed Wooden Clutch
• Fabric-Covered Bangles
• Leather Earrings
• Studded/Chain Zipper Bracelets
• Recycled Denim Bib Necklaces
• Floral Sandals/Chain-Trimmed Boots
• Upcycled Sweater Totes
Book your emerging fashion designer's party at www.crop-shop.com today!

And for skaters (adults, 'tweens and teens), they will LOVE you for enrolling them in THIS class:

Students will learn techniques to create personalized artwork on skateboards.  They will learn how to mix paints, create stencils using the tape masking method, and learn how to protect their artwork with protective coatings. The completed skateboard is intended to be used as a work of art, however, they will be functional decks and their safety lies at the sole discretion of the handler. All materials and tools are included in class fee. While an artistic inclination is helpful, it is not necessary and no artistic experience is required to succeed in this class. Class in taught by industrial designer Keith Kirkland.

Register now at www.crop-shop.com. Spaces are limited.

New Music: Young Paris

I didn't think I like electronic music, especially not with hip-hop but this track is certified DOPE.


Young Paris, aka Milandou Badila, comes into the music industry like a breath of fresh air. The artist chosen by Arcade Fire’s Kanpe team to perform at their annual fundraising event, is getting coverage for his unique blend of electronic rap with African beats. Raised by a Congolese Father and Afro/American Mother, YP mixes his traditional African background with a swing on contemporary music perfected throughout his upbringing in NY. Milandou Badila and his 9 brothers and sisters come from a family of performing and visual artists. From childhood till present, they continue their tradition in drum & dance ballet “Diata Diata” touring schools and cultural festivals. Father, Le Grande Elombe Badila, was co-founder of the First National Ballet of the Congo, which brought peace to many villages and united them in dance. This unity played an important role in Congo’s independence in the 1960’s. Mother, Pamela Badila, Dancer Emeritus with “Les Grands ballets d’ Afrique Noirs”, joined his father’s company in Paris after touring the Ivory coast with world famous ‘Rose Marie Guiraud’.
A mix of EDM production, Congolese rhythms, and modern hip-hop, Young Paris makes music to unite people through dance. 

BLACK DRESS Exhibition Dedicated to Contemporary Black Fashion Designers at PRATT

Tracy Reese

The groundbreaking work of 10 contemporary New York-based black fashion designers, both established and up-and-coming, will be celebrated in Black Dress: Ten Contemporary Fashion Designers, an unprecedented exhibition that recognizes creativity and entrepreneurship in the field. Organized by Pratt Institute Fashion Professor Adrienne Jones, and timed to coincide with Black History Month and New York Fashion Week, the exhibition will include designs by international fashion superstars Tracy Reese, Byron Lars, Omar Salam and Pratt Institute alumnus Jeffrey Banks as well as a fashion-forward video created specifically for the exhibition by renowned artist and 2013 MacArthur Fellow Carrie Mae Weems.

Presented by Pratt Manhattan Gallery, located at 144 West 14^th Street, 2^nd Floor, the free exhibition runs February 7 to April 26, 2014. It will be celebrated with a public opening reception on February 6 from 6–8 PM.

Black Dress opens at a time when black designers, despite their growing influence and success, remain largely underrepresented in the fashion world. In response, the exhibition was envisioned by curator Jones to create broader awareness of the triumphs and accomplishments that contemporary black designers have achieved in the industry. To illustrate this new emergence, the exhibition space at Pratt Manhattan Gallery will be transformed into a series of Madison-Avenue-style store windows that give each designer a distinct spotlight for their work.

LaQuan Smith

Each store window features bold visions from designers who have influenced contemporary fashion around the world – those who have worked and thrived in the industry for decades, and young designers who are coming to the attention of runway audiences, fashion editors, and consumers. Exhibitor Reese is a board member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and her distinctive designs can be found in both her Tracy Reese and Plenty by Tracy Reese lines. Lars, a pioneering designer and founder of Byron Lars Beauty Mark, was named “Rookie of the Year” by Women’s Wear Daily for his edgy takes on classic American design. Salam is a designer and entrepreneur who founded the Sukeina Fashion House, known for its vivid colors and elegant fabrics. Banks was a protégée of Ralph Lauren and now runs a brand that encompasses menswear, accessories, and home décor.

Stephen Burrows

Byron Lars

Other featured designers are Pratt graduate and former “Project Runway” contestant Samantha Black (Sammy B); celebrated fashion innovator Stephen Burrows; Harlem-based visual artist, designer, and entrepreneur Donna Dove; self-taught Brooklyn designer and former “Project Runway” contestant Epperson; environmentally-conscious designer Michael Jerome Francis; and Queens-based celebrity go-to designer LaQuan Smith.

Ann Lowe

The designers featured in the show draw on a long history of black fashion design in America, which dates back at least as far as the 1860s when Elizabeth Keckley became sole dressmaker for Mary Todd Lincoln. According to Jones, today’s designs are steeped in the cultural legacies passed down by Keckley and Ann Lowe—who designed Jacqueline Bouvier’s 1953 wedding dress for her marriage to John F. Kennedy—as well as by the tailors and dressmakers who designed and sewed for other politicians, slaveholders, and members of high society in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Jones says the industry’s narrative in America has not included many black names, despite significant contributions on the runways and behind-the-scenes.
“Black designers are emerging on the scene with greater visibility than ever,” said Jones. “Black Dress will highlight the correlation between entrepreneurship, creativity, and locality. These factors work together to create opportunities for designers and their communities to become new destinations where fashion excellence and achievement are measured,” she added.


In conjunction with the exhibition, a panel discussion on the contributions of black designers will be held on March 5 from 6–8 PM in Room 213 at Pratt’s Manhattan campus at 144 West 14^th Street. Panelists include Michaela Angela Davis, a former executive fashion, beauty and culture editor at Essence, founding fashion director at Vibe, and advocate for women's and human rights causes; Constance White, who penned the book Style Noir and has been editor in chief at Essence, fashion editor at Elle, and style director at eBay; Harriette Cole, author and former editor of Ebony, Essence, and Uptown magazines; Elaine Welteroth, beauty and health director at Teen Vogue; and Pratt Institute Fashion professor Adrienne Jones. Fashion guru Walter Greene, fashion editorial director of Profiles98 and consultant to Black Dress, will moderate.
(Excerpt from http://www.pratt.edu/calendar/view/black_dress_exhibition_dedicated_to_contemporary_black_fashion_designers_op/)

Art Smith, Premier Modernist African-American Jewelry Designer

Art Smith, born in Cuba in 1917 to Jamaican parents in Cuba. His family settled in Brooklyn in 1920 and Smith showed artistic talent at an early age. Encouraged to apply to art school, he received a scholarship to Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. There he was one of only a handful of black students, and his advisors tried to steer him towards architecture, suggesting he might readily find a job in the civil sector of that profession. His lack of proclivity for mathematics eventually forced him to abandon this path, however, and he turned to commercial art and a major in sculpture, training that would prove invaluable.

Trained at Cooper Union, Art Smith opened his first shop on Cornelia Street in Greenwich Village in 1946. One of the leading modernist jewelers of the mid-twentieth century, Smith was also an active supporter of black and gay civil rights, an avid jazz enthusiast, and a supporter of early black modern dance groups.

He also took a night course in jewelry making at New York University. That and the friendship with Winifred Mason, a black jewelry designer who became his mentor, set him on the course of his adult artistic life. 

Mason had a small jewelry studio and store in Greenwich Village, and Smith became her full time assistant. He subsequently moved from Brooklyn to the Village’s Bank Street. In 1946, Smith opened his own studio and shop on Cornelia Street in the village. But after suffering racial violence in this Italian neighborhood, he soon moved to 140 West Fourth Street just 1/2 block from Washington Square Park, the heart of Greenwich Village where as an openly gay black artist he felt more at home. The new store was better located business-wise and socially, and Smith’s career began to take off.

He began to also sell wholesale to boutiques around the country. Also, he became acquainted with some of the city’s leading black artists including writer James Baldwin, composer and pianist Billy Strayhorn, singers Lena Horne and Harry Belfonte, actor Brock Peters, and expressionist painter Charles Sebree. In the early 1960s, Smith received a commission from the NAACP in 1975 to design a brooch for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

Inspired by surrealism, biomorphicism, and primitivism, Art Smith’s jewelry is dynamic in its size and form. Although sometimes massive in scale, his jewelry remains lightweight and wearable. 

Visit his long-term installation at the Brooklyn Museum; From The Village to Vogue.  Visit his website to learn more about this legendary artisan/designer.

Art Smith (American, born in Cuba, 1917-1982), fashioned modernist pieces from simple metals that achieved new expressions in shape and form.
Visual resonance can be detected between pieces of Smith’s and the works of artists associated with modernist abstraction,
- See more at: http://www.cooperhewitt.org/object-of-the-day/2014/02/03/art-metal-modernist-jewelry-greenwich-village%E2%80%99s-art-smith?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Cooper-hewittObjectOfTheDay+%28Cooper-Hewitt%27s+Object+of+the+Day%29#sthash.Bap2WqQG.dpuf

Art Smith (American, born in Cuba, 1917-1982), fashioned modernist pieces from simple metals that achieved new expressions in shape and form.
Visual resonance can be detected between pieces of Smith’s and the works of artists associated with modernist abstraction,
- See more at: http://www.cooperhewitt.org/object-of-the-day/2014/02/03/art-metal-modernist-jewelry-greenwich-village%E2%80%99s-art-smith?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Cooper-hewittObjectOfTheDay+%28Cooper-Hewitt%27s+Object+of+the+Day%29#sthash.Bap2WqQG.dpuf

Designer Profile: Blacksmith & Cobbler

Keith Kirkland

Who: NJ-born Artisan/Engineer/Designer Keith Kirkland
Where: Harlem, USA
What: Handbags and leather goods, lighting, dog wearables, innovative drawing devices, props, drinking glasses, mailboxes, women's footwear, kinetic sculptures and conceptual product and space design.

Latest projects: Hand-painted custom skateboards and accompanying leather carrying straps for them, as well as Mondrain-inspired mailboxes.

Hand-painted Maple Wood Skateboard

Mondrian-inspired mailbox includes Mondrian's story inside.

Pedigree: Engineering degree from Rutgers University; Accessory Design degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Currently earning MFA in Industrial Design at Pratt Institute.
Has designed for Calvin Klein, LeSportSac and Coach.

International pursuits: Recently returned from Mexico with a group of designers that individually worked one-on-one with local artisans to create their one-of-kind, handcrafted creations. In his collaboration, he and the artisan produced a metal, leather and hand-knitted lounge chair. Keith is headed to Japan next!

Hammock-inspired chair by Blacksmith & Cobbler

Artist statement: The underlying theme for my work is simple, rustic and modern. It has to be interesting and it has to be challenging. I am also very technical, both in my idea generation and execution. I enjoy works that create simplicity through complex considerations.


Shop Now! Prices range from $28-$170.

The Art of ALEX

The weekend before last, on Mother's Day, my little family and I spent the day hanging in NYC taking in art and other random fun. We dropped in the Parallax Art Fair for some inspiration and to spy the venue. One of the incredible artist we met while there was Alex Benitez. His work is so colorful, fun and child-like and he was thoughtful and kind enough to draw an impromptu abstract sketch of my daughter, totally free of charge.

How awesome is that?

Check out his work and purchase a few pieces knowing that you're buying beautiful artwork from a genuinely nice guy.
www.theartofalexbenitez.com

Alex drawing an impromptu picture for Miss J

My pumpkin with her Alex Benitez portrait

The Young Designers Collective: Designs for Giving

As an indie designer, I am always seeking opportunities that allow me to use my God-giving gifts to be a gift to others. I don't make things strictly for consumption but the hope is to improve the end user's living experience, even if by just a tad. A luxurious leather clutch in your hand that gets compliments all evening will make a girl want to SING. Same for a supple suede pillow or a fun pair of fingerless gloves. And on the back-end, using a generous portion of the proceeds I earn to donate to causes and help individuals is another way I am blessed to use my gifts to give.


So finding out about this group of artists and designers based in New York City who design for non-profit organizations to promote good will as well as gain exposure for the causes they believe in totally made my day. Their mission is "...to bring appreciation back to the artist behind the designer, to quality or handmade products, and to a more sustainable future. From design to production we believe in fair trade and source our materials with this in mind. By “doing well by doing good” we connect our designers to non-profit organizations in order to create a favorable outcome for both parties."

Love that!

The Collective consists of 3 designers, including the founder and CEO Shilpa Iyengar; Harmony Pilobello; and Hanh Lam. All are graduates of Parson School of Design.

Recently, YDC presented their designs at Christie's Auction House and auctioned online. All proceeds went to the Navigators USA, a national youth scouting group formed in response to the discriminatory practices of the Boy Scouts of America.  
Check out their publication to see the full collection.: http://www.blurb.com/books/4055520-designs-for-giving

 

All pieces are custom made and still available for purchase. Feel free to contact YDC if you are interested.  
It is great sustainable fashion for great causes.

Find out more about The Young Designers Collective here:  http://www.youngdesignerscollective.com/







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Vanessa Wells of Rouz Design

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF. 

My name is Vanessa Wells. I was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. I attended college at the University of Cincinnati in the school of DAAP (Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning). I majored in Interior Design and graduated in June 2012.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED ON YOUR CREATIVE PATH?

I started on my creative path when I was probably 4 or 5 years old. That was when I first learned to draw. My dad taught me how to draw a pig and ever since then I was interested in art and design. I entered art contests in elementary school and had my art displayed at the Indianapolis Children's Museum, took all the art classes I could take, and eventually (my sophomore year of high school) decided that I wanted to pursue interior design.

WHAT DO YOU CREATE? 

A lot of things really. But based on the definition of an interior design, I guess first and foremost, I would say interiors that are suitable for human interaction. I create residential, hospitality, commercial, and event interiors. I do this by conceptually coming up with an idea for a space, and once I sketch it out I put it in AutoCAD to make a floorplan. Depending on the extent of the project, I can either leave it at the floor plan stage, or create a 3D model for presentation purposes and to allow people to get a feel for the space that they may not understand on a 2D level. But from getting into interior design in college, I picked up other design skills along the way which has allowed me to create in plethora of other fields of design. I do graphic design, I still draw and sketch from time to time, and if I am feeling creative and have the free-time, I will just mess around and create work in Photoshop or Illustrator. 

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE? 

Everything! I can grab inspiration from anywhere! I will say that moving to New York has allowed me to experience so many different atmospheres, people, and cultures. Since interior design is highly concerned with the human experience, I value this city for allowing me to see those things. I am a junkie for color, and Harlem and Brooklyn in the summer time is a sight to be seen!

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A LIVING BY BEING YOUR AUTHENTIC, CREATIVE SELF? 

Starting my own freelancing service allows me to do what I love to do and get paid for it. I started freelancing in September of last year and created a brand and website for my services, rouz, this year. I do everything from interior design work, to branding, to graphic layouts. I also work for a high-end residential interior design firm, so I am able to be creative in that realm as well, but just on a smaller scope.

WHAT NEW PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON? 

In the freelance realm, I am constantly working on image boards for one of my clients who is a wedding/event planner. I create the boards to allow the couple to see what they imagine their wedding to be. The boards have various themes from Nautical to Audrey Hepburn. In my full-time job, I am working on a new apartment and office located near Central Park West.

HOW CAN PEOPLE FIND & SUPPORT YOUR WORK?

People can view my work by checking out my website for my freelancing service, rouz at www.rouzdesign.com!

ANY ADVICE FOR ASPIRING CREATIVES?

Do what makes you happy. The benefits of doing what you love will be far greater than the money in the long run. As creative people we typically dream vividly and aspire for great things. Listen to your dreams.

Punk Fashion at Metropolitan Museum May 9-August 14, 2013

The spring 2013 exhibition organized by The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art will be PUNK: Chaos to Couture. The exhibition, on view from May 9 through August 14, 2013, will examine punk’s impact on high fashion from the movement’s birth in the 1970s through its continuing influence today.

“Punk’s signature mixing of references was fueled by artistic developments such as Dada and postmodernism,” said Thomas P. Campbell, Director and CEO of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
To celebrate the opening of the exhibition, the Museum's Costume Institute Benefit will take place on Monday, May 6, 2013. Beyoncé will serve as Honorary Chair. 

Exhibition Overview
The exhibition, in the Museum’s second-floor Cantor galleries, will feature approximately 100 designs for men and women. Original punk garments from the mid-1970s will be juxtaposed with recent, directional fashion to illustrate how haute couture and ready-to-wear have borrowed punk’s visual symbols, with paillettes being replaced with safety pins, feathers with razor blades, and bugle beads with studs. Focusing on the relationship between the punk concept of 'do-it-yourself' and the couture concept of 'made-to-measure,' the exhibition will be organized around the materials, techniques, and embellishments associated with the anti-establishment style. Presented as an immersive multimedia, multisensory experience, the clothes will be animated with period music videos and soundscaping audio techniques.

Designers in the exhibition will include Miguel Adrover, Thom Browne, Christopher Bailey (Burberry), Hussein Chalayan, Francisco Costa (Calvin Klein), Christophe Decarnin (Balmain), Ann Demeulemeester, Dior, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (Dolce and Gabbana), John Galliano, Nicolas Ghesquière (Balenciaga), Katharine Hamnett, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren (Viktor & Rolf), Christopher Kane, Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons), Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel), Helmut Lang, Martin Margiela, Malcolm McLaren, Alexander McQueen, Franco Moschino and Rossella Jardini (Moschino), Kate and Laura Mulleavy (Rodarte), Miuccia Prada, Gareth Pugh, Zandra Rhodes, Hedi Slimane (Saint Laurent), Stephen Sprouse, Jun Takahashi (Undercover), Joseph Thimister, Riccardo Tisci (Givenchy), Gianni Versace, Junya Watanabe, Yohji Yamamoto, and Vivienne Westwood.

A book, Punk: Chaos to Couture, by Andrew Bolton, with an introduction by Jon Savage, and prefaces by Richard Hell and John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols)

The Museum’s website at www.metmuseum.org/punk will feature the exhibition. Follow us on Facebook.com/MetMuseum and Twitter.com/MetMuseum to join the conversation about the gala benefit. Use #PunkFashion and #Met Gala on Twitter. 
, will accompany the exhibition. This publication will be illustrated with photographs of vintage punks and high fashion. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the $45 catalogue (hard cover only) will be distributed worldwide by Yale University Press.

The exhibition is made possible by Moda Operandi.

Additional support is provided by Condé Nast.
(excerpts from http://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-museum/press-room/exhibitions/2012/punk-chaos-to-couture)

Today is for Lovers but This Post is for SHOE Lovers.

Opened last week at The Fashion Institute of Technology's Museum:
Shoe Obsession
Special Exhibitions Gallery
February 8 through April 13, 2013
Shoe Obsession examines our culture’s ever-growing fascination with extravagant and fashionable shoes. Accessories used to be just that—secondary to clothing fashions. Today, however, shoes have become the main fashion story, replacing the “It bag” as the most desirable accessory.  High-heeled shoes—the fashion shoes of the 21st century—have become so tall that even a 4-inch heel is considered “low.”

Shoe Obsession features over 150 examples of the most extraordinary shoe styles of the 21st-century, highlighting the new concepts, constructions, materials, and types of embellishment that have positioned shoes at the height of fashion. 

Admission is always free. Go, have fun!
Museum at FIT:
Th Most Fashionable Museum in NYC

My NEW Fashion Design Workshop

What is a Jypsea Design Studio Workshop?
(1) 2 hr session that teaches a specific skill set in a fun, group setting for children or adults. Age 9+
All available topics:

• T-Shirt re:Design

• Make Your Own Tote Bag

• Leather Jewelry Design

Cost:

2-6 attendees $200
6-12 attendees $300
12-25 (max) attendees $500
Mini 1hr workshops for younger children are also
available. $150 (2-6 attendees)
Parties are also available!  A party is a workshop with gourmet cupcakes, party favors, and goodie bags full of Jypsea Leathergoods accessories for all attendees. Perfect for birthdays and bachelorettes! Age 9+

Book now: jypsealeathergoods@gmail.com
Learn more at www.jypsea.com
Currently serving NJ, NYC, Philadelphia.

Press Release: NEW DESIGNER "STORMS" THUNDERLILY COMPETITION

Tamara Walker

for Our Lady of Lourdes

347.827.1284, office

347.701.8371, cell

tamara@sienamediagrp.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

NEW DESIGNER "STORMS" THUNDERLILY COMPETITION

New York’s Lourdes Torres Wins Major Design Prize; Debuts New Collection for Our Lady of Lourdes

NEW YORK CITY-- May 31, 2012 --Thunderlily (www. thunderlily.com), the online “fashion workshop” announced Friday, that the winner of its recent design competition was Westchester-based fashion ingénue, Lourdes Torres. As the winner, Ms. Torres will have her autumn capsule collection entitled Universal Military for her brand Our Lady of Lourdes produced and sold by the emerging fashion technology company.
"Winning this competition has given my line its wings to soar,” says Torres. “I am anxious to see who may be stepping out in my fall looks this year."
An up-and-coming designer, entrepreneur and activist, the New York bred single mom beat out a formidable group to win the covet prize. The 25-year-old first burst onto the New York fashion scene in 2004 where she worked behind the scenes of various runway shows as well as for many of the city’s merchandising showrooms. Lourdes has produced or assisted in the production of a multitude of shows and even designed costumes for the theatre…all this while raise her 4 year old autistic son and working a full time job in the education arena. Despite her busy schedule, Torres finds ways to work with charities such as Autism Speaks, Keep a Child Alive and St. Judes.
As part of the submission process, Lourdes and other entrants were asked to submit 5 design sketches they felt embodied the theme of autumn 2012 in March of this year. Along with the sketches, each competitor had to send along their inspiration for their proposed capsule collection. Over the next few weeks a panel of judges reviewed the many submissions and chose Torres’ Universal Military as the overall winner, with the announcement ironically being made the start of the Memorial Day weekend on Friday.
When asked why Lourdes Torres was chosen, Thunder lily responded, “Lou’s styles have attitude, she knows who her customer is and her sketches reflect this knowledge and understanding. Her designs are subtle and sophisticated. She has shown a real vision for a line of clothing that can work for day or evening, business or casual. The designs look structured but comfortable and we imagine that almost any woman would feel sophisticated, powerful and approachable wearing these clothes.”
The Our Lady of Lourdes capsule collection will debut in late August/ early September with a stylized lookbook on Thunder lily where fashionistas will be able shop the pieces of the collection which will be made to order in custom sizing from sizes 4 to 14.
For more information about Our Lady of Lourdes and Lourdes Torres, visit: http://www.ourladyint.com/.

ABOUT LOURDES TORRES
An up-and-coming designer, entrepreneur and activist, Lourdes Torres, a 25-year-old New York native, first burst onto the fashion scene in 2004. A mainstay behind the scenes of various runway shows as well as for many of the city’s merchandising showrooms, Lourdes has also produced or assisted in the production of a multitude of shows and even designed costumes for the theatre…all this while raise her 4 year old autistic son and working a full time job in the education arena. Despite her busy schedule, Torres finds ways to work with charities such as Autism Speaks, Keep a Child Alive and St. Judes.  For more information about Lourdes and her line visit http://www.ourladyint.com/.


ABOUT THUNDERLILY

Thunder Lily is a fashion workshop. We are developing software to enable independent designers and fashionistas to create their own fashion quickly and easily and have it produced on demand. The competition winner will have the opportunity to experience the technology and see their designs being custom-produced by Thunder Lily. For more information visit www.thunderlily.com

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Ultra FAB Giveaway: Exclusive!

Interior lounge at The Empire Hotel

On June 22, 2012, Jypsea Leathergoods in collaboration with Born Again Vintage will show its latest collection in a private viewing on the rooftop of the incredibly posh Empire Hotel.

Rooftop lounge at The Empire Hotel

The attendees of this viewing will strictly be the well-heeled patrons of the richly appointed hotel and fashion industry professionals from tri-state boutiques and related press/media.

Past work from Born Again Vintage

I am giving away these super exclusive invitations to  
10 Jypsea-nistas! Spend the evening lounging in paradise, overlooking the best city in the universe enjoying the fiercest looks from fashion's best new talent, handbag/accessory designer/author Meca McKinney (me!) and designer/author/boutique owner Bridgette Artise.

 What qualifies you as a Jypsea-nista?

• a recent Jypsea purchase (www.jypsea.etsy.com)
• being a fan of the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/jypsealeathergoods)
• being a follower of this blog (www.lota-n-c.blogspot.com)

I will choose 4 Jypsea customers, 3 fb fans, and 3 blog followers to send you and a plus-one to my ultra-luxe event in NYC.
Tip: Increase your odds of winning an invitation by doing ALL 3! Make a purchase, "LIKE" the fan page, AND follow this blog to greatly increase your chances of chilling on the ultra-luxe rooftop of The Empire Hotel at my fashion show.

Past work from Jypsea Leathergoods

Sip something sexy, sway to the mellow music, and grow your network all while feasting your eyes on the haute new looks from these 2 emerging fashion industry mavens.  

The winners will be announced on June 15th.
Best wishes!
Live luxe.
 ~Meca

{fine print: Accommodations and travel expenses to/from NYC are not provided. The Empire Hotel reserves the right to turn away anyone who is not ultra-fabulous whether they are on the guest list or not, so come correct.}

Rooftop pool at The Empire Hotel

About The Empire Hotel:
Nestled on West 63rd Street between two legendary New York City landmarks - Lincoln Center and Central Park - this boutique NYC hotel provides luxury accommodations overlooking the Broadway / Columbus Avenue gateway to the Upper West Side.

...earth tones from the park enhance an interior motif inspired by the stately modernism of Lincoln Center.
The Empire Hotel
44 West 63rd Street
New York, NY 10023

Rooftop deck at The Empire Hotel