Archive - June 2011

First off, I’d like to thank the lovely Dara Bu of Elle Communications for inviting me to attend the THREAD show recently during LA Market at the Cooper Design Space. It seems like every year, THREAD grows and grows…more vendors…more goodies and complimentary spa services. This time around, the show boasted a Vitamin Water Lounge (with complimentary manis), organic wine tasting from CalNaturale, a “Man Cave”-hosted by Rehab Vintage, photo booth, live styling, THREADWell massage lounge, live DJs playing tunes all day, a clothing swap hosted by HPSWAP (I scored an amazing vintage sequin Lawrence Kazar dress! *sqeal*) and much more! I found some great vendors, which I will gladly share with you. Starting off with Raquel Castillo Jewelry. Raquel started designing jewelry in 2008. She takes unique vintage finds and re-works them into breathtaking masterpieces. My all-time favorite piece in her collection is the “Henry”- a cluster necklace filled with big, bold vintage brooches and delicate glass beads….Aye, my heart melts when I’m on her website. Her friend and fellow jewelry designer- Lisa Rocha was also a vendor. She started her line 1997 and offers unique Mexican and Native American-inspired necklaces, earrings and bracelets that have since caught the attention of a couple known celebrities: Gwen Stefani and Erykah Badu. Lisa explains, “Each design is a reflection of cultural stories, iconic images and gems that each tell a story… Ilaments signature accent is setting a misplaced bead in each design that symbolizes our imperfections and reminds us we are not perfect like the creator.” Check out her website here. There was one jewelry brand that made their pieces out of…legos…Lok’d Jewelry caught my eye because of funky creations they made out of Legos. I was loving the big, bold, architectural shapes that embellished rings, earrings and necklaces. For more on Lok’d Jewelry, go here. I found this one line which boasted a lovely necklace, intricately and carefully wire-wrapped by designer-Claire Dimicelli. The necklace had silver and copper wire-wrapped flowers arranged in a nice cluster. Claire doesn’t have a website, but you can contact her through Facebook. As I was browsing, a necklace with blue handmade flowers stood out- the “Azure Necklace”. Turns out that it was designed by Miss Vy Nguyen of Veey Designs, based in San Diego. Her pieces are stunning! She pours her soul into hand-making the flowers and doing the wire-wrapping. Having followed her Father’s advice, “inspiration comes from many places you only have to look for it,” Vy finds inspiration through everyone and everything. Check her out on Etsy and her site. Meet Camille Peace-owner of PeaceImages Jewelry. She was showcasing some fabulous African-inspired jewelry. Her “Lady Thor II” piece, made of vintage brass, is truly a work of art worn around the neck. The “Hopi” studs reminded me of my trip back from Houston, when we stopped by the abandoned Twin Arrows trading post in Arizona… the studs were an exact replica. LOVE! Check out more of her line here. Tatum Lenahan is the designer for Love Tatum, based out of San Diego. Her pieces are timeless and beautiful. Since she grew-up by the crisp, sandy beaches of La Jolla, she finds her inspiration from beach life around the globe. The jewelry is made from sterling silver (and she recently launched her 24kt gold collection) and semi-precious stones from all over the world. Since she is a firm believer of inspiring creativity and promoting positive energy, she made sure that each tag gave a little explanation of the stone and the energy it is supposed to exude. For more information on Love Tatum, go to her website! The last jewelry brand I’m going to spotlight is Betsy and Iya-based in Portland, OR. I adored the “Deco Eagle Shield” necklace, made from recycled brass drawer plate and other little chains and findings. And I was just browsing her Etsy shop and found that she has made pieces inspired by the Japanese Harajuku culture, which you can click here to shop that fun collection. Ok, now I’m going to transition over and introduce you to some marvelous apparel vendors; starting with Felt Up Clothing. I didn’t have the chance to meet the designer- Lindsay Murray, but I can tell you that her clothes are very unique and creative. She makes the usual dresses, skirts, etc, but, with a twist! She adds barbies, stuffed toy hamburgers and adds felt cartoon characters and foods to the clothing. My favorites pieces are the “Yarn Monster Dress”, “Barbie Top” and the “Birthday Dress.” Check out the oh-so-kitsch line here! San Francisco-based Sonas Denim was showing their patched denim jeans and skirts at the show. I was introduced to the designer- Gerry Kelly (who had a lovely Irish accent!) They are well-known for the ‘original’ patched jeans. Sonas is Gaelic for Happiness, Felicity, Good Fortune, Bliss and they are an eco-friendly brand; only using reclaimed denim. I can’t wait to see the Sonas brand in stores around SoCal. There’s a rich market here for unique brands and LA could use some variety in denim. Contact Sonas here. I was walking by this one booth of cute nylon spandex and jersey rayon spandex dresses and noticed that (I assumed it was the designer) wearing one of her dresses. She introduced herself as Dominique Ansari, who’s line was dedicated to making sure her consumers are loving what they wear and that they are comfortable in their own skin. The company specializes in ready-to-wear, but is also doing couture, custom design and swimwear. The line was fantastic and materials used are very high-quality. If you are ever in need of a dress for an event, contact Dominique here. The next line is called Bipolar Gear- designed by fellow Midwesterner LaRae Wilson. The brand is also a Fashion Minga alum since 2010. LaRae describes her vision as, “me, my sewing machine, and my imagination” and creates sexy, fun and whimsical skirts, tops, dresses, etc, along with a swimwear collection. Although she didn’t have the actual garment at the show, she told me that she had created a wedding swimsuit- a white bikini with a ruffled train attached to the bikini bottom. I saw the picture and OMG, such a cool alternative to the average wedding dress! Check out Bipolar Gear here! Let me introduce you to Mocactia by Franck Boistel- a very trendy line of footwear. Franck was familiarizing THREAD guests with his latest creation- the “Aztec” sandal. He based the design on what the Aztec people were wearing before to the arrival of the Spaniards. I had the chance to try it on and of course feel in love with it. It had a bohemian feel and very comfy. They would look fab dressed up with a maxi dress or dressed down with jeans. For more information on Mocactia, go here. Now, I realize that the last brand I’m going to mention is not even connected with fashion… But OMG, it just has to be spotlighted. Introducing Orgasmo de la Boca- specializing in smoked olives and specialty foods that will have you….well…you know…. I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Alessandra and trying the Tandoori smoked olives and it was li
terally…an orgasm in my mouth. The olives come with the pits and Chef Alessandra’s own Tandoori Spice Rub, garlic, Indian bay leaf and packed in extra virgin olive oil. The olives would be perfect for pita, dips, dressings, marinades or as a topping for your favorite foods! For more information and to buy, go here. I definitely can’t wait until the next show! Check out THREAD’s website for schedules and more info!

Special Thanks: the peeps at Elle Communications, THREAD, Cooper Design Space, the vendors and sponsors.