Smashing Darling Blog

1. BREATH - Slowly, nice and deep. Fill up your whole lung. Hold it there for 4 secs and let it out slowly. When you are exhaling exhale the stress with it.

2. SMILE -  A nice big one! Even if you aren’t sure why, Just go it. I recommend walking up to a busy shop window. Don’t pay attention to who is inside look at your reflection in the glass and give yourself a big ole smile. Chances are you will have just affected everyone inside. Smiles are after all very infectious. Research tells us that even if you are forcing a smile it still has a positive reaction on our outlook.

3. GET SOMETHING DONE - Pull out the list that has all the things you will get to soon on it and set your mind on getting one of them done.

It will feel so good to check that sucker off! The it can’t nag at you anymore.

4.  WIGGLE - Imagine you are a piece of spaghetti dangling at the end of a fork. Wiggle everything from the tip of your head to the tip of your toes. Shake it all out. If you want to make other people smile do this one in front of a window too. Think how much you will be helping their day!

5. KNOW THIS -

OK, so you brought these little buggers into the world … now it’s
your parental responsibility to help them look smashing!

After all, great style is learned, not taught.

Check out these fun, hyper-cute mini fashions for your
offspring (or nephew, niece, etc.) at smashingdarling.com.

Links to shop:

1. Pinkdixie, $30.00

2. GeorgiaEve, $55.00

3. Whosiepie, $28.00

4. Silbo Designs, $32.00

5. Little Killers, $10.00

6. Yosifa Penina, $7.00

I have recently stumbled across this blog, No Impact Man. It is pretty cool. It is about a man his wife and daughter trying to live a no impact life in NYC for one year. At the end of that year when they aren’t living to the extreme anymore, he feels they will be equipped to make very smart decisions for themselves and our planet. I try my hardest to live a low impact life but I don’t know about a no impact. He has a post about creativity and how it is directly attached to consumption. It is actually a question he is throwing out there….. How do we Not throw out the baby with the bath water? So of course this got me to thinking about my own design studio. What I do or could do to have a lower impact on the environment. Laura from Whosiepie works in my store/studio with me. I can definitely say we barely a scrap of fabric gets thrown away. Anyone who has been in, has seen the scrap pile at the end of the cutting table. We either eventually us the scraps ourselves to trim other garments or give them to young girls to design clothing for their dolls. We use a Brita water filter. But I have to say in my ignorance, I have to now go research which is worse for the environment, the filter or the endless stream of plastic bottles? I drink a lot of water. We also keep our production as close to demand as possible. The most fabulous thing I like about No Impact Man, he just wrote a post about the positive impact, of positive impact. It is about volunteering as a way to balance our negative impact and learn more about what it is we are actually doing.

Susan Och said it wonderfully in the comments section of his blog:

“One of the cool things about trying to change the world is that you eventually have to go out and talk to “strangers”. You have to turn off that voice in your head that gives you reasons to avoid people (”Too Fat!” “Too Old!” “Carrying a Plastic Shopping Bag!” “Wrong Team Sweatshirt” “Not Like Me!”) and to greet others with sincerity and humility. When you’re just trying to save the world in your head, it seems that progress depends on getting everyone on the same page. ‘If only everyone rode bikes….’ or ‘If only everyone was a vegetarian…..’ When you get out and talk to people, you find that reality is complicated, and that the solutions are many. Instead of sitting alone, fretting that ‘people will never change,’ we find that people are changing, and offering fresh solutions for our seemingly intractable problems.

I would love to here how you can or would like to be lower impact on the environment. If you have suggestions for others in the community let us know that. Let me know if you need a few scraps. If you are nearby, stop and grab some. I think I will leave the the spotlight off today, unless someone is shopping.

We know that you couldn’t possibly start your day without reading our blog and checking the homepage to see the current must haves. Oh yeah, and whatever hot beverage you neeeeeeeeeeeed in your left hand as your right hand hits that power on button signifying the endless stream of information you will receive all day. It is because of this we bring Alyse from Spork Fashion right to you. Once a week, without feeling like you are abandoning your morning ritual, or cheating on us, we will deliver this west coast fashion maven right into your most spectacular part of the day. This is after all YOUR time and we are so flattered that you spend it with us. We chose Alyse because of her appreciation for independent fashion and she is totally dialed in to the west coast fashion scene. She has a great sense of her own style. Plus, she is a girl after my own heart. There was a time when she gave up buying school lunch all week so she could go shopping. It is true what they say, ‘beauty is pain’. Welcome Alyse!

Here’s what she has to say today. How fabulous it happens to be about our very own Yosifa Penina!

“When I think rubber, I think two things: ugly but functional home & garden supplies, and fetishists. “Stylish” never comes to mind. Jules Sherman is changing that. “Ever since I designed a cosmetic bag for Bath & Body Works with a little rubber brand tag, I wanted to use that material for other products. There is something beautifully tactile about the material,” Jules explains.

With a background in industrial design, it seems natural that Jules would design in relief. Her line includes pouches, luggage tags, belts, and hair clips. All in rubber, all with three dimensional designs molded into the surfaces. The intricate design work goes back to Jules’s initial love of printmaking….. read the rest here!

It takes a lot of discipline and dedication for all of us as independent designers. We are very good at multi tasking, draping a muslin while talking on the phone to the sewer or grading a flat pattern while on the phone to the fabric supplier. Now imagine that supplier is actually living in a barn in your backyard. For Sarah Brundage, owner and designer of Thistle Downs Wool Designs, feeding her supplier, the sheep she gets some of her wool from, every morning is part of her multi tasking chores. The best part, she describes it as the most peaceful part of her day. Being a part of this lifestyle is in her blood and has been part of the family for over 1/2 a century. I am jealous, I love fiber. I love farms. I could almost smell the lanolin on my fingers as she describes her process. If you have never worked with a fleece that has just been shorn from the sheep, you are missing out. It is so amazing to work with raw fiber. It is after all the very beginning. Fiber is what we make all of our designs out of whether natural or man made.

SD: What inspired you to pursue the art of felting?
SB: I grew up in the Litchfield hills of CT. My family has raised purebred sheep for over 50 years, so it seems natural to me to work with wool. My grandmothers and my mother have always sewn, knitted and created great pieces; socks, sweaters, hats, mittens, you name it. I worked as a graphic artist for a number of years. I’ve always been drawn to color combinations, shapes and design. I especially love texture in fabric, clothes and accessories. I have to be able to feel it! There are so many types of raw wool fiber to work with and felting just takes it to another level.

SD: Can You describe for us your process for felting? and where did you learn it?
SB: The first process is a wet felt process. My scarves and jewelry are created this way. The wool/fiber is laid out onto bamboo, rolled up and basically agitated for a very long period of time slowly adding hot,soapy water. A great workout! My wool used in the Jewelry pieces is also done by hand, but it’s a quicker process. The handbags are all knit by hand, then washed over and over, again with hot soapy water finally felting, fulling or shrinking to the desired size. Needle felting is a dry process. I basically learned by doing.

SD: How did you turn your love of wool felting into a line of women’s accessories?
SB: I wanted a strong handbag for myself that really looked like a piece of thick wool fabric. And, it had to be unlike anything else out there. Many felted bags are less structured and too floppy for my taste. So I created a pattern that worked for me using an Icelandic wool. Friends urged me to “go public”.

SD: Tell us the story behind the name of your line?
SB: Our Southdown sheep are registered under the farm name,Thistledowns. Corny, but it’s named after the wooly girls I guess.

SD: Where do you turn for inspiration for your designs?
SB: Lately I have been drawn to oriental rugs of all things. I love the colors. Rich and really warm. Sometimes it’s the outdoors. My flower gardens are a great inspiration in the fall when they go to seed. I find great shapes there. I Studied art history in college and still find myself looking in books at tapestries and such. And other times it’s just looking at color and remembering something from another time.

SD: What does your average day entail?
SB: Early, early mornings. I usually wake up around 4AM ready to go. I’d get straight to my designs but it’s feed the husband and the kids first, then troubleshoot before school, (2 teenage daughters), then more feeding (dogs and sheep). Believe it or not, early time for me in the barn is pretty peaceful. Then to the loft studio, where I try to work on pieces early, before the day gets away from me. When I’m wet felting I have to be sure to have enough tome to complete the project. I really can’t stop in the middle.Simple, classic, not too fussy. I love basic pieces and neutral colors; black, brown and camel. Then I accessorize. I love large necklaces of any kind. I’ve always been drawn to really unique pieces. Am crazy about scarves, wraps, shoes and handbags. Give me jeans, a white T and an awesome handbag and I’m happy.

SD: Describe your personal style?
SB: Simple, classic, not too fussy. I love basic pieces and neutral colors; black, brown and camel. Then I accessorize. I love large necklaces of any kind. I’ve always been drawn to really unique pieces. I Am crazy about scarves, wraps, shoes and handbags. Give me jeans, a white T and an awesome handbag and I’m happy.

SD: Who are your fashion icons (past or present)? Do you think they influenced your personal style?
SB: Audrey Hepburn. Something about the way she wore her clothes on screen or off. And I am an SJP fan. There is something about the way she carries herself.

SD: Do you have any current fashion obsessions?
SB: Handbags, always.

SD: What advice would you give someone just starting in your field?
SB: Get on Smashing Darling. A great venue for featuring your product. My one and only! I’m so thankful for all they do. Also, ask questions, all the time. I’ve learned alot from other designers and artisans. Get out to shows, promote yourself.

SD: Do you have any events you are getting ready for in the near future?
SB: I am working on pieces for the Westport Creative Arts Festival, Westport, CT, Nov. 16-18 and am waiting to hear about the Hadlyme Holiday Homecoming, Hadlyme, CT, Nov. 23-25. I also have a couple private home events nearer to the holidays.

SD: Is there anyone in the Smashing Darling community you have a question or comment for?
SB: Someday soon I hope to get to the city to see Punkin NYC. I’d love to see her gorgeous designs up close.

CALENDAR: ALUMNI SALE

ALUMNI + STUDENT FALL ART SALE 2007: October 6
Benefit Street, 10am-4pm (rain or shine) OCT. 6 2007. Some of our smashing designers will be there live and in person.

Anne De Pasquale

Dina Varano

Andrea Valentini

Just to name a few.
So grab your fiends if you are anywhere in the vicinity.
It is always a great time.
Keep your eyes wide open too you just might get stickered!

RISD Alumni Art Sales feature thousands of items designed and created by alumni from all over the country and the world. Items for sale include fine art, home accessories, greeting cards, jewelry, paintings, furniture, rugs, clothing, photographs, glass and ceramics. Sales occur in the fall, winter and spring in Providence, and in late fall in San Francisco. For more information, contact Alan Tracy or call 401 454-6618.

Sudlow Jewelry Sweet Pea Necklace

Yesterday marked the official last day of summer. Today is the first day of fall. Can you believe another summer is gone. POOF! Just like that. You wake up one day realizing another season has just catapulted right on by. YEP, put a rock in a sling shot rubber band, pull back as far as you can. [SNAP] and there goes the summer. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it! Then you will stand there like I am wondering where it went. The best part though, fall is here! Yeah I really can’t be depressed about one season moving on. There is always a great one, right behind it. This season starts off with a bang with the Harvest Full Moon on Sept. 26. This is supposed to be one of the brightest full moons of the year. Of course this is all an illusion. Something to do with the equinox and the proximity to the sun. I’m a fashion designer, not an astronomer. OK, so everyone is wondering, ‘and this pertains to fashion, how?’ It is our first fall season on Smashing Darling! I am very excited to get my fall/winter collection in my store and peruse other designer stores to get all the must haves for the wardrobe this season.

So have you figured out why the Sweet Pea Necklace? Because of the Harvest moon. It makes me think of farmers. When I think of farmers, I think of veggies. The veggies made me think of this necklace. That’s right it all goes back to fashion. It’s my life.

Support the movement

shop independent designers.

Atlantic Antic
Look for Tam Aura Designs, one of our smashing designers, between Court and Boreum
Place.

The 33rd Annual Atlantic Antic Street Festival will
take place on Sunday, September 30th from 10am to 6pm,
rain or shine.

Spanning 10 blocks of Atlantic avenue, from 4th Avenue
in Boerum Hill all the way to Hicks Street in Brooklyn
Heights, the Atlantic Antic is New York’s number one
street festival, offering something for everyone:

Enjoy live performances all day long on eight musical
stages, featuring blues, rock, country, R&B, jazz,
music for kids, and belly-dancing.

Sample food from around the world and street fair
favorites including baklava, funnel cake, grilled
sardines, pulled pork sandwiches, fresh lemonade,
fried mozzarella, and roasted corn.

Shop for the trendiest art, clothing, and home
accessories from Atlantic Avenue merchants and a host
of local vendors and craftspeople such as Artikal Handcrafted Millinery.

New York Transit Museum Bus Festival

The New York Transit Museum’s 14th Annual Bus Festival
will also coincide with the Antic, taking place at the
midway point of the festival, on Boerum Place. A
collection of vintage buses dating all the way back to
1917 will will be on display and ready to board, and
visitors can also enjoy free admission to the museum,
one block away on Schermerhorn Street.”

L-Shandi one of our fabulous smashing designers will be participating in the upcoming DC Fashion Week event as one of the featured designers in the Avani Ribbon sponsored show. Please visit www.avaniribbon.com for more information.

Avani Ribbon was created to embrace Fashion that brings about positive change. Avani means “earth” in Sanskrit, and the ribbon signifies the unifying of all cultures around the world through fashion creativity. We support designers from all around the world.

Avani Ribbon is dedicated to promoting development through fashion creativity. We offer high quality events and consultancy services to promote your brand worldwide. By offering special events, trade shows and marketing, we aim to help ethical and emerging market designers take their brand to the next level in the increasingly competitive and exciting part of the fashion industry.

Avani Ribbon is based on solidarity and stands by clients who value

• Fashion that works to preserve the skills of local craftsmen and culture

• Fashion that reinvests part of its profits in community projects or charities

• Fashion that uses production techniques which do not harm the environment

• Fashion that respects the people involved in the production, by practicing fair trade and safe working conditions

•Fashion that uses its aesthetic appeal to raise awareness about the importance of social responsibility in the apparel sector.

•Fashion that uses its aesthetic appeal to raise awareness about poverty and development issues

Tickets are $35 Click Here to purchase.

This tip was brought to me by our friend Kate owner of Kick PR

AT PORTLAND FASHION WEEK, GREEN ISN’T JUST A COLOR, IT’S A MINDSET.

September 12, 2007: Portland, Oregon: Portland Fashion Week brings renewable and independent fashion into the mainstream. By making the actual production of Fashion Week sustainable, the October 19-24, 2007 Portland Fashion Week takes its commitment to eco-friendly fashion to new heights. PFW will use sustainable styling products on models and earth-friendly materials for its runway. Portland also boasts “green” hotels including Hotel Monaco, currently offering reduced rates for out of town guests during the week.

As acclaimed Portland eco-designer Anna Cohen says, “A key to sustainable practice is evaluating all aspects of the conventional practices to make eco-responsible choices in all of them. PFW is mindful of that”.

PFW is collaborating with City Commissioner Sam Adams on a Green Fashion Forum, which will highlight Portland’s green fashion community. As commissioner of Arts and Culture, Adams is excited to include the fashion industry as part of the city’s Art Portfolio. “The sustainable designers living and working in this area not only provide beautiful, innovative products,” Adams comments. “They help highlight the great environmental work Oregonians have been doing for decades: being at the cutting edge of recycling policy, smart, alternative transportation, and green building practices. Portland truly is a sustainable city.”

Portland was nominated the “Most Sustainable US City” in 2006 by sustainlane.com and the second-most green city in the world by grist.com. “We knew that to gain the leading position for Portland in sustainable fashion, we needed to bring our political leadership aboard “, says PFW Executive Producer Tito Chowdhury. Last year, PFW staged a green show with top local eco-designers at Portland City Hall. Chowdhury adds, “We’re proud that this partnership between green fashion and the City was the first such initiative we’ve heard of in the country.” Portland Fashion Week 2006 dedicated its “Green & Sustainable Showcase” to launch six sustainable collections.

PFW will take place from October 19-24 at the Cascade Shipyard, 5555 Channel Drive on Swan Island in Portland. Several prominent sustainable designers will launch their collections from Portland Fashion Week 2007, including Lara Miller, Sameunderneath, Lizzie Parker, and Anna Cohen. Alice Dobson of sofada, named New York Fashion Week’s Spring 2006 “Best Debut”, and acclaimed designers Souchi, Poppi Swim, and Leanimal, will put their next season’s collections on the runway at PFW 2007. Sponsors stepping up this year include Polartec®, Comcast, Lufthansa and Bawls Guarranex. Log onto www.portlandfashionweek.net for more information.

Media Contact:

Kick Public Relations

646.723.3322

kate@kickpr.com

Many people think of Portland Fashion Week as a local fashion show; it is much more than that.

PFW will highlight many local Portland-based designers including Anna Cohen, Idom, Sofada and Sameunderneath. Other up and coming collections hail from across the US and abroad. Our very own Smashing Darling Designer Lara Miller will also be showing.

Portland Fashion Week ‘07 will be held Friday, October 19 to Wednesday, October 24, 2007.
OUR VISION:
To emphasize eco-responsible fashion, stage independent designers, and draw national attention to Portland’s unique intersection of Art, Commerce, and Sustainability.

Tickets to runway shows on sale now. To find out more about our schedule for the event, feel free to visit our schedule page, or the tickets page for more information on how to purchase tickets for the event.