Smashing Darling Blog

Julie and I had the best day in the NYC yesterday. In true crazy darling fashion, it didn’t go exactly as planned but it was fabulous. We actually decided on the train ride home that if it had gone as planned it wouldn’t have been nearly as good. OK, so this is how the day was supposed to start. We were to meet Lesley Scott from Fashion Tribes at The Bean down in the East Village at 10:00 to interview her for our blog. We arrive in the city at 9:30, hop a cab down, and of course with all the traffic don’t arrive until 10:05. We order our Mochas and sit down thinking, whew, she hasn’t arrived yet. Not knowing that she is sitting almost right in front of us, reading. The other detail I must tell you is that I, Trish, still do not own a cell phone (I know you are reading this laughing your ass off, thinking how can anyone function without a cell phone) and Julie forgot hers at home, on the table, charging. So, as you’ve already guessed, Lesley, sitting not 10 feet away calls Julie, but of course the phone is ringing in Chester. Lesley leaves while we sit there thinking about how to figure out what went wrong and how we might solve it. To make a long, fun story short, we reconnected with Lesley later in the day and had a great time. Be looking for the interview with the Fashion Tribes’ Founder in the near future. We also peered in the windows of Punkin NYC, down in the East Village, stickered a radio station with our smashing stickers, bought “MerGirl Green” tights and spent a pretty penny at my favorite fabric store, B & J.

The Coveted is one of my favorite independent fashion blogs. I loved the interview she did with Amy Hemmens designer of  Naik Fur. So I thought to myself, why mess with perfection? Here is what the The Coveted had to say about Amy and part of the interview. You will have to  go to The Coveted to read the rest of the interview. Here is part 1:

Sacramento, California is place that I think of as being our State Capitol, home of the Governator, the place that gets hot in the summer… gateway to Gold Country and Lake Tahoe… I would not think that some of the most thoughtful artistiscally creative clothing would be made there. Naik Fur is a clothing line of one-offs produced by Amy Hemmens. She’s kind of unusual in the fact that she shares with us the very process of creating her work. She maintains her blog, showing all her current projects and musings. You can see her work develop, which is such a pleasure as it the clothing has a free form, organic, almost sculptural quality about them. Lately she’s been in the press, Refinery 29 likened her to Björk… Today, Amy talks with us about her process and design, it’s beautiful and philosophical.

The Coveted: What are you obsessing on these days?
Amy Hemmens: Raw Food, Politics, Quantum Healing, Sun Bathing and Sleep (Everything in one breath) Also, slowly working on my internal fears by giving to others what I might be equally taking. I’m in love with the idea of rediscovering the connections in what we have made separate for ourselves (nothing in particular, everything in general).

TC: What does an average day for you look like?
AH: Quiet things usually - I don’t drive a car so I regularly ride my bike early in the day to get fresh food and clean water, visit the library or go for lonely picnics if I’m not meeting up with a close friend.

It also seems that I’m consistently sewing and creating for an upcoming project. I’ve left lots of tea cups lying around the house. Or if I’m out of town, I’m interested in being free from my usual routines by getting around another city or place to take in and explore whatever possibilities are set out for me. I’ve had a great summer so far
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TC: Most of your garments are one-of a kind pieces, in fact, it’s written in your manifesto.
AH:Why have you decided to make singular garments? Beyond me myself and I, I promote the idea that everyone be individual in order for us to all to truly connect with one another. I’m no good at the business side of it simply because I’m so turned off by the inhumanity of profits, marketing and dollars over a human life value. If you look at the ways in which our current system works, it’s based on that infamous pyramid concept of a hierarchy and trickle down effect. I don’t see myself as the all-knowing leader or as the ignorant bottom feeder, but I would like for us all to start seeing ourselves as equals through our individuality by getting in touch with the idea that we can all feel free to be as meaningful and purposeful as we chose through our own truth and beauty creations(not one globally proposed idea of it) No one ought to feel like a slave through any set-up ideology. My perception of how society works is that too many people are suffering for the ultimate benefit of a select few. You see this trend always in our big government, but you also see it paralleled with all aspects of society, including and especially in the world of fashion and mass production. It doesn’t seem to feed the truth of an individual’s spirit in the end.

The most satisfying process for me as an artist hasn’t been the times when I felt I was “making it”. The most satisfying part of the process has been the times when I’m in the moment of creation. So that by the time I’ve finished a project, I’ve already met face to face with my beauty and truth. What more could I ask for? I usually have no further desire to continue the product past itself because I’ve felt so satisfied with the process of making a one-of-a-kind piece. I’m also allowed, through the sacrifice of excess, to experience life at its most “alive” stages. Anything beyond that becomes nothing more than death parading itself as life. It may be the reason many artist’s end up as starving ones.

Read the entire interview at The Coveted.

Good morning, it is Monday morning. The beginning of another fun, crazy week For us. The sunrise has just started and it is looking gorgeous already. For starters, Mo Darling will be in Chester from Portland, Maine working with us today. We have an important lunch as well. It is Julie Darling’s birthday today! YEAY, Happy Birthday Julie! So it works out fabulously that Mo is here to share in the festivities. Tomorrow we are in NYC, we are meeting Lesley from Fashion Tribes. Very excited about that. Saturday we Meet Deb from DIYthing blog. Very cool for them they are working on the launch of their magazine. So stay tuned for that. All of this activity means that everything else will be crammed into the end of the week making that crazy too. Happy Monday!

1. Portland Fashion Week was a huge success. The Photographers were there to shoot every night. Visit their blog to see What was GREEN and happening last week. Pics are not yet up for the final evening, so you will have to pop back over there when they are to see what our lovely Lara Miller showed that evening.

2. You are drinking fair trade coffee, and eating fair trade chocolate, now it is time for fair trade Denim that is turned into Sharkah Chakra Jeans. Move over Top Shop, there is a new, more sustainable denim in town!

3. Is Global Warming having an effect on our fashion trends? The WSJ has the scoop on that one.

4. Check out the flickr group Sustainable Style to see green fashion happening on the street all over the globe.

5. It is a fact that 60% of all couples get engaged between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. So this issue of Bond is perfectly timed. Girls you know who you are, get your copy NOW. Bond has got the scoop on all the green tips you could need for your pending nuptials. Why be tacky when you can be green.

Summer may be all but over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still make a splash.

Try a dazzling burst of color to add drama to your look and a

bit of, well, KA-POW! … just like the undies say.

There’s lots to see on SmashingDarling.com, from classic style

to cutting-edge couture. Come see what’s new!

links to shop:

1. Cynthia Jones, $54.00

2. Passementerie, $2150.00

3. Yosifa-Penina, $18.00

4. Laura Dawson, $355.00

5. Pantyline Productions, $15.00

6. Nichole Angelina Grazioli, $160.00

Nichole Angelina Grazioli is Smashing Darling’s featured designer today!
In an effort to elevate the importance of individuality in our fashion culture, I pursue my passion for design and creation.

“MODERN ART”, exists in many forms. My creations are considered by some, to be “Wearable Art”.

My diverse collection of garments, are hand-crafted from an array of fine retro-vintage and new fabrics. Cashmere, silk, lace, denim, lycra… are infused to create eye catching fashions.

A creation process that bears clothing that is stunning, and functional for the modern day fashion enthusiast.

Every man and woman should be able to look, and especially “FEEL” their best. This is what I
aim to achieve with every design I create. And with every design I create…I
give to you, a piece of me. My heart, my love, my passion…

” A CELEBRATION OF INDIVIDUALITY”.

I entertain the idea that individuality is not easily attained, therefore..

I commend YOU, for your time, and appreciation of modern ART! Each and every day I thank each and ever one of YOU, for embracing my art, and allowing my dreams to become my reality….

In retrun, with every design I create…I give to you, a piece of me. My heart, my love, my passion, ” A CELEBRATION OF INDIVIDUALITY”.

Nichole Angelina Grazioli

What happens when you have a love of sewing, street fashion, and the spirit of wanting to do it yourself? You grab your girlfriends combine your knowledge and open up a business together combining all these passions. The business I am talking about is Stitch Lounge, located in San Francisco. This is fabulous. It is a business dedicated to DIY fashion, AKA independent designers. They have the studio all set up to ‘get your sew on’. Seamsters of all levels are welcome. Newbies go there to learn and start their projects, seasoned sewers go there to take advantage of the great industrial machines. I love industrial sewing machines. If you haven’t sewn on one, you are missing out. Talk about a smooth ride! I can’t finish this post without mentioning that these urban sewers have also authored 2 books together. Their latest book is Subversive Seamster available for purchase online here. They just had the launch party for it Oct. 19th! Check out this interview with co-founder Melissa Alvarato at Thread Banger. In the Interview She talks about the studio and the book. Plus you will get to see the studio.

Their first book was Sew Subversive and can be purchased online here.

All of these yummy photos here today are compliments of Alyse, our fabulous style maven from Spork Fashion. I am only posting a few of my faves! You must go over to her blog to read and see the rest.

While you are there read her LA Fashion Week Round Up.

You will see who had the most sophisticated show, in Spork’s opinion,

the best music,

the best gift bag,

the most entertaining,

and the best runway slip up.
OPPPS!

Shannon Carroll is the designer the children’s clothing line Pink Dixie. She also creates very cool geometrically shaped felt bags and if that weren’t enough is also planning a collection for little boys due to launch next year. If you haven’t figured it out she now has a son too. For inspiration she likes to keep her eyes wide open to soak in all the inspiration that is around her every where and in everything.

Self portrait, Angel Wings

SD: What inspired you to pursue a children’s clothing line? How did it get started?
SC: My daughter Vivian is the one who got me started making children’s clothes. At first it was very utilitarian in purpose. She was pulling off any kind of bib I could find for her. So I made a few of the smocks in some basic fabrics and she could not pull them off. I decided to make some for a local Christmas Craft fair and did pretty well. Then I discovered on line sales…and on line quilting fabric stores. Well that was it. I became completely addicted to beautiful fabrics and wanted to make some fun and funky things for Vivian to wear. It also keeps me sane when I am off of work for the summer or like now for a whole semester with my new son Jasper. If I don’t have projects I get bored.



SD: You design great felt handbags, how do you have time for both?
SC: I totally do not have time for both. I focus on the children’s clothing during spring and summer. When fall comes around I start on the bags. You should see many more in my shop, as the weather gets colder. I have begun this season with the plain bags and the bags with appliqué designs on the outside will be following.


SD: Tell us the story behind the name of your line?
SC: I used to live in a great little apartment in San Diego. In my kitchen I had a powder pink 1950’s “Dixie” stove. I looked at the stove and…voila! Pinkdixie.


SD: Where do you turn for inspiration for your designs?
SC: For my children’s line I like to combine old designs with new modern fabrics. I am actually designing a line for little boys for next summer based on some of the Michael Miller prints and a vintage sun suit pattern. For my handbags I look at architecture, simple shapes. The Triangle is actually the newest, even thought it feels to me that I should have come up with it long ago. It is the best utilitarian form as it stands on its own very well. The others will stand up also but you need to be a little more careful.


SD: What does your average day entail?
SC: Coffee. I have two children and I spend most of my day with them. When they are sleeping I run out to the studio and work like mad until they wake up. When my husband gets home from work I try to sneak in another hour or two in the studio. I have no idea how I am going to get anything done when I go back to work in January, I will cross that bridge when I get there. (I teach high school photography)

Self Portrait

SD: Describe your personal style?
SC: I love vintage clothes. 1950’s house dresses, 70’s polyester shirts in crazy patterns. For my home I am totally eclectic. We have modern, antique, and thrift store elements all combined into one big crazy household. We are looking to buy a 1912 house but would also do quite well in a straw bale or a loft studio. My husband is also a designer and we love to tackle design challenges together.


SD: Who are your fashion icons (past or present)? Do you think they influenced your personal style?
SC: I don’t exactly have any fashion icons. I have been involved in art, museums and art history for about 15 years. I have traveled over seas quite a bit. I feel I am inspired by different elements all of the time. It all has to do with what you expose yourself to; it’s all milling around in there just waiting to get out. The appliqués that started to do on my bags came about when I was on a hike last summer. We were going up a huge hill and I looked down and saw bright orange lichen growing in spots on a rock. I thought it was beautiful = appliqué spots on bags.


SD: Do you have any current fashion obsessions?
SC: With two kids I would have to say no. I just try to find something that is relatively clean.

I always look at fashion magazines though. I particularly liked the Marie Antoinette spread in Vogue a ways back. The dress made out of black foil was stunning. It looked like hard lava.


SD: What advice would you give someone just starting in your field?
SC: Always do trial runs before placing your products up for sale. I redesigned my handbags at least three times before I was 100% happy with them. The smocks are pretty straight forward but I have re designed the production process on the lounge sets a few times so that they look handmade not homemade. I have only had sewing training from girl scouts and one year of home economics. in junior high school so I had some details to work out.


SD: Do you have any events you are getting ready for in the near future?
SC: The original Christmas Craft show that I sold in will be in two weeks. I have been mostly making children’s clothes and car seat strap covers, a few lavender and spice sachets as well.  


SD: Is there anyone in the Smashing Darling community you have a question or comment for?
SC: I think Dot has inspired me to do a one or two dot bag. I love the simplicity of it. I usually end up with at least five spots on my bags when I am doing appliqué.

Thank you so much for interviewing me it is quite motivating to be noticed and recognized in this way.

Just wanted everyone to know that Portland Fashion Week is in full blown GREEN swing. This year they are priding themselves on being greener than ever. For the first time since the shows debut in 2003, they will not only showcase independent designers using sustainable fabrics and practices, they will produce the show with the same commitment to sustainability. The Runways are being built with eco-friendly materials, the models will be styled with environmentally sound products and the guests will stay at sustainable certified hotels. The event kicked off on Friday, OCT.19. It runs through Wednesday, Oct. 24. Our very own smashing darling Lara Miller will be showing on the last night, wrapping the show up with a bang.
If anyone has a fashion event they would like to submit for consideration in the blog, go to the Smashing Darling homepage and use the contact link at the bottom of the page. Please feel free to join the forum and list your fashion event there too.