by trish on October 17, 2008
A Smashing Work Outfit, From The Editors Of SheFinds
We at SheFinds are always big fans of versatile, feminine pieces that we can wear for a full day without changing three times, and that match more than one ensemble – and that’s part of the reason we had such a good time browsing Smashing Darling and reading the responses from our contest a few weeks back.
For a day of meetings followed by dinner or cocktails, we are particularly fond of these five easy pieces.
The Giselle Dress from Punkin NYC is a fabulous day-to-night base piece, thanks to the hints of velvet at the neckline and on the belt, and the feminine, body-skimming silhouette.
Since we’re often carrying our laptops, or lots of papers, or a second pair of shoes, tattle’s tan leather bag would work well for every day: it’s big, a little slouchy, and has a flat strap – absolutely essential for staving off shoulder pains (for a little longer).
For a pop of color, we’d add Ricardo Tovar’s yellow satin flats – fancy enough to wear out after work, but easy to walk around in all day.
A slightly imperfect circle necklace and a rough-hewn ring add some uniqueness to the look, and ensure you won’t seem too buttoned-up come nighttime.
Check out our blog for more fashion picks from SheFinds!
by Mo on October 16, 2008
Around the Site
New Darlings
Our neighborhood of online darlings is growing everyday! Check out the new boutique Designs AO3 pictured left.
Get to know your fellow Darlings better…every week we interview a Darling in the blog, interested? Let us know!
Email trish@smashingdarling.com.
Fashion Shows
Darling Designers in LA
The City of Angels is in for a treat, if you are in LA don’t miss out! October 16 and 17th Darling designs will be found on bodies strolling through lush rooftop gardens…
Read more:
Oct 16: Brooklyn Royalty
Oct 17: KRELwear
Where to Find Us
Seam Collective
Next weekend come join us as we head to Jersey City in support of Seam Collective.
We can’t wait to see more from designers like Deepti Moti Babani, pictured left, as well as millinery from our very own Darling Anne De Pasquale…
Read more here, and spread the word!
by trish on October 15, 2008
Brooklyn Royalty presents…
Spring 2009 Runway Show~LA EDITION
Date: THIS Thursday, October 16, 2008
4pm-Runway Show
5pm-Reception at GENJI Bar
Location: Rooftop Gardens // Kyoto Grand Hotel
120 South Los Angeles Street (at 2nd Street)
Downtown L.A.
Directions: www.kyotograndhotel.com
**Please Pass This Invite on To Your L.A. Contacts**
NYC-based premium apparel line Brooklyn Royalty and custom swimwear line VinT-Bikini will be debuting their Spring 2009 collaboration on Thursday, October 16th at the Rooftop Gardens of the Kyoto Grand Hotel during the L.A. Fashion Week. The edgy capsule of color-change and ocean-washed jersey bikinis were accented with hand-printed graphics and fine metallic chain closures. Brooklyn Royalty will also feature their signature Spring 2009 collection of mens and ladies streetwear, including hand-printed slub knit tees, hand-dyed jerseys, metallic coated denim and moto-inspired leather.
Come be a part of the hottest fashion show this season, as Brooklyn Royalty and VinT Bikini transport their rock-inspired, distinctly New York City aesthetic to the only Japanese roof garden in Downtown L.A. You’ve never seen a runway presentation like this- models will meander through two levels of lush and exotic gardens, in our first-ever Los Angeles debut. After the show, enjoy a post-runway reception of sake, cocktails, and exclusive merchandise previews of Spring 2009 at GENJI Bar. You won’t have to go far for this party…this gorgeous lounge looks out on the gardens themselves!
by trish on October 14, 2008
SML Bags is a combination of classic style with a modern, urban edge. Shana’s inspiration consists of vibrant, abstract textiles of today and the sleek lines of vintage handbags. Ever since her first bag was made from a 1950’s curtain found in a thrift store, her love of fabrics and accessories has fueled her imagination. Each bag has it’s own special characteristics; no two are identical. All bags are handmade by Shana with a variety of durable fabric, in Brooklyn, NY.
Trish: Where did your love of handbags begin? when did you start your own line?
Shana: I noticed I had a problem when I had no more room to my vintage handbag collection! I have always loved handbags but it began in college when I made a bag out of a vintage curtain. It was an amazing pop-art print and I wanted to display it on myself rather than on a window.
Trish: When did you start your own line?
Shana: Officially, it started in the Fall of o5 but I was always making bags prior to that. it began as a hobby but I started getting requests from friends and friends of friends and it just grew into SML Bags.
Trish: Where do you turn for inspiration for your designs?
Shana: Fabric, texture, and color are my main inspiration. The clean, fluid lines on vintage shapes is always exciting for me as well. If I see an unusual fabric I know I have to buy it then and there. I’ll always find a way to incorporate it into a collection.
Trish: Is there anything you steer clear of when designing handbags?
Shana: I always try to use sturdy, durable fabrics and leathers when designing my bags. I steer clear of fabrics that don’t withstand being carried around all day.
Trish: How do you see your company in the future?
Shana: I want to start a sister company to SML Bags. I will always keep and operate my handmade line of bags because I find so much joy in it, however, I can only produce so much myself. I would love to begin another line of bags, leather carryalls and clutches that I’m not capable of producing myself. I’ve been looking into manufacturers right here in NYC who can help me with that. My aesthetic of bold colors and rich leathers would be part of this lines as well- no boring bags here!
Trish: What does your average day entail?
Shana: Well, I still have a part time job (the life of living in NYC!) but I’m grateful that that job entails me being in fabrics stores all day! If I’m not at that job, I’m in my studio, in Brooklyn, working on my bags which I look forward to everyday!
Trish: Describe your personal style?
Shana: I don’t really have a name for it but I love mixing vintage finds with modern. I have a thing for 80’s print blouses with great jeans and boots!
Trish: Who are your fashion icons (past or present)? Do you think they influenced your personal style?
Shana: I don’t really have one in particular but I admire any woman who has a fashion all her own. A woman who’s not afraid of trying something new and who dresses around her handbag! I know this may be cliche by now but the character Carrie Bradshaw had that outlook on fashion and I loved it!
Trish: If you had the choice of any designer in the world to work with/for, who would that be?
Shana: Ahh- too many but I’ll name a few… Marc Jacobs because of his amazing use of color, Devi Kroell for her rich, textured leathers, and Betsey Johnson for not taking fashion too seriously.
SD: Do you have any current fashion accessory obsessions?
I’m currently obsessed with trying to find the perfect pair of boots!
Trish: When you aren’t designing, what are you up to, any other things you are involved with you want to shout out?
Shana: Well I may be doing some shows coming up for the holiday season. At those shows I generally will give a portion of my procedes to Sloan Kettering for breast cancer research. This year I will do the same so check my site and see where I’ll be and come and see me!
www.smlbags.com
by trish on October 13, 2008
KRELwear
2009 SPRING COLLECTION
Naturally Organic
The Standard, Downtown LA
550 S. Flower Street Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Friday, October 17, 2008
6 – 9 pm
KRELwear is pleased to invite you to a sunset rooftop presentation at The Standard, Downtown Los Angeles during the close of LA Fashion Week. Its highly anticipated debut of the 2009 Spring Organic Collection in a series of “vignette” installations with models en repose around The Standard Hotel’s rooftop lounge.
Highly regarded for its innovative knits, KRELwear has expanded its palette to include subtle pastels and neutral shades. In an exciting departure toward the classical, KRELwear’s new collection is defined by clean lines, impeccable finishes and luxurious, eco-friendly materials, which remain true to the company’s reputation for perpetual creativity. Reinterpreting its one-of-a-kind pieces, KRELwear’s striking new collection boasts sexy and versatile shapes, rooted in the company’s signature concept of “tubular” construction.
These limited edition styles are composed of 100% Organic pima cotton, a natural and renewable fiber known for its biodegradable and sustainable characteristics, as well as durability. Achieving a rare harmony between the eco-friendly and groundbreaking design, KRELwear’s new collection is uncompromisingly chic.
A performance artist turned designer, Karelle Levy of KRELwear is widely regarded as Miami’s most buzz-worthy young designer. Since its inception in 2004, KRELwear has cultivated an astonishingly loyal following, rapidly gaining international repute for innovative, eye-catching knitwear. Named National Champion of Style Wars and a Gen Art Fresh Faces of Fashion Alumni, Karelle has garnered exceptional praise in The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily, Lucky, 944 Magazine, Ocean Drive, The Miami Herald, Zink, MAP, Beautiful/Decay and Metro Pop, amongst other fine publications. KRELwear is distributed to over 40 boutiques in the US, Europe, Scandinavia, and Japan.
Click here, for a list of all events happening for Fashion Week LA.
by trish on October 10, 2008
Fall doesn’t hit San Francisco in a barrage of colored leaves, crisp days and transitioning wardrobes, as it does in other cities around the country. But a recent visit to Brooklyn, where I strolled down the tree-lined streets of Park Slope and felt the imminence of pumpkin-carving parties just by breathing in the air, left me a little jealous. Okay, a lot jealous. Opaque stockings, heavy scarves and wool jackets may be impractical where I live, but I still want to get my autumn on, g’dammit.
Luckily, Smashing Darling has plenty of pieces to help me do just that. Doing it up fall-style in the City by the Bay could easily start with a funky twist on an outerwear basic, like Reif’s Mayfair Trench. Its structured shape is oh-so-slick, but the lightweight, water-resistant fabric is functional enough for the 60-something days and misty, fog-filled afternoons that come with our West Coast winters.
When the winds really pick up, I’d love to wrap myself in FiftySeven-ThirtyThree’s Anna May Wong Rebel Hoodie and take a stroll with my scrappy pitbull mix along the Pacific Coast to our favorite, dog-friendly hangout: Fort Funston.
Come nightfall, when the temperatures dip down, I’d don the Spiral Cloche with Ties by Naik Fur. What better way could there be to channel my inner Princess Leia while staying warm and protected from the elements?
Of course, there are plenty of warm, balmy days in San Francisco’s autumn months. Erika Hendrix’s High-Waisted Pencil Skirt in brown and camel jersey knit would travel throughout the season while satisfying my current craving for pencil skirts paired with blousey tops.
Next up, accessories. Because what is life without adornment? On weekends, I’d be happy to hit up the dive bar or a friend’s backyard barbecue with a beat up pair of boots, comfy jeans and belt cinched with the Cowgirl Diva Buckle by Urge to Adorn.
In the midst of such a politically charged season, it seems appropriate to don something that looks fabulous and supports a great cause, like Victorian San Francisco’s Support Proposition J Bracelet. A full 100 percent of the profit from this bracelet’s purchase goes to support a local San Francisco ballot initiative to preserve historic architecture.
And last but not least, I’d round out my San Francisco-friendly take on fall fashion with a warm, snuggly knit. While a cozy sweater might sit in the back of my closet until I make it to the Tahoe slopes, the Choco River Clutch by Peep Accessories offers just the right touch of warmth, but without the long-sleeved commitment.
Thanks, Smashing Darling, for helping me find a cure for my fall fashion-envy!
- Lorraine Sanders, Editor, SF Indie Fashion
