Usually not a fan of lace - I'm oddly drawn to this lovely number by With Heart in my Eyes via Bonadrag. I love the delicate floral design.
The SS '09 collection from Amsterdam based label Lew is sublime. Design duo Kim Leemans and Merel Wicker present a perfect balance of sugary pastels and muted beiges in patchwork fabrics and wispy layers.
This collection offers a little ray of hope in the doom and gloom of the current economic crisis.
This collection offers a little ray of hope in the doom and gloom of the current economic crisis.
Visit: Lew
Brooklyn based designer Tara St. James is the creative force behind Canadian label Covet, known internationally for it's stylish use of natural fabrics like organic cotton and soy.
Paper-Doll: How did you get into fashion design?
Tara St. James: I’ve wanted to be a designer since I was very little. My mom bought me a sewing machine for Christmas when I was 14 and nothing has been the same since.
What is the first thing you designed?
An outfit for my Barbie doll when I was 10. It may have been a nightgown.
What inspires you / your work?
I’m very inspired by travel, I try to go somewhere different every season. Also, visits to galleries and museums clear my head when I’m feeling blocked.
Describe your Spring Summer 09 Collection.
It’s light and airy, very delicate and feminine but with strong shapes and some bold colors thrown in to mix things up.
Paper-Doll: How did you get into fashion design?
Tara St. James: I’ve wanted to be a designer since I was very little. My mom bought me a sewing machine for Christmas when I was 14 and nothing has been the same since.
What is the first thing you designed?
An outfit for my Barbie doll when I was 10. It may have been a nightgown.
What inspires you / your work?
I’m very inspired by travel, I try to go somewhere different every season. Also, visits to galleries and museums clear my head when I’m feeling blocked.
Describe your Spring Summer 09 Collection.
It’s light and airy, very delicate and feminine but with strong shapes and some bold colors thrown in to mix things up.
What is your favourite piece from your Spring Summer 09 Collection?
A modal and silk tank top with a crochet back. It’s soft and feminine but strong at the same time.
What is the most difficult thing about your job?
Dealing with negative comments, I understand fashion is objective, but it’s always difficult to be picked apart.
If you could collaborate with any designer / artist / musician / etc. on a single project, who would it be and what would you do?
Architect Zaha Hadid, well respected in her field and a woman! I respect her place in the history of architecture and love her clean fluid lines.
Designer Maria Cornejo, I love her approach to cuts and shape. I would love to collaborate with her on a sustainable project that researches fabric wastage and pattern shapes.
A modal and silk tank top with a crochet back. It’s soft and feminine but strong at the same time.
What is the most difficult thing about your job?
Dealing with negative comments, I understand fashion is objective, but it’s always difficult to be picked apart.
If you could collaborate with any designer / artist / musician / etc. on a single project, who would it be and what would you do?
Architect Zaha Hadid, well respected in her field and a woman! I respect her place in the history of architecture and love her clean fluid lines.
Designer Maria Cornejo, I love her approach to cuts and shape. I would love to collaborate with her on a sustainable project that researches fabric wastage and pattern shapes.
What fashion era do you love? Is there one that you detest?
I love the 1920s. I think all eras have a certain contribution to the past and future. Even if it’s just to remind us which mistakes not to repeat.
Do you have a real or imaginary muse?
No, but I try to think of each garment on a very personal level when I design it and hope the end consumer will appreciate the details as much as I do.
What fashion trend would you not be caught dead in?
I try to avoid trends all together. By the time I figure out how to adapt them to my personal style, they’re already over.
What is your favourite item in your personal wardrobe?
I try to love all my clothes equally. I don’t want any of them to feel rejected. (But I do have a certain affinity for a pair of grey suede high-heeled boots with ruffles down the heel)
I love the 1920s. I think all eras have a certain contribution to the past and future. Even if it’s just to remind us which mistakes not to repeat.
Do you have a real or imaginary muse?
No, but I try to think of each garment on a very personal level when I design it and hope the end consumer will appreciate the details as much as I do.
What fashion trend would you not be caught dead in?
I try to avoid trends all together. By the time I figure out how to adapt them to my personal style, they’re already over.
What is your favourite item in your personal wardrobe?
I try to love all my clothes equally. I don’t want any of them to feel rejected. (But I do have a certain affinity for a pair of grey suede high-heeled boots with ruffles down the heel)
Where do you shop for clothes when you're not wearing your own?
Hong Kong and Tokyo. Everything fits me and the cuts are very innovative.
What is on your current fashion wishlist?
The perfect vintage leather skirt. I don’t use leather or fur in my collection but I’ve been searching for a vintage leather skirt for months.
What is your favourite thing about the city you live in?
I live in New York. There’s nothing I don’t love about it. I love that I can travel from fancy 5th avenue to gritty Brooklyn in one afternoon in the same outfit and feel like I fit in everywhere, dressed up or dressed down. I love the crowds and the lights (although I don’t always love the tourists!) and I especially love that I can be anonymous or not depending on my mood.
What is next for your label?
Now that all the fabrics and trims in the collection are organic or sustainable, I’m tackling the dye and finishing processes. I’m slowly examining every step of the supply chain in order to make it more eco-friendly.
Visit: Covet to view additional seasons & shopping links.
Hong Kong and Tokyo. Everything fits me and the cuts are very innovative.
What is on your current fashion wishlist?
The perfect vintage leather skirt. I don’t use leather or fur in my collection but I’ve been searching for a vintage leather skirt for months.
What is your favourite thing about the city you live in?
I live in New York. There’s nothing I don’t love about it. I love that I can travel from fancy 5th avenue to gritty Brooklyn in one afternoon in the same outfit and feel like I fit in everywhere, dressed up or dressed down. I love the crowds and the lights (although I don’t always love the tourists!) and I especially love that I can be anonymous or not depending on my mood.
What is next for your label?
Now that all the fabrics and trims in the collection are organic or sustainable, I’m tackling the dye and finishing processes. I’m slowly examining every step of the supply chain in order to make it more eco-friendly.
Visit: Covet to view additional seasons & shopping links.
For a limited time, you can save 50% on Selected House of Spy Styles. This is a "last chance" sale - these items will only be available until February 18th!
Paper-Doll's Spring Summer '09 Designer Databaseis now online! We've hand selected some of the best independent designers from around the globe. Browse full catalogs from Lily & Jae (pictured above), church&state, Tu Tu Blu, Brigit Catiis, Valerie Dumaine and many more...
Stunning handcrafted shoes courtesy of Red by Wolves. As a nod to craftsmanship of the past, Red by Wolves uses old English methods of building shoes to create high quality fashion forward footwear. Total luxury and out of my price range, but lovely to look at.
Visit: Red by Wolves
