A Comfortable and Stylish Label To Explore : ALIYA WANEK

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Two things that came to mind when I discovered this line: Thoughtful wearable pieces for everyday living and comfortable American classics with a clean and subtle aesthetic.

ALIYA WANEK is a womenswear label from Southern California. Aliya Wanek is a speech therapist by day and a designer by night. She is the heart and soul behind this line. Aliya is focused on quality, form, function, and craft. She is about designing pieces that have longevity along with exploring the connection between identity and personal style. All garments are handmade by Aliya and her team in the Bay area.

Mission statement says it all: “The brand’s mission is to uphold ethical and sustainable practices as much as possible from working only with natural fibers to paying a living wage to small batch production to using zero waste packaging” Please check out ALIYA WANEK (all images from ALIYA WANEK)

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A Brand To Appreciate: Another Tomorrow

I appreciate those that are fully transparent. Meet my new new discovery, Another Tomorrow. A sustainable brand with careful attention to design, quality, and sourcing to produce thoughtful garments. Approaching the fashion industry with a lens of a global citizen. Every decision is guided by their values with human, animal, and environmental welfare. Their clothes speak to the minimal and modern woman. Confidence, strength, and timeless pieces that are investments. Clothing made to be worn time after time with longevity in mind. Simply beautiful!

Another Tomorrow is worth exploring. They are part of the fashion revolution. Their website is as beautiful as their collection. It is filled with content about the process and decisions that come into play with the creation of this label. Simply love it!

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Back With A Breezy Style

Something for those hot summer days that is just perfect for your summer wardrobe. Check out Loup Charmant from NYC. A company I stumbled across recently and immediately fell for their lovely flowy style. Airy feminine dresses to be worn anytime of day. Summertime dressing to me should not be fussy or require accessories besides your sunnies and hat. I also love how a pair of Nike slides, tennies, or stappy sandals can easily transform these beauties from sporty to sweet. Effortless dressing from Loup Charmant seems perfect to me. There is beautiful selection so good luck picking your favorite. Happy Summer ladies!

Be Bold This Season

Contrast Geometric Ring

Large Beaded Necklace

Layered Drop Earrings

Clip-On Cube Earrings

Maxi Drop Earrings

Elasticated Cube Bracelet

Monies is a Danish company making sculptural statement jewelry founded by goldsmiths Gerda and Nikolai Monies.  All pieces are handcrafted from natural materials in their Copenhagen workshop.  Think elegant yet playful.  I discovered these beautiful gems over the summer but now layering up with oversized accessories seems perfect to match with those cozy knitted sweaters.  I am a fan of Monies and their clip on earrings have caught my attention.   You can find a nice selection on Farfetch.  (images from Farfetch)

Bihor Couture’s Story

Something good to share!  Beau Monde, a fashion magazine is partnering with a small town in the Beius Country of Romania to keep their craft alive by creating the brand Bihor Couture.

Fashion designers find their inspiration by traveling around the world and immersing themselves into different cultures and traditions to draw inspiration for their next line.  Unfortunately they don’t always give those communities credit.  But through the awareness and support of Beau Monde the story is changing.  The local creators of Bihor can now sell their 100% authentic Romania design pieces online.  Their handcrafted pieces are bold, bright, unique, and steep in tradition.  The Beius Authentic Jacket is artwork, the scarf is fantastic, and the blouse is simply perfect.  Pieces are for pre-order only due to the length of time that goes into each handcrafted and hand embroidered piece.  Quality takes time.  There is no mass manufacturing here in Bihor.

The video is eye-opening, beautiful, inspiring, and true!  I want to visit these ladies.  I want to befriend them.  They are talented and don’t hold back any punches!  I want to learn their craft.  This story makes my heart sing and it deepens my love for authentic fashion.  Connecting faces to stories is how messages can be conveyed.  Thank you to my dear friend, solid liquids who shared this story with me. Keep them coming my way!  I have been meaning to share this story and no better time than now. Discover Bihor Couture for yourselves and share this story.

video @ Bihore Couture and images @ Branding News

Caftan Style

Blue Button Dhaka

Peach Boatneck

White Bib Grid

Black Caftan with Pom Pom

Red Pom Pom

Short Black and Gold Grid

It is HOT these days and adding a few more caftans into the summer mix feels minimal!  They are effortless and chic.  Slide one over a swimsuit or a slip to give you an easy day to evening look.  These particular caftans are from Two and are made in New York.  A favorite of mine.  I am never disappointed with their modern take on the simple caftan.  They are made from hand woven textiles and Saris from India.  Caftans are the perfect solution to dressing light and perfect for a summer getaway. I will say that Two is on the expensive side, but buy one and your cost per wear will prove to be in your favor by the end of the summer.

images from Two 

Color Blocking Totes

Make room for another tote bag!  The Aiko Tote is a beautifully crafted bag made from German merino wool felt.  The Aiko Tote comes in four stunning color blocks that will compliment all personal styles.  A bag that is up for any adventure or errand.  The Aiko sets itself apart with its soft vegetable dyed leather trim and handle, an interior zip pocket, as well as an open interior pocket.  So need to worry where you will stash your keys, loose credit cards, and other essentials.  It is all in the details!  Just take a look at their attention to the interior label.  This Los Angeles based company is led by Holger Graf and Daniel Lantz.  They have combined their Japanese and German influences with a Southern Cali lifestyle to create distinct pieces driven by high quality materials.  All pieces are designed, produced, and shipped from their home base of Los Angeles.

The beauty of using German merino wool felt: biodegradable, water-resistant, renewable, and sustainable

pics from graf lantz

A Textile Love Affair With ace & jig

It is all about collaboration!  This is absolutely true with Carey Vaughan and Jenna Wilson, the two ladies behind ace & jig.  They met years ago as fashion design interns then fast forward to being reunited over their absolute love around antique textiles.  ace & jig is where pattern playing is at its best!  The more you experience the pieces the more you fall in love.  Every piece has its own personality and is waiting to be worn and enjoyed.  The colors and patterns can make even the most conservative lady branch out of their comfort zone.  ace & jig are timeless pieces that you build upon.  They don’t read in the moment trend and they don’t read boring!  They are effortless.  You can layer, wear alone, and mix and match any piece.  ace & jig has no rules except that you must love what you own if not then swap it with another ace & jig fan.

Want more reasons to love ace & jig besides that they strive daily to be better, to build a loving community, and they recognize that they can make a difference?!  Here you go:

1. ace & jig are committed to giving back to communities, charities, and organizations

2. focused on no waste with their textile scraps so they find creative ways to repurpose them via scrap donations, artisan collabs, making kids clothing, quilts, and other creative ways

3. slow fashion focus with designing timeless garments

4. encourage their community to resell, repair, upcycle or swap pieces

5. they work closely with their textile producers in India to be environmentally focused

6. Want more then check out their site  ace & jig

All pics are credited to ace & jig

Art or Object or Both With Cult Gaia

isostilo is hunting and sharing!  Los Angeles based company, Cult Gaia will have you swooning for one of their timeless handbags.  The Ark is their iconic statement piece that is taking social media by storm.  A semi circular bamboo bag that can take you from day to evening with just your essentials.  The Ark is offered in multiple sizes and colors.  It’s versatile enough to swing beyond your warm destination holidays.  Cult Gaia is taking handbags in a refreshing new direction.  This bag is both object and art!

Finding classic pieces that become forever pieces for your wardrobe should make you look twice.  Simplicity doesn’t mean boring.  You want pieces that fold effortlessly into your lifestyle but reflect your personal style.  Less is more with the Ark (that also goes for what you choose to carry inside this beauty).  Check out more styles from Cult Gaia.

What Is Not To Love About lemlem

Hunting for beachy summer pieces?  Don’t miss lemlem!  This line screams summer!  lemlem is a collection of pieces for women, men, and children created by supermodel Liya Kebede.  She is giving back to her home country, Ethiopia.  Traditional weavers who once faced a dying craft now have a way to keep it alive with the help of Liya’s company.   All the clothing is made from locally sourced cotton and made in Africa.  Liya continues to expand lemlem’s partnerships throughout Africa and grow the lemlem Foundation to improve the lives and well-being of the women of Africa.  Women are the heart of Africa and lemlem is supporting them!

The clothes are simply beautiful.  They are also effortless to wear.  The story behind the label is inspiring.  A company and a cause to follow.  All pics are from  lemlem.  The lemlem Foundation’s mission is to support the women of Africa through promoting healthcare and economic opportunities.  Learn more here:  lemlem Foundation