Pleet Please

Brooklyn-based designer Samantha Pleet has been a local favorite since her debut in 2006. Known for her sweet, vintage inspired dresses and rompers, she's become a favorite of indie rock chanteuses from Au Revoir Simone and Beach House, as well as Caroline Polachek from Chairlift, who helped select the music for the show. Her collections are always full of retro charm, but this time it was infused with a little bit more of a Brooklyn edge. The collection had a woodsy/tribal feeling, part of a trend that's been sweeping through the city for the past year or so, giving New York a distinctly Portlandia makeover. On the wrong side of the trend, men who've never chopped wood buy expensive designer axes that they will probably never use outside of decoration. On the right side of the trend is a greater consciousness towards the environment, and a renewed love for natural motifs. Pleet is definitely on the right side of the trend, using as much organic material as she can, and presenting prints that include gorgeous painted feathers, and geometric patterns. I know I want one of everything in the feather print.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that all of the incredible braided horsehair and cutout leather jewelry was designed by Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons.

-Tiffany

Dame Vivienne Goes Green

Vivienne Westwood Crochet Yasmine Bag

As eco-friendly design becomes a greater imperative, it's been incredible to see how many designers are becoming more green, in whatever ways they can. It is not surprising then that Dame Vivienne Westwood, well known for her political activism, has taken on the green cause within her work. This week she launches a capsule collection, Ethical Fashion Africa, with Yoox.com's eco-friendly initiative, YOOXYGEN, of handbags and accessories crafted from recycled materials. The collection takes several classic Vivienne Westwood bags, and refashions them out of recycled electric wiring, plastic bags, roadside advertisement banners, safari tents, and aluminum cans. In addition to taking these waste products out of our landfills, the initiative went one step further, partnering with the International Trade Commission to base production in Nairobi, employing and empowering local craftspeople and manufacturers in impoverished communities. Even though the bags are crafted with compassion, they are still designed in Westwood's tongue-in-cheek, clearly subversive style, coming in spectacular colors and graffiti prints. I got a peek of the Fall collection during the Starworks press day, and as you can see, they fit in perfectly with the entire collection which, to my knowledge, isn't eco-conscious, but is still great.



Vivienne Westwood iPad case
Vivienne Westwood clutch

Vivienne Westwood multicolor crochet shopper

-Tiffany