Size 9?

Don't cry, little kitteh, with feet that big, you are sure to always score at Manolo Blahnik sample sales!

Etsy Excitement for the Strawberry Dress

I'm in Ecuador this week, and yet I cannot tear myself away from the joy that is indie. In fact, I'm super-excited to go check out some of the handmade goodies that await me at the markets here. But it's still very early in the a.m. so I can't go yet.
I'll be back to reviewing the slew of awesome designers who responded to last week's request when I return to the States on Monday.
In the meantime, I want to share some of the delicious dresses that I've made recently, one of which I just made available on my ETSY page, Miss Mignonette!



As you might have read about in an earlier post, I love me some wrap dresses. I love how easy they are to wear, I love how the wrap and tie feature hides my tummy roll, I love how they instantly give you a waist, I love them I love them I love them! I could wax inarticulately rhapsodic about them for hours, but instead I would like to brag on a few of the ones I've designed, including my personal favorite, the Strawberry Dress.

What I love most about this stretchy cotton wonder is not just how cute it is, but also the wearability of it. When I started designing it I was really pining for a good wrap dress that would not fall into that dreaded "old lady dress" trap that so many wraps are prey to. A lot of my customers were pining for something that they could just throw on, preferably in a fun color, and most importantly in a fabric that didn't have to be babied.
I searched online for good polka-dot jersey and came up with this gorgeous mid-weight jersey blend with dime-sized polka dots. After modifying the pattern for the Andrea Dress to include a higher neckline and fuller skirt, I added a ruched keyhole back, closed it with some mother-of-pearl buttons, found a 2-inch contrasting grosgrain sash that could be made into a huge, flattering bow, and Voila! The Strawberry Dress!

Whenever I make a new batch of these dresses for craft fairs, they are usually gone within the first hour. Girls (and ladies) love that the sleeveless design is still wide enough to hide a bra, and that the modified sweetheart neckline is still high enough to prevent any slippage.

The tulip skirt and slightly Mandarin collar also provide enough interesting effects to take this dress from cute to *wow*.

I like making and wearing and sharing this so much that I've decided to put it on my Etsy page, Miss Mignonette, . I hope you'll check it out. It's a very versatile dress - now that I'm moving to a slightly chilly climate (silly SF! Don't you know you're in CALIFORNIA?) I plan to wear mine with a little cardigan and some pearls or one of my necklaces from Luka Designs, and of course some sky-high Minnie Mouse heels with a big bow. What would you wear yours with?

Whoo! Mignonette is on The Street!

Exciting things today!


The article about the Ladies Independent Design League is up on Thestreet.com, and yours truly is on page 2! Check it out here, 'cause it's very exciting to get press always.

Delicious crush on Jewelry By Abby

As you might have noticed, I like shiny things, and I especially like brightly-colored, beautiful, well thought-out shiny things that I can wear. In fact, I have been known to abruptly break off conversations in order to press my face against the windows of certain stores in Soho.

As an unabashed magpie, my jewelry habit has a tendency to become somewhat problematic, so it's always nice when a designer comes along whose work is so well-edited that you cannot make a bad choice. One of my current favorites is Abby Umansky, the designer behind Jewelry By Abby.Abby's pieces go beyond mere bling - she takes into account the healing properties of the stones, the origins of the silver and gold, and the ability of each piece to act as a mood-enhancer (they certainly cheer ME up).

I had the good fortune to do a couple of shows with Abby this Spring, and convinced her to trade a one-off striped jersey halter with ribbon tie for a deep-orange chalcedony collar-style necklace with a delicate gold-chain setting. It is one of my favorite necklaces and leaves the house with me almost every day. Whenever I wear it people ask about it. I wear my chalcedony whenever I need to look more dressed-up; In fact I am wearing it right now and deciding which of Abby's new pieces should become my next all-time favorite. The colors that Abby picks for her jewelry are so vibrant that they look like little fruits piled on her display table; even the metals are unusually bright and shiny and light up your face when you put them on.

Luckily, Abby has also been blessed with a genuinely spot-on sense of what girls want to wear. Invariably she manages to mix findings, stones, and finishes that are the perfect combination of exotic, feminine, and urban, so that you can wear them with jeans or a flirty dress (my personal favorite) and look completely pulled-together. With prices ranging from $50 - $200 for special orders, they are also priced so that you can treat yourself to one (or two) and not feel any guilt.
But, as they used to say on Reading Rainbow - don't take my word for it. You can visit Jewelry by Abby here and pick up an all-time fave for yourself as well.

Stitch Austin Donation = Rad!

Here comes Stitch Austin!
The lovely ladies at the Austin Craft Mafia are once again throwing Stich Austin, the indie fashion and craft extravaganza that takes over Austin for 1 fabulous day every Fall. This year's event is Saturday, November 10th. With a hot haute fashion show and a craft fair featuring hundreds of awesome indie vendors, Stitch is the place to BE. If you can, definitely check it out.
Even if you can't make it, there are tons of ways to participate -
you can donate to the raffle, sponsor the event, give items for the goody bag raffle - including tote bags, which is a great opportunity, or have a segment in the fashion show.

Since I can't be there in person, I donated a Gidget dress to the raffle. If you like it, you can order your own from my "Movin' to SF Sale" on etsy.

Really?

Huh. I just got interviewed by thestreet.com about the Ladies Independent Design League, the indie business networking group I started.
Isn't that a financial website?
When I told my friends who know about these things they freaked out and started talking about "Jim Cramer" and "huge deal on Wall Street" and wandered away looking dazed. That would be an interesting segment of the market. Bring it!

Attn: Indie Designers

Hi, designers! As you can see, I just started this little indie fashion/design blog and I want to review people's work! I'm looking for clothing, jewelry, men's items, tee shirts, pets, baby, and graphic arts. If you're interested, please email me at kkofibru@gmail.com or leave a comment for me on this announcement. My only request is that you link to me once I review you so that we can all start getting lots of clicks and become rich and famous. Or something.
xo
Kpoene'