Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Curator


MY STORY: As some of you may know, this year I transitioned from working in the medical field to the fashion industry. Having Asian parents, they have always wanted me to have a job that is stable and that can provide a good income. It's been a journey these past months for me to strive for what I truly want to do in life, which I came to realize was fashion. It's been around 4 months since I left working at a hospital and started interning at Father's Daughter. My parents kept wanting me to move home and find another job in the medical field until yesterday. I video chatted with my parents and something changed. I'm not exactly sure what, but I got the approval to go to a 2 year fashion design program in LA! I am still in disbelief but I'm also so excited for the path ahead of me!

CURATOR'S STORY: Stacy Rodgers and Deirdre Nagayama are two best friends who started Curator, a women's clothing line, in 2001. Noticing a gap in their closets, they decided to create clothing to fill that hole. Since they design and produce all their pieces in San Francisco, which requires climbing on cutting tables and carrying bolts over their shoulders, they created garments that work with their every day activities. Over the past decade, Stacy and Deirdre built strong relationships with vendors who help them produce quality garments and minimize waste. As for fabrics, they strive to use organic ones whenever possible, such as the organic cotton used in the pantsuit I'm wearing in the photos above. In 2009, they opened a retail store in San Francisco, where you can find one of them designing their next line, assisting customers, and enjoying the company of the dogs in the neighborhood.

Photography by Cat Han (2,3,4) & Cesar Moran (1)

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

E.A.Seawear


MY STORY: When I was growing up, my mom always promoted my sisters and me to be our most natural self. She never wore makeup and always encouraged us to not to because we were already beautiful. Because of this, I feel confident in my bare face and don't feel the need to hide anything. This is not to say I didn't have my phases of insecurity. I did and I put a good amount of makeup on but I've come to realize that for me, the people I surrounded myself with really affected this. I learned to let go of those relationships and now I'm surrounded by a group of loving people that accept me for me. Today, my makeup routine really only consists of sunscreen, brows, and a touch of concealer under my eyes. I do have acne scars on my face but I don't feel the need to cover it because it's a part of me and who I am.

Taking this and applying it to my body, I feel confident in sharing that I do have blemishes, scars, and stretch marks. In the same way as my face, I embrace that they are all a part of me and therefore don't photoshop any of them out. I want to reveal to you only my true self on this platform and hope to encourage you to embrace yourself with all that you are to the world.

E.A.SEAWEAR'S STORY: Eva Swoboda and Anna Berger, a costume designer and communication designer respectively, founded E.A.Seawear, a line of crochet bikinis. The idea was sparked by Anna's mother who came upon an issue of "Brigette," a German woman's magazine, which had instructions on how to crochet a bikini. Her mom crocheted it and to this day it is still in good condition. Because of this incident, Eva and Anna were curious whether cotton crochet bikinis from the sixties could be modernized and if it was possible to find people to crochet today. 

To begin their search, they posted ads in search of people who enjoyed crocheting and formed a group of 20 enthusiastic senior ladies. Many of them were expert crocheters and often crafted socks or mitts for their relatives. Eva, Anna, and the group of ladies met weekly to develop a cut, pattern, and manufacturing instructions. In order to find yarn suitable for swimwear, Eva and Anna searched all over Germany and came across the Institute of Textile Technology in Denkendorf who helped develop their yarn. Today the bikinis are knitted in small mills in Gütersloh, Germany and in Gorzów, Poland. To make it more personal between the customer and crafter, a tag with a photo of the lady who crocheted the bikini along with her name, is attached to the bikini.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Behavior LA

Vintage Top, French Connection Wide Leg Denim, Behavior LA Nona Heels in Marigold

MY STORY: This past Fourth of July was different compared to all the others I've experienced. I spent the day with my boyfriend and his friends barbecuing. I surprisingly have never been to a barbecue on Fourth of July before. In past years, I would usually just hang out during the day and watch the fireworks at night. The gathering we had was pretty low key and chill which I really enjoyed. The day consisted of several trips to different grocery stores, preparing food, barbecuing, and a lot of eating. At the end of the night, we spontaneously decided to go watch the fireworks on a hill where we ended up seeing around 10 different locations setting off fireworks. After that, we went back and had apple pie with ice cream and set off sparklers. It was nice to just spend the day with friends cooking and eating delicious food. 

BEHAVIOR LA'S STORY: Jennifer Kim is the shoe designer of Behavior LA which she started after almost 10 years of designing corporate sportswear and collection apparel. She wanted an outlet to express her personal aesthetic and has always had an affinity for footwear, which is why she decided to launch her brand earlier this year. Jennifer is inspired by architecture and minimal design and is hoping to evolve the heel to make it more interesting. The Nona Heels shown in the photos above have triangular shaped heels which gives it a different look and makes it very comfortable. As for sustainability, the heels are handmade by artisans in Los Angeles. Also, Jennifer desires to create a product that is appreciated for a long time regardless of trend, age, or background. I love this motto in a brand because I usually keep pieces I purchase for a long time.

Until next week,
Sarina

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Jenny Strange

Jenny Strange Hands Off T-Shirt, Vintage Express Skirt, Slides made with Rachel Sees Snails Shoes

MY STORY: Places to go and sites to see in Los Angeles seem to be endless. This past weekend I crossed off another, Spire 73. Spire 73 is a rooftop bar with a stunning view of the LA skyline in the Wilshire Grand building. Since my friends and I went during the weekend of July 4th, we were able to see fireworks on the 73rd floor. Surprisingly, the fireworks looked really small from where we were. I didn't realize that fireworks aren't set off really high. Even then, it was still interesting to see fireworks from such a different perspective. It opened about a week ago, but the line was already a good half hour wait to get in. I definitely want to revisit to watch the sunset!

JENNY STRANGE'S STORY: Jenny Strange decided to start her brand when she felt the desire to create with her hands instead of constantly being on a computer. She has a background in graphic design and is inspired by minimalist art design and architecture to create products from door stoppers to shirts and pins people can use and wear. Not only are her products fun and creative but they're hand drawn, painted, printed, and made in San Francisco, California. I have a soft spot for her designs because they're cute with a dose of humor, Jenny is based in my hometown, and did I mention she's one of the sweetest ladies I've talked to!

Until next week,
Sarina