Bobbin Talk

Happy Valentines!

Valentines can feel like a lot of pressure to be loved or give love...
I just wish you a happy and relaxing day no matter what you do!
Video by Yokoo.
Check out her Etsy shop for some of the coolest hand-knit accessories!

Design with Hokey Croquis

I was recently introduced to the Hockey Croquis sketch pads and they are one of those things that you think: I can't believe nobody has thought of this before. It's always the simple ideas that strike as brilliant. The idea is that all fashion designers develop a sort of a "template" for their own croquis, or a model figure used as a base to design a collection, and this sketchpad gives you a model outline of a body to design on, which disappears when you photocopy the page. Simple and effective. For beginner fashion lovers who are starting to design this is a perfect tool. I personally would go even further and use the body to customize more aspects of it: the face with lips, eyes and make up, maybe a fab hairdo. I would add accessories and draw over the legs and arms to tweak their overall shape. Knowing that the original outlines does not show when photocopied, you really have a lot of freedom to create anything you want and keep the overall body proportions in tact. Some designers like to draw skinnier bodies, other wider shoulders, either way this sketch pad can be used as the starting point for any fashion collection.
Here is what a blank page with the croquis outline looks like:

 
And here is a quick sketch I did, customizing the base figure to my own liking. You can see that I thinned the arms, legs and overall body and created a whole new face, complete with a wild hairdo.

Fashionable Technology - Magnhild Disington

I am a huge fan of any fashionable additions to technology and I do mean truly elegant or plain fun fabulous enhancement. And that's why I love Magnhild Disington's furry objects. You may or may not know that I was one of the first designers who created fashion for technology in the form of leather iPod cases way back when iTunes was taking its baby steps. You can see some objects {HERE}. Having the love for infusing fashion into technology I love seeing the fashionable evolution of memory sticks by Magnhild Disington, who tries to enhance the visual value of technology objects of everyday use.

All photos from ManghildDisington.com. She is a designer currently living in Denmark who graduated from Kolding School of Design in the summer of 2009 with a masters degree in textile design. She experiments with aesthetics and tactility in order to create new identities and tell stories of the relationship of humans and technology. Visit her website for all other projects.

How do you spend your Holidays

I love curling up with a book during a cold winter day, don't you? Lately it's been more of the eReader on my iPhone but I still have a library full of pretty books to look at. I love the idea of binding up all my books in exotic skins, or at least prints of exotic skins. I have a friend that binds all her books in white paper, but then again her whole apartment is white, including her geraniums! Can you believe that? It does look very chic and no she doesn't have a white fluffy cat, wearing diamonds, although that would be quite glamorous! What are you doing during your holiday?

No the pictures are not from my library, they are from the Bergdorf Goodman Holiday windows. Yeahp, I have even more photos of them.

Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Windows '09 - III

This display from the Bergdorf Goodman Holiday windows features some of my favorite dizzifying endless staircases in warm deep tones of brown wood. So mystical. I want to live in a house like that.

Notice how the wooden doll is "playing" a staircase "instrument"! Brilliant

I love the miniature dressed up dolls.
All photos by BobbinTalk

Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Windows '09-Part II

Here is the second window of the Bergdorf Goodman Compendium of Curiosities NYC windows.









Just realized I didn't take a close up of the rabbit in the bottom right part of the window. But I caught the cat peaking from the top left corner. Don't you love that special Cheshire grin :-D

MEND a Life for the Holidays

Even while we are still in an economic slowdown and we have less than last year, most of us still have a much better living conditions and an opportunity to share a good meal and drink with our loved ones. I just wanted to suggest a different kind of gift for the Holidays this season. Take a few minutes to discover MEND and the incredible work they do in Uganda and maybe purchase a bag made by the local women there. MEND offers work to abducted girls and women who managed to returned home but are now rejected by their village. These women proudly create fashionable and functional bags to provide for their families and sew their names in each handmade bag. Take a look at the collection and consider contributing to the Invisible Children program while buying a gift for yourself or a friend.


Marie Havens is one of the driving forces behind this program. A fashion designer and photographer, she has opened her heart and dedicated her life to bettering the lives of Uganda youth. Visit their website, and it will change your life too.
The Invisible Children program implements cutting edge programs on the ground in Uganda. Their staff is 95% Ugandan and they focus on long-term development, working directly with individuals in the war-effected areas. They rebuild schools devastated by war, and benefit over 8,400 Ugandan youth in the areas of water and sanitation, books and equipment, refurbishment of structures, teacher support, and technology and power. They provide 690 scholarships to specifically chosen secondary students and 180 full ride scholarships to University. These  initiatives have allowed villagers to provide for their families like never before.

Hand drawings

ust noticed something kind of strange kind of funny! I've been working on a design project and sketching some handbags by hand, as in pencil touching actual paper, no Photoshop, no pen and tablet business. I guess I've been writing on my computer for so long now {this book project is going to be the end of me} that I caught myself reaching for the keyboard after every few strokes of drawing some "brilliant" lines and trying to "SAVE" my drawing file, but what's even worse is that I try to "apple-Z" or "control-Z for you PC people so I can delete a lousy slip of my hand or an unwanted line. Now I know I can get a touch geeky and sit in front of my computer for hours doing my work, but do I need some kind of learned behavior reversal technique here? Maybe a session of acupuncture could get rid of this AND my addiction to sugar, which I've developed lately. Notice how I don't even think of not sitting in front of my computer screen for endless hours!

Anyway I can't share the sketches I am creating right now since the project is still in development. BUT I'm having a little bit of contract negotiations problems with them and if for any reason I don't get paid for this project I promise to post every single sketch of the handbags I designed here. And they are looking good right now! Since I'm working on an art deco inspired group these two girls felt appropriate to share. They are from my croquis book way back when I was in Parsons!

OutsaPop and a DIY Ruffle Piece

I love OutsaPop's edgy zipper made accessories! She is a crafty fashion addicted girl from Finland. See all the zipper pieces in her flickr set {HERE}

Take a look at her Ruffle Tutorial too. It looks so much fun and it's so easy to make! Check out the full tutorial {HERE}

Her blog about fashion, recycling, sustainability and crafts, called OutsaPop is {HERE}

LVMH Brings Fashion and Music Together

Remember the LVMH Reconstruction project at Parsons {click HERE}? I just got my hands on some photos from Paula Cheng and Shiemi Lim of the deconstructed, edgy dress they created. You can see Violinist Sarah Whitney Law wearing their dress during the Nouveau Classical Project concert at the Parson's Tishman auditorium last month.

 

 

 

Above the designers: Paula Cheng and Shiemi Lim with violinist Sarah Law
Reach them at: paula {at} paulacheng.com and shiemi {at} gmail.com
More info on Paula at:  paulacheng.com 
Nouveau Classical project website is {HERE}