digging the new limited edition SS14 range by artist Doug Johnston. i blogged about his beautiful bags last year, and i am still completely enamoured by his work – especially this wonderfully colourful new range. that yellow bag is first prize.
Doug Johnston’s work includes art, design, architecture and music, utilizing and exploring a variety of mediums and methods such as installation, fiber art, sculpture, photography, and collaborative performance. Since 2010 he has focused on a process of coiling and stitching rope into a variety of functional and sculptural objects.
i love these pink pink pink leather bags by Mum & Co. so lush. the story behind these delightful bags is very sweet, go read it here, but in short – Mum & Co is a family business (as you might expect from the name) made up of two stylish daughters and one very talented mom, to be exact.
Somewhere after hours, in her spare time, in the afternoons she would draw, watch things on the Internet. Quietly, so that nobody could see, she would choose pieces of leather carefully, comparing the colors in the light of a cloudless day. Later came the time for the lining – the right one, the only one. Then came the threads, the cord, the strap, and the metal clips. While the rest of the family was gone, she dusted off the old Singer hidden in the attic. Putting her heart into it, and the innate attention to the smallest detail, mum immersed herself in moments of complete silence in front of the sewing machine. Listening to the soothing rumble, she measured, cut, and sew. And sew. And sew…
Building Block just released their SS14 bag collection and it is, as expected, just wonderful. i would have loved to see some brown leather options (like some of their previous collections) but there is something so slick about these simple black leather pieces against the stark architectural backdrops, and that fashionable model. sigh, can’t wait to wear boots again.
i was just talking about bags today, in a conversation with a bestie, and we were discussing what we like and don’t like – how hard it is to find THAT BAG that you love. how, often, all bags just kinda start looking the same and you feel sorta meh by what’s out there. or, they are pretty ordinary and normal – yet super expensive. sometimes you find that sweet spot of a beautiful, individual bag that not every lady on the planet owns, AND that’s not going to set you back a month’s salary.
i am a bit of a tart for a good bag, as you might have noticed. so when i was contacted by Sonia Scarr, who hand makes every single one of her beautiful creations – i thought to myself, “sweet spot”. Love Dart is the name, remember it.
What began as a blog of craft explorations has evolved into a line of handcrafted leather goods and accessories designed and hand-stitched by Sonia. No machines are used in the construction of these goods—we believe hand-crafting creates an intimacy between maker, product, and customer that cannot be found in mass-manufacturing.
i have been so excited to write this post because it has been weeks (months?) in the making. i first met Neira Zahirovic last year through my husband Anton (he works with her significant other Adrian) and she had been developing a range of bags whose journey i had eagerly been following on Instagram.
Neira is a stylist & wardrobe designer working in Cape Town, and she told me that the idea for the bags came out of the need for and love of a perfect bag – one you could sling on her shoulder, but the straps would be just the right length for digging around in when you’re on the go, the interior would be white so you could actually SEE your keys (genius), you can just give it a wipe in case anything accidentally spills in there (perhaps the bottle of wine you’re carrying to the beach for sundowners?) you could basically carry your world in it, and everything would be okay. and so MOMO was born.
MOMO is an expression of fun and lightness. It’s channeled into whatever captures our imagination and expresses the mood we love – a mood that takes its cue from the colourful, sportif elegance best embodied by the late 80’s. Our first adventure is the Momo “Bag of Paradise” and MomoRomo sandal with MomoJumps (A classic Esprit-Style Jumpsuit) to follow. We encourage a ‘joie de vivre’ approach to fashion that is rooted in sustainability. The notion of classic pieces that are never trend orientated but speak rather of a deeper attachment to a particular sensibility. It is for this reason that our current range of products, as well as those to come, are never seasonal and, as time goes only subject to play and innovation.
i attended a soft launch at the end of last year and picked out my own yellow MOMO, which you may have spotted on Instagram. i’m betting that i am going to be seeing a lot of MOMOs around Cape Town this year. you can contact Neira or Donnet on info@momojumps.com to find out more, or visit their online shop.
i discovered The Stowe while browsing Craft & Culture, who are one of my sponsors – please have a gander on the right and support these amazing shops! designer Molly Spittal makes my kinda bags: simple, functional, leather, and with minimal hardware and detailing. this was the kind of bag that i was looking for in NYC, but in the end i got a beautiful Clare Vivier messenger (which i am not complaining about). if i was on the market for a new bag i would certainly be considering The Stowe. you can buy them at their online shop or through Craft & Culture.
The Stowe began out of a desire to produce beautiful, functional accessories. Using carefully selected materials sourced in North America, the Montréal-based studio designs products to compliment one’s life. Each hand-made item reflects the values of traditional craftsmanship and classic design.
since i asked you what you carry in your bag for the Of a Kind giveaway i thought i’d share the story of Mijlo, who are currently running a kickstarter to bring you A Better Backpack – a premium backpack that’s “built to last a lifetime”.
In recent years, fashion retailers have been moving designs from the runway to the rack faster than ever before – feeding a fashion cycle that appears to have no end in sight. At MIJLO, we believe that fashion doesn’t have to be fast, or disposable, or temporary. We believe it should begin and end with a classic collection of well-designed essentials. And we’re starting that collection with a backpack – A Better Backpack. Since we believe a product’s lifespan should be as timeless as its design – simplicity and sustainability were an integral part of our design process.
the video below describes the project better than i could in a few words, so watch it! one of the cool things i love about the backpack, besides the fact that it’s beautifully minimal in design and can be used by girls and guys, is that it has a built in padded compartment for your laptop. plus it’s waterproof. so for clumsy people like me that’s basically a lifesaver.
MIJLO asked 100 creatives what to take photos of their essentials, a collection of items they can’t live without. below are some of my favourites, but you can see all of the essentials here. these days the items i find in my bag, besides the usual emergency makeup kit, are things like handcream and baby wipes… i think i am turning into my mom.
perhaps you can tell that i kind of have a thing for the awesomeOf a Kind, this is our fourth giveaway together! i’m always excited to see what amazing new edition they are going to release next (currently eyeballing these earrings). and even more exciting, they have just launched Of a Kind Collections, where you can shop pieces from the full collections of designers they’ve worked with – including Ace & Jig, Dusen Dusen, Eayrslee, and K/LLER COLLECTION.
This is one of those bags that is almost too good for words. Made from sturdy blue-gray leather in a classic, flap-front shape, it has the sort of details—white edges, lime lining—that’ll make you wanna carry it always. But if you DO want to switch things up, you can snap out its lining and move the entire contents to another carryall.
you might say that Joy is a bit of a bag expert, as she used to design accessories for Coach, Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs before starting her own label. you can read all about what she keeps in her own bag here, and don’t miss her food guide to Tribeca - i wish i’d had this in my back pocket on our recent trip to NYC. to enter:
if you’ve already subscribed to their newsletter you’re still guaranteed an entry – just be sure to leave a comment!the giveaway is open to anyone anywhere in the world as Of a Kind offers international shipping. readers outside the US must please note that you may be subject to your country’s customs charges / import duties upon arrival. the giveaway ends on Monday 18 November, and the winner will be randomly selected in a lucky draw.
