N. A WAY OF LIVING WITH ELEGANCE OR GRACE; IMPECCABLE TASTE
They're the designers, boutiques, and artists who put a twinkle in your eye.
Laurel St. Romain and Christopher C. Garbushian I Love Factory
Adorable duo Christoper Garbushian and Laurel St. Romain joke that they operate like a four-handed industrial machine for I Love Factory, their new line of headpieces. But each painstakingly crafted, fanciful little headdress is one-of-a-kind and already has admirers queuing for the assembly line. Read more
Top of Mind
I Love Factory Hand-Sewn Headgear
If things go your way, tomorrow night you’ll be tossing your hat in the air.
Thereby clearing your head for a little celebration.
And making room for one of I Love Factory’s delectable hand-sewn headdresses. The brand new label, led by two sweet Brooklyn designers, is available online to the city’s foremost hat fanatics.
The twelve millinery delights (all ivory and black) consist of deco headbands, barrettes, and fascinators made from leather and satin — and embellished with guinea hen feathers, taffeta, and pearls.
They’re irresistibly charming ornaments that will grace the face and upgrade any outfit.
Here’s to the season’s top hat.
Available online at ilovefactorybk.com.
Deborah Kaplan and Tiffany Ang Death by Drone
Once in a blue moon, a clothing collection gives us insight into a designer's twisted little mind. We'd love to pick the Wonderland-like brains of Deborah Kaplan and Tiffany Ang to learn the truth about their darkly whimsical, finely fashioned Death by Drone. Read more
To Illustrate the Point
Death by Drone Clothing
Undervalued and laboring in obscurity, the little drone stares down the clock till quitting time.
She’s ready to die of boredom but is saved by one thought: Death by Drone, a local label so new you won’t see it until spring ’09. But a few pieces are on sale at Début, a forward-thinking Nolita boutique showcasing first-timers.
Our girl goes for the dark, fanciful hand illustrations on white dresses, like a balloon-shaped frock called A Moldy Brain Begets a Moldy Tea Cup. Evil Eye Through the Garden of Suffocation takes the cake with a unicorn walking the waistline — its horn dripping red down the skirt. Delicate and bizarre, with Edward Gorey-like ghastliness, it’s one obscure gem.
But before she tries it on, she gets picked off by a deranged shopper.
Death — and dress – becomes her.
Available at Début, 298 Mulberry Street, between Houston and Bleecker Streets (212-343-2717 or debutnewyork.com). To see styles, go to deathbydrone.com.
Julie Thevenot Rabbit on the Run
Bold moves speak to us. Hence our hot, hot heat for NYC-based French artist Julie Thevenot, whose Rabbit on the Run collection features wide-cut silk sheaths printed with gigantic mustaches, Navajo patterns, and gold foil teardrops. Read more
Hare Racing Story
Rabbit on the Run
So what if you like to show a little skin (damnit, you’ve worked for it).
But those hound dogs chase you down the street like a bunny on a mad dash.
Is it a coincidence that you’re wearing something from Rabbit on the Run?
We think not. The tail-wagging first collection from NYC-based French artist Julie Thevenot comprises big, simple cuts in natural materials like silk and organic cotton.
Navajo patterns, bold graphics of mustaches, and hyper-colored prints dominate the line. (Thevenot, who got her diploma from the Arts Decoratifs, has a background in graphic design.) The cheeky motifs and fine fabrication reflect the label’s independent, spontaneous, and defiant personality.
All of which add to the thrill of the chase.
Available at Reed Space, 151 Orchard Street, between Rivington and Stanton Streets (212-253-0588); online at pixiemarket.com. For more information, go to rabbitontherun.com.
