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.
Carmelita Martell Carmelita Couture
Fashion designer Carmelita Martell's line is inspired by contemporary art, vintage fabrics, and global trends; the colorful, flirty designs are bound to make you stand out in a crowd. Read more
Carmelita Hold Me Tighter
Carmelita Couture Dresses
There are plenty of ways to stand out. You can wear a wig or rock a mustache, but take it off and you’re the same as everyone else.
Unless you’re wearing vibrant Carmelita Couture by recent Miami transplant Carmelita Martell.
The brightly hued dresses are inspired by the designer’s global take on fashion: She combines elements from Tokyo’s avant-garde fashion scene with vintage patterns. Our favorites are the sexy green silk number with a ’70s vibe (it hits midthigh and has a cutout at the neck, leaving just enough to the imagination) and a ’60s wrap dress with ruffles around the neck in a bold orange, yellow, and brown print.
And no matter how you wear them, they won’t be wearing you.
Available at Grasshopper, 727 Walnut Street (215-925-3959). To see styles, go to carmelitacouture.com.
Lucinda Traske Churches
Lucinda Trask honed her patternmaking skills in Italy and applied her knowledge to her debut line, Churches. She's an expert at creating artful, flattering clothes with broad appeal. Read more
Religious Experience
Churches Clothing
You know what made us freak out recently? Churches.
Not the ones you pray in (your spiritual lives aren’t our business). The one you wear out.
Local designer Lucinda Trask created a line of silk, spandex, and leather dresses, pants, skirts, and tops that — fabric choices notwithstanding — are remarkably wearable.
Trask makes clothing for everyone from fly girls and bike chicks to her mom. The fabrics are preshrunk, so you can throw them in the wash (except for the leather). We went loco for the billowy blue silk dress and the sweet striped tank with a placket of buttons at the chest.
Just call us disciples.
Available at Topstitch, 311 Market Street, second floor (215-238-8877).
Dave Laverdure P.I.M.P.
Costume designer Dave Laverdure fell in love with spandex while making garb for his dance troupe. Now he's turning out flashy custom accessories that are the perfect accents to any party outfit. Read more
Fits Like a Glove
Party in My Pocket Spandex Accessories
One size doesn’t fit all (the XL Trojans in your nightstand). When you need something that really fits, call designer Dave Laverdure.
Sadly, he doesn’t customize jimmy hats. But he does make Party in My Pocket (P.I.M.P., get it?) spandex accessories like fingerless gloves, armbands, and sparkly tights. (Oh, yes, you do need them.)
Styles are custom-made to your specifications. And since he designs to a ’70s disco soundtrack, collaborating with him is a party in itself.
His creations are kooky little artworks with titles like Care Bear Special (a flurry of rainbow hearts) and Andes Mint Giraffe (swirls of icy green and chocolate brown). They take an outfit from boring to boo-yah in a few seconds.
With Party in My Pocket, you’ll always be prepared.
Party in My Pocket (267-298-7953 or davidhenrilaverdure@gmail.com).
