Matine

Vintage Shirt and Pants, Matine Smith Large Clutch in Sienna, Nisolo Mariella Mule in Black

MY STORY: I returned from my work trip to New York last week. As I mentioned in a previous post, I went for a trade show called Coterie. For those of you who don't know (this was me a few weeks ago), a trade show is where brands set up a booth with their spring or fall collection (depending on when the trade show takes place) and buyers from department stores to boutiques go see the collection, place orders, and/or discover new brands. Many large, well-known brands attend Coterie but there are also smaller ones as well.

Coterie started on Sunday so we arrived in New York on Saturday to prepare the booth. The next three days we saw returning and new faces (they were all new for me since it was my first time) of buyers who wanted to see the spring '18 collection. Many of them put in their orders which made us happy to see since we put a lot of time into creating it. For me, it was interesting to see how each buyer knew exactly what their customer would or wouldn't wear. I also had the chance to walk around the show to see all the booths. It was exciting to see many brands I recognized and how they chose to display their booth and collection. Overall, I am grateful to have had the chance to experience a trade show, learn more about the industry, and explore New York in my time off.

MATINE'S STORY: Carolyn Misterek is the founder and designer of Matine, a minimal leather goods brand which embraces imperfections. This may sound contradictory but Matine strives to eliminate excess by hand crafting natural leather hides, including ones with scars, into products that are simple. This mirrors reality by exuding simplicity yet embracing the messiness of life. Carolyn started Matine in 2012 with a few pieces of leather and her home sewing machine. She was working as a full-time digital designer but felt the urge to create something with all the ideas going through her mind. She created her first pieces, recruited her friends as models, took photos for a lookbook and Matine was born. As Matine has grown over the years, they continue to stay committed to hand-crafted products responsibly made in their Washington, D.C. studio or manufactured in small batches in Portland, OR.

Marie Hell

Marie Hell Pro Dress in Camel, Adelante Shoe Co. The Cordoba Sandal in Caramel

MY STORY: This past Labor Day, Jenny, Cat, and I took a road trip to Santa Barbara for a change of scenery and a new perspective. It was the pivoting point as we all continue our journeys to becoming who we want to be. The first place we visited was The French Press. Jenny and Cat run a coffee blog covering smaller local coffee shops, so it was a given coffee would be our first place to visit. After this rest stop, we went on to a full day of shooting photos. We ended up taking photos around State Street, the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, and the Four Seasons resort. All of these locations were beautiful as we were surrounded by Spanish architecture. After visiting these locations, we were exhausted and took the time to just sit and watch the waves roll by on Butterfly Beach. In reflection, I am extremely grateful to have amazing friends like Jenny and Cat to do life with. I am a bit disheartened that we won't be hanging out as often, but I am also looking forward to seeing what God has in store for all of us.

MARIE HELL'S STORY: Marie Hell is a sustainable, high-quality, minimalistic women's line started by Eileen Mendel. Eileen wanted to create pieces that women with any body type and age would be able to wear for all occasions, from bike rides to the opera in the evening. She spent a year perfecting the fit and used women off the streets as her fit models. Another year was spent looking for the right fabric and testing the wearability and washability of the pieces. The fabrics are sourced from a third-generation family owned and operated mill, which is one of the few remaining mills in the United States. The fabric is woven in California and made from all natural fibers. The pieces are eco-friendly and completely biodegradable because they are dyed use the Bluesign-certified dyeing process. All of the sewing is done in New York at Destiny Designs, which is a women owned and operated business. Marie Hells pieces are machine washable and made to last with double stitched seams. Through this entire process, Marie Hell is part of the slow fashion movement committed to ethical sourcing and manufacturing.

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY CAT HAN.

This post was made in collaboration with Marie Hell.

Adelante Shoe Co.

Vintage top and linen pants, Adelante Shoe Co. The Cordoba Sandal in Caramel

MY STORY: For a while I felt that there was a lull in my life. I didn't feel like I was growing to become who I wanted to be. I was learning but I didn't feel like I was learning enough to get where I wanted to. With the start of the school year and also working, my life feels drastically busy and the lull has been lifted. It's interesting how often times I want what I don't have. This time, I'm trying to take in all the opportunities that are happening and enjoy this time of growth and learning. I feel that this busy time is challenging me to become that person I want to be with the experience and skills I want to gain.

A few of these opportunities include going to Coterie in New York, collaborating to create patterns with a brand, and also the chance to work with many sustainable and ethical brands. In the past week, I found out I was going to New York this Friday. The other time I visited, it was a few years back and only for a day so I really didn't get to explore too much. This time I will be working 3 out of the 5 days I am there. I am really excited to explore on my time off and also experience a trade show for my first time! As for the collaborations, I will keep you updated in my future posts!

ADELANTE SHOE CO.'S STORY: Peter Sacco founded Adelante Shoe Co., which offers 100% quality leather handcrafted shoes with modern classic silhouettes. They use stacked leather for the base of their shoes, which is the most expensive and quality type to use. The shoes are made by Latin American craftsmen and women in their homes or their shops in Guatemala. They are paid for themselves and their families to live comfortably, which is well above the minimum and fair trade wage. Adelante Shoe Co. is transparent with how much their shoes actually cost with a break down of how much money goes to each operation of the business diagrammed on their website. What I love most about Adelante Shoe Co. is that the shoes are made to order and they offer free customizations with color variations and heel heights. For my pair of sandals, I chose a caramel color and added 1/4" to the heel to give a bit more height. They also have the most comfortable footbed for a sandal which is why I've been wearing them every day since I received them!

Georgette Crimson

Georgette Crimson Kiki Wrap Dress in Pacific Blue, Vintage Box Purse, Zou Xou Belu Pump in Sand Suede

MY STORY: This past week I started my clothing construction and history of costume classes. In my clothing construction class, we are learning the basics of sewing and transitioning to making miniature clothing. Taking pattern making and draping classes during the summer session was really helpful since I became acquainted to using the industrial sewing machine then. As for my history of costume class, I've never been a big fan of history classes in general, making it a bit more difficult for me to be interested in the topic. I do feel that I will learn to like this class because it is fashion focused and offers information that I can draw on in the long run.

Starting classes was a tough transition from waking up whenever I wanted to back home in San Francisco for a week, to getting to class by 7am. I am also working after my classes everyday so I do feel a lot busier now. In all of this, I feel grateful for this opportunity to learn what I am passionate about and also be blessed with a flexible job that works with my school schedule and most importantly, that I enjoy.

GEORGETTE CRIMSON'S STORY: Tina Reith is the founder of Georgette Crimson which offers feminine, playful apparel and accessories. Tina's pieces are timeless and have a West Coast feel to it. How the name Georgette Crimson came about is broken into two parts. Georgette is a name Tina has always loved, while also being a fun and lightweight fabric. Crimson comes from a rock band named King Crimson and the word is also a symbol for love. Georgette Crimson's apparel is made sustainably with both new, environmentally friendly materials and luxury repurposed fabrics. Their handbags are made with the finest quality leather in order for each piece to beautify with age. Everything from Georgette Crimson is crafted by local artisans in Los Angeles, where Tina is based. I love the color and feminine touch of the ruffle sleeves on the Kiki dress. The best part is that it has deep pockets too!