Wear What When

The Row at Mario’s

The Olsens cited a trip to Seattle among their two inspirations for the spring line. You can see it here, just a few weeks after its New York City debut.

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Oct 25, 2011 at 10:00AM 0 Comments

Would Nick Cave be flattered? A look from the Olsen twin’s spring 2012 collection for the the Row; they say the pieces were inspired, in part, by a trip to Seattle where they saw the artist’s work at SAM.

Last April, the Row designers Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen came to Seattle to plug their other line, Elizabeth James. While they were here, they visited the Nick Cave show at SAM, and inspiration hit.

You’re sharper than I am if you can see the influence in their spring 2012 collection, but then maybe I’m not picking up on it because we haven’t seen the almost all-white pieces in person. Here’s a chance to change that.

The collection will be at Mario’s on Thursday, October 27 from 10 to 5.

Hints: The designers told the press gathered for their September 9 show that the Seattle show made them want “everything to float and breathe, or make a sound even.” Style.com reporter Nicole Phelps noted that “In the stillness of the performance space, the shell buttons densely embellishing a long tank faintly jingled.”

The Olsens’ gorgeous and exclusive designs are worth seeing regardless, but the Seattle connection should make the trunk show all the more fun.

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Tags: Seattle Art Museum, Mario's

Soft Sculpture

New products from Seattle-based Grain Design

Posted by: Laura Cassidy on Apr 02, 2010 at 07:00AM 0 Comments

File under trends I love: accessories made of soft materials like linen thread, pleated ribbon, felted wool, and braided silk. It’s like marrying a Marni necklace to the softest scarf. There are high and low examples, and of course it’s always best if you can find one with a local tie.

The all-cotton “Chi-Chi” necklace shown here was first designed in 2006 in a collaboration with artisans in Guatemala and then-RISD students Chelsea Green, James Minola, and Brit Kleinman. The trio is now the Seattle-based design concern Grain, and they are working with the same Central American artists to produce these pieces. The necklaces are available on Grain’s shop site.

The same collaboration gave way to a collection of coin purse-like bags. Made with upcycled woven vintage textiles turned inside out, the bags are sold at SAM Shop and the artist site.

Both designs benefit 1% For The Planet and create sustainable income opportunities for artisans in Guatemala.

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Tags: new, Seattle Art Museum, Locally Designed, recycled