Posts Tagged ‘fashion’

I don’t think it is a coincidence that we are seeing a plethora of monotone-style designs over the last few years. Simplicity, depression-era styles, a harkening back to our comfort points, denim, cotton, blues faded.  All reminiscent of hard work, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, a more wholesome time.

What is the recession teaching us?  We don’t need as much stuff, flash, we can recycle, reuse, scale back.  Ralph Lauren is at the forefront of this movement. When watching his Spring 2010 fashion show last fall I saw uniquely American themes emerge.  It was a reminder that we can be as resilient as our grandparents.  That denim is yummy again.

And this seems to be the design that has emerged out of forced budget cuts, looking to save money in any way possible.  Orange on orange, green on green, different shades of gray.  All of this means a 2 color process when printing, instead of a 4 color process.  It means adaptability.  I find I am most creative when I am told to come up with something but I have to abide by major constrictions.  This is how inventions are born and great ideas come alive.

In the crowded world of jewelry and crafting, differentiation is key.  It seems like jewelry designers are a dime a dozen…and let’s face it, there’s a lot of crap thrown in the mix.  Today’s favorite woman-owned business, however, manages to stand out from the crowd with some awesome branding and a real quality product.

EveAndOdd Designs is the brainchild of Olivia McPherson, a brassy, sassy scientist living in Cambridge, Mass.  She creates these clever earrings in her gorgeous studio and really puts some thought and intention into every pair of earrings.  I have four pairs of hers now, which are set to “heavy” in my earring rotation.  They’re the perfect weight, hang beautifully, and are a conversation piece wherever I go.

One thing I love about Olivia’s branding is her product descriptions.  She thinks long and hard about each piece, names it, and carefully photographs it.  The presentation when you get the piece in the mail is breathtaking, and the price is right…a nice splurge item that won’t break the bank in a teetering economy.