Archives for June 2010

If starting a line weren’t enough madness for this year we had to experience the madness of moving in NYC. We live in the lovely neighborhood of Astoria which is just a short jaunt on the N/Q trains (and the former W- which was discontinue this weekend- we’ll have to discuss the death of NYC subway lines in another post) We’ve also written about the amazing culture that our neighborhood has to offer like Socrates Sculpture park and it’s summer foreign films, the Noguchi Museum, and not to mention the plethora of European style outdoor cafes, fine dining, theaters and shopping nearby, and another New York museum we’ve been waiting to be renovated to visit The Museum of the Moving Image located right next to Kaufman Astoria Studios where a lot of the films made in NYC make a stop.

Anywho, we thought we’d share a bit of our home and studio with you, this is where the designs get dreamt up and initially made before we take them off to the NY garment center to be produced. So as we searched for a new space this spring we wanted to find one with wonderful light, energy, and that could house all of the creative goodness we have going on in design AND in our kitchen. After all home is where the heart is, and our home is unique in that it houses more than just our place of rest but our place of work and play. We hope you like this little sneak peak into our creative world complete with our rambunctious mascot isabela Marchesa III who inspired our Fall/Winter 2010 color story with her pretty palette of ivory, grey, and pale peach, when she’s not dozing on a pile of fabric you will find her contemplating the squirrels and pigeons nesting on the firescape or chasing  her favorite toy affectionately nicknamed “ferret” for it’s long black furry shape.

PS I will be updating this post with a couple more pictures I realized I forgot to get a photo of Mirna the mannequin and other little corners and angles!

In front of Izzy is  a vintage hassock fan that we found on craigslist, it’s a really wonderful piece of unique americana. I think its shape looks like the grill on a vintage automobile! It also cools really a room really nicely by pulling cold air from the floor and directing it upwards with a funnel effect.

Another nice thing about Astoria apartments is that most are pre-war and have beautiful hardwood or parquet flooring. There’s so much more character in these walls and floors.

I have a labeling machine I put to good use! I really like that if people come over they can see what and where things are, and it always seems to lead to conversations. It’s like adding a little viewing glass to what’s inside.

I love blue and white pottery, you’ll find it all around our apt, and I hope to have a whole wall or curio of it one day! Also a pretty blue and white tin that I’ve carried with me since I was a kid houses little bits and bobs.

As you would expect of a fashion designer I collect books on things I love like Lingerie, pin-ups, fashion, and in the image above is a prized book on Vionette. i found it in a used bookstore and since it has been out of print for a while and in high demand I was almost jumping up and down when I found it! Also in the image is a vintage bra I purchased at one of the vintage shows I attended this winter. I like having things with character around, even if they don’t specifically inspire a design I enjoy being surrounded by beautiful things.