It's funny how something so simple can be so appealing! The movement and colors in these ribbons of paint by James Nares are just so eye-catching! It makes me want to go put paint ribbons all across the walls of my apartment... I don't think my landlord would appreciate that so much though...
Via Fffffound.
Our intrepid Art Director, Doub, recently returned from a business trip to London. While she was there, whenever she was walking on the street, she took pictures of cute girls that she saw! There were quite a few really lovely girls, too many to post all at once! Here is the first sampling... I'm loving all the floral prints!
How cool are these drawings by Cheeming Boey?! Aside from that they are all drawn on styrofoam cups, I really like the style of the drawings, and all the little details! Cheeming's site is cool, but don't miss his huge and amazing photostream, since it has tons of his cups on there!
Via Boooooom.
This video is completely awesome. It's made up of something like 35,000 photographs, and is a mix of stop motion and live projection mapping techniques. It takes about a minute to get really good, but after that - wow. I need some tights that light up like that. And a house that lights up like that too.
SCINTILLATION from Xavier Chassaing on Vimeo.
P.S. the song is by Fedaden.
I am really enjoying all the rainbow colors in Scott Hansen's work - not to mention the subject matter. Bears? Deer? Yes, please! Be sure to check out his site - besides his portfolio and blog, he has a fun music playlist posted as well!
Via Design Crisis.
Happy Thursday! It's poll time!
Last week we looked at the Studded Cuff Thermal top, and it was a close vote, with the Wine Wash color beating out the Charcoal color by only 19 votes!
It seems kind of early to be thinking about autumn, but just like there are already back-to-school sale advertisements on the television, we already have really cute blazers for when the weather cools down! Of course I have been browsing them, and I want to know which styles appeal to you the most! Here is a sampling of our blazers below...
First up, the Studded Stripe Blazer in Charcoal!
Next check out the Plaid Cascading Blazer, shown here in Red Plaid.
Here we have the Black Sequin Blazer!
Next up is the Lacey Boyfriend Blazer in Burgundy.
Finally, here is the Knit Mandarin Collar Blazer in Oatmeal Heather.
So which of these blazers do you like the most?
Ah! This swimsuit cover-up is so cute! I want one! And I can have one, because happily, Creative Kismet has very detailed and easy DIY instructions so that we can all make one! Check out the tutorial here.
I have posted about Tim Walker's fashion photography in the past, but Andrea Galvani's lovely photos yesterday really put us in the mood for more, both from Andrea and Tim!
All the photos above are by Tim Walker. I love them so much! We all do - his work is a source of inspiration for all of us at FP! These shots are from a really great book of Tim's work called I Love Pictures. The book is very hard to come by these days, but we are really lucky in that our Art Director has a copy that we can all pour over from time to time! See more of Tim's work on his website, and don't miss our previous Tim Walker post either!
Our Art Director, Doub, has been collecting things that are red for inspiration right now. Above are her collages so far... I really like the visual appeal of looking at all the red things next to each other! Do you guys ever collect things for inspiration?
First, I want to thank all of you so so much for your input! Your opinions are what we are interested in, and all of your thoughts are going to be so helpful as we create more videos! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer!
And now, for the 10 commenters, chosen at random, who will receive a gift card!
Please note I have already emailed the winners, so if you have the same name as one of the winners, check your email to be sure!
Rachel
Tessa
Kait
Jill B
J
Courtney
Eva
Toya
Fiona
Katie
Normally I would post the comments along with them, but since they are nice and long, (he he!) I figured I'd leave them out just this time!
If you didn't happen to have your comment chosen this time, stay tuned! We have some really cool giveaways on the horizon!
Thank you again for all your participation! We appreciate it so very much!
This is a really unusual residential home in Bangalore, India, designed by Cadence. The walls are concrete, and as you can see, perforated with shapes that look kind of like leaves, bringing the outside in. I can't help but wonder if it has any other windows (I would hope!) but I do really like the way the sunlight pokes through the "leaves" and onto the walls inside!
Via CoolBoom.
We're loving these inspiring shots of model Erin Wasson lately! What's funny is that we have the magazine right here, but we simply cannot figure out the title of the magazine! We've looked all through it and there's no title, nothing in the contents even. What kind of magazine doesn't let you know what you're reading? Apparently, ones with fabulous pictures of Erin Wasson in them. Ha ha!
There is something very arresting about these photographs, don't you think? They're by Italian photographer Andrea Galvani, who is also a Photography Professor at the Accademia Carrara di Belle Arti di Bergamo. Something about the horse photos in particular put me in mind of Tim Walker, but maybe with muted colors. Do you see it too?
Seen on DesignCrisis.
I really like the look of these dark new prints from Jason Asato's series Ridonkulous. Check out more on his site!
Hey everyone - we need your opinions! We would love your input on our videos, and if you help us out, you could win a $5 Free People gift card!
All you have to do is head over to our YouTube channel and look around, and then leave a comment on this post answering two questions:
1 - Which of our videos do you like the best?
2- What sorts of videos would you like to see us make?
Many of our videos were created as a result of suggestions from our customers - we want to know what you like!
Tomorrow, at about this time, we will close up the comments and choose 10 comments at random. If your comment is one of those chosen, we'll send you a $5 FP gift card! It's that easy!
Thank you so much for your help!
Recently our Web Operations Manager, Heather, helped to organize a really fun event here in Philly, the Independance Day Scooter Rally! It lasts for a whole weekend, and this year was very successful, with over 150 people who showed up from all over- two ladies even came all the way from Oklahoma! Heather kindly shared a few really cool pictures from the rally, check them out!
Scooters under the El
By Damon.
Sweet Pink Scooter
By Damon.
Late night ride to get some cheesesteaks at Pat's
By Mike Scott.
Leaving for the ride to Fort Mifflin
By Mike Scott.
Vintage Vespas
By Joy Moody.
Saturday Night in the Italian Market.
By Spoffy.
Wow! How bad do you want that green scooter?! (SO bad over here!)
I'm loving these surreal gouache and watercolor illustrations by Ramis Kim! There were so many gorgeous and colorful pieces on her site I had trouble picking a few to show you!
Via Penguin & Fish.
These soft photographs are from Joyce Tenneson's series Intimacy. This is such a wonderful way to photograph flowers - I love it!
Via Dear Ada.
I think you all will love this wonderful time-lapse video by Caitlin Parker!
This is a time lapse video in progress. I am an artist. I built this dollhouse and put it in my yard. I planted North East Native plants in and around the house. A hunting camera/motion camera is set up to take stills of the house as it evolves, decays from weather, and as animals wander through. This is ongoing- so far only two and half months have been documented. I plan on one year, to watch the seasons change...
Let the Outside In from Caitlin Parker on Vimeo.
I'm feeling so inspired by these pretty rolled bird books! Anyone know anything about their creator?
Sarah Cain uses everything from fabric to tinfoil to paint on these interesting mixed media pieces! I love the shapes and colors, don't you? See more of her work here and here!
Via Dear Ada.
What is your job here at FP?
I am an intern with the visuals team
What is your current state of mind?
Happy and excited
Who are your heroes?
Hugh Laurie, my Dad, and Allen Ginsberg
If you could choose what to come back to life as, what would you be?
A whale
What or who is your greatest love?
I love french fries
Name one thing necessary to your happiness.
Time to watch mystery movies with my Dad
What do you hate the most?
When people don't use their turn signals
What would the name of your band be and what genre? What instrument do you play in this band?
My band would be called Sports and we would be Indie noise rock. I would play the keyboards & sing
What color are you?
Forrest green
What is your motto?
I can do whatever I want!
Ieva Laurina's hammock is too dreamy! I would love to be that girl relaxing on it... These pictures are from a preview of her work to go in the Lódz Design Festival in Poland this coming October- this hammock is titled Nest Hammock.
Via Moco Loco.
How cool are these custom-made leaf portraits by Jenny Lee Fowler?! Such a clever idea to use leaves!
Via SwissMiss.
This video is a really neat paper animation, directed by Makoto Yabuki. Supposedly it represents thinking outside the box, and an artist getting inspiration - I just wish that papers would react like this when I draw!
White Box from makoto yabuki on Vimeo.
These pretty jellyfish are all made from PET plastic bottles! I love that this art recycles, on top of which, the jellyfish are so delicate and pretty! Here's a little note from the creator, Miwa Koizumi:
I love the idea of using liquid containers to make water animals. Contained/containing, trash/not-trash, like the jelly-fish or anemone: Living/non-living
And I wanted some pets...
Cute!
Via NotCot.
This video makes me want to go to the aquarium right now! It was shot by Jon Rawlinson at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan. This particular tank is the second largest aquarium tank in the world! How fun would it be to be that scuba diver at the bottom...
Via Now Voyager.
P.S. The fullscreen version is pretty rocking.
I love the beautiful details in these pieces by Fuco Ueda! They come off like very vivid dream worlds! Don't miss Fuco's website.
This projection on the side of a building by UrbanScreen is completely awesome! It's called How it would be, if a house was dreaming. Mesmerizing!
555 KUBIK | facade projection | from urbanscreen on Vimeo.
Via Dangerous Minds.
If you are in the Chicago area this weekend, you should check out the Wicker Park Festival going on this Saturday and Sunday! This a cool music and arts festival that the Wicker Park & Bucktown area put on every year, with this year's festival including something like 40 musicians! It starts tomorrow at 12pm, and runs through Sunday evening! Located at the intersection of Milwaukee & North Streets, it'll be right across the street from our Free People store and our We The Free store! The word is that those stores will be having a big sale this weekend as well! Check out this site or this site for all the details!
Saturday July 25th & Sunday July 26th, 12pm-10pm
Milwaukee at North Street
Chicago IL
Special thanks to commenter Caroline for the heads-up!
I'm really liking these mixed-media illustrations by Ontario College of Art and Design graduate Miki Sato! Don't miss her Flickr photostream and her cute blog!
Via Share Some Candy.
I can't believe all the great musicians that are playing in Camden this weekend! The XPoNential Music Festival is taking place at Wiggins Park on the Camden, New Jersey waterfront, starting today at 4pm through this Sunday! Definitely look into it if you are in the Philadelphia/Camden area, because from the looks of that list of musicians, this is going to be an awesome festival!
Today! July 24th through Sunday July 26th
Wiggins Park
Camden, NJ
I love the bohemian look of these pictures! I would love to hang out in a room like that, and wearing those clothes! We pulled them a while ago for inspiration, but now no one can remember where they came from! Do any of you know?
These ball-point pen drawings by Anna Emilia Laitinen are really impressive! I can hardly believe they were done with ball-point pen! Amazing... More here.
Via Love Forever.
Yeah! It's poll time!
The winner of last week's poll on mini skirts was decidedly the Tiered Denim Ruffle Mini, with a total of 174 votes!
This week I am really excited to ask you all about the Studded Cuff Thermal Top that recently came out. I've got to confess, I am extra-excited for this top because it comes in an XL! We've started making just a few tops that come in a size XL, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we will add more styles in XL! Adding to that, this top comes in quite a few different colors, which is always great, and I'm wondering which color you guys will think is the best!
First, check out the top in charcoal.
Next, here's the top in melon!
Shown here is the top in white.
Next up is the top in teal.
Finally, check out the top in wine wash.
What do you guys think? Which color is the best?
Valerie Molnar's work with knitting and color is really interesting! I like that it throws my eye off for a moment, and makes me think! Check out more here.
Ever wanted to have hair that looks like you played in the ocean all day, but you didn't have easy access to the beach? Problem solved, thanks to our stylist Wesley! Watch as he shows how to create the perfect beach hair, without the beach!
Don't forget to check out our video that shows how to make pretty hair wraps as well - it would be the perfect addition to wavy beachy hair!
The colors in these pieces by Cahil Muraghu are just the thing to liven up the morning! I love it!
Remember when we had our open-model casting in New York a couple of weeks ago? Well our Assistant Art Director Carrie has put together this really cool video montage of the casting! Check it out!
To achieve that hazy layered look, Brooks Salzwedel uses multiple layers of graphite, tape and resin in his work. I like how the pieces seem so still, yet they are kind of unsettling. Check out more of his work here.
Via The Best Part.
As I'm sure many of you know, there was a solar eclipse today, which was visible to a lot of Asia. The always spectacular Big Picture photo blog by Boston.com has a wonderful post of images from the eclipse. The images above are from that post - aren't they great?! The eclipse itself is so amazing, but I think my favorite pictures are the ones of people looking at the eclipse. Check out the post here - it's worth it!
We are obsessing over this editorial from H&M Magazine! The pictures, shot by Camilla Åkrans, are so light and airy and warm! Perfect for summer. Also, you might recognize the model, Anne V, from our April catalog. See the rest of this inspiring set at Fashion Gone Rogue!
Who can't use a little positive encouragement each day? A group of five blogs, Kind Over Matter, Magpie Girl, Joy Rebel, Jamie Ridler, and Mirkwood Designs, got together and created this little set of daily affirmations with a cute box to keep them in! The idea is that you read one each day for a little inspiration! Best of all, they have put the pattern for the box and all the affirmation circles on the web so that we can make our own set! Click here to be taken to where you can download the patterns!
This charming work is by Brooklyn-based illustrator Aleks Sennwald. I stumbled upon her work on Share Some Candy, and now I can't get enough! I love the way she draws animals- though the woman in the picture at the top is really engaging too! Aside from her website, Aleks also has a blog which showcases her work, and other things.
If you're looking for something to do in New York City tonight, check out the The Phenomenal Handclap Band at Joe's Pub! They're the first band I've been tempted to call "funky" or "groovy" in a long time! They've got a fun mellow sound with dance-y beats!
9:30pm tonight
Joe's Pub
425 Lafayette Street
New York, New York
I love this set of lids! Jack Bresnahan showed these lids at the New Designers graduate show in London recently. There are nine lids in total, and they are made of bio-degradable plastic! I really love that the lids can help you take something that is thrown out all the time and make it into something very useful!
Via Dezeen.
You might remember when I mentioned that there was a really cool event this past weekend in Space 1520 by our Hollywood We The Free store. Lauren Dukoff had a special opening party for her new book Family, and Devendra Banhart played a special set! I missed it, being on the opposite coast, but our Store Manager Carla sent me some wonderful photos taken during the event by Sonny Gerasimowicz.
This is a signed copy of Lauren's book! It features portraits of many amazing folk and indie musicians, including Devendra, naturally!
Here everyone is waiting around for the show to start!
Devendra is getting ready to go on... He sure is a cutie!
Devendra is about to go up and everyone is getting psyched! Also, on the left you can almost see the front of the We The Free store - there's a guy peeking inside! Hope he likes what he sees!
The show begins!
Everyone loves it!
Our Managers-in-Training, Antonella and Laura, are huge Devendra fans, and they watched the show from the store garage. They look so pretty!
Thank you for the fabulous pictures Carla!
These fun creations are giving me a little inspiration this morning! They're by Australian illustrator Kareena Zerefos. The girl at the top is just so beautiful - but I think my favorite might be the owl, because of his wonderful colors!
Via Booooooom.
I am amazed at the detail of Amanda Michelle Smith's ceramic work. The way she draws is also really appealing! Check out this post on If The Birds Knew and click the pictures to see much bigger photos, and more of Amanda's work! Seriously, do it! The bigger pictures do more justice to the work - the little intricacies are really great!
Part of what makes these paintings so dreamy and luminous is that they are painted on convex metal rounds. I love the subjects of the paintings, the natural patterns and plants, and I love the colors too! Yvette Molina uses layers and layers of oil paint and many transparent glazes to achieve that certain glow. Check out her site if you want to learn more about her!
Via Happenstand.
What is your job here at FP?
Store Operations Intern
What is your current state of mind?
happy - motivated
Who are your heroes?
my dad & my mom
If you could choose what to come back to life as, what would you be?
my dog Tess, she is so spoiled :)
What or who is your greatest love?
my family & the beach [both together]
Name one thing necessary to your happiness.
lots of people, being w/ family & friends
What do you hate the most?
Liars & people who chew gum loudly
What would the name of your band be and what genre? What instrument do you play in this band?
Beachybabes - beach music, I'd want to play bongos
What color are you?
Neon Pink
What is your motto?
SMILE
There is an amazing exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City right now by artist Song Dong.
Song Dong's mother spent her entire life hoarding anything that she got her hands on, and refused to ever throw anything away. All her life she lived in a tiny house packed full with every kind of odd and end you can imagine. Shortly before she died, Song was able to convince her to allow him to clean out the house and use the contents as an exhibition. The exhibition is called Waste Not, and essentially it is all of his mother's possessions, laid out and organized. The huge mass of stuff makes a really powerful statement. If I can get up to NYC in time, I will definitely be checking out this exhibition in person!
More info at the Museum of Modern Art website.
Pictures via The New York Times.
I was so happy to stumble onto this video today! It's the Rolling Stones back in 1966 performing Paint It Black. I love finding these old performances, and check out Mick's jacket! It's amazing. Plus he's so cute! He he!
Sometimes when I get bored of a piece of clothing, all it needs to be exciting again is a new fun color! In the past I have been limited to using tea to get a warm brown color, or going and buying some dye at the drug store if I want any different colors - so I am really psyched that recently Pioneer Thinking put together a list of colors you can get from a variety of different plants! Dyes made from red cabbage will turn your clothes blue, and some dandelion roots will turn them red! They have something on the list for almost every color, definitely check it out if you are interested in some home-made dye! Threadbanger also has some great tips on preparing your home dyes!
Picture via Threadbanger.
Our Hollywood We The Free store let us know that there is a really cool event going on tonight at Space 1520, which is where the store is located!
Photographer Lauren Dukoff is having the opening for her new book Family, which features portraits of many amazing folk and indie musicians, including Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, Bat For Lashes, Little Joy, and many others! Lauren will be there signing books, and if that weren't enough, Devendra Banhart will also be there performing live! Right in front of the store! This should be a really good time, so if you're in the Hollywood California area, you should check it out! Get all the information on the Space 1520 website.
7-10pm tonight!
1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
This calendar concept by Oscar Diaz is really neat! Utilizing the way the ink will slowly spread through a paper, this calendar is set up so that as the days pass, they are filled in by the ink!
Via Noquedanblogs.
Are you a native or fluent speaker of Italian, Russian, Portuguese or Dutch? Are you also fluent in English? Are you a savvy online shopper, who loves Free People, and has shopped websites in both English and other languages? If so, Free People needs your help with a very special project! The project will involve a few hours of work, and you will receive a gift for your help! If this sounds like something you would like to be involved in, please click this link to fill out a little form for us! If you seem like a good fit for the project, we will email you in the coming weeks with more information!
We are so excited about this project, and we think you will be too!
xo
Picture via.
our interns are sponsoring a company-wide car wash today, with proceeds going toward next year's intern program. happy friday!
I can't even fathom the patience it must take for Tim Noble and Sue Webster to create these amazing pieces! All of their shadow art is created using trash, and each piece takes anywhere from 6 months to a year to complete. It's amazing that those piles are creating the silhouettes on the wall - I almost don't believe it! See more of their creations here and here.
Via Neatorama.
I would love to wear that dress made of flowers in the first picture! All of these clothes are part of an amazing collection by artist Nicole Dextras, called Weedrobes. The pieces are each made entirely of plants, with the hope that it makes one consider our relationship with nature, and the symbiotic relationship between one's body and the earth. See more of these pretty creations here.
There are so many things going on in each of these paintings by Ricky Allman, I feel like I could study them for hours! Every time I look at one of them I feel like I see something in it that I didn't before! The colors and shapes are pretty great too. Check out more of Ricky's work here.
Via Booooooom!
I was really intrigued when I saw Jessica's new shoes! Personally, I'd never seen any like them before, so I figured I'd share them with you! She tells me she got them right here in Philly, and they're by FLY London. On top of that, they are eco-friendly and really comfortable! I think the soles are my favorite part!
It's poll time my friends! Last week we looked at some of our more sparkly headbands, and though all the options had a good number of fans, the Sequin Halo Headband was still the decisive winner, with over 300 votes!
This week I can't seem to stop perusing all the cute new mini-skirts - maybe it's the heat? At any rate, there were many cute styles, so many in fact I could hardly narrow it down to an amount good for polling! But here they are, check them out!
First up is the Dip Dye Crinkle Mini, shown here in blue.
Here is the Mirror Mirror Buckle Mini.
Next is the Liberty Fringe Mini!
Now, have a look at the Tiered Denim Ruffle Mini below!
Finally, here's the Knit Tulip Skirt in dark sage.
So what do you guys think? Which one of these mini-skirts do you find most appealing?
Congratulations to our winner, chosen at random: Mamatank!
i have an ancient pillow that belonged to my mother. i named it Cuddle Pillow because it was made for cuddling and comforting me. for the longest time i thought it's pillowcase was a strange shade of gray... but yesterday i poured some oxi clean into the washer with it and later discovered that its actually YELLOW! i love it even more now :)
Yay! This was such a fun giveaway - thank you all for participating! A few of you mentioned in your comments how nice it was to sit and think about comfort toys and childhood. I completely agree! It was so pleasant to read all your stories - thank you for sharing them! It made for very sweet and cheery reading!
And for everyone who didn't happen to win the bear - don't worry! There are more giveaways on the horizon!
The ladies at our Manhattan Beach store in California gave me a heads-up that there is going to be a really big volleyball tournament right down the street from the store, on the beach! The Manhattan Beach Open Volleyball Tournament is reportedly one of the biggest AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) tournaments of the year, and the girls at the store are really looking forward to it! If you're in the Manhattan Beach area this weekend and looking for something to entertain you while you catch some rays, this is it! Check out all the information here!
Photo here.
These gorgeous shots are from an editorial by Steven Meisel that appeared in Vogue Italia in 2003. The first and last photos are particularly eye-catching, don't you think?
Via Fashion Gone Rogue.
These bamboo taxis are so cool! They were commissioned by the mayor of Tabontabon, a town of about 10,000 people in Leyte Province, Philippines. The main method of transportation there is motorcycles, with sometimes up to 6 people crowding onto one bike. Though this method of travel is cheap, it is very dangerous, and not very environmentally friendly either! The new bamboo taxis are made 90% of bamboo, are as cheap as motorcycles, and run completely on bio-diesel. One gallon can make the cars run for 8 hours! Such a cool idea!
Via Inhabitat and The Best Part.
These paper birthday flower rings by Tithi Kutchamuch and Nutre Arayavanish are so clever! Each ring resembles the birthday flower for one of the 12 months of the year, and you can get them all, or individually as a birthday card for your friend! I love it!
Via noquedanblogs.
Isn't this FP teddy bear as cute as can be? He's very soft and huggable, and he's looking for a nice cozy home, maybe yours! All you have to do for a chance to have him come live at your house is leave a comment on this post telling about your first or favorite stuffed animal or comfort blanket, etc... You know, the one that is all grimey because you loved it so much and couldn't be without it! Tomorrow at this time, we'll pick one comment at random, and if it's yours, we'll send you the cute bear! As you can see from the picture above, Trixie really wishes she was eligible to win this giveaway...
P.S. Don't forget to leave your email address with your comment so that we can contact you if your comment is the one picked!
Come to Kahn Park at 11th and Pine Street tonight and see an awesome show by the West Philadelphia Orchestra! Their music is really fun, boot-stomping good, inspired the music of Eastern Europe. Check out the video below for a sampling!
7:30pm tonight!
Kahn Park
11th at Pine St.
Philadelphia PA
We're loving this gorgeous and inspirational set by Ben Watts! Dreamin' indeed...
Also, you may recognize the model, Noot- she was in our March catalog!
Check out this video to see her showing off all the cool clothes in her closet.
Hey everyone! We have two internships currently available, one in our buying department and one in our planning department - right here at the home office! Either of the internships offer a great opportunity to grow and learn about the inner workings of a fashion company!
The Retail/Direct Buying team intern will be assisting the Buyer and Assistant Buyers on day to day projects. This includes tracking samples, creating reports, and imputing PO's. They may be called upon to be a liaison between the Buying, Production and Design departments. Click here to learn more about this position and apply!
The Planning Intern will help maximize sales and profit by helping to develop and execute sound merchandise plans that support Company goals for sales, turn and margin. This candidate will possess strong computer skills, and be able to work independently both ongoing and ad-hoc projects related to reporting and analysis. Click here to learn more about this position and apply!
How pretty is the birthday cake Tai Shan got for his birthday?! It's that lovely pink color because one of the main ingredients in it is shredded beets! The only other ingredients were ice, beet juice, and bamboo. What a cake!
Images via Getty.
These beautiful images of waves are by Japanese photographer Syoin Kajii. Syoin is a Buddhist monk residing at a seaside temple on Sado Island, where he works on his photography as well. His photos from this gorgeous set were recently featured in Foam Photography Magazine. I would love to get lost in any of them!
Via 2 or 3 Things.
I love the simplicity of these coffee-themed illustrations by Jenny Kim! On her site she has a couple photos that show how the pieces would look as a wall mural or on a coffee cup, and they're awesome! Her paintings are very good as well; check them out on her site.
Via The Best Part.
I don't know if any of you like music by M83, but you should! They have a really cool electronic and sort of ambient sound.
If you are in New York City tonight and looking for something cool to do, M83 is going to be playing at the World Financial Center Plaza at 7pm, and the word is that it's free! Awesome!
For now, check out the amazing music video for M83's song We Own The Sky. I've been grooving on it all morning...
M83 at the World Financial Center Plaza
200 Vesey St
New York, NY 10281
Tonight! 7pm
What is your job here at FP?
Intern for Wovens & Knits (Design)
What is your current state of mind?
Is silly a state of mind? hehe...
Who are your heroes?
My parents -for sure
If you could choose what to come back to life as, what would you be?
Definitely a cat -sleep all day & easily entertained :)
What or who is your greatest love?
Clothes are my greatest love to a point that it is deeply affecting my credit HA!
Name one thing necessary to your happiness.
Good Company
What do you hate the most?
DRAMA!
What would the name of your band be and what genre? What instrument do you play in this band?
Well... I'm working on the name but it would definitely be a "Jackson 5" cover band where I'd be the lead singer (or some sort of tambourine player)
What color are you?
yellow
What is your motto?
...life's too short to live unhappy...
I love the look of this floor mat, and to my delight, Instructables has easy directions for making your own - out of the old seams and waistbands from jeans! What a smart idea!
I am really excited to announce the winner of the Free People Fashion Illustration Contest!
It was wonderful to see how talented all the Free People girls out there are, and it was hard to pick a winner because there were so many amazing illustrations!
And now without further ado, our winner, Katie Rodgers!
You can check out all the entries right here on our Flickr account- they're awesome, have a look!
And if you didn't win this time around, don't lose hope! We have more events in the works. Stay tuned!
xo
These whimsical photos are all from August Bradley's series for the Hasselblad Masters Book. I love the colors, the props, and the clothes especially! Fishnet tights over solid tights anyone?
This music video, for Sally Shapiro's song Love in July, is so so cute! It's a little love story, and the animation style is really fun and unusual! Enjoy!
Via NotCot.
I love these cool "solaroids" by Jeff McLane. Have you ever taken pictures of the sun? I think it's hard to get it to look just right!
Via Now Voyager.
I'm really enjoying the way the lines are placed in these cool drawings by Lis Timpone. The tiny details are really impressive too! I don't think I'd have the patience to line them all so carefully! See more on her blog.
Via Dear Ada.
I love this cool idea from Merel Karhof! They have built a machine that uses the power of the wind to knit a long scarf along the side of their building. Periodically they take down the long knitting and separate it into scarves, each with a label that tells how long it took to knit and when! Very awesome.
Via Now Voyager.
What do you guys think of these creations from Jean-Paul Gaultier's recent show in Paris? They're so dramatic! I can't get over those unusual materials used to make the overalls! Not to mention the headpieces! I could never wear any of it, but the pieces sure do make for interesting visuals! See many more looks from the show over on Jezebel.
I was poking around on Penguin & Fish (one of my favorites) when I saw her post about illustrator Anneka Tran - responsible for the playful work above. Aren't they great? I especially love the miso mermaid at the top - apparently she is a favorite of many others as well! Check out the rest of Anneka's work on her site and her blog.
Via Penguin & Fish.
This image by Jonna Pohlalainen is so cool! I'd like to take one of those pencils and hang it across the top of a wall!
Via Love Forever.
I really like the soft and blended feel of these transition wallpapers by Danish designer Lene Toni Kjeld. The set of prints are designed to go blend together seamlessly, so that if you have maybe an open layout in your house, or a huge room, you can have two or three patterns of wallpaper that fade into one another. It looks so gorgeous, and I love the decayed look of the prints!
Via D*S.
Isn't this a clever idea?! Sue of Sue's Sewing and Happenings used a Vogue jacket pattern and quite a few empty Capri Sun juice packets to create this fun jacket! She looks really cute modeling it too! See a collage of her process here.
Via Craftzine.
I can't believe this is our fiftieth Thursday Poll! Wow. But here we are!
Last time we looked at some of the fun colors of the Cheeky Lace Bra - the Grey came out on top, but not by much! Violet and Pimento were behind by only 20 votes!
This week I've been checking out our pretty sparkly headbands! I love the sequins! Have a look at them below...
First is the Sequin Halo Headband, shown here in Gold.
Next is the Petal Applique Headband!
Now check out the Sequin Stretch Headband in Silver.
Finally, here's the Sequin Bow Headband in Ivory.
So what do you guys think? Which of these headbands do you like the most?
Wow. I recently saw Ana Bagayan's work on My Love For You, and I am wild about it! Definitely check out Ana's website if you like the paintings above - so amazing!
Don't forget tomorrow is our open model casting in New York City! It will be taking place at our 5th Avenue store from 10am until 2pm! You don't have to be a model, but on account of the size of our samples, it's best if you are a US ladies size 4.
If you have any questions at all, please post them as a comment here and we will be sure to answer you as quickly as possible! You can also check out the original post for more information!
Can't wait to see you there!
When: Friday July 10th 2009, 10am - 2pm
Where: Free People
79 5th Avenue
New York City, NY 10003
This fishbowl is so pretty and cool! The only thing if I had one though is I would be afraid for my fishy if those little legs gave out! They look a bit rickety and suspect to me... Still, what a great concept - it was designed by Amaury Poudray.
Via Share Some Candy.
These amazing images in rice crops are located in Japan! They are made with careful planning, strategically planting different colors of rice plants so that they grow into a picture. The town of Inakadate in particular is known for its skill in creating rice art, but you can find rice pictures all across the country in the summertime! Check out many more photos of amazing rice paddy crop art on Pink Tentacle.
I love the colors in these dreamy collages by Eleanor Wood. And I wish I dreamt of polar bears!
Via The Best Part.
These little cupcakes that The Alexanders made for a friend's baby shower are so adorable! I love them! Yum!
Via Brown Button.
You may be aware that haute-couture fashion designer Christian LaCroix recently filed for bankruptcy. However, yesterday he showed a really lovely and rather dark collection in Paris in what might have been his last show. Sad! Reportedly a lot of people cried at the end of the show! Still, the clothes were gorgeous! Check out many more of the looks here on Jezebel and here on The Cut!
Above is a prototype of the cool Calyx Umbrella, which is inspired by flower petals! It's ribs expand sideways as well as radially, and it looks really cute too! Check out the little video they've made for it!
Such a clever idea! Make a bit of a larger one, and I'll take it!
Via NotCot.
I need to get my hands on these awesome laser-cut acrylic rings by Plastique! The set comes with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, and the Space Needle! See more pictures here. Fun!
Via Boing Boing.
Hooray! Our July catalog drops today, and should be hitting your mailboxes any time now! We are so excited about this book because of the wonderful photographers we used! Lina Scheynius is a Swedish photographer who shoots with a free form, sometimes using polaroids! The more close-up studio shots in the catalog were taken by Crackerfarm Photographers, (who often work with us in our web studio as well) and these shots focus on the apparel that we love!
The locations we used for this book were an old brownstone house, and a photography studio in New York, NY. The old brownstone had fabulous old wallpaper, so the walls became a lot of the backdrops in the catalog!
As for apparel themes, jackets are a big part of this book – we love them layered with many items, or even over a simple top or dress!
Click here to check out the online version of the catalog!
Aren't these pictures lovely? The pretty girl is Johanna, one of our Sales Associates at our store in Torrance California! She sent me the pictures today, with this little note:
During a recent shoot in Santa Barbara, California, I donned the gorgeous sequin mesh tunic in white. The setting sun managed to perfectly capture the light from the sequins, making for some luminous and beautiful photos!
I agree, they look so gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing them with us Johanna!
Are you 18 years old or older? Do you love Free People and think you have what it takes to be a model for us? We are looking for fresh new faces! Come to our open model casting! It will be taking place at our 5th Avenue store in New York, from 10am until 2pm on this Friday July 10th! You don't have to be a model, and you need not bring any photos of yourself unless you want to. On account of the size of our samples, it's best if you are a US ladies size 4. We're looking forward to seeing you there!
When: Friday July 10th 2009, 10am - 2pm
Where: Free People
79 5th Avenue
New York City, NY 10003
I completely love every image from Vlad Artazov's set of photos he's taken of nails. They're just amazing...
See all the photos here.
Via Metafilter.
These colorful eclairs are from the super-fancy Parisian shop Fauchon! I would be interested to eat one with frosting looking like peas and carrots, though it might be a shame to destroy such a carefully made confection!
This beautiful necklace was designed by Marc Newson for Boucheron. It's called the Julia Necklace, and that's what I like the most about it - it's design was inspired by the Julia sets of fractals discovered by Gaston Julia in the early 1900's. Below, a picture of a Julia fractal. (Via.)
Exquisite!
Via The Moment.
These fun illustrations by Julian Callos make me happy! My favorite is at the top - I wish my camera did that! Check out Julian's blog and Tumblr!
Via NotCot.
meet cal patch! cal worked for free people many moons ago, and has since become a super-successful artist/crafter.
we asked her a few questions about what she's up to, and what keeps her business - hodge podge - going...and about her little awesome chihuahua, gertie.
1) what exactly do you do?
well, i have been self-employed for the last ten years and that has meant a number of different kinds of work all relating to my love of making clothes. currently i design and hand-make every piece of my line, *hodge podge*, which i sell online, in person at artists' markets and craft fairs, and in a few boutiques in new york and tokyo. i also teach sewing, crochet, patternmaking and other textile crafts at various locations around nyc and my new home in the catskills. i design projects for magazines like Sew Stylish and Crochet Today, and websites like Craft Stylish. I also just finished writing a book on making your own sewing patterns, which will be out in september. i am also working as a farm-hand and learning how to be a farmer!
2) what's your favorite thing about what you do?
i love that i have the freedom to do anything i want to do, which translates into making all kinds of things, and that every piece is one of a kind so i never have to make the same thing twice. and i can make my own rules like never using the color black! my label is called *hodge podge* because it includes everything from crochet hats and linen tunics to dog sweaters and carriers, and it changes all the time...
3) what inspires you the most?
i am actually very inspired by function and practicality. i like to make pieces that are special but can be worn every day, not saved for a special occasion. i want them to be sturdy and last for hundreds of years, not disposable. i don't work in seasons, i just make what i need in my own life and it seems to work for othe people's lives too!
4) what's the most beautiful place/thing you've seen in the past month?
i recently moved two hours north of the city to the catskills, and every day i am amazed by the surrounding beauty! i had been rather deprived of nature for the past 18 years living in nyc, so i am really attuned to the changes happening every week, like what is blooming or ready to harvest, or how high the river is. the other day i drove over the mountain on my way home, just after a flash rainstorm, and the sun was shining and little impromptu streams and waterfalls were pouring over the rocks alongside the road. it was so beautiful i got tears in my eyes!
5) tell us a funny story about gert.
about a month ago when i was selling my goods at renegade craft fair, lots of people were picnicking in the park behind my booth. every time i looked back there, i'd see gertie attending a different picnic, or sitting on someone's belly while they sunbathed. nobody seemed to mind because she's not really interested in food, she just likes to visit. it was cracking me up!
if you want to learn more, check out cal's blog and etsy sites!
I love this clever floor! It's all tiled with pennies! I bet it shines in the light very appealingly too! See it in person at The Standard Grill in the Standard Hotel in New York City!
Via Neatorama.
Richard Heeks takes these beautiful photos of soap bubbles. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to capture the bubbles at just the right moment! Check out his Flickr stream - he a lot of really arresting shots!
Via A Cup Of Jo.
This is a couple days late, but it's so cool! Delicious candy fireworks! Enjoy!
Via Neatorama.
How cute are these illustrations by Katie Vernon?! She has many prints for sale in her Etsy Shop; I may have to give that hedgehog at the top a home! Check out her website too - many more sweet pieces!
Via Design*Sponge.
Today is the USA's Independence Day - it's our 233rd birthday! Hooray! I hope everyone is out enjoying themselves and eating yummy food and getting ready for awesome fireworks celebrations like the ones above! I'm off to get ready and try to get my own pictures of fireworks!
xo
Mizue Hirano's work is so light and simple! I love it! Check out her site for more.
Via Design is Mine.
This thing looks so fun! This "net forest" was designed by Tezuka Architects for the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan. Supporting the creation is 500 wooden logs, and they were put together with traditional interlocking architecture instead of using metal. If I ever get to Japan, I am checking it out!
Via Spoon&Tamago.
These cool installations are by Heike Weber! I'd take one in my living room any day!
Via The Best Part.
Check out these amazing swimsuits from Luiza Bonadiman's Spring/Summer collection! I saw them on Style Bubble and I had to post them! They look like they're made of shoelaces, and I mean that in a good way - so intricate!
It took Wataru Itou, an art-student in Tokyo, four years to create this intricate paper castle! It's called Umi no Ue no Oshiro, or Castle on the Ocean, and aside from the pretty lights, it features a ferris wheel and a moving train! Absolutely amazing.
Via Tokyo Bling.
Hooray! It's time for our Thursday Poll! Last week we looked at a bunch of our summer dresses, and Pattra is going to be psyched, because Pattra's Criss Cross Dress was the favorite by far, with 44% of the vote!
This week I'm obsessing over bright colors. I mean, I always am to some degree, but especially lately - maybe because of the upcoming colorful fireworks? At any rate, I noticed today that our Cheeky Lace Bra comes in many appealing colors, and I still haven't decided which color is my favorite! Below are five of the colors - it actually comes in more than five, I just picked the brightest!
First check out Violet!
Next is Pimento.
Now shown below is Green. (Yes, Green. I am not sure why we called it Green, maybe the trim... He he!)
Now have a look at the Hot Pink!
Finally, here's a pretty Grey!
So which of these colors do you prefer?
The amazingly vibrant colors in these knit sculptural installations by Sarah Applebaum are waking me right up! I love how bold they are, and so texturally interesting! I'd love to wear that robe in the last photo as well, any day! Read more about Sarah on her site, and also on Beautiful/Decay which has a nice write-up about her.
This is a cute little montage of our Visual Display team creating some signage for our stores using stencils and spray-paint! Look forward to seeing the fruits of their labor in stores soon! The cool song is called Ride an Old Paint, by Pete Seeger!
Okay, so I don't want to live here, but I definitely really want to visit! The site where these pictures originated is written in Japanese, so neither me nor Design-Crisis could make any sense of it, but the pictures speak for themselves anyway.
You all are going to love our summer playlist! I've been enjoying it all morning, it's got a great mood! Enjoy!
during the filming for this week's home page dance party, jenny lopez wooed a celebrity guest onto the dance floor...
I love all of Jennifer Davis' paintings, and I had so much trouble deciding on only a few to post here! Aren't they great?! I think my favorite is the manatee balloon, though those little sea lions are pretty fabulous! Check out all of her work on her site - more soft colors and interesting subject matter! You won't be disappointed!
Via My Love For You.
What do you guys think of these crazy colorful designs by Timothy James Andrews? They're from his Autumn/Winter collection for 2009-2010, called, as you might have guessed, A-Block-A-Brick-Toe. I really like them, even though I know I could never pull them off myself! The colors and shapes reminded Susie Bubble of Tetris blocks - I'm leaning toward Legos, but it's the same basic idea!
Check out Dazed Digital for more pictures of the line!
