Meet our intern Pruitt! She is doing an awesome job helping out with the blog to bring you more nuggets from the FP home office. Check out these videos while Pruitt interviews people on the streets and asks, "Do you know what Free People is?" And check out her shopping trip.
We've updated our youtube page with a few new videos you haven't seen before, so go there to see them all...
Here is our behind the scenes look at the Free People Home Office in Philadelphia. This video shows our three summer trends for 2008.
Peace Corps Prep: Inspired by girls in the peace corps traveling in India.
Everything But a Flower: A collection of new and vintage geometric patterns and shapes.
Mayan: Inspired by the beautiful Mayan Riviera and Aztec designs.
Enjoy!
Now you can write reviews of Free People stuff you have purchased. Let other customers know how much you loved it, how it fits, or what you like to wear it with. Free People employees will be writing reviews too, letting you know something special about the design, or sharing their favorite items. Check out this review by a customer named Edanna for the Spanish Tiers Skirt:
"It goes with everything and is perfect for going to class, or just wandering around town. It is so beautiful in person and has a more hippie vibe than the picture is showing. It is also the perfect length for boots or heels. Sandals as nice too. Easy to dress up with a nice top, or just pair with a t-shirt."
So, no one in the home office dresses alike or wears the same outfit-ever. However, one thing we all can agree on is how much we love the We The Free line.
We noticed how popular the sweatshirts and tees were in the home office so we started to document everyone rocking their WTF.
Some thoughts from the home office:
“It feels good. It looks good….I never want to take it off!”
“If you are rushing in the morning and you don’t know what to wear..you can throw on your We The Free and you are good to go!”
“The pockets on the pullover sweatshirt rule…. I’ve never felt this way about a sweatshirt before. For reals.”
“It’s great to wear everyday. Its super comfy and I get lots of compliments when I wear it...”
One of our soft wovens designers, Alissa, gave us some details to share on two styles she worked on.
Alissa's Ikat Dress was inspired by an Indian purse. The designer incorporated the look of the embroidery used on the bag into the dress details. The dress was named after the designer!
The floral design on the Gauze Embroidered Waist Top was hand drawn by Alissa. The design was inspired by pictures she found in a botany book.
We have this amazing collection of vintage sunglasses acquired from Selima Optique, the famous luxury eyeglass boutiques from LA, NY and Paris. Each pair is original and in pristine condition. Check out shades by Dior, Lacoste, Dunhill, and Vuarnet. There are also these sweet color-changing Chameleon sunglasses in assorted colors. Check them all out here.
We are going to do some spotlights of Free People stores, so you can get to know a little bit about each one. The first entry is from our very first Free People store! Here is what the girls had to say...
Where is your store located? Garden State Plaza Mall, Paramus NJ
How many people work in your store? 5 Managers, 12 Sales Associates.
What is the weather like? Well right now it’s still cold, but we are all anxiously waiting for Spring to come!!!
What is the best thing for lunch in the area? One of our sales associate's parents' has a deli/market…Morano's!!
What is your favorite piece in the store right now? The Cherry Blossom Dress..it is made of great fabric and has an amazing fit on everyone!!
How are people wearing this piece? Either by itself or looks really cute w/ skinny jeans or leggings
What is your favorite local treat? We love Ritas or Ralph's Italian ice especially now in the spring and summer and Starbucks drinks!
What does the FP Girl do for fun? Go out with her friends to the mall, movies, bars
What else do you want us to know about your store? We all have a great time working with each other and provide GREAT customer service to all our customers!!! We all really love the brand and have so much fun working here!!
I wanted to share some info about these amazing leather belts we have in the March catalog. The belts are handmade by Stowe Provisions in their studio in Austin TX. Both the belt buckles and leather are hand-worked, most of the leather even hand-dyed. Their aesthetic is self-described as all about "rock n'roll and looking pretty. Check em out on Freepeople.com.
We're featuring this new jewelry line in the March catalog called Love Heals. Here's a bit from their site:
"The jewelry embodies our main passions in life: art, spirituality, nature and community service. Each piece of jewelry created is imbued with powerful talismans and sacred-charms, which we have gathered traveling the world."
More cool stuff: They plant 10 trees for every piece of jewelry sold. They also "are slowly creating a non-profit healing retreat center and ecological think tank" in Santa Barbara. Check out their stuff at Free People...
"Pizza Girl is Physical Phil's colorful and energetic girlfriend. She attends Dufresne College and works as a pizza delivery girl. Fate and a whole lot of pizza brought her and Physical Phil together."
That's Pizza Girl's bio on abc.com for the drama October Road. The zap2it TV Fashion blog did a feature all about Pizza Girl's look and how it was inspired by Free People. Check it out...
Natalie commented on the January catalog post asking what the deal is with the We the Free product featured in the new book. We the Free knit line is an eclectic collection of tops, t-shirts, and heavy weight styles that features relaxed fits, superior fabric quality and washes, and thoughtful artwork. We the Free offers a rare combination of the newest print techniques pared with both classic and edgy graphics, applique, hand embroidery, and rugged trimmings. We hope this collection will charm you with its special details and unique sensibility.
Basically, this is a new line of high end knits with amazing fabrics, art, dye and print techniques. The aesthetic is a little bit more tough and boy inspired. So what do you think???
See all We the Free product here
For those of you too young to have missed any of the previous waves of popularity of Dr. Martens, I suggest you check out their website for the complete history. I find it really fascinating in terms of fashion history, tribes, expression, etc. The history as written on their website is really cool, relating the brand to all kinds of cultural references and technology, bringing us back into today and what self expression is.
In any case, it's interesting reading. Free People has the original 1460 boot in navy.
Today the Free People design team received the sales samples for the end of summer and fall. This is the first time the designers see their creations as they will look when you see them at the store. This is after a long process of hand made samples, drawings, fittings and revisions. Still ahead there will be meetings with even more revisions and changes to get down to the most amazing pieces for the final line. Hope you like them just as much as our designers do when they hit the stores!
I was looking through what's new on freepeople.com and realized this cami reminds me of the doily chair from the last post! The idea of combining something with such history and delicacy and intricacy like this beautiful lace or a crocheted doily and combining it with something completely simple and modern, like a simple ribbed tank (or walnut chair). Check out the fp lace back cami in more colors...
Enter LASTMINUTE in the promo field during checkout! Visit freepeople.com
Check out our new brushed print tanks and boyshorts. Our intimates designers created the original samples with spray paint and stencils. In our factory, they produce the same effect using an airbrush printing technique. See the tanks and boyshorts on the web and in our catalog!
Have your checked out the Holiday Shop yet?? Get gift ideas from Free People, see our stocking stuffers, make a wishlist, or find a wishlist from your friends and family. Do you have a limit in your holiday budget? Use the "shop by price" feature. This is also the spot to buy a gift card, find out about holiday shipping and see our beautiful gift wrap option.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, enter MAYFLOWER in the promo field at checkout, and get your Free People goodies shipped FREE on all orders from freepeople.com through November 26th!
We love True Religion jeans, and now we hope more of you can too!
We have started carrying "extended sizes" in some of our TR styles. To start we have the New Bobby Stretch Flare. It runs in sizes 24-32. We added the 24 and the 32, so there are more size options to find the perfect fit!
Happy Halloween! Do you need a Napoleon costume? Check out our snowjoggers! I'm just kidding about the Napoleon bit, but seriously, check them out. As comfy as your favorite sneakers, and they'll keep the snow out too. They come in an icy grey and a fun multi color combo.
We would like to share a little background info about one of our favorite jewelry designers, Candace Ang.
Candace Ang is and artist and designer based in Los Angeles. Formally trained in fashion design at Parsons in New York, Candace has always remained true to her first love – Jewelry. Her namesake jewelry collection is an eclectic reflection of what she finds fascinating that season, from silk and crystals to laser cut Lucite and vintage chains, the line is as interesting and varied as her inspirations. Her bold approach is certainly not for wallflowers and the underlying style of each collection is distinctively branded in her own “edgy – romantic “style.
Candace says, “My vision for the collection is to take what I love in high fashion, pop culture, vintage and even the decorative arts and create something new in jewelry. I think there are so many unexplored materials outside of the regular beads and gemstones. While these elements are beautiful and classic, I would like to push perceptions and make jewelry that is a true statement piece. For me, jewelry is just another art form that you can wear. “
How does one mix all those elements in daily life? Candace says, “In fashion these days, there are no lines. You can wear street with couture and no one would blink an eye. It’s all how you put it together that makes ones individual style. One day I can wear a punk rock look and the next I’ll be in a vintage dress with heels. “
Available at Free People is Candace's Double Fleur Necklace and her Falling Chandelier Necklace. There are more pieces from Candace Ang coming in soon, so keep an eye out!
Check out these incredible key chains we have, just in time for Halloween! And the String Doll Gang has powers.
Ghoulish critters handmade using one continuous piece of string, each with their own special power to help you get through the day.
Crazy Eyes: helps you track down whatever it is you are looking for
The Vampire: protects you from harm when you're out past your bedtime
Big Voodoo: how you use is entirely up to you
Scratch: helps you keep your cool when the heat is on
Little Frank: watches your back when you're out of your element
Mr. Mummy: helps keep the skeletons in your closet where they belong
We would like to introduce you to jewelry designer Becky Kelso. We have been selling her jewelry since we've opened our first Free People store, and her rings have always been a favorite of our customers.
Becky grew up in a family of artists, studied fashion design in California, but never really took to sewing. She moved to Mexico and ended up as an apprentice to a jeweler. Here she learned silversmithing and found her true calling. Now Becky lives and works in California, making beautiful jewelry inspired by her life and travels.
Check out Semi Precious Faceted Silver Ring...
I just wanted to call out the newest "exclusives" on freepeople.com right now. The exclusives are items only sold through our website and Free People boutiques. You won't find these at any department stores or your independent neighborhood boutiques. I want to start calling out the newest exclusives every week or so... Get the inside scoop!
Get prepared for wet and cold. We've brought back the Hunter Wellies in 4 colors. And this year we have the Wellie Warmers too (seen worn with the boots in top photo), to make your boots extra warm and comfy.
Hunter is the authentic Scottish brand of wellies dating back to the 1800s. So these are no joke...
Our stylists put together some pretty involved outfits on our website. We kept getting questions like "what are those shoes the model is wearing?" or "I can't find those earrings..." So we created a function to help you find everything else that is styled with a particular item. Like the image above, for instance, is for the FP Super Flare Trouser. But the model is wearing lots of other things. So click on the little T-shirt icon that says "what else is she wearing?"...
...and Voila! Now you know!
The last time I thought about scrunchies, I was watching Sex and the City. Carrie was criticizing Berger's latest book because he portrayed a fashionable New York woman wearing a scruchy. At the time, no true hip New Yorker would wear a scrunchy in public. We think it's time to bring back the scrunchy. Check out our Tanzania Scrunchy in four tribal prints. There's a little extra FP touch with multi colored yarn detail...
I'm sure you've noticed all this talk about "homestead" on our website the last week or two. What's homestead? It's the name of our latest trend concept. Since we didn't do a catalog inspired by this trend, I thought I'd give you some of the info we use in the home office to connect to this idea. Check out this poem written by one of our girls on the creative team...
land of buffalo bones and tumbling stones.
old guns and whispering ghosts,
forbidden love and untamed hearts.
old time desperado and willful maiden.
lonesome prairie and wild frontier.
across the wide, open, airy fields,
running,swimming,swiftly
through tall weeds and wild flowers.
plaid skirt, dusty wind blown hair,
dandelion petals in your eyelashes.
my senses obscured by white lace and
a curling trail of gun smoke.
lay your blouse across the chair
let fall the flowers
from your hair
and kiss me
with that country mouth
so plain
and shop for pieces inspired by homestead here!
Dittos are our newest denim brand we are carrying in the stores on on the web.(check em out here) Dittos was a hot brand in the 70's that has recently been revived for the benefit of our generation. The fit has that 70's classic feel to it. They're a little bit high waisted. The denim is thin, super light and flowy and the leg is really long. The back has a double yoke (with a really cute shape) and no pocket. And these puppies don't stretch much and you should wear them 70's style, super tight. Like, maybe you should get out your pliers and lay down to button them...
Here, the sales girls at our Paramus, NJ store try on the white dittos (the security tag is hot, right?) and get silly, Backstreet Boys style.
I wanted to point out how great these bags we have are by A. Kurtz. We have this awesome cargo backpack and a fieldbag as well. A. Kurtz makes all these amazing military inspired bags with really great details, like leather trim and cool hardware, screenprinting and stitching. They're both made of canvas. The backpack has tons of useful pockets and even has an extra handle on the side. And check out the A. Kurtz philosophy...
Free People is in love with mixing it up... mismatched prints, soft feminine with tough boy elements, the pulled-together with the super care-free. How do you wear your Free People? I know there are some Free People girls out there with some serious style. Well we wanna see it!
I've set up a flickr group where you can post pics of your personal FP looks. You don't have to be in head to toe Free People, I think it's cool to see how everyone mixes things into their wardrobe. We'll be checking out the photos and the comments people leave. I'll post some of your photos that really stand out on the blog, and somebody might even get contacted to participate in a Free People catalog shoot!
The above photos are some of the girls that work in our store in Paramus NJ. So style up your Free People and post some photos here!!!
We are in love with these! What are we loving? Well, we're super into platforms, and the ankle wrap is key. The African prints are really cheerful for summer, and there are 5 different prints to choose from. The stitching detail is really great, and they're comfy. AND they were designed by our accessories designers so you won't see them anywhere else. Check em out here...
So we're not usually ones to gossip, but I heard through the grapevine that a Miss Kate Bosworth did a little shopping at our store in Boston. She was shopping with her parents, and was the first to buy our Shocker in Pinktown Pool Party Nailpolish. Her mom insisted she buy one of our emery boards to go with it.
For those of you looking to mix up all the hipster skinny legged jeans in your dresser, we have found the perfect pair of high waisted wide legs. We love how comfy they feel and are totally into the "true blue" wash. We did some experimenting and tried them on with some tops over the waistband instead of tucked in, and they still look super cute. So you can get the high waisted look or just appreciate the amazing fit. Check em out on freepeople.com...
So I thought I'd give you readers the heads up. Freepeople.com is offering free shipping today through Thursday the 29th, and to make it even better, there are lots of new sale items. So get to shopping! ...and enter "springshipping" in the promo field at checkout...
This week marks the first of Spring!!! Can't wait until it's warm enough to ditch the socks and slip on these Havaianas, so perfect with our Indian inspirations...
It's all about the handpainted accessories! Check out our Pool Party Nailpolish with cute color names like Rockets are Red and Shocker in Pinktown. Handpainted hairclamps and sunglasses too! Both the nailpolish and sunglasses were handpainted by local Philly artists. Remember when I asked for crafty girls in the Philly area?
These are the perfect tights for when the weather starts getting warm (if that ever happens). The big open crochet will keep you cool, and they're made of mostly cotton so they will breathe nicely. Won't be hot and sticky like nylon tights...
We like these worn as regular footless tights, or styled pulled down over your heels. It continues the line of your legs and makes them look longer, instead of being cut off at the ankle. We're calling this look the "open toe" tights. Sounds better than "toeless" tights, right?
Check em out here...
We have been working on these for a long time, and they are finally ready for you! We fell in love with a vintage umbrella we bought on ebay and have worked to replicate the shape, and then of course add those special Free People touches...
The umbrella is really great quality, made by a fantastic umbrella company. It's smaller than your typical umbrella, but supported by 16 ribs instead of 12 (that gives it the vintage look). We designed the screen print on the heavy weight nylon and here in Philly, we added the strips of fabric woven through the inside.
I think the natural color makes a perfect parasol for sunny days too! Check em out here...
Wanted to point out how great these illustrations are. One of our designers/ incredible illustrators drew these babes to express our Pool Party trend. We used them internally for wholesale lookbooks, and then our web team worked them into the website as well. The look so very Pool Party against the vintage floral prints. My favorite is the girl on her side with her tiny belly. Check em out on the web here.
Our favorite non gossip celebrity blog whowhatweardaily recommends our wide leg jeans! What they didn't mention is that they are made by Goldsign, designed by Adriano Goldschmied, formerly of AG fame as well as for work with Diesel and Replay. Goldsign is famous for his fit as well as his hand wash and hand stitching techniques. Like a lot of Free People products, all that hand touch means each piece is a little different. Check em out...
Free People features swimsuits by designer Elissa Dunlop. Elissa's fun filled prints are inspired by vintage patterns found on polyester from the 60's and 70's. Check out this suit in three of her poppy prints...and her styles are limited in quantity, so you're unlikely to see any beach bunny clones running around. Her website is super cute and you can read her story about how she got started. Check out other FP swim suits here...
Our latest catalog features a new addition to the Free People collection, Free People Intimates. There is a serious lack of cute underpinnings out there, so we have decided to do something about it. Offering some cozy soft basics as well as feminine flirty pieces that will look sweet and sexy peeking out from layers.
How great are these to wear to bed? And they're pretty enough to wear during the day too. The cami layered under tops and the boxers under tiny skirts to keep your bum covered.
And the bloomers are so perfect to layer under skirts and dresses. I like that you can wear them with a skirt or dress that maybe needs an update. The frilly lace peeking out can totally change the feeling of a piece you already have.
Find more intimates on our website.
At freepeople.com we have quite a few flirty trapeze tops (as you might have noticed from yesterday's fp email). So I decided to do some research on how this silhouette originally came into fashion. Here are my discoveries...
Yves Saint Laurent was just 21 years old when he took over for Christian Dior in 1958. YSL blew Paris away with his first collection, the Trapeze Line. The innovative silhouette was characterized by very narrow shoulders and a fitted upper bodice that widened as it extended to a swinging triangular shape to the hem. The controversial collection was accepted by the most fashionable and the trapeze proved to be the biggest change in fashion since Christian Dior's own "New Look" in 1947. Above photo found here.
So in my research I came upon an archived article of Time magazine from 1958 explaining how the Trapeze Line had hit the US. It's pretty cool how it's documented on the internet like that.
Another fun discovery I made are these YSL paper dolls, with the looks well researched and featuring a rendering of one of his day dresses in the trapeze style. Get your own here.
We are really excited about these belts we just put up on our website. The buckles are made from these incredible vintage compacts. If you bought a beautiful vintage compact, nobody would even see it except when you were powdering your nose. On a belt ( of Italian leather) everyone can see your great find. Each belt is one of a kind, designed and crafted by Jacqueline Rose.
It's always a little suprising to see celebrities wearing Free People. These were posted on People's off the rack blog as part of a "fashion faceoff" where readers debate over who looks better in the same clothes. So silly...
PS I'm pretty sure we are sold out on this. It was from fall.
Free People is having a serious post holiday sale. Check it out here... Continue the spirit of gift giving, or give something to yourself! Happy shopping!
Just wanted to point out how cute our vintage needle cards turned out! Our graphic designer did the whimsical watercolors inspired by (I guess their name gives this away...) vintage needle cards. Some of the girls picked up a few originals last year at the Brimfield flea market in Massachusetts, and we've been waiting for Holiday to come so we could do a Free People version. Inside you'll find a single sewing needle.
We sent the cards out to wish happy holidays upon our extended Free People family (all of the other companies that support us or we partner with). In the photo, you can see Elizabeth in customer service has added her own hand touch to the envelopes as well!
Congratulations to Aileen for winning her wishlist on freepeople.com! She was the lucky girl that won $1000 worth of items on her FP wishlist. One item she couldn't wait to get was the Re-In-Vented Coat. She said she fell in love with the unique details, like the buttons and the vent. Other favorites on her list...the Soft Military Pocket Slim Pant in Indigo, Yoke Cowl Dropwaist in Strawberry and Deep Plum... basics with an edge she says.
Aileen's choices were influenced by a recent move to San Fransisco, "so I went for pieces that would help keep me toasty throughout the winter months." She said she loves Free People for the "Detailed pieces that are unique and fun. They help me retain my youthful glow." Enjoy all of you new clothes, Aileen!
I also want to congratulate the following who won $100 gift cards!
Danielle, Jordan, Natalie, Sarah, and Skye!!!!!!!
Click here to learn about creating your own Free People wishlist. (This is an awesome way to let relatives know what you have your eye on for holiday gifts...)
The one shoulder dress was shown all over the runways for spring, but it seems like fashion is moving so fast that the trend has arrived before the season! Here is the Free People version in an easy to wear knit embellished with embroidery and beading.
Also wanted to give a bit of info on this beautiful yellow background our creative assistant painted. It was inspired by our Bali concept, so she looked at lots of different batik sarongs for pattern ideas. The way she executed it kind of relates to the batik technique as well. She layed down a bunch of sticks and draped string all around and taped these down. She then rolled paint over these textures and pulled them off after painting. She used the pattern created by the resist to embellish with more color. She admits the process took her more time than necessary, but she has truly made a work of art!
A customer sent in a photo of her adorable 4 year old Alexis wearing our birds eye babydoll sweater as a dress! Had to post it cause she's a cutie.
Word has it, these ornaments are selling out quick. I wanted to share their story, even though they might not be available much longer...
These funny girls were inspired by a vintage statue found in London of some sort of crazy wood nymph. Our accessories designer picked out some extreme trims while traveling through India and Hong Kong. She brought them back to Philly and a few of the designers worked to design different outfits and personalities for the girls. Once they picked the best ones, the accessories designer named all her babies. Here's what she was thinking with the names...
(from left to right)
holly wood... came from the accessories designer's Halloween costume last year, and the ornament has a wooden head
betty wilson... reminded the designer of a neon colored lady from a fifties sitcom
coco cabana... she would probably serve frozen drinks on a cruise or something
pips o'hare... pippie long stocking pigtails
toni rockafella... check out her bling
pixie bell... a prettty winter fairy
fpgirls's tips for throwing a fantastic holiday party...
Crafty activities are key. Supply your guests with all of the ornament making needs. Sparkly tinsel pipe cleaners are absolutely essential. And google eyes. Oh, and pompoms...
Above are the beaded trees currently decorating the lobby in our office. These were so easy to make. You just get those styrofoam cones from the craft store and cover them in beads attached with straight pins. We used these in our store display last holiday.
And here we have some polar bear ornaments made by Sabine Brandt. She made these for an ornament swap. Notice the use of sparkly tinsel pipe cleaners.
Next tip...Forget about real food. Just serve desserts. They tend to be both prettier and yummier. This recipe for Martha's peppermint icecream sandwiches covers both the pretty dessert requirement as well as the crafty activity. I count crushing up candy canes as a crafty activity.
Final tip... No hostess is complete without an amazing party ensemble. I'm sure these holiday looks at FP will do the trick! Crafts, desserts, and an amazing party outfit. That's all that really matters.
Whowhatweardaily has called out our jewel toned flats as the perfect satin ballet flats if your name is not Kate, Lindsay or Sarah Jessica. The site is ac
