i love the one-of-a-kind patched bf jeans we just got in, but i love ‘em even more now that i know the story behind them. read on for merrie’s story about the inspiration behind these unique, one-of-a-kind jeans.
“we recently met a young woman from kutch, a desert area in the state of gujarat in india. she had a huge collection of tribal embroideries, which we bought to piece with delicate embroidered net from a market in Delhi and patch onto vintage denim.
we have always loved making clothes out of vintage pieces, cutting them up and adding bits of trims from another era, some tribal embroidery or some old denim. we had already created a small workshop in india where we make most of our store fixtures...embroidered hangers, cane stools, dressing room curtains, beaded chandeliers...etc. adding a few sewing machines to that set-up seemed the next step.
now we are able to find assorted fabrics in the markets, collect trims we love, and put them in the newest silhouettes for the stores within a month or so of the initial inspiration. the assorted fabrics keep that one-of-a-kind feel, while making several of the same silhouette allows us to keep the prices reasonable.
we'll send a photo of our happy workshop soon. on any given day, there might be: men sitting under the mango trees, hand weaving cane stools for the showroom in new york...tailors sewing prototypes for our next fp one season...wood carvers making doors for our newest fp store...pinwheel makers sitting in the grass making hundreds of paper pinwheels for our next display...anshu the gardener's son studying his abc's...it is quite a group effort!”
if you live in jersey, and you're a student of some sort, come out and visit our short hills store!
come out this saturday, from 5 to 8pm, and with a valid student id you receive 10% off your entire purchase! snacks and refreshments, too...how can you pass it up?
p.s. this is not a pic of short hills... :)
just a quick pic of our image team as they were leaving the office last week...they're currently shooting a book in prague! it's gonna be pretty sweet, i bet...
forgive me...this poll was created a few days early (b/c of my road trip) so i don't have the results for last week's poll...but, if you're curious, you can look at edition 61 and find out what tight/sock was your favorite.
this week, we wanted to know what you thought about these shirt/dress/skirts! we love convertibility and versatility these days; hoping you do, as well. but which do you like the best?
thursday poll - edition 61 - tighten up/sock it to me
where does the time go? honestly...
last week we asked you which we the free cover-up you liked best; of the 496 that responded, 237 of you - nearly half of you - liked the wtf silk blazer. :)
i liked that one, too.
onto this week. now that fall is slowly approaching, and we've got to think about keeping warm and looking rad, what tights/socks do you like the best? and if you have an opinion as to why, please write and share your thoughts with us! we'd love to know...
hey there, we've got another opportunity for designers interested in adding to our we the free collection!
come out to the wtf store in brooklyn - 113 smith st - this thursday, sept 24th! we'll be there from 12 to 3pm.
bring along your women's apparel/accessories!
in the meantime, take a look at the event we held in hollywood last month.
hello all,
last week we asked you about some of our favorite statement necklaces...
and the winner - by a leap and a bound - is our gem stranded necklace with 245 votes!!
so this week...we wanted to find out what layering pieces from our we the free collection you're diggin. there are 3 to choose from:
having a second, or even third, opinion when you're shopping is sometimes super helpful. that's why we're featuring some of our top product reviewers this week...
if you find a reviewer whose style you like, visit their profile to see what other products they liked and what they put on their wishlist (if they made it public). to access a reviewer's profile, simply click on their nickname!
and for our fans/readers in the northeast...doub and lauren will be stopping by our boston store next friday, the 18th, to offer up styling tips/advice!!! don't miss it.
come out to our stanford store in california this weekend and get glam!! enter a raffle to win a free people gift card with purchase of our select "glam" items.
hey everybody! what's going on? enjoying your day? good!
so, last week we asked you about bold vs. ditsy prints. the majority of you chose our freecycle cropped work top; we'll be talking to you about freecycle real real soon.
in the meantime, let's think about necklaces, shall we?
which one would you want most to make a statement with?
we asked you last week to share your feedback about whether you were digging feminine or boy-ish looks...not too many comments, but the poll results show lady luck was on your side...199 of you voted for the lovely louisiana top!
this week, we've got another toss-up for you: bold prints vs. small allover prints?
you choose:
today is our friend stephanie's last day...she's in the middle. coincidentally (or not), she and 2 other co-workers wore our deep v boyfriend tee.
heather made some amazing good-bye cupcakes for us all, donned with the state of ohio (which is from where she hails) and dachsunds (her family loves 'em).
quite a turnout for last week's poll - we had 719 entries! your favorite ruffle-y item was our military jacket. (it was mine, too)
this week, we're looking to you to help us in what's become a pretty big discussion around the home office. free people often blends tough and sweet, but what look do you folks prefer this season?
please vote! and...feel free to tell us in your comments which you like...and why...
do you like free people? do you like we the free? do you love both? :)
our creative director doub sent us this pic last night...she's in l.a. with our image team working on the next catalog, but met up with one of our vendors during her travels. she snapped him doing some metallic heat-sealing...
want to know more about heat-sealing? we just might have a little how-to for you in the next week or so... :)
Happy Thursday! Last week we looked at a few of our blazers, and the Knit Mandarin Collar Blazer was the favorite by nearly 50 votes, with 172 votes total!
Since our new catalog just dropped, we have a bunch of new rompers that I have been checking out. Look at them with me!
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...
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!
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!
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
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!)
It's Thursday Poll time everyone! Last week we looked at our collection of denim shorts, and the favorite by quite a bit was the FP Studded Denim Cut Off Short with 138 votes! Today, it's extremely hot here in Philly, which might be why I am looking at our new dresses - light and comfortable! Which one is best do you think?
Welcome to our Thursday poll! Last week we checked out some of our hoodies, and our favorite by far was the We The Free Thermal Hoodie! It got 41% of the vote with 259 people picking it as their favorite!
It might be because it's been raining all week, keeping me in pants, but I have been eyeing our shorts a lot lately! The jean shorts in particular! Check them out with me!
Our friend Lisa at Bazaarvoice, (the company that hosts our product reviews for our site,) used this fun generator at Wordle to make the word collage above. She took all of the product reviews on our website from the last few months or so, and entered them in the generator. The more a word was used, the bigger it appears in the image! It's pretty fun! Plus, it made a cool visual of what our reviewers are saying.
Use the generator here to make your own word collages! It would be fun to take all the text on your Facebook profile, for example, and see what words come up the most!
Thursday already!? Hooray!
We looked last week at the Fan Club Tube and our favorite color was Hot Coral, by a lot! It got 233 votes out of 566!
This week I have been checking out some of our latest sweatshirts. (It may have something to do with how rainy it's been here lately!) We have a lot of cute styles, and I'm interested to see what tickles your fancy! See a few of our sweatshirts below!
It's Thursday already, and it's time for our poll! Hooray! Last Week we scoped out a few summer dresses, and the One Shoulder Banded Bottom Dress ended up as the favorite, with 157 votes!
This week I am kind of obsessed by our new Fan Club Tube, which is basically the printed version of our fun Solid Banded Tube. I love all the prints, and I am interested to know which color you guys like the most!
We had another Free People spotting over at Perez Hilton - this time it's Kelly Clarkson! I really like her! She seems like a real sweet woman. She is wearing our Poets Society Gauze Top in teal. (FYI, this top is only sold online - it's not in our stores.)
Ah! Kelly looks so cute, especially in the "say cheese" shot! Jessica is the designer who created this top, and when I showed her the Perez article she was so excited! She told me this is her "first celebrity", as in the first time she's had one of her designs worn by a celebrity! Too cute! Here's Jessica below, being happy!
Hooray! It's Thursday, and it's time for our Thursday Poll! Last week we took a look at some of the many ways to wear our Riding Hood Convertible Tee, and decisively chose the racerback tank styling as our favorite! It got 253 votes!
This week I want to ask you about some of our summer dresses and see which ones you guys really like!
Hey Chicagoland!
Our newest store is opening tomorrow in Highland Park, at 642 Central Avenue! We are so excited to open this new location, and we hope you'll come visit us soon!
Hey everyone! Just a heads up - from today all the way through Monday, all of our stores will be having a sale! This weekend only, take an additional 25% off of all sale items! The discount will be applied at the register! Click here to find the nearest store!
Note: This sale is going on in the stores only, not online.
Additional Note: All of our stores expect for our Ardmore, PA location will be open for Memorial Day.
Happy Thursday everyone! Last week for our Thursday Poll we took a look at the Draping Frame Tunic, and ended up choosing Ultra Violet as our favorite color for the top, with 205 votes! Wow!
This week I am still scoping out our cool new Riding Hood Convertible Tee - it can be styled in so many different ways! I love it! And I'm curious to know your favorite way to style it! Check out a few of the different ways below...
First have a look at it as a loose hooded tank top!
Next up is the shirt as a long and loose drapey tee!
Now check out the tee as a racerback tank!
Next is the top styled as a cute boyish fitted tee!
Finally, here is the top styled as a sort of wrap top!
Well? Gosh now that I'm looking at them all I am not sure which style is my most favorite... I like them all!
Which way of styling the shirt is your favorite?
P.S. Don't miss our How-To Style video for this top! Watch it here.
It's Thursday Poll time! Last week we looked at convertible skirts and decided our favorite was the Tie Dyed Convertible Skirt with 155 votes!
This week I am obsessed with the Draping Frame Tunic! I can't decide what color I'd like to get - maybe two colors! Naturally I'm interested to know what you all will pick as your favorite color! Check them out below.
Thank you all so much for participating in the giveaway! It was so much fun to read about all your favorite clothes! Each piece is so unique - I love how special a piece of clothing can be, and you guys had such great items and great stories to go with them!
My favorite clothes are actually two different tee-shirts that were my dad's, before I swiped them! One is a vintage Eric Clapton world tour 1979 tee, which of course rules! The other is this great old Detroit Tigers tee, which is really beat up but it has the old logo of the tiger's head. I can picture my dad rocking them not so long ago!
SO! On to the winner, chosen at random!
Congratulations to Giuliana! From around 3rd grade to at least 6th, my favorite item of clothing was a pair of navy blue L. L. Bean cargo pants that zipped off into shorts... I wore them all the time. I kind of wish I still had a pair.
I remember that type of short! So fun and convenient!
If you did not win this time around, don't lose hope! We have more giveaways coming up!
Stay tuned!
Want to win the super-cute We The Free tee shown above? We want to give it away!
All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment on this post, answering the following question: What is your absolute favorite item of clothing that you own or have owned?
Tomorrow at about this time, we will choose one comment at random, and if your comment is the one picked, you win the shirt!
Make sure to leave your email address with your comment, so that we can contact you if you win!
The shirt is a size small, but these shirts run just a touch big and usually fit a size medium quite well. (In fact, I'm a large and I generally can wear WTF smalls pretty comfortably, though the fit is tighter...)
Good luck everyone! I'm looking forward to reading about your favorite pieces of clothing!
Our May catalog drops tomorrow, and we are so excited! The pieces in it are really fabulous, especially our new Riding Hood Convertible Tee and our Convertible Cape! We are extra excited for these two pieces because they can both be styled in a number of different ways! They're like 4 shirts in one!
We've made a little video to show off the different ways to wear these two items, and how to create the looks! Check it out!
Are you a native or fluent speaker of French, Spanish or German? 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
Happy Thursday everyone! The week is almost out and it's time for our Thursday poll! Last week we looked at some summer scarves, and the favorite was the Patterned Sunstroke Scarf with 152 votes!
This week I've been browsing our convertible skirts, and wondering which one you all think is the cutest!
Now have a look at our Overdye Rural Route Convertible Skirt, worn here as a dress. (We have also have this style in a non-overdyed version and different colors here.)
Recently, one of our Facebook friends wrote in and asked if we had some photos of the Free People line from back in the 1980's! Luckily for her, and for all of us, our Assistant Art Director Carrie was kind enough to put together this little video! It features items from the very beginning, when Urban Outfitters was just starting back in the 70's and had one little shop in West Philadelphia, called The Free People's Store. Then it moves on through the 1980's to our inception as a separate brand, and evolves on to now! It's really fun to see our development over time and look at all the vintage Free People styles! Enjoy!
Welcome friends to our Thursday Poll! Can you believe we've had 40 polls now?! I hardly can! Last week we voted on an array of gladiator sandals, and the Libia Sandal was far and away the winner, with over 400 votes! Yowza!
This week I have been looking at all our cute summer scarves, and I've been amazed at all the creative ways one can wear a scarf! We have some really cute new styles, and I'm curious to see which ones appeal to you guys.
Well what do you all think? Which scarf is your favorite?
(And if you feel like it, leave a comment and tell your favorite ways to wear scarves! I'm interested to know!)
Hooray! It's Thursday again! I wonder if I would even notice how fast the weeks go by if I didn't have the poll to remind me... Last week we looked over the different colors of the Sequined Mesh Tunic, and white was the favored color, with 220 votes!
This week I've been looking at our selection of gladiator sandals. Gladiators were huge last summer, and it looks like they will continue to dominate this summer as well. Check out these different styles! Which pair do you like the most?
Missbehave just did a REALLY inspiring interview with the girls behind Madison Harding shoes. Barri and Hilary talk about how they started the company with no money while working separate full-time jobs and knowing close to nothing about designing shoes. They make you feel like you can do it! Start your own business!
The interview is really funny and awesome. And they mention one of their favorite places they are selling to: Free People! You can check out their Stud Fringe Sandal featured in our March catalog.
We have been so excited about the new make-up we just started to sell! We had one of our models, Renata, play with some of the samples and see what she thought. Check out the little video below, it's really cute and fun! I can't wait to get some sparkly eye-liner...
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on April 21, 2009 12:28 PM
Hooray and happy Thursday! It's poll time! Last time we took a look at the bralettes, and it ended up basically a tie! The Trimmed Lace Bralette came in with 130 votes, and the Printed Lace Racerback Bralette was close on its heels with 128 votes!
This week I can't resist asking you about our new Sequined Mesh Tunic, because I am totally obsessed! I have been wanting to get one ever since it was just a mock, and everyone else here at the office has been especially excited about this piece coming out too! Check out all the colors:
One week ago today our newest store opened, in SoHo! Our Assistant Art Director popped up for the grand opening last week and took a bit of video. The store looks so awesome! I can't wait to see it for myself! For now the video tour will have to do - check it out!
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on April 16, 2009 12:01 PM
Happy Thursday, and welcome to our Thursday Poll! Last week we browsed the totes and decided our favorite was the Feed Bag Beach Tote, with a whopping 45% of the vote!
This week I am wondering which bralette out of our large selection you guys will find most appealing! Check out a few styles below...
It's Thursday again folks, and time for our poll! Last week we looked at a few tunics, and decided that our favorite was the 60 Miles North Dress with 170 votes!
This week I've been browsing our tote bags, hoping for beach weather... Which one do you like best?
Nicole, Pruitt and I made this video as we played with all of the different ways to wear the Free People chain vests. I love that just one piece can be worn as a necklace, a belt, a bracelet, a vest, or even to embellish your favorite boots!
What is your favorite way to style them?
Pick out your own from the four different styles on freepeople.com
What a week my friends! They sure do seem to speed by! Happy Thursday! Last time on our Thursday Poll we voted on a few rompers, and decided that our favorite is the Grafitti Peacock Romper, which won with 178 votes!
This week I have been perusing all of our cute short skirts! I am interested to know which short skirt styles appeal to you guys the most - so here goes!
Several of my FAVORITE bloggers are talking about our Jeffrey Campbell Lace Up Peep Toes, I thought I'd give you the inside scoop. We are selling out fast! We are totally loving the nude color. You can seriously wear them with ANYTHING.
If we don't have your size we are receiving more in May, but not in the grey. So get them now if you want them!
Whenever it's time for the Thursday Poll, it always seems to surprise me that it's Thursday already - every week! But it is Thursday, and it's time for our poll!
We decided last week that Orange Ocean is our favorite color of the Boyeee Tee, though it was actually a really even vote!
This week, I am excitedly looking at our hats - soon we won't have to wear winter ones anymore, but sweet summer hats! I can't wait! We have some really cute summer hats right now, and I am wondering which styles you prefer...
Genetic is our new favorite denim brand! So many people in the home office have them and have made them their everyday jeans. These home office girls pictured are some of the happy customers! (including myself! I got a phone call during the picuture taking.)
What we love is how super comfy they are and the great fit. The wash is really detailed with wear and whiskers, and the holes give them some attitude. But they are still subtle so you can wear them every day.
We are really excited to be selling jewelry from Nikki B designing from Santiago,Chile. Nikki employs women in Chile to bead jewelry in their homes on their own time providing extra income. The extra income helps many of these women and their families, paying for running hot water or their children's education.
Nikki's inspiration is the beautiful country of Chile, it's colors and landscape as well as her own intrinsic modern taste. The jewelry is made with glass beads, handmade sterling silver and vermeil beads, seeds, shells, semi precious stones, silk thread, leather and local mystical wood carvings from the mountain region of Chile.
Happy Thursday everyone! Last week we voted on our favorite tube top from a few that are currently for sale, with the Sunburst Tie Dye Top becoming the clear winner with 183 votes!
This week I am feeling pretty obsessed with our new Boyeee Tee. I have seen a ton of people around the office wearing it, and they look so cute and comfy! I really like burnout tees, and it seems to go with everything. I love all the colors so much, I can't pick a favorite! Can you?
Below is the tee in Orange Ocean.
Next is the tee in Grey!
Finally, here's the tee in White Trees.
What do you guys think? Which color is your favorite?
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on February 26, 2009 2:40 PM
Wow! I can't believe we've reached poll 30! It doesn't seem that long ago that we had our first poll! Last week we thought about which current Free People tights we like, and like a couple of weeks ago, the vote was really close! The winner with 149 votes was the Pondi Cherry Paisley Tight, followed closely by the Courtneyrose Footless Tights which got 143 votes!
This week I wanted to ask you about tube tops, because I can already tell that this spring they are going to be a really prominent style! We have so many uber-cute tube tops right now, and we're putting more up on the site every day! For now, check out the tops below- I'm wondering which style is your favorite!
I LOVE the story behind these, so enjoy this bit from the Swedish Hasbeens:
Her name was Anita and she was the hottest mum in all of southern Sweden in the 1970’s. While smoking Camel she screamed at her kids until her curlers fell out and just looked fabulous in her white high-heeled clogs.
One summer day in 2006 we found the shoes she wore (300 pairs of red, white and black beautiful clogs from the 70’s) in the basement of an old clog factory in the neighboring village and brought them to Stockholm. So for all these people that shared our love for Anita’s wooden shoes and for ourselves we started Swedish Hasbeens.
Our ambition is to continue to release more incoherent and fun shoes and stuff inspired by Hasbeens that once ruled the planet.
The Hasbeens are based on original 70’s models and are made of ecologically prepared natural grain leather since it’s the most beautiful and the highest quality at the same time as it’s environmentally friendly.
I LOVE the story behind these, so enjoy this bit from the Swedish Hasbeens:
Her name was Anita and she was the hottest mum in all of southern Sweden in the 1970’s. While smoking Camel she screamed at her kids until her curlers fell out and just looked fabulous in her white high-heeled clogs.
One summer day in 2006 we found the shoes she wore (300 pairs of red, white and black beautiful clogs from the 70’s) in the basement of an old clog factory in the neighboring village and brought them to Stockholm. So for all these people that shared our love for Anita’s wooden shoes and for ourselves we started Swedish Hasbeens.
Our ambition is to continue to release more incoherent and fun shoes and stuff inspired by Hasbeens that once ruled the planet.
The Hasbeens are based on original 70’s models and are made of ecologically prepared natural grain leather since it’s the most beautiful and the highest quality at the same time as it’s environmentally friendly.
Happy Thursday everyone! The week is nearing a close and that means it's time for our Thursday poll!
For last week's poll, I wondered which of our new swim suits was your favorite. It was actually a really close vote, with the Rubix Cutaway One Piece winning by 15 votes, with 139 votes total!
Lately I have been loving all the printed tights we have, they really make a dull outfit a lot more exciting! So, this week I wanted to ask you about our printed tights and see which ones you find most appealing!
Do you have a couple minutes? (Just a couple!) Do you like filling out surveys? Take our blog survey!
We came up with this survey to see what you think of the blog and of Free People, so that we can keep coming with what you like, and improve too! Needless to say, we are really anxious to see your survey responses because we really want to know your opinions! So please, if you have a moment, take our survey! We'd really appreciate it!
P.S. The cute picture of the kitty with the Atari (I like to think he's trying to take a survey,) is from here.
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on February 11, 2009 2:28 PM
It's time for our Thursday Poll! Last week I asked which drapey top out of four that we are currently selling appealed to you the most. Your favorites were the Double Drape Tank, with 164 votes, and the Embroidered Floral Hoodie with 136 votes. Excellent choices- especially the Embroidered Hoodie I think, since I have one myself! ;)
This week, I am trying to get myself out of this wintry mood and into a more springy frame of mind. We recently started coming out with our beach line for this year, and I am obsessed! I have been perusing all of our bathing suits with interest as they come out, and of course I want to know which one is your favorite so far!
So what do you guys think? They're so cute, right?! Which one is your favorite?
P.S. Ever wanted to know more about our model Jenny (above), since you see her around so much? A few months ago we profiled her and made a fun video! See it here.
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on February 5, 2009 2:47 PM
La Tennis Bensimon is the fashionable French girl's answer to the Converse. And we have them at Free People in 3 colors: Grey, Marine, and White.
A little about the history of this classic sneaker:
At the end of the World War II, Serge and Yves Bensimon’s grand-father started a business in importing American second hand clothes to France. In 1980, his two grandchildren decide to follow this tradition. Traveling through the world, they bring back uniforms and work clothes that they customize with a personal touch. Inspired by the military pieces and the travel, they designed the line that was immediately adopted by the fashion community and 25 years later became a “must have” in French women’s wardrobes.
The new BLDG15 Threads is out today, and this month it's all about Home Office Style! We asked six different Home Office employees to go the racks and pick out a Free People outfit for spring, and to tell us a little bit about their own personal style! We made a really sweet little video of our endeavors, and got really inspired to keep making up fun outfits! To watch the video and get inspired yourself, head over to BLDG 15 Threads!
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on January 29, 2009 5:04 PM
Thank you all so much for participating in the calendar giveaway! It was such a pleasure to read everyone's resolutions! There were a lot of really unique and interesting ones too. I felt really inspired to think about my own resolutions! Good luck to everyone in the coming year, and good luck with your resolutions!
And now, the winner, chosen at random: Congratulations to Jen! in 09 i plan to work hard to grow spiritually and to be less apathetic. i think and talk about things passionately but don't feel as though i DO enough about the things i believe. also, to get my life more simple and organized.
Everyone else, don't lose hope! It was so much fun to do a giveaway, we will definitely be doing another one very soon! Stay tuned, and thank you!
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on December 31, 2008 10:02 AM
Remember a little bit ago when I posted about the jewelry that our accessories designer, Sarah makes? Well, I am very excited to report that some of her pieces will be hitting our Paramus NJ, Short Hills NJ, and King of Prussia PA stores this week! Make sure to check them out if you plan on doing any after-Christmas shopping at Free People!
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on December 24, 2008 11:47 AM
Boot bandits are perfect for dressing up any pair of boots. They are a woven band of fabric that adjusts to fit over the top of your boots, instantly adding color, pattern and detail to your outfit. The 2 Bandits are Erica Chan and Tamar Wider, two girls in NYC who want your boots to walk and dance:) Check out the cute video they made showing exactly how easy it is dress up your boots.
These gorgeous creations are the work of one of our accessories designers, Sarah! She has her own little jewelry business, Sarah Lewis Designs.
I asked Sarah to tell me a little bit about where she gets inspiration for her pieces and how she got started making jewelry. Here's what she had to tell me about it: I first started making jewelry when I was a kid, creating necklaces with beads and hemp and things. When I was 14, I learned how to blow glass, and I just fell in love with the art form. I am inspired by so many things, everything around me, especially nature - which is how I got into working with crystals and rocks. I just love gemstones, and when I see a gemstone I immediately envision ways that I would want it to adorn the body. For me, jewelry is like a small-scale sculpture that you can wear!
Be sure to check out Sarah Lewis Designs, as there are lots of fabulous pieces to be seen there! And the best part? A few of our stores will be carrying Sarah's jewelry starting in a couple weeks, and in April, our catalog will be featuring and selling some of her jewelry too! Look forward to it!
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on December 12, 2008 2:34 PM
We have a new feature on our website that we are really excited to share with you - the Home Office Wishlist! Everyone at the home office has reviewed some of their favorite FP items, ones they would like to give and ones they would like to receive! We have collected them all onto one place on our site, so now you can shop our favorites with ease! Plus, nearly all the products on the list have been reviewed by both customers and Free People employees! Click here to check it out!
Posted by pruitt fpgirl on December 3, 2008 4:59 PM
How great is this photo? Pairs of wellingtons being inspected in 1939!
The New York Times published an article this week called "The Fashion Report of 1920" about the current popularity of classic, utilitarian clothes, like the Hunter wellie.
Check out Hunter's Original and a short Festival version on FreePeople.com
Check out one of our newer items, the Lacey Bandeau Cami!
This cami, aside from featuring a lacey bodice, has an awesome acid washed bottom!
We asked our Assistant Design Director, Doub, to tell us a bit about acid washing! Here's what she had to tell us: "We love acid wash! As we all know, acid wash was a big deal on jeans and heavy metal tees in the 80's. Those of us who actually did experience this time period maybe either don't remember it or would rather not admit to owning something acid washed! Haha! We love to bring this 80's acid wash back but on something unexpected like a sweet cami. Often if there is anything too sweet or too pretty we like to acid wash it, to bring it down a notch and roughen it up around the edges. It also makes our thermals and lightweight jerseys so so soft and antique-looking."
We also tracked down the designer responsible for this cute cami, Dana! She tells us: "The acid wash is done as a spray over the finished garment, to get a variety of results on the different fabrics and trims. We love the acid wash! We like using it because it adds a rougher boy edge to the more girly feminine styles, and also because it adds a lot to the fabric and the overall look of the style. We'll be using it again in upcoming seasons, on different kinds of fabric to get different effects!"
We adore this technique, and this cami! Keep an eye out for more acid wash styles coming this fall!
Check out these adorable Sheer Dip Dye Tanks! They are SO SOFT! Gabrielle, the designer mostly responsible for their creation, had this to tell us about them: "To make these tops we used transparent jersey, a special fabric that we developed just for We the Free. It’s a burnout poly-cotton blend that has a super soft hand feel. To get the print and color, we used a dip dye technique, and used discharge printing for the designs. The printed designs were inspired by organic prints, as well as text. One of the tanks has a text based print that we found in the lining of a vintage Russian military jacket. We think it was the soldier’s name and ID number."
“We love the different tie dye techniques that we used! It’s an easy basic tank with an amazing fit; fitted on the top with a more easy fit in the body. You can layer it or just wear on its own.”
Thanks Gabrielle! We love these tanks too!
Meet Jaime, one of our managers at the Free People Store in Ardmore, PA!
Check out this cute video where Jaime shows us around the store a bit, and tells us about some of her favorite current items!
About Jaime How long have you worked for FP?
I've worked for Free People for 2 1/2 years! Your job and duties?
I am a manager; I get to work with some amazing girls! I open and close the store, help out with displays and merchandising, and create outfits for customers! Where did you start?
I started at the King of Prussia, PA store, as a sales associate. If you could have any job at Free People, what would it be?
I would love to be involved with the photo shoots or styling! What is your favorite current FP item?
The Festival Top, every color is pretty (my favorite is the eggplant) and it has really cool details! Do you have any pets?
I have two handsome French Bulldogs! One is black and white and the other is tan and black. Their names are Remi and Poggio. Remi always looks worried and Poggio never knows what is going on! What inspires you?
I am inspired by everyday things; I love illustrations from children's books and photography! What do you like to do when you are not at work?
On nice days, my friends and I will go to Rittenhouse Square in center-city Philadelphia and find cute dogs to pet. I also watch a lot of documentaries, and because of that I know a lot of random things. Do you have a favorite artist?
I love photographer GarryWinogrand and sculptor Alberto Giacometti. I'm also always very inspired by my boyfriend, who is a photographer! Who are your favorite designers? Betsey Johnson, Missoni, and Yigal Azrouel. I love bright colors and texture. Who is your favorite celebrity inspiration?
I don't really look at celebrities so much for fashion inspiration, but I saw the Sex and the City movie and I wanted every piece of clothing from it! What are some of your favorite books, movies, and music?
I just bought Don’t Bump the Glump by Shel Silverstein, the illustrations make me laugh! I listen a lot of music by David Bowie (ziggy stardust days), The Killers, and Radiohead. My favorite movie is Labyrinth (I've always loved Bowie's hair in that movie). Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Wynnewood, PA. It’s a cute suburb really close to the city of Philadelphia, I got the best of both worlds! What did you want to be as a child?
I seriously wanted to be a Zebra, I practiced Zebra noises and collected Zebra toys! When I found out that I couldn't be a Zebra, I decided I would be a fashion designer. What do you like best about where you live now?
I live in Philadelphia now, I love it because there is always something going on. I have many options for food, clothes, and fun! What superpower would you most like to have?
If I could have any superpower, I would want to travel at the speed of light so I could go to the beach everyday! What is your favorite article of clothing that you own right now?
The Cotton Breezy Beach Jacket, I haven't taken it off since I bought it!
Today was really fun! Thank you guys for choosing me! I included a picture of Remi, the worry wart of family!
Thanks!!
Jaime
We had a blast at the Ardmore store hanging out with Jaime, and we couldn't resist buying a few of the outfits that she put together for us! If you are ever in the Ardmore area, or even the Philadelphia area, you should pop in and have Jaime put together an outfit for you!
Also, be sure and check out Jaime's favorite Free People picks, and when in doubt, you can always read the customer reviews she has written! Just look for the username FPJaime806!
Thanks again Jaime! We had such fun!
Very cool. I like them a lot. But have a look at what I didn't notice until later:
Wow! I love it! On the first two in particular, I definitely thought the prints were stripes and spots, not horses and skulls. It just goes to show you! If you'd like to see more of the Hawkins Trio Cami, click here!
The other day I came across the Coastline Dress when I was browsing around our site, and now I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to get myself one as soon as I get paid. :-) I am so into the crochet bodice. Gorgeousness!
What is your favorite type of music?
Anything rap!
Have you anything else to add?
This was fun! Thank you!
Here is a picture of my daughter Makenzie (left) and her cousin Madeline- Future Free People girls, shopping in our Arlington store!
Thank you ALL so much for voting on which page in the May catalog you'd most like to see as a poster! We've never had so many comments, and we were so happy and interested to hear which ones YOU liked best! We are going ahead and closing down the voting now, so that we can get to work on creating the posters!
Pages 12 and 20 were the clear favorites, so we figured we would try and see if we can make posters of both pages!
We will be sure to include the art running along the side of page 12 (or actually 13) and also to keep page 20 simple, as it is already. I will also be sure to post more information about the poster or posters and how to get them as soon as I get it. For now just know that the posters are definitely in the works, and you will be able to get one soon!
You can also look for another chance to vote on which page to make into a poster after the next catalog drops! Stay tuned!
Thank you again to all who voted!
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...
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...
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???
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...
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. “
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.
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?"...
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
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?
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!
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 actually kind of cool. You can submit questions to find out what celebrities were wearing what and where. And they have a stylist you can question to find more personal fashion advice. I like their tagline..."We don't care about who you're dating or if you eat. We only care about what you wear." I know I , for one, do care IF people eat, but I'm glad there's a celebrity site that's not discussing it constantly...
When thinking about the whole "vintage wintertime" concept (see "holidays are a comin"), we were really attracted to old stuffed animals. In addition to the enormous stuffed bear we've designed for our store windows, we decided to make some Free People bears to sell. The accessories designers asked a bunch of people in the office to bring in their favorite old stuffed bears. The one above is modeled after a bear that belongs to our store design and diplay manager.
And this one was made to look like the favorite bear of the founder of our company! The accessories girls had the bears made and then had them embellished with all the classic fp goodness... patchwork, embroidery, buttons and beads.
In order to get a creative job at Free People, you are asked to do a project that expresses your creativity and understanding of the Free People aesthetic. It's a really great way to show what you are capable of beyond a typical portfolio. So anyway, one of our accessories designers had hand made these super crafty luggage tags for her Free People interview. She tapped into how important travel is to the Free People girl, how inspiring it can be. Obvoiusly she was right on, got the job, and months later is seeing her creations sold in the Holiday Catalog! Check out the hand embellished tags for sale on freepeople.com
Once our designers design a style and colors, fabrics, and trims are chosen, a factory will send a proto for them to approve. The designer then approves or makes changes before it goes into production. Our factories usually send us proto samples in a real life women's size, so our knit designers were totally surprised when this mini sample arrived in the mail! The hoodie is so cute tiny it makes you think how adorable Free People baby clothes could be...
We just have to point out how amazing these watches are. Designed by Beth Frank in LA, she combines vintage embossed leather belts with antique watch faces to create a rough yet elegant piece of jewelry. In addition to the vintage elements, Beth adds a hand crafted buckle. The face of the watch is removable so you can switch it out with other bands, or combine a new face with the band. You have to keep track of the time, so why not on this beautiful watch instead of your silly cell phone?
