when we launched our holiday boutiques this month, i told you guys about a special section for blogger picks, featuring jemma and my favorite items. well today i wanted to share some new additions- we asked a few of our favorite bloggers to pick their favorites as well – here they are!
chantal of cocorosa – i’ve been following her blog for a while now but i had the pleasure of meeting her a few months ago and she is seriously adorable! if you want to know what she’s like check out this video on her blog. i love people who don’t take themselves too seriously! and she always looks amazing- i think she can pull of any look!
we met dylana of nana in wonderland when we worked with her and her sister natalie on our october catalog, and we fell in love with both of them! her style is a lovely combination of classic and vintage with a modern twist. she’s also a great photographer and she can play guitar and sing!
gemma of fade to black – i’ve been hooked on her blog ever since i discovered it! she has amazing style – like bohemian meets new york cool. and she’s got serious artistic talent- check out the dreamcatcher she drew!
our holiday displays are now up in our stores and they are so, so beautiful… like stepping into a magical forest dusted with snow, where trees drip with crystals and shiny trinkets catch the moonlight and twinkle like stars…
from our display team:
this year’s holiday display was inspired by vintage snowy showgirl dresses mixed in with antique silver and icy blue trinkets. we have intricately cut snowflake curtains paired with sheer glittery booti print panels – inspired by actual indian booti prints. we wanted to balance the delicate dresses and panels with organic branches and rugged cardboard gift boxes. then to add sparkle and pops of color, we added the neon melon crystal chains to hang in groups from the ceiling.
their inspiration:
and now here are the installed displays at our ardmore and king of prussia, pa stores! i actually drove by our ardmore store saturday night and it looked amazing with the twinkling lights in the dark.
*UPDATE: we have a winner! this giveaway is now closed.*
time for a giveaway! why? because it’s my birthday! :)
actually, our holiday displays have gone up in our stores and the fall displays have come down so we want to give away one of these pretty fabric covered urns! the vases were cast in india and covered with fabric from antique indian quilts and turbans, and decorated with beaded tassels. we have some in our lobby and they look awesome – this would be a great decorative piece for your home!
all you have to do is leave a comment below and we will select the winner at random on friday morning! be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win. good luck!
*p.s. those of you who missed it, check out our DIY to make something similar to these!
“i want to stand as close to the edge as i can without going over. out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can’t see from the center.”
— kurt vonnegut
Our skinny cords are the perfect fit for your everyday. I like them tucked into riding boots for an elegant silhouette. To me they are the best bottom to have this winter, I’m spoilt with choice with the colour palette though, can’t quite figure out which ones I want AH!
i wanted to share this awesome video that our creative director did with one of our most favorite models, the beautiful – and hilarious – jenny lopez! check out jenny’s blog here.
as a vegetarian, i often find myself in a bit of a conundrum when it comes to some clothing. i love the look and feel of leather jackets, and lately i’ve been thinking about purchasing one, but a part of me always feels guilty. am i a true vegetarian if i wear a leather jacket? is that hypocritical? sure i could buy a fake leather jacket…but they never seem to look as cool as the real ones.
the battalion has come along and solved my problem, by creating “vegan” leather pants and jackets that look just as good as, or better than, the real thing. i decided to find out a little bit more about the company and wow…i am in love.
the battalion specializes in knits and woven fabrics that are eco-friendly, primarily rayon, bamboo, organic cotton, promodal, recycled polyester, veggie fur, veggie leather, and cruelty free “peace” silk.
here’s a brief interview with battalion founder linda wong!
What inspired you to start the battalion?
I see clothes as something more than adornment of oneself but as the foundation of one’s creativity and personal expression. I started The Battalion as a vehicle to communicate that vision.
Have you always been passionate about fashion and designing? How would you describe your personal style?
My first love is drawing and creating. As I acquired the technical skills of clothes making, I fell in love with fashion design. My style is exactly like how I design. It has to be comfortable but not boring. It is relevant to popular and sub cultures, and full of narratives
What environmental issue are you most passionate about?
The Battalion is a member of The Nature Conservancy and 1% for the Planet. We are passionate about preserving nature. We also recognize that in order to make a fundamental difference with environmental issues, we have to encourage the right environmental policies to be in place. We mobilize our fans via twitter, facebook to get out the vote for all issues that will better our environment. Lastly and most importantly, we are promoting the benefits of wearing faux fur. It is not only ethical, but it is more beautiful and alluring to wear something where no animals were hurt in the process.
Battalion AW10 inspiration board
I read that the inspiration for the AW10 collection is landscape, desert and a wolf named Indio. Can you explain this a little bit more?
Years ago, my design partner worked in the costume department of one of Wim Wenders movies. His movies were known for it’s beautiful imageries of Americana. Recently I found a road atlas he left behind with detailed notes of routes he had taken during the scout. So we went on a road trip, following the routes from Los Angeles, to Palm Desert, through Las Vegas, up to Monument Valley in Utah and down to Sedona, Arizona. The collection is the reflection of our epic trip. And yes, we met a wolf name Indio in the desert whom inspired our expanded faux fur collection.
What’s next for the battalion? Is there anything you can share that you’re working on now and are really excited about?
For Spring 2011 we have some beautiful hand crochet pieces that are made in a very new way. Instead if using yarns, we crochet our ultra soft and light weight jersey fabrics.
The results are beautiful and delicate looking tops and dresses with self-crochet details.We are also making new versions of our best seller, The Battalion knit pants with buckle trims, motorcycle details, and some secret ingredients. More to come!
view the battalion items available at freepeople.com here.
i’m normally not a big heels person but we have some amazing party shoes right now that i would absolutely wear if i could walk in them… which ones do you like best?
last week’s party lookbook poll had a huge turnout- i think the largest for any thursday poll! it was close between looks three and five, but five took it with 25% – i wonder if the cute pup had something to do with it? :)
