CREATIVE SPOTLIGHT
MALLYCE MILLER, TREND FORECASTER + DESIGNER FOR LAEKEN
Mallyce Miller is very outgoing, knows how to hustle her brand Laeken, a great collaborator and like us is obsessed with the "NEW, THE NEXT, and THE INNOVATIVE." Designer and Trend Forecaster, Mallyce has been a part of the fashion industry for 11 years and now consults with contemporary brands like Kill City, Guy Baxter and Wasteland. What is Trend Forecasting? "It’s about paying attention to the different & the diverse, the patterns that we recognize & the anomalies that disrupt & confound them."
(For the novices) What are Do's and Don't for designing in tie-dye?
Do be creative and invent your own. Do try one crazy dye on top of another. Right now I am doing a collaboration with JOLYN a swimwear line (http://jolynclothing.com) and I'm putting one crazy snake print dye over a marbled dye. I'm excited, the designs will be out in a couple of months.
Don't have expectations.. Dyes are really hard, dyes change depending on the amount you dye, the fabric, the weight, the color, the treatment. You can tell them "make it look like this" and you will get a completely different outcome. I'm used to it by now, but you have to sample A LOT, because you never know what it's going to look like. Sometimes the samples come out horribly, and other times they come out completely different than wanted but turn out more amazing than I could have imagined.
Five favorite things about living & working in L.A.?
* It's always 78 degrees outside, so you are always able to drive/move fabric/carry patterns down the street without having weather issues. This also means you can have BBQs in tank tops at 5pm in January, like I did last week.
* We have crazy fun dance classes like that at thesweatspotla.com
* There are a ton of bars and restaurants to go to, and when you are just about bored of them, a new one comes in and takes over the space. It's a good thing because it changes the city up...it's a bad thing because that means the places stop making money...but in many cases (or the ones that I am talking about), it's the actual owners that made a ton in the couple years it was open and they go back in and revamp it... And yes, I still love little dive bars and nook in the wall restaurants that have been there forever.
* Coffee shops.. I live a lot of my life at coffee shops these days. If I'm not downtown with patternmakers or contractors etc or at someone's office, I am visiting a different coffee shop to work on my laptop. I have my studio to work at, but I like the variety and changing it up.
* There are a ton of places to escape to for the weekend nearby: Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Wine Country and many spots to snowboard and camp.
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE, AND VIEW THE LAEKEN COLLECTION
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JEWELRY DESIGNER, NETTIE KENT
10 Things I Love About New York City
1. The way the Manhattan skyline looks at night from my place in Brooklyn.
2. All of the city lights.
3. All the museums, but especially the Natural History Museum and most especially the Hall of Gems, bling!
4. The beach is less than an hour away and great surf in September/October.
5. The sheer diversity of NYC that exists for everyone here. Meeting new people all the time and how hanging with a new friend can show you a totally different part of NY that you never knew existed.
6. McCarren park for afternoon coffee breaks and people watching, and the big tall trees that shade it.
7. Brooklyn!!!
8. Getting lost wandering in the West Village and noticing something new every time, an amazing building or a great new store or restaurant.
9. Walking everywhere.
10. The constant energy that feeds this manic city and all the creative inspiration that grows from that mania.
Check out what's on Nettie's inspiration board. [photo credit: Aggyness Deyn/Naag.com]
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Sophie Okulick designs SOPHIE MONET JEWELRY
Who did you idolize when you were 10 years old?
I think every kid idolizes their older siblings when they're young. I copied everything my sister did. But, when she got her first car, a '76 cherry red Bronco, it almost put me over the edge.
You're a native Angeleno, give us 3 "You know you were raised in L.A. if..."
1. If you've ever been to tower 26 in Santa Monica.
2. You know what's in a godmother.
3. You know that Dennis Hopper blows up the bus in Speed on Main St and Rose.
Name 1 thing that is currently on your inspiration board.
I don't really have an inspiration board. I just have snapshots and memories of places I've been and things I saw.
Favorite fashion blogs and why?
Because I'm Addicted ... I think the name says it all. I just started getting into Pinterest. It's a never ending scroll of amazing things.
What's in your bag? Click here....
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An EAST COAST/WEST COAST collaboration with Tatiana from Supadupa Vintage and Jason from SGC-NY
[east coast] Jason Alfano of SGC-NY
your favorite NYC vintage store?Without a doubt The New World Order in the Lower East Side. Owner Renee Bejil curates one of the most meticulous shops with amazing high end brands, Lanvin, Thierry Mugler, YSL, Dior & Vivienne Westwood. If you're looking for more rock and roll vibe, hit up Search and Destroy in the East Village.
favorite NYC resto?
I am Italian and really lean towards that when I go out. So, places like I Sodi, Lupa, Osteria Morini, The Modern, Flex Mussels, The Dutch, Dell’ Anima, A Voce Madison, Socarrat Paella Bar, ABC Kitchen and Roberta's.
what's your city's best jewelry lines?
Assad Mounser, Pamela Love, Nettie Kent. I also think the world of Low Luv, Luv Aj, TomTom Jewelry and Fleet Out on the West Coast.
best kept secret/hidden gem in NYC?
I'd have to say that hidden gems are rather scarce. I think any place you can get a moment of peace is a great hidden gem. Not sure if it's a secret, but Fort Tilden has become a really popular beach destination.
how does the SGC-NY x Supadupa Vintage collaboration represent NYC?
I really love that our shirts play with length. I think that is just very modern and reps that New York City style
[west
coast] Tatiana Bolanos of Supadupa Vintage
your
favorite LA vintage store?
Shareen Vintage I used to always shop at her warehouse during high school. She has amazing one of a kind
vintage finds at great affordable prices. I would go crazy in her store, since it looks like a huge closet in a big warehouse. Great
50's dresses and vintage swimsuits!
favorite LA resto?
Yen Yen Cafe is one of my all time fave thai restaurants, best Pad Thai, good portions, great prices, BEST Iced ThaiCoffee!
what's your city's best jewelry lines?
Best and most favorite is Luv Aj and
CC Skye. I just received the fabulous crystal chunk knucklebuster
ring and a body chain from Luv Aj, wear them everyday. Such
amazing, eye stopper pieces and can wear with everything.
best kept secret/hidden gem in LA?
Freak City L.A. Shop on
Hollywood Blvd. A lot of people think it's just a venue, but really it's also a
fabulous shop filled with awesome vintage finds especially from the 80's underground scene.
how does the SGC-NY x Supadupa
Vintage collaboration represent LA?
We also agree with SGC, we love lengthen shirts and that soft shredded look,
it's so LA and so trendy for anyone.
THE
COLLABORATION. Two designers, two lines, two coasts, and two limited edition
shredded tees available exclusively in (the shop). Click here for the
Tie-Dye Shredded Tee and here for the Kukkoon
Shreeded Tee.
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Johanna Bloomfield of Johannes Faktotum menswear line
You've studied in London, Paris, Berlin, and New York. What's your favorite city and why? I find them all equally inspiring for different reasons, but in the end New York feels the most like home. Paris is amazing for its decadence, Berlin for its raw energy and New York…well it really has everything.
Favorite NYC neighborhood: I find the redhook area of Brooklyn to be one of the most intriguing neighborhoods in NYC. It is virtually unreachable by train and has a large artists community. It used to be a major sea port and has maintained much of the maritime architecture and ambiance. It also has some very cool and quirky restaurants and bars.
In your opinion, what's the biggest difference between NYC and European style? Europe has some very forward thinking designers, so the overall style tends to be a bit more experimental. I think people are more open to this aesthetic there. The NYC style is deeply rooted in commercial design so it tends to be more conservative.
What are your summer staples? Water + Air conditioning :)
Name one thing you can do in a New York minute? Free summer concerts...it is such a luxury that this city truly has so much going on, every day.
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Amanda Thomas of Luv Aj
What was the inspiration for the Spring/Summer 2011 collection?
I was inspired by the materials I used this season, lots of organic crystals, chipped arrowheads, dark metals, and really just tried to play around with what I had to work with. I developed a special method of dipping crystals in metal and coating them in copper and brass and I really think those are the standout pieces of the collection. You just throw it on and don't have to think about adding any necklaces or earrings, because it's such a statement piece. I love pairing bodychains with an oversized sweater or a flowy mai dress, something that's a little baggier so that the bodychain can give the outfit a little more shape.
You've worked with an amazing list of experts, include Corey Madley, Rachel Pally and Estee Stanley.
What important things have they taught you that influenced you when starting your own line?
One of the most important things I learned from those lovely ladies is to delegate. It's about getting smart when it comes to managing your time. A lot of these women have 1,000 things to do in a day and it's about making sure that you have found the best people to work with to get it done. Focus your efforts on the most important aspects of your brand and delegate other tasks to people to keep the ball rolling. Sometimes it's hard to ask for help, but you can't do everything on your own.
