Sunday, January 22, 2012

Wild things...




So far, the rush of November and stillness of January, has been the time when I design for Spring. All the sketching and patterning comes together as the New Year rolls in, and, if I am really lucky, the first samples are complete by February. I will be adding several  new designs to the current collection.

That's why recently I sourced some wild leathers - for the first time. Nothing truly exotic, just a small bundle of deerskin and elkskin.

Traditional tanning of deerskin leaves it with a richly coloured, velvety, matte surface, which, to the touch, feels very similar to the nubuc side of the leather. It is also subjected to very little `finishing`, leaving it extremely fluid and stretchy. Once on stabilizer, the leather takes shape well and the stitching appears quilted deep into the pliable surface.

It was just what I needed for my tasseled bag design to appear this Spring. I wanted a softer and modernized take on a traditional Western look, suitable for day and night....

Deerskin - soft and velvety, with hunting holes...


Elkskin is much stiffer on the surface finish, and yet amazingly stretchy as well. It`s matte surface made me wish, I could find more upholstery stock, that looks like this.

Elkskin - amazingly speckled
Wild leathers come in significantly smaller pieces, than my usual, upholstery. They have harsher tear edges and holes. They also have unique mesmerizing speckles and patterning.

Soft edges

...and here is a sneak-peek into the results of my experiments with the wilds...

First three colours

Zippers and some brights

Knots and tassels...


Full shoot for the fringe purses coming soon -- along with a few other newbies for Spring...

Posted by Jolanta http://jolavdesigns.com

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

January deals


Life just got very busy again - and we nearly missed the fact, that January is half way through. I meant to publish this post at least a couple of weeks back - but here it is, better later, than never.

This month only, we have some great deals on several designs -


Nijole bags are 50% off:
Pale SageJewel Purple; Light Grey















TerriAnn summer editions are also 50% off:
VinoMadera; Latte














Current wool TRIFFtextiles stock are 47% off:
Appliqued; Towngirl Argyle
















Emma - last and final Pale Sage is also half price...















We will keep you posted on the latest developments in the studio, and some of new stock to appear at the Webshop next month. This will for sure be a Spring of clutches...



Posted by Jolanta http://jolavdesigns.com

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

2011 in pictures

2011 was a year of big changes...  If up till last February, I was trying to squeeze my design work into all my evenings, weekends and lunch breaks from my day-job,  starting early last year I managed to win some time for my growing business....  From February of 2011 I cut back to half time at my day-job, and never looked back...

Here is the year 2011 in pictures...

February - beginning to job-share.
Even though the year started with a burn-out, cutting back on the day-job time changed how work and feel...

Outside the window - rainy Vancouver  sunset

March - new products follow shortly! 
QtBeach canvas totes
Emma bag



Make It Vancouver Spring
 ... and were launched to buyers at the Spring shows. My first ever vegan, washable line of canvas totes....

 April - Working at home helps to get to know some of the visitors....


She would come and hang out on the window ledge

May - all set up for Epic Expo....


Hitting the runway for the first time!

Telejournal did a brief episode about us


June - launching TRIFFtextiles summer range called Oh, Acid Wash Yours..
"Painted" tote

Bleach painted jeans, re-worked into handbags.


July - sketching, experimenting and starting the new collection ( F/W 2011 Cebrellex).
I was ready to take a different direction with my designs. I wanted to keep the core features, like pleats, punched holes and the strength of my builds, but I also looked towards working with new shapes, exposed stitching and new finishes. Oh, and multiple zippers too!

Vertical frills of Tosca

Structural pleats of Tasmain

Moulding pleats of Khela

July/ August - four dreamy days on the beach at the Harmony Arts Festival, West Vancouver

All set up - and showing some designs of Cebrellex for the first time
Returning customer agrees to pose for a shot with her Renata bag

Live music at Harmony Arts
 September - hitting the road for much needed R&R. First time in Alberta~

look-out in the mountains

first night +  fireplace!

view from the campground...

October - the new, long awaited sewing machine arrives! 
My sewing has not been the same ever since.

on the right - Duerkopp Adler.

And - we launch!
After a few weeks of frantic sewing, we are ready to unveil the all new F/W 2011 Cebrellex; my third collection! We hit the runway at Vancouver Eco Fashion Week.

Patrice Has Options

Dovana

November - Holiday season.... More new products!

Telia recycled fur clutch

Big Skinny belts

For the home - patchwork cushions

Make It Vancouver was our final show of the season - we had an amazing time, as always...
Make It Vancouver, Winter
... and got some great press! 

Vancouver Sun features an article about Make It
 December - Local-E Pop up shop brightens up the neighbourhood for three weeks!

Our corner at Local-E
 We had a blast at this small collective of Indies. I am sure, mulled Holiday wine, helped too!...
And, off to Sunshine Coast, BC for pre-Holiday breather...

Gibsons, BC
 So, there... It has been a remarkable year, proving, that the path I chose... could just be the right one!.. For 2012, I intend to travel a bit more - and be significantly better at staying in touch with people around. Lift my head and smell the roses. Share the simple moments of everyday enchantment.
 Happy 2012...


Posted by Jolanta http://jolavdesigns.com

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Happy weekend!

This weekend is big!

And it is one those, I look forward to the most throughout the year - a Holiday Weekend...

So, what I will be doing this weekend is - being entertained; having spiced drinks, aromatic wine, tea and treats, steamed veggies and gravy; opening and passing gifts, phoning my overseas family; wearing wool socks and sleeping in...

I love this time of year for so many reasons, and have over time developed a few tested tricks, that keep Holidays fresh and fun for me, every year:

I finish my big shows before December, so I have no huge last minute projects on top of everything else - it feels so great, to know, big set-ups and tear-downs are over;

I decorate my studio in a different way each year, but with just basics, such a the tree and some lights, so there is not much to put away after it is all over;

I don't wait till last minute to gift shop, so I can enjoy it;

I set aside the work I have been really looking forward to doing, because it makes me forget how exhausted I can be from all the shows, events and run-around, - and reminds me exactly, what I love about my biz;

I go to see a non-Holiday film, so I don't get overloaded;

I do not entertain at home, rather meet friends in a restaurant I really like, which reduces work immensely;

...and I start cocktail hour early....

What's everyone doing; and how do you survive the Holiday rush?...

X-mas at our studio, picture taken last year

Happy Weekend, everyone, and - Happy Holidays!

Posted by Jolanta http://jolavdesigns.com

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Tasmain: New Materials, New Skills (to learn)...



One of the perks in my line of work is contacts with the savvy Fashion Students. They have a great network and information resources through their schools, and they do not mind sharing it with us, self trained folk...  During the launch party of my line at Blushing Boutique last year, one very savvy young lady tipped me off, that a fur coat business in my neighbourhood is closing down – and they are selling off their supplies... I knew that they would be a great source for beautiful, well kept, soft garment weight leather, just waiting to get rescued amidst their mayhem of pre-closure down-sizing. 

The next day, I paid the Fur Place a visit.

What I discovered was a happy ending of a long career of a fourth generation fur traders and crafters. Since early 19th century this family have been working with growers, hunters and trappers, they sourced fur and produced high end clothing, and now, decided to retire. For me, what they had in store, was lambskin in three lovely colours! None of my usual suppliers carried lambskin, so this was a great opportunity for me to try working with something different, and rescued! (of course, needless to say, I loved their huge work-space and tall cutting tables, mannequins, sergers, machines - I wanted to get my hands on everything!)

I immediately loved working with lambskin. Not only is it soft, and perfectly pliable, but also, very resilient, which is extraordinary for a 1.8 oz weight. I first dug into the small pre-cut pieces, to try and build a new, evening bag design with pleated detail, I had sketched a few weeks prior.






Tasmain prototype, still with rivets...

Tasmain – a compact and elegant shoulder bag, with pleated front pockets was designed for lightweight leather, such as Lambskin. It proved to be the perfect experiment and a challenge. I re-inforced the body, pocket bases, connectors and the straps with stabilizer, I picked up at the same place. Then spent the evening pleating the pockets with glue, folding them in narrow strips and attaching them to the base for a structured finish. 
Tasmain was my first Western Rounded Sack design, to have the strap base connectors sewn onto the shell, as opposed to riveted, which I used to do in the past (for Kerry or Sarah bags).  I cut down on using metal even further, replacing  hardware, that attached my straps to their bases before, with re-inforced leather ties. Tasmain has made me more confident about my sewing skills....

Tasmain, Pistachio  - showing off my strap ties!

The final result was a sculpted evening bag; a design that plays up the elegance of Lambskin, it’s pliability and natural beauty. It holds it’s shape naturally without being a hard-shell purse. Darted bottom, just like the Sarah bag, closes with a non-flashy zipper and has two pleated front pockets. Strap can be adjusted by changing the length of base ties.

Tasmain bag comes in Black, Cocoa and Pistachio.






Fall/ Winter 2011 Cebrellex collection.
Posted by Jolanta http://jolavdesigns.com/

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Update on Cigar...

When designing a new item, I really do not know, how it will be met by my shoppers. Same goes for leather I source, there is always some faith - or crap-shoot - involved. I have been mostly right with some intuitive purchases of materials, but I also have had several surprises - good and bad.

During one of my most successful leather hunts, I have brought back about eight amazing hides I had rescued. One of them, was a deep brown, waxy finished 3 oz'er, called Echo Cigar...

Here it is, at my studio, third from left. When I sourced it, my current Collection was not even really in the works. I was suffering a burn-out from a busy Holiday season of the previous year, combined with full time day-job and the unrewarding situation that was part of it. I just knew, I loved what I found, and hoped I can come up with a design, suitable for this leather, later on.

And, it appears, that I did. Echo Cigar, a.k.a. Cigar became the opening colour of the Khela bag.






Since the time, the prototype was made, nearly all 64 beautiful square feet of this amazing leather has been used - and sold as my new, labour intense and graceful country tote. I was able to build five out of six intended Khela bags in Cigar. Four of those have fled the nest already - and I only have enough leather for one final Khela....

So, I would be thrilled that my final, sixth Khela in Cigar went to someone, who would really appreciate it. Simply, because to find another Orphaned hide as beautiful, as that one was, would be far too unlikely.

Khela Cigar No 6 will appear at the Webshop shortly.



Posted by Jolanta http://jolavdesigns.com