Accessorize This: Noemiah

Noémiah
by Denise Grayson

It all begins with a single feather. Noémie Vaillancourt takes a plume – they can be small and delicate or large and lush, natural or dyed – and builds beautiful accessories around her main inspiration for her handmade Noémiah label. The Montreal-based designer uses textures, colours and varying lengths to explore asymmetry and ultimately create a modern and stylish piece.

Her latest collection takes the feather into the larger-than-life category, a departure from her usually quiet pieces. Those who appreciate the tactile nature of Noémiah’s work will have a heyday with the playful, oversize versions of the long chain earrings and necklaces, they tempt you to give them a little fluff!

Earlier this year Noémiah partnered with illustrator Paule T.B. to bring some gestural flair to her fluid designs.

You can view Noémiah’s current collection at her Etsy shop, and be sure to check back often as new designs are being added daily.


The Harness Necklace III worn two ways

Deep Blue Sea Feather and Chain Necklace

http://s692.photobucket.com/albums/vv290/dreamsequinsblog/?action=view&current=Noemiah_2.jpg
‘Silently’ Feather and Chain Earrings (left) and Feather Headband II

Anne II Feather and Chain Necklace

Denise Grayson is our Accessories Editor and writes about fashion at The Swelle Life.

Accessorize This: Gaudion Bowerbank

Gaudion Bowerbank

by Denise Grayson

Gaudion Bowerbank may sound like an investment firm and in a way, this curated online jewellery marketplace with a difference could be seen as a smart place to put your money.

The London-based studio-boutique was co-founded in 2009 by friends Claire Gaudion and Kelly Bowerbank, both London College of Fashion grads who previously worked as a fashion design assistant and stylist, respectively. The duo collaborated to create a new retail experience, a compelling alternative to mass production. By working with and supporting emerging jewellery talent they are able to offer products on a made-to-order basis.

Working from small studios, the designers devote fine materials, years of expertise, and the hours of workmanship needed to craft the orders by hand, one at a time.

Kelly Bowerbank explains: "We knew that selling only made to order would be a little controversial. The narrative we provide about our designers and their creations allow customers to really identify whether a piece is right for them. Does its story speak to you? Does it excite you? If so, then you know what you're buying is a real investment piece, and if you're going to wear it for a lifetime then who cares if you have to wait for it to arrive?"

The shop currently represents seven designers with diverse styles at a range of price points from the affordable to luxury, though each piece really is luxury in the true sense of the word. Clients can see how their piece is made in the site’s ‘In the Studio’ section and the merely curious can gain an appreciation as to why a seemingly simple item costs what it does. The design process is documented with sketches, glimpses into the designer’s workspace and a diary that details inspirations and explains tools, materials and techniques.

Now that’s a great return on investment.

Photos credited to Gaudion Bowerbank


Jewellery designer Heather Kosch in her studio


Aurora Necklace of clear plexi, copper, blood wood and brass bolts. By Heather Kosch

Silver Wave Bangle by LauraJayneStrand


Ruby Browning’s Symmetry Bib in leather


Dancing Squares Ring in gold by Mayza Joao

Denise Grayson is our Accessories Editor and she also writes about fashion at The Swelle Life.

Dreamy Reader Mail: Where to Shop for Affordable Basics

I recently received an email from a reader about online shopping and I got so excited that I had to respond as soon as possible (my inbox is fairly mundane these days). Mona from San Diego asks: I just saw your old post about Pixie Market and I love that shop. I live in San Diego unfortunately so my shopping is mostly online. Are there any other sites like that, boutique-ish, more for everyday outfits at good prices that you would recommend?

First of all, Mona- thank you for your email! I'm an avid online shopper myself. While I love shopping the wonderful boutiques in New York, I haven't had much time to hit the pavement these days. Here (in no particular order) are five of my top picks for online boutiques where you can find unique items at relatively affordable prices:

(1) I Don't Like Mondays

Obesity and Speed dress

This e-commerce only boutique offers a wide array of edgy-enough basics including Anzevino and Florence, Cheap Monday, Obesity and Speed and Samantha Pleet. I love the design of the site and the menus are fairly easy to navigate. Check out the site here: http://www.idontlikemondays.us.

(2) Acrimony

Acrimony is a shop based in San Francisco which also has a good selection of relatively affordable designer items available online. I'm in love with their roster, which includes, for women, Ann Sofie Back, Funktional, Laeken and Mini Market, among many many others. Shop http://www.shopacrimony.com.

(3) Oak

A-OK dress

Oak is a New York-based and online favorite, and while I've only visited their small but tightly curated store on Bond Street in Manhattan, I feel like I could spend hours browsing their online finds. The e-boutique has an especially strong affordable department called A-OK, with many fashion-forward staples under $100. Check out http://www.oaknyc.com for more.

(4) Seven New York

Horace sweater

For such a bijoux physical boutique, Seven has a big reputation, which carries over into its e-boutique. The store not only sells forward labels (with pricetags to match) such as Preen and Gareth Pugh, but also affordable but interesting basics by brands like Horace and Ground Zero. Click over to http://www.sevennewyork.com.

(5) La Garconne

La Garconne is an e-commerce only boutique which stocks a wide arrange of designer items, some more affordable than others (sigh: Jil Sander wedge boots, I wish I could afford you!). With designers such as APC, Christopher Kane, Thakoon, Erin Wasson x RVCA and Maison Martin Margiela, there's sure to be something here to suit any fashionable person's taste and budget. There's a good sale happening right now, by the way. Shop http://www.lagarconne.com.

For further reading, I would highly recommend my friend's blog, Style Bite. There's a fairly comprehensive directory of independent minded boutiques on the site and I find myself turning to it as an online shopping resource.

Readers, any new online shops on your radar these days?

Introducing Swelle Boutique!

In lieu of an Accessorize This column this week, I thought I would take the opportunity to spotlight the grand opening of Swelle Boutique, a wonderful online venture by our Accessories Editor, Denise Grayson, who wears many dreamy hats, including fashion blogger for The Swelle Life, wife and mother. Now you can add boutique owner to the mix. The recently launched Swelle Boutique is a destination for dreamy fashion and accessories from around the globe, many of which were designed exclusively for the store. Here are some of my favorite picks from the debut collections, which consist of one-off or exclusive pieces. Prices are reasonable given each item's unique design and sensibility. Click on links below the images to shop!

Bowtie vest by Lu Flux

Viviana dress by Neue

Apollo skirt by Rowanjoy (florals and tulle overlay- OMG)

Amneris jacket by Neue

Congratulations on your new venture, Denise! I'm so proud of all your achievements! For more information on the boutique, check out http://www.swelleboutique.com. P.S. Now through June 30th, Denise is offering free worldwide shipping so do check it out!

Dreamy Trip to Barcelona and Valencia

The Mr. and I have returned from our trip to Spain, and we had a wonderful, lazy week traveling around Barcelona and Valencia. Here are a few pictures from our time away... Now if only we could find a way to incorporate the relaxed Spanish lifestyle into our nonstop New York schedules...

We landed in Barcelona on a weekday morning and decided to hit the shops right away... What better way to ward off the jetlag? We loved the Born and Raval regions, with funky boutiques and old world architecture.

After carefully studying some of the Barcelona entries in Haute World's wonderful report from Barcelona, I knew we had to pay a visit to Lobby (pictured above), a beautifully curated multi-label boutique with subtle avant-garde leanings, which happened to launch a sale the day we visited. I ran around like a mad woman, snatching up local designer goods at high street prices.

What I'm wearing: a raincoat from a local department store in Barcelona (it got chilly on our trip!), high street tank, Current Elliott denim shorts, Balenciaga bag and Lanvin flats

Espadrilles!

While the Mr. lounged around doing work on the terrace of our hotel, I visited La Manual Alpagatera, a popular tourist destination for espadrilles! I saw a woman carrying nearly 15 boxes out of the shop, and while I was floored by the relatively affordable prices (I purchased three pairs- pictured above- for around 40 euros total), I held back and chose carefully.

The contemporary art museum

What I'm wearing: an asymmetric dress from Kai-aakmann (you can buy from Oak here) which I was lucky to find on sale at Lobby!

We were in town for a friend's wedding, and they hosted a gorgeous welcome reception at the Picasso Museum, arranging for private tours of the collection. Here I am sipping a glass of cava... I normally try not to pose with a glass of alcohol, but this was the best picture I could find from the rather blurry evening ;)

The Mr. and I were both new to Barcelona, and we spent a lot of time stumbling around town, using our broken Spanish to navigate. But it was delightful exploring hidden pockets of the city, just getting lost, and discovering, every now and then, a hidden castle or cathedral, such as the one pictured above.

The Mr.

Hat shops galore-- I'm kicking myself for not buying an awesome hat...

Street art

I could go on and on about the food in Spain-- from the tapas to the scrumptious pastries... all for relatively affordable prices. We were lucky the euro was weak at the time of our trip...

Sangria!

La Pepica menu- famous for its paella

On the Valencia leg of our trip, we enjoyed seaside paella and a day at the beach...

On one of our last days, full from days of eating and drinking, we decided to stroll over to the City of Arts and Sciences, a futuristic looking compound of arts and science buildings (pictured above)... My husband got a kick out of it-- he felt like he was on the set of one of his favorite sci-fi movies.

Farewell, Barcelona and Valencia! Hasta la vista...

Accessorize This: Jamin Puech Handbags

Jamin Puech Handbags
by Denise Grayson

Discovering an exciting new line of handbags is a fun and fortuitous find, and the latest to have me imagining them with all kinds of outfits is Jamin Puech. The Parisian company may be well-established at 20 years old; however, their fresh and innovative handbag collections indicate they are as passionate about their craft as ever – they produce over 100 new styles a year.


Milton leather shoulder bag (left) and Puinare raffia bag

Designers Isabelle Puech and Benoit Jamin met while working at a prestigious fashion house and launched their company in 1990. Within two years their bags were carried by Bergdorf Goodman in New York and Corso Como in Milan and they went on to accessorize the runway collections of Chloe, Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld and Balmain.

Pinaki embroidered evening bag (left) and Disco bag of lambskin with mirrors

Quality handwork and a richness of eclectic references mark their signature style. Their unique way of mixing modern and traditional materials with patterns, textures and colour, embroidery and embellishments are particularly intriguing; these are the kinds of bags that make you want to take a long second look to see exactly what’s going on - in a good way, it’s never too much. They do colour very well and offer a range of colour combinations for each style; however, I’m partial to their nude palettes which are anything but quiet and bland; darker tones complement the lightness to add depth while keeping the lovely creaminess.

You can buy Jamin Puech handbags through their e-boutique.

Chiba clutch (left) and Tofino :bag

Waikiki PM(left) and Tepoto embroidered bags

Denise Grayson is our dreamy Accessories Editor and also writes about fashion at The Swelle Life.