Vera Vault -- Geometry

I'm slowly, but surely, working through photographing the Vera collection.  It's hard with our Etsy business to make time for personal photography -- I always feel like I need to prioritize the pieces for the shop.  But documenting my passion for Vera Neumann's designs is important, and it's a New Year's resolution for me to work on them more often.  I am constantly amazed that I don't have more duplicate scarves in the collection.  With as many as I find/have, I have less than 10 duplicate designs, and even those are usually different colorways (which I love to find!).

Vera had such a vast array of designs, and we Blackbird girls have a few categories we break them into as our own personal shorthand -- floral, grid or plaid, stripes, figural, abstract, solid, cultural, and geometric.  From there, we break it down by material -- chiffon, silk, acetate, polyester, or wool.  And then by shape -- cowl, square, neck scarf, tie, long, or knitted scarf. 

Although it's my collection, the other Blackbird girl knows just as much as I do about them.  It's just another reason why we're BFFs -- we care about each other's junk!  Well, and it comes in handy when we're buying Christmas and birthday presents!

This installment of the Vera Vault is all about the last style category we have -- geometrics.  Vera loved a bold geometric pattern, and so do I.  It's a great way to make an impact with shape and color.  Although the designs may sometimes look simple, it helps to remember that usually the simplest design is the hardest!

Enjoy the variety of these patterns, and if I actually stick to my resolution (fingers crossed!), you'll have more Veras to look at this year!

 

On the Radar -- Love Triangle

Geometry was never one of my strengths, but I have to say, I'm loving the geometric designs that have been out this past year.  What's more, spring seems to be the season of the triangle.  Everywhere I look, I'm seeing them -- from jewelry to home decor to fashion!  So while last week's On the Radar gave you lots of circles to choose from, this week I'm going angular...

This wall hanging was my first find...

By sfettingis on Etsy, available here.

Then came the dresses...both high fashion and low(er) end...

Cushnie et Ochs, Spring 2013

ASOS dress, available here.

Then the jewelry (my favorite part)...

Fendi bangles

Collar by 11Objects

Vintage from FuzzBuster Variety on Etsy, here.

Pin from Sonia Boyajian, available here.

 

On the Radar -- Emerald Angles

I'm sure by now you've heard that Emerald is Pantone's color of the year for 2013.  I'm on board with that because emerald is my birthstone, and the color is one of my faves.  But you can get even more specialized than just the color -- the angles and facets of the gemstone itself are hot right now, too.  That deep, dark green mixed with hard geometric lines makes for some interesting, and beautiful, home decor and fashion.

Console from bocadolobo.com

This green is all about glamour. It's sharp, classic, but also, new.

Desk Set from apartment48.com

 The lines are crisp, but never boring.  The scale can be bold.

Pillow from Giardino on Etsy.com

Or delicate.

Emerald and tourmaline earrings by Petra Class, from craftcouncil.org

And of course, you can get your fix with vintage finds, as well...

Vintage glass from Lemon Rose Studio on Etsy.

On the Radar -- Bright Tribal

I've been finding myself drawn more and more to the look of tribal patterns.  I, of course, love ikat and suzani prints/weaves (who in the world hasn't been in love with them for the past few years?), but this spring, things are getting a little looser.  That's when I really love design -- when something gets trendy for a while (like ikats and suzanis) and then, a few years later, it gets reinterpreted.  Reimagined.  Design takes over an old idea and comes up with super fresh and bold looks. 

We Blackbird girls love our home at Etsy, and we really embrace that culture of handmade/vintage over mass production.  I can also tell you that when in comes to buying for myself -- I am pretty picky.  I fall in love easily, but it has to be TRUE LOVE before I buy it.  I love all the tribal things I've seen, but when I purchase it, then that's a good sign.

I found this designer, Layla Amber Handmade Creations, from England on Etsy, and I HAD TO HAVE her wooden feather necklace.  What does it have?  A fresh take on a tribal pattern...  Here's a similar brooch from her shop:

So I started looking.  Lo and behold, it's happening everywhere for spring!!  Natural leaf bracelets with playful spins on tribal prints:

Mara Hoffman, Spring 2013

Fun, bright prints!

MSGM, Spring 2013

Even for the home!

From City Girls Decor on Etsy

Geometric and graphic!

Coaster from Wanelo.com

On the Radar -- Honeycomb

Colored honeycomb from France.*

Nature is the eternal inspiration for design.  Almost everything we, as humans, make, somehow references the perfection of nature's design.  Bees are so incredibly interesting, from their little monarchies to their honeymaking.  The photo above is not really a good thing -- bees in this area of France have been making this colored honey because they are gathering residue from M&Ms containers in a waste facility nearby.  The resulting honey is unsellable for the beekeepers, and it's not good for the bees.  Even so, this is nature and man designing together somehow, creating beauty that is so complex, yet so elemental.

Bees and honeycomb patterns can be traditional, or they can be translated into modern items.  Forever popular, this is not really a trend, per se, but rather some new takes on an old design. What's old is new again, right?

This is the first image that caught my eye -- honeycomb in copper lacquer:

Tom Dixon, from Elle Decor Nov 2012

And here's the next one, two pages later in my Elle Decor.  I immediately said, "Oooooooohhh..."

Arteriors Pendant Lights

Art installation by Aleksandra Zee:

aleksandrazee.com

My shameless inclusion of Alexander McQueen**, with the 2013 line, inspired by bees and beekeeping:

And finally, just to prove our point that vintage is just as relevant, here's some lovely glasses from Etsy:

From Sweet Potato Jack on Etsy

*Photo from blogs.voanews.com. 
**We're going to have something McQueen in the blog about 95% of the time.  We LOVE him and his line, if you can't tell already... And his work (as does his successor's, Sarah Burton's) always inspires us.

On the Radar -- 60s and 70s Geometric Prints

Prada. Photo from http://blog.brandsexclusive.com.au/

 On the Radar is our weekly post where we get to talk about what we, the Blackbird girls, think the next big things are out there in design.  We have this problem, you see.  It never fails that about two months to a year after we start talking about what we like and what we want to feature somewhere -- in our Etsy shop or in the antique mall window -- it shows up in Country Living.  Or Martha Stewart.  Or on HGTV.  Now, we know everyone out there in "Design Land" drinks the same Kool-Aid and feeds off the same inspirations.  However, our process tends to be a bit more internal, organic, and dare I say it, vintage inspired!  As you probably already know, we LOVE vintage and antique things, so we get most of our inspiration from that.  

Michael Miller. Photo from http://www.trueup.net/

This week's post is about something we have always loved and have always been drawn to...1960s and 70s Mod/Geometric prints.  There's just something about an optic print that pulls us in.  Bright colors, neutrals -- doesn't matter.  It's all about the repeat and the graphic joy of a cool design.  We've noticed it popping up everywhere -- home fashions, high fashion, and even the craft world.  This chair, for example, has been recovered in Michael Miller quilting cotton, designed by Patty Young.  Fabric like this is accessible -- mainly because of price point.  Cotton crafting prints are a great way to maximize your design without spending tons of money.  These exact fabrics come in under $12 per yard, making them ideal for throw pillows, art projects, and even sweet little cotton dresses!

When we opened our Elle magazine for August, we were bombarded with images of suits and dresses made from 60s geometric prints.  Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Etro, and Prada are just a few of the designers featured.  Not only did they make individual, stand alone pieces, but they combined multiple prints. Layering pattern on top of pattern takes skill -- but the effect is dynamite!  Printed bags, shoes, dresses, jackets -- nothing is overlooked.

Photo from http://patternbank.com

1970s Blouse from Blackbird Antiques.  Ross House Boutique.

We still say that vintage is best, though.  If you wear vintage or live with vintage housewares, you know that your items are more one-of-a-kind.  Unique.  There may be more of the item out there, somewhere buried in an attic or a thrift store, but you can pretty much guarantee that nobody else in your town will have it!  The thrill of the hunt, and knowing that your item is special, can make ownership of vintage items a special thing.  Especially when you are right on trend, and just as fab as Prada (without the Prada price...)!