Yesterday I had the pleasure of checking out a brand new textile line called Petel Africa. The gorgeous, vibrant fabrics are imported from Africa by Julie and Ibrahim Wagne, who threw a launch party for their new line yesterday at Kappa Zakka boutique in Hayes Valley. Super wonderful story: the couple, who now have two daughters, met while they were both serving in the Peace Corps in Mauritania, Ibrahim’s home country, and the place where Petel textiles are handcrafted by members of his tribe, the Fulani. But the art of creating these beautiful fabrics is labor intensive, and despite the beautiful results, it’s a dying craft. So Julie and Ibrahim launched Petel to support Fulani textile makers. All proceeds from their sales will go back to the tribe for training in how to weave using traditional wooden African looms. The word “Petel” translates to “little spark” in Pulaar, the Fulani language, and that’s exactly what they hope their startup project will be for the men and women who hand loom these fabrics.
Sales will soon be live on the Petel site, until then contact the founders by phone or email, or you can buy (what’s left from their launch party!) in person at Kappa Zakka. And stay tuned for their next shipment: vintage skirts like the amazing one Julie is wearing at the party (I have one reserved already!) and vintage scarves taken straight from the necks of “rugged African men.”
“We’re taking their old ones and buying them new ones, because the vintage fabric is so great!” Julie said. Genius!
An adorable little trick-or-treater parade led by a trumpeteer from Seesaw down the street stormed the place as the party wound down–luckily they had plenty of candy on hand! Check out more photos from the Petel launch party!
Tagged as:
bags,
Fulani,
housewares,
Kappa Zakka,
Mauritania,
Petel,
pillows,
textiles,
West Africa
I’ve lived in Pacifica for more than a year now and I love it. Our swingin ’70s pad (shag carpet and all), which is a five-minute walk from the beach, amazing sunsets, and truly lovely neighbors have made me fall for this town. OK yes it’s foggy, I HEAR YOU! But probably not as much as you think. All the other good stuff makes up for the misty days (which I’ve actually grown to find romantic). In any case, the forecast says it will be 80 degrees and sunny this Saturday!
If you’d like to get a little taste of what I’m talking about you should come visit this weekend for Fogfest. It’s happening along Palmetto road this Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 6pm. There will be food, drink, crafts, and 25 bands on three stages! Check out how much fun I had last year.
One of the highlights will be just up the hill from Palmetto where my lovely and amazing neighbor Candace (superstar babysitter in a major pinch, we love you Candace!!) will host the “Beachstring Public Boutique.” Click to read more about the Beachstring Public Boutique!
Tagged as:
art,
Beachstring,
Beemees by Lisa,
crafts,
Fog Fest,
Fogfest,
Pacifica,
Pufferfish Press,
Stephanie Hamilton Designs,
street fairs,
Umi Baby
Viv & Ingrid, purveyors of lovely jewelry and accessories perfect for weddings and whatever other events you might have lined up this summer, have been at Oxford Hall in Berkeley for a year already! To celebrate their anniversary, they’re taking 25 percent off their limited edition pieces as well as some current styles. The sale starts on Saturday, July 21 and continues all week until Saturday July 28. Plus, on both Saturdays, enjoy blueberry macaroons from Emmacakes while you shop. On the weekdays, shoppers will gifted a free pair of CZ Posts! We’re pretty sure you’ll go home with some pieces to keep your new earrings company: Viv & Ingrid’s designs include covetable selection of unique jewelry pieces, bridal accessories and personalized gifts.
If we had our druthers, we’d take home the Viv & Ingrid pieces below:
Viv & Ingrid are local ladies all the way—best friends who share a calling to design and create beautiful jewelry. But their collections are also sold around the globe as well as at their store in downtown Berkeley. The celebrations are happening at 2142 Oxford Street in Berkeley and they’re open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am until 6pm.
Tagged as:
accessories,
bridal,
bridal accessories,
bridal gifts,
bridal jewelry,
events,
gifts,
hand-made jewelry personalized jewelry,
jewelry,
jewelry sale,
local jewelry designers,
Sale,
San Francisco,
shopping,
Viv&Ingrid,
wedding
Image via Heath Ceramics
Hello, San Francisco and Greater Bay Area readers! If you like sales, indie designers, pottery, jewelry, or anything else you could buy at a store in these foggy parts, take a gander at this week’s Racked SF over at Curbed. I’ve collected a short list of fun things to buy or just look at, including a couple of events to get you off the couch in the coming week. For me the highlight is the Divisadero Art Walk, which is tonight and will feature a mini Indie Mart with 25 local vendors. A close second in the opening of Heath Ceramics in the Mission! Enjoy!
Tagged as:
Bay Area,
Curbed SF,
Divisadero Art Walk,
Heath Ceramics,
Indie Mart,
Racked SF,
San Francisco
I’m a science writer who also writes about style, so I’ve come across my fair share of designers and artists who combine science or technology in various ways with fashion, whether it’s using high-tech materials or attaching some kind of gizmo to a garment. Often I’m disappointed by the overall result. Either the technology is somewhat useless or the resulting aesthetic isn’t so appealing. So when I encountered London-based Brooke Roberts‘ knitwear, which is modeled after brain scans and and other types of radiography, I was so excited. The pieces scream high fashion, without a hint of gimmicky-ness (gimmickiness?). I would love to wear any one of these pieces, and what an amazing conversation starter they would be! [click to continue…]
Tagged as:
Brooke Roberts,
design,
knitwear,
radiography,
science
Wearing a crown of flowers in your hair is by no means just for weddings or hippie festivals anymore. All you flower children out there have perhaps already embraced the floral crown, but the subtle and on-trend designs available of late make these hair accessories accessible to the less boho among us as well! I can’t get enough of the flower head wreath accessories, and neither can celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens and Kirsten Dunst, who have been spotted out and about in Cult Gaia and Dolce & Gabbana floral headbands everywhere from Coachella to the red carpet.
Etsy sellers including Kitten Paws Vintage and Mignonne Handmade also create pretty head wreaths that go beyond bridal. Or for the ambitious/crafty among us (and those of you who prefer live flowers), check out my Daughters of Simone DIY blog post to find out how to make one yourself! Whether you’re a die-hard boho-girl who wants to fully channel her inner Frida Kahlo, or a prepster who’s dabbling in floral headwear, there is a flower crown out there that will look lovely on your head.
Tagged as:
Cult Gaia,
floral headband,
flower crown,
Kirsten Dunst,
Tara McNulty,
The Wonder Girl,
Vanessa Hudgens
Images via Style.com
That Rodarte’s new shoe line features resin heels filled with layers of colored sand really should be no surprise. The Mulleavy sisters, who hail from Aptos, California, are known for being avant-garde and uber-creative. They designed the other-worldly ballerina costumes for Black Swan and created these installations, which I wrote about at iO9, among many other wonderful things. Still, those heels are delightfully surprising!
Rodarte debuted their first “mono-branded” shoe line during fashion week in February, and now the footwear is becoming available in stores. They collaborated previously on shoes with the likes of Christian Louboutin, Nicholas Kirkwood and Burak Uyan, as well as two exclusive lines that included footwear for Opening Ceremony last year. WWD (subscription required) says the new shoe collection is manufactured and distributed through a licensing deal with a company called Iris, which also produces and distributes Chloé, Jil Sander and Marc Jacobs. Which obviously means they are be really good.
[Marie Claire via Racked via Refinery 29]
Tagged as:
avant garde,
footwear,
Kate and Laura Mulleavy,
Rodarte,
shoes
This morning I started getting a crapload of new Pinterest followers, which was awesome! I must confess I get inordinately excited when people repin or follow my boards. I suspected there must be some reason behind all the activity—was it my pin about turning a fish taco into an outfit? Or maybe it was my 1,026th maxi dress? Then I realized those were silly reasons. Probably someone finally realized how clever the title of my shoe pinboard was (Shoe Shoe Shoedio)! Alas, the real reason was because Refinery 29 featured me in their top 15 San Francisco Pinners to follow! Check out the article to see the great company I’m in, including SF Girl by Bay who has nearly 465,000 followers, and Mod Cloth with almost 31,000 followers. I’m super honored, my former Gizmodo colleagues‘ disdain for Pinterest notwithstanding. I think we can all agree that they fear what they do not understand.
Tagged as:
maxi dress,
maxi skirt,
Pinterest,
Refinery 29,
San Francisco
If there’s anything I love as much as fashion, it’s probably coffee. Probably also Pilates and my husband and food, not in that order. But coffee is way way up there. I waxed poetic at Gizmodo last December about the French press my parents gifted me for Christmas. I LOVE French press coffee and I don’t mind the grit like some girly people. Maybe I should? Maybe that’s not technically a good characteristic in coffee, according to the coffee experts. But I miss that roughness it when I drink coffee made with paper filters or other extra-filtery means. [click to continue…]
Tagged as:
coffee press,
Espro,
French press,
Freud,
Gizmodo
Last night I got to hang out in a $17 million house. That’s not something that happens too often for moi, and it was quite a treat. It was San Francisco’s Decorator Showcase house, where 30 interior designers deck the heck out of an amazing house every year. It hardly needs to be said: Everything was jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Catherine Kwong was one of the designers, and her room was a blogger’s dream office. She hosted a party last night to celebrate her room, which was indeed totally dreamy for any fashion blogger—or anyone who loves pretty things, really! We were only allowed to snap photos in Kwong’s room, and my only good one was of the DJ (I really need to read my camera’s user manual). I found much better ones on Kwong’s blog, check them out below! Curbed and CasaSugar have images of the whole amazing house. If you’d like a first hand look at the historic mansion at 2020 Jackson, tickets are available at the door for $30, and sales benefit the financial aid program of San Francisco University High School. It runs through May 28; hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday: 10:00am–3:00pm; Thursday and Friday: 10:00am–7:00pm Sunday and Memorial Day: 11:00am–4:00pm (last entry), and it’s closed Mondays except for Memorial Day. [click to continue…]
Tagged as:
bloggers,
Catherine Kwong,
Designer Showcase,
San Francisco
Kiersten Stevens of It's a Hit events could not look more adorable in her floral headband made from cut flowers. Check out her 
Kiersten Stevens and a friend rock their flower crowns like pros. thumbnail" />
The Wonder Girl can often be spotted wearing a crown of posies. Here she is at the Lucky FABB conference sporting one she made herself. thumbnail" />
powder blue crown is the sweetest thing we've seen all summer! $100 thumbnail" />
Kitten Paws, $40 thumbnail" />
Mignonne Handmade, $145 thumbnail" />
