Archive for December, 2009
A Street Justice Christmas Story
It’s Christmas Eve and she sits in a booth wearing nothing more than shorts and a holiday sweater. She scratches her knee from hitting the table and pulls her boots up past her newly found bruise. Her eyes are sore and decided to hide them behind oversized glasses, hoping that no one thinks she really has pinkeye. She laughs to herself because she imagines the epidemic she could cause if she really did have it. Just a simple scratch of the eye and a reach for the bathroom door… what a complete catastrophe she could cause. She imagines the possible headline on the evening news, “Outbreak of pinkeye commences at local Coffee Bean on Christmas Eve”. She smiles at the thought but is relieved that she has just been struck with a frightening case of allergies. Regardless, she wears her glasses as protective eyewear, as if it would save her from germinates that would cause further contamination.
The vinyl sticks to her legs because although it is already the end of December, San Diego never seems to let the sun go. She sighs out loud as she thinks about the feelings she has coming home for the holidays; as if breathing them out would rid her of them. She looks around and sees a group of teenagers shuffling around, teasing one of the guys to, “Do it”. She laughs again, thinking, “Do it, Pussy”. They see her look over so she pretends to look past them at an old couple deciding whether or not Splenda would be best for their early morning coffee. She opens up her massive bag and pulls out a notebook and her favorite ink pen. The notebook is empty. And it has been so for months.
Hastily, she reaches for a napkin and starts drawing what comes to her. She calls it her, “Napkin Series”. A series of free-associated, collected napkins from her travels here and there. She doodles her thoughts, because for some reason, she can no longer capture them in words like she used to. Words being so concrete and tangible, she no longer feels as though she herself can use them. She feels neither concrete nor tangible. She feels pensive, almost emotionless but overwhelmed by a sense of burden. She feels disconnected from the inside out and senses a need for connection. She wishes for a way to reach out to someone and say, “Hey, you there!” But even if he looked over at her, she wouldn’t know what to say.
She thinks about writing a story. A story with characters; real characters that would accept and understand her. Characters that she could connect to. An unconventional love story about friendship, growing up, making mistakes, letting go, holding on, and the best fucking time of their fucking lives. The story would be about a group of friends that she had wished for her entire life. Because growing up having moved around so much, she never quite knew how to have friends this way. They would all be bounded by music, and drugs, and youth, and an intensity for living life to the fullest. A cast of misfits whose humor would be just as revolting as it is endearing. They would each have subtle whims and quirks that really made each of them… a character.
She looked down at her napkin and smiled. Alas, a breakthrough! She brushed aside her napkin and began to jot a few lines in her notebook. She began to write her story…
“… and in this moment, she felt infinite… “
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Season your holiday senses with our friends from – HUFFER.
The Fall/Holiday collection is inspired by the oceanic views and breezy atmosphere of New Zealand – a perfect escape for those of you who are already nostalgic for summer. HUFFER creates sophisticated street wear by incorporating fabrics in soft taupes, rain-wash blues, charcoal grey, and midnight black in a variety of fabrics including chambray and heavy knits, wool blends, as well as lightweight classic cotton. The unique intermixing of color, texture, and cut gives this collection a refined look that is as easy and breezy as the nighttime air of their native country, New Zealand.
A new addition to the HUFFER family, women’s designer – Kristine Crabb – brings about a new and heavy influence on the American fashion scene.“I wanted to make some really beautiful, strong pieces that were simple and practical in keeping with our modern aesthetic. We’ve drawn inspiration from the cutting techniques of the 1920’s and 1980’s and mixes well with the natural easiness HUFFER has in their womenswear.” – Miss Crab.
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Tags: huffer
By: Bobbi Verdugo
Don’t be fooled by her sweet and innocent look– this PYT is not only charming, but also highly driven. With a new clothing line, and as photographer Bruce Weber’s fresh young muse for his Italian Vogue editorial spreads, she is ready to take on the world with her rebellious ways…
Meet Justine Crawford, a spunky 16 year-old from Brooklyn, New York who took up the reigns as the non-conformist of her traditional all girls school, and created a clothing line based on a fictional academy of misfits, rejects, and castaways. Her new clothing line, which launched this past September, is called “Academy for Wayward Girls” and isn’t made for the cheerleaders or Homecoming Queens at school– no, no, no… This season, she has created some limited edition pieces for her fellow misfits, who are all about altering their school uniforms in order to show off their creative and independent spirit.
BV: How would you describe your collection for those who aren’t familiar with your work?
JC: The collection is a kind of Thom Brown School Days/Abercrombie & Fitch meets Punk! I am also inspired by Victorian looks as well as with influences from the 1940-1960′s. I also love false eyelashes and French lingerie!
BV: Is it difficult to juggle your time with working on your clothing line, as well as keeping up with the usual rigors of High School?
JC: Right now it feels quite manageable because my school lets out early on Wednesdays to accommodate internships. Last year, I interned for a small children’s wear company where I made patterns and sewed samples for production. This year, I work for myself. I produce a collection of limited additions, not a collection per season. I am more interested in building my brand slowly. I am also developing a series of short stories/digests that will be turned into a web series. My approach is very holistic, and not limited to garments.
BV: Do your friends model your clothing at school?
JC: No. I don’t talk very much about my collection at school. My pieces are too expensive for my peers. I would be embarrassed for them to find out how expensive my pieces are.
BV: Are some of your peers jealous of your success?
JC: I think so. That’s one of the reasons I don’t discuss it in school. They don’t get it, and I don’t need the distraction.
BV: Where do you do all the work for your clothing line?
JC: When I am working on my collection I sew at home, and at my family’s house in Maryland. I do business and have meetings and shoots at my parent’s studio in DUMBO. My father is an architect and my mother is a photographer and director. It is very spacious in my parent’s studio and the atmosphere encourages creativity and productivity. We have theatre, film, and other artist neighbors and friends that use the space as well.
BV: What do you wear when you go out?
JC: Jeans most of the time, paired with vintage, my own designs, t-shirts from my older brother, King, and my spectator sneakers. I also raid my mother’s closet. She was a model in the 80′s, a stylist for 20 years – as a result, she has an amazing collection of clothes!
BV: Would you consider yourself to be a bit dark?
JC: Maybe a little. No more dark than say the Brothers Grimm.
BV: Where did you get the idea to paint on your shoes?
JC: Saul Steinberg (renown for the covers and drawings that appeared in The New Yorker.)
BV: I see your shirt, it says “Abe is a Babe…”
JC: My friends and I love Abe Lincoln!
BV: What is the price range for your collection?
JC: The prices are $50.00- $1000.00.
BV: Where are you selling at right now?
JC: I sell directly from my web-site.
BV: Is it difficult being so young in an industry which seems is meant only for “the big dogs” to play in?
JC: I don’t have the pressures the big dogs have. I have not set myself up to need investors right now. I don’t have their overhead, and I am not trying to wholesale. I am happy to develop my brand, fill fewer orders at a price that won’t put me in the hole. I am not trying to sell to the masses.
BV: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
JC: I see myself collaborating with and learning from people I admire, and sharing my creativity with peolple that get it and benefit from it.
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Tags: fashion, interview, wayward girls
