soft structure

Brooklyn-based Erin Considine's stunning work with metal & hand-dyed fiber combines such gorgeous textures & colors. Drawing inspiration from nature, her woven, plaited, knotted & twisted architectural designs are wearable pieces of art. Made with ethically sourced metal, cotton & silk, & dyed with natural materials like madder root, turmeric, logwood & onion skin, her pieces are as thoughtfully sourced as they are constructed.

from here via here, & available for purchase here

full metal kimono

These stunning metal kimonos were made by a dear friend of mine, Polish artist, photographer & makeup artist Gabriela von Seltmann (née Maciejowska).

Gabi & her husband, Uwe von Seltmann, a writer & film maker, have embarked on a project that examines painful & hitherto unknown pieces of their families' pasts, when Uwe discovered that his Grandfather was an SS Officer in Kraków, & Gabi learned that her Grandfather had perished in Auschwitz. 

They spoke at a recent TED conference about how they met & were subsequently inspired to take on this difficult & illuminating piece of work.

see Gabriela's photos here

topmost photograph Andrzej Swietlik

dressage

 These fetching pieces from Filly would beautifully take a gal from the cool spring we're experiencing right through our humid summers. I love the timelessness of the designs, & the fabric choices made by designer Emily Christensen, a graduate of the California College of the Arts clothing design program: fine cotton voiles, hemp/cotton jersey blends, linen & leathered cotton twills that have lovely sheens & textures in rich, earthy hues. What really impressed me were the incredible details in her work: pleats, folds, seams & stitching that stand out against the deceptive simplicity of her designs & the solid colors she chooses, elevating each piece to a work of art.

In her artistic statement, Christensen talks about how it struck her that function was unexpectedly beautiful; this discovery while performing everyday activities like gardening & biking led her back to school, where she received the necessary training to design the clothing she sells today. Brava.

beauty is what you make it

How lovely is this? Fabric installations by Juliana Santacruz look like brilliantly colored lichens that grew in the cracks & potholes of the city streets of Paris. Quite the beautiful approach to public works.

via here

fiber optic

Dorie Millerson

Melanie Champagne

Stunning fiber art from talented Canadian artist has made me eager to check out Le Centre de Textiles Contemporains de Montréal next time we are sur l'îsle. I like the use of fine, delicate materials & techniques to create substantial-feeling, architectural pieces. 

The detailed needlepoint lace pieces by Dorie Millerson, a Toronto based artist, rarify when cast in shadow, like a ghostly memory of the object itself, & become the finished piece for me; the object itself, while beautiful, moreso a vehicle. 

This particular necklace by Mélanie Champagne, a Montréal based artist who creates wearable machine-knit pieces, feels like both an embellishment & a burden, a modern take on a traditional feminine theme.