Julia Ramsey Knit Installation at the Textile Arts Center

Installation detail of Julia Ramsey's 'Engaged' knit art (photo: Joetta Maue)

Congratulations to artist/designer Julia Ramsey for the completion of her residency at the Textile Arts Center in Brooklyn. I love this image featured in Joetta Maue's Thread Reviews write up on the Textile Arts Center's blog. Perhaps Julia is suggesting that we need to become further engaged with our surroundings and environment by allowing our materials and methods to extend into uncharted, uncorseted, and organic territory? The visual and emotional effect is indeed engaging and stunning.

Read more about Julia's knitwear design work in my article on EcoSalon.

Paris Fashion Week: Josephus Thimister AW2011

Congratulations to felt artist extraordinaire, Vilte Kazlauskaite, for her stunning collaboration with fashion designer Josephus Thimister for his  AW 2011 collection at the Grand Palais during Paris Fashion Week. These latest hand-felted creations are absolutely ravishing. Vilte is known for her expertise in Nuno felting as well as her exquisite self portraits where she models her own eco-friendly designs. I first featured Vilte's work in 2009. So exciting to see such a lovely and talented person receive the recognition she genuinely deserves.

Learn more about Vilte's work here and well as her upcoming workshops.

(images via Style.com and Vogue.com Australia)

Save the Date: Fashioning Self and the Environment, An Earth Day Event at Brooklyn's Textile Arts Center

Titania Inglis Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

Save the Date for  this Earth Day event at the Textile Arts Center

in Brooklyn on Friday, April 22, 2011 

Join me for Earth Day 2011 to explore ideas related to fashioning self and our shared environment. Invited artists and local sustainable fashion designers will feature their own fiber, textile, and green design initiatives, as well as offering activities related to slow fashion styling and organic interactions with the environment.

Visitors will be able chat first hand with presenters, participate in on-site activities, and celebrate Earth Day 2011 with refreshments and treats from local sponsors and green businesses.

Susan Benarcik, Meiling Chen of Fearless Dreamer, Abigail Doan, Daria Dorosh, Eko-Lab, Titania Inglis, Eve Mosher, and Zoe Sheehan Saldana – are just a few of the names who will be participating.

Organically Grown sculpture by Susan Benarcik

Friday, April 22, 2011 from 6-9PM

rsvp@textileartscenter.com

Macramè Revival

If the art of macramè makes you shudder with flashbacks to overly crafty plant hangers or hippie chic gone awry, rest assured that there is currently a new fashion-forward twist on this ancient art of knotting and micro-webbing.

A group in Milan is organizing Macramè, a cultural project highlighting 'micro-creativity in fashion'. They are currently looking for independent (eco) fashion designers who are interested in showing their macramè-inspired designs at a fashion show in Milano in the end of November.

Visit the Macramè website for details on how to participate. (Do not worry. I will not be reviving the uber-sexy designs depicted in the vintage photos, above and below.)