Saved Industries

061609

2009-06-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

why fight it? I've been having a weird couple of months, I returned home from a short vacation to Portland, Oregon and I'm eager to get back to sewing. I visited a place known as "The Bins", which seemed to be nothing short of an urban legend as everyone I spoke with about said place warned against stained granny panties, hypodermic needles and other unmentionables. I was immediately brought back to another place in my career.

I worked in a place, for a very huge multinational company, where we would import 'rags', they would come to us bales and they would be opened, without washing, then pressed and used again for new designs in clothing, or sometimes just sent straight to the stores, of course stopping at a distribution center first, to have a hefty price tag added.

My attitude on the bins was "Bring it". If you could only have SEEN the things I've seen in the bales. Perhaps one of my most "Safe for work" stories was us requesting 1000 pounds of lace household curtains which seemed to multiply on cutting open the bales. On opening the bales, I found a very cool shower mat. Totally unexpected.

052609

2009-05-26T07:31:00.001-07:00

Spinelli's, Identity, and Saved Industries present..

2009 Pabst Blue Ribbon Art Contest
to take place at the BAXTER AVENUE BLOCK PARTY

Grand Prize - CASH prize from PBR

Items must contain, or must be made from PBR cans.

Artwork due in June 5 2009 by 7 pm to Identity Customs.

Artwork to be shown and judged at the Baxter Avenue Block Party on June 6 2009.

Opened to anyone over age 21!

www.pbrart.com to find out more!!

052109

2009-05-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

This saturday May 23: Mods Vs. Rockers Louisville - Their myspace is here.

Sunday May 24: Beatersville Car Show at Pheonix Hill - I will be in attendance as a vendor. Please stop by for great vintage and handmade clothing.. Plus, I'll be driving my 63 ford falcon that day! The website is here.

051609

2009-05-16T08:19:00.000-07:00

June 6, 2009 is our baxter avenue block party. interested in vending? it's a great chance to sell your records / flea market items / promote whatever you got going on. tables will be $25 for an individual, $50 for a business.

051009

2009-05-10T18:49:00.000-07:00

050909

2009-05-09T23:51:00.000-07:00

these items were sold to a living legend of burlesque via ebay. i have been happy to report a very renewed interest in vintage lingerie in recent attempts at selling my more rare pieces online. let's face it, i don't have a reason to own lily st. cyr's closet. these goods must be passed on to those who will appreciate them, if not use them for what they were meant to be - timeless pieces of seduction from a bygone era. of course all boobs and girlie bits are well covered.

050709

2009-05-07T16:39:00.001-07:00

i made a trip to a motorcycle graveyard with friends from out of town on derby day. we decided to search for the 13th street motorcycle racing instead of the horses this year.

041909

2009-04-19T17:41:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder - tomorrow is April 20th, 2009 otherwise known as '4/20' and will be celebrated at Spinelli's with a special game of bingo. Doors open at 8 pm, game will begin at 9. This will sell out! Be sure to come early and save your space. $1 beer all night, along with Louisville's best pizza. Yours truly will be doing to the 'balls' duty and reading numbers. Hope to see you all there!

041509

2009-04-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

happy tax day! this is my new rescue dog, she has spent her life living in a puppy mill, and comes to me via nebraska, missouri, and stamping ground, kentucky. most adorable boston ever! i believe in love at first site.

041209

2009-04-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

lily pultizer patchwork tote bag. a library you can carry of classic prints!

041209

2009-04-12T09:26:00.001-07:00

back from road trip to ohio to hang out with my friends the tough shits from philly. they are on tour currently with stalkers from brooklyn. question: for years i heard about ohio being a hot bed of thrift. i am yet to find anything there which really bowled me over. any suggestions for spots to check out in ohio?

040509

2009-04-05T11:39:00.000-07:00

i have debated or not what i was going to do with this blog. i wanted to keep it a light hearted look at what i'm inspired by, what i'm working on and a few views of things i've seen that i've been drawn to. however, on friday at a first friday event [clay street], i had a chance meeting with another new yorker living here who is also a cut and sew designer, which made me want to write about design in general and what i've put into 10+ years making things.

the biggest complaint i've ever encountered is that unlike many work situations, the cream does NOT rise to the top here. one can work their hardest, put everything they have into it, and that does not mean you will be successful. i have seen folks more talented and less talented, and the ones that ended up somewhere weren't always the innovators, or deserving ones. it is as much a product of being able to market yourself, and the luck of the draw. my number has come up a few times, and it been tossed out a few times now, and the level of detatchment you form with your success can be disheartening. when i was more wrapped up in my work, it would hurt when i took rejection, not getting that call back or a lukewarm review from a peer. it was all on the table then, and i felt as if everything was make or break.

now, i have been almost completely removed from most of the industry with the exception of following a few blogs, ebay, reading a select few magazines.. i don't watch tv, and i don't follow fashion. in kentucky i have very little access to first tier fashion, and luxury goods do not exist here. while at times, i feel like my work has become more creative due to lack of influences and more focus, there is something about being 'in the life' that is missing here. upon meeting the other fashion designer i was talking with on friday, it was amazing to discuss how we were planning on innovating new pattern making techniques and sewing machine attachments. East coast, west coast.. i had those around me who i could talk about those things with. here, there's a few fashion girls around me, but i have been less inspired by other designers, and more by architecture and culture, reading and completely outside influences. But due to lack of the subject.

I am not going to get on some rant about how my work has become better or worse being here, but i think being removed from the industry has put a lot in perspective. fashion is my heroin. i might get off it for a while, but i'll always be addicted. even when i'm 'clean' i'm still thinking about sneaking an issue of vogue, or gawking on style.com, wishing i was in new york...

040109

2009-04-01T18:57:00.001-07:00

early 90's denim - soon to be the hottest thing around!

032909

2009-03-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

new desk, it's heywood wakefield and from a school!

032709

2009-03-27T12:39:00.001-07:00

home from cleveland ohio - most notable in my urban exploration: a storefront which reminded me of a quilt

032209

2009-03-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

summer preview: i am very inspired 1940's silhouettes, but made in form fitting fabrics. these silhouettes were all inspired by a thrift store find: a lot of vintage paper dolls.

032109

2009-03-21T18:04:00.000-07:00

nice kicks!

031309

2009-03-13T00:49:00.000-07:00

happy friday the 13th!

031209

2009-03-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

new fashion illustration work, unfinished. also, new drafting table set up!

031009

2009-03-09T21:14:00.001-07:00

030809

2009-03-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

home work space, part 1: recent addition of the new desk.

030609

2009-03-06T06:47:00.001-08:00

running low on 'my' coffee - wawa vanilla cream. this is a picture for all parties who would want to bring this back from philadelphia. if you are going to be in the neighborhood of louisville, kentucky, i can offer hefty discounts at my shop, 451 baxter avenue, in exchange for my favorite daily fix!

030509

2009-03-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

we finally have a blog!

wouldn't you know, it only took me - two years!

events to note:

tomorrow: clay buffet [215 s. clay street] - starting the spring!