All American Vintage

Future Vintage

2011-04-25T10:17:00.000-05:00

This thought provoking piece, aged to perfection, about how a couple of 21st centurty gadgets from two iconic US brands become 'vintaged'. Although we are used to the worn aesthetics of everything from natural dyes to plastics and how their colors fade and their surfaces erode - we have yet to appreaciate what might happen to current materials - in this case worn silver paint revealing black injection molded plastic.

American Rustic

2011-03-29T22:33:00.002-05:00

There's a cool article with slideshow in the NYTimes about early 20th Century design that articulates well what is an aesthetic focal point right now for American Vintage.

a simpler, more rustic and American-inflected style that is more general store than taxidermy-appointed lodge, and that emphasizes objects that are well-made, durable and useful: wire storage baskets, machine-age metal tools, leather couches, canvas bags, colorful woolen blankets and interiors made of barn wood.

Christmas Time is Here

2010-12-15T09:52:00.002-05:00

Mayer Hawthorne, sometimes referred to as a Throwback Soul Artist, or as described by the NYTimes as if the last 20 or 30 or 40 years of pop music hadn’t happened- isn't quite as easily compartmentalized as it might seem. He follows up a collaboration with Snoop Dogg with a smooth cover from the Charlie Brown Christmas Album. He says of his upcoming album you're going to hear more of my affinity for Steely Dan and the Beatles and the Byrds and the Hollies and the Doobie Brothers -- probably some Public Enemy and N.W.A too. Totally dig this guy- the Green Eyed Love Classic Remix is awesome.

Mayer Hawthorne - Christmas Time Is Here by Mayer Hawthorne

Impossible Soul

2010-11-30T08:38:00.001-05:00

Sufjan Stevens current manifestation, blending late eighties/early nineties music and aesthetics is fascinating. Check out his new video for Too Much where he rocks a vintage eighties sleeveless Nike t shirt. A review of a recent concert used words like electro-folk hippie-intergalactic dance party to describe his performance of Impossible Soul. On a recent TV spot on Fallon it looks like Keith Haring did his wardrobe. It seems difficult to put a finger on what he's about- here's another description awe-inspiring, euphonious, spiritually rapturous indie-folk techno-pop dance party. He says, he's sick of being Mr. Strummy Strum.

Black Ivy

2010-09-23T21:36:00.004-05:00

Love this shoot on Street Etiquette called The Black Ivy, inspired by the college style of the Black Ivy League. The African bags, beads and scarf accessories are a cool update on trad prep outfits.

Functional Work Wear

2010-09-01T22:36:00.011-05:00

The NYTimes post today about the Tribes of San Francisco was an interesting examination of style in San Francisco. Having lived in San Francisco for a year I agree that sartorial needs here are more balanced with functional ones that reflect a more outdoors if not exactly athletic lifestyle. The article however misses a key component of dressing in this city- the weather. Layers aren't necessarily about styling, they are also about dealing with the shifting temperatures through the day and across the different parts of the city. It was a learning curve to get this right which included how to tie, wrap or carry a shed layer.

It was also an education in why some garments really work there like polar fleece- its not only warm, its light to carry. A pleasant surprise was the denim jacket which has it's workwear roots here from the Gold Rush era. Mine got a lot more wear in SF than in NYC. Something about it's weight which was too heavy for east coast warm weather or too light for cool weather was more appropriate here. The corduroy collared, blanket lined Storm Rider was more meaningful in NYC - but I always wished it was longer and less heavy. I love some of the newer interpretations of the engineer jacket, but ironically what's fashionable despite it's genre is not something that always 'works' that well.

Gathering Steam

2010-07-23T21:34:00.010-05:00

For some reason this avalanche of push-pinned black-and-white photos—vintage portraits, cabinet cards, and casual snapshots rivetted me. Maybe because I spend a lot of time looking at, studying, sometimes buying paper epehemera just like it but the fascinating new information this image provides I think is the display style, chaotic and organic- organized into almost eerily beautiful tableaux. Its yet another dot in the increasing interest in Victorian/19th century aesthetics- like the tintype imagery in this NYTimes spread, Just in from the 1890's clustering around a trend concept that continues to gain momentum called steampunk ( here's the British take on it). These, for example are steampunk USB's.

If you look through the other images from the source article Still Life describing Jeffery Moss' home, you'll also see a fresh combination of this era's maximalist aesthetic with more minimalistic 20th century pieces- almost like the interior decoration version of pairing t shirt and jeans with victorian tailoring and facial hair.

Nighthawks Address

2010-07-05T22:08:00.007-05:00

Does the diner pictured in Hopper's Nighthawks really exist?

"Nighthawks," Hopper said in an interview later, “was suggested by a restaurant on Greenwich Avenue where two streets meet.” The location was pinpointed by a Hopper expert, Gail Levin, as the “empty triangular lot” where Greenwich meets 11th Street and Seventh Avenue, otherwise known as Mulry Square. This has become accepted city folklore. Greenwich Village tour guides point to the lot, now owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and tell visitors that Hopper’s diner stood there. But did it? from Nighthawks State of Mind NYTimes

Dark Sider

2010-06-13T00:49:00.007-05:00

Could not resist this version of the Top Sider by Brooklyn based shoe company Bed| Stu called Uncle Buck - I bought the black color which has such a great beat up look and looks cool with cut off old black/grey jeans. Just need this to complete a goth/noir inclined nautical update. I also quite like this collab between J Crew and Sperry. Sperry was also one of the brands mentioned in this interseting article today in the NYTImes posing the question Will Last Century’s Styles Open Today’s Wallets?

Worked at Sea

2010-04-30T15:33:00.004-05:00

My friend Edie has a great collection of textiles which are family heirlooms from Maine which I had the pleasure of taking a good look at and photographing for future reference. They included blankets and quilts, which are great references for color and some amazing sailor's embroidery like the ones pictured above which were presumably greeting cards.

Cape Cod

2010-04-26T13:39:00.003-05:00

Every year I design some kind of group of designs around anchors and boats and life by the sea. These nautical themes endure and never seem to go out of fashion. I finally got around to do some for my own store- so check out the Cape Cod section if you are in the mood for lobsters, whales, anchors and ropes - all inspired by my vacations there that I absolutely loved.

New Wave

2010-04-17T11:15:00.007-05:00

Vintage Ocean Pacific apparel circa eighties has been a big source of interest for me as inspiration for color palettes as well as graphics for surf tees for a while now but it looks like its starting to really take off this summer not only with some great references to the archives in Op's current line but also in the eighties aesthetics ( lots of mod patterns, angled layouts ) from a variety of board short companies.

Footwork

2010-03-19T09:59:00.006-05:00

I finally got round to working on the new Keds shoes that are now available in Zazzle and I have to say, I think this is really cool. I was really only working with graphic images that were already being used on t shirts and the results were great- check out wheels and motorcycle club. Coincidentally, one of the images on the inspiration/concept board I was drawn to for this vintage motorcycle/auto group was a pair of red sneakers. Looking forward to designing more specific ideas using the exact templates.

UPDATE Just discovered that keds have a cool website up called The Original Sneaker.

+ Media: Shoe of Champions

Soup to Nuts

2010-02-20T21:15:00.008-05:00

This article about the 'neuromarketing' logic for redesigning the Campbell Soup tin left me confused. Especially when it says that Campbell's three biggest sellers—chicken noodle, tomato and cream of mushroom, the soup can labels immortalized by Andy Warhol—will remain the same, but the other labels will be redesigned. Isn't that the holy grail of good design- so good, so deeply embedded in the public psyche that it should be left alone? The old design works for the best sellers- as its done for half a century, but its necessary to retool the others because..?

Tiki

2010-01-31T12:00:00.004-05:00

I'm working on Summer 2011 and am looking at a lot of Tiki designs for inspiration. Love the mid century color palette of these orchid vases (nice with the orange background). I also like them for the more primitive Easter Island aesthetic which looks a little more African than the usual kitschy 50's mask versions.

Brad vs Frank

2010-01-22T00:57:00.004-05:00

There's been a lot of Brads on the catwalks, in the magazines, lots of horn rims and clean cut American Prep Classics. But inevitably, as it always does, the pendulum swings the other way as witnessed by the arrival of Frank at the D Squared Show. Although Frank opened and closed the show, the in between part was a blood spattered nod to all the young dude vampires and more about goth than androgyny. The goth staples served up - a lot of black, some skulls, leather, metallic chain like acessories, a little make up and they threw in some Hockey (they're Canadian).

In the documentary I just added, American Goth, the Goths interviewed struggle a little with the ingredients that define a Goth. Apparently they have eclectic tastes in music and are pretty well read. They overlap Victorian, fantasy, punk and metal. There's your East Village thrift goth and your Rick Owens Paris Couture goth. I'm curious to see if there is an American Goth look that references the vintage bad boy, outsider, rock rebel aesthetics through to the modern day dark lord sportswear of new designers like Odyn Vovk that can actually have a broad commercial reach.

Sunday Riders

2010-01-17T12:01:00.004-05:00

I just discovered that youtube has some new features like customization so I redecorated my channel. I also discovered that playlists can be embedded so I have a couple of cool playlists to show - the first is the Bruce Brown documentary On Any Sunday , the other is Wheels, a selection of various short clips spanning various eras of bike riders. These are great resources for just taking in the aesthetics of the sport like the Rin Tanaka Books. I'll be adding more to Wheels as I find them on youtube.

Board Shirt

2009-12-23T17:09:00.006-05:00

Besides the Opening Ceremony/ Pendleton collaboration there's also the Hurley/Pendleton collaboration. Love the more modern sixties, youth/surf culture angle but - a wool shirt for this demographic? Not exactly the easy comfy care material they are more used to. Its also avaialable on the Pendleton online store- which I wouldn't think would normally attract a younger or more fashion forward customer. This is interesting. Branding, culture, availability and marketing in the internet age. Can't say what it means without knowing how well its selling for each party - but its interesting to see not just a vintage brand but a vintage product (wool/vintage fit) marketed, and sold across seemingly very different demographics- and all in the same season so its not a trickle up or down.

Evolution of the College Dorm

2009-12-11T20:19:00.002-05:00

Really interesting photo essay in Time Magazine showing images of college dorms like this bed in at Columbia protesting gender discrimnation. There's images from each decade that are interesting glimpses into the dress codes and lifestyles of each era.

We Want Miles

2009-11-27T13:00:00.003-05:00

I would love to see this new exhibition about American music legend Miles Davis that the NYTimes describes as infused with the spontaneous and elegant nature of the man and his music: cool and understated in all the right places. Broken into a chronological series of eras, the constant evolutions and revolutions that characterized Davis’s work are central themes. Too bad We Want Miles is in Paris.

Pretty Boy Looks

2009-11-19T12:44:00.004-05:00

The NYTimes has an interesting post today , It’s All a Blur to Them which ponders on whether genderless dressing is a marginal trend or has a robust future. One American icon comes immediately to mind- Patti Smith. If the wearer can pull of what she did twenty years ago - which transcended gender and was the embodiment of cool, then, robust future it is. I'm looking forward to the documentary Dream of Life airing on PBS Dec 30 to take a closer look at not just what she wore but how she wore it.

Autumn Plaids

2009-10-14T22:49:00.006-05:00

Etsy, although known for handmade things, actually has a great vintage section. The taste level is high, pretty current and many of the photos have a great aesthetic. Love this plaid cake tin and the plaid skirt with a palette that's beautifully in tune with what's happening outside right now.

+ Media:Honk If You Love Mustangs

The New Outdoors

2009-10-01T11:29:00.009-05:00

I was in the downtown Bloomingdales the other day and was immediately drawn to a jacket by Junya Watanabe clearly inspired by a classic American Hunting Jacket- complete with shoulder patch and bright orange trim. Although the aesthetics were vintage, the fabrication and construction was current. The tan cloth a light weight technological fabric, lightly quilted- it was light as a feather and had a slim fitted silhouette. The video of his AW09 collection is a dazzling look at his deconstruction of the great American outdoors wardrobe, refined, reimagined. The slices of plaid and camouflage, the mix of tweed, quilting, flashes of color against the autumn hues of olives browns and mustards and the new proportions and styling - all make this a great inspirational resource for dressing up this fall in the new outdoors.

+ Media:Junya Watanabe FW 2009

Neutral Mix

2009-09-27T11:18:00.008-05:00

The red and black plaid is on a roll- its everywhere, shirts, jacket, bags, shoes- and more to come next spring. I'm thinking I want something different and am on the lookout for a few vintage pieces that does an interesting neutral mix of pattern and texture- like this monochromatic Pendleton shirt and cardigan.

Fall Work Wear

2009-09-18T13:43:00.003-05:00

Couple of styling ideas for my own fall wardrobe from Ralph's Spring Summer 10 runway. Really like the proportion and contrast of the leaner, crisper top with the fuller beat up denim bottom. Also like the tattered scarf of the second image and - is it time for overalls again ? Its been a while and you can buy them cheap I'm sure, somewhere. Patched and repaired also fits right in with staycations and thrifty recycling.

Boot Collaboration

2009-09-08T11:18:00.005-05:00

Boots on the left- I want and will probably never have as they are not going to be available in the US. They are by British designer Nigel Cabourn but are a collaboration with Japanese brand Yuketen who I understand manufacture in collaboration with Quoddy. Hence the clear American roots of the design as it's a riff on their moccasin constructed boots. The boot on the right I saw the other day at J. Crew, (who are really looking good these days) and is a collaboration between them and Sperry on a rework of the top sider chukka.

High Hair

2009-09-03T09:26:00.006-05:00

Ready to embrace the groomed updo? Straight out of the fifties, made in Memphis and rumored to have been used by the King himself, Black and White Pomade is the high hair product for you.This American product has been a key player over the pond in London , aiding and abetting Punk Mohicans in the seventies, the Buffalo Boys nod to the fifties back in the eighties and I wouldn't be surprised that it played a role in this recent Hedi Slimane shoot of London Teenagers packed with vintage American Teenage style.

Native Inspiration

2009-08-29T11:15:00.004-05:00

I'm looking at a lot of native american stuff. There's definitely something in the air about this inspiration source from sneakers to store installations. Love the aged colors of the Parfleche and the elegant shape of the moccassin

Rogue Bean

2009-08-20T12:07:00.006-05:00

“This is for modern, everyday dressing. My goal is not to challenge you. My goal is to make your life better.”

That's a great opening gambit from Alex Carleton, of Rogue's Gallery, recently hired as LL Bean's creative director for their signature Line. I would love something 'classic' from a classic company like LL Bean if only it were in a slightly cooler color or the fit was a little bit leaner (and ironically more vintage). Looking forward to this pairing.

+ Media:LL Bean History

Bandanna Ads

2009-08-18T12:47:00.006-05:00

Love these vintage promotional bandannas from OshKosh and Lee's. They add a nice decorative element to the plainer weaves and linear stripes that are typical of workwear. It's also interesting to see text on this bandanna 'medium' which is more typically paisley or dots or western themed- gives it a modern edge.

Vintage Healthcare

2009-08-16T13:02:00.004-05:00

Some Heroin for your cough? Maybe a cigarette for your asthma? Change is good, no? Images of vintage medicine ads via Pill Talk.

Kachina Dolls

2009-08-06T14:02:00.007-05:00

These Kachina Dolls carved from cottonnwood by the Hopi and Zuni Indians are fascinating- primitive but some of them look a little alien/futuristic too.

Tailfins of 1959

2009-08-01T11:34:00.002-05:00

The 1950s had to end sometime, and in Detroit the soaring tailfins of 1959 models put an exclamation point at the conclusion of an exuberant decade of unchecked optimism.
Cool slideshow and article from the NYTimes.

Surfland

2009-07-26T14:11:00.002-05:00

This is a gorgeous series of contemporary photographs of East and West coast surfers using a 19th century tintype method by Joni Sternbach. She describes her intent as wanting to contrast the primitive and the civilized self. via Visura Magazine

Revised Masterpiece.

2009-07-23T21:43:00.001-05:00

No way. Bookstores are getting shipments of a significantly changed edition of Ernest Hemingway’s masterpiece, “A Moveable Feast,” first published posthumously by Scribner in 1964. This new edition, also published by Scribner, has been extensively reworked by a grandson who doesn’t like what the original said about his grandmother, Hemingway’s second wife. NYTimes.

Surf Nylons

2009-07-20T15:44:00.003-05:00

I'm always interested in vintage nylon apparel because I'm curious how the colors age. Found this awesome collection of vintage surf nylons on NE Surfari- no idea if the colors have faded but they are certainly rich and interesting. The green and yellow Big Ed short is my favorite.

Atlantic Vinyl

2009-07-10T09:49:00.003-05:00

Love the brown paper sleeve combined with the bright red label. It always interests me how many font styles there are in what seems like a relatively simple design. Image vis Carolina History Project

American Bohemian

2009-07-06T16:27:00.002-05:00

With the increasing trend for revivalism of classic, traditional and preppy american style, I begin to hanker for the random, idiosyncratic, bohemian aesthetic of Paul Bowles in his ethnic shirt. The inevitable counter movement begins.

Rave On

2009-07-03T12:50:00.005-05:00

I'm researching the early nineties San Francisco rave scene and loving the neon colors and the simple childlike aesthetics of glowsticks and lollipops. Got my rave on.

Woolen Mills

2009-07-01T02:00:00.005-05:00

Iconic woolen mills Pendleton and Woolrich both have representation in the serious fashion arena this fall. Woolrich Woollen Mills is the collaboration with Daiki Suzuki and now Pendleton meets Opening Ceremony.

Racer

2009-06-29T10:48:00.002-05:00

Looking through some Rin Tanaka books, I'm reminded of racing style associated with the motorcycle prior to the greaser, easy rider, hells angel kind that occured mid century and onwards. The style prior to that was more elegant, lot of wool sweaters. I particularly like the layouts of the text graphics and the lean fonts used.

Storefront NYC

2009-06-27T01:53:00.005-05:00

Came across this book this week - Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York By James T. Murray, Karla L. Murray. It's a subject I am already fond of and often take similar photos. Love the aged colors, the fonts and overall balance of design elements. Click on the image to go see a set on flickr by the authors of many of the images.

+ Media:Canoeing in the Wilderness

Tricky Mix

2009-06-26T22:19:00.002-05:00

I really liked Dries van Noten's new collection whose show notes read "Tokyo meets Calcutta" which for me certainly suggests the clever pairing of large and small primitive/ethnic patterns. Nothing American about this so not material for this blog, I thought until today when I walked past this poster store which had a huge image of Nixon bowling. Something about the pattern combination, color scheme, even the sheen of his clothes looked eerily in the same vein.

Miner Blues

2009-06-25T13:07:00.006-05:00

I was looking through the Milan Shows on Men Style, noting the many iconic American references from D Squared's camping to D & G's cowboys, but surprsingly the one collection I found most inspiring was Missoni's - I particularly like her washed out blues. It connected with an idea I'm working on for Fall 2010 that references Gold Miners - this puts a color scheme to the images of workers I've been looking at which is viable- faded, stained, dusty work clothes all reduced to a range of faded indigo shades. I could also see this translating into an interesting pale blanket palette for flannel plaids and overdyed sweats and chinos.

Neon Ride

2009-06-24T15:40:00.003-05:00

Another company going into their history and bringing it back. Maui and sons bring back eighties Neon Surf. Awesome. Saw the line at Opening Ceremony downtown.

+ Media:Boat & Tote

Gitman Vintage

2009-06-23T14:57:00.005-05:00

Interesting new line from a classic brand that's getting a lot of attention Gitman Vintage. Their current Spring/Summer 2009 collection is recreated from their Spring/Summer 1982 swatch book.

Take Ivy

2009-06-22T18:42:00.002-05:00

Take Ivy | The New York Times

Brooklyn Gang

2009-06-22T18:39:00.001-05:00

Brooklyn Gang 1959 | Bruce Davidson

Madras Patch Shirt

2009-06-22T18:32:00.005-05:00

MADRAS PATCH FITTED SHIRT

Homesteaders

2009-06-22T18:25:00.003-05:00

homesteaders | The Library of Congress)

MOVED !

2008-05-10T14:33:00.005-05:00

~~I'm moving All American Vintage to tumblr - its a lot simpler to post random inspiration there and allows me to post more regularly.~~

back on Blogger- with more features

Undecided

2008-04-20T21:02:00.004-05:00

Get both to hedge your bets.

Kids Stuff

2008-04-05T09:45:00.003-05:00

The New Kids on the Block are back. I've always loved their t shirts - hard to imagine that these designs are twenty years old.

Machine Age

2008-01-30T16:35:00.001-05:00

Two best sellers in the All American Vintage T shirt Store are Mix Tape and Synthesized and they tie in with some new developments on this site. Its not hardware, in fact its software or more precisely the addition of a tumblr and flickr feed that allows me to easily pull together some interesting images that are on the internet that tie in with ideas that I may be exploring here. The links are in the right hand side bar and as you can see they are all about vintage machines.

Idaho Color

2008-01-18T16:55:00.000-05:00

Intrigued by the opening image of Number(Nine's Fall 09 collection titled My Own Private Portland, which is a mashup of inspiration from My Own Private Idaho and the designer Takahiro Miyashita's favorite muse Kurt Cobain, I went looking for images from the movie. I found these two to be an extremely interesting starting point for a color palette- I really like the blue sky behind River, and the blue background behind Keanu as a complementary addition to all those mustard, russet shades.

Framed

2007-12-28T13:48:00.001-05:00

I stumbled across this eyewear store on the corner of 6th Ave and fourteenth street called Moscot and did a double take at the retro frames they had in the window and swore I would return to check them out. I did, and am in love with all their original styles and have vowed to return when its time to upgrade my old ones. That same week I tried on a pair of Wayfarers Sunglasses and am so ready for a change from the heavy wraparounds that have been around forever. These Raybans are also completely in sync with the eighties influence thats taking hold.

California Dreaming

2007-12-06T19:50:00.000-05:00

Not quite a winter's day yet but California dreaming begins now as I start to work on Spring Summer 2009- the trade shows begin in the middle of January. I'm starting the research with a look at psychedelia a trend thats gaining some momentum with not only a look back at the period- the new Bob Dylan movie by Todd Haynes, and also artists like Devendra Banhart (love his new album )who's chanelling a powerful vibe also from that era. A couple of inspirational books- The Art of the Rock Poster and The Art of the Fillmore: The Poster Series 1966-1971 to look at.

Plaidness

2007-12-04T05:51:00.000-05:00

There's definitely a plaid revival happening. Even Buffalo plaids that usually struggle to find the right fashion moment are happily back to provide an eighties vibe but refreshed with the addition of bold striped knits and skinny jeans. Tartans are hardly ever not in style, but its nice to see some new ways of wearing them. I saw a young guy the other day with a Tartan tie, not unlike the ones pictured on the right, worn with a clashing checked shirt. On the left a greeting card from our store.

Tattoo Style

2007-11-25T23:47:00.000-05:00

I have plans do to some tattoo influenced designs- so am doing some research on the subject. Here is a scan from the Taschen book 1000 Tattoos, a thick resource of old school tattoo photos. The ones pictures above are from the 1920's. Its interesting that tattoo as a form of graphic medium and style is gaining mainstream status, its popularity and pervasiveness in modern culture a subject that's been contemplated in NYTimes and studied at PSFK.

East Coast, West Coast

2007-11-11T21:42:00.001-05:00

Two new designs in the store, both in the Wheels section. Both are a little at odds with the other, one is West Coast with a newer hand drawn flavor, the other more classic vintage East Coast.

Autumn Art

2007-11-06T12:43:00.000-05:00

The autumn color palette is always beatifully rendered in works from the arts and craft movement, the subject of autumn leaves, fruits and berries a recurring theme. Pictured above are images from American Arts and Craft Textiles and Creative clays: American art pottery from the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Native Legacy

2007-10-26T21:54:00.000-05:00

Every fall season I inevitably work on a design group based on Native American imagery. For some reason the subject seems to lend itself to sense of the great American outdoors. Above are two images from the book Sacred Legacy which is a collection of photographs by Edward S. Curtis- probably the most well known early documentor of Native American people and their lives- his monochrome images continue to be powerful and inspirational to this day.

Right Field

2007-10-18T21:28:00.000-05:00

These classic American Field Jackets- a staple of outdoors wear never stray too far from popularity but Woolrich Plaids are definitely a hot ticket for this fall especially if they track the the more tailored fits of the original. The patched detail and patches on the left are some of the design details currently being used to update fleece items.

Right: FIELD HUNTING JACKET
Left:HUNTING-JACKET

I'm So There

2007-10-11T16:47:00.000-05:00

This New York Times Magazine article about Todd Haynes' upcoming movie I'm Not There is a fascinating look behind what looks like an intriguing movie. The premise -presenting the different phases of Dylan's career as alter egos is brilliant and the casting of Cate Blanchett as the ascending rock star Dylan is nothing short of genius. Can't Wait.

Carrie

2007-10-06T20:22:00.000-05:00

Lets Start Fall with a classic horror flick- Carrie. Sissy Spacek's look seems like an inspiration for a lot of stylists right now.

Cold Army

2007-02-07T00:21:00.000-05:00

Military inspiration in the fall 07 collections of Burberry and John Varvatos have an American Civil War uniforms vibe as seen in On Cold Mountain
Left
Right

Future Tense

2007-02-06T23:23:00.000-05:00

Vintage cinematic visions of the future seem to be on the minds of certain designers for Fall 2007. Apocalyptic styling and sets referencing Mad Max featured at John Galliano and D Squared while space suits and the theme from A Space Odyssey opened the Dolce Gabbana show.

Tangled up in Blue

2007-02-06T22:47:00.000-05:00

No other store window makes the kind of sophisticated color statements that are the signature of The End of History in the West Village. I often make a point to walk by just to see what they're into. Last week it was the color blue -azure and cerulean glass mixed with turquoise ceramics all set against dark teak furniture.

Cover Pattern

2007-01-29T02:13:00.000-05:00

A couple of interesting geometric patterns, both of which are designs from vintage book covers.

Flickr/joekral
Flickr/fiddledydee

Purple Glaze

2007-01-27T02:45:00.000-05:00

Purple ~~Haze~~ Glaze, all in my mind. For some reason I am currently drawn to purple tinted colors combined with neutrals-just take a look at the color scheme of this website. Glancing through the ceramic section of Hi and Lo Modern -these two purply neutrally pieces caught my eye.

Stoked

2007-01-22T15:28:00.000-05:00

I'm currently working on a group of designs based on the eighties skateboard scene. I watched the movie Stoked a while ago- a documentary about Mark "Gator" Rogowski which was a fascinating glimpse into this era when skateboarding enjoyed a renaissance.

Stoked:Rise and Fall of Gator
Vintage Gator Skateboard

Bold Angle

2007-01-20T22:57:00.000-05:00

The bold geometric sweaters featured in Prada's Fall 07 collection, recently seen at the Milan shows remind me of these vintage camp/cabin blankets. A modern look with familiar, nostalgic roots.

Left Blanket
Right Blanket

Hipster Mullahs

2007-01-07T20:53:00.000-05:00

In a recent New York Times article about trend that focusses largely on the "startling apperance" of beards on young hipsters referencing in particular the musician Devendra Banhart the author Guy Trebay, after initially declaring that 'trends emerge, apparently from nowhere' goes on to suggest that this 'bearded hipster-mullah-hippie' look was probably borrowed from ' gay bears, a small minority of hyper-masculine men who affect potbellies, clodhoppers and lavish chin whiskers' or copped the look from "Peter Orlovsky, the poet lover for three decades of Allen Ginsberg".

Talk about a stab in the dark. Wouldn't an experimental folksy musician like Devendra be more inclined to channel musicians like Graham Nash or perhaps the members of the The Band ?

Funky Fresh

2007-01-06T20:28:00.000-05:00

With the rise in popularity of dance as entertainment and an increasing interest in athletic apparel for inspiration on the catwalk it seems timely to look at images from the emerging days of BBoy/breakdance in particular work from Jamel Shabazz. His photographs in the book "Back in the Day" and also looking at video from that era suggest interesting ideas for combining sportswear and athleticwear. The narrower proportion of the clothes also seem more right for now.

Photo Credits: Artnet;Newsday

About

2007-01-06T17:57:00.007-05:00

I am a Graphic Arist creating original textile and t shirt graphic artwork for the apparel industry. I find a lot of material in the world of vintage things - their colors, textures, and themes, suggesting palettes and concepts. I also love the color values and textures of things that have aged.

This site tracks my thought process as I scour thrift stores and flea markets and the ever increasing wealth of vintage resources online to find inspiration with a focus here on vintage and timeless American Design. Currently I am increasing my design ouput directly into my online stores as the quality of print and choice of product continues to improve at Zazzle and Spreadshirt.

Chelsea Flea Market

2007-01-06T15:10:00.000-05:00

No better way to get this blog rolling than with an establishing shot of a regular hunting ground-Chelsea Flea Market. The pic on the left is of the basement garage on 25th St, the pic on the right is a scan from the first find of the new year - a textile book "Design on Fabrics" by Meda Parker Johnston and Glen Kaufman. I was particularly interested in the batik and tie dye images that I'm researching for SS08.

2007-01-05T20:49:00.001-05:00

Coming Soon !

2007-01-05T16:17:00.005-05:00