Auralis + Zaida Adriana Goveo Balmaseda: knitwear accessories for Fall'12

Last Fall when I returned to NYC after my Euro-trip (the Mittelmoda competition, and the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris) I re-connected with my ex-boss, fellow puertorrican eco-designer, and friend Auralis Herrero Lugo; the designer behind Auralis (an eco-friendly label of exquisite clothes with an "Urban-Tropical" flair) .

 __

I interned with Auralis in the Fall of 2010 during my senior year of college, and helped with the preparation for the launch of her line during The Green Shows. It was an amazing experience, and I felt very connected to her vision and her line. It was super heartwarming to work with/for someone who comes from my beautiful little island but is out here trying to make a difference. 

Every time I went to the studio it felt a bit like going back  home... and thats how I became part of  her eco-venture. We've kept in touch ever since, and she's been incredibly supportive of my creative endeavors... given me advice and even wrote an article about the work I exhibited at the MMXIproject on Elpuntoes!

  __

Anyhow, when we re-connected last September, she told me she was experimenting with natural-dyes at her studio. Since I was very interested in learning more,  I offered to go help her out+learn  for a few days. From that a knitwear collaboration was born. 

Auralis wanted to include a knitwear element in her collection and I got really excited about developing some samples for her. Its the first time I collaborated with someone else and made accessories. It was a challenge, but definitely learned a lot and the pictures look amazing!

3+ months and MANY samples later (we tried various hat, scarf and headband shapes)  we ended up with a turban/headpiece called "chacón headband" and the "iris scarf" all in reference to Iris Chacón. “Iris Chacón was a character I grew up watching in Puerto Rico. She had a variety show in the island for over 12 years. She was a fashion and beauty inspiration to all Puerto Rican women of my generation” 

 "For autumn 2012 Auralís collaborated with fellow sustainable designer, Zaida Adriana Goveo-Balmaseda. The collaboration includes a scarf and a turban, knitted using a blend of organic merino, baby alpaca and silk yarn; luxurious on the skin and beautiful on the eye. All yarns were also dyed naturally at the studio."

 

*pics from Auralis' blog

"In Auralis’s vision Iris Chacón travels from Puerto Rico to Scotland via New York wearing the Autumn 2012 Auralis collection; she leaves all the men in kilts speechless. This Urban Tropical takes her city chic attitude combined with her Caribbean flair everywhere she goes."

The Knitwear accessories I created with/for Auralis which were just shown at MINTfair in Amsterdam and at CAPSULE NYC during their respective FashionWeeks and will also hopefully be up for sale online through Auralis' e-shop.

"Auralís just showed the collection at Amsterdam’s MINT Modefabriek and in Europe for the first time with Origin 23 Showroom, “MINT is a driving force for the eco fashion world which is where the future of fashion lies”. – Eileen Moran, who started Origin 23, brings together talented eco designers and gives their collections a home."*

*from Auralis' Fall 12' press release. 

I'm posting my favorite pictures from her Fall '12 collection below (and some process/behind the scenes pics as always)PLUS a wonderful video by Emerald Gold/Omar King. You can see more looks in her lookbook.

So much talent on that photoshoot! 

Auralís Herrero Lugo for Auralís
Jewelry - Luiny Rivera Gelpi
Talent - Laura Wilson, Collin Tanner
Director - Mónica Félix
Shot/Chop - Omar King
Makeup - Karlo Beau
Hair - George Ortiz
PA - Mayumi Yamada
PA - Jenny Macgregor Dennis
Mario Sweet "Mario" 

TGFC updates

 I've been  knitting "hand spun scraps" like a maniac for the past few days.

Mom has been sewing and quilting non stop and the apartment has been turned into a "small" 2-woman factory!
-there is so much to do still, but we're making steady progress-

Mom finished quilting 2 of the pieces--> so ONLY one more piece needs to be quilted now. 

things are looking good!

Yesterday we had two wonderful helpers who worked some of their magic around here:

Rosa Ng from Quality Control 

Long time friend super fast knitter!

and 

Dorian Iten 

Master Artist and long time friend, this one is pretty good at just about everything. He is helping us with a -hands at work- short video which will document the process of creation of the pieces for CALAFURIA (collection) and the techniques behind it.

I am so thankful to spend these super long workdays IN GREAT company, and for the support and help of everyone around me.

now off to knitting

the "studio" is dedicating its day to the knitwear collaboration w Auralis  from Auralistudo

happy knitting to you all!

The Future of Fashion: Merging Style + Sustainable Social Impact

I just came back from a great "conference":

The Future of Fashion: Merging Style + Sustainable Social Impact at The Green Spaces organized by Be Social Change New York.

There was an incredible panel of very inspired and inspiring individuals:

- Carmen Artigas: A sustainable design consultant and professor  of Ethical Fashion at FIT and Parsons The New School for Design
- Eileen Moran: from NOW Showcase which has fostered incredible support and collaborations between buyers, press and designers.

- Summer Rayne Oakes: from Source4Style

- Deidre McGuigan: INDEGO AFRICA a social enterprise that partners with women artisans in Rwanda on a fair trade basis to drive forward a sustainable, long-term solution to systemic poverty in Africa.

- David Radparvar: from HOLSTEE which produces designer products and sustainability standards.

- Erica Wolf: from Save the Garment Center

This great evening full of motivated, commited, like-minded people working towards a common goal made me realize that being in New York is not that bad after all. Maybe I should think about that saying... "When life gives you lemons (this is a pretty GREAT lemon BTW), make BANGING lemonade"

I have tons of work to do regarding the collection for The Green Fashion Competition, but I'm too inspired and wound up...so I'm sharing with you some of my notes from tonight.

INNOVATION & SOCIAL IMPACT

- be INNOVATIVE with your SOCIAL IMPACT by COLLABORATING and sharing, busines to business, and SPACES.

- share the stories behind your product and TALK | TALK | TALK about what you are doing. This creates AWARENESS

- when you go shopping, ASK the salespeople about where the product was made and the working conditions there... this shows you care, and that message will get through to the people running your favorite brands, and change will happen

- look at the existing business model, re-examine it and think about the life of your product. Create a closed-loop with your customer.

- as designers we can reduce consumption and still keep our customers... its all about that closed-loop. We can create things that SOLVE our world's problems

- let's align our business practices to the Millennium Goals

- make a BOLD statement

WHAT INSPIRES YOU to be a part of the sustainability efforts?

- the opportunity for CHANGE

- women artisans... giving them the TOOLS so that they can later access clients themselves and we can act just as "consultants" and advisors.

How can we INFLUENCE our customers?

- when you have a product speaks for itself and competes with market mostly because of its quality  and design.

- through EDUCATION... reaching the people who DO care, and teaching the people who don't (YET)

- through relationship building and long-term story telling

- by establishing a dialog with your buyers/customers... ask them their opinion (even throughout the designing process) so that you are making things that are needed/wanted.

- help customers UNDERSTAND your CHALLENGES, and show them they can be FLEXIBLE in their choices.

What can we do to REDUCE our IMPACT?

- PRODUCE LOCALLY, try to MINIMIZE your carbon footprint, create jobs, and sustain YOUR resources

- Make sure your LABOR workers are working in conditions that meet certain standards.

- ACCOUNTABILITY is important | Humans MATTER | look and force other people to examine the supply chain and to see the connection between everyone and everything. Its NOT just about the materials OR the end product.

- ASK Questions

- establish POSITIVE peer pressure; question your friends, start the dialogue!

- THINK about every purchase you make, don't create excuses or justify yourself.

- WRITE to your politicians.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

amsterdam-bound! The Green Fashion Competition

Thank you, thank you, thank you!
THANKS TO ALL of you for your prayers, encouragement and support.

I AM IN!

 

Now all the crazy life-planning FUN begins:

plane tickets, late nights sewing, bonding/arguing with mom over sewing techniques, deadlines, business plan fixing, and number crunching! 

but

this

is

what 

i 

love!

LET THE FUN BEGIN!

(plus, it will all be happening over the holidays and having the whole family around)

On January 27th my collection will be presented during Amsterdam International Fashion Week!!!

I'll be presenting 3 looks,

and you will get sneak peaks and documentation of the process right here on my blog! 

like Auralis says... join me on this eco-venture!