Leaving the Crafting to the Experts, like Kirsten Goede.

I knew when I began working with Kirsten Goede of Objets d'Envy that she handcrafted each piece herself. And then I tried to make an earring one day, and it hit me; "OMG this amazingly talented woman makes each piece herself, with her hands, without having a total meltdown!"

I think its hard to appreciate how special or difficult something is until we experience it ourselves. When I had the brilliant idea to try and make a pair of earrings, I didn't think I would have too much of an issue. I mean, I spend my days looking at accessories and jewelry and talking to some very talented designers. I just thought by way of association, I would be able to do these things. Well, I am hear to tell you, I am sticking to PR and keeping the work/design to my fellow designers.

Just look at these pieces! You must appreciate the little details; the bends, the twists, the embedded crystals. Top left is her Veil necklace, which was mentioned in Daily Candy. Over here is her Ensemble necklace, which is one necklace, one. And down here are some of my favorite earrings, the Crystal Balls, which come in multi colors as well as this grape. I decided to give up designing my own. I will just leave it to the professionals.

Meet Kirsten at www.objetsdenvy.com or if you are in Chicago, she will be at Pretty in Pilson at the Kate Boggiano studio ( another fab designer) Saturday July 25th, 11-5pm. This wonderful event will be a Warehouse Sale, and you all know what that means... great deals like 20-50% retail prices. Stock up for Fall, birthday gifts, holidays. Now is the time to think ahead and be fashionably and financially smart!

Not Just Another Hayden Harnett Interview.

A lot of people know the Brooklyn- based designer Hayden-Harnett and they have quite the following on Twitter, @hayden_harnett,as well as in the press. I have expressed my deep embarrassment already for hearing about them very late, but nonetheless, I found them and that's all that matters.

The HH collection is so extensive and when I went into their Greenpoint boutique last month for their weekly IRL, I wondered how two people ( Toni and Ben) could possibly design such fabulous items and so much of them! We are talking bags, cuff bracelets, shoes, dresses, luggage and on and on! I left feeling exhausted at the thought of having that much creative design juices flowing at all times. I get tired now thinking about it! So, I wanted to get inside the head of the designers to find out how they started, their journey down their success filled road and also, what's to come.

Kickin Kate: I want to know how HH came about, can you tell a little story? I know it’s on your web page, but anything you could tell us about the birth of the line that people may not know?
Toni: Ben and I were having breakfast on April Fool’s Day in 2005, when I sketched our initials together inside a circle. That’s how the logo and the beginnings of Hayden-Harnett rumbled into being. Our colors, black and yellow, came from a strange stayover at Ben’s Aunt Diane’s home (an old swiss goatherder’s house) in Roslyn, NY. We were upstairs working on HH “stuff” and heard a loud BANG outside. I went down to see what happened and saw a black and yellow feather lying in the doorway. I picked up the feather and walked outside to investigate further and a huge clutch of gold and black balloons had fallen into the front lawn somehow…so odd. I went upstairs and worked the colors into our logo.


KK: What was the first item you sold under HH?
T: Our Erol canvas tote. We launched with a small collection of canvas bags in July 2005.


KK: If you were to go away and could only bring 3 things from HH- what would they be? Which also leads into my question; what are some of your favorite pieces?
T: My essential three HH pieces that I cannot live without are my Ibiza flight tote, Madeleine boots, and Wyeth tote. Some of my favorites from Spring 09 are the Athena tote, Koko mini bag, Pandora tunic, Havana hobo in eucalyptus, Iskia link wedge, and the Mercury wedge.


KK: Did you always plan to have such an extensive collection featuring not only fabulous clothes but also travel gear and accessories galore? You really do have something for everyone!
T: We didn’t plan to have such a large collection, but it seemed to just happen really organically over the past 4 years. We launched our first bags in July 2005, then apparel in Spring 2007. Shoes and swimwear launched for Spring 2009…the travel collection grows each year to include new styles and colors. I do hope that we offer something for everyone! I want visitors to our stores and website to really find at least 1 thing that makes them really happy or is exactly what they’ve been looking for.

KK: As someone who works in the PR industry, specifically emerging fashion, I cant help but notice all of your press. Congrats on that! Did editors find you; did you pitch them or a little bit of both? I always like to know as do fellow PR folks.
T: In the beginning, we were solo. We started working with Bradbury Lewis PR in Spring 2006 and it was such a great fit. Patrick Bradbury focuses on small emerging designers and has such a great sense for finding what’s next. I love that we’ve grown so much with Bradbury Lewis and we have a very casual, friendly, and open relationship. They’re brilliant.


KK: I know many designers get inspired by travel and where they live. For your Spring 09 collection, was there a specific theme or idea behind it? And for Fall 09?
T: Our Spring 09 collection was inspired by muses, Memphis Design, and the 1981 film Xanadu (love you 4-ever, Olivia!). For Fall 09 I was inspired by the concept of Cargo Cults…I wanted to design a collection that had totemic, symbolic meaning through prints, shapes, color, and hardware. The collection was designed around an imaginary cult of girls who live in the Chelsea Hotel, leaving at night only to buy trashy novels, junk food, and to steal beautiful clothes, bags, jewelry, and shoes.


KK: How are you guys doing during this economy storm? Are the stores doing OK, getting enough traffic? I know you recently opened the Elizabeth Street location, looks great btw!
T: This has been a huge season of learning for us…we’re having to really rethink the many aspects of our business as so many retailers are struggling right now. Both large and small retailers are just really having a tough time. Our direct to customer business (web site, stores) is doing really well and business is up (surprisingly), but wholesale is down quite a lot. The good thing is that Ben and I have no idea what we’re doing! It’s a blessing because we don’t really work “traditionally”…we have no pre-conceived notion of what’s right or wrong in running a fashion company, so we do what feels right and what works for our customer. I think that’s the key as to why our direct to customer business is still growing despite the downturn. We exist to please our customers, not to please someone’s bottom line or department store margins.


KK : One of the things I think you guys are great at is bringing awareness to your website. It’s hard because there is so much out there, but you guys use Twitter and also really know how to get your consumers to become part of the brand, like the IRL. Tell me a little bit about how that came about?
T: Ben and I both basically live our lives online, so we know and understand that many of our customers do the same. We love the direct interaction and contact with our online customers…they’re really the best source of immediate feedback and are so great about letting us know, very honestly, what works and what doesn’t. IRL came about one day as I was reading through comments about Hayden-Harnett on The Purse Forum, a really tight knit online blog group devoted to handbags and a great source of feedback for designers. I loved that the TPF members would also say “so have you seen that bag/dress IRL?”. I decided to offer our customers, fans, friends, and employees the chance to come into the store and style a look entirely their way using pieces from their own wardrobe (or not).

It’s really interesting to me that 6 different women can wear the same dress and absolutely make it their own and style it so uniquely. That’s what real fashion is all about to me. Of course everything looks great on models, they get paid for that skill. It’s very important to me how items translate beyond the “fantasy” of the collection. I want to create pieces that can seamlessly work into an existing wardrobe and be worn for years to come. I especially love items that can be worn both casually or dressy, uptown or downtown.


KK: I assume now that Spring 10 is well under way- any hints on the flavor of that??
T: We were inspired by desserts, nomads, lava, and falconry…I think I will leave it at that for now. Look for some great new swim items and a wonderful kaleidoscope print that we’re working on.

Find Hayden-Harnett online at www.haydenharnett.com or at their two locations: Greenpoint, BK and Elizabeth Street, NYC!

Taking Notes from Anne Slowey and Beth Ditto

Few things give me severe anxiety, and of the few, one of them is the endless pile-up of fashion magazines that I can never seem to get around to in a timely fashion. While most people are reading the magazine of the moment (which in this case is June and maybe even July) I’m just beginning May, which means it arrived in April and has traveled from my mailbox, to my desk, to my purse, and finally here onto the airplane which is the only down time I have this past month to really read the mags, not just look at pictures.

It was in this month’s issue of Elle that I came across a comment from Anne Slowey that just really stood out. In her piece titled “Self Service” commenting on Fall 09 trends, Slowey writes, “Too often women spend time thinking about fashion as a tool to improve their status or mask their insecurities rather than something to enjoy and fall in love with for their own pleasure.” This comment wasn’t meant to be the focus of the article, and it wasn’t, but she nails it; many women see fashion less as the awesome and fantastic art that it is and more as a distraction or a chore.

I think it’s important to dress for yourself, and no one else, because here is what happens. When we dress for others, we don’t always feel comfortable because we are trying to put out an image that’s not necessarily what we would wear if we weren’t trying to impress. And being comfortable and confident in what you wear is the number one factor in hotness. I don’t care if you're wearing a poncho with a utility belt and red stilettos. If you don’t care what anyone else thinks, then major props!

Someone that comes to mind right away is Beth Ditto from the band Gossip. At first, she seems a bit much; too in your face with her choice of fashion and her bold choice of tight fitting sequins. But recently I read a great article in Blackbook and I eased up my judgment and found her attitude refreshing. She wasn't angry or bitter about ideas of what women should look like, she just wants to have fun with fashion and cares less about her size and what others think. Awesome.

I firmly believe in use what you’ve got. Play around with your closet to come up with something your own. I once had a stylist come to my house and help me reinvent my closet because I realized that I needed to start playing with my wardrobe, not buying a new one. I highly recommend this by the way, having and “expert” come look at your closet. It only took a half day and it was so worth the money, which really wasn’t that much.

That's really all I wanted to say in this post. I feel strongly about this and isn't that what a blog is all about? A tool for expressing whats near and dear to us, and for this blog and this gal, its all about fashion.

Felicia Sullivan and Her Journey To The Sky.

Being in PR, I meet a lot of people. Bloggers, editors, producers, and stylists. Meeting new people is what I love most about my job; it keeps it exciting and fresh. For 2009, I made a vow to start going out more and networking on behalf of my clients. I don’t mean by way of being pushy and salesman-like, but its important that I reach out to people who write about fashion for a living, and introduce them to my designers, in a casual, social setting. My genetics have set me up so I want to be in bed by 9pm, but sometimes I gotta just push through.

Felicia Sullivan is one of those bloggers I met this year, and its been a wonderful thing. Felicia initially found out about Objets d'Envy and wrote about the fabulous Lavaliere necklace. She loved it so much, she bought one and I’ve seen her wear it, she rocks it. So through this initial e- meeting, Felicia and I started to get to know one another, and I also learned about her memoir, The Sky Isn't Visible From Here.

I recently read this book and five pages in I wanted to go over to her house and give her a hug; she's been through a lot. But as the book goes on, you get to know about Felicia and what makes her the amazing and extremely talented person she is today. They say pain is the touchstone to growth, and I truly believe that, especially in this case. Through the book, Felicia talks about her journey through childhood with an addict mother and weaves it into her life as an adult. Even with the obstacles that she continuously overcomes, she is growing and building a terrific life featuring hard and high paying jobs, a wonderful education, and a life that she built 100% on her own.

I thought people would like to learn more about Felicia and her experience writing this and also know about what she's up to these days. So, following is an interview:

Kate: OK, your book blew me away. I wanted to give you a big hug, some cookies and milk. I don’t know, cookies and milk just seem to make it all better, no? You are a great writer and clearly this is the profession for you. But writing this memoir must have been a challenge, was it hard to figure out where to start?

Felicia: First off, I will never refuse a cookie. Milk, maybe, but cookie endowments are always welcomed, encouraged, and appreciated. In some way or another, I’ve always written about my mother. When I was eight I published a haiku that likened my mother’s voice to thunder. She’s always been my subject – I can’t really recall a time in which my work hasn’t revolved around her – the one person I couldn’t, but desperately wanted to, understand. For years I was working on a novel of lifeless, unlikable characters that did mildly interesting things. I was writing a safe book because I was afraid to commit my memories, this horrific life lived, this very unsafe book, to paper. I was ashamed of my past, of living in poverty, of a mother who loved and terrorized me. I had lived a life of my own invention for so long, I couldn’t imagine otherwise.

At one point the weight of these two lives – the accomplished, in-control professional and the frightened child who never really mourned the loss of her mother – were becoming difficult to bear. Something had to give. One afternoon a friend of mine and I were trading stories about our mothers and we realized that we had both been shamed into secrecy. We were made to feel shame by our mothers, our impoverished upbringing, and a culture where not loving your mother is unthinkable.

I wrote the first ten pages of Sky in 2002. It was the first chapter, “Fighting Shoes,” and I had originally wrote the piece as a stand-alone fiction story because I needed a tremendous amount of distance from me and the characters. And then I started writing scenes and incidents, and the chapter evolved into a beautiful mess of a map and I spent a few years assembling the map and myself, I guess.

K: You really put yourself out there and I admire that so much. I think a reason why the book is incredibly moving, is that you are so real and you lay it all out for us to see. Was there something therapeutic about writing this? I mean, having to hash up really uncomfortable stuff must bring up some feelings.

F: Writing Sky, committing these painful memories to paper was cathartic, but I always tell people that writing a memoir is not akin to journaling. I had to work out a great deal of my issues before coming to Sky because I needed the characters to be sympathetic and myself not portrayed as a victim. I needed distance from what I had experienced and perspective. I always needed to be fair and compassionate in terms of how I portrayed my mother because while she was an incredibly flawed women, she was at times extraordinary, and this is what makes it all so heartbreaking.

K: You are sober two years (congrats!), and a big part of the book is your journey down a road filled with alcohol and drugs. Your friends even try and get you to slow down, but it takes you a while to come to that stopping point yourself. As you know, I am sober as well and talking about our pasts and “war stories” can be painful, but also amazingly beautiful because it’s a part of growth. Were you sober when you began this book? If so, was it painful to recall those memories? If not, was it part of a realization that maybe you needed to remove all substances from your life?

F: This is a terrific question, and I wish more people had asked me this. While writing about my childhood was relatively easy, while I was writing Sky I was coming to terms with the fact that my drinking was becoming a serious problem. I was in an unhealthy relationship for over a decade, and I found that ending this relationship, while trying to write about me in the present, was the hardest part of writing the book and living though writing it. As you know it’s rarely one experience that ignites the sobriety light, rather an accumulation of bottoms. A year before my

book would be published, I had attempted several “breaks” from alcohol and I was failing miserably. And when I grew tired of being helpless, embarrassed, and sad, I realized that this couldn’t be my life. There is something better. Looking back, I regret nothing…well, maybe I regret that I hadn’t stopped drinking sooner.

K: Any thoughts on how being sober has helped you to accomplish such amazing tasks?

F: It’s no coincidence that a great deal of auspicious things happened in my life after I stopped drinking. Alcohol was this terrific crutch, it was a salve for fear and I was walking around anesthetized and frightened of living my life. And when I got sober and the band-aid ripped off, I had no crutch, so I decided to start making proverbial leaps of faith. Because honestly, anything was better than living a life in a perpetual fog. And suddenly the world seemed less scary and there were so many possibilities.

K: The response to the book has been so positive, and you have been out and about doing readings all over. You often talk about how much you love your publicist; she’s working really hard for you and getting great responses. So, from a PR standpoint, what do you think makes her so amazing? (I love getting the view from the client.)

F: I adore my HarperCollins publicist because she’s willing to try anything. She’s honest with me and sets realistic expectations, but doesn’t condescend at all. It’s a nice collaboration, because we talk about blue-sky ideas and how we can make them real and workable. I think the best relationship you can have with a publicist is if the two of you bring ideas and work to the table.

K: Where will you be reading this summer?

F: Check out my events here!

K: You do a lot with your life, you also have a blog, www.feliciasullivan.com, and you just launched the Fashion For All clothing drive. Tell me a little about how FFA came about?

F: For the past few months, I’ve volunteered for New York Cares and it’s changed me in ways I hadn’t imagined. There is something truly gratifying about placing your needs aside and helping someone who really needs a meal, shelter, and companionship. These are basic needs that people have that are not being met in today’s economy. A great deal of my volunteer work has been in meal service, and I was inspired by providing dignified, “white glove” meal service to those who are homeless or simply struggling to make ends meet.

Combining my love of fashion and style and need to give back to the community in which I grew up, Fashion For All was born. The mission of Fashion For All is to provide an annual day of dignified shopping for residents in low-income communities across the country. Our partnerships with local community activist and outreach organizations, as well as prominent fashion and beauty brands, enable us to provide a day of luxury shopping and white-glove, personalized service for residents in low-income communities, as well as access to local organizations and programs, which provide educational, career, and parenting resources.

During these very difficult economic times, regardless of one’s financial situation, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. With the Fashion For All Shopping Experience, women, who, tirelessly struggle to provide for their families will be rewarded with not only a day of indulgence, but convenient access to community outreach programs. So whether she’s seeking career counseling, professional attire, or terrific parenting programs, we hope to offer community residents access to the resources they need. What hopefully will kick off as an annual event might dovetail into a non-profit. I hope to take this idea and scale it nationally.

K: What have been the biggest challenges getting that off the ground? I know you had to approach sponsors in addition to spreading the word so people could donate the clothes!

F: I don’t think any one task stood out as terribly challenging. I think all the minor logistical details provided to be a bit of a workable nightmare. For the most part, the event was easy, just detailed.

I hope you can join me in wishing Felicia the best of luck on her journey to grow Fashion For All and all of her fabulous future endeavors! Check out her daily blog posts at www.feliciasullivan.com!

Everything Looks Better on Little Girls...

I don't have kids of my own, and on many occasions I thank my lucky stars. I leave my keys everywhere, and sometimes wonder if I might do the same with kids. But someday, hopefully when I am grown up, I will be blessed with one. For now, there are six little girls in my life who just happen to love shopping and fashion. There is no shortage of excitement when I visit with fun fashions from NY like big bell bottom pants, frilly cotton skirts, and of course, the Rainbow Bracelet from Objets d'Envy. So, ever since Lisa Kanouse came into my life with her fabulous Saurette collection, I have been planning out the next 3 years of fashion for these girls. When I tell you this collection is unique, I really really mean it. I don't just write about things for the heck of it. I write about things that I am obsessed with.

There is something about the way Lisa has captured the feel and look of a girly girly girl. Her billowy dresses with racer back cut, big floral prints which I get lost in and find myself wandering off into Candy Land.

For Fall, she is introducing fine sweaters with the cutest prints of butterflies and more flowers, but in a more understated way as to say, "Yeah, I'm a hot 5yr old, so what?"

If you are in New York the weekend of June 6th, Saurette will be selling her Spring/Summer collections at the Designer Soiree located at Chacala NY, 394 Broadway, Fourth Floor. We are in the beginning of the warmer months and now is the time to grab your girls some summer fashions! And don't forget to follow the collection on Twitter, @saurette

Oh, and Daily Candy Kids has my back on this.

Clearly Lenz, Clearly a Great Deal!

I've been know to be impulsive. I am not going to deny that fact. I see something I want, and I need to have it that moment, or in five. I get something set in my mind and can't seem to kick it until its mine, all mine. So, I have been talking about getting a new pair of glasses( pair #3) and I specifically wanted that Buddy Holly style frame. You know? The ones all the cool kids are wearing.

While browsing on Twitter one day, as I do every day, I came across @clearlylenz and they were promoting these frames. I was so excited that I could easily pick the frame, send my prescription via email and have them shipped all for $70! I may have blacked out. Just like runners high, I also get shoppers high.

I paid my money and exactly one week later they arrived.

During this week of waiting though, I totally panicked. I didn't try them on and realized my impulse got the best of me. Friends actually said "Wow, you didn't even think you should try them on before you bought them?" People, I don't have time for this.

But, it had me thinking: As cheap as $70 is, its still $70. So when I did get them, I quickly took them out of the package and tried them on for all to see. What a hit! Perfect fit, perfect prescription and exactly what I envisioned. I love this website www.clearlylenz.com for all of their style options and the basic fact that they are the most affordable glasses I have found anywhere, hands down. So, here's me and my glasses. Whadyathink?

Pretty Little Things from Canada, Eh?

Every so often I go back in my files and review past clients and designers that I met along the way. I have folders in my inbox of correspondence and also files on my computer with their collection at the time we were in contact. Its nice to see the progress made over the years ( assuming they grew, even if just a bit), and I like to check in with them, just to say hi and see how things are going. Kick PR doesn't solicit business, we have been lucky with that and work mainly on referrals. Its honestly the biggest compliment a gal could ever get! ( well, I like when people comment on my new shoes :)

A few weeks ago I was going through my inbox and came across correspondence with the designer Corrine Anestopoulos, behind the jewelry like Biko from Canada. Its funny how things work out, because I emailed her on a Tuesday and she emailed me back that day saying she was coming to NY for the first time in years the next day. Kinda crazy, I believe in more than just coincidence, and luckily so does she.

So, Corrine came in to my office and had her whole current collection as well as some pieces she was launching. She had been staying in Brooklyn for the week and hitting the pavement looking for stores to carry her line. Like so many fashion collections, its so much better to see things in person, especially a collection like this. I love this Biko line and I thought you would too, that's why I asked her to send me some images so I could show you my favorites. She had the whole collection laid out on the table, and I think I may have lunged for the earrings seen here. They actually come in a few styles ( click here). These earrings here will run you no more than $50, which is a huge bonus not only now, but always. Because even when times are good, who doesn't want a good deal? The glass encasing regal designs such as crowns, horses and crests just won me over from the start. Small and simple, but definitely pieces that stand out.

And then she pulled out her Clip Pendant Necklaces which she said have always been her best sellers because of their "multi style" (is this a phrase you ask? I am not sure, but its fitting at the moment). The pendant clips off and the chain is long enough to double up or wear single, and the pendant clips on wherever. My favorite is this one, the Triangle Horses Clip Pendant, for a whopping $69. Its a locket also, and I plan to put pictures of Elton in there, because as you know I am obsessed with Elton, my dog.

Biko is available online at www.bikodesigns.ca and she uses PayPal that does the CAD to USD conversion for you. Easy breezy.