That's So New York - I've recently come across a number of posts and articles via various blogs in regards to the importance of local connections and creating a relationship with businesses and bloggers in your local area; I will admit that before now I have tended not to pay too much attention to designers, bloggers and business in my local area, simply because I have just a handful of stores which I personally admire in my grasp due to my location and the thought of doing anything but simply popping into their store and having a rather time consuming flick through new items (etc) seems a little daunting. Despite the fact that I am a blogger and should most probably have exemplary communication skills, I do tend to get a little nervous and shy when meeting new people, whether they're a designer, blogger or simply a new pal (yes, that does mean I'm dreading my first day of College this coming September, where I will be forced into a room full of new faces and then continuously bugged until I begin to socialize.)
A month or so ago, without realizing I did actually come across a designer who is within reaching distance from me; on that note, this designer is actually situated in the same county as me, which I would consequently consider local, right? -Whilst on the hunt for designers for my online-store which will be launched this coming September, I came across Essex, England (United Kingdom) based bag designer, Carmen Woods. When first contacting Carmen, I was in fact oblivious to the fact that she was situated in Essex; with such an elegant label under her belt, I was also a little shocked, as anyone who is living in the United Kingdom and familiar with Essex will know that it is not exactly the most respected location in England, primarily due to its residents and the 80% of which who are in fact orange due to an overuse of fake tan and a small obsession with ridiculously oversized fake eyelashes; is anyone else noticing the repetition of the word fake? Despite the fact that not everyone living in Essex is a dolled-up orange, the fact that ITV decided to release a television program titled The Only Way Is Essex did not help the matter, as the show follows around a handful of typical essex girls and guys as we experience a slightly fabricated and exaggerated view on the typical resident. Ridiculous, I know.
Carmen did in fact spend time designing in Ravenna, Italy working for an acclaimed fashion house; consequently Woods is all about luxury and color as she incorporates a typically Italian aesthetic throughout all of her designs, using a selection of Italian leather and patch work techniques which she also picked up during her time in Ravenna, Italy to establish an admirable yet durable outcome. Despite the fact that the Carmen Woods label is still seemingly considered a newcomer in terms of mainstream retail, Carmen has already established three collections which retail continuously, meaning that Carmen does not discontinue a collection at the end of a season, yet instead designs each piece to fit an all-year-round aesthetic. The collections include the originalCarmen Woods collection, followed by the CW By Carmen Woods collection, both of which are my personal favorites. Lastly we have the most recent addition to the portfolio, the Animal Skin Collection by CW. I've picked out a handful of pieces from both the Carmen Woods and CW by Carmen Woods collection which I would gladly label as my favorites; onto the images ...
Carmen Woods Fuchsia Olea Handbag (Retail Price: £215.00) - Also avaliable in Black, Peony Purple, Patent Black,
Dark Brown, Willow Green ... (CONTINUE READING)
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