It's safe to say the recession has put an end to more than just the $18 cocktail. With some of fashion's biggest stars running for cover with their tails between their legs, the design world as it stands is a markedly different place.
Having wrapped up the second to last Fashion Week at Bryant Park, we're now on the verge of a new decade - one that's poised to be anything but average. It should come as no surprise that this great shake-up has not only changed what shoppers are buying, but also what designers see as relevant and luxurious in this new economy.
Five innovative accessory lines representative of the new guard; Unearthen, 17 by Stephanie Schneider, Barton Perreira's Albert Mayseles line, Generic man and the one-of-a-kind musings by newcomer Olympia Le-Tan, have taken the present and made it their own in very interesting ways. Each has embodied an impulse of reconstruction with a sense of honesty and vision. A preview of what's being offered from these newcomers confirms they are three names we should expect to hear much more of.
Unearthen:
Launched by New York City-based stylist Gia Bahm, Unearthen's collection (pictured above) of crystal tipped antique bullet necklaces has developed a cult following in all the right places. Unabashedly whimsical with just the right portion of badass, designer Bahm insists the one-of-a-kind pieces "have already chosen their bearers."
Infinitely more individual than diamonds and pearls, Unearthen asserts that the necklaces have additional supernatural properties, such as the ability to clear your mind, focus your heart on goals, or simply to remind you of the balance between destruction and creation. If only they could clean the dishes and vacuum, they'd be the only friend you ever needed.
Unearthen is available at Sucre, 357 Bleecker St, New York, NY
17 by Stephanie Schneider:
After making a name for herself collaborating with the design teams of Hussein Chalayan and Jurgi Persoons, Stephanie Schneider stepped out on her own to make her accessories debut under the label "17" in 2006. The line, which recently unveiled its ninth collection is, as Schneider explains, "an inescapable step in exploring my passion in another medium."
With a background in apparel, Schneider's designs draw heavily from the world of textiles, incorporating materials such as mohair, silk, and linen into the jewelry.
Although established in her native Germany, 17 by Stephanie Schneider has become available for the first time in the U.S. courtesy of Project No.8 and their visionary team.
17 by Stephanie Schneider is available at Project No.8; 138 Division St, New York, NY
Albert Mayseles by Barton Perreira:
If a film can stick it out as long as the 1975 documentary Grey Gardens, it must be something pretty special. With the 2009 remake pushing the quirky exposé further into mainstream pop culture, a new generation fell in love with the fashionable antics of Big and Little Edie. It's also worth considering, however; the man who put it all together and saw something that special and timeless over 30 years ago--Albert Mayseles.
New York's favorite department store Barneys has teamed up with California-based eyewear company Barton Perreira to produce a limited edition line of glasses in homage to the man infamous for both Grey Gardens and 1970's Gimme Shelter. A reproduction of the pair made famous in the moments between the madness when Mayseles could be spotted in the reflections of dirty windows and mirrors thirty years ago, it's safe to say these glasses will hold their ground for the next thirty years.
The Barton Perreira limited edition Albert Mayseles frames are available at Barneys New York, 660 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
Generic Man:
Launched in 2006 by Kevin Carney and Brandon Day, the line Generic Man was a study by the two in "adultism"--what they describe as a journey to define what it means to be an adult these days. What they found, it's safe to say, was a world with a definite lack of well-made accessories without an overdose of logos and branding (this was 2006, after all).
In a crusade to reinvent the plagued world inhabited by the modern adult, Generic Man set about developing to line of classic shoes with a throwback to the golden days of 20th century design and value. On a winning streak since 2006, the duo has since expanded Generic Man to cater for the women out there who are similarly plagued by a bad case of adultism. Perfectly priced, with enough design to take you through the countless adventures of adulthood, the name Generic Man is ironic on every front. Genius.
Generic Man is available at Bird, 220 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY
You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover:
Darling of the Parisian fashion world, Olympia Le-Tan of Chanel is stepping out on her own this fall and launching her first handbag line, aptly named after the Bo Diddley song "You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover". Inspired by the first-edition covers of some of literature's best loved works, the collection is your chance to tote a larger than life copy of "Moby Dick," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," or "Satan Refuse du Monde." With a plush handstitched interior, finished with famous literary one-liners, the bags are available to those in the know at Colette.
You Can't Judge a Book By Its Cover is available at Colette, 213, Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris, France
Growing up in Melbourne, an early love of fashion and design set Andrew Young on a course that would see him leave Australia to take on the fashion world. In 2008, Andrew relocated to New York City where he now works as a fashion publicist and writer. Managing some of the most well loved names in accessories while working with North America's most exciting magazines and websites gives him a chance to fuse his love of fashion with his background in Journalism.
