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May 18, 2013
Labels We Love: Plomo
We love tucking our toes into wooden wedges and easy heels all summer long, but finding a versatile sandal for a few days away is no simple task. Enter Plomo®, whose effortless and easygoing flat sandals are perfect for slipping into your carry-on.
Designers Keltse Bilbao and Galia Katz founded the line in 2010 and we’ve been enthralled with their supercomfortable—and superstylish—traditional sandals ever since. Inspired by footwear from the Spanish island of Menorca, these cushy slip-ons come in a trio of faded beachy colors, meaning they will perfectly pair with your lightest summer layers. Slip them on with our breezy Bandana Dress or use them as a laid-back pop of color to your favorite cutoffs. There’s no way vacation can be far when these are near.
May 6, 2013
A Label We Love: Mollusk Surf Shop
The California surf spirit is alive and well, as evidenced by Mollusk Surf Shop’s San Francisco and Venice Beach shops. Inside you’ll find surfboards (naturally) and coastal-inspired art, as well as the supersoft tees and sweatshirts with sun-washed graphics that we love. We asked the founders of the eight-year-old house of cool, John McCambridge and Johanna St. Clair, to share their secrets for capturing the endless summer.
Above: One of Mollusk’s signature graphics. San Francisco friends can stop by Madewell at 845 Market Street on the evening of May 16th to meet the Mollusk duo and take home one of their limited-edition screen prints (gratis!) while they last.
Where do you find inspiration for the designs of your tees and sweatshirts?
Old movies, travel, European magazines, vintage Brazilian record covers and people watching in Dolores Park.
The California-inspired art on your site is fantastic. Which prints do you find emulate the surf spirit of San Francisco and Venice Beach the most?
We love the work from “It’s All Around You,” the photography of Kanoa Zimmerman and Barrett Gentz. Thomas Campbell’s work is always iconic, and we can’t resist Nat Russell’s silk-screened posters.
Mollusk’s book collection is off the charts. What factors do you keep in mind while curating the shop’s literary mix?
We like photography books, like the ones from Akira Kobayashi and Slim Aarons. We also like books that focus on the handmade, ranging from Pacific Northwest hippie houses to Cuban poster art.
What local spots do you and your clientele typically hit up after a day of surfing?
Our friends Dave Muller and Lana Porcello have the perfect post-surf restaurant around the corner from our San Francisco shop called Outerlands.
In your mind, what are the four quintessential colors of California?
Capitola green, bright khaki, olde yellow and lots of indigo.
What’s on your current soundtrack?
Michael Hurley, Alice Coltrane, Orlandivo, Jonathan Richman, The Left Banke and Little Wings. (Our eight-year-old daughter is singing backup on their new album!) We also enjoy listening to whatever the great Andy Cabic, friend and frontman of Vetiver, is spinning.
Which stores, shops and stops are essential to living a California surf lifestyle?
The Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, Amoeba Music, Gjelina and the Bolinas Free Box.
April 27, 2013
Notes from Madewell HQ: Weekend Getaway Essentials
We look forward to sunny mini-breaks as much as anyone (in fact, we’re counting down the seconds until Memorial Day weekend) so we deemed it the perfect time to ask some stylish ladies here at the office: What’s the one Madewell item you’ll be bringing along for fun in the sun?
Joyce Lee, accessory design whiz
“The mini wedge heel makes it supereasy to run around in. Plus, they’ll go with anything I pack.”
Susan Cernek, resident wordsmith
“The woven texture makes it beach-ready indeed, but the dark, unflashy hue means I can wear it once the sun goes down (or away entirely, come fall).”
Alice Bucaille, art director/guru
“It’s simple yet sexy and I like how it dips low in the back. I wear the Two-Tone Chambray Shirt as a cover-up.”
Sun Choe, merchandise maven
“I love the shape and they double as sunnies for my son in a pinch.”
April 25, 2013
On Our Way to San Jose: 5 Must-See Stops
We just opened our first store in San Jose and so, to mark the occasion, we thought we’d share our five favorite spots in this quaint corner of California. Think Egyptian relics, homemade favorites and grown-up board games.
1. The Worldly Wonder
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium
This local institution houses the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in western North America. There are real mummies in there. Need we say more?
2. The Textile Shrine
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
We’re suckers for interesting fabrics and patterns, so it’s our must-see for a steady stream of unexpected DIY inspiration.
3. The Healthful Pit Stop
This small, under-the-radar shop in Japantown specializes in homemade tofu and unbelievably fresh soy milk. Try their tofu pudding with ginger syrup on a lazy Saturday afternoon.
4. The Big-Time Board Game
We didn’t believe it at first, but just outside the Children’s Discovery Museum is a life-sized Monopoly board etched right into the concrete. There are even gigantic plush dice, wearable playing pieces and an on-site banker doling out paper money—it puts the board game version to shame.
5. The Coffee Class
Though coffee culture can be a bit snobbish, this local roastery instead focuses on educating its clientele. Between espresso and drip samplings, cold brew tastings and roasting classes, it’s an aromatic (not to mention tasty) learning experience.
April 23, 2013
A Label We Love: Skargorn
As Barcelona celebrates Lover’s Day—a sweet holiday that honors romantic writers Miguel de Cervantes and William Shakespeare, who died one day apart in April of 1616—and the season of l’amour falls upon us (you know, the birds and the bees and all), we’re putting the spotlight on one label we adore: SkarGorn™.
As the brainchild of LA-based, Danish-bred denim expert Rikke Korff, SkarGorn is chock-full of fuss-free, carefully thought out items that walk that oh-so-fine line of casual yet sophisticated. Skargorn’s thin skinnies and wear-wherever tanks (including a striped version that’s exclusively ours) are the layering pieces you’ll reach for when sticky summer heat settles in.
April 22, 2013
Great Dressing, Direct From Tennessee
Photos by Jessica Comingore.
Along with Sous Style, Tomboy Style and 4th and Bleeker, Pennyweight is currently topping our daily must-read list, as the Nashville-based blogger (aka Elise Joseph) speaks our language completely. Blogger, style guru and curator extraordinaire, she has her finger on the pulse of the best indie music, stylish home goods, new shopping destinations—the works. In other words, if it’s artfully cool, you can bet it’s on her well-rounded radar.
Her impeccable taste is evident in each post, and so we’re especially glad that she’ll be on hand as we open our newest store at The Shops of Saddle Creek. If you’re in the Memphis area tomorrow (4/23), swing by as we celebrate the grand opening with some bubbly, small bites and a curated selection of Pennyweight’s favorite Madewell pieces. And if you’re curious to see which spring pieces earned her seal of approval (we sure were!), you can also get a sneak peek via the almighty Pinterest or right over here.
April 19, 2013
April 17, 2013
Labels We Love: Ace&Jig
Jenna Wilson and Cary Vaughan, the textile-obsessed team behind Brooklyn-based Ace & Jig™, started their breezy, laid-back label to create summery clothes they could wear through all seasons.
All of their fabrics are custom-designed directly with weavers in India, built around a stripe of some sort (so really, how could we not love them) and constructed into the kind of clothes you want to live in. We asked the design duo—who met as design interns and whose kids are now best friends—to tell us about their ideal warm-weather days, favorite local spots and where they go to hide out in their hood.
DREAM BROOKLYN DAY:
Margaritas and lobster rolls at the Red Hook Lobster Pound in Red Hook; strolling Brooklyn Flea with close friends
FAVORITE SUMMER IN THE CITY ACTIVITIES:
MoMA PS1 Warm Up, the Prospect Park drum circle, Coney Island
WEEKEND GETAWAYS:
Brimfield Antique Market (in Brimfield, Massachusetts) in May, July and September for amazing antiques, collectibles and vintage
SOMETHING YOU’VE NEVER DONE BUT ARE DYING TO:
Visit Storm King sculpture park an hour north of the city in the lower Hudson Valley
FAVORITE BAKERY:
Trois Pommes Patisserie in Park Slope
GO-TO LUNCH SPOT:
Mile End in Boerum Hill. (It’s very close to our studio.)
TRUSTED FLORIST:
Boerum Hill’s Opalia Flowers
MUSIC VENUE:
LOCAL BEAUTY PRODUCT:
Saipua handmade peppermint soap, from their shop in Red Hook
SECRET SPOT:
Sycamore Bar & Flowershop in Ditmas Park
April 13, 2013
Labels We Love: By Zoé™
Leave it to the French to master the art of effortless romantic style, which is why we’re pretty much always on the hunt for hidden fashion gems from the City of Light. Our latest find is By Zoé™, a Parisian line founded in 2005 by a trio of stylish sisters. We chatted with eldest sister Melvina Sebban (she also doubles as head stylist for the brand), to hear first-hand how she and her siblings cultivate that quintessentially French je ne sais quoi that embodies each and every piece in this emerging line.
How did you and both your sisters get involved in fashion?
We grew up in the fashion industry. Our father was a pant maker who specialized in denim, and growing up, we all worked with him. As kids, we would dress our dolls with bits of fabric we found in the factory.
Your designs feel so essentially Parisian. Why do you think that is?
Paris is romantic. We try to translate that into our collections and represent a vision of modern femininity.
What inspires you beyond the local culture?
We’re crazy about music! And we spend a lot of time looking at street style from around the world.
How can one easily master a laid-back French look?
We don’t buy head-to-toe looks from one designer, and we never hesitate to mix different pieces, even pairing fancy luxury goods with perfectly worn-in vintage denim.
Describe By Zoé in 5 words or less.
Cool, urban, feminine and sexy.*
*Editor’s Note: We couldn’t agree more.
April 7, 2013
