Chic Galleria » leather

It’s Better in Leather

Victoria Tillotson — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:39:33 +0000

When I was 18, I put a bumpersticker on my car from a leather boy shop in Boston. Sporting discreet little handcuffs, it read: “It’s Better in Leather.” This really spiffed up my uber-dorky VW Dasher! My feeling of cool was cut short when, unsurprisingly, my parents removed it. I was hugely annoyed at their bourgeois mentality but soon realized that suburban New England was not ready for me…or my pretentious leather.

My love affair with leather began long before my bumper sticker and continues long after. Gone is the 1980s, and 1990s, and 2000s and with the decades, my Ramones jacket and cowboy boots with duct tape. So instead I now enjoy a little leather jewelry. Eschewing the ubiquitous Chan Luu beaded leather bracelets, here are some of my current favorites which sport a little of that old leather-loving style.
Leave it to the French to put the S for Style into S & M – this serious chunker from Givenchy sports bi-color metals and softened spikes:

Silver and Gold Studded Bracelet by Givenchy

For you natural types, check out this leafy choker by Natalie Brown. Resplendent with ferns and a dreamy aura to boot, it’s just the thing with a slouchy, off-the-shoulder tunic.

Natalie Brown fern shaped neck piece

A little more discreet but still sporting a rocker fleur-de-lis motif are these shabby-chic beauties from Early Jewelry.

Black Leather earrings by Early Jewelry

Why should “chicks” have all the fun? Here’s a truly guy’s style wrap bracelet with a birdie skull from LostApostle jewelry on Etsy.

Bronze and Leather Raven Skull Bracelet

Need something a little less hardcore and a little more fun? Check out this knotted orange leather ring by byboe jewelry. I like the ring cuz it’s cool, but especially because I’m fortunate to counts its designer, Annika Salame, as one of my students!

Orange Leather Knot Ring by byboe

Let’s end on a happy note: this bib necklace by tomgirl jewelry is piled with colorful leather leaves and just makes me want to smile.

TomGirl Necklace

My bumper sticker was right: it IS better in leather!

PS: If you’re a DIYer, you may want to peek into this cool book by Lark Books and make your own leather lovelies!

Leather Jewelry

Wearing Over the Knee Leather Boots

Dawn Del Russo — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:59:53 +0000

Dawn Del Russo shows you how to wear over the knee leather boots.

Dawn Del Russo is an On-Air fashion expert seen on National TV Better TV, Fox 5 NY, InStyle Magazine, Life and Style Magazine, US Weekly for her fashion and lifestyle tips and advice. She is the author of “101 Glam Girl Ways to an Ultra Chic Lifestyle” and owner of www.BellaDawn.com

The Perfect Carryall For All

Editor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:01:58 +0000

Element Eden is proud to feature the West Coast Bag for Holiday 2009. Inspired by the effortless street-style of LA, this faux leather piece combines functionality and fashion at an incredible price. Available in black, carbon grey, and burgundy, the West Coast bag boasts several versatile details – use the adjustable strap to channel this season’s cross-body trend, or simply unhook and utilize the shorter one for an everyday over-the-shoulder look. The perfect carryall, this bag also features plenty of storage space with pockets both inside and out. Contrast lining with a pop of color, zippers, and snap-button closures complete this must-have piece.

Available online at Swell.com http://www.swell.com/Girls-ELEMENT/ELEMENT-WEST-COAST-BAG?cs=GR

Element Eden was born from the desire to make a difference. Based around the advocate program, our mission is to inspire girls to follow their own path and to find a different perspective from the old standard. Genuine, creative, and passionate, Element Eden lets you express yourself without saying a word. You are what you wear because you wear what you are.

Post- Founders Combine Art With Handbags

Editor — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 07:01:00 +0000

Lois Eliason and Katie McShane, Co-founders/owners of Post-, met when Katie enrolled in a graduate seminar on Italian Renaissance Sculpture that was led by Lois.
After discovering our mutual love of fashion and design, we started a conversation about designing our own line of accessories. Those conversations led to the start up of Post-.

“Our training in and passion for art history is the foundation for our business. All of our collections pay tribute to distinct periods in art history. Our first collection, “Bramante”, is named after one of the renowned architects from the Italian Renaissance. The custom medallions featured on the large day bags were inspired by Bramante’s architectural designs.”

“Our materials used range from Italian and metallic leathers to exotic skins, such as ostrich, python, and caiman crocodile. Since we also wanted to make the bags highly functional, we lined the interiors with a durable Cordura nylon. There are a variety of pockets on the interior; it’s equipped to hold everything from a laptop to diapers.”

“Designing beautiful accessories has truly been a dream of mine and Katie’s, and what makes it all worth it is the affirmation and appreciation that we get along the way. I don’t think either of us would have ever survived this business without the other, and we’re grateful for our partnership.”

“Our greatest achievement is seeing our ideas and all our hard work come together in a beautifully designed bag. Most women appreciate the overall beauty/functionality of our bags, but for Katie and me, our Bramante bag is truly a road map of the last 3 years we’ve spent building our business. We definitely feel that very rivet, buckle, zipper, and stitch was hard-earned.”

“Our Bramante Italian and metallic leathers have done really well. The ostrich and python bags are absolutely stunning, and the response on them has been wonderful. We’re pleased to be getting lots of interest in the coordinating Bramante small and large clutches in metallic/python that will soon be available on our online shop.”

“We are getting ready to debut our new P3 (Post-/Pop/Peace) collection of totes and small accessories, which is inspired by the 1960s Pop Culture movement.”

Visit www.postdash.com.

Designs By rian Influenced By Art

Editor — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 07:01:00 +0000

Rian Berry, owner of rian, and his wife Julie Berry came up with the brand concept over coffee at a local diner five years ago. “We still have the napkin with original sketches on it. I am a painter, so my whole background is in art. The initial goal was to create bags that featured my paintings on them. Now, while our designs have evolved since those first bags, all my designs are still influenced by art. In fact, some of our bags feature prints of my paintings on the liners. The exclusive use of our prints is one of the main elements that set us apart from other labels.”, says Rian.

Where do you draw inspiration for your products?

I find that a lot of my inspiration comes from travel..By putting myself out there and experiencing different things I always seem to find something to work from. Sometimes it is the obvious, like finding a great textile or leather. But other times it is more abstract. For example, this season I took color inspiration from this old phone booth near our loft in the city.

What products have been your best sellers?

Our best selling line has been the “Breaks” line. The “Breaks” is a region in Eastern Oregon that has a windblown, distressed landscape. It is where I grew up. My family owns an old farm out there. That particular line features distressed oil leathers and brushed steel antique hardware. It has a very weathered and aged feel to it. I think the antique and distressed finishes give the line a very versatile aesthetic, which led to the overall popularity of the line.

What are your future plans for rian?

We are continuing to grow the brand by offering more shapes and materials options. We continue to look for interesting leathers and textiles that are not common on the market. The influence of art and the use of progressive materials give the line a distinct feel and we want to stay true to that. It is our own. We are also working on a women’s line for fall/winter 2009. We may branch out into other products. Eventually we want rian to be a full lifestyle brand. But at present, our focus is on accessories.

Visit www.rianmens.com