Ensemble Du Jour: 2-23-11

Even though the days are still cool, the bright skies feel like Spring.  It doesn't feel right to wear dark tones.  It's time for color!

I started with the shoes and worked from there.  I paired a tomato red Gap sweater, with a khaki pencil skirt and grey and white Nautica scarf.

I love this butterfly pin.  It was my grandmother's and is very intricate with movable wings.  I thought wearing it as a pin would be a nice tie back to my shoe details.

I just got these gorgeous crochet tights from Sock Dreams.  They're so beautiful.  I plan on wearing them with an airy white dress and oxfords this summer.

But, yep, it was all about the shoes!  I just received three (!!!) pairs of custom Hetty Rose shoes and these are the first to be unveiled.  I'm going to do some more romance shots but I couldn't wait to share!

I'm smitten by so many of her fabrics. It's hard to choose just one.  I love the butterflies, outlined in metallic ink with large embroidered butterflies in silver thread.

This design is the Amalie, which is my favorite shape.  A perfect round-toe pump paired with glorious fabrics.  How can you resist?

Ready for Ready-To-Wear

My favorite shoe designer, Miss Henrietta "Hetty Rose" is bringing her custom-crafted bespoke shoes to a wider audience by launching her ready-to-wear line.

Hetty has made a name for herself by creating beautiful designs and pairing them with unique vintage kimono fabrics sourced from Japan and antique jewels and embellishments.

I have been lucky enough to purchase several of her pieces - the Ella mary jane, the Love platforms and the Amalie pump - all crafted with the most amazing fabrics ever.

And while Hetty is continuing to create and craft her bespoke lines, she has not created ready-to-wear shoes that have the same adorable style and gorgeous fabrics.   The line is made up of 5 of the top favorite styles and they are all still made using vintage kimono fabrics.  They are manufactured in a small family-run factory in London and will be available in UK sizes 4, 5, 6 and 7 with prices starting from £180.

Yuki 

Haruka 

Mika 

Kiki

You can see all of the styles and detailed images here.

Pre-ordering is starting now for deliveries in October/November so make sure to drop her an email to get the process going and reserve your pair today!

Color Study - Orange

Ready for the next installment of the Color Study series?

Orange is pretty unrepresented in my closet. I cannot wear it in shirt form at all, although I really do like the color. And I only, obviously, have a few shoes that barely squeak in to the group.



Since there are only five (I don't think I've added any since I took these) it will be easy to break it down:

Top Row, left to right:

- Guiseppe Zanotti Cam Albiconna Nappa
- Hetty Rose Love Platforms
- JCrew Liz in Neon Orange

Bottom Row, left to right:

- Isaac Mizrahi Hannah Orange Flash
- Olivia Rose Tal Silvy II






The details are the best part:

I have a free weekend... maybe blues or greens next???

Wearing Your Heart On Your.... Shoes?

I love Hetty Rose shoes. I mean, I really really LOVE them! How could you not love such a talented person, who makes amazing custom shoes for you using gorgeous vintage fabric?



Plus, she's adorable! Look at her -

Even better, Miss Hetty is offering up a special treat for Valentine's day.

Hetty has made a limited number of real gold leaf Gift Vouchers which can be purchased by him for you, or you for you!

See the Collections online here.

Even better, get 10% off your valentine shoes! see voucher below.
Just get in touch.

Perfect for a gift or to treat yourself!

I think I'm going to wear my heart-bedecked Love shoes to skip around town in. Hearts with crystals and heart-shaped peep-toes? What's not to love???

www.hettyrose.co.uk

Ensemble du Jour

Again, the days have been getting away from me. So I figured I should catch up on the outfits pronto!

After organizing my armoire out last weekend, I thought I would create outfits around some of my fun new accessories which have just been arriving. Something other than shoes for once!

On Monday, I wore a very colorful outfit. Everything was centered around my new Candy fascinator from WhichGoose. To go with it I wore a red top from Gap, a dressy denim pencil skirt, red tights and my Hetty Rose Ella mary janes.

10-6-08 by Princess Poochie

I think the heels, being equally as colorful, were a good match for the hair piece. Both are colorful although it strikes me as funny how such an old fabric and the new pom-poms actually work well together.

I could say the heels get equal focus... I'd been thinking about wearing them with colorful tights for a while now.



Yesterday I was wanting to go the opposite - a bit more streamlined but playing with texture. I wore a grey jersey top that has a bit of silver metallic in the fabric, my new Kapow Wow neck ruffle (also in grey jersey), a black pencil skirt, black ribbed tights and Aerosole buckle heels in black patent. They happen to be one of my favorite shoes to wear. They are comfortable and versatile.

10-7-08 by Princess Poochie

This neck ruffle is so cool! You can wear it a ton of different ways and is amazingly soft. I think it's a great option to a scarf or wrap for keeping your neck warm in the winter. Plus, I just love ruffles!



The other day I talked about seeing rosettes popping up in fashion, well today I got the chance to wear one of my new pieces from Shoe Missy. They are just adorable in person.

I wore the black and white plaid with my grey and black rugby stripe boyfriend cardigan from delia's. Underneath I wore a black camisole over one of my sale mini-skirts from Old Navy.

It was kind of crummy out so I wore my black Target flats with the big "jewels" on them.

10-8-08 by Princess Poochie

This rosette looks blue and black here but it is actually black and white. I tried to take a picture of it on the sweater, because it looked so cute but my camera is just dying! I think I'm going to have to get a new one very very soon.




Now, I've been doing good so far this week actually planning outfits. What am I going to wear tomorrow? I've stayed up late too many nights in a row and my brain is just fried.

Maybe I'll think of something to wear with some of my fun knee-highs.

Hmmmmm......

Week In Review

What's been going on this week? Well, I've had a ton of work so I've been running around. I'm also trying to keep up with my "chores" during the week so I don't have to spend all weekend staring at a huge pile of laundry while I watch 10 hours of The Tenth Kingdom.

And then I get sucked into Twitter and goof off on Flicker, so I've been slack about playing on Polyvore or updating with outfits and all.

On Monday I wore this outfit - light weight argyle sweater from Target and Gap denim pencil skirt.



Yes, I'm wearing argyle again! I want Fall to get here already. I'm pining away for cool weather and sleeping with the windows open.

I wanted to wear my new Report heels with their cute little v-notch so everything was around the grey of these.



Yesterday I remembered I had these cute micro-fishnets in pink so I decided to wear them with a black jersey top and my flippy black skirt from Old Navy.



I have some pink and black kitten heels but in the end I wore my grey Head over Heels bird pumps in all their super-soft grey suede lusciousness.





I'd just sit there and stare at them all day if I could.



Today's outfit is in honor of Miss WendyB and how she is on the forefront of the "bringing rolled-up jeans back" trend.



I just used my Gap jeans and, since they are long despite being Ankle length, they could stand to be rolled up. I pulled out a weird mix of clothes and accessories to wear with them.

First of all is this crazy vintage necklace of winged serpents. I've had this piece since early high school. No "now we know it's vintage!" jokes, I just had a birthday. Don't rub it in.

Maybe I really had Miss Wendy on my mind when I pulled this out of the back of my jewelry drawer.



I liked the shiny brassy gold color and was pairing it with a textured 3/4 sleeve jacket, so yes, let's layer on some very patterned shoes. Why not!



See.... rolled up!

Okay, who's next?

Twenty Questions with Hetty Rose

As we all know, I'm a big fan of Miss Henrietta Rose, a.k.a. Hetty Rose. I thought it would be cool to learn more about her and how she got into designing and what her influences are.


Miss Hetty took the time to sit down with me and answer a whole bunch of my questions

1. When did you first get into fashion and shoes?
My first memory of shoes having an impact on me was my first day at nursery school. My mother asked what my teacher was like and I proceeded to tell her all about her red shiny shoes. My obsession isn’t just how shoes look, I am very interested in how shoes are constructed too. I make clothes and have done since I was little and I enjoy sourcing vintage fabrics and trimmings from different countries when I travel.

2. What path has your life/schooling/career taken to get you to this point? For example, when did you decide this was what you wanted to go to school for, what schools did you consider/apply to, what internships, jobs and mentoring did you have? When did you decide to go into business for yourself and start your own line?
Prior to my footwear degree, I spent my art foundation year, after high school, de-constructing shoes and experimenting. I then I studied at the London College of Fashion and gained a degree in Footwear Design & Development (also known as Cordwainers College). During my time at university, I also gained an industrial placement for one year of study with footwear designer Georgina Goodman. At every stage of my learning I was/am very focused about what I want and my direction in development.

Since graduating I have worked in both London and Italy for handmade shoe companies before setting up the Hetty Rose company just over a year ago. I wanted my name in the shoe and took a risk by starting up something new, but I knew I had something unique and wanted to share it with people who would appreciate and enjoy the shoes.

3. How did you decide to work with vintage kimono fabric?
The concept of the company has grown from research and development I conducted during my degree. I was traveling in Japan 4 years ago and came across some tiny shops selling vintage kimono fabrics. These fabrics have already been un-picked and are panels, which lend themselves to shoe patterns. Therefore, I left my clothes in Japan and filled up my case with kimono fabrics and started to experiment with them in my workshop. I love it when I find a really beautiful piece of fabric. As the fabrics are one-offs they cannot be re-produced, so when I find something gorgeous, I have to do it justice by making it into something really wonderful. I go back each year to source more fabrics and be inspired by the beauty of the country.
4. Describe the process of creating one of your pairs of shoes? With inspiration comes design. I have the last form made in the last factory left in the UK and also the heels by craftspeople. I then make the patterns and cut the fabric and leather. I’ll then stitch them and mould them around the last by nailing it in position underneath. After the upper is lasted I’ll add the sole and attach the heel and finish of by putting the padding and cover inside the shoe. The entire process can take up to 6 weeks as there is lots of drying and molding required. In just hours it takes around 2-3 days per pair to make from scratch.

5. Do you have a team that helps you?
I have 2 press agents in the UK and Italy, an Japanese agent and 2 assistants who help in the workshop a couple days a week. When I am really busy I sometimes rope in sisters, boyfriend and friends to help with little jobs!

6. What influences your designs?
Objects, places, colours and dreamt-up ideas influence me more than looks or trends. I can pick up fashion developments and movements and translate these where appropriate.

7. What are your inspirations?
I am a self-confessed hoarder. I keep everything that inspires me or that could be useful. The idea of wasting something which could be transformed into something functional and beautiful is the reason I do what I do. Sustainability in the fashion field can be a challenge, so by having a concept which adheres to ethical and ecological sensitivities, I can be free with my designs.

My magpie tendencies often lead me to be inspired by trinkets and found objects.

8. What have been your biggest successes?
Being selected to show at London Fashion Week in my first season was great, also commissions from exhibition are always exciting. I enjoy traveling for my job and most of all I feel great satisfaction by having happy, lovely clients.

9. What have been your biggest roadblocks?
Financial constraints can be a challenge to juggle for a small business. Sourcing components in the UK can also be hard work. I have build relationships with small crafts people who can create to my specifications. Working everyday can be tiring, but I love my job and feel so lucky to be able to be creative everyday.

10. Can you name some of your favorite (and or famous) clients?
From Poochie: All clients are kept anonymous. Press coverage can be seen on Hetty's site
11. What is your favorite part of your job?
My clients are so delightful, I love meeting people who like to be unique and individual in their fashion style. It is so great to hand make something totally exclusive to them.

12. What goals and milestones have you set for yourself? What are you looking forward to and planning over the next few years?I plan to steadily build up my business and profile. Through ongoing research of the market and materials, I aim to develop the brand, be reliable and build credibility through providing a quality product, excellent service with definitive branding. By creating an experience for customers, I aim to gain loyal customers and buyers.

I aim to design the Hetty Rose trans-seasonal collections with the ethos of making a collection which has typical signature style to be recognisable as Hetty Rose brand. This will enable customers to grow alongside the company and be loyal and enjoy each collection.

I like to collaborate with other designer/makers to create something really unique, and I would like to carry on doing this within many varied disciplines.

I would like to expand to a shop in the UK and then abroad in Europe, US and Japan.
I also enjoy explaining and demonstrating my practice to others and would love to carry out educational workshops.

13. What have been some of your most interesting or unusual special requests?
I have made shoes out of different fabric for the same pair for a client’s wedding. The result was really beautiful and striking. Some clients like matching accessories; purses, bags, belts, hair bows and baby shoes!

I am currently working on a project with a stylist for an exhibition which will travel in the UK, New York and Tokyo. It will involve hand weaving a shoe in vivid bright colours.

14. Who are your favorite designers?
Roger Vivier was a pioneer in footwear. I have a lot of respect for designers who do things you wouldn’t expect and play with materials in a creative way. Also, Nicholas Kirkwood, Gil Carvalho and Georgina Goodman have amazing vision.

15. Do you wear shoes by any other designers? If so, who?I wear mostly vintage designers or my own shoes. I have a few pairs of Georgina Goodman shoes, Hermes, some high street brands and often wear real ballet shoes which I customize.

16. What are your favorite books and magazines?
I rarely get time to read books. When I have time I flick through Vogue, Dazed, I.D and Japanese Street Style magazine. I tend to buy a lot of foreign magazines when I am traveling, Italy do an entire Vogue magazine decided to shoes, its wonderful (Vogue Pelle).

17. What are your favorite musicians and songs?
My tastes are very eclectic, I like anything from Kings of Leon, to Justice, Hot Chip and Nina Simone. I love abit of 90s dance when I am working late in the studio to keep me awake!

18. What’s your favorite color?
A real coral pink.

19. If you could be anyone in history, who would you be?
I wouldn’t be able to choose between Charles Rennie Macintosh, Christian Dior and Henry Moore. (Funny that they are all men!!)

20. What is your favorite city?Nagoya, Japan.


Thanks, Henrietta!

Back to Bespoke

Vintage Kimono Fabric from Hetty Rose

Almost a year ago I told you about my experience having a pair of bespoke Amalie heels made for me by the incomparable Henrietta of Hetty Rose.

At that time Hetty had done her first Kimono collection featuring twelve styles that could be custom made to your specifications from a selection of vintage kimono fabrics. Now Hetty is back with a second collection which has all new designs and includes adorable clutches as well. She's also received a ton of press coverage as well. Be warned, this post is very image heavy!

What I love about the whole process is getting to interact with the creator on a personal level. When I got back in touch with Henrietta she was on a buying trip in Japan, searching out new fabrics. She was also in country for the cherry blossom festival and sent me some surreally beautiful shots from there.

One of the first shoes in the new collection which caught my eye was the adorable Ella mary jane. It's just super cute and has a great chunky heel with front stitching down the toe. If you go to the press page you can see if has already been featured in several magazines.



Well I had to have it. As was done the previous time, Henrietta sent me a variety of fabrics to choose from and I decided on this very intricate and metallic phoenix pattern.













I like the way each shoe is individual. And, of course, the riot of colors!











They are just so cute on that I can't get over them!

As I was reading through all of the new press coverage Hetty Rose had received I came upon these articles: one, two, three. It seems Henrietta paired with theatrical wig designer Yuki Saito to create a special display for Valentine's Day and created these amazing "Love" shoes for the pairing.



Well, I fell for them. Hard. I especially love the platform element. And although they were not a part of her regular line, she agreed to make them for me.



I was lucky enough that Henrietta still had some of the same fabric that she used to create the original pair. I did make one change to the design. Knowing that I'm not going to get many opportunities to wear these with the ties wrapped up above my knee, I asked for them to be just long enough to tie around my ankle.







Oh, yes, they are super tall, but given the platform and that they are made to measure, they are very easy to wear.







I like the heart-shaped peep-toes too!





What's also cool is that the straps are not attached to the shoes. So I can wear these with and with out the leather ties. The beaded hearts just clip on, so I can adjust where they go, either on the shoes or on the ties.



A-dor-a-ble!









I know I've said this before, but she does amazing work. If you have the opportunity, drop Henrietta an email and work with her on a pair of shoes. She is a true artist. Not only will you be supporting her art, but you will be avoiding the the huge manufacturing machine and preserving a small piece of history.