We’re always excited to bring in new lines, and LA brand Lauren Moshi is no exception. With it’s original prints and incredibly luxe fabrics, it fits in perfectly with the rest of the Bicyclette mix. The simple, comfortable silhouettes and gorgeous hand drawn illustrations mix what we love best and is destined to become a casual favourite.
“Lauren Moshi creates unique pieces that are meticulously crafted in limited quantities. Every mark, every line on every piece is hand drawn by Lauren. Each garment is an original piece of artwork.”
[images via Lauren Moshi]
Illustrated Holiday Card, $6. Because who doesn't like a handwritten card?
Glitter Bow Belt, $24. The perfect accessory, available in 4 colours
Leopard Print Beret, $48. In 3 colours, the perfect way to mix prints
Glitter Deer Ornament, $20. Add a little sparkle to any decor
A Bicyclette Gift Card, any amount. We just received the official cards, and they're ready to be loaded
Ban.do Sequin Mini Heart, $10. A sparkling multi-tasker for a bright pop
When I was at school for Fashion Communication at Ryerson, one of the mandatory classes we were required to take every year was a fashion illustration class, and it was one of the classes I always dreaded. I wasn’t very good, being more of a technical designer and finding it hard to take a more freehanded approach to illustration and find my personal style. That being said, I’ve always loved fashion illustration, and find myself drawn to artists that capture that whimsical style and are able to tell a story through their work. My fellow Ryerson grad and good friend Alex Perlin is one such designer, and I’ve loved watching her style evolve over the past few years and am constantly impressed by her talent and skill. Which is one of the reasons why I’m so excited to announce that we’re now carrying Alex’s Fashion Holiday Cards and Agendas at the shop! We’re all about supporting local talent this Holiday season, and Alex’s pieces are the perfect way to finish off any gift.
Alex recently started using Instagram to share her process work with her followers and, much to our excitement, has begun adding a sprinkle of glitter to a selection of her Holiday cards. Being that these are two of our recent obsessions at Bicyclette, we thought we’d share a little peek at some of her work before we post the actual products that are now for sale. Think of it as a glittery pre-introduction.
[images via Alex Perlin Graphic Design & Illustration Facebook page]
I’ve mentioned illustrator Kelly Smith on the blog before, as I’m always drawn to the style of her work and the fashion subjects with quirky details. She recently shared some new personal work on her blog, and I kind of fell in love with the Swan Queen. One thing I always love to see is the process work behind a project, so I was thrilled to see that she had shared some snapshots that lend insight into her digital vs. hand drawn work. I always love the mix of mediums and how it makes pieces so much more multi dimensional.
[via birdy & me]
I’ve always loved pencil drawn fashion illustrations, especially when they’re used in a context that is unexpected, such as a life size interior store display. I’ve blogged about illustrator Kelly Smith before, and it appears that she’s teamed up with Australian store Portmans again to lend her talent to their windows and displays. With the current face of Portmans being the gorgeous Abbey Lee Kershaw, the campaign features illustrations of her, and the effect, once again, is bold and breathtaking. Below are some photos of the illustrations being used within the store, but also make sure to check Kelly’s blog for the originals.
There have been a few wine induced brainstorming discussions with my good friend and incredibly talented illustrator Alex Perlin about doing something similar for Bicyclette, and this has got me all the more excited about the possibility.
[images via Birdy & Me Blog]
I’ll be back this afternoon with some exciting store/site news (!), but for now, I wanted to leave you with a simple illustration by Garance Dore to start your day. Looking at pretty, inspiring images always seems to get me going in the right direction, no matter what the day holds. And today? I have a LOT to do.
I love the simplicity of Garance’s work, and the feminine and almost quirky attitude that her characters always seem to exude.
So …. I’m completely exhausted (seems to be a trend recently, I wonder why …), but there have been so many exciting things happening with Bicyclette that it makes it all worth it. I’ve had a huge wave of creativity the past few days, resulting in a few new graphics for the website. I always find branding to be the hardest part, especially when it’s forced, so when it happens naturally, I’m one happy girl. I have a mockup of the homepage for the site that I’ve been inserted design elements into as they come into existence, and I must say, I’m loving what I have now, which is a very good sign indeed.
I think part of this new creative inspiration came courtesy of my dear friend Alex Perlin, who has her own company doing freelance graphic design and illustration work, and has always been such a source of inspiration for me and is oh-so-talented. I feel so honoured that she let me “borrow” a few illustrations from her for the site and other branding materials: a new sketched bike icon, and little birdie that will be part of my Twitter button. Thanks Alex!
I don’t want to give too much away, but I thought I would share the a version of the little bike illustration, which I’ve used as part of a new Polaroid logo design and appears as part of the website header. More to come later, but for now I have to take advantage of the NXNE wristbands we were lucky enough to snag, and let myself unwind a little!
Consider this post to be an ode to “geek chic”.
The boy collects two things: records and comic books, and until recently, I was always somewhat hesitant to tag along on new comic book day (Wednesday) when the new issues come out. And then I discovered Cinderella, which is part secret secret spy, part Devil Wears Prada, part fairy-tale and all amazing.
Cinderella is now divorced from Prince Charming, owns her own shoe store, appropriately named Glass Slipper Shoes, but also moonlights as a secret agent, so she’s basically a bad ass fashionista spy. Best comic book ever? I think so.
Not only is the story itself fantastically done, the illustrated cover art is perfection, and is what initially caught my eye. Done by Chrissie Zullo, the style is enchanting, and captures the essence of this fashionable, stroke-of-midnight secret agent.
I have the first five issues, and have to wait until next month for the final issue … the suspense! If you’re intrigued, you can read more here, but I would suggest going out and grabbing the comics themselves. See you at Silver Snail?
I’ve always wished I were a better illustrator. I struggled through my mandatory illustration courses in first and second year, missing that natural talent that I’ve always been so jealous of. I can design, I can create, but I’m unable to pick up a pencil and have something beautiful emerge from the end with the ease that others exude. But I can appreciate it, and every time I come across a new illustrator, I’m inspired and in awe of their talent.
Kelly Smith, or Birdy & Me, is no exception. I can’t remember where I first saw her work, but I’ve been following her for awhile. Featured in Vogue Australia many times and with a slew of fashion-oriented collaborations in her portfolio, her pencil drawings are whimsical and magical, with the most perfectly placed infusions of watercolour and digital.
I often think of how to incorporate art such as these pieces into bicyclette, and beyond having them framed on the wall for inspiration and adornment, I think it would be fantastic to have a mixed media lookbook done, with illustrations and photographs, a la Kelly Smith.
http://www.birdyandme.com.au/
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