Fall Fashion Preview - Cozy & Warm Comfort
It may still be warm out, but we know the cool weather is just around the corner. Through color and comfort, fashion and fun, these stylish creations by this year’s PMA Craft Show artists are sure to not only keep you warm, but also be a striking presence as you enter a room or walk down the street.
(Above: Sweater by Deborah Cross)
Deborah believes that art and comfort can coexist in beautiful pieces, expressing harmony between materials, form, and function. She designs her clothing accordingly, choosing styles and fabrics that are suitable for both everyday wear and eveningwear. Drawn to the interweaving of fabric and the human body, each piece is fashioned in her contemporary style with unique fabrics that she creates.
(Above: Scarves by Kristin Gereau)
Accessories are a great way to enhance an outfit, and these colorful creations by Kristin Gereau are just the ticket. Driven by the coordination of bold colors and unique textures, Kristin designs her wearables to have a three dimensional, sculptural quality, giving the wearer the ability to expand and drape the scarves in playful ways. Each piece is organically hand loomed using natural fibers primarily found in Maine, Massachusetts, and Japan. Kristin graduated from Rhode Island School of Design. Her award winning works have been featured in magazines articles, and can be found in prestigious boutiques around the U.S.
(Above: Sweater by Charlotte Hess)
Named for her mother and grandmother, Charlotte’s company, isobel & cleo began in Glasgow, Scotland from her desire to produce beautiful knitwear through sustaining traditional knitting techniques. Now based in Nantucket, Massachusetts, she uses the finest yarns and materials from around the world including the US, the UK, Italy, Japan, and Australia. Charlotte’s designs have been recognized by The Scottish Arts Council, magazines such as Elle and Vogue, and have been featured on the TV shows The Good Wife and The Good Fight. Charlotte’s passion is to preserve traditional handmade craft, increase production of ethical handmade goods, and also grow her business to make a difference to other small artisanal businesses.
(Above: Coat by Elizabeth Holliday; Sweater by Cara May)
Elizabeth Holliday is an artisan, designer, and patternmaker. Beginning with a sketch, she then patterns from scratch or modifies a previous design, shaping into samples that are sewn and fit until she is happy with the outcome. Elizabeth has always loved creating, and was particularly drawn to fashion, starting as a young girl when her mom taught her how to sew. In college, she ventured into sewing clothing from patterns, and soon realized she could re-imagine those patterns, and started making her own. She went on to attend design school in San Francisco, learning the formal rules of patterning, primarily so she could break them.
Comfortable, casual, and creative, Cara designs and produces small batch, artisanal, natural fiber creations. Both artistic and subtle – it’s the simplicity of the pieces that are integral to their appeal to the wearer. Cara’s vision is founded in the Japanese wabi-sabi aesthetic, finding beauty in aspects of imperfection in nature. Every garment is handcrafted from start to finish. A self-taught machine knitter, Cara continually gains knowledge from sitting down at her machines and playing, as well as needle knitting and researching yarns, design, and techniques.
(Above: Wrap by Gina Pannorfi)
A graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago, it was during her time there that Gina discovered her love for fiber and textile design. Extending her education to participating in an exchange at Art Studio Fuji; a textile and jewelry design studio in Florence, Italy, she discovered the process she currently uses. Driven by color, texture, pattern and process, the silk in her scarves, shawls and wraps is hand-dyed, puckered, gathered, and merged with merino wool. Gina approaches each piece like a painting; a two-dimensional surface to be designed, manipulated and permanently altered into an object to be used on the body or in the home. Her line has been carried in over one hundred specialty boutiques and museum stores worldwide.
(Above: Shawl by Julie Simpson)
Julie’s work as a textile designer and mixed media painter merges her fascination and love for repeated patterns and natural textures. Earning her degree in textile design from the Rhode Island School of Design, she started and grew her business and has been weaving one-of-a-kind wearables for over three decades. Growing up near the beaches on the west coast, Julie is a lifelong swimmer and her love of water and the colors of nature are reminiscent in her work. With collections that are both functional and versatile, Julie maintains design aesthetics that pursue elegance, creativity, and classic craftsmanship.
Click HERE to see all the fashions in our fiber wearables category.
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