Winter Trends in European Footwear

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At my first job as a footwear designer, I snapped photos like a pro. Women on the subway, kid appliques at the market, tiger heels on fifth avenue, everything from high to low to everything in between. After leaving the company, it was hard to untrain my eye to go directly to people’s feet…something I still find myself doing on a semi-regular basis.

On my Fall scouting trip to Paris and London, the footwear gods overcame my camera. There were so many treats, I particularly loved the Sandro and Bensimon high tops. Here’s a round up of some of the more interesting (and wearable) pieces from the trip.

January 17, 2012 | By: Shayna Kulik

Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

We all love kids toys- they remind us of simpler times, when pogo sticks were cool and hyper colored shirts meant you had recess and played tag. Fast forward and have a look at the toys of today. While glancing at my list, my husband laughed and said no kid would be caught dead carrying this violin bag, I beg to differ- it’s adorable, no?

Have a wonderful holiday- see you in the new year!

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December 23, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Vintage French Swatch Book (for sale)!

While trolling Laura Werkheiser’s wonderful tumblr page, I came across this jewel of an etsy find: A French swatch book full of vintage fabrics (ala 60’s & 70’s) from the houses of Lanvin, Givenchy, Balmain, Molyneux, and Carven.

While this incredible find is on sale for just under $1000, it seems like it belongs in a museum rather than a mass market office where everything will get remade and knocked off by next season. If you’re connected to RISD, FIT or any of the other wonderful fashion institutes out there, make a plea to your department to snag this beauty before it’s gone.

June 7, 2011 | By: Shayna Kulik

Fashion: Pointed & Precise

Having just returned from a 10 day scouting trip to London and Paris, there’s lots of catching up to do this week! I took hoards of photos and have hours of editing ahead of me, as even pre-holiday, both cities were brimming with creative inspiration. One thing that was consistently present was hardware (of course). Moving beyond pyramid accessorized clothing, cone-shaped gold and silver pieces were rampant. This parallel between Christian Louboutin’s most recent footwear and this pigeon-like-people-deterrent outside a London bank is priceless. Art imitating life never gets old.

November 1, 2010 | By: Shayna Kulik

Gift Fair: Mud Puppy Magnets

Patterns and magnets- what could be a better combo? Everyone’s seen the alphabet fridge letters and the magnetic poetry kits by now, so it was quite exciting to see a departure from the norm at Mud Puppy’s booth this week. With a bit of styling help from my ShelterPop buddy, Amy Preiser, we were able to craft a new playful logo for Pattern Pulp. One of the best parts of the gift show is getting to touch and play with new product, and luckily for us, the ladies at Mud Puppy were more than generous when we hijacked their display. Be on the lookout for these decorative kits this Fall!

August 19, 2010 | By: Shayna Kulik

His & Hers. Dimensional Skulls.

Skulls are everywhere. From J.Crew ties to baby carriage canopies to Stubbs and Wootton slippers, it’s clear that the punk iconography of the 80’s rock band era has earned a place in mainstream fashion today. As artists continue to reinterpret skull and bones every which way, it appears as though the trend continues to plow forward. Alexander McQueen’s most recent advertising campaign blends a slick skull into a floral background to sell women’s accessories. Sporting a similar (but more masculine) look, Pete Tong’s recent feature in Billboard Magazine proves any pattern can be applied, so long as the focal shape is acknowledged.

June 2, 2010 | By: Shayna Kulik