Long before hyper-targeted Instagram and Facebook ads pushed you to buy everything from luxe home goods to uber-specific fashion accessories, Alex Dakoulas started a website where independent artists could sell their small works. Today, Strange Ways is a go-to spot for in-person and online shopping for premium patches, pins, pennants, and many other signature artist-made accessories. The site has been featured on Uproxx and Harper’s Bazaar to name a few.

Though most of Strange Ways’ sales still come from its online shop, Dakoulas is happy he expanded to a brick and mortar location on Whalley Avenue in New Haven. Having this kind of retail experience as an option for folks who are serious about their accessories seems apt, since Strange Ways customers are the kinds of people who often obsess over size, quality, and the feel of an object. “A lot of people love that we have a storefront and love that fact that you can come in and see all these pieces in person, touch them and browse,” he says

As a young ska punk kid turned graphic designer for companies like Puma and Converse, Dakoulas understands and shares his customer’s affinity for small bits of wearable, collectible, display-worthy artworks. “I love being able to curate and collect,” says the creator of the Flair Fair. “The things we wear, what you carry with you, and what we put in our homes is definitely an expression of ourselves. I think it’s very interesting to make something or carry something in the store and have someone else connect with it. It’s very flattering.”

Photo by JoshuaJ | Stylist-Lekan Alatise | Creative-Direction Breakfast Lunch and Dinner

Though Strange Ways features a wide range of artists and designs-for-purchase, an underlying aesthetic philosophy seems to link the works. Dakoulas cites Adam J. Kurtz’s work as an example. “It’s weirdly sentimental but also dark,“ he says. “Most of their stuff is a little playful, has a little bit of attitude.”

As a queer identified person, Dakoulas says he ends up carrying a lot of works by other queer people, too, which he believes adds more layers of expression and subversion to seemingly playful designs. Whether an artist like Danny Brito is examining gay angst through cutesy imagery, or Dakoulas is collaborating with Stephen McDermott to reimagine classic monster figures as male pinups, Dakoulas says, “There’s all these queer artists that are doing more nuanced, weird, dark art. That’s definitely more of the stuff that I want to feature and carry.”

Today Dakoulas doesn’t design as much as he did when Puma and Converse were his clients. But he says that’s okay. He enjoys facilitating the success of other independent artists and helping them distribute their works to an eager audience. “It’s fun to see what people gather, whether it’s in-store or online,” he says. “It’s like, ’Oh, I now know a bit about this person based on the five things they gathered together.’”

Alex Dakoulas–owner, Strange Ways
New Haven, Connecticut
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Top image: Strange Ways in New Haven. Photo by Alex Dakoulas.

The post The Strange Ways of Alex Dakoulas appeared first on Take Magazine.

One of the bleak but unifying characteristics of all humankind is that everyone eventually dies. Less bleak, but just as universal—we all wear clothing. Joshua Jenkins, cofounder and creative director of De Muerte in Hartford, Connecticut, aims to look past the surface of negativity surrounding our shared fate and channel that ideology into refined garment design. This is how the brand’s unconventional, existential name was born.

De Muerte was conceived in 2014, when brand cofounder Kevin Dumont approached Jenkins while the two were studying at Eastern Connecticut State University and Jenkins was feeling “creatively starved.” Months later, in the fall of 2015, their first line of minimalist clothing came out. The reconstructed collars, refined-but-approachable silhouettes, hand-sewn pockets, and double-take denim accents in De Muerte’s launch became the foundation of the brand’s DIY aesthetic.

0232 Concept L/s shirt, $80. Photo by Joshua Jenkins

While considered “menswear,” De Muerte’s monochromatic styling works equally well for men and women. “From the beginning, we’ve always tried to make concepts that could come across as androgynous,” explains Jenkins. “We used to get a lot of inquiries like, ‘When are you going to make a women’s line?’ and my response was always, ‘Well, you’re looking at it.’”

This fall, De Muerte’s small team of New England natives will release a new line of garments inspired by fashion staples from the ’40s and ’50s, liberating them from their cultural context. Imagine a varsity letterman jacket paired with pleated trousers to form an unexpected, but harmonious, union. Monochrome junkies, art school kids, and jock-nerd hybrids: we think you’ll find these statement-making basics, well, to die for.

De Muerte
Hartford, Connecticut
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Top image: 0243, the “Robert” suit, in wool suiting from American Woolen Company, $725.  Photo by Joshua Jenkins

The post To Die For appeared first on Take Magazine.

For Maine leatherworker Jasmine Clayton, her work and her life are “all one big art project.” Clayton has been sewing with a machine since she was eight when her mother gave her one as a birthday gift. “That sewing machine traveled with me to college and beyond,” she says.

Clayton spent most of her early life making pillows and doll clothes. Her bag making started a decade ago, completely by chance, when she had some fabric leftover from a previous project. When a friend suggested she try leather, Clayton knew she had found her medium. Today, Clayton operates her shop devoted to handcrafted leather goods, Kurier, both in a Portland storefront and online.

Originally from Maine, Clayton moved to Englewood, Florida, while in middle school, returning to her native state in 1994 to attend Maine College of Art as a photography major. The professors instilled a sense of craftsmanship in Clayton. “They made us realize if we wanted to be successful in the art world, it wasn’t just about the concept,” she says. “It had to be made well. It had to ‘work.'”

Jasmine Clayton, Ellis handbag, photo by Scott Mohler

Clayton attributes some of her success to where she lives. “I don’t think I would have ‘made it’ if I wasn’t in Maine where a hard worker is seen as a quality,” she says. “People here have a sense of respect for handcrafted items.” Her community in Portland, where her studio sits above her shop so she can spread out her materials and bounce back and forth, has been her support system.

Clayton uses leather made in the United States or Italy, starting each piece by making a hard paper pattern. “I hate to waste materials, so making it from paper first allows me to work out the kinks before I cut any leather,” she says. “Once the sewing needle hits the leather, the hole is there for life.” Each bag is handcrafted, one at a time.

Jasmine Clayton, Lenore handbag, photo by Siobhan Bogle/Maine Tinker Photography

Clayton always knew she was meant to be in a creative field but didn’t delve into it until after her divorce when she saw a help wanted ad for a fabric cutter for local designer, Jill McGowan. Around the same time, she saw a quote that spoke to her: “If you don’t follow your dreams, you’ll spend your life working for someone who did.” While she loved working for Jill, and her business partner, Jolene McGowan, Clayton knew she had to work on her own dream. Not long after, Kurier was born.

“It’s not always easy, but I wouldn’t change a thing,” Clayton says. “I’ve meet so many interesting people. You’d be surprised how much you can learn about a woman from a discussion about her purse.”

Jasmine Clayton – Leatherworker, Kurier
Portland, Maine
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Top image by Scott Moher

The post Making the Cut with Leatherworker Jasmine Clayton appeared first on Take Magazine.

Linny Kenney’s first word—GoGo—meant horse. It seems almost karmic, then, that years later a horse would figure prominently in what ultimately became her passion and occupation.

Aprons by LK Leather

Kenney came to custom leather-making by way of studying classical and musical theater. After spending some time performing in Nashville, Tennessee, she headed west to become a wrangler at Ricochet Ridge Ranch. “This is where I met Sojourner, my horse.”

That fated meeting led to an unforgettable 3,700-mile solo horseback ride that began on March 1, 2010 in Los Angeles, California, and ended eight months and 14 days later in Bath, New Hampshire. Kenney chronicled the adventure on her blog.

“I had intended to buy a trailer once I got to New Hampshire and head back west,” she says, “but I found a lovely little studio on the Ammonoosuc River and got involved with a great band here called Not Your Mother, and just never ended up leaving.”

Custom Apron by LK Leather

It was just before that trip that Kenney discovered her passion for leatherworking. “I made saddle bags for the trip and some leg protectors for Sojourner,” she explains. “After that, people started to request custom pieces, and it just kind of snowballed into a business.”

That business, LK Leather, has morphed into a leather design studio specializing in, among other pieces, high-end chef knife rolls and custom guitar straps—all handcrafted in the USA and guaranteed for life.

“I had an old leather guitar strap of my dad’s that I loved, and decided I would replicate it,” she says. “I made the strap, painted my grandfather and I on it, and posted it on social media.” Requests for more guitar straps began flooding in.

“Butchers Roll” Chef Knife Roll by LK Leather

Kenney learned her art from her stepfather, who was also a leatherworker. “[He] taught me the basics of leatherwork,” she says. “From there I developed my own style and taught myself whatever else I needed to know.”

At first glance, it might seem surprising to learn Kenney is an animal lover and vegetarian. She is deliberate about the leather hides she uses for her detailed work, however, choosing only those from free-ranging cows. Her hope, she says, is to celebrate the animal’s life by creating something meaningful, in essence giving the animal a second life through handcrafted heirlooms.

Custom Aprons by LK Leather

Kenney’s leather is also eco-friendly. She only uses full-grain, vegetable-tanned leather rather than leather tanned using chrome, which is harmful to the environment. “It is void of harmful chemicals,” she says of this vegtan leather. Tanning leather takes more time this way, she says, “but it produces an absolutely gorgeous leather that breaks in over time more beautifully than any other.”

In addition to chef knife rolls and guitar straps, Kenney also creates custom leather aprons, belts, bags, camera straps, cuffs, wallets, wristlets, dog collars, and earrings.

Kenney’s work is sold primarily online, but you can find her pieces in a few select stores including Bella Funk and Northern Lights Music in Littleton, New Hampshire.

Leather Dog Collar by LK Leather

Linny Kenney – owner of Linny Keeney Leather
Bath, New Hampshire
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Top photo Kristian Matsson of the band Tallest Man on Earth using the Tall Pine Guitar Strap | All photos courtesy LK Leather

The post For the Love of Leather appeared first on Take Magazine.

Rachel DeCavage is one of the lucky ones.

“I’m fortunate to have always known what I wanted to do with my life,” she says. “As an artist and environmentalist, it’s long been my calling to create eco-friendly art. I have a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and a love for design and fashion; all roads led me here.”

So as soon as she graduated from Bennington College with a degree in Fine and Studio Arts, DeCavage started building the brand now known as Cinder + Salt.

Cinder + Salt Blue Octo tee

“It was never a question of if,” says DeCavage, “just a journey trying to get here.”

Named for “the residue of a weekend well spent; the scent of campfire on your clothes and the taste of saltwater on your skin,” Cinder + Salt is a low-impact lifestyle brand that strives to design and create innovative, stylish, and fun products out of landfill-destined clean waste and reusable materials. While the flagship store in Middletown, Connecticut has almost achieved this goal, DeCavage hopes that in 2017, all of their stores will be closer to achieving zero waste.

“We believe small steps and actions add up to a lot of good work, so we take time to consider every design decision and its impact on the Earth before we move forward,” says DeCavage.

Currently, Cinder + Salt is recycling all kinds of clean waste into window and in-store displays, and they’ve even implemented collection bins for ‘unrecyclables’ in their stores so customers can bring things to them as well.

“Our print shop has always been about low impact,” she says, “so we use biodegradable and water-safe materials in our printing process, and all the fabrics we source for garments are organic, of eco-origin, or are made in the USA.”

When DeCavage began searching for her flagship store’s location, she sought out space with a retail storefront, but also an industrial back room so that Cinder + Salt could have a store and print shop in the same place. She saw the space in Middletown and was immediately sold.

“Middletown is very small, business-friendly, and entrenched with artists. The community is great for our brand,” says DeCavage.

Flamingo 3/4 Sleeve Slouchy

When DeCavage set out to create Cinder + Salt, One of her career goals was to create meaningful jobs for artists; so everyone on her team of nine is an artist or creative person in some regard. (It’s also worth noting that her team is all female #GirlPower.)

“Work is a big part of our lives, and I feel that people should actually enjoy going to work,” she says. “Our flagship store has a 140-square-foot sandpit so we can pretend we’re at the beach year round. Oh, and we always have a cold bottle of champagne in our fridge—you never know when you’ll need to celebrate!”

With these kinds of office perks and job titles like Chief Awesomeness Officer, Print Shop Ninja, and Flagship Tribe Luminary, it’s clear that only good vibes are to be found at the Cinder + Salt stores.

Kitten Skinny Tie

Speaking of good vibes, this spring Cinder + Salt is launching a new women’s tank called “Good Vibes,” which DeCavage claims is her absolute favorite of all the designs she’s ever made.

“I think the drawing, the ink colors, the shirt fabric, and cut all just work perfectly with each other! We’re all a little obsessed with it right now,” she says.

Outside of women’s apparel, Cinder + Salt also produces clothing for little ones and men—including some awesome skinny ties—as well as accessories, bags, stationery, and home goods.

Rachel DeCavage, Founder of Cinder + Salt
Middletown, Connecticut
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Top photo Printed Ladies Tee | All photos courtesy Cinder + Salt

The post Cinder + Salt appeared first on Take Magazine.

This article originally ran in our April/May 2016 print issue. 

The fickle haute monde of the fashion industry, where “one day you’re in and the next day you’re out,” as Heidi Klum famously warns on Project Runway, may tailor fame and fortune for anointed designers willing to edit their aesthetic to win and retain the idolization of tastemakers.

That arc of ambition doesn’t interest Neville Wisdom, the self-taught designer from Jamaica who can pull off dressing up his dreadlocks and a T-shirt with a tweed jacket that is rendered exuberant through an unexpected cascade of playful pockets.

Wisdom’s success as a womenswear designer with two spacious showrooms/retail stores in New Haven, Connecticut, is built on a signature style of architectural—”little bit more constructed,” as Wisdom puts it— dresses, skirts, sweaters, tops, coats, and more that are “classic with a bit of an edge.” That funky edge might mean turning up the volume with color, embracing bold patterns, or adding unexpected flourishes.

Making Neville Wisdom’s Fashion Design Studio work as a business model involves essentially delivering bespoke garments at wholesale prices by selling the clothing directly to customers, while also offering women a personal shopping experience that results in a perfect fit through complimentary custom alterations.

Neville Wisdom with pieces from his collection.

“We’re not trying to chase millions,” Wisdom says of his business and creative ethos. “We love what we do, and we love how people feel when they wear our clothes.” Where did his inspiration come from?

“I watched a lot of old movies, even as a kid,” Wisdom has said about the origins of his love for the vintage classicism in his designs. In his teens, he became serious about fashion and launched his first design shop in Jamaica while in his early twenties.

Jamaica didn’t seem like fertile ground for a fashion designer, at least compared to the United States, so Wisdom emigrated to Connecticut, where he transitioned into a position as a surgical technician at Yale- New Haven Hospital for seven years.

Design remained his primary aspiration, however, and when Wisdom made the leap of faith to open his first atelier and retail shop four years ago in the Elm City’s Ninth Square district, he gambled that New Haven’s status as an arts and culture hub—anchored by Yale University—would provide a steady stream of discerning clients.hat faith paid off, with the flagship location on Orange Street spawning a second, larger location in the hip Westville section of the city, home to antiques shops, galleries, cafés, and specialty shops. Launched a year ago, the new space on Whalley Avenue is nearly 5,000 square feet, with a street level showroom and a basement where the magic happens.

That faith paid off, with the flagship location on Orange Street spawning a second, larger location in the hip Westville section of the city, home to antiques shops, galleries, cafés, and specialty shops. Launched a year ago, the new space on Whalley Avenue is nearly 5,000 square feet, with a street level showroom and a basement where the magic happens.

The expansion was made possible in part from a Small Business Express Program grant from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, which matches between $20,000 and $100,000 in funds that a venture can show on its books.

In addition to allowing Wisdom to add a few jobs, the grant paid for equipment that has enabled digitization of the design and manufacturing process, the centerpiece of which is a massive Autometrix Advantage fabric-cutting table.

Detail of Neville Wisdom coat

“Once I’m satisfied with the pattern I digitize it,” says Wisdom. “All of our patterns become digital patterns.” The process has streamlined the number of sample patterns it takes to get to the final one, and has greatly reduced the amount of waste. When the final design is set, each piece of clothing is constructed by one individual.

Rather than designing fabrics and contracting to have them produced, Wisdom prefers to buy existing fabric of great quality. With it he produces between four and 14 pieces of any one design—usually around 12—and keeps the leftover fabric in case someone wants something custom-made. And now he has to make two sets of each design, one for each showroom.

The new spring line makes its debut in a runway show in early April. “Every year the building changes,” says Wisdom, who plans to include some menswear in his collection for the first time, and to feature men’s linen shirts and pants in his stores this season. For his womenswear, the designer favors raw silk and will feature a lot of “great cotton” in pieces that are thin and light for summer.

The designer, who previously sold clothing exclusively in his stores, has launched an online shop, making his fashions widely accessible.

Photos by Ireland Studios

Follow Neville Wisdom on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The post Neville’s Wearable Wisdom appeared first on Take Magazine.

Ready-to-wear clothing is drearily ubiquitous. Google “Dior T-shirt” and see for yourself. It is, therefore, an immensely pleasant treat to find an RTW label that is so special that you are, in fact, ready to wear it. And you’ve got to do so right this very second. Truly, Internet shipping methods are not fast enough to get the latest Pretty Snake apparel from Rhode Island designer Joseph Aaron Segal into your hands.

Clothing by Joseph Aaron Segal

“I would say my stuff is fun and exotic and adventurous,” Segal tells me one rainy Providence morning. “I try to keep everything fresh. The way I make patterns is something I can’t control.” And lo, bright tongue-in-cheek prints crisscross on sleek spandex silhouettes and dare you to try them on. Chuckling, Segal says, “I’m competing with big stores that are selling things for way less money, [though] I don’t think my fans will spend more than $100.”

Fans are truly what they are. Segal’s designs are so popular that he continually receives offers for collaborations, and even said big stores like Urban Outfitters can’t order enough of his merchandise. Young shoppers care about local fashion, and Segal’s pieces offer more character, ingenuity, and frank sophistication than the marginally cheaper options.

Clothing by Joseph Aaron Segal

Segal’s story is as enticing as his brilliant pieces. After seeing some glass eyes sewn onto a cat sweater at a thrift shop, Segal took a cat design from his days at the Rhode Island School of Design, knitted it onto a smart pullover, and then finished the kitties off with a handful of plastic eyes. Within a year, the sweaters were so popular on Etsy that Segal was selling them as fast as he could produce them out of his basement. Beyond cat sweaters, Segal impressed as one of the final four designers on season 11 of Project Runway in 2013. Pretty Snake has since expanded into menswear, womenswear, and accessories. Now Segal has the finances to not only continue Pretty Snake but also grow his high-end line, World of JAS.

Clothing by Joseph Aaron Segal

“With the high-end stuff is where I get to play more with materials and fibers and construction,” Segal says of World of JAS. Indeed, metallic prints, experimental knits, and crisp structure make World of JAS a real powerhouse for innovative design. “That market is more in New York—half the battle is just being in New York. But I feel like for what I’m doing, being in New England is actually perfect.”

Clothing by Joseph Aaron Segal

All of the fabric, printing, and production for Pretty Snake happens here in New England. Segal sources local textiles, and he says it’s easier than in New York. “With the Internet, you really don’t need to live anywhere specific, you just need to time production right!”

Top photo ready-to-wear clothing by Joseph Aaron Segal | All photos by Izzy Berdan

The post Kitty Eyes & Spandex appeared first on Take Magazine.

If you thought Vintanthromodern was like any other second hand shop, boy were you W R O N G. The simple explanation in rhetorical question form: When has Take ever bothered to cover the ordinary? Nestled on State Street in the East Rock neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut, Vintanthro (we’re on a first name basis) is a headquarters of all things vintage and, even more importantly, all things local and artisan-made.

Photo courtesy of Vintanthromodern

First thing’s first: I bet you’re curious about the name. Prayers answered, here it is broken down:

(pronounced: vin-tan-throw-modern)

vintage: of lasting interest and importance / anthropology: the science of humans and their work /  modern: pertaining to present and recent time

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet? W R O N G. A name more suitable doesn’t exist because while Melissa Gonzales, founder and curator, is sure to keep a stock of the most perfect vintage things in all the land (“all the land” being Connecticut, New England, and occasionally the deep South), she has an eagerness to give back by supporting local artisans and crafts people’s (anthropology) current work (modern) whether it be screen printers like Black Unicorn Studios, wood workers like B Meyer Studio, or natural beauty product makers like Poor & Pretty. Everything is thoughtfully hand picked by Gonzales, in turn crowning her the colab-queen of a healthy and roaring arts-and-commerce collective in her community of New Haven.

Photo courtesy of Vintanthromodern

Too good to be true? Well, don’t bother visiting before you peep the 360-degree virtual tour on their website. Be prepared for the denim galore (seriously, what’s a vintage space without this particular rolling rack), floral afghans, antler-print neckties, silk scarves, handmade garlands, satin peep-toe kitten heels, and needlepoint perfection that you’ll come across. If you’re like me, and the typical ramshackle haphazardness of second hand shops gives you severe anxiety, and causes you to rush out gasping for relief from that unmistakable mothball meets old-lady-tea-party smell, but at the same time you’re raring to get your hands on that special find that will only reveal itself after 30+ minutes of digging…this place is your salvation.

Another awesome feature on the Vintanthro website is the look book—because vintage clothing can be daunting and sometimes we need help working it naturally into our wardrobe. (There’s a fine line between rocking that floor-length pastel skirt and looking like you’re on your way to Tuesday night bingo at the Legion.) Fear not, Vintanthromodern has your back on that one. In the words of Gonzales herself, “Vintage doesn’t have to be costume.” Further, their Instagram (by now, you know about my acute obsession with feeds of this nature) is simply TDF (to die for, not to be mistaken with DTF), and if that ration of “vintage porn” doesn’t reel you in, their floor-to-ceiling shop window will.

If there’s one thing Vintanthromodern loves more than their old and new finery, it’s their customers—which means, if you come upon something particularly meant for you, don’t expect to escape without your picture getting snapped, posing with your new find. No doubt this is a common occurrence, because Gonzales has a thought-out concept for every piece that enters her doors. “I almost sort of envision who would wear the piece or who would be attracted to the piece,” she says, “and so there’s a sense of excitement that not only I am discovering something, but later on somebody else will be having that same discovery.”

Whether you have a gift to buy, a craving for vintage, or just need a cozy space for inspiration, find your way to Vintanthromodern. Because they’d love to meet you.

The post Vintanthromodern combines these three things appeared first on Take Magazine.

“How many people wanted to work in a brewery in 1979?” asks Jacob Long during our discussion about fashion. Long’s American Woolen Company (AWC) is one of only two luxury worsted and woolen mills in the US. “It’s about craftsmanship applied to all – look at the beer industry,” he explained. “American brewers have been able to establish for themselves a proprietary taste in craft beers.”

Long makes a compelling case. As with American breweries, American fabric manufacturers can bring new, luxe products that are created with skillful artistry with New England especially primed to provide a home-base for these new luxury industries. The proprietary product of American Woolen Company, located in Stafford Springs CT, is unabashedly unique, but its potential to become a massive cultural movement and economic powerhouse comes from our history.

“No one wanted to work in a brewery then,” Long finishes, “Now? Kids are dying to get an interview and start a career at breweries.”

The prêt-à-porter and couture fashion seasons begin with fabric manufacturers about two years ahead of when the clothes will be sent down runways. Fashion designers work with these luxury mills to establish colors, textures, source material, and numerous other details. As the only mill in America that produces fabrics in alpaca, noble fibers, and cashmere, American Woolen Company fills a vacuum in the indulgent fabric market. As a result they’ve become a huge hit with younger designers who want to domestically source their material.

Red Color Story Fall/Winter 2017 |
Photo courtesy of American Woolen Company

Color, says Long, is what really ties the product to New England. “Europeans, by and large, think of American-style as either southern California or old New England,” Long explains. “Much of what we do is try to define the New England color aesthetic.” Each season’s color story comes from a different geographical region. Hudson, NY is influencing the AWC Fall/Winter 2017 scheme, with the town’s whaling industry past bringing bone white into the collection.

Long’s design model revolves around the idea that an American luxury aesthetic must begin with culturally-sourced colors and palettes. American fashion has long embraced buying extravagant fabric and materials from overseas, which brings the color trends of the Italian and French designers to American department stores – often resulting in higher sale prices. The clothing might embrace American design, but if the colors were American inspired, they tended towards stereotypical California beach tones or the hues of an autumnal New England meadow.

“It is a New England cut? An American cut?” Long extrapolates, “Sure, but it terms of the fabric there’s a lot of variables to be explored. The emphasis [by the fabric production industry] wasn’t on the advancement of an American fashion aesthetic all its own. Anyone can sell you fabric, but only we can sell you American woolen fabric.”

Successfully marketing a proprietary product is proving easy for American Woolen Company. Within their first year of opening, domestic fashion brands reached out to the company. “We are present at New York Fashion week…every brand we’ve been working with has an American capsule collection on the market, on the drawing board, or in the works.” Long says ninety-nine percent of their advertising is word of mouth with much of their clientele of young designers providing copious helpful publicity through their social media engagement.

Photo courtesy of American Woolen Company

Long seems thankful but unsurprised by AWC’s immediate popularity as fashion brands embrace several different types of American cultural looks. Although, Long still feels that, “[Americans] have fashion brands but we don’t have iconic luxury manufacturing. We don’t have them because we don’t have production in America.”

Indeed, in his search for livestock to get wool from, Long ran into a quantity problem. American sheep that are bred for woolen knits have extremely high-quality wool but there simply aren’t enough of them. Sheep farmers can make more money raising them for food. And yet, “Made in America, Made in New England – has tremendous export potential,” Long said, “People want to know what farm their food comes from, and want to apply that to clothes”.

Manufacturing, according to Long, is the key and revitalizing the industry in this country. Long was shocked to discover that New England, in spite of a lengthy and historic relationship with the fashion production world, has minimal textile production infrastructure. “If I can’t get workers at a machine, I can’t get anything,” Long explains, “but can you imagine if our consumer tastes shifted to Made in America, how many jobs we could create?” Rebranding textile manufacturing to be an appealing and lucrative career path might seem like a fruitless venture, but Long points, once again, to American breweries and their renewed cultural and economic prominence.

Jacob Long | Photo courtesy of American Woolen Company

Although Long’s past is in the business industry, his reverence for the fashion world is evident, “First, get the fashion right.” Craftsmanship takes priority overall, as it is with a great number of artistic industries in New England, but Long’s vision is to make the northeast the center of an American artistic revolution. In today’s political and economic climate, it is refreshing to hear an optimistic voice. Even more uplifting still, is to observe a company like American Woolen Company skyrocket to early success.

The post Seriously Fashionable, Made in America, Textiles appeared first on Take Magazine.

“An eye for an eye helps the whole world see.” That’s the philosophy at IGo Eyewear, a sustainable, affordable, and fashionable line of eyewear that focuses on the improvement of eye care awareness and treatment for underprivileged sub-Saharan African children. Pursuing a strategy of “buy one, give one,” with every IGo Eyewear purchase made, an underprivileged child in a developing country will receive a much-needed eye exam and/or prescription glasses. In addition, IGo boasts sustainable products made out of materials such as wood or bamboo that are both eco-friendly and stylish. Partners such as A Ray of Hope, UNESCO, and ACILD help IGo continue this mission through continued support.

Adey Jaiyeoba is the founder and CEO of IGo. He is a chemical engineer with a passion for sustainability and style and, although these interests are seemingly unrelated, Jaiyeoba has found a way to beautifully merge them into a product that seeks to benefit both the environment and a community with which he is familiar. Jaiyeoba is from Nigeria, and his vision for IGo is for it to “be able to give back to the community,” and in particular, the community in Africa that raised him. He is an incredibly passionate businessman and changemaker, and IGo reflects his passion for creating well-crafted products that simultaneously improve people’s lives. Take recently had the chance to chat with Adey about the creation and motivations behind IGo.

Where did IGo start?

IGo started early last year while I was in between jobs and I was thinking of something I could do differently. I’ve always had passion for fashion. [I wanted to] make an impact on the environment that I was from. Your vision is one of the most important features, so starting an eyewear company that gives back to the community or that pays for a child’s eye exam seemed like, for me, the perfect marriage of my passions, and also my passion for giving back to the community that actually raised me.

The name of the business is in Yoruba, which is my language. I’m actually from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, and IGo (pronounced eye-go) is actually a Yoruba name for ‘glasses.’

Eyewear – Bwiza in Wenge Wood $105

How has being located in New England attributed to your success?

So we’re located at Hyde Park in Boston, MA. I think that being in Massachusetts has played a significant role in what the brand stands for. We are pretty much fashion-forward which is something we think Boston also stands for, [as well as] the whole New England area. We’re known for fashion, and that has helped the brand in ways that I can’t even express. It’s helped us be able to reach out to more people and has allowed people to reach out to us. The reception is great.

Was the idea of having a sustainable product something you always knew you wanted to do or was it developed along the way?

It was my thought from the beginning. It’s what I always wanted to do – something sustainable, so not only are we giving back to the community, we’re actually not affecting the environment in an adverse way. Most of the wood we use comes from commercial forests, which are specifically there for commercial purposes, so we’re not tampering with any natural resources out there. Bamboo is one of the most sustainable materials. Our goal is for all our products to say “100 percent organic,” which is what we stand for.

What are you working on for the future?

We currently have a clothing line in the works, so we’re looking at t-shirts, hoodies, long sleeves, short sleeves, and really cool graphic tees. And we’re still going to be within that sustainability. We’re also looking at the products to be made out of African fabrics.

Where can we find IGo products?

Right now the majority of our work is online, at igoville.com, and we have some retail outlets around but we’re trying to work on getting the product into more stores. We’re selling on Amazon and Etsy, but our main channel comes from our website.

Bianca Palumbo | Photography by Justin Mayotte | Eyewear; Kakaki in Zebrano Wood $105

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Prices ranges from $65 – $179
Top image of Justin Caron | Photography by Graeme Swank | courtesy of IGo

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