The James Perse brand had developed a loyal following for their super soft, luxurious basics. T-shirts, dresses, shorts and more are made from the most exquisite fabrics making it no surprise that James Perse, a Closet Couture retailer, is known by many to make “the perfect tee.” We caught up with Alex Zalewski, the online merchandiser behind James Perse, to find out about the philosophy behind the coveted brand.

1) What is the philosophy behind the James Perse brand?

James Perse’s passion for minimalist architecture influenced by warm west-coast indoor outdoor living and the casual clothing that's inspired by it, ultimately resulted in James' personal design philosophy and aesthetic – low maintenance high fashion – emphasizing elegance and comfort, and pairing sophistication with simplicity.

Thus, the James Perse collections result in classic pieces using the finest fabrics giving the wearer an exceptional fit and feel.

2) What are your current top 5 sellers?

During the summer season the following styles are extremely popular:

Supima Long Tank: using a very soft supima cotton fabric, this provides a great layering piece which is also lux enough to wear alone.

The Raglan Scoop T: a loose-fitting short sleeve t-shirt with scoop neck, this style is made from sheer slub jersey which has a unique textured feel and look.

The new Malibu Collection offers great beachwear or casual styles featuring the print of popular beaches in the Malibu area.

All of our dresses are very popular this season, they are a seamless blend of lux and casual which appeal to the loyal fans of James Perse.

3) Are there any t-shirt trends that we can expect to see more of?

There will be many different trends this season. Some include slightly elongated shirts that hit the hip and are flattering to many shapes, scoop neck styles, distressing techniques such as worn edges and washed, soft fabrics. You will see strong shapes in our long skirts and dresses, along with subtle fine detailing such as twisted seams.

4) What do women love about James Perse tees?

Foremost, women love the luxury fit and feel that comes with our tees. This gives them a everyday casual luxury that can be a must have closet piece for many different occasions. Women also love and appreciate not only the fit, feel and comfort of our tees, but also the quality. Our shirts are known to keep their form and feel for a very long time and after many washes. Lesser quality tees from other brands simply don't compare.

5) Describe the perfect tee.

James Perse.

By Samantha Duenas (www.sosupersam.com)

Based in San Francisco, MADE Jewelry is only a year old but is already making sophisticated moves with three collections carried by numerous retailers from San Diego to the Bay Area. With owners Debbie Sheen & Abigail Rivamonte frequently jetting up and down the California coast as powerhouse attorneys by day and jewelry designers by night, it’s hard to keep up with their almost superwoman lifestyle. But I found a rare free moment to ask Abigail & Debbie about life and their new line.

S: Jewelry designing attorneys! First off I need to ask you how you accomplish it all: Coffee or tea?

A&D: COFFEE with brown sugar and half and half.

Blackberry or iPhone?

A&D: iPhone. We have a love/hate relationship with our iPhones. But at the end of the day we still love her even if she drops our calls!

Mac or PC?

D: Mac for sure.

A: PC. However, I’ve been getting the “blue screen of death” lately so I may have to retire my PC for a Mac.

Now let’s get into the jewelry. Where does the name MADE come from, and what is a MADE Woman?

A&D: MADE was a perfect name because: 1) all of our jewelry is handMADE by us and not outsourced for production; and 2) the word MADE sparks up images of a MADE woman. Our idea of a MADE woman is someone who leads a multifaceted life, but takes it all in a stride. She puts on her game face at work; unleashes her sultry side in the limelight; is edgy on the streets; and is youthful and carefree during her down time. She is fashion forward and forward thinking and her jewelry accentuates her dynamic spirit.

You celebrated your 1 year anniversary, congratulations! What has been the most rewarding part of MADE Jewelry so far?

A&D: The best part of this whole experience is seeing women out and about wearing our jewelry. When we randomly see someone with our piece we still get really excited about it! We usually approach them and ask them where their jewelry is from and when they say “MADE” we immediately light up and introduce ourselves as the designers.

What inspires your jewelry?

A&D: We draw our inspiration from music and all the amazing women in our lives. We both grew up listening and falling in love with hip-hop, soul, and reggae music. It has really shaped who we are as individuals and has impacted our sense of style. When we’re designing a new piece, music is ALWAYS blasting because it makes us feel alive and really gets the creative energy flowing. Right now we are inspired by DJ Beatnick and Mr. Mention, who crafted our latest MADE Mixtape.

The new LACED collection is out! Tell me more about it.

A&D: The line focuses on the simplicity of layering bronze, gold, and gunmetal chains with unique design concepts. It’s different from our previous collections because the focus is on the design of the piece and not the gemstone or charm. The line is really versatile and gives women the freedom to wear pieces the way they want to and whenever they want to.

A lot of your product is named after music, but I noticed pieces in the LACED collection named for fashion bloggers such as “Rumi” & “Susie Bubble”. Coincidence?

A&D: Not at all a coincidence! The versatility of this line really leant itself to the creative women we’ve been inspired by in the blogosphere. We feel that each of these tribute pieces fits that individual’s signature style, something that we could envision them adding into their own accessory rotation.

If you could collaborate with any other label or designer, who would it be?

A&D: We would love to do a project with Lanie from Hellz Bellz. She’s an industry maven and is not afraid to take chances and stay true to herself—now that’s what real style is all about!

What can we expect from MADE in its second year?

A&D: The sky is the limit! We have some exciting collaborations with other designers and artists in the works. We’re going to keep expanding our website and blog and continue to lace more beautiful women with MADE Jewelry!

Find MADE Jewelry at www.madejewelry.com

Pictured:

MADE owners Debbie & Abigail

MADE Laced “Rumi” Necklace

MADE Laced “Susie Bubble” Earring

Inder Bedi, the brains behind vegan accessory line Matt & Nat has expanded his business with a new collection of accessories that embody his eco ethics and fit the definition of vegan luxury. Samsara, meaning rebirth/reincarnation in Sanskrit, consists of super chic totes and wallets created with “the intention to affect change both locally and globally.” For every bag sold, one dollar is donated to a non-profit organization of your choice that includes international aid, animal welfare, women’s issues, and the environment. Shop Samsara and find out more about each non-profit organization here. And, don’t forget to enter to win a Matt & Nat Vetro bag on Closet Couture! Just click “follow” on Matt & Nat’s profile.

Pictured:

Samsara Vaughn Pebble Handbag

Samsara Yellowknife Pebble Wallet

Samsara Kingston Pebble Handbag

Pamela Love has made a name for herself designing a distinctly beautiful line of jewelry unlike anything we’ve seen. A certain darkness comes through in her craft with elements of nature and the supernatural shown in each of her pieces, each with their own unique allure that we’re drawn to. Inspired by magic and spirituality, Love’s Fall ’09 collection consists of quartz crystal necklaces wrapped in cobras, tribal-style bracelets composed of heishi beads bound together by leather, peacock rings decorated with emeralds, and eagle claw pendants dangling from delicate chains, to name a few. Her jewelry is designed to be worn by creative, free spirits with their own sense of personal style “and an eye for interesting things.” We took a glimpse inside Pamela’s world and here’s what we found out:

1) When did you know you wanted to be a jewelry designer?

I don't think it was something I ever really knew. It just sort of happened and one day I was like “Oh wow, I'm a jewelry designer.”

2) How would you describe the Pamela Love girl (or guy?)

Someone (male or female) who is creative, carefree, and not too concerned with trends. They have good style and an eye for interesting things.

3) What inspired your most recent collection?

Magic and Spirituality

4) Who would you like to see in Pamela Love?

People who really love and appreciate what I am doing

5) Who are your style icons?

Neil Young, Bianca Jagger, Jennifer Herrema of the band Royal Trux, Joan Didion, Bob Dylan, Edie Beale, Louise Nevelson, and my grandmother

6) What do you love about New York?

The summer

7) What 3 items could you never part with?

My jeweler’s bench and tools

My bike

My drum kit

My lucky Led Zeppelin T-shirt

(That was four. Sorry!)

Pictured:

Designer Pamela Love

Quartz Crystal Python Necklace

A collection of rings – Snake, Ram, Peacock

Eagle Claw Necklaces

Heishi Bead Bracelet

For more information, visit www.pamelalovenyc.com