The New Shopping Bag

Dutch designer Susan Bijl creates space-age bags for the stylish, environmentally conscious shopper. I bought one of Susan's bags a few years ago at ICFF and it has held up great to this day. The unique color combinations help you stand out from the crowd, and are a great alternative to the Amoeba Records/Trader Joes's tote bags you see so much of these days. Anything but plastic is a smart choice, but putting some color into your wardrobe while simultaneously helping the environment is a win-win situation.

Hamburger Eyes

The infamous Hamburger Eyes is now in hardcover book form. I remember picking up my first issue in SF when it was still xeroxed and extremely limited (think swarms of sweaty art kids trying to get their hands on a copy in a cramped gallery space). Today it has become one of the most epic photographic representations of our culture, the National Geographic of uncensored America.

For you Cali folk, there is a book release party this Saturday in LA at Hope Gallery. Everyone else, pick up your copy here.

A few spreads from the book:

Walking on Air

These sandals by Irregular Choice put me on cloud nine.

Life With Bird

Bridget McCall has had her hand in almost every major facet of the fashion industry. After working in styling and photography in London on such magazines as i-D and The Face, she returned to her native Australia to form Life With Bird with Nicholas Van Messner. Since 2002, the pair have translated conceptual, modern ideas into some of the most cutting edge fashion in Australia today.

Store closing sale!

Otto Tootsie Plohound is closing their Soho location (at 273 Lafayette on the corner of Prince St.) and everything is on sale- even furniture! They have jeans and shirts for $29 or 2/$50! Also, crazy sales on shoes and accessories ranging from $20-$99. Their guy stuff is on sale too, but i didn't have time to inspect the prices. I did, however, see similiar sale signs on the men's clothing. Basically the sale is going on until they run out of stock, so stop by for some crazy deals!

Dracula becomes her.

This is a custom made cape for Star Eyes. Neon nu-rave prints have left my building. This absence in both sound and appearance have made way for a darker influence. It's midnight in the jungle with a full moon on the rise. Beware!

Find Mad Marietta pieces at Love Brigade Co-Op. 230 Grand St. Brooklyn, NY

Bernhard Willhelm Sneakers

Available at Black Market, Stockholm

New Hight (M)art

Set in LA's Chinatown, New High (M)art has hosted a series of designer-in-residence pop-up shops, guest buyer/curator mini-boutiques and thematic retail moments since opening its doors last year. This month, they opened their first themed installment titled World Fringe - An Ethno, Boho, Afro, Pow-Wow.

With nods to early 90s ethnic looks and a gathering of African, Native American, Guatemalan and Bohemian creations, expect a celebration of print, pattern and color. Confirmed designers include: Society for Rational Dress (LA), Cavern (LA), Telfar (NY), Whitehorse Couture (LA), The Battalion (LA), Goddollars (LA), Marvin y Quetzal (MX), Brian Lichtenberg (LA), Death/Traitors (NY), Peggy Noland (KC), Nehima (LA).

If you are in LA, be sure to stop by before this installment comes down June 7.

New High (M)art
741 New High Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

info@newhighmart.com

Manslaughter for Mishka Launch Party

Thank you all for coming out and partying with the sickest girls in the city! Mad Marietta and I are honored enough to be collaborating with Mishka on a custom couture women's line, Manslaughter for Mishka!

Our project consists of reconstructing men's hoodies and tees we all love into custom designed dresses, thigh-high sweats, capes, etc...

These pieces are only for the brave, sex-vixen, bad-ass bitches! Check out pictures of the night and inquire about your own creation! valissa.yoe@gmail.com

XXX,
V.

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac

French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac or JC/DC has been creating colorful cartoon-inspired collections since the 60s. Seen by many as the grandfather of energetic newcomers Jeremy Scott and Bernhard Willhelm, Castelbajac has gained recent exposure in a retrospective of his work at the Fashion Museum of Paris. His Fall 2008 collection entitled Once Upon a Time pulls inspiration from childhood, the circus, and Japanese culture. Here's a video and a few highlights of the collection:

JCDC / Once upon a Time








JC/DC is available at Seven in New York.

Alter

Now that spring is finally here, it's time to start updating our closets. One of my favorite new stores is Alter in Greenpoint, which has both men's and ladies clothing and accessories. The two owners,Tommy and Roy, are the darlings behind the label "This Old Thing?", which is one of a kind reconstructed vintage wear, (not like that crap you find at Urban Outfitters) which is availiably exclusively at Alter. They also stock tons of other labels, from kitchen orange, kill city, cheap monday, half life, hyden yoo, maxx & unicorn etc...

dress by This Old Thing?

This is the sexy Kill City dress I bought the last time i was there.

The armholes are zippers that go down to the waist!

Everytime I go there I feel like i'm visiting a friend's house, (a friend with the most amazing closet ever). The staff is so friendly and helpful, but not in a " i-work-on-commission-kind of way". They get new stock in constantly, and rarely reorder items, so if you see something you like you better buy it because it wont be there the next time!

(all images are from www.alterbrooklyn.com)


109 Franklin Street at Greenpoint Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11222 1.718.784.8818
Shop hours:
Tuesday - Friday 1:00 - 9:00 PM
Saturday 12:00 - 9:00 PM
Sunday 12:00 - 8:00 PM
Monday - Closed
Alter blog

The Panty Raid

THE PANTY RAID is now a regular feature at Savalas in Williamsburg and showcases DJs who play a mix of disco, rock, hip hop, and dance music. It takes place every First Friday of the month for one-night-only of consolidated mayhem. Expect to see anything from beer bongs and shotgunning contests... to cake fights and bearded men playing the cowbell at this dance party!

To top it off, they've paired up with BK's Powerful Hours crew to get you extra drunk extra fast from 10 -11PM. Meet you on the dance floor!

Hostess Extrodinaire: SENARI
Resident Panty Dropper: COUSIN COLE
This week's special guest is Steve Kream (krudmart/buffalo ny!!!!)

Swim in Space

It might be a bit too early to start scoping out swimsuits, but this one by Brian Lichtenberg is so good, I'd find a way to rock it beyond the beach. His spring/summer collection this year is inspired by slime, ghostbusters, and toxic waste- how awesome is that?

The Apocalypse is coming!

To Tribeca that is. Rick Owens will open his first New York store this August in Hudson Square. The boutique will offer both women's and men's clothing and according to Owens, the store will have "an aquariumlike wall installation that contains circulating fog." Wow.


photo via Hint Mag

Hot Sunnies

I am in love with these shades from Alexandra Cassanti. You have a choice between three types of geometric shapes on the lenses, and as an added bonus the frames change color depending on the sun's intensity. I knew hypercolor technology would come back somehow! I am guilty of getting most of my shades on St. Mark's since I end up breaking them after awhile, but I might have to spring for these.

Mad Marietta hosting...

Tonight come in support of Williamsburg's hottest new designers. Love Brigade Co-Op will be hosting the event along with our very own blogger, Mad Marietta! MadM's custom creations can be seen, felt, and purchased in the co-op of course! See you on the dance floor!

Chloë Sevigny for Uniqlo

Style icon Chloë Sevigny is busy building her fashion resume these days. In addition to a collection she recently launched at NYC boutique Opening Ceremony, she is fronting the fragrance campaign for French fashion house Chloe, and is the new style advisor for Elle UK. Now, get used to seeing her face even more as she is featured in a new ad campaign for the Uniqlo UT Project shot by photographer Dan Jackson. Now in stores, the limited edition collection features unique t-shirts designed by renowned artists, designers, and photographers.

KLING by KLING

Kling by Kling is a label created by London-based Swede Karolina Kling. Her collections caught my eye with her unique prints and playful designs. Kling has done collaborations with such labels as H&M, Nudie Jeans, Monki, and Cheap Monday. Select pieces from her AW08 collection are now available at a new shop in Brooklyn called And Then Some that I will definitely be checking out soon.

IS MENTAL

IS MENTAL is a brand new blog brought to you by four awesome ladies you will meet here over the course of the next week. We all share one thing in common: a love of fashion. Gravitating mostly towards avant-garde, high-end street, unique collaborations and vintage, we have a different approach to how we dress and can't wait to share it with you. IS MENTAL will aim to bring you inspiring looks from the streets and dancefloors of NYC and beyond. In addition we will seek out interesting collections, new boutiques, sample sales and exclusive interviews with designers. We have a lot up our sleeves (*pun intended) so stay tuned!