Screens

As I make my first real effort to begin constructing something from Fall 2013, I decided i wanted to create a print. I really love having a hands on approach to my work, so I've decided to take a stab at screen printing for the first time since college. I'm not that old, but its definitely been a while.

I'm only posting a few photos since i'd hate to give away all the details pre Fashion Week, but proof of my arts and crafts are below. Just know that my fingernails are stained black, and not from polish, but from screen printing ink. It looks pretty cool, but i do need to brush up on my skills.

painting the resist onto the screen
(That face in the background is from
whatever I had on in the background
while I applied the resist. )

print setup 

LA Fashion Week

Wow, the last few weeks have been overwhelming! Last thursday, October 11th, 2012, Linden had its first ever LA Fashion Week show with Project Ethos. All the necessary drama ensued, including models dropping out the morning of the show, 10 designers backstage but 1 outlet to plug in a steamer (in the ladies room of course), and the terrifying quick changes happening between shows. Will the girls make it to the runway on time? YES! Instead of inundating you with stories of stress and terror, just enjoy these photos of the fruits of my labor. I could not be more thrilled with how this show turned out. A huge thanks to my models, Project Ethos, and everyone who attended. Make sure to check out the new online boutique at www.lindenca.com and enjoy a 15% discount off your next purchase with code: ProjectEthos to celebrate this exciting LA Fashion Week debut.

Also check out the lines of fellow exhibitors and new friends, Lawren Michele and Collective26. Those girls put on some good shows!

Hero: Elsa Schiaparelli

Day 3 at the Pool Trade Show in Las Vegas and I have been inspired by a fashion history lesson I basically exploded onto my unwilling student/helper/roommate to take a moment and just acknowledge the greatness that was Elsa Schiaparelli. I wont word vomit the same lesson on all of you, so instead, pictures:

She was just amazing. Thank you for shocking pink, lobster dresses, shoe hats, and so much more.

American Psycho

Just over a month ago I quit the full time day job and just about 18 days ago I decided that without a single sample ready, I would show a Spring 2013 collection at Pool TradeShow in Las Vegas. So what did I do? I buckled down and worked my freaking butt off to produce one of the best collections I've ever put together.












The only way to do that after being burnt out from the day job was to have some kickass inspiration. I looked to one of my favorite authors and one of the most well written and disturbingly visual books, American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis. Without going into an epic analysis of what I think the book means, I took a couple of different ideas from the main character, Patrick Bateman.

1. True identities vs how we want to be perceived

2. Open wounds, both literal and metaphorical

3. Piecing together an outward presentation of perfection while internally struggling with the imperfections

4. A nod to the Patrick Bateman wardrobe








In less than 3 weeks I have 23 pieces, a look book, and have debuted the collection here in Las Vegas today!

Have a look at some of the looks from the shoot!

Locals Only

A couple of weeks ago I was in Las Vegas. For some reason, shopping in Vegas always seems better than shopping at home - even if you're shopping in all of the same stores. There we were, at The Fashion Show mall near the Wynn rifling through racks at, first, Forever 21, then H&M, then TopShop (granted we do not have one in LA yet) and I got really sad. Wandering through the land of mass production, the world of everyone wearing the same boring look and then tossing it in the trash and updating it weeks later at another fast fashion shop, was breaking my heart. How is there nothing interesting out there anymore, how is it that fast fashion has become an acceptable way to clothe yourself - bringing home the latest trends moments after you see them in magazines and losing our individuality all over again. I even find myself putting together the weirdest outfits these days because I'm so sick of looking like everything else out there. I want to help promote a change. Lets all own different things, made on a smaller scale so you know it's special and fairly unique to who you are!

A few months ago i decided I was going to do my best to support garments manufactured at the very least, in the country the brands hail from - this cut down my shopping significantly. No Forever 21, no H&M, but also take away my favorite Helmut Lang, most of what is sold at Bloomingdales, Saks, Neimans, Ron Herman, etc. It's pretty stunning how much high end merchandise is manufactured in China, Indonesia, Turkey, India, Taiwan, and who knows where else. As a Los Angeles based manufacturer I know it's not impossible to do it here and to do it for a reasonable price, so I find myself disappointed that some of the most expensive lines out there can't figure out how to manufacture locally. Is it greed? Volume? Quality? The reasons don't matter to me much anymore. I have simply begun to care more about a local economy. If you are going to spend your money on something, maybe it should be toward promoting jobs in your own city. I know that Linden is not the only local line out there, so I want to know who else manufactures here and is worth knowing about. Not just fashion, but any product manufactured in this city. I created a facebook community page just to see who else is interested in this, who else feels passionately about it. Share with me and the rest of this LA loving community who has a business worth checking out. Click the link below, like the page, and please suggest LA local designers and manufacturers you love!

MadeInLosAngeles - click this link to find the new facebook page

Shameless self promotion: T-shirt edition

Basics are basics, yes but a good t-shirt is seriously important to a complete wardrobe. Yes, it's true, sometimes we all copy each other in fashion, but as a very serious t-shirt snob, I pulled 3 different t-shirts and copied different aspects from each. There was the body of one, the neckline of another, and the sleeve of a 3rd, and then I modified it all over again once the first sample was complete. I sourced some really amazing lightweight supima cotton (basically the best of the best soft cozy cotton), ordered a ton of it (made in los angeles!), had it preshrunk (yes so that when you wash your t-shirt it will not shrink, but just go back to its original shape), and used it to create what I called the perfect t-shirt.

Here are the keys to the fit

1. Rounded out and yes, low cut, v-neck makes this a woman's v-neck t-shirt and not one for your average douchy hipster dude rockin some man cleavage (guys always tell me they love to wear women's t-shirts, they like the fit - until they try mine - these are really for us ladies only)

2. The length crosses the hips so you will never look obscene rocking this basic with some leggings (this was obviously intentional as I also specialize in some rock star leggings)

3. The fit in the body cuts in slightly at the waist so you still have a shape underneath this loose fitting comfy but still somehow sexy basic tshirt.

Want proof? Look who's wearing it

Swimsuit Model Joanna Krupa wears the
Linden Basic Tee in Black

A very pregnant Katie Aselton of
"The League" wears the
 Linden Basic Tee in Black

Katrina Law of "Sparticus" makes it look SO
easy with the Linden Basic Tee in White

Sometimes I really like to have fun with those basic t-shirts and completely destroy them. I hand carve block prints and then work with a soldering iron to burn and distress the t-shirts. If you buy one of these items from any stores, I hand distressed each of them with love and an evil grin while I burn each and every singed whole into these tshirts!

Alexandra Chando of "The Lying Game"
 wears the Distressed Linden Tee in Black

Stella Maeva of "The Runaways" wears the
Exposed Ribs T-shirt in Acid Yellow

And then of course there was the modification of the perfect t-shirt, to create the perfect muscle tee. The neckline is the same, but here is a sleeveless t-shirt that ends just past the waist making it perfect for tucking into high waisted skirts, or perfect for a jeans and a t-shirt look!

Cameron Richardson wears the Linden
Muscle Tee in Black

Eloise Mumford of "The River" wears the
Linden Muscle Tee in White 

Janina Gavankar of "True Blood" wears the
Linde Muscle Tee in White

Grunge Aesthetic

I have no real affinity for country music, nor do I care to rock any western styles, but my two inspirations for Fall 2012 led me to a grunge rock cowgirl.

Initially I had searched for images of 1920's lingerie and antique pistols. The pistols inspired a laser cut leather lace that trims much of the collection as well as some of the rough edges, and the lingerie is referenced in some kimono-esque shapes based on lightweight robes as well as placement of the leather lace. But the surprise addition was a floral print fabric I stumbled on before I started to produce my samples.

The fabric is a double face, which essentially means 2 different fabrics woven together. Each side of the fabric has its own pattern, and each a beautifully muddled floral. I pretty much geeked out when I saw this fabric. It is a little 70s in the color way, but also a little bit 90s in it grungy floral pattern. Perhaps I have mentioned before that my formative fashion years were during the grunge rock years. I've never outgrown an offensive floral print paired with combat boots, and I'm certain I never will. I could not resist it, I had to buy it and knew right away how it would fit into the collection. It wound up defining the look I had created for the season and thus the grunge rock cowgirl became my look for fall 2012

So if you are keeping track, my fashion obsessions are:

- muddy florals
- combat boots
- leather
- obnoxious colors