Jurnal

Rosiesalt_August 15, 2019 "In Conversation with"

Rosiesalt is an organic plant-based skincare line, raw and rich in nutrients for your skin. Created for sun dwellers and city bustlers alike. We had collaborated on a pop-up in the past.

Read about Founder Yoshi at

https://www.rosiesalt.com/rosiesaltjournal/2019/8/15/in-conversation-yoshimi-akaishi

Spring Sashiko Workshop_March 26, 2017

On Saturday, March 25th we hosted our last workshop for the spring season. But don't worry! We were heartened by the response and are planning summer classes now! We're grateful to everyone who attended our first workshops and hope you all learned as much from us as we learned from you! The art of mending, patching, and occasionally deconstructing your clothes to create something wholly new and unique is a lifelong practice.

Students brought vintage denim, decade-old tees that needed a bit of TLC, a worn skirt . . . everybody had a special project and a distinct point of view. Some students made pretty embroidery repairs, a few brave souls ripped out seams and recombined parts to create hybrid projects. We hope everyone experienced something worthwhile: learned a few tricks of the trade, exercised their courage, found creative inspiration, or simply relished spending some peaceful time with like-minded women – and some terrific food and coffee!

We worked closely with each student, suggesting material combinations, structural solutions, and on occasion submitting a job to the sewing machine. Traditional handwork is meditative and soulful, but sometimes modern efficiency is called for.

I posted photos of some student handiwork below, and a photo of our welcome kit! Please comment below if you attended and would like to share your thoughts, and let your friends know!

BRAND ASSEMBLY_October 23, 2016

We're back from last week's Brand Assembly in DTLA - our first show! The show attracted buyers from all over: Tokyo, Colorado, the East Coast . . . which speaks well to Brand Assembly's breadth. We're super pleased with the response to our collection, and are enthusiastic about opening a few select stores. Because our pieces are all one-of-a-kind, we appeal primarily to small boutiques with a strong understanding of their clientele.

We introduced new looks for F/W, which we'll be adding to the site in a few days: reworked fatigues as streetwear, and some spunky interpretations of classic aprons! If you see something you like on our site but we don't show your size, please reach out and we'll help hunt down the stores that carry individual items. We're also eager to talk to boutique stores about opening an account - send us an email and we'll forward the line sheet, photos, whatever you need!

Summer Cut Offs_September 30, 2016

A scorching summer calls for cooling off in oh-so-flirty shorts. Kaban+ offers a fresh spin on the summer classic: cutoff denim, with an imaginative fringe on the seams and across the bottom. Reimagined from castoff denim found in second-hand clothing shops and flea markets, these fun short-shorts are thoughtfully remade - guaranteeing that no two are alike.

Breezy Linens_ September 30, 2016

We're coming to the end of yet another unseasonably warm summer in Los Angeles, and the days are still long and warm. On the lookout for ways to stay cool yet fashionable and ready for slightly cooler evenings, we turn to vintage linen! The Kaban+ collection includes dresses and drawstring pants, as well as boho messenger, pochette, and cross body bags.

Boho Crochet Bags- May 2, 2016

With a boho vibe reminiscent of the craft-aesthetic of the 1970s, the talented textile artist and fashionista Yoshimi from Kaban+ crochets these generously sized and unique bags. Each piece is hand crocheted, lined with silk, and hung by a leather strap. The small size features a flirty tassel. Crocheted and sewn by hand in Malibu.

You're Beautiful Inside and Out - May 2, 2016

Look carefully. These well tailored jeans are inside out - yet with the critical functional details all right. Stylish designer Yoshimi Radstrom scours flea markets, vintage shops, and favorite haunts in search of vintage Levi’s to deconstruct and reimagine. She then turns these eternally fashionable denim inside out and adds finishing touches to the cuffs and pockets. These statement jeans requires a double take and prove that the inside is, in fact, as beautiful as the outside.

Imagined and constructed in Malibu.

Levi's with Japanese Boro Textile

Reconstructed from Vintage Levi 501s Redline Selvedge, these hand-altered boro patch denim pay homage to the origins of indigo, denim, patchwork, and re-use.

Boro is the term used to describe the Japanese art of mending. The rough translation is "rags or scraps of cloth" and reflects a craft born of necessity: boro was practiced by the lower classes - people who could not afford new clothing, but rather relied on repairing, over and over, existing clothing. According to an article in issue 70 of Selvedge written by Eirlys Penn, boro "encapsulates the Japanese concepts of mottainai (too good to waste) and yuyo-no-bi (the beauty of practicality), along with the spirit of kitsugi (golden joinery)." The entire process is attached through the use of sashiko "little stab" stitching - a technique that combines embroidery with quilting.

Kaban+ experiments with other reworkings of favorite old Levi's, including fringed seams and inside-out styles.

Imagined, deconstructed, and reconstructed in Malibu.