Who says you can’t embrace urban aesthetics and the natural world at the same time? Helping Bay Area style-seekers do just that is Protea, a collection of ultra-wearable separates from San Francisco’s Kelly Hansmann.
“Protea is for the city girl who loves nature. She leads a very modern life and likes to stay grounded. It’s all about the balance between urban and organic…creating a sense of uniqueness, beauty and strength,” Hansmann tells us.
Working with fabrics from French and Italian mills and seamstresses located in San Francisco, the Apparel Arts graduate launched her own line in 2008. The latest from Hansmann is a soon-to-be-available-online fall 2010 collection ($89-$328) featuring cozily elegant tops and vests that could easily become tried-and-true go-to items in any Northern California girl’s wardrobe rotation.
Named for the Protea flower, which takes its name from Greek god Proteus, the label embraces the idea that there are many ways to be beautiful.
Says Hansmann:
“Proteus was a god of the seas and could change shape at will. Protea, one of the oldest flowers on earth, was named after him because of its incredible diversity of shapes, sizes and colors. It’s the perfect reminder that beauty takes many forms.”
The label is gearing up to launch an online store via its web site next week, but in the meantime you can find the collection in person during a sample sale this weekend at Conifer. We hear Hansmann will have samples from her fall collection, as well as previous season samples, during the event, which also features deals of up to 80 percent off retail from local labels Amy Mautz, Kathleen van der Spek and Sust.
Photography courtesy of Protea
