May 21, 2012

Knotty Girl: Louisa Parris Launches Accessories

The Zeppelin scarf by Louisa Parris

San Francisco’s Louisa Parris has expanded beyond eveningwear to launch her first-ever accessories collection. Featuring scarves and made-to-order hats, the latest from Parris continues the designer’s love affair with bold, sophisticated graphics.

Featuring thick black stripes and blocks contrasted with muted hues of blue, sea foam green and cream, the silk twill scarves come in two sizes ($195-$275) and draw their inspiration from the geometric designs gracing hot air balloons Parris watched while growing up in Bath, England. Providing a little inspiration of their own for their wearers, each scarf is named for a type of knot.

Upping the ante is a matching hat collection produced in collaboration with milliner Laela Barnard, whom Parris tapped to turn each of her five scarves into sculptural, made-to-order headpieces.

The Zeppelin Disc Hat by Laela Barnard for Louisa Parris

Want to know more about the designer? Check out our previous coverage of Louisa Parris here.

Photography courtesy of Louisa Parris

More San Francisco fashion news

What the Hex: Vein & Baby Alpaca Jewelry

Field & Path Hex necklace, $80

Wigman necklace, $79

As part of Vein & Baby Alpaca's collaboration with HUNTER GATHERER, this necklace features porcupine quills, medicine vials, herbs and seeds, an antique locket, horsehair, a silver German brooch, gunmetal chain and feathers.

Should the everyday grind start feeling a little too everyday-ish and tiresome, Vein & Baby Alpaca Jewelry is here to add a touch of the otherworldly to your life with delicate, unisex pieces mixing obscure materials with mystical, poetic backstories.

Variously based in San Francisco and New York, the current line ($80-$320) is a collaboration between Vein founders Lynda Lucas and Genevieve Rainsberger and Baby Alpaca musician and designer Chris Kittrell. Their partnership, begun in 2010, has yielded spellbinding pieces created from such unusual materials as porcupine quills, medicine vials, herbs, seeds and horsehair.

Names like Silkworms & Spiderwebs, White Magic and Moonshine and product copy in the online shop that reads like abstract poetry may conjure thoughts of cauldrons and mysterious nights, but the overall look is far more modern hippie than witchy woman.

Want to see them for yourself? Check out Vein & Alpaca at this weekend’s Renegade Craft Fair. You can also follow the label on Tumblr.

The Renegade Craft Fair will take place July 9-10 11 am- 7pm at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion.

Photographs Courtesy of: Vein & Baby Alpaca Jewerly, and Ryan Leitner

Summer Style: Vintage Rocker Chic

Who says a delicate lace top will clash with a pair of grungy hot pink daisy dukes? Embrace your inner local style-loving fashion rebel this season by breaking all the rules.

Mix a pair of 50’s inspired cat-eye sunglasses with a modern body chain or embroidered flats with a laser cut top. While the following pieces from local labels embrace a laid back, warm weather vibe, they can all be styled to suit the temperamental San Francisco climate, making summer style possible despite the rain, wind and fog.

1.) Cat-eye tortoise shell sunglasses, MayFourteenth

2.) Hot pink, custom made shorts, Young Bones

3.) Ivory lace top, Anarchy Street

4.) Vegan-friendly, floral embroidered flats, Campbell x Convert

5.) Body jewelry, Litter SF

6.) Graphic tee, Bandit Brand

7.) Hot pink, laser-cut out top, Nasty Gal

Images courtesy of MayFourteenth, Young Bones, Anarchy Street, Convert Shoes, Litter Jewelry, Bandit Brand and Nasty Gal.

More San Francisco style

In Pane Sight: Dark Garden

Dark Garden Custom Corsetry

In the window at Dark Garden: Ballerina pink meets tough punk at this custom corsetry and apparel shop located in Hayes Valley. You’ll find it next to the Blue Bottle Kiosk on Linden St. between Octavia and Gough.

Photography by Lindsay Harte

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This is part of a new series featuring San Francisco store windows. Do you know of a window display that deserves to be on SF Indie Fashion? Do tell.

Snap Judgment: Custom Audra Draped Jersey Dress

Our very-visual, (almost) chatter-free snap judgment of the day: the comfort-meets-va-va-va-voom appeal of the soft and drapey jersey Audra dress, $195, made-to-order in a color of your choice by San Francisco-based Delilah Burlesque.

More snap judgments

Photography by RJ Johnson for Delilah Burlesque