May 24, 2012

SF Gal in NYC Style Series II: Honey Comb In Greenpoint, Brooklyn

While it’s natural to assume that there might be a swarm of bees in Greenpoint Brooklyn (which would be quite a sight), I’m referring to the light copper honeycomb shaped necklaces made by indie NY designer Jene Despain.

Sitting upon a very ordinary silver chain in a very eccentric store, called Old Hollywood these honeycombs attracted me like bees to…well you get the idea.  A store named for time that no longer exists, Old Hollywood made me feel a certain nostalgia for the silver screen, and did quite a good job of making it’s self look like the Hollywood of the 1940′s.  Finally a themed boutique that actually succeeds in creating another time and place, while interweaving new fresh, and local New York designers into its’ mix.

Old Hollywood; 110 Meserole Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11222

This post originally appeared on ModelinaMichelle

Empire State of Mind: Jene DeSpain

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When next you’re craving a taste of New York without hopping a five-plus-hour-flight across this great nation of ours, the latest from local designer Jene Despain may very well do the trick. It may not involve unbeatable cheese pizza and unparalleled bagels, but the Roaring ’10′s collection does draw upon something else we’ve always found quite inspiring on strolls through Manhattan: soaring buildings and Art Deco design.

With each piece ($54-$125) inspired by and named after a famous Art Deco New York landmark, the collection features mixed metal chains hung with details such as spikes, brass shields and tiny brass bullets and earrings that pair intricately designed geometric shapes with stones such as green onyx and red carnelian. Despain, a self-taught artist who splits her time between Manhattan and her apartment in the Mission, makes each piece by hand.

“I always have the San Francisco woman in mind when I’m designing…They are brave and not afraid to stand out,” Despain told us over coffee at the Dolores Park Cafe.

Despain recently relaunched a revamped web site with an online shop, but you can peruse her work in person in San Francisco at Circle & Square, Candystore Collective and Hello.

Photos (from top): Despain at Tartine in San Francisco; Despain perusing the racks at Candystore Collective; Metropolitan dagger earrings; Barclay necklace.

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More local designers

Custom Garments by Local Designers at Hello by Candystore Collective

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During a visit earlier this week to new Pacific Heights boutique Hello by Candystore Collective, we learned that the second San Francisco store from owner Jennifer Jones does more than just stock local brands. Along with Bay Area labels such as Serial Cultura and accessories by 1228 and Jene Despain, the spacious and almost-entirely-white shop offers visitors the opportunity to order custom garments directly from Stars + Ravens designer Sarah Borruso using the label’s lookbook.

While a small selection of Stars + Ravens garments hang from the racks, Jones points out that it can be difficult for emerging designers to reach customers without absorbing the cost of producing an entire line, one that retail buyers may or may not choose to pick up and offer to their customers. She hopes offering what she dubs “modern San Francisco couture” to Hello shoppers will benefit both designers looking to expand their reach and consumers seeking unique pieces. While Jones prefers to stay mum for the moment on other designers that may soon offer their lines at the shop in this way, she reports that she’s currently in discussions with some “very exciting” local labels and that their clothes will be “wearable pieces that are really special and made locally.”

Other reasons to visit this shop? Casual shoes by Marais USA, inventive accessories from Candace Ang, separates from Lorick and offerings from Hyden Yoo’s very first women’s collection.

See it in person at 2226 Bush St.

Learn more about Stars + Ravens in our previous coverage.

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