I have made no secret of my love for Of a Kind and their unique designer editions accompanied by thoughtful behind-the-scenes profiles. Today I woke up to find that the Alumni Sunday's edition was the Stingray Trillion Necklace by Collette Ishiyama.
Immediately, I was all over this for two reasons: 1.) It's gorgeous, with its sleek brass lines and the textural contrast of the black stingray patch, and 2.) It goes perfectly with Thursday's edition, which I already had ordered. The Vortex Bag by IMAGO-A had grabbed me with its strong architectural treatment of semi-glazed cowhide.
Doesn't one echo the other so well? I can't wait to try out the pairing in person.
I love shopping online, and Of a Kind makes it a true pleasure. To celebrate Independence Day, they're offering 25% off all editions through 7/8 with the coupon code JULY4THEWIN. I featured this site a year ago, and since then they've only been cranking out more goodness.
Made in the USA from canvas and vegetable-tanned leather that is supposed to patina with time, this slim, casual clutch fits an iPad (or a few reading and writing materials) perfectly. I've fallen in love with the idea of a blank canvas of a bag that goes perfectly with denim.
Every Of a Kind package is a tactile and aesthetic experience. Enclosed with each item is an autographed luggage tag specifying edition information and number.
My favorite part about Of a Kind, however, is their "Meet the Designer" bios and "Behind the Scenes" features that give us an intimate view of the person and process behind the item. Even better, Of a Kind has become a gateway allowing me to follow new designers that I probably wouldn't have been exposed to otherwise. For instance, I now am dreaming of Fleabags' The Original Flea: White.
I've already taken advantage of the sale to order two pieces of jewelry, one delicate and one tough:
I love discovering new designers. The moment I saw Burak Uyan's calf hair and leather platform pumps on Net-a-Porter, I was smitten. The curves! The textures! The stitching down the back!
I was happy to find that these pumps are well constructed, and comfortable at 5.5 inches of height with a 1.5 inch hidden platform. I'd wear them with cigarette ankle jeans and a fitted black turtleneck or a crisp white Oxford shirt.
I suspect more pairs by Burak Uyan will find their way into my wardrobe.
Yesterday was Halloween, so it would be apropos to feature some extreme jewelry.
Browsing Farfetch, I found my attention caught by this "posture collar" by Una Burke. The name was unknown to me, so I did some research. What I uncovered was a constellation of unearthly bondage images and a cruel, intriguing premise.
From her capsule site on Not Just a Label: Una Burke is a luxury leather accessories designer who uses traditional leather-working methods and vegetable tanned hides. With her distinct construction technique of leather strips and brass fittings, Una develops sculptural belt forms, jewellery, handbags and abstract body pieces. Her work is quite often concept based, with influence commonly taken from military sources and other physical and metaphorical methods of protection.
I had to own a piece, almost more as an addition to my tiny art collection than an actual accessory to wear out. I ordered mine on sale from Curve Boutique, which carries several of her pieces. The collar arrived, and I was not disappointed. Una Burke's workmanship is incredible. The leather is soft and supple, and beautifully dyed.
Please forgive the lack of dramatic lighting.
Looking at pictures online, I had wondered how exactly the fastenings would work. I worried that I might not be able to put the collar back together once I had opened it up. Actually, the mechanism is quite simple: leather strips line up with metal rivets, and the structured nature of the collar makes working it blessedly simple.
I can only imagine the work that goes into the more intricate pieces. As Una Burke explains on her own site: This is a conceptual collection of wearable art pieces, depicting a series of eight human gestures associated with the cause, the physical and psychological effect and the healing stages of human trauma. Sculptural forms are created around the shape of the contorted female body. A number of pieces are reminiscent of prosthetics and medical braces. This signifies the potential for healing within the boundaries of something which inhibits the body. Carcass-like in form, each piece is hand crafted from vegetable tanned leather, resulting in a colour indicative of human flesh.
Jewelry? Accessory? Fashion? Art? Can this be categorized at all? Una Burke also makes handbags.
In addition to a handbag, I would love to acquire this "shoulder holster" in ivory.
Again, never mind exactly where I would wear this. Perhaps to a severely fashionable nightclub. Una Burke is someone I'm going to keep an eye on for aesthetics' sake.
