Daily Gems & other musings — textiles

Vintage.  Handmade.  Beautiful textiles.  Sustainability.  These are a few of our favorite things, and they just so happen to encapsulate just a few of the many things Natasha Fernandes Anjo incorporates into her wildly sought-after designs. Founder of the UK-based label ROOP, Natasha herself handmakes all of the bags and accessories sold in her boutique.  She studied fashion design in college, but it wasn't until years later that she "discovered her purpose as a designer."  "She individually sources the materials and in effort to utilize what’s at her disposal, Natasha uses vintage and remnant fabrics." Our favorite pieces from Natasha's collection? ...

  If you've been following along on our Designer Spotlight series, you'll know there are few things we appreciate more than a great textile.  Sindiso Khumalo is known as "a genius on the subject, with a Central Saint Martins master’s in the niche and single-handedly designing all of her fabrics through multimedia methods such as watercolor and collage." But let's begin at the beginning.  The brand's founder and namesake, Sindiso "studied architecture at the University of Cape Town prior to moving to London, where she went onto study a Masters in Design for Textile Futures. Sindiso Khumalo founded her eponymous label...

Aisha Obuobi founded her clothing line Christie Brown in 2008 in Accra, Ghana.  We first discovered the stunning Spring/Summer 2020 Lookbook when curating our Diversity in Design Style Board series and immediately pinned her perfect metallic silver dress with our favorite Layered Hoops.  We're equally obsessed with the ready-to-wear collection available to shop online, especially the metallic gold Classic Bermuda Shorts, stunning Abstract Neckline Blouse and impeccably draped Metallic Drape Front Skirt. Aisha named the line after her grandmother, a seamstress, and was inspired by watching her "create rich and vibrant garments.  As a little girl she reveled in playing with shreds of African material and...

A true design and social inspiration, Ana María Guiulfo is not only the founder and creative director of her eponymous clothing line, but has also created "Aprendemos Jundos," an organization that works to "improve the education access for disadvantaged children who don't have {the} chance to learn in good condition."  Connection to community is something we've always admired and worked to achieve in our own business, from our own sales and product donations to local and national non profits for causes just like this one. We discovered Ana María's collections when creating our series of Diversity in Design Style Boards, and...

We discovered Claudia Li's stunning work when putting together the Diversity in Design Series of our Style Board inspiration, and we were immediately drawn to her prints and textiles.  After learning about the handmade element to her collections {something we deeply value in every viv&ingrid collection we design}, we were immediately obsessed! Featured as one of Forbes 30 Under 30 in the Art & Style category, Claudia launched her line in 2015.  She was "born in China and raised in New Zealand and Singapore, she studied in London and worked in London designing for J.W. Anderson, before coming to New York and earning a...