There are few things we love more than supporting local independent artists. So a couple weekends ago, Sushmita and Stephanie made a hop skip and a jump over to Indie Mart, sort of an outdoor DIY-festival-slash-hipster-convention. We were a bit disappointed by the small size of the gathering, but made up for it by hanging out for a good half hour with Monique of Gypsies and Lords.
Monique designs unique leather jackets made from hard-to-find materials treated in various difficult-to-replicate ways. That didn't stop me from asking all kinds of questions about where she sources the leather (exotic locales like South America) and where she gets the jackets manufactured (in China, from the same guy who does leatherwork for some of the top fashion houses in Paris and Milan). I was smitten by two of her designs in particular, one hand-painted blazer with rabbit-fur lapels (PETA be damned!) and one more down-to-earth number with an asymmetrical zipper. The fit was amazing; the designs one of a kind, or limited edition. The only thing that stopped me was wanting a jacket in a lighter color.
Check out more of her stuff on her website. She has her niece model everything because "she has a-t-t-i-t-u-d-e." Except the last picture, which is Monique herself wearing the rabbit-fur blazer.