handmade

I adore handmade designs; they send out so much of the creator's personality. As I laid my eyes on these gorgeous rings from Colleen Baran I just knew I had to have one. Colleen is a Canadian artist working in jewelry, photography and book-works, with a creating philosophy "based on a love of language, pattern and form".

"You See Me" ring by Colleen Baran

I was looking for independent labels in the Fashion Design Community when I stumbled upon Erika Hendrix, a Lawton, Oklahoma based label founded in 2005 by Erika Bates. The portfolio can also be found on talent database and flickr. Born in Giessen, Germany, in 1984, Erika began designing and sewing shirts in 2002 during an internship in interior design.

I was looking at some of the shows from L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2008 and I came across the wonderful collection of Megan Park. Every item, garment or accessory, is created by hand with beading and embroidery made by highly skilled artisans in India. Even the prints and dyes are produced using old handcraft techniques.