Friday, February 4, 2011

Accessories for you - trending 2011

Interior Design is not the only trend for 2011 I can cover -


OK, In my last post I covered design trends for 2011. But what about things to wear / accessories ... well I can cover a bit of that too. And as a treat I have some items to share that are handmade at Wild Cat Leather Co.





I realized somewhere along the line that this blog was a bit masculine. I'm a guy ..so...OK.
But when I posted the interior design post I realized that quite a bit of handmade as expressed on the web is also jewelry and accessories for the ladies. A little reading on Google and I started finding that the same sensibilities that apply to architecture and interior design apply to "fashion" as well. While I revel in a good interior design that includes natural materials like the wood I am so fond of, good design - executed well and with taste can apply to accessories as well.

I noted that even Londonfashionawards.com was comenting in a similar vein to the design sites I quoted in my previous post. You will note that I defer to places with a greater sense of fashion trending then I possess...

From Londonfasionawards.com (Author: Webka)

Though 2011 will see us move still further from the economic woes of recent history, don’t expect a massive change in the tangent of fashion: the major excesses of the last decade are gone, and 2011 will see us, rightfully, continue on with a drive of subtle consumption mixed with obvious quality. 2011 fashion trends will accommodate the fact that we’ll be buying less but spending more. That means less bland, and more quality. Fewer indulgences, but better statement pieces.

Now I read that as going along with the trends in spatial design.. we are looking to accessorize but not with the bling excess of previous decades. This relates again to economic uncertainty and a need to reconnect with natural, stable, and less flashy visuals. This does not mean however that 2011 is looking to reduce the quantity of accessories - but rather improve on both the statement and the quality.


In that interest, readers of this blog or those that happen by, will know that I support handmade artisans as the micro-business growth engines for turning the economy around. We have built the industrial age 20th century corporate global monstrosities that we now find ourselves less enamored of as they turn out millions of "cheap" copies of the same thing and our own sense of self is lost in our expression of how we live in our spaces or dress and accessorize.

The photos that are seperating the paragraphs in this blog are all of accessories from Wild Cat Leather Co. an Artfire studio operated by Cat Cichowski who has handmade all of the accessories pictured. These are all original work that you will not see anywhere else. Make a statement without spending a fortune. To see more of her work or purchase any of these that fit your fashion taste for 2011 or beyond please visit her artfire studio.