These up-and-coming talents have captured our attention!
Kathryn Bentley
Kathryn Bentley, jewelry designer and owner of eclectic boutique Dream Collective. Based in Los Angeles, Bentley’s aesthetic arises out of changing obsessions and visual research. Inspiration comes to Kathryn from past design movements, travel, artisans, flea markets, architecture, and textiles. Both her namesake line of fine jewelry and the Dream Collective jewelry line flourish from carefully selected materials and the hands that craft them.
Gräf & Lantz
Designers Holger Gräf and Daniel Lantz utilize a vocabulary of honest, luxe materials to craft strikingly intelligent pieces. Influenced by the ever-present dialogue of opposites in the world, their aesthetic is thoughtful and functional, combining the disciplines of both East and West into subtle, captivating designs. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Gräf & Lantz sell at Neiman Marcus, Shopbop, and several high-end boutiques.
Black Crane
Black Crane, a women’s ready-to-wear label based in Los Angeles. Run by Japanese designer Momoko Suzuki, Black Crane is inspired by Suzuki’s roots, culture, and civilization. Suzuki focuses on a silhouette of simple lines and comfort, subscribing to the less is more aesthetic in an effort to create a timeless garment for women of all ages. The label also takes into consideration environmental issues, and thus all production takes place in Los Angeles where all garments are made with low impact dyes, without heavy metals or chemicals. Major stockists include Totokaelo, Steven Alan, Mohawk General Store, Assembly, La Garconne, and Barneys Japan.
Building Block
Building Block is a design project initiated by Kimberly and Nancy Wu. With backgrounds in industrial design, the sisters established their studio in 2011 with the intention of readdressing everyday accessories and bringing elemental materials to the forefront of their designs. Building Block’s current collection of bags is composed of leather, rubber tubing, and wood. Certain styles are self evident in construction, while others play with a sense of humor and scale.
WELCOMECOMPANIONS
WELCOMECOMPANIONS, made in LA, is a fashion project that reinterprets everyday sartorial accessories and objects through a formal and surrealist lens. The project seeks to inject a sense of play, suspense, and narrative into the objects we interact with and depend on a daily basis. The playful nature of WELCOMECOMPANIONS appeals to a devoted, educated, and creative audience. Fans include Miranda July, Lena Dunham, Tennessee Thomas, Olimpia Zagnoli, and Molly Ringwald, as well as the stylist Shirley Kurata.
