printed matter

Get ready for some seriously chic printed matter!!!

idil vice fashion rocks items will be accompanied by all kinds of limited edition printed matter of the newly concepted 2008 ad campaign by "ueber" talented photographer Carl Posey. Labels, postcards, posters, hangtags, print ad's, etc. Below a sample of what's to come...


Depicted here, on a late night in NYC's Meatpacking District, idil vice wearing her own Jimi Hendrix Hoodie and her Keane Soldier printed tunic, paired with silver spandex leggings by American Apparel.

I would like to give a shout-out to the renowned Restaurant Florent (just across the fabulous mural depicted in our campaign), a long appreciated French Diner who served early breakfast, (you risked to be spoiling the party to show up here before 4AM) to countless night birds throughout the 1980's and 90's.



It is sadly closing it's doors and serves it's last Eggs Benedict on Saturday, June 28th, 2008. If you can, pay tribute to this NY institution, yet another one disappearing, making way for the commercialism controlling the Big Apple. Au revoir!

sewing machines are back in fashion

JC Reports most recent newsletter contains an article from Telegraph UK about the comeback of sewing machines - not that I ever thought they were out of fashion, as they generate my income over the past decade! What would I do without them??!


Sewing machines are back in fashion:

Environmentally conscious women are buying more and more sewing machines as they turn their backs on disposable high street fashion in order to "make do and mend", according to retailers.

It has put the boom down to an increased awareness of social and environmental issues and the desire to stand out from the crowd. The chain described the revival as a backlash against a "throw-away" society.

Woolworths reported a similar trend, with its sewing machine sales growing by 258 per cent between 2006 and 2007, but offered a different explanation for the increase.

A spokesman said: "We think it's down to more home economics classes being taught in schools, the increasing popularity of fancy dress parties and the death of the high street tailor."

Reports of a sewing machine revival come ahead of Alternative Fashion Week, which starts tomorrow in London.

Josie Nicholson, founder member and project manager of the Ethical Fashion Forum, said: "Fast fashion has meant consumers have lost some of their individuality but customising your own clothes means you can create your own unique style."

Wow, "yeay" I'd say, "this is the spirit"! Maybe this new found interest in the crafty side of ones personality is also being somehow related to the equally recent found ability to be able to independently sell carefully handy-crafted goodies over the internet and is probably being promoted to originally creative individuals by the popping-up of yet more e-shops and - malls all over the world? Whatever the reason for this comeback- it is a great development!

Although I still swear on my Bernina. It's the best sewing machine in the world and I do NOT recommend any other, especially for home use. (I wish they'd finally made their embroidery elements be compatible with Macintosh however!!) Designers do RARELY use Microsoft. We design on Mac baby.

I'll attach one of my old pics (once I dig it out of my vast archive of deteriorating press clips) of when I received my "Artisa", which was sponsored by Bernina, back in 1998 - or was it 1997? - all I remember it was a X-mas present. Hope this advertising will lead to an upgrade to the newest model "wink", "wink"!

But honestly, a revolution should be on the calender! What is going on in this world? We all damn near look alike and destroy the planet by doing so - how stupid! Death to all China made garbage fashion. I like Uniqlo, sorry! Yeap, a contradiction and some may call me a hypocrite.

There is however a need for casual pieces at low prices in tough economies and that is why we frequent a store like this, but it does not mean we have to live by them and hopefully one completes his basic look with individual pieces made somewhere locally or like this post is trying to suggest hand made by yourself! Try it! I'll supply knowledge and advice in case you need it! Let's bring manufacturing back to the US.

Long Live Individuality! Go get your own machine and fix your style up and make a mark! It's about damn time!

swiss press

Below is the current weekly issue of Anzeiger, the magazin of the Eastern region of Switzerland, which includes my hometown and Kanton St. Gallen. I am especially proud of this article (It's all about me!!) because during all these years in the fashion business, I was reminded and learned, again and again, that St. Gallen, besides being one of the most beautiful towns in the world, is also the place of origin of the most pricey and highest quality fabrics in the entire world!

"This one is expensive, it's Swiss!" I hear from countless fabric dealers in NYC's Garment District. And whenever I came across a piece of Swiss fabric, it was true: The do not compare to anything. They are smooth, crisp and mostly detail oriented.

Some of the most regarded St. Gallen textile firms are Jakob Schlaepfer, Bischof Textil and more..

Examples of Haute Couture designs by Jean Paul Gaultier and others using Jakob Sclaepfer textiles from St. Gallen.

Can you imagine that I, growing up there was not aware of this world famous export? It shows in a way the character of the people in St. Gallen and maybe in the rest of Switzerland as well: The got it, but they don't flaunt it! Well, it's served them well so far and they have been the quiet leader in all things design and manufacturing.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

People like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. inspire me. It's been 40 years since the day he's been assassinated. He is an icon and his legacy lives on...

R.I.P

idilvicefashionrocks MLK tribute skirt honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

WASHINGTON, DC - April 4 - Gerry Hudson, Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), issued the following statement today:

“As we commemorate the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination, it’s time for an honest assessment of just how far we’ve come to achieve his dream of freedom and justice for all."

"A quick snapshot of today’s income inequality and continued health and educational disparities suggests that we haven’t come far enough."

“Economic disparities alone are higher today than it’s been in this country since 1928. Today’s minimum wage is just $5.85 an hour, which buys significantly less than the minimum wage of King’s time."

"Health disparities are also grim. More than one in five African Americans are uninsured and they have the highest rates of death due to diabetes, heart disease, and breast, lung, and colon cancer than any other ethnic group. And perhaps most sobering—segregation and inequality continue to define our public school system. Most recently we learned that in 17 of the nation’s 50 largest cities, less than half of the students who entered high school in 2003 graduated."

“We’ve got lots of work to do."