Live Out Loud Colors for Fall 2012

Fall looks incredible - we made up styles from the line in special order colors and they are out of this world!

What a difference color makes!

And not just color- since I showed none of these styles in straight out black, but simply a change of color.

This is why I love doing custom made and special order  - there is no way we could sample the range of colors I offer.

Working in leather is way different than working in fabric.  First off we work in square feet- not in linear yards- the average linear yard is 11.25 sq feet (45" wide).  Cutting in leather... to utilize the grain and avoid the flaws, the industry considers a 30% loss normal so that's about 15 square feet of leather to one yard of 45" wide cloth.  Put simply,  leather easily costs 15X more than fabric since the per foot cost equals and usually exceeds the per yard cost of a decent fabric.

Right there that limits my samples!

In some cases you can get a higher loss - leather is a natural fiber so you can get a lot that is full of flaws & very hard to cut - table cutting is like a puzzle and a poor quality lot makes it a nasty one.  Not only do you loose yield , but it also takes a great deal longer to cut the same garment.

'cuse me, but ... leather is an entirely different animal! 

When I offer colors in leather- they work- feel secure & we'll get the world (well mostly NYC :) past black!!!

Live Out Loud Colors for Fall 2012

Everything on the internet is s-l-o-w right now.  Not sure what that is about - but I feel like I'm on dial up- no kidding. (bad flashbacks to 1999 in the freezing cold shop)  OK- that was fun ... but you do remember what that was like?

I have been on here less and less lately as we have been busy developing the new line for Fall 2012.  I have been sourcing some incredibly (insanely) beautiful leathers and the whole aesthetic of the line is being bumped up tremendously,  it's very exciting.

Pattern making is a long and strenuous process here, it starts out like molasses- slow and sticky.  The process of developing all new fit slopers is always somehow traumatic for me, even when the changes could be considered fairly subtle.  What I do know is that they will step up the fit and final product yet another notch. 

 We are all such creatures of habit in our own ways,  I stick to the familiar for as long as I feel comfortable and then - well- it's all gotta move - I tend to shift before I'm really consciously aware of "discomfort".  It's an undeniable pull, and I often fight it.  In the case of redeveloping fit - I am so picky and it does take me a bit to get into it- I create many, many multiples of variations before I am finally happy with the fit.

After that- comes the styles.  I was organizing the studio Friday and realized I had at least 5 muslin phases for one (very deceptively) simple dress.  I did not want to count further.  It may be a minor William Ware Theiss moment- but for production- big difference.  Check out the "Theiss Titillation Theory".

He was my design hero when I was a kid....really got me into it.  I am forever indebted.

This is example of a muslin, not one from this line, but from a very special custom made project I did about 2 years ago. 

fitting muslin for a custom made leather jumpsuit

Anyhow- now we are in the groove...new patterns are lining up daily on the rack  -very soon to be luscious leather samples!

The words and works of a Master

On the BOF (the Business of Fashion) site has posted an incredibly inspiring interview with Azzedine Alaïa.   Anyone who who is passionate about fashion, design,  quality,  craftsmanship & the integrity left remaining in this business  MUST read this interview.

His Fall 2011 show,  his first runway collection in 8 years was vintage Alaïa, of course,  in quality of cut, technique and hand.  The silhouettes are as curvaceous and sensual as ever.  And, none of it ever feels derivative of his past work, but rather its all a real evolution of his truly personal craft, techniques and powerful vision.

His conviction to his art shows in every single piece.

I have always admired & looked up to him as an artist,  and I worship his leather work.  I vividly remember how he was practically pilloried in the late 1980's / early 90's for not putting on regular fashion shows and for not following the industry's increasingly hectic and seemingly perverse scheduling.   What?  As if Alaïa should compete with large scale "luxury" lines?  (made increasingly in China, Slovakia or elsewhere?)  That Alaïa should compete with anybody for that matter!  The quote at the end of Style.com's review says it all...

"There's everyone else. Then there's Alaïa."

perfect!

The words and works of a Master

Wacky Weather Giveaway!

AKA...Winter’s Baackkk giveaway!

Winter seems to have legs yet!  In NYC today we had snow, sleet, rain, hail, thunder and insane lightning.  Much of it simultaneously!

So as a send off to winter’s last blast I’ve decided to do my very first giveaway here on this blog…

This a one-of-a-kind crossbody “Guitar Strap” bag (value $798.00) features a beautifully collaged, natural springbok hide that has been over-printed with a striking jaguar pattern. The body of the bag is made of a rich espresso vintage finished cowhide that wear's beautifully.  The bag has 2 zip pockets and a metrocard  pocket (fits  business cards too!) and a key fob. 

It’s a nice roomy 11 x 11.5 x 2” with a 22” strap drop and is clean finished & unlined for maximum durability.  (This leather and the construction are basically watertight- believe me, I speak from experience!)

To enter the drawing, follow these simple steps before April 15th to qualify:

1. Scroll through the blog or use the archives list in the right column, choose one story to read, and submit a comment at the end of the story.
2. Like BehrleNYC leather on Facebook (not necessary if you already like us) and recommend us to your friends!
3. Want to double your chance of winning?  Come back to this post and comment again!
4. Important: Go to my contact page and leave your name and e-mail address and / or phone (so I can contact the winner) and note "Contest" & which post(s) you commented on.  Especially important if you are a new visitor.  You may also leave a 3rd comment with you email included, That will NOT be published.

(You do not have to sign up for our mailing list, but if you like what you see, and are not already on our mailing list please check the box to be included on it. I send very rarely- 2x a year - and never share emails & you will hear about future events first.)

Follow these guidelines and you will have a chance (or 2) in the drawing, the bag will be shipped to a lucky winner the week after tax day (I am determined to make somebody’s day!) Note that the bag will be shipped within the USA only so please have a US residential address to qualify to receive the prize.

The winner will be notified via e-mail April 15th and I’ll request your shipping address then.  Claim your prize and it will be shipped out right away with delivery confirmation!

I’m happy to offer this drawing with special thanks to all of you who have encouraged and supported BehrleNYC over the last few years!  All the wonderful people I've been lucky to work with and the positive feedback I receive on a daily basis & most importantly the continued support of my amazing  customers and friends,  all this makes what I do so worthwhile & delightful.

Thank you to Andrea for providing the inspiration to finally do this (and from whom I have cribbed liberally for the format) check out her work, she is a brilliant silversmith/ jeweler.

Good luck!… 

Note: Comments are moderated- so they won't show up immediately.  Don't worry,  I do receive them and they will post.  
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Wacky Weather Giveaway!

Blood on the Snow

It is falling solidly right now - from where I am sitting you can hardly see across the way.  It may go on like this for days.   Looking at the photos of this jacket I recently finished  got me thinking of the Grimm's Brothers version of Snow White and the blood drop in the snow...

This color is probably my favorite color, especially in leather, a true, true oxblood. The combo of red and black against white has always struck me.  Perhaps it goes back to when I was about 3 or 4 and cut my foot and bled all over the black and white checkerboard floor.  It stopped me in my tracks, I have such a vivid memory of the colors and the contrast.

This is my fantasy Motorcycle Jacket.  It was inspired by and created for a great client and very cool guy. Buzz Bissinger. I hope he gets to wear it in the snow.

Blood on the Snow

The Word of Luxury, or Cars and Girls

In Fashion or branding, what do you think of when you think of Luxury?   Is it Hermes?   Or perhaps Louis Vuitton?   How About American Eagle or Urban Decay?   How is it that ALL of these things have been labeled at one point or another as "Luxury"?  

Really, what is it?  Is it D & G masquerading as Forever 21:

Or is  it a $75,000.00 Balmain crocodile jacket?
Is it exclusivity?   Or something more like this?   If you've watched this movie  you'll have drooled over seriously fantastic luxury in a big way!


Is it what you receive from it?  Sheer pleasure or pure bragging rights?  A new Ferarri or an original 1965 Shelby? 

 How about a 1957 Ferrari?

( Is this not the epitome of Luxury?  Better yet if you drive it daily!  Dammit, why can they DESIGN cars like this anymore???)  

Or is it… (as the old song goes) A Winnebago??? Heck a HERD of Winnebagos!  (Disclaimer later) or  a baby's arm holding an apple…?


Luxury could mean the freedom of this…

 Fee Waybill as QuayLude

Or this…

 Daphne Guinness as... Daphne Guinness.

Luxury,   it means a lot of things to a lot of different people. Indefinable, elusive, emotional, visceral, shallow & at the same time incredibly vital.


It is continually evolving & expressing & Inspiring.

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Buying Status or Luxury?

The other day I was up on 47th street and there was a little crowd knotted up on the street. I worked my way through the group, almost all guys, with their cameras out. 

And there it was; the most amazing apple-green,  iridescent,  two-tone Lamborghini.  The color was out-of-this-world.  I wondered where it was headed,  it had non-resident 20 day temporary tags on it. (Who knew there were such things?  I rarely drive & never in the city any more, so I am well out of the loop here.) It was funny to see it parked in a crowded business district in the middle of the morning, very incongruous,  leaving the impression at it wanted to get into a traffic jam really fast!  (It certainly was creating one very quickly!)

A beautiful vehicle,  fast - and always limited edition, since Lamborghini makes well under 3000 cars in a year.  I do hope it's going somewhere it can cut loose a little!

This is luxury & status,  with that color-bumping it up even more!  A very precision crafted, finely designed, hand-assembled & finished and renowned for  speed & performance.  Each one is test driven on real roads when completed.

So,  if you are able to buy one of these,  you are certainly getting what you pay for….

Then there's fashion.
Unfortunately, all too often the luxury/status/designer/label thing has become just another term for for big marketing & big manufacturing.

Case in point: Here is a used fabric Chanel Camellia.  Just a plain fabric one.  A bit beat. "Pre-owned".

It sold for $249.00.   I don't believe this variation of a Chanel camellia goes for much more than $300.00 new.  It's the tweed and raffia ones that run up to $600.00. Those need to be hand-stitched, at least to some extent.  This one - not so much.  Probably hundreds, if not thousands of these get made. 

There are flower makers here in NYC who do beautiful work of this sort,  mostly by hand & at a much higher caliber than this particular flower,  but they could never demand the price.  Meanwhile the real French flower specialists do work like this:

Needless to say these were not priced like Chanel,  having no "label",  just impeccable quality.

I realize this may not be the best comparison,  Chanel does have a resale value!  There are many "status" companies who market very, very mass produced items as status/exclusive/luxury when the only thing status/exclusive/luxury about them is the price… 

It's unfortunate that in fashion, particularly,  marketing of the label  has become so very confused with the actual quality & exclusivity,  and at the same time it sort of nurtures insecurity…this came into scary clear focus with this article on fashion bloggers,  and the keeping up with the jones-es pressure...Ugh!  I am hopeful that we are starting to move away from this, with so many choices and so many talented, independent creators now easily able to reach their audience.  The dynamic is evolving! 

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