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

Happy Summer

I hope your 4th of July was wonderful, relaxing and and thought provoking.... to me it is the big kick off to summer.  The weather is nicer, the BBQ tastes better,  and you get a bit more time to spend with friends and loved ones this time of year....thought provoking because of all the things it means on so many levels, which can get lost in all the hoopla.   So, I am going to post a bit thematically here, since I recently got to work on several fun projects in that most wonderful color scheme...

“Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.” Albert Einstein

“As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.” 

George Washington

“I have always been among those who believed that the greatest freedom of speech was the greatest safety, because if a man is a fool, the best thing to do is to encourage him to advertise the fact by speaking” Woodrow Wilson

“So, Two cheers for Democracy: one because it admits variety and two because it permits criticism” EM Forster

Happy Summer

Yes, it is Leather

 This just in - a drop dead gorgeous client in her custom-made leather dress! 

(I love this photo! Thank you B. for sending it to me.)

Here is some detail:

...and it is really bronze, a beautiful pearlescent lambskin.

More Stretch Leather

Yes, it is Leather

Rolex Jacket Icon- Mystery Solved?

I was so happily surprised to open up a copy of Elle magazine and find
a new picture of my leather Aviatrix jacket that was commissioned by Rolex for a campaign themed around the Rolex watches worn by historical icons.

Jacket By Carla Dawn Behrle/ BehrleNYC, for Rolex

Then, moments later I got an email from the stylist in Rome telling me it is also featured on the back cover of V magazine!  Double surprise.  I am very glad this campaign has been so successful,  especially since both the stylist and I thought this particular shoot was not going to see the light of day.

The model is incredible, (I personally love this variation…) the photo is incredible and of course the Icon is a pure American Legend.  I think the photo brilliantly captures so much of the spirit of the legend. The adventure, the strength, the dreams and the goals.

The timing is wild too since the mystery of Amelia Earhart’s disappearance seems closer to being solved than ever…

For information on purchasing a  Made-to-Order or Custom Made variation of this jacket Please contact me directly via this link.

I am  unable to respond directly to comments left anonymously.  If you do want to comment
( I love comments!)  and and would like a direct response rather than just a comment on this blog.
You do need to provide an e-mail in the email field.   It will not appear here at all, it remains completely private. Promise.

Rolex Jacket Icon- Mystery Solved?

Leather Blooms for the Holidays...

I hope these put you in a festive mood!  Between the usual crunch of the season I managed to dig out some beautiful skins that I've been collected over the years.  These are skins that I do not have enough to make any type of garment or regular item with,  and the leather is just too special to not do something with.

We put together some pieces... all inspired by an accessory we did years ago for Patricia Field.  Here is a start.

And we are trying something new here.  Buy Now from the blog...

Flowers ship to US,  for other destinations please contact us.

Exotic Orchid Fascinator 
Only 6 available as shown.  Hand made in NYC. Petals and blades are individually wired.
 Blossom can be contoured to highlight your features.

$165.00

Rose Band
( Forget about Alice!)

This band can be made to order in any combo of 2 of roses above.
(Each piece is individually Hand made in NYC)
from left: Cherry, Jewel Purple, Black Suede, Silver Shimmer
These colors are limited editions,  and once gone- they can't be repeated...
$145.00

color

black suede/ cherry black suede/ jewel purple black suede/ silver shimmer

Solid color- please specify

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Leather Blooms for the Holidays...

Size Lies & Why it's called Custom Made

I do custom made, via mail order,  all the time.   I get requests for this service from all over the world.  It is not a simple process and requires work on the clients part as well.  It entails a pretty detailed list of measurements needed from the client (supplied with an equally detailed set of instructions). 

It can be filled out by the client, with help of a friend or tailor, and I make myself available to help via e-mail or phone.  I make mostly pants this way.  I have done much more complicated pieces like Catsuits and Jackets via the mail,  but I want at very least one in-person fitting on these types of projects! 

When clients see the chart,  many US clients,  in their initial panic upon seeing it  (Pl-eeze, it is 2 pages including instructions!) is:  "But my my jeans size is______"

The answer to that one is HERE.  Courtesy of  Esquire's Excellent Style Blog. 

It should be required reading.   It is true for both Men's & Women's jeans.

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Size Lies & Why it's called Custom Made

Lucy Punch in Behrle NYC Leather

Still from "Dinner with Schmucks" courtesy M.Vogt

This is the Trinity Dress, featured on Lucy Punch in "Dinner with Schmucks",  in beautiful soft French patent leather.  It is reversible (V front or V back) and can be custom made in various leathers and colors.

It is available individually made-to-order as shown in standard sizes. 

Contact us Here with any questions or for an appointment.

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Lucy Punch in Behrle NYC Leather

Designer Abayas!

Interesting Article from Bloomberg on Harrods and Designer abayas,  even my other favorite leather designer Jean-Claude Jitrois is in on it! (Alaia & JCJ as far as their leather work, are about it...)
This is  a fabulous idea and honestly from what I can tell of the designs of these 2 sisters,  not far off from very luxurious, voluminous evening gowns,  1980's style.  They certainly don't look like what we here in the West associate with this encompassing garment,  and they are certainly a far, far cry from  burquas, which represents suppression to many people. 

I wonder what the rules are on prints, bright colors and head coverings?  The Das resort 2010 collection is very colorful and looks nothing at all like you would expect.  Very fashionable and elegant. Do they offer matching niqāb?   I would love to see the whole thing put together.

Abayas from DAS

I met a student once who was writing a thesis on full coverage Islamic dressing,  specifically burqas.  He was American of Middle Eastern decent and he dressed in a burqa,  in both the UA as well as in the USA - Middle America too, as I recall)  as part of his research.  He said he felt the whole experience was very disturbing & demeaning.  I don't know how much of this was because he was a man dressing in women's clothing in places it's strictly verboten,  the possibility of getting caught had to be quite scary.

...& uncomfortable,  since for the masses,  burqas are made of polyester - how there are not women expiring from heat stroke everyday is beyond me,  that's gotta be like wearing a full body plastic bag!

I wonder if burqas will ever become part of the "designer market" as well?

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Designer Abayas!

White Hot Leather

White leather has always been a very popular request,  especially for editorial purposes- however, no white leather ever goes out of here unless it is purchased... I never stocked it in my shop for the same reason,  it simply does not get taken care of properly by people unless they have some skin in the game!

Recently I've had more & more customers asking about it & ordering it.  One white project I am working right now on is for an HBO Special right now - when it is closer to air time I will update.  When I work in white the whole studio is given over to it and I dress in white!  (No kidding,  my husband did not recognize me the other day when we met downtown for dinner since I was not in my usual head to toe black!)

I've done white leather stagewear:

here's a white leather wedding dress:

White leather baby bibs (they wipe clean in most cases)

White leather jackets:

& God know what else...

Good white leather when it is tanned must be finished in a dust free environment, it is harder and harder to find white leather that is finished properly - many times you will see,  on smooth white leather, little tiny spots in the finish because of dust...it's not in the lot I just got!  It's been ages since I have not had to painstakingly check every skin for these.  Makes me happy.

On the subject of white leather,  I just got photos from a client, (one of my few ladies) of an outfit I made her last year.  She's got star style and confidence and effortlessly carries off  looks much stronger than most people here in NYC would ever attempt! (...my pet peeve about NYC- sometimes it feels like everybody wants to fit in - often to the point of blandness... it gets boring.)   Randa's use of accessories is flawless to boot!  I think these photos only give a hint of that.  This is one amazingly turned out woman,  & on an everyday basis!

 "You certainly have my permission to use the photo on whatever you need it for.  Thank you sooooo much!"

I love to see the finished work the way it is worn by the people it's designed for!

Thank you so much to Randa S.  for the photos & permission to post.

Here is the front view:

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White Hot Leather

Summer Special on Custom Made Leather Pants

Custom-made leather pant orders placed for Fall 2010 & confirmed with a deposit between now and Monday,  July 12th, (or until we are booked solid, whichever comes first!) will be discounted 20% from the regular custom-made price.  This applies to any regular custom-made men's pants, in a selection of our very best selling black and brown cowhides.

  Limited Specialty treatments will also be offered during this special,  prices vary accordingly.

(Details on the Summer Special Here)

 

 

& Ladies, womens custom-made Italian Lambskin pants (in our classic clean cuts only) will also be 20% off any orders confirmed with a deposit by July 12th.  A range of colors is available in our Italian Lambskin.

So, avoid the Fall crunch and plan ahead. 

Please call for an appointment or email us for more information.

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Summer Special on Custom Made Leather Pants