Shoes!

I rarely ever buy new shoes but... I really want these in black! I came across these online and they only have red and taupe.

Does anyone know if there are any stores in Montreal that sell something similar in black? Or worst case scenario, an online shop that ships to Canada?

I've seen a lot of shops online that have shoes with this ruffle detail, but the heels on the other shoes are SOOOO HIGH. The thing I like about this particular model is that the heel is totally wearable.

These shoes are from www.shopplasticland.com.

lap cat

Ooooooh I totally can't get any work done with cats around! I was on the computer answering some emails and Little Girl jumped right on my lap. She looks like she's smiling in this picture...

Ok....back to work...for REAL this time!

The dilemma of sourcing second-hand fabric...

One of the most time-consuming things about using only recycled materials for my clothing line is sourcing the fabrics. It's not as easy as going to a fabric store, picking out a few bolts, and starting production. I usually go to at least two thrift stores a week to see what's available, and I only buy the nice fabric. There is just wayy too much gross 70's polyester out there, ick! Sometimes I leave empty-handed, and sometimes I find an amazing stash of fabrics!

Saturday, I went to the Salvation Army on Notre Dame and low and behold, there were rolls and rolls of fabric! A fabric store must have gone out of business and needed to get rid of them. I was ecstatic because I found some really great, nice quality fabrics- all in one shot.

I have some ideas brewing for what I want to make with these...I guess you'll see in the next couple of weeks!

Montrealers- If you're looking for some nice fabric, there are still tons of rolls there. I bought mostly woven cottons, but they have tons of beautiful jersey there.

Brrrrrr

It's getting really cold outside and the leaves are slowly falling off the trees. I think I actually cried last year when winter was starting. Just so you know, I've never cried about weather in my life. Although we have winters in NY, they are nothing compared to Montreal. Think -20 C and so much snow that you don't see the sidewalk for 5 months.

On the bright side, I guess it really makes you appreciate spring and summer so much more. I love that feeling in the city when the snow melts and spring is finally starting. Everyone is just so happy and the vibe is indescribable. A lot of people love fall, but it just makes me sad because it means that winter is right around the corner. :-(

For now, I'll enjoy the changing colors, spend some quality time indoors, and snuggle up to my kitties. I can't promise I won't cry again...

Purple carrots and green tomatoes...

I love the great variety of fruits and vegetables offered here in Quebec! Apparently there are over 60 varieties of carrots native to North America, but we normally only find the orange kind at the grocery store. I guess it's not as profitable for farmers to grow these kinds of things because people probably find them "weird", or think they're genetically modified. Ironically, a lot of the food we think is "normal" is probably genetically modified.

Finally...new things on Etsy!

I haven't been able to list new things on Etsy in a while, but I just did it! Whew! New tops and lots of cute vintage items.

There are lots of things happening in my life right now. They include:

1. My friends Jen & James, Freddy (my bf), and I are buying a house together! We've been looking for about a year and we finally found it! It's a nice duplex in Verdun, directly across the street from a park and a metro. Our offer was accepted and we've been shopping around for the best mortgage all week, plus gathering all the documents needed. Soooo time consuming! Our move in date is in January....eep!!!

2. Our cat Otto got super sick with pneumonia when I was in Paris, and Freddy had to take him to the vet. Poor Otto had to stay there overnight for a few days, but he's almost 100% better now. He still has a teeny cough sometimes, but overall he is back to his regular playful self again. Now we're just monitoring him and giving him his pills (which is not a fun task, btw). He's really sweet and doesn't try to claw or bite when we give him the pills though, but he definitely tries to fight us. I'm glad he's doing ok.

3. I'm moving into a for-real studio space with Angie, Marc, and Michelle in December! I'm sooo excited to take Supayana to the next level! By next level, I mean actually wearing pants. Yes, no more working in my pajamas....no more working from home! The space is awesome...it's a 2000 square feet industrial space with bigggg windows. Another nice thing is that it's in a building with lots of other artists/designers/screenprinters, etc, so it will be cool to see what kinds of collabs will come out of it. We're gonna build a showroom in the space, too. Exciting!

Here are two new things that I just listed. Same style as before, but these are in different colors/patterns.

Voir

I got a nice little write up about my fall collection in this week's Voir newspaper (the city paper). Woo hoo!

It's in French so here's a rough translation in English for you guys.

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We caught Yana Gorbulsky, the designer of Supayana, just before her flight to Paris and asked her to speak with us about her new collection. Her inspiration for Fall 2009? The old French style. "The bow top (pictured above) was created after watching the movie La Vie en Rose. Berets and small gloves....I love that style!". It's therefore not shocking that the designer is presenting us with a style that's frankly vintage. Originally from Moscow and having started her label in New York, Yana finds herself at home in Montreal. The globe-trotter (haha yeah right) assures us....she is here to stay! Discover Supayana at the following boutiques: General 54, Headquarters Galerie and Boutique, La Gaillarde, Perfide, and on ecocentrikapparel.com.

London

Back in Paris now and I'm going home tomorrow! This was a wonderful trip but I am soooo ready to be home.

Eley Kishimoto

I really really love this collection! Go to style.com to see more...

Paris

I love this city! The Ethical Fashion Show finished on Sunday, so yesterday was my first day not working. We walked around sooo much...and I even went on a carousel. Here are some pics!