POP.SEE.CUL

MEET POP.SEE.CUL DESIGNERS PIA HAKKO AND PELIN YASAR. THEIR PERSONAL, SARCASTIC, AND WITTY APPROACH TO design is just what we love. The Unlimited sat down with the two inspiring women to see what they are up to.

Tell us how pop.see.cul started and when and where?  

Pop.see.cul started in London three years ago while we were at college. We decided to start an art and design blog and use it as a visual diary for our work and inspirations. The brand itself authentically emerged two years ago when we decided to do a t-shirt collection that reflected the blog's mood and character. 

Who writes the brilliant copy for your line ?  Our moods seem to have a secret way of working simultaneously (which is great for bitter comments on days we feel blue, which then gets placed on shirts) and synchronicity keeps us on the same page.

What inspires you to create? Everything from little conversations we hear from strangers to philosophical quotes. Movies, music, TV shows, books, magazines. 

Where would you like to be in 5 years?  First and foremost, mentally happy and still as passionate as we are now—if not more— about our work. It would also be ideal if we were physically in between London, New York and Istanbul, with pop.see.cul shops in each city. As an ongoing way of expanding the company, we constantly add new products each season and aim for the brand to get bigger and bigger. 

If you had a pick a city that fits your brands the most which would it be and why ? London! Because it is Pop.see.cul’s birthplace and just like the brand, it’s exciting, sarcastic, clever and ageless. 

I love your FOREVER IS A PLACE line, something about the text you use makes my feels its very personal who do you design for?  Oh, anyone and everyone! Ex-boyfriends, current boyfriends, enemies (not that we have any!), friends that just get you, parents, strangers… For every collection we aim to create a story and a personality to go along with it. For our latest "Forever is a Place" collection, we got inspired by the emotional connection between cities and people. How cities affect us, how they make us feel at home.

Tell us a secret ? We’re both pretty good with harmless lies.

Whats on your playlist this spring ?

Singtank - Suspicious Minds

The Dead Weather - I Cut Like A Buffalo 

Soko - We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow 

Kraftwerk - The Model 

(You can check all our favorite music on our blog under “Music for the Week”)

http://popseecul.com

Philantrophies: Jewelry Designer Dana Bronfman

John Lennon once said, “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans,” a statement to which Dana Bronfman can totally relate. The young jewelry designer/social entrepreneur and NYC freshman has already launched her first jewelry line in the fall, and we got to sit down with her and hear how it all happened.

THE UNLIMITED - What made you move to New York?

Dana Bronfman - I originally came out here to take some classes, which turned into applying for an internship with a designer to gain more experience. I then decided to stay even longer for a Jewelry design program at Pratt. I think I was subconsciously ready for a change. Since moving here I felt like my world opened up. I was having such a great time and didn’t want to leave,  so I kept postponing my departure, saying, ‘I’ll just stay a little longer, just a little longer.’ I then just realized this is where I want to be and this is where I should stay. I’m in love with New York, and I’m ready for it. 

TU- Tell us about being a social entrepreneur in the jewelry industry.

DB- I worked in the non-profit sector for two years and then transitioned into jewelry, so I wanted to do something creative but also keep a philanthropic aspect. My business follows both a philanthropic and sustainable model; I donate a portion of the proceeds of my sales to different charity organizations that support green jewelry practices, natural resource conservation, and educational and art scholarships for at-risk youth. 

All the metals that I work with are recycled. The caster that I use does certified recycled metals, I rarely use stones, but when I do, I only use natural stones.

I MAKE PIECES THAT I FEEL ARE BOTH UNEXPECTED AND TIMELESS.

TU- Who do you design for?

DB- I design what I like, so I suppose I design for people like myself; bold, aren’t afraid to be a bit different, and look beyond just owning “cool” stuff. My clients want to know where their products came and that they’re high quality and going to stay with them for a long time. I don’t create only in order to make money. I make pieces that I feel are both unexpected and timeless. Everything is handmade in New York. 

TU- Is New York your inspiration?

DB - I find it incredibly inspiring. In fact, it was at the essence of the mood board for this collection. These earrings (pictured, right) for example, were inspired by panels, rivets and bolts of the Williamsburg Bridge, and gave them a grainy and matte finishes to create an industrial quality. New York has this opulent, glamorous beauty, and I try capture the contrast of that in my collection. 

Selected pieces are available for purchase at DanaBronfman.com 

Designer Profile: Linie

The Linie F/W '14 Collection from the Swedish born, New York based designer Maria Hedmark was inspired by abstract painter Friedel Dzubas work. 

click for website

CREDITS:

Model: Josie Craven

Photography & Styling: Victoria Brandt

Clothes: Linie F/W '14

Nisos 1948 - Menswear

“IT WAS A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR ME TO SUCCESSFULLY COMBINE THE NATURAL DYEING OF YARNS WITHOUT CHEMICALS, TOGETHER WITH GREEK TRADITION AS SEEN THROUGH MY OWN EYES, AND PERFECTION IN THE QUALITY OF OUR GARMENTS…” -Smaragda Navridis, designer of Nisos 1948

 Smaragda Navridis and Gregory Hatsatourian, the wife and husband duo behind the menswear label Nisos 1948, uses a unique dyeing process inspired by the premier luxury dye of the ancient world, “Porphyra” or Tyrian purple—a reddish purple natural dye extracted from a particular species of sea snail.  

Their special mix of natural ingredients carefully collected from all over the world. A combination of fruits, woods, rocks, and vegetables produce each color and maintain the original characteristics of the natural fibers. One of the beneficial aspects to this method is the protection of the environment, using no chemicals and all natural elements there is no chemical waste.

According to Aristoteles, the preparation of the dye for clothes began in spring. It was extremely time-consuming and the final product was worth its weight in gold, since thousands of snails were required to produce just one gram of dye. Only royalty and very wealthy people could afford to dye their clothes in this manner. One of the most striking characteristics of “Porphyra” was that it did not fade but actually became brighter and more intense with weathering and sunlight. The Greek islands, amongst which Rhodes, Kos, Amorgos, Chios and Crete, were renowned for its production. The other dyes with herbs and fruits were also intended exclusively for the wealthy, as colored garments were a luxury in antiquity. Common people’s clothes were undyed. Natural dyes, with raw materials deriving from nature, were used for thousands of years, until the late 19th century when chemical dyes came into common use. Chemical dyes were quite a revolution as they were used for everybody’s clothing.

Interactive Photography : Victoria Brandt 

Model : Carlos @ One.1 Men 

http://www.nisos1948.com