Bazzar of the Bizarre Aftermath

The Bazaar of the Bizarre was pretty awesome for my last show of the year. My friends, Dylan of DylaniumKnits, Emily of WOUDENBERG, and Chu + Cindy of Morico were selling there with me!

It gave me a chance to showcase some of my newer pieces. For example, these are my upcycled leather necklaces (that I just dropped off to Hells Belles at Queen- Spadina!). They come in a number of shapes, sizes, and leathers. The focus of these pieces is minimalism, geometry, simplicity, and impact. Here are half-circle pieces and ALL printed ones are totally reversible for TWO looks in ONE necklace. Nifty.

I also visited City of Craft! I met a really cool artist, Stephanie G. who makes the coolest stamps. I commissioned her for a COVEN one and she was done in TWO DAYS. Ahhh-mazing! It looks really cool. Here's a picture of it in it's packaging!

Also, made a TON of new earrings out of my Italian leather. :) Still focused on geometry and minimalism.

A shot of my table at Bazaar of the Bizarre. I was exactly in FRONT of the entrance to the room. Luck has been on my side this year at shows because I've had the best spots in the shows I have done so far!

Brought my Mom's knitted lucky cactus as a table adornment. I like how she looks like she is waving at me. She's settled beside one of my bust form mannequins.

The Bazaar of the Bizarre also had a girl in festive gear on stilts walking around with a candy cane.

I got a cool bracelet from Dylan made from natural crochet leather!

And, finally on an unrelated note the coolest fucking shoes I have ever seen and will buy for a staggering $457. Oh god.

Bazaar of the Bizarre and some Cat Hatssss!

I am terrible at blogging consistently.

Well, anything that is not micro-blogging. You can find me on Twitter ranting under @Quaintrella or for strictly business @CovenSK. For the more visually stimulated I update my Instagram quite often. If you don't mind headshots of my new hairstyle follow me there. Always updating with my newest prototype pieces that I have made before doing the math to see if it's financially and supply feasible. 

I'm currently in a dreadful exam week...

So, great news! Many of those close to me know that I don't do many art of craft shows. I do conventions strictly for business because the amount of money I can pull in makes me weep at how hard I work at my part-time job. I've overcome my fear of publicly selling in the past couple of years and I am a completely different person at giant conventions. I love how fast-paced, energized, and frantic it can be. I also love seeing people in cosplay and superhero costumes. 

But art show and craft shows are at a slower pace. It's almost intimidating for me...but I am doing the Bazaar of the Bizarre on December 15th and my fellow jewelry and clothing designer friend, Emily Woudenberg, of WOUDENBERG will be there also! Details in the picture below! I hope you guys can come out and check it out! I will have TONNNNS of new jewelry for both guys and girls!

In other news. I'm going to be graduating in 1.5 years time. But, you know what living so far has taught me? THIS...

I won't be using my degree much. I'm going the entrepreneurial route. I'm not sure if I can take a 9-5 route working for someone else in an office or cubicle. That's what my degree would give me. 

That sad thought aside, I bought some cat hats. The story is that I went to the One of A Kind Show - Christmas Edition last week. It was AH-MAZING! So much variety I just got lost and the food section was so delectable! Unfortunately, I bought nothing but food stuff. You would think I would be throwing my money at all the local designers. Nope, I have gotten a LOT better at controlling my clothing urges. For jewelry I only buy it if it's simply cheaper to buy then make myself OR if I can't make it. It really curbs my spending habits a lot. 

However, I fell for those GORGEOUS cat hat by Lilliput Hats. It was like a Cat bandit hat with eyeholes and a piece of wool felt that was shaped like two triangles for ears. But, it came at a price tag of $150 which is beyond my personal budget for hats. I'm all for supporting local but one has to know where to draw the personal line. I'm currently saving for Trippen shoes from Germany so it would mean a dent in my goal. However, a little online search yielded cat hats! I bought the two following ones below. So cute. I can't wait to get them in the mail.

Published in Auxiliary and Other News!

I have been really busy the past few months. I just ended my internship with Jenny Bird and started full-time University today (which I did not attend because I am deathly sick). One of the highlights of the past month was that I was published in the August-September issue of Auxiliary Magazine alongside a number of my fashion designer friends and acquaintances. Notably: Nordem Hirst by my friend, Kallvis, Dylan of DylaniumKnits, WES MiSENER, and Handsome & Lace. We are all local Toronto designers and it feels great to be featured all together so cohesively. Special thanks to Stylist and Auxiliary Fashion Editor, Tasha Farrington for pulling me for this gorgeous editorial. You can view the entire digital edition of the issue HERE.

That aside, I have been really sick again. My time seems to be segmented by my lack of an immune system. I have a terrible summer cold. WHO gets a damn summer cold twice? Apparently, me. It makes me worried how winter will be panning out for me.

My COVEN Fall-Winter 2012 Collection will be up in approximately ONE AND A HALF TO TWO WEEKS. Mark you calendars, because it screams UNISEX pieces, death, and leather. I really love love this collection. It represents entirely where I am in my personal fashion right now. I won't lie. I have been buying so many leather pieces for myself the coming months to prepare for a dreary Fall-Winter time at University.

Wonder what you are in for? Take a peek at some of the Collection! And, most pieces also come in white.

PUBLISHED!

I have been so busy lately! I have had so little time to myself. I now also intern for Jenny Bird. But, once I have the time to make a more thorough post I will be so happy to talk about some great things happening. First, I got PUBLISHED! I was published alongside friends in the March Issue of Ellements Magazine. :) Special thanks, to Tasha Farrington and Shannon Hamilton for making it all work out.

Sneak Peek at COVEN by Sonia Kang Spring-Summer 2012 Collection

Forgoing some of my signature taxidermy accents I decided to challenge myself to use a lot of the supplies I had lying around that weren’t bird skulls. This was the result. I have a few more pieces but I’m waiting for the Edge Kote on the leather to dry properly before I add more embellishments. I posted this on Facebook and out of everything I had recently made this got the most attention. I can see why - it’s modern, edgy, and a little different. I have been really attracted to asymmetry lately because there’s something about unbalance and imperfection that just draws me in. This is a concept used by Japanese potters who believe imperfections are what makes their art human. This piece is a bit of a One-of-a-kind piece. But, I think I will replicate the asymmetry again but with a different look.

My supplier is currently still casting them and I hope to at least get the bird skulls by next week. I’m excited because this will be the first time seeing bone and black colored skulls in what I believe is a different type of resin. If the quality of the resin is what I like then I will soon start getting my larger skulls casted in small quantities for Bird Skull Clutch production which I am slating for the end of March to beginning of April. Testing has been good so far but I should really make a couple more clutches before I feel confident enough to sell. I have a waiting list of 5 people really really want the clutch. I have their color schemes, too. Hahaha. One customer, a man, wants colbalt blue leather. Awesome. 

In other news, I have started my business plan for COVEN by Sonia Kang. I’ve always been the type of person who is careful and tries to plan ahead. I’m impulsive but with business I always try to put a little more thought into my actions. On loose leaf paper, the business plan is at least 35 pages long and covers everything from going local within Canada and the US to establishing myself in a more international market. I have a German contact, a French-UK contact, a probable Japanese contact… I’m still looking at the economical news on the Euro situation before I make a move. I plan to at least establish a FW2012 Lookbook to make my advance as easy as possible. I’m lucky, to have made so many friends in the fashion industry because it has helped me see how I can do this more professionally to the standard within the industry. :)

Post-Valentine’s Day Post

Yesterday, was Valentine’s Day and it is always a kind of third Christmas for me.

I won’t elaborate beyond the fact that I am an individual who is well loved. :) I’m grateful that I will always have my support systems in place. Be it my significant other, family, or friends. I love you all. Thank you, for being there for me and supporting me. Valentine’s Day always reminds me of just that. Not the lovers, haters, or being single…just that there needs to be more love in this world. A very sentimental blog post for my new brand. Hahaha. I know.

In other news, yesterday I was on my way to meet the stylist, Tasha Farrington of Pretty Deadly Stylz who had borrowed my COVEN by Sonia Kang items for a Menswear photoshoot. Funny story, I also slipped on a giant dog turd on my way to meet her… I did not fall so that was good. But my poor shoes will need a good cleaning. :(

The positive thing was that the photoshoot turned out quite well according to Tasha. The team I heard was great and to be honest I was so relieved that she chose my items. She’s so awesome and she’s worked with a lot of my friends notably Kallvis Gents and Veruca Cyn (among others). They have all highly recommended her and having finally met her I can see why. I’m so new to this whole process and I’m glad that the first stylist I have ever worked with was so rad AND professional. I’m also grateful that this photoshoot was for Menswear and I hope that it will be an official magazine editorial. Time will tell. I can’t wait to see the results!

I have another photoshoot in a few months but I believe this will be for Womenswear. I’m also looking to prepare at least two Lookbooks in a few months for both Quaintrella’s Bridal Collection and COVEN by Sonia Kang’s FW2012. Normally, in the fashion industry I would be launching FW2012 now but I usually work with small stockists boutiques not department stores so the timelines are not as advanced.

Oh, before I forget! I would like to congratulate my designer friend, Veruca Cyn for getting published in February’s Issue of Ellements Magazine!!! Please, check out her post on it here: http://www.verucacyn.com/2012/02/published-in-ellements-magazine.html

Dysfunctional Progress

Veruca and Me - Picture: Iris of Blackiris Design

 I have been very sick for the past few weeks. It was a combination of medical issues and the flu which to be honest has been one of the LONGEST colds I have ever experienced in my life. I couldn’t walk for a few days because I felt so weak and I couldn’t go to classes or work. Even when I felt slightly better because constant nosebleeds kept me home. Imagine having 4 nosebleeds a day triggered by a mere sneeze. Not pretty.

However, the recent days have proven to be fruitful in playing creative catch-up. I had the opportunity to meet up with friends after being so sick. I actually have a funny story. Iris of Blackiris Design and Veruca Cyn were shopping on Queen Street this pass Saturday for supplies and new materials. We bumped into Veruca’s old friends and one of them is the manager of a store in Yorkdale Mall and she bought my mermaid half-circlet headpiece right off my head while shopping. This is something that has NEVER happened to me. Hahaha.

But, it looked amazing on her hijab and also opened my eyes to an under-appreciated market here in the West. One catering to Muslim girls who wear hijabs. Normally, they use plain pins or safety pins to fasten their hijabs to their heads but what if they had the option to use a more elaborate contraption that included clips and chains in the back? Crazy - right? But, there’s an idea that I might be working with that has a lot of potential because I have had Muslim girl friends who have complained before the lack of ornament to the pins they used - but it never occurred to me until a Muslim girl bought my headpiece right off my head that there was a potential.

Quaintrella Mermaid Half-Circlet Headpiece (SOLD)

I will definitely be making COVEN by Sonia Kang pieces of the half-circlet which will include more intricate and a slightly morbid aesthetic. Lately, I have been drawn to the potential shaping of leather for the half-circlets. We shall see - it is my first time working with leather. People have a tendency never to believe me when I say this. I’m very intuitive with what I do and I can generally make what I do look like I’ve been doing this for years. :)

My upcoming FW2012 Collection is very edgy. There will be a lot of leather, chains, detailing, and of course use of taxidermy castings.

Little Devil Outfit Shot and new COVEN by Sonia Kang First Updates!

It is quite rare I ever consistently do outfit shots and this does sadden me a bit. But, it is a New Year’s Resolution of mine to try to take more outfit shots! I had actually just dyed my hair my synthetic red. I actually bought out the stock of this red at Pacific Mall when Palty (Japanese hair dye company) announced they were discontinuing it. So, that is the last of my synthetic red shade until I get another Japanese brand or find more of this color. So sad.

This outfit was for the first day opening of Underworld Awakening. (Outfit: COVEN by Sonia Kang Braided Leather Hairband, XXI asymmetrical collar lace blazer, H&M tanktop, Danier leather studded belt, Le Chateau Short Velvet Pencil Skirt, H&M leg warmers, Aldo wedges, and COVEN by Sonia Kang bird skull clutch)

I love nothing more then seeing women in catsuits in movies. Kate Beckinsale in PVC is no exception. I loved the movie and am so happy Michael and Selene have a child together. I hate how so many stereotypical fantasy-horror movie genres make vampires dead soulless sterile beings. Life would be so much more beautiful if they could have children with each other (or so the sappy romantic in me would like to think). Then again, there are probably a few sick vampires out there who would abuse this biological advantage. But, let’s not get into the technicalities. :) I definitely think the plot has been getting better as every movie is made in the Underworld series. I really wish I watched it in 3D now.