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designer: Leanne Marshall of Leanimal
design aesthetic: Leanne's designs are smart and polished with rich, detailed touches of the unexpected. But ultimately feminine and flattering above all.
standout pieces: From the Summer '07 collection, Leanimal's soft hemp/organic cotton twill pieces feel great and look amazing on. For Fall '07, her cotton bubble collared and cuffed coat has been selling really well.
inspired by: Dance, particularly ballet, was Leanne's first fashion inspiration. She loves the role that movement plays in a garment and creates her designs whilie thinking of what they will look like when walking, running or pirouetting.
backstory: Leanne first wanted to be a fashion designer when she was 12 after designing her own dance costumes. Then she won a scholarship (Dockers/Levi's Fashion Designer of Tomorrow) to attend FIDM in San Francisco which helped her get an official start in fashion design.
view her designs at: leanimal.com
buy her designs at: Currently selling in two stores in Portland and one in NYC, with plans in the next two months to add another store in San Francisco, Seattle and NYC, plus an online shop added to her website.
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designer: Sisters Sharon Elkayam & Estee Elkayam of Secrets of Charm
design aesthetic: Secrets of Charm is fundamentally about the feminine, breezy dresses and tops in customized prints and color palette. The designs are based on vintage clothing that they've found in flea markets and thrift stores with a unique modern twist.
standout pieces: Gillian dress in black cotton sateen, complete with fussy Victorian detailing and an asymmetrical ruffle; the elegantly simple Emily dress in burgundy duchess satin; and the best selling Laurel sweater dress.
inspired by: Iconic females of old films, literature and music. For instance, Spring '07 was based on Sara, the heroine in the Ingmar Bergman film Wild Strawberries. Her spunkiness, youthful innocence and Swedish countryside clothing informed the collection.
all in the family: Sharon and Estee's grandmother, Helen Pegalis, was the embodiment of Secrets of Charm. Their logo is a drawing she did in the 30's. She had fine ladylike manners, fantastic style, and a sharp whit.
celebrity fans: Secrets of Charm has been worn by Michelle Williams, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Bynes, Ashlee Simpson and more.
find their designs at: secretsofcharm.com
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