Hasta La Ideas

Designer Nicole Messina mashes up materials for jewelry with a playful edge

Designer Nicole Messina combines unconventional materials to create edgy accessories with a whimsical twist. Inspired by frequent childhood trips to hardware stores with her father, Messina became fascinated with reinventing industrial materials into fashion pieces for her line, Industrial Candy.

Messina’s collection “Hardcore Candy” features chains, screws and bolts, all of which she pairs with rubber neon elements. The more subdued, neutral-hued “Nature’s Candy” collection pairs materials like leather and suede with oxidized and distressed hardware. The concept for her most recent collection, “Adventure Candy,” derives from what she calls “materials you would find while on an outdoor adventure such as hiking rope, paracord, bungee cords and even fishing hooks and lures—the entire collection is screaming out for attention.”

Messina recently collaborated on a collection with eco-conscious designer and fellow Parsons graduate Laura Siegel. The line has an earthier feel than Messina’s individual work, comprising naturally dyed rope and string, as well as handcrafted and distressed copper bells made by artisans in India. Messina explains that Siegel’s “free form aesthetic and use of natural materials is something I understand and appreciate. It was also an aesthetic I don’t usually explore in my own collections so I thought it was a great opportunity to challenge myself as a jewelry designer.”

The collection offers artful braided bracelets, bangles and necklaces for which Messina explored various braiding and layering techniques to create “depth and interest.” All of Messina’s pieces, including the collaboration with Siegel, as well as any custom color requests, can be purchased through her website “Industrial Candy“.

Seamlessly trek the globe with all your essentials intact

Any seasoned traveler knows that a system for securely stashing credit cards, cash, tickets and a passport in one easy-to-access place greatly reduces stress while on the road. Unfortunately, this typically means wearing a bulky travel wallet around your neck or shoving all of the loose items into a large pocket in your bag, where they’re often free to fall out when you’re running for the plane.

A small company intent on tackling this problem is Bellroy, with a new travel wallet so slim, at first glance it seems unlikely to fit everything within its beautiful leather folds and slots. The superbly crafted wallet is fashioned out of vegetable tanned leather, which promises to age gracefully and beautifully reflect your time spent traipsing around the globe.

Features like four “quick access” card slots, a passport sleeve, internal slots for cards used less frequently, a back fold that fits boarding passes and currency notes of any size, and an ingeniously hidden micro pen make traveling a breeze. Everything folds without creasing and slips as easily into your back pocket as a regular wallet would.

We used the Bellroy Travel Wallet on a recent trip and became increasingly fond of its sleek design with each airport encounter. Thanks to the micro travel pen hidden in the center of the wallet, filling out customs forms on the plane is a snap. The days of rooting around in the bottom of your bag for an extra pen or five euro note are gone.

Bellroy offers its clever little creation on their website for $120, available in both Midnight and Cocoa hues.

Timeless leather accessories from an eco-conscious vegetarian

Brooklyn-based accessories designer Tracey Tanner aims for the highest level of craftsmanship by meticulously handcrafting all of her leather goods in her home studio. A vegetarian, Tanner studied fashion at Pratt’s School of Art & Design and ironically found herself often creating leather wristbands. Now selling in stores like Fred Segal and ABC Carpet & Home, from the start her mission has been to construct striking but durable accessories that will last for years to come.

In an attempt to cut down on her carbon footprint and contribute to the local art community, Tanner purchases most of her supplies from NYC-based vendors, and donates any leftover scraps. “At times I feel a little conflicted about creating more ‘stuff.’ I try to make a durable, timeless item that won’t be used and thrown away,” she explains. “The pieces that are too small for me to use, I give to a friend that uses them in her jewelry, thus creating less waste and helping another designer.”

Tanner’s collection now includes made-to-order handbags as well as eyeglass cases, coin purses and supple pouches in a variety of sizes, perfect for holding everything from makeup to school supplies. All pieces, made with premium Italian hides, are available in subdued natural leather colors, as well as bright motifs that are cut so that no two pouches have exactly the same pattern.

Recently featured at Rachel Shechtman’s Story shop in Manhattan, Tanner plans to continue expanding her line while remaining “handmade in New York City” throughout all her endeavors. The full line of Tracey Tanner accessories is available for purchase on her website.

THIS POT SHOWS THROUGH THE LAW OF COMMUNICATING VESSELS HOW MUCH WATER THE PLANT CONSUMES. THROUGH A COTTON WICK IN THE BOTTOM THE WATER IS SLOWLY SUC..

heute – the german word for today – is spontaneous, intuitive and emotional. today is always different, always individual and – today is s..