Hasta La Ideas

Colorful scrunchies reinvented in Maharam fabric by a crafty Ohio mom

Last but not least in our series of limited-edition collaborations, the Maharam and Cool Hunting hair scrunchie (or Ma-hair-am Scrunchie, as we like to call it) is the upshot of a typical late night at the office when we were sourcing the items for our pop up shop with the Gap. When CH editor Ami Kealoha whipped out a scrunchie to keep her hair back, it sparked a nostalgic conversation about the beloved hair tie that ruled the ’90s.

“Wouldn’t it be great to make scrunchies out of
Maharam fabric?” was all it took for us to reach out to the NYC textile legend. Once they were on board, we tapped the woman who made over 100 scrunchies to hold up my side ponytail for all of fifth grade (aka my mother Debbie), who whipped up a batch of the fabric-covered hair-ties for us.

A fourth generation family-run business, as the major fabric supplier for much of NYC’s fashion and furniture industries, Maharam is a perfect example of one of NYC’s enduring brands and a great fit for the project.

Despite the infamous scrunchie episode of “Sex & The City,” we’re here to tell you that girls in NYC do wear them. A well-made throwback and the perfect stocking stuffer to add a little splash of colorful fun, the Maharam and Cool Hunting scrunchies sell online and in our pop up with the Gap for $6 each.

Sruli Recht and Ghostly collaborate on a multi-use cable organizer

Reykjavik-based leather designer and CH mainstay Sruli Recht has had a great 2010 and is set to have an even more exciting 2011. Preparing to launch his first menswear collection at Paris Fashion week next January has been his recent focus, but he also somehow found time to repurpose waste materials left over from a collaboration with record label Ghostly earlier this year.

Taking remnants of the ethically-sourced Icelandic horse leather used in their notebook project, Recht cleverly created simple ties that function as either a multi-purpose keychain or cable organizer.

The package of three ties comes in Ghostly battle green and each is heat-branded on the underside. They ship in a limited-edition fold-out box (perfect for gift giving) and sell exclusively through the Ghostly Web Store for $25.

A new line of handcrafted hats for high-spirited gals

On a mission to find her own Isabella Blow, milliner Satya Twena’s playfully inventive collection of well-crafted hats should attract a suitably mischievous muse soon enough. While the self-proclaimed “design scientist/architect” modestly doesn’t compare herself to Philip Treacy beyond a shared desire to take risks, it’s impossible not to think of the iconic British designer when it comes to the flirty shapes and exaggerated flips of Twena’s toppers.

Her looks, for “confident, risk-taking women,” skillfully blend vintage inspiration with modern style for an accessory that will endure for seasons to come. Where the eye-popping aesthetic might fail in less talented hands, Twena’s flawless execution makes it hard to believe that this is her first collection.

The Parsons grad spent the past two years honing her technical design skills, taking an expansive approach that included everything from learning letterpress printing to sewing. It’s an enthusiasm that comes from a bohemian upbringing—a family of painters, musicians, sculptors, designers and actors—that meant she “grew up thinking that everything and anything can inspire art.”

Twena’s curiosity funnels directly into her design process, as she explains, “Each skill provided me with a distinctively different way of using and thinking of materials. For example, I don’t look at a felt hood and think to just mold it on a block like a traditional milliner. I think about what would physically happen to the felt if I burned or scored it and then tried to block it.”

While her online shop just launched today, she’s already thinking about the future, “looking to collaborate with interesting people on designing avant-garde headwear.”

New pieces are added to the collection every week and sell on a first come, first serve basis online, spanning $110 to $1,200.

For commuters, jetsetters, sightseers and more, 12 accessories to make traveling easier

For those who spend more time on the road than at home, we’ve culled some favorite items from our Gift Guide to make their travel experience more comfortable and entertaining. While all of these products sell online, you can check several out in person at our holiday pop up shop in NYC (noted with an asterisk below).

Nikon CoolPix P7000

Capture every moment with this camera that’s perfect for the photographer who wants control and quality in a more portable package. The latest CoolPix features a 7.1x Optical Zoom, a three-inch LCD display and a five-way VR image stabilization system. ($434)

Tamasyn Gambell Notebook

Jot down travel memories with London-based, eco-minded illustrator Tamasyn Gambell’s recycled notebook. Printed with water-based pigment, the geometrically patterned notebook is bound with reject (though perfectly good) sheets of paper from local Holborn printers, making each one unique. (£10)

Rapha Tailored Jacket

Rapha collaborated with esteemed British tailor Timothy Everest to make a cycling jacket perfect for on the road and at the office. Made of 100% wool that repels water and dirt, it features a zippered key pocket, button holes to secure the bottom hem of the jacket up and out of the way, a storm collar and more to keep you looking pristine even on long hauls. (£400)

Bowery Lane Bicycles*

Designed specifically for the urban cyclist, Bowery Lane Bicycle’s elegant Dutch-inspired Broncks bike is made in New York City, with 30% of their factory’s energy source coming from renewable solar energy. ($595)

Tom Scott Hairy Slippers in Red*

Tom Scott’s Hairy Slippers are made of soft 100% wool and give your feet a comfortably silly place to dwell when at home or on the road. ($207)

Organic Linden Sachets*

Drawing on her South American heritage, Karen Young creates textiles, scents and paper goods combining British architecture, history, and Caribbean/multicultural influences. These environmentally-responsible sachets keep clothes smelling super fresh with their attractive organic scents. ($20)

Sol Moscot Sunglasses

A global lifestyle brand driven by nearly 100 years of eyewear expertise, Sol Moscot’s “rounder, nerdier” number has served as the calling card for generations of thoughtful, free-spirited intellectual and artistes—from Buddy Holly and Truman Capote to Johnny Depp. ($225)

Matt Singer Canvas Brief*

This briefcase introduces the sleek design of former Jack Spade designer Matt Singer to the quality construction and materials of the Martin brand. Waxed cotton handles are a Martin family secret passed on for seven generations from father to son. Involved since 1838 in the dyeing and finishing of textiles in the U.S., the Martin family treats the cotton so that the fabric breathes while the waxes impart a unique, comfortable patina. ($215)

iWatchz Q Collection

Both convenient and stylish, the iWatchz band will disguise your iPod Nano as a wrist watch. Simply slide it into whatever color band you like (eight total) and it will snap into place, leaving your hands free for other activities. ($25)

Celebrity Chekhov*

New Yorker editor and McSweeney’s contributor, Ben Greenman cleverly reinvented and intertwined the stories of Anton Chekhov with the lives of present-day celebrities and pop icons in his new book. Celebrity Chekhov is filled with endless entertainment and brilliantly rewritten stories, perfect for a long flight. ($10)

Brelli Medium*

Made of renewable bamboo, organic cotton and patented biodegradable bio-film, Brelli is the world’s first 100% biodegradable umbrella. Stylish, lightweight, eco-friendly and easy to tote, it features a clear canopy and two settings for high or low wind and rain protection. ($54)

Jonathan Adler Playing Card Set

Like gambling at the Golden Nugget, the retro lacquered box holds two sets of playing cards adorned with a lucky clover motif. ($68)

Limited edition over-the-knee socks from a Texan designer

A collection of avant-garde knee socks reaches us from the wilds of suburban Dallas, Texas. Designer Amy Anderson likens each pair as “wearable art” and produces each design in limited quantities. Crafted from 78% cotton blended with polyamide and elastane at an ethically-certified textile mill in central Turkey, once a design sells out, it’s gone forever—but makes way for a new one to take its place.

“I produce a small amount of each design,” founder and designer Amy Anderson explains.

Shops across the United States carry the line and you can find one near you by searching on the Sweet Marcel site.

Recently Anderson collaborated with Project Runway contestant Shirin Askari. The two friends share studio space and so far Askari came up with the Wisteria/Xena pairs (sold together for $37.50) for Sweet Marcel.