Hasta La Ideas

Bum. Wool Hunter Earflap by Norse Projects.

Last chance to get some of our exclusive product collaborations

Over the holidays we started experimenting with some of our favorite brands to create CH Editions of their products—variations in material and color that offer our unique twist. Today, with Gilt Groupe, we’re selling the last of these items—Rickshaw bags, 3sixteen ties and Outlier hats. The sale just started so hurry over to check it out: CH Editions on Gilt.

Handknit scarves, hats and more by a graphics artist-turned-knitter

Lili, designer and owner of Bayleaf Studio Knitwear, is so fond of making things—from graphics to food—that venturing into knitwear was a natural progression of her interests. Perhaps because she works so much with her hands, there’s an emphasis on the materials that go into products, especially their tactile properties and comfort factor. Choosing wool, felt and paper as ideal materials, Lili sources them from Upstate New York. The line uses 100% organic wool and cotton, including fine merinos and luxuriously soft Alpaca. As the designer puts it, “wool is magic”.

Another notable idea sprung from Lili’s innovative mind is the modification of the homepage of Etsy. Check it out above or go to her site where you can also pick up her hats, caplets, scarves and more, ranging from $35-110.

Cycle in the rain with style wearing our collaboratively designed cap

Two cyclists on a mission “to make stylish garments for a world where your bike is your favorite means of transportation,” Outlier began in 2009 with an impressive pair of tailored pants. With a seemingly Midas touch, every garment or accessory Outlier has produced since has been nothing short of ideal. The consideration and passion behind their performance threads has led Outlier to become a staple in any cyclist’s (or snappy dresser’s) closet.

For the 2010 holiday season we asked Outlier’s Tyler Clemens and Abe Burmeister to create a Cool Hunting cycling cap, an accessory technically designed for bike riding in inclement conditions. The resulting Swiss wool hat is completely wind-resistant, highly water-resistant and boats a brim that perfectly shields a rider’s brow.

The functionally stylish cap was crafted in three colors—gray, navy and black. Demonstrating Outlier’s “shopping by hand” philosophy, the durable thick wool feels as nice as it looks on, and combined with its minimalist aesthetic that hat is sure to be worn for years to come.

Designed exclusively for Cool Hunting, the Weatherproof Cycling Cap sells from our online shop for $90.

The debut collection from Danish designers Christina Højris Ottosen and Jens Kold-Christensen of Uncommon Creatures channels the style of Brooklyn’s conventional Hasidic Jew. Inspired by the typical big black hat, flowing locks and overall aesthetic, the collection includes enticing updated versions of the subculture’s quintessential garb.

The influence is obvious in the collection’s looks, while lending each garment a crisp avant-garde twist. “The AW10 collection sends the wearer on an anarchronanistic journey where essential elements of various Judaistic societies are used as a central theme,” explain the duo.

This vision comes through not only through the simple style, the recognizable hats and extended lengths of the garments, but in the use of knitwear depicting Orthodox Jews and East Orthodox cross motifs.

In keeping with other brands of a similar ilk, Uncommon Creatures uses a classic monochrome palette for its first collection. However, the fledgling brand has strong regional ties, promising to use only Jewish textiles and manufacturers for all its pieces and not outsourcing any part of the production process.

Ethical touches like this coupled with the pair’s advanced eye for aesthetic flourish make for a highly anticipated subsequent collection.