Day-to-Night with Maven
Why change your clothes when you can simply change your accessories?
Here’s how to wear the same dress from day to night:
MORNING
MID-DAY
NIGHT
Show us how you transition from day to night #stylingwithmaven!
-Heather
Tag: style maven
Maven in Morocco – Our Latest Giveaway!!!
This season, we have SO many one-of-a-kind goodies from Morocco! Our flats, bags, wedding blankets, and rag rugs are just a few of these special items, all of which are handmade with love by the country’s artisans. New colors and styles just launched today on mavencollection.com!
In other news, we are so excited to announce that we have a featured giveaway on D E S I G N L O V E F E S T today!
We are giving away a $550 gift certificate to use toward our merchandise! (You may have seen one of our Moroccan Blankets on Bri’s Instagram feed last week, maybe you’ll want one of those!!). If you love Maven, you definitely won’t want to miss this! After you enter to win, don’t forget to share with your friends so they have a chance, too!
As always, don’t forget to show us how you style your Maven! #stylewithmaven
-Heather
Meet our Scarf Maven: Florence Bourgade
As we launched Maven Collection this season, our goal was to keep indigenous craft alive while bringing our customers unique pieces they won’t be able to find elsewhere. One of our first partnerships was with Florence Bourgade, a French graphic designer who left the world of paper behind to design gorgeous scarves that she could share with the world. Handmade in India, each of these gorgeous silk (and silk/cotton) scarves are one-of-a-kind, so you will be the only person to own that particular scarf! We are Florence’s first United States partnership, and could not be more excited to support such a fabulous designer!
We interviewed Florence to learn a little more about where she comes from as a designer, and to get a deeper look into her inspirations, passions, and design techniques.
Enjoy!
Maven Collection: Where do you get your inspiration?
Florence Bourgade: I gain inspiration while traveling abroad, in the Guimet Museum in Paris, and surfing the internet. Most of the patterns already exist somewhere in the world, I just try to give my own interpretation of them. Sometimes I just work on a very old idea I had years ago, sometimes I meet artisans and decide to create designs specifically for them. I always consider which techniques I will use before I begin my design – my approach is different if I decide to work with block print, weaving or print screen. Everything starts for me with artisan! It’s all about the people and what we can do together!
We see that you were a graphic designer. When did you realize you wanted to make the switch into the fashion world?
Yes, I worked as a graphic designer for years in ad agencies and as a freelance designer in Madrid, but the last few years [because of the Spanish crisis], the labor conditions became precarious in that sector. I was tired of working on the same projects! In the meantime, I was spending all of my free time working on textile patterns, looking for beautiful fabrics, or making clothes. I was obsessed with fabrics and patterns, I wanted to make something useful for me and for the others, but did not know what exactly…until a friend in India asked me and my husband, David Sanz Frias, why we haven’t opened our own business. I suppose this simple question made us think about launching our own business! As for me designing scarves, patterns, or graphics, they are not so different…It’s a very similar job.
How long have you been designing scarves?
We launched our brand a little more than one year ago.
What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?
Be curious of arts and people, and be self confident. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and for what you need to know to launch your idea. Go for your dream without fear and do not change what is most important to you.
-Heather
How to Rock our Statement Necklaces!
Have we mentioned we absolutely ADORE our brand new statement necklaces??
This season, we have four, ‘Awajun Enkupa‘, ‘Awajun Mini‘, ‘Awajun Woven‘, and ‘Nantu Waterfall,‘ and they are stunning!
WHAT THEY ARE
Our sustainable seed jewelry is lovingly handcrafted by the Amazon Rainforest Artisans, through the ORG by vio (Organic Rainforest Goods by Violeta & Indigenous Organizations, respectively) cooperative. Keeping keywords, “Boho Chic,” “Green,” and “Ethical” in mind, each piece of jewelry is 100% vegan and organic, featuring unique seeds, plant fibers, and materials that are sustainably harvested in the Amazon, where the artisans live.
Each piece was created to promote Amazon culture and protect the rainforest, while bringing quality eco-fashion overseas. ORG by vio partners with artisans who reach out to us to sell their traditional artistry, and develop designer collections made with rainforest materials as a source for a sustainable economy. The artisans are paid fair trade prices for their work, with at least 50% of profits contributed back into the community, paying for artisanal training, projects, and personal needs. Maven is so honored to be partnering with such an amazingly talented group of women and designers!
HOW TO WEAR
These necklaces are SO easy to style! Here are a few tips to keep you lookin’ good:
- Each necklace should be treated as a key accessory – a top layer that should never be covered!
- Don’t hide the uniqueness – wear with a solid or very, very lightly patterned top or dress.
- Avoid wearing too many bangles or too big of earrings – keep any other jewelry very simple.
- Instantly dress up a casual work or party outfit with one of these necklaces!
- Don’t be afraid to experiment! Shorts? Blazer? Khakis? Go for it.
Show us how you Style with Maven using #stylewithmaven to be featured on our blog!
-Heather
