Focus On: Petit Kouraj

August 15, 2020 | Design & Culture by Ed

After discovering Petit Kouraj some time ago on Instagram, those bags are still on my mind, so I thought it’s worth sharing! The label – the name translates as “little courage” in Haitian Creole – is the creative child of fashion stylist, Nasrin Jean-Baptiste. Born in London to Haitian immigrants, Jean-Baptiste amassed over a decade’s worth of experience as an international fashion stylist before creating her brand. An innate desire to create something meaningful lead Jean-Baptiste to develop a luxury bag line full of unique personality; both lively and chic – qualities quite uncommon within conventional brands. Following a trip to her native country of Haiti in 2018, she was immediately inspired to do something that frightened her – acting from her core, and with the help of a little courage, Petit Kouraj was born. Based in Brooklyn (and handmade in Haiti in partnership with D.O.T Haiti, women-lead organization which works closely with local artisans to provide opportunities, education and vocation training), each of Petit Kouraj’s bags are lovingly handmade using organic cotton net bags, 100% leather handles and rayon fringe. Each strand of fringe is individually sewn 656 times to create the large bags and 342 times for the mini. It’s a labor of love, and it takes 8-12 hours of manual labour to complete a single bag. Petit Kouraj signature accessories are fun, whimsical stand-alone pieces of wearable art that celebrates love for haute-knitwear and identity. Shop them here! And here are some of my favourites:

All photos courtesy of Petit Couraj.

Grown Up. Eckhaus Latta AW19

February 10, 2019February 10, 2019 | Design & Culture by Ed

Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta go all grown up for autumn-winter 2019: earthy colour palette, mature tailoring, constructed silhouettes. Eckhaus Latta affiliates with raw edginess, but this season it felt like the designers wanted something a bit more grounded. Their Brooklyn presentation had pieces that you will drool for next season. A teddy bear jacket; parachute dress in bottle-green; loosely fitted blazers. But still, there were hints of the label’s distinctive, arty background, like the tops and belts made out of wooden car beads. The UGG collaboration on the boots felt very, very Eckhaus Latta too.

Collage by Edward Kanarecki.

Brooklyn Heights. Dior Resort’15

May 8, 2014May 8, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Dior and Brooklyn sound strange in one sentence. The baby of Parisian LVMH and a district of New York? Believe that or not, but that’s totally true- Dior showed it’s Resort 2015 collection in Navy Yard Greenhouse, from which a beautiful view of Manhattan’s skyscrapers is seen. In my opinion, the collection (excluding the fact it was presented in Brooklyn) was one of the best that Raf Simons presented to date. The artistic director created a smart, lovely and energetic collection that is a mix of eternal Parisian chic and the new New York style. Simons took up the silk scarf—le carré, as they say in Paris—as the show’s leitmotif. It meant that these clothes were more fluid than the sculpted and molded silhouettes of some of his previous collections for Dior. And, of course, you had an impression you look at art- everything felt artsy and very free-spirited!

About the artist: Lucien Freud is known chiefly for his thickly impastoed portrait and figure paintings, he was widely considered the pre-eminent British artist of his time. His works are noted for their psychological penetration, and for their often discomforting examination of the relationship between artist and model.

Interview with Reed Anderson

April 16, 2014January 6, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

While seeking talented fashion designers and artists on the social platform, Instagram, I discovered Reed Anderson (@iamreed), who is creating unique artworks in Brooklyn, New York. His practice draws from a background of printmaking and cultural arts, creating an interesting mix of modern fantasies, making you imagine what you feel like. The heart of Reed’s current body of work uses large pieces of intricately cut paper as a stencil, which is folded and painted upon itself multiple times to create an image. Paper that has been cut out of these drawings are further embellished and collaged into the larger drawing, while smaller artworks arise from “detritus” printed elsewhere while working.
I hope you will enjoy this special interview with Reed that is only available here, on Design & Culture by Ed!

ED How would you describe your artistic techniques? They look really unique…

REED Thank you… I think primarily my work comes out of printmaking and painting… The cut paper works are hand-cut into large painted and printed stencils that become the tools that effect other work, but they also become works unto themselves. Pieces that have been cut out of the paper reappear as collage as things are patched and disorganized …reorganized. This time-consuming cutting of paper is countered by a more irreverent way of working with it once this process is complete …I like countering the super intricate with the fucked up messy things, it’s more true to life.

ED What is the “Papa Object” all about?

REED These paintings steal auction catalogue images and reproduces them as large photographic images that are printed on, painted, cut, collaged, altered and walked on to re-present the object as a kind of painting. PapaObject is specific to a group of these paintings I mailed to locations around the globe as a kind of research experiment before deciding to show them publicly. Places included a sweatshop in China, a research vessel in Antarctica and an office cubical at MOMA. (can we get Poland with you?) The project can be seen at http://www.papaobject.com. I am currently looking for someone to help publish this as a book.

ED I heard you have a solo exhibition at Pierogi Gallery in New York. How did you feel when you were offered this surely mind-blowing experience?

REED I always feel grateful to be showing my work anywhere …but yes, opportunities to show in New York are especially “mind-blowing” as you say, because of the scale of audience that you reach. This will be my fourth show at Pierogi, and I feel very lucky to have them representing me here in New York.

ED What is behind “The Way You Look is The Way I Feel” title that is the name of your Pierogi exhibition?

REED Titles are important to me, but less so about specifics and more about an energy they give …also important is how they feel in the mouth, when you say them. This particular exhibition title came from something someone said. I knew immediately I had to take it. The more I thought about it, talked to people… it became clear how many different ways we could see it. Was it a pick-up line at a bar or was it about people looking at art or each other? It’s really funny to me, but there’s always something serious when we’re laughing.

ED While working, do you plan before creating or you do it spontaneously?

REED If you want to take a trip, you’re just a tourist if you carry a map. The work embodies some of the processes of printmaking, a kind of plan, but later this map is always tossed out for the forward spontaneity of painting. I would get bored if I always knew where I was going…

ED Do you have any motto you would like to share with DACBE’s readers?

REED This Buddhist monk and I were talking about worry (…this sounds like I’m telling a joke) and he said to me, “don’t live in the ruins of your future” … I think about this any time I’m starting to get freaked out about stuff. It keeps me in the present and allows for an optimistic blind faith that is necessary to continue working.

Reed Anderson’s show at Pierogi Gallery runs through April 27th. The gallery is located at 177 N. 9th. Street, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City www.reedanderson.info

Bang-Bang. Alexander Wang AW14

February 15, 2014February 19, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

AW14 for Alexander Wang meant a big fuss. First of all, the runway happened not as usually at the Lincoln Centre, but in Brooklyn. And second of all, the guests and models of the show didn’t arrive to the show by a casual taxi cab but… With a boat taxi! That was surely cool. After the whole buzz, the show began. And that was possibly the best show to date created by Wang. That was like a huge BANG-BANG! First the models went down the runway in tailored masculine jackets and high, rubber boots. Later, neon colours thrilled threw the knitwear, sporty coats and hyper-cool bags. With illuminating light swirling on the runway, the top models (Karlie, Natasha, Joan, etc.) having bleached eyebrows wore radiant coloured leather lace tops and dresses. Everything looked out of this world… Fast, energetic, cool, fun. The real spirit of New York. I LOVE THAT.