Living in this city can wear on one's sense of individuality. We're constantly embedded in a crowd, within which we often spot - inexplicably and to our dismay - other harried women sporting the same [insert hairstyle or item of clothing here]. Zara, H&M, Uniqlo, and other mass-market retail powerhouses pump out irresistibly cheap and trendy pieces that we, with our busy schedules and love of bargains, can binge-buy without a second thought. Our wardrobes are packed, but uninspired, and seldom do we stumble upon a designer or boutique that produces pieces that can shake us from our ennui long enough to appreciate their craftsmanship.
Enter Olympia Le-Tan. Not only does the London-born Parisian designer have a name reminiscent of a superhero's secret identity, but her claim to fame has been her equally clever conception of handbag creations inspired by everything from novels to food items to vinyl records. Whimsical and colorfully embroidered, these designs take us back to a time when comfort and pattern clashing were celebrated, and when we announced proudly to our mothers a proclamation they surely dreaded: "I am dressing MYSELF today!" The result was always some outrageous costume-sleepwear hybrid, but we were expressing ourselves, and were overjoyed to be marching into school thinking "this is my special creation." Our friends would agree that our neon pink tutu or polka dot nightgown was "so pretty!" and we would float through our lessons and play sessions without a hint of self-consciousness.
Natalie Portman with an original Olympia Le-tan clutch
Of course, we aren't going to sneeze at the contact cool we might catch off these trendy treasures. Le-Tan's designs are gaining a lot of attention amongst the Hollywood It-Girl cliques, but are still widely unknown amongst your average New York fashionista. Consult your inner 6-year old on this - you have our blessing - because girly geek chic has never been so covetable!
xoxo Effeigh
