YOLOTLI
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • The Brand
    • THE TEAM
  • SHOP
  • FIND US
  • CONTACT
  • JOURNAL
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • The Brand
    • THE TEAM
  • SHOP
  • FIND US
  • CONTACT
  • JOURNAL
Search

A BIG THANK YOU FROM THE RENEGADE HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR IN SAN FRANCISCO

11/20/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture

You were all so amazing!! We really appreciate you coming all the way to Fort Mason despite the rainy weather this past weekend and want to thank you all for stopping by our booth at this year's Renegade Holiday Fair. 

We had a blast meeting you all and  sharing the stories behind every single handmade piece from our small batch accessory and clothing lines.

We wish you all a peaceful Holiday Season and hope to see you again next time.

  

0 Comments

Renegade Craft Fair   San Francisco   November 19 + 20

10/31/2016

0 Comments

 
YOLOTLI will be part of the Holiday Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco this year!

We're super excited and hope to see you at our booth at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion
on November 19 + 20. 2016
​
Picture
0 Comments

SECOND ROUND @ CARLA FERNANDEZ IN MEXICO CITY

5/10/2016

0 Comments

 

As if I wasn't lucky enough to work with the Carla Fernandez team once I got invited to come and work with them a second time!

​Here a few impressions from my last trip to Mexico City. This trip included so many experiences in my favorite Mexican fashion house. Some of the highlights included excursions to some of the most talented artisans that closely work with CF on her collections, assisting with the setup and workshops of Carla's comprehensive exhibition at the Museo Jumex, and an opening celebration of her new store in San Miguel de Allende.

More photos and impressions on Instagram @yolotlistudio!

Picture
A new delivery of rebozos - a precious Mexian hand-woven and dyed Ikat fabric
Picture
La Catedral Metropolitana de México - just a few blocks away from the Carla Fernandez studio
Picture
Intricate leather fretwork - a visit at the charro maker's studio.
0 Comments

MY RESIDENCY AT CARLA FERNANDEZ IN MEXICO CITY

12/10/2015

0 Comments

 
These past 3 months in Mexico City just flew by! The days were filled with new things to learn and see. I am lucky enough to stay with my dear friends that I have known for over a decade now so the commute to work is just a shortish [15 minute] walk and quick metro ride.

The Carla Fernandez studio is located in the middle of Centro Histórico - the heart of Mexico City - and only 3 blocks away from the historic Zocalo and the iconic Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City. There is also just any sort of fabric, button, zipper, leather or whatever-you-might-need-for-your-fashion-project store within 1 - 5 blocks from the studio. A luxury I certainly don't have here in the northern part of the Bay Area.

Picture
The Metropolitan Cathedral in the heart of Mexico City
Picture
Old fashioned tailoring fabric store in downtown Mexico City
Picture
Staircase and glass dome that leads to a wool warehouse in the Centro Histórico of Mexico City

The days were filled with cutting most beautiful fabrics, sewing and preparing garments to go out to collaborating Mexican artisans all around the country for embroidery, leather fretwork, bead work, weaving, knit work and other traditional crafts available.
​

Picture
Leather fretwork on a wool garment
Picture
Ironing between the embroidery after receiving the hand-embroidered garments from the artisans
Picture
An Ikat-like hand-dyed and hand-woven rebozo. Rebozos in different colors and prints are used for many Carla Fernandez garments

In late September I was able to join the team to visit small indigenous communities in the neighbor state of Puebla where we started with the development of the designs for the Fall/Winter 2016 collection. The team has established creative relationships with indigenous groups all over Mexico in order to assure that the communities are able to make a living by using their skills and thus the mostly pre-hispanic traditions are being kept alive.

Picture
An artisan at work making the famous Amate paper
Picture
The Pahuatlán communities showing Carla and the team their embroidery work
Picture
Lunch break in rural Puebla

​The days in Mexico went by so fast but there was still a little bit of time for travel. I was invited by one of the most talented Otomi embroiderers to visit her home and meet her family over the Dia de los Muertos weekend. An unforgettable weekend filled with Mexican traditions in the lush green and foggy highlands of the state of Hidalgo...

Picture
The chickens welcoming visitors
Picture
The family's beautiful altar
Picture
It would not be a complete Dia de los Muertos without tamales

I am grateful to everyone who made this life experience possible for me, especially to my dear husband Mikey!
Picture
First time for my husband in Mexico City and we made it to Teotihuacan!
0 Comments

A FASHION ADVENTURE IN MEXICO CITY

9/29/2015

1 Comment

 

My Three Month Residency with Carla Fernández 

It's a dream come true - I am taking a sabbatical to do a 3-month residency with my favorite fashion designer Carla Fernández in Mexico City. 

After following Carla's work and career for several years I eventually got to meet her at Heath Ceramics' Boiler Room in San Francisco earlier this year where she showed her work in an exhibition called "Carla Fernández: Design Culture Mexico". 

There was no question I would participate in the 3-day workshop she offered to teach to a small group of enthusiasts during the exhibit. I was mesmerized by Carla's sustainable approach to fashion. She collaborates with indigenous communities all over Mexico to create her most contemporary line of high-quality clothing, which is mostly handmade with the use of traditional techniques. 

During the last day of the workshop, it was clear to me that I needed to learn more so I basically invited myself to a residency with her and her team in Mexico City. And here I am! 3 weeks into it I am getting more and more curious with every day at the studio.

But before sharing a few news from Mexico City I have some photos from the setup of Carla's new show "The Future is Handmade" in Downtown LA that I helped to install before moving on to Mexico. 

Picture
Various pieces made of hand-spun, hand-woven, brushed & hand-dyed wool
Picture
A head piece made of gourds
Picture
Bracelets made of molinillos

Mexico is filled with traditions and century-old crafts and techniques. The team at Carla Fernández always finds a way to make use of them in the production of the next season's line so it is no wonder that bracelets made of molinillos [a Mexican wood turned whisk to stir hot chocolate] or entire garments made of rebozos [a Mexican hand-dyed and hand-woven shawl] can be found amongst the collection.

The collaborations with the artisans make sure that these old skills stay alive and get passed down to younger generations who in return see a reason to learn from their ancestors and keep their family or even community business going. This sustainable approach is a real counter to the current fast fashion movement of global brands. 

Part of Carla Fernández' first appearance in LA was the signing of her book "The Barefoot Designer: A Handbook" at Decades. For the entire month of September selected pieces from her own vintage collection of indigenous clothes are for sale at this legendary vintage couture and designer consignment shop.

Picture
The models in the window at Decades are
Picture
wearing Carla's personal vintage collection.

Obviously, we all had a lot to do before the show opening but it was a wonderful week getting to know the team and learning about the making of the collection - a pure treat to be able to help getting everything ready. I had a great time and even the breaks in-between were a pure delight - especially when my husband came to visit.

Picture
Picture

After a busy but creative and satisfying time in LA I went on with my fashion adventure and took an early-bird flight out of LAX to Mexico City.
 
Picture
1 Comment

THANK YOU!!!

7/22/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Thank you all so much for stopping by our boot at Renegade SF this past weekend. We couldn't have hoped for a better start of this new adventure. We were overwhelmed with the positive feedback and hope we will see you again soon! 
In case you are still contemplating on the perfect size or color of our super soft Merino wool hats or raw denim selvedge aprons, please check out our online store, which is now up and running, and please feel free to drop us a line anytime in case you have any questions.
0 Comments

Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco

7/15/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
We can't wait to see you all this weekend! Please stop by our booth # 262A in the Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason. We will be there Saturday and Sunday from 11am - 6pm and look forward to meeting you all!
0 Comments

Tagging, folding, packing

7/12/2015

0 Comments

 
What would we do without best friends? Christina and Alex have been amazing helping to get this first batch of newly finished aprons ready to go on the shelves. Only one week till Renegade SF!
0 Comments

Small Business Solutions

6/17/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture


Sometimes last-minutes changes happen that need immediate attention. Good thing we are sourcing our materials locally and can find solutions within a few hours rather than days. Even if that means we need to take care of pick-up and delivery ourselves. The beautiful organic hemp cotton fabric will become the bias binding on the back of our raw denim aprons.

0 Comments

Every little detail...

6/10/2015

0 Comments

 
Every little detail counts to create the authentic YOLOTLI look. The color of the jeans buttons will go perfectly with the thread color and the YOLOTLI hand embossed leather logo.
0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Author

    Nicole W. Kelly - Designer. Maker. Traveler. Owner of YOLOTLI. 

    Archives

    January 2018
    October 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    May 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    February 2015
    September 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed


STAY IN TOUCH
sign up for our newsletter
​email us


PRESS
​SHOP HANDMADE
sandals
clothes
bags / accessories / jewelry

SALE
WHAT'S NEW
​journal
​
projects
​events

garment care

STORE POLICY
​

GET TO KNOW US

©  2012 - 2018  YOLOTLI      |       Photos by YOLOTLI, Emma K. Morris, Shelly Hanan and Israel Valencia
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • The Brand
    • THE TEAM
  • SHOP
  • FIND US
  • CONTACT
  • JOURNAL