Food & Drink
Shopping: Adrienne Antonson at NuBe, Spun Collective and More
From farm-to-fashion, Cap Hill's sustainable clothing collective and a cheery wallk hook.
By Seattle Mag February 4, 2011
This article originally appeared in the March 2011 issue of Seattle magazine.
Farm to Fashion
So much of fashion’s viewpoint comes from the upcoming season or the next big fashion week, but for artist Adrienne Antonson, the view of her back pasture on Vashon Island is much more inspiring. There roams a herd of 36 alpaca, whose shaggy fleece is at the heart of her exclusive new line for Capitol Hill shop NuBe Green. Playful, farmgirl-chic garments are crafted from the ultrasoft wool, including warm, hand-felted hats ($250) and knitted spun-yarn collars for tops and ponchos. NuBe Green owner Ruth True first approached Antonson at a showing of her work last year (Antonson’s sculptural work focuses on human hair), and the self-taught seamstress quickly took True’s green commitment (goods at NuBe are sourced exclusively from North America) to a hyperlocal level, using only Seattle-based labor and materials. The line is also made with thrifted garments, as Antonson deconstructs men’s button-downs into racer-back layering smocks with cozy, deep pockets, and airy peasant dresses fit for island life—or maybe just some urban farming. $90–$500 at NuBe Green (Capitol Hill, 921 E Pine St.; 206.402.4515; nubegreen.com).
Team Effort
The lively bustle at Spun Sustainable Collective (Capitol Hill, 1515 14th Ave.; 206.328.2102; spuncollective.blogspot.com) makes it seem more like a community center than a clothing boutique. Open since last November, Spun is the brainchild of majority owner and designer Sara Seumae, who partnered with other emerging designers to launch a communal space where they could work on and then sell their wares. Garments are displayed on industrial pipe racks with personal bios framed and back-lit on rustic shelves, much like paintings in an art gallery. The airy changing room is fitted with rustic elements, including a vintage wooden sliding door and a reclaimed elm slab bench. Ready-to-wear wool skirts and easy shift dresses from Seattle magazine Seamless in Seattle contest alumnae Renee Corrick (around $125) and Jesica Milton ($75–$150) surround Seumae’s organic cotton cowl-neck tops and breezy dresses ($34–$94), while the behemoth farm table is piled with feather-accented headbands from Tête Couture and Dottyspeck’s sweet, nature-inspired silver earrings ($50-$80).
Off the Hook
Squirrel away leashes, coats and keys on a cheerful painted wall hook from Everett-based These Creatures. With space for multiple pooch (or human) accessories, the heavy-duty steel catch comes in bright teal, coral and lime green—as well as a variety of animals—but the nutty fiend seems especially appropriate: What better way to lure your pooch outside than with a tease from its archnemesis? $28 at thesecreatures.com.
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