Thread Holiday Pop-up Shop - December, 2010

The Thread show is a pretty regular event in San Diego. However, the last time it was in L.A. was 2 years ago, so I was thrilled when I heard it was back. What’s so great about Thread? Well, the Thread show is not just a shopping event – it’s a place where you and your friends can shop, hang out, and have a good time.

This traveling showcase for emerging, independent designers is a great place to find unique, one-of-a kind pieces for every budget. This weekend’s event featured runway shows, free mani’s and massages (Dipped Nail Salon and Chiropractique), a clothes swap lounge, a photo booth, and complimentary beverages from of CalNaturale organic wine, Smirnoff, Jose Cuervo, Captain Morgan, RedBull, O.N.E. Coconut Water, and Metromint.
Drinks in hand and cool tunes courtesy of a live DJ made the shopping experience more enjoyable. It was also fun to watch the folks behind Nature's Mistake while they screen printed their original graphic tees.

AV Vintage had a wide variety of great clothing and accessories to sort through. It was hard to resist the urge to play dress up.

I loved the corsets from Isabella Corsetry. The company makes exquisitely handcrafted custom and ready to wear corsets. They have 18 unique styles with over 200 fabrics to choose from - ranging from the traditional silk to novelty cotton prints. And, their prices were quite reasonable.

Lavuk had a number of great pieces for sale. This L.A. based eco-friendly clothing line has partnered up with American Forests to participate in the California Wildfire ReLeaf program, so for every garment purchased a tree is planted in the forest.

Love Nail Tree had a unique little set up. The company specializes in vintage cotton tees and handmade vintage jewelry. Their iron on photos are definitely conversation starters. (If you didn’t make it to the show you can order online and receive 20% off with coupon code LOVE.)

There was lots of jewelry to be found but nothing quite as fun as MakeMagic Twist. MakeMagic Twist allows you to create your own unique jewelry design and change it as often as you want. You can shape the various metal and color combinations to create something casual, elegant, funky, or fun.

Tiffany Kunz had a lovely display of jewelry, which was made from fair-trade stones and hammered reclaimed metals. What I liked most were her custom pieces that are modeled from sound waves. You can record your personal message, and she’ll make a unique jewelry piece out of it. It’s pretty cool because only you or that special someone will know what the message is.

Other designers on hand were: BritBoy Fashions, Crows Cloth, Kathryn McCarron, Leota, Lia Molly, QT17 Fashion Inc., Ric Rac Clothing, Spend, The G Collection, and Unified People.

The Thread Show also travels to Phoenix, San Diego, and San Francisco. Be sure Check out the website to see when and where the next show will be.

Narrative and Photos by Nikki Neil
Necklace and cuff on Nikki in opening photo courtesy of LisaMichelle.