It may not feel like spring will ever come to Minnesota, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dress the part. And maybe it’s the long winter talking, but bright colors have never looked fresher or more appealing. Coincidentally, the biggest color trend of the spring 2018 runways is bold, bright color. And not just one color—we’re talking a rainbow of Crayola crayon colors. Subtle hues be damned; this season, pastels and neutrals have taken a back seat, and bold hues have taken the wheel.
With this in mind, I gathered some new spring designs by local makers that will infuse juicy color, pattern, and playfulness into your spring wardrobe.
HAT BY HAT MAKE, courtesy the designer
I’m loving this cheerful “Woodstock” hat by local milliner, Celina Kane, from her Hat Make line. Inspired by Joni Mitchell’s song and the iconic music festival, the hat evokes an era of political protest and “is an affirmation that we will unite for social justice, love, and equality,” says the designer on her website. The hat also reflects her inspiration of global travel and is intended to be a piece in which the wearer can add their own patches and embellishments. The made-to-order rabbit-fur felt hat with Thai patches, Indian ribbon, Japanese silk ribbon, and vintage appliques, takes up to three weeks to produce ($395 via hatmake.com). You can find the designer at the Mill City Farmer’s Market in Minneapolis on April 14 and April 28, and at the American Craft Council Show in St. Paul on April 20 through April 22.
robe BY idle child, courtesy the designer
This eye-popping, limited-edition kimono-style robe from the “Celestial Ceremony” collection by local design duo, Idle Child, will bring your spring look to the next level. It features detailed embroidery and celestial, third-eye motifs. Wear it as a wrap dress or wear it as a jacket for a bold look that’s totally groovy, man. Shop the look online at idlechild.us.
dress by acg, courtesy the designer
ACG designer Anna Chambers-Goldberg is known as much for her hand-dyed textiles in natural fabrics as she is for her easy-breezy designs. Maria’s Dress from her spring collection is an A-line dress with boat neck, subtle gathering and hip pocket, made from hand-dyed washable silk crepe. Available at acgmpls.com and at her studio at Northrup King Building (1500 Jackson St. NE., Minneapolis.#466), which is open every first Thursday of the month from 5 to 9 p.m. for building-wide open studios or by appointment via acgmpls.com.
earrings by empressed threads, courtesy the designer
Despite its only web presence being an Instagram account (@empressedthreads), Empressed Threads by Ravena Kerur has already built a fervent cult following for her handmade tassel earrings made from colorful wrapped fibers. Available in an endless array of color combinations ranging from pastels to juicy shades of red, pink, orange, and green, these bold accessories are not for the color-shy. The earrings are available by custom-made order via direct message on her Instagram, as well as at Forage Modern Workshop in Minneapolis and Global Village in Duluth, where the designer is based.
top & pants by winsome goods, courtesy the designer
The Ivor Top and Quilty Pant from the spring collection of Winsome Goods by designer Kathryn Sieve can be worn together or separately for style with many possibilities. The bright-blue, striped cotton/linen-blend fabric makes a bold statement, and the top is reversible—giving you even more look for your dollar. Shop the collection at winsomegoods.com, at select boutiques, and at the Winsome Goods Flagship + Store in Minneapolis, where the designer handcrafts each piece.
bag by angela valentine handbags, courtesy the designer
Handbag designer Angela Valentine has unveiled a limited-edition line of eye-popping bags featuring embroidery with floral, botanical, and wild-animal motifs. Her style mixes ladylike silhouettes with bohemian details and bold colors. Each bag (including the Loel Mini Embroidered Floral Crossbody Bag, above) is handmade, one at a time, in the designer’s New Ulm studio. The bags are available on her e-commerce site or by special request at angelavalentinehandbags.com.
handbags by strey designs, image by shelly mosman
Find a variety of brightly colored bags in blush pink and electric blue in local designer Sarah Butala’s spring collection for her label, Strey Designs. These handcrafted leather designs are available in silhouettes ranging from modern backpacks to fanny packs—yes, fanny packs. Shop the collection online at streydesigns.com, plus first Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Northrup King Building in studio #211, at the Mall of America’s RAAS: Local Market stop through May 13, and at the “Studio Progressive” event at her Northrup King studio on April 26.
HAT BY karen morris millinery, image by laura rae photography
Karen Morris Millinery creates hats fit for a royal wedding—and the Kentucky Derby. But the Hong Kong–born designer has made it her mission is for every woman to wear hats, regardless the occasion. Her spring collection is full of eye-popping colors, in sculptural motifs that would be as pretty as displayed works of art as they are when worn. The majority of her hats, which can be made in custom colors, are crafted with sinamay, woven from the stalks of the abaca tree, a banana palm native to the Philippines. As part of her new collection, Morris collaborated with textile artist Robin Ann Meyer to create a series of summer hats made with Japanese paper straw that are trimmed with colorful patterned scarves by the artist. Shop the collection at kmkhats.com, at the “Studio Progressive” event on April 26, or by appointment at her Northeast Minneapolis studio.
