We are continually captivated and inspired by the Mexican artist and style icon Frida Kahlo. Frida incorporated personal experiences, relationships, traditional Mexican culture, and political ideologies into her art, and is a representation of fearlessness and authenticity for many in marginalized groups. Frida drew from the deepest emotional elements of her personal life – including her marriage,… Read on

Welcome to the new year. In the spirit of the fresh start a new year brings, we present a new Collection. About the Collection During the summer of 2016 on the Journal, we started an artist series that profiled female artists and designers like Frida Kahlo, Louise Nevelson, Clarie McCardell, Sonia Delaunay, and Anni Albers…. Read on

Frida Kahlo was both surrealist painter and unwitting fashion icon. Her image is immediately recognizable and her clothing was carefully chosen to reflect her feelings about femininity, politics, and her own physical limitations. Frida’s vibrantly colored and richly embroidered garments were tweaked versions of traditional Mexican clothing, with corset-style bodices and long flowing skirts. But… Read on

Among many recurring subjects in Frida Kahlo’s artwork are flowers, foliage, and fruits. She used this imagery to celebrate Mexican history and culture. The garden at her home, Casa Azul, was first started by her parents and was filled with ivy, roses, and apricot and orange trees. As an adult, Frida and her husband Diego… Read on

“They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn’t. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality” – Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo’s perspective on dress was unique, in that she was able to express her political and feminist views using traditional Tehuana-style Mexican garments. Many believe that she chose this style of dress at… Read on

When she was a teenager, Guadalupe Rivera Marin moved to her father and stepmother’s home in Coyoacan, Mexico City—a home that was well known by friends and neighbors both for its famous occupants and the opulent parties they loved to throw. Guadalupe’s father was muralist Diego Rivera and his wife was painter Frida Kahlo, both… Read on

“Women are always at the front of revolutions.”—Bothaina Kamel In celebration of Women’s History Month, we highlight women who have contributed to history, culture, and society over the past century (and beyond). From artists and creators to activists and impactful figures, these women inspire and provide hope for the future. Gert McMullin Frida Kahlo Lee… Read on

Left: “Self Portrait on Geary Street”, 1959 by Imogen Cunningham via the Museum of Modern Art; right: “Magnolia Blossom”, 1925 by Imogen Cunningham via Oklahoma State University Art Collection “I made a lot of mistakes, and I still do. But, I try not to worry about it, because I never will be the perfectionist, and… Read on

It’s hard to believe that we are more than halfway through 2020 and The School of Making’s Year of Color. Such a year, we could never have fathomed—and, in so many ways, still cannot. Contemplation, making, and gathering inspiration for the future have become a go-to coping mechanism for me—which has been expressed through adding… Read on

To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow – Audrey Hepburn  Originally planted during World War I and World War II, victory gardens offered food security, reduced pressure of the food supply, and encouraged morale during wartimes. They have made a resurgence amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with many citizens of communities across the world going… Read on

“Where there is a woman, there is magic.” ― Ntozake Shange  International Women’s Day was celebrated yesterday, March 8th. In its honor, we invite you to reflect on this year’s theme, “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights,” and encourage you to support local and national organizations that stand behind a better and more inclusive future. We… Read on

“Really, I do not know whether my paintings are surrealist or not, but I do know that they are the frankest expression of myself.” ― Frida Kahlo Cinco de Mayo will be celebrated this Sunday, May 5th. Author Isabel Bueno of National Geographic said of the holiday: “For Mexicans…as well as Mexican-American in the United… Read on

“To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe In celebration of Women’s History Month, this week, explore the artists who, drawing from their own unique outlook on the world, have used their work to convey the gamut of universal truths, emotions, and experiences. “The inconvenient spectacle of Frida Kahlo”… Read on

“I found I could say things with colors and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” — Georgia O’Keeffe Our lives are full of and, in many ways, dictated by color. We express ourselves with the color of our hair and clothing. The vibe of our home… Read on

“One of the greatest gifts my father gave me—unintentionally—was witnessing the courage with which he bore adversity…He was always unshaken, completely tranquil, the same ebullient, laughing, jovial man.” – Ben Okri By the time Father’s Day was proclaimed an official holiday in 1972, it had already been unofficially celebrated for 63 years—since Sonora Smart Dodd,… Read on

The past year has been one in which we’ve continually searched for beauty and hope; undoubtedly, 2017 has been a year unlike any other. As a company, our response to this year has been to look within and search for new meaning in what we do, to seek inspiration in the work of others, and—perhaps… Read on

Going into 2017, we knew there would be a lot in store. We launched a new website, several new collections, and brand new programming (like the Alabama Chanin Core Club). Our Bldg. 14 team really brought it this year, completing production for Alabama Chanin while having other special manufacturing projects under their belts for Patagonia,… Read on

In the past, we have looked to other artists’ personal styles to inspire elements of our Collections—Frida Kahlo, Anni Albers, and Georgia O’Keeffe, to name a few. As part of our most recent Signature | Eveningwear Collection, our design team was drawn to the idea of the artist at work—how artists can combine their media,… Read on

“Nothing is less real than realism ― details are confusing. It is only by selection, by elimination, by emphasis, that we get the real meaning of things.” – Georgia O’Keeffe Georgia O’Keeffe is undoubtedly considered one of America’s greatest and most influential painters. She was a key figure in the emergence and advancement of American modernism… Read on

Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is the anniversary of Mexican President Benito Juarez’s victory against the French at the attack on Puebla da Los Angeles in 1862. After the Mexican-American War, the country was nearly bankrupt—so President Juarez was forced to default on debts with France, ruled by Napoleon III. Juarez rounded up a force… Read on

As our conversation about Real Women continues, we’ve collected another story from the male point for view, this one from our friend Jeff Moerchen, who has contributed to our blog before and whose book Ligonier we sell in our online store. WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL: The coffee shop that I routinely visit employs a female barista… Read on

“Making it through the ceiling to the other side was simply a matter of running on a path created by every other woman’s footprints.” ― Shonda Rhimes Today is National Women’s Equality Day – a day that marks the adoption of the 19th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote. In celebration… Read on