Poplove Designs

Blindfold Magazine

2012-01-21T21:36:00.000+02:00

Happy New Year everyone!!

We just got featured in Blindfold Magazine's first print issue. This is very exciting for us, since Blindfold is a great new magazine that covers all types of social and eco-conscious issues, ranging from fashion, art, design, sustainability, etc. We've got a 5 page spread on pages 98-102!!

You can take a look at the magazine's website at: www.blindfoldmag.com

You can also check out the free online version of the magazine at the following link. Just enter the password: blindfold

http://free.yudu.com/item/details/456005/Blindfold-Magazine?refid=130859

We'd love to hear your feedback!

We also put together a great Behind the scenes video from the shoot - a big thanks to Shlomi Cohen for shooting it for us!

Photoshoot 4 fun!

2011-08-21T15:55:00.001+03:00

On Friday our favorite male model Roie came over for a quick photoshoot. The results are awesome!

Here are some of the best photos from that day, what d'ya think?

Glass Sculptures and Summer Sales

2011-08-08T01:23:00.000+03:00

Chihuly has had an amazing exhibit here in Tel Aviv for months, and we decided to check it out at the absolute last possible minute... What a great decision! It was awesome. All of the bright colors and lovely flowing shapes mixed with spiky crystal like spears of glass.

It was like glass sculpture poetry.

Here are some of our favorite shots we took that day:

And on another note completely:

The End of Summer sale has started in our Etsy shop!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/poplovedesigns
Simply enter the following coupon code in the checkout cart to receive a 20% discount:

SUMMERLOVE

<3
Shai

P.S. - Yes, I occasionally write here too!

Camisoles and tanks

2011-07-24T11:19:00.000+03:00

I can see it's been a while since we posted any of our new designs on here and frankly, I'm a little disappointed in myself!

We've been working so hardcore on everything that I've been forgetting to share! So without further adieu let me present our 2 latest creations:

Check it out on our shop!

And this one too :D

We've also got a great dress that I can't wait to show you... but I'm gonna have to. I hope this tides you over for now!

We'd love to hear your feedback.

Andrea

Press, boutiques and new designs

2011-07-11T21:53:00.000+03:00

Long time no see! I know we've been really bad bloggers lately, but being a designer and a blogger can be a really tough job sometimes. We've been pretty busy with a lot of great new designs and some really cool news!

Since we haven't had a chance to shoot any of the new designs yet, we'll have to settle for the other stuff that's been going on.

First of all, we're back in a great boutique - Mefoze! If you're lucky enough to be in the TLV area to wander & shop, be sure to stop by and tell them we sent you! I love that shop, they're totally our style.

Secondly, we were featured in a great article in the Jerusalem Post's Metro magazine! Unfortunately, to read it online you have to be a premium member, but trust - it was a great article! They also featured one of my other favorite TLV eco-designers Neutra. LOVE her bags.


Neutra's Adi bag - can you believe this is made of recycled truck inner tubes?!

Anyway, we're planning to shoot our new camisole and (cross your fingers) our latest dress design in the next week or so, so be sure to stay tuned! In the meantime, take a look at this furry caterpillar! Don't you just want to collect 100 of them and make them into a sort of live boa?!

Hrm... *subversive organic fashion*

How to Mordant Organic Cotton - Our Latest Tutorial

2011-06-12T23:01:00.000+03:00

We've got another great "how-to" video tutorial for all you DIY-lovers out there!

Check it:

You can see why we've been so mysteriously silent online lately... and this is just the tip of the iceberg!

Besides our usual, we've been busy little design-bees - some great new stuff to show you soon, but in the meantime, you'll just have to feast your eyes on our awesome tutorial and editing skills :P

I'll be back soon with more updates, I PROMISE!

<3
Andrea

We're still here, I swear

2011-06-07T00:26:00.000+03:00

I swear we haven't fallen off the face of the planet...

We're just working hard on some great new designs that I promise we'll share soon!

In the meantime, check out some awesome photos from out Yaffo (aka Jaffa) way from a few weeks back:

Hot stuff, right? Can you believe that they painted over it?!

Anyway, I promise we'll be back with some more real PopLove goodies soon!

Andrea

Maya Stern - a course for Chocoholics!

2011-05-15T23:53:00.000+03:00

I think it's time for a little tangent into the "PopLove Life".

See, on Friday Shai and I went to this amazing course on how to make your own truffles, fudge and other goodies. It was awesome.

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll shut up and let you take a look:

It was awesome. And now I know how to make truffles :D

<3
Andrea

Our tutorial on how to dye organic cotton is here!

2011-05-11T14:37:00.000+03:00

Well, it took us a little longer than we originally expected, but we've finally smoothed out our technical problems!

Sorry that it took so long to get here, but we'd love to hear what you think. Also - please try to ignore the reflector that keeps popping into the shots for the first few minutes. Heh, noobs.

We'd love to hear your response! Leave a comment if you've got questions.

<3
Andrea

Male models are hot. So are new stuffs.

2011-05-08T21:20:00.000+03:00

We did a photoshoot with this hottie last week. We shot some of our new organic t's on him along with some of our upcycled men's t's - so much fun!


http://tinyurl.com/6crtxmq - P.S. smoking isn't cool it just looks like it.

http://tinyurl.com/69amfws

http://tinyurl.com/6crtxmq

Of course, Noodle got a little jealous, so he had to steal the show.

We've also got some new skirts up - I'm loving the black & colorful prints.

http://tinyurl.com/64s6zws

http://tinyurl.com/6dw5xyy

So... we've been busy and that's my excuse for being a bad blogger lately.

Also exciting - we're back in Plazma! If anyone's in Tel Aviv and wants to see some of our latest and greatest goodies in action, stop by and ask for PopLove :)

Cheers!

Andrea

P.S. - I haven't forgotten about that video I promised you, we're having some technical difficulties :(
I'll let you know as soon as it's been sorted out.

Happy back-to-work time!

2011-04-27T12:46:00.000+03:00

I hope everyone had a super-happy Easter weekend or Passover (whichever you celebrate).

We've got some really cool, exciting stuff coming your way soon... our first video-tutorial!!!

Please don't laugh. I'm a nerd. I'm excited.

It's also going to come with an in-depth tutorial here explaining how to do everything.

The subject? Well, you'll just have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, please enjoy this random photo.

A new screen we're working on for our eco-shopping bags

Andrea

Art gallery and arty video

2011-04-17T21:52:00.000+03:00

Wow, I just realized that we didn't even post the video we made!!! Just goes to show you how crazy we've been. Well, better late than never, take a look:

We wandered all around the city last Friday, it was so fun! First we visited a great new little boutique-center near the beach, then we headed down to see "Fresh Paint 4" - it was super-inspiring!

By the way, if you're curious, the music is "Dinosaur Adventure 3D" by Underworld :)

We need to do stuff like this more often.

<3
Andrea

Busy doing what designers do - make stuff.

2011-04-14T23:45:00.002+03:00

I know we haven't been very good bloggers lately. I've got all these great ideas of things I want to do, but we've been so busy with putting together new items that I haven't had a chance!

I think we're even behind in posting some of the great photos from the shoot a while back, so here's some more eye-candy for you:

Actually, I'm just being a tease here - this skirt sold-out already! But don't worry, we're working on some more versions in different colors for you, and once they're ready, we'll post them here :)

Besides that, we've got some more really cool versions of our "armor top" coming as well. I can't wait to show you!!! Too bad I need to sleep, I want to stay up sewing all night... anyone have a "cure" for sleep?

Andrea

My brain is going to explode!

2011-04-08T17:44:00.001+03:00

Title caught your attention?

I found this amazing pseudo-instrument thingie and you all need to know about it!

mandaflewaway

I'm addicted. I also just discovered "Garage Band" - this is dangerous.

On a completely unrelated note (except maybe the awesome-factor), we've got some auctions up on eBay and this one is about to end for WAY too cheap!

http://tinyurl.com/69zb2kw

Click here & bid!

We also had a super-fun day today, and I will tell you all about it on Sunday.

Andrea

Auction Madness!

2011-04-06T00:08:00.000+03:00

I don't know how we forgot about eBay for so long, but we've just re-opened our store!!

http://stores.ebay.ca/PopLove-Designs

Take a look for yourself, we've got some amazing deals on our newest prints!

Andrea

Epic Cupcakes!!!

2011-03-30T23:25:00.000+02:00

Whee!!! I've got a huge weakness for baked goods - especially cupcakes. And especially chocolate.

The other day we got all inspired and made a whole batch of Devil's food cupcakes... and we videoed it!

Oh - if you're wondering, the music is "Stark Raver" by Twisted System.

Let us know if you want the recipe, maybe I'll post it ;)

Andrea

Hot Shots

2011-03-26T22:36:00.001+02:00

I think we've kept you waiting long enough. I hope everyone enjoyed our "sneak peek" video we posted earlier.

Now take a look at some of the new shots from our latest photoshoot! It's not everything, but it's a first batch. We'll post the rest a little later on.

New Armour Top. Available online:
http://tinyurl.com/6jgk5yd

PopLove organic cotton t-shirt
Available online:
http://tinyurl.com/6bwvd4b

PopLove chain tank - available online:
http://tinyurl.com/6xzpss3

PopLove chain tank - available online:
http://tinyurl.com/6aqnedg


PopLove high waisted pencil skirt, made from recycled materials. Available online: http://tinyurl.com/66occl7

Of course, we'd love to hear what you think! We're still working on a few more nifty new items, so be sure to keep an eye on the blog for a new post coming soon!

We also want to send out a BIG thank-you to Rachel, our wonderful model who also substituted as makeup artist at the last minute. I've got a feeling we'll be working with her again.

Andrea

Guest-Blog!

2011-03-20T17:36:00.000+02:00

For everyone who enjoyed reading our size-0 rant, take a look at our guest-blog at YOS!

http://yos-blog.com/2011/03/18/size-zero-models-a-guestblog-from-poplove/

A slightly different angle, but you'll recognize the theme ;)

Andrea

P.S. - We've got tons of amazing new photos to share with you, so "watch this space" for a peek at some of our new creations later this week!

Video Killed The Radio Star

2011-03-15T01:12:00.001+02:00

Sunday we had the most amazing day! We had a great photoshoot with a lovely model and shot a whole bunch of new items (and some you'll recognize).

We decided it would be really cool to try our hand at some video, and here's the result:

I think it's pretty awesome for our first Video production!

Oh, and did I mention that it was our 3-year wedding anniversary too? Can't think of a better way to celebrate! Particularly when it's followed by take-out Chinese food ;)

Andrea

Day off!

2011-03-10T12:26:00.000+02:00

Well, I guess you've probably figured out by now that the photoshoot we had planned for Sunday hit a snag. Not to worry though, we're still doing it, just this coming Sunday instead of earlier this week.

How crazy is it that we rescheduled for next Sunday and didn't even realize it's our wedding anniversary?! Well, I can't think of a better way to celebrate, so it all worked out for the best anyway.

Since we were suddenly left with a free day on Sunday, we decided we'd earned a break, and the weather was FABULOUS (20 degrees c and sunny) so we took a day off! We wandered up to Park Hayarkon and absorbed some nature. Of course, we brought the camera.

Some kind of old ruins, I think it was a flour mill

A bird. No idea what kind, but doesn't he look cool?

Shai... being Shai.

Me and the Noodle


Poor moth, his wing is broken :(

Once we got back, we had a little lunch and decided to check out Old Jaffa as well. Tons of awesome stuff, we picked up a couple of great Indian throws for the couch, and some incense. Not to mention that it's just plain awesome to wander around there!

Crazy suspended tree in an egg!!

Beautiful little alleyways

No idea what this building is, but it's pretty.

Zombie-Elvis was preforming!!

We really liked the pink "highlights" on this building

Anyway, it was a really awesome way to spend the day. Somehow it went from being beautiful and Sunny in the morning to rainy and scary in the afternoon, but I can't really complain... with all the years of snow I suffered in Canada, I can handle a little rain ;)

Andrea

A key factor

2011-03-04T00:52:00.000+02:00

Well, I've got some exciting news - we're doing a photoshoot on Sunday and we're going to have loads of juicy new goodies to show you - after Sunday.

Ha ha, I hate not having nifty new things to post about, but all the juicy new stuff is going to have to wait. I mean, what's the point of a photoshoot if you're not going to have a few surprises?!

In the meantime, I do want to share a couple of great brooches we've put together. I can't decide whether or not they need something extra.

I feel like maybe they need some ribbons behind them. If you agree, say something! I'm dying here! I hate when I get "designer's block" and can't decide one way or another.

Anyway, I promise to get you some great behind-the-scenes shots on Sunday. I don't know how soon we'll have the actual shoot photos up, but then again, behind the scenes is more fun anyway!

<3
Andrea

Fast Fashion Trauma

2011-02-25T16:09:00.005+02:00

Being that we're designers who create designs from recycled materials, it was bound to come up at some point - fast fashion.

It's a relatively new term that's being thrown around a lot lately, and it's something that we've been noticing. I don't mean in blogs, I mean in reality.

Let me start by explaining what "fast fashion" is. Once upon a time, designers/dressmakers made quality clothing with style, which was meant to last people for years. Fabric was durable and items were sturdy. "Fashion" was only for the wealthy who could afford to buy new clothes all the time.

As time passed, the gap between the fashions of the rich and the garb of the common-folk blended so much that today we can't see a difference except (maybe) for who gets it first and the name on the tag inside.

Image by David LaChapelle: Death by hamburger

That's the world we live in today. Except there is a difference - you just have to pay attention. Take a look at your favorite Forever21 sweater from 2 years ago. Does it look as beautiful as the day you bought it? In my experience - no.

Now see if you can dig up that one piece you have in your wardrobe that you couldn't resist splurging on. How long have you owned it? How many times have you worn it? It still looks beautiful, doesn't it?

So what happens to that Forever21 sweater after a season or two when you're sick of it? Most people just toss it in the trash. Others put a little more thought in and donate it to a charity shop. There's just one problem with that:

IF IT'S GARBAGE TO YOU, IT'S GARBAGE TO EVERYONE.

We love tearing apart a good old pair of faded Levi's, but even the most talented re-working won't make a discolored rayon rag desirable. Not only that, but it's becoming harder and harder for us to find quality materials to use in our designs. It's not like we're being too fussy - we try to stick to basics like 100% cotton, wool, *sometimes* rayon and if we're really lucky - silk or linen.

Problem is, the items that end up in charity shops and vintage stores are 99% polyester, nylon, acrylic, Lycra etc. They might look shiny when they're on the hanger in the store, but wash it once and you're pretty much done.

I'm not saying I have the perfect solution, but I do ask the question - How can we make a difference? In all honesty, I don't do much shopping for clothes (I make pretty much make whatever I need). As a consumer, you have all the power.

I don't want to lecture and preach, so I'll leave you with the following challenge:

Next time you're in Gap or TopShop or wherever, make a point of paying attention to the fabric content & washing instructions of whatever you're about to purchase, and ask yourself one thing:

"How many times have I spent X amount of money on an item that I had to throw out after 6 months?"

Think about how much money you could save by spending a little more now on something that will last you years instead.

You'd be surprised how affordable quality/designer clothing really is.

Andrea

Pencil me in

2011-02-17T17:11:00.002+02:00

I hope you've been enjoying our topical posts lately, I know that we've been enjoying writing them! I had forgotten how much fun writing can be.

Anyway, besides emptying the contents of our brains into the blog, we've been working on some great new designs for summer as well. Check out these 2 new pencil skirts and just TRY to tell me you don't LOVE them!

See more on Etsy!

You know you want to check it out!

Don't the photos look hot?!
...okay that sounds kind of conceited. I really don't mean it that way, so I'll let you in on a little secret.

So some of you may know that Shai's a photographer as well. We've got this amazing camera (Hasselblad V-series with an Imacon digital back), but a while back it started getting these spots on the images. We looked it up and it turned out to be a kind of FUNGUS that grows on the infrared filter that sits on the sensor.

We've been dealing with it for a while, but it finally got to the point that we were considering shooting with our "point & shoot" camera instead for a clearer picture, so we did something very naughty and fixed it ourselves. (You're supposed to spend thousands of $$'s to send it to Denmark and get it fixed there). DIY Baby!

The results? Check out how awesome these new shots look! Anyway, if I haven't bored you to death with our camera-nonsense, then let us know what you think of the skirts. That's what it's all about anyway :P

<3
Andrea

Key Pendant

2011-02-16T00:36:00.001+02:00

In this tutorial we show you how to easily make a key necklace with added bling factor. All you need is an old key, some crystals, chain and some clasps. And a really strong glue of course (we like e-6000) with some toothpicks.

First start with a key

Then grab your glue & toothpicks

Then get a pile of flat-back Swarovski crystals

You can use all kinds of other crystals as well

Using a toothpick, apply the glue to the desired spots. Use a little at a time since it dries up fast!

One by one place the crystals on the glue, then add more glue, more crystals etc. Go nuts with it and have fun!

Cut a length of chain. Then get a clasp and circle connectors. Using pliers connect them to the ends of the chain you would like to use.

Presto!

And voila! the key necklace is ready to be worn. The extra bling factor should get you lots of attention when you wear it around town!

That size 0 thing: Part 3

2011-02-10T23:19:00.002+02:00

Alright, I know you're probably sick of hearing about this already, so we're wrapping up our size 0 debate with one final post - a female perspective.

I want to start by clearing something up. I'm not lashing out at someone who is naturally a size 0, like little asian girls or genetically superior freaks or women who are petite (like, 1.60m and a size 0). My problem is with the women who are naturally a size 8, and who look beautiful and healthy as a size 8, but they decide to starve themselves into skeletal oblivion.

WTF?!

On the other hand, I kind of get it. Some really powerful important person once decided that unhealthily skinny was now in fashion, and we haven't been able to drag ourselves out of it since. Way to go Calvin Klein. The worst part - a lot of times, I wish I were that skinny.

There's something about the female mind that is very resistant to logic. We're bombarded with images of "Beautiful, sexy women"who look like they'd be blown away by a gust of wind, and eventually, we start to believe it.

It doesn't matter how often our boyfriends/husbands tell us that we look beautiful at X weight - straight men have very little influence when it comes to fashion.

Thing is, most of us have some basic preservation instincts (or maybe just a lack of will-power?), and we eat. We don't always exercise, but we eat. Then we get frustrated that we can't attain this impossible ideal, and we start to hate our bodies and sometimes ourselves.

The poster-girl for skeleton-woman, Kate Moss, once said Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. How F***'d up is that?

The only thing that's harder to deal with is someone who WAS a size 0, but isn't any more. Like me. When I was a teenager, I could eat like a pig (ask some of my old friends, they'll tell you!) and I'd never gain an ounce. Unfortunately, everyone's metabolism slows down at some point, and mine did too, and now I'm somewhere between a 4 and a 6.

Me at 17

Now, by most standards, that's pretty slim. Yet I still have an irrational desire to get back to at least a size 2. But maybe it's not so irrational. All I know is that something's shifted in society's ideal version of what's beautiful, and something needs to change.

<3
Andrea

That size 0 thing: Part 2 - The male perspective

2011-02-08T01:05:00.001+02:00

There is something captivating (or purely shocking?) in the appearance of a stick-like woman. The bones protruding from odd spots and in funny angles. In a twisted way this appearance communicates a notion of a "strong woman", a woman who is more powerful than her own nature. The truth is quite the opposite.

There is something very non-feminine about this look. Androgynous gone wrong. At the end of the day an image like this may catch your eye, but most guys wouldn't want to cuddle up with a pile of bones..

Not that I long for the image of the ideal woman of the 50's or 60's. The voluptuous screen goddesses such as Jayne Mansfield, Bridget Bardot, Marilyn Monroe etc. They just look lazy to me.

What would be really nice to bring back, would be the ideal female figure of the 80's. Women then couldn't just slim down to look right, they needed to combine a healthy balance of exercise and proper diet, for the toned and fit look. There were beautiful supermodels back then such as Cindy Crawford, Paulina Porizkova and Elle Maspherson.

xo
Shai

That size 0 thing: Part 1

2011-02-06T17:37:00.006+02:00

This all started with a fashion ad I got in an email recently. This first thing I thought when I saw it was "WOW, that's awful!"... but I clicked on the ad.

I have a morbid fascination with this whole size 0 thing. I mean, it's not pretty. But it's somehow the norm now. Most people would look at this model thinking "Yep, she looks pretty average for a model." But compared to the average woman, she's so far from normal she might as well be another species.

I remember when I was a kid, models used to be these gorgeous superwomen. I know that Linda and Cindy and Claudia were all slim, but they were still women. Nowadays, models just end up looking like these weird malnutritioned aliens.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The questions is, who's this alleged "beholder"? Who decided that impossibly skinny is best? And it's not like skinny has always been the ideal shape. Look at any Renaissance painting and you'll see a hell of a lot more curves than anywhere nowadays. That was way sexy then.

I think it's got a lot to do with what's hardest to achieve. Western cultures have a huge problem with obesity, particularly the US. Where does the majority of international media come from? Duh. If you take into account that a major part of what makes fashion desirable is its exclusivity, then in a twisted kind of way, it makes sense that size 0 is in fashion now. Does that make it right? Of course not!

Approximately 5 million Americans suffer from anorexia and bulimia. About 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.

And what for? To look like some kind of abstraction of a female?

Following this post we will post a part 2: The male perspective, written by Shai, and
a part 3: The female perspective, written by Andrea. We want to hear your feedback. Are we overreacting or does this bother you too?

<3
Shai / Andrea

From Blah to BLING - a DIY story

2011-01-30T16:22:00.001+02:00

I've been meaning to post this for a while now. I really enjoyed the last DIY tutorial that we did, so we've put together another one. It's pretty simple, all you'll need are the following:

scissors, some nifty buttons, some lace, pins, a measuring tape, elastic ribbon, ribbon or yarn, fabric paint with a brush & container, and of course,

...an old sweater. We're going to start with the lace here. I didn't want it to look too new, so I diluted some fabric paint with water, and start by taking a good amount (about 1.5 - 2m) of lace and dipping it in the diluted fabric-paint.

Let it sit for a while, making sure you mix it every few minutes so that it takes the colour. If you really want it more intense, go ahead and paint the lace directly with the fabric paint, or you can even experiment with tea-dyeing (just make sure your lace is a natural fiber with the tea-dye, otherwise it won't take).
Now we move on to the sweater.

Measure how short you want to crop your sweater. Then, from the center front, cut up to the neckline.

Now you've got the basic shape. Next thing we want to do, is make it a little more fitted, so let's take some elastic and measure yourself where the sweater's hem is going to sit (on this one, it's just under the bust). Cut the elastic to your measurement.

Sew the elastic to the hem of the sweater using a wide zig-zag stitch.

Now, take your dyed/painted lace and sew it down the front seams and bottom hem of the sweater. Make sure you stretch the elastic while you're sewing the lace down or else you'll lose the stretch.

Now measure where you want your buttons and mark them with a pin.

Sew down the buttons...

and mark where you're going to put the loops for buttons. You can also sew button-holes, but I liked the loops with this one. Sew everything into place.

Presto! Isn't that way more awesome than what it started out as?! You can go on to super-customize it too by adding all kinds of lace on the cuffs and pins and what not. It's also important to notice that the diluted fabric paint only give the lace a slightly darker tint, so if you really want to change the colour, I recommend dry-brushing the lace or even heavily painting it, depending on the look you want to achieve.

I hope you've enjoyed the tutorial. We're working on our next idea, but if anyone has a request, we'd love to hear it.

Andrea

Rusty or Dusty?

2011-01-27T12:43:00.001+02:00

It's been a while since we've posted any new items, so I'm really excited to show you these 2 new tops we've been working on, I'm so happy with the way they've turned out!

We called them the Armour top because they remind me of body armour for some reason.

We did 2 versions, one of them in calm, office-style colours, and another in crazy rust & black. Which do you like better? If you want, you can help us decide which direction to go, check out our "Wardrobe Emergency" on Sense of Fashion!

We're also working on a similar design, but as a full dress rather than a top. You'll have to wait for that one.

Andrea

Nightwalking

2011-01-23T17:32:00.001+02:00

We went wandering recently around our neighborhood and beyond, through the streets of Tel Aviv. It was a day when the streets were still covered with glistening dampness from the rain from a few hours before.. Here are the highlights:

The Tel Aviv night

Andrea being stylish

Couple of cool graffitis in the streets of T.A.

Noodle looking for the waiter to order..

Marvelous Mondays

2011-01-18T01:03:00.001+02:00

We don't like Mondays, and we figured that you probably don't either, right? So we've joined together with Sense Of Fashion to give you MARVELOUS Monday! We're giving away our blue vest to one lucky winner; all you need to do is visit Sense Of Fashion's Facebook Page and leave a comment for your chance to win!

Happy Monday!
<3 Andrea

DIY cardigan!

2011-01-11T18:30:00.001+02:00

This DIY tutorial is about how to turn that old sweater into a chic and funky cardigan. First of all the tools you will need are:

Once you have chosen the sweater you wish to use, lay it flat on your floor or working table, for a detailed inspection. In this case we have an old lambswool sweater in green made by GAP

We decided to break up the boring v-neck, by introducing a straight cut down the front, right hand side of the sweater.

The extra fabric, past the v on the right hand side was folded over and pinned to create a geometric and asymmetrical look

Then we folded the sleeves onto themselves 15 cm inwards.

And for added funkiness we cut a slit up both side seams, going approximately up to the waist.

We then pinned down some black satin ribbon onto the cuff ends of the sleeves and along the two side edges on the front.

Sewing machine was then set for extreme zigzag, using black thread.

Once you've sewn the ribbon down the front & cuffs, you'll need to decide where your buttons go, and put in some button-holes

Sew on the buttons and Viola! An amazing, customized new cardigan... now that's better than a plain old Gap sweater, isn't it?!

Let us know if you like our tutorial, I think that these may be something we start doing regularly. In fact, there may even be another one next week!

Andrea & Shai

Puzzles & Mysteries

2011-01-04T17:55:00.000+02:00

First of all, I want to wish everyone a happy new year! Ours was a quiet one with family, a nice way to ring it in. I know you've been waiting since last year (haha) to see the new dress we've been going on about, so without further adieu, I present the new puzzle-dress!

Delectable, isn't it? I'm thinking that it would look amazing in distressed denim as well... but we'll have to see. There's a few other things on the burners at the moment.

In other news, down the street from our studio, there's been a new "redecoration" of one of the shops in the neighbourhood, and I can't quite figure it out. Here in Tel Aviv, there's a wonderfully strong street-art movement with tons of talented artists decorating the blank walls of the city. Know Hope seems to have invaded said shop, and I don't know what's going on in there now, but I want to!

I love the warhol-inspired tinfoil curtains. My curiosity is certainly piqued!

<3
Andrea

Organic Beauty

2010-12-29T10:31:00.000+02:00

I want to start by saying a HUGE thanks to my beautiful friend Roee who was so sweet on Sunday, I think he's going to be our new male house-model. He came by and we shot some of our organic t-shirts on him - isn't he gorgeous?! I love photoshoots (especially when I don't have to be the model!), and he was super-amazing. There's more photos coming as well, but these were 2 of my favorites. Of course, it helps that Shai is an amazing photographer.

In other news, we've finally finished that puzzle-dress we were working on, wait until you get a look at it, I'm so happy with the way it turned out! Besides that, we're on a roll lately, and we've got another new top in the works. I won't go into to much detail, but you're going to love it.

<3 Andrea

A day dedicated to lovely

2010-12-19T23:45:00.000+02:00

We've finally been getting settled here in the new apt/studio, and I have a new obsession - flowers! The guys at the local flower shop either already know me or just like ladies, because every time I go there, I get a free flower - today, I put it in my hair and couldn't resist the camera-urge

For a while now, we've had these pillows we experimented with a while back floating around, and I decided we needed somewhere comfy to chill when we're not slaving over PopLove, so I put together a "Pillow-Carpet" - what do you think? I love the corner we've got there now, with all the awesome coffee-table books, it's tough not to just sit there all day rolling around looking at them!

We're still working on the puzzle-dress, but we're making some changes, so you'll just have to stay tuned to see the surprise!

<3
Andrea

Some new items and a feature!

2010-12-16T10:44:00.004+02:00

So the first new and exiting thing is that we are featured on the www.senseofashion.com shop page!

Besides that we have been very busy and have created a funky geometric scarf from recycled materials of course. It comes in two colors at the moment, and with more to come soon! Check out the pics:

We've got a blue version of the sleek'n'sexy jacket, and we've also made a new version of the fluted skirt. This one is blue/gray/black

And next week we will have a new dress ready, it's very exciting and colorful. A bit of a Japanese feel to it. Pics coming soon!

Patchy peony

2010-12-03T10:34:00.000+02:00

I'm seriously in love with our new studio space. It's so much easier to work, we're on a roll! Not only have we finished a new jacket (see the last post) and a new skirt, we've got another set we're shooting today! And a scarf!

I promise that soon we'll get some shots of the new space (including our "stairway to awesome"), but in the meantime, check out our newest skirt! What do you think of the flower addition? I love it.

New studio and a new jacket

2010-11-25T19:29:00.000+02:00

We've been really busy moving to our new and cozy PopLove studio. The new space is great and makes the creative process much more creatively fun. We've been working on a new jacket, a super-futuristic-Renaissance type one. It's nice and structured and of course it's made from recycled materials. We've made it in cream color and in a size small, but more colors and sizes are to follow.

Also in the works are a sexy stripy skirt and a patchwork dress...

For now checkout the pics of the new jacket!

Seasonally Inappropriate

2010-10-29T10:25:00.000+02:00

Well, I've just got back from an awesome vacation in Canada to see my family, and I'm coming to realize the HUGE difference (at least regarding the weather) between here and the rest of the world. I had a super-amazing time hanging out with my family and doing a whole lot of nothing :)
One of the things I'd forgotten is how much I love wearing sweaters! I just don't get much of a chance over here, which is probably why we're nearing November and our newest shirts are backless >_<
That said, you've got to admit - these are pretty awesome.

So, on that note, we've been trying out a few more "seasonally appropriate" designs. I'll keep you updated, promise!

<3 Andrea

Treasury fun

2010-10-17T13:51:00.002+02:00

Letely we've been enjoying creating online collections of items that we like from fellow Etsians. Etsy is a great place to find all type of creative handmade items online. So here's a couple of our recent collections, called "treasuries".

Enjoy!

Autumn = chilly fingers

2010-10-05T22:15:00.001+02:00

I love autumn. It's always been my favorite time of year. Here in Israel, you don't get much of an autumn since anyways the winters here are just like a good old Canadian fall. BUT this year, I'm in luck! Next Sunday I'll be sitting my toosh on a plane back to Canada to soak in all the changing leaves, ripe apples and chilly breezes I can handle!

Anyway, one of our newest items here are some adorable fingerless gloves! I've always had a thing for them; I hate regular gloves because I have abnormally long fingers and always seem to poke holes in them, and I can't stand mittens because you just can't do anything in them! Fingerless gloves are the perfect solution, plus, they're just a little bit punky-looking and I love that. Here's a few samples, we'd love to hear what you think!

By the way...

2010-09-26T18:00:00.000+02:00

We did a fashion show back in July. I never realized it, but we never posted any photos from it! Probably because the day before the show our compy had a nervous breakdown and we didn't have a proper computer for a month, but I digress.

It was a smashing hit, and looked so amazing! We had some great help from a few super-talented people like Talya Friedman (co-coordinator), Whitney Wright (makeup artist), and a few beautiful models as well. If you couldn't make it check out the photos:

<3 Andrea

Oh my! An update!

2010-09-16T21:49:00.000+02:00

Well, I'm a little late with this post, but I suppose the old saying still applies... anyway I've got something fun to post about. We've been working on a new top and it's finally up and ready for you to check out! It's a new & improved version to our previous "rock'n'roll" top... but what do you call something that's more rockin' than rock'n'roll?? Heavy Metal! Alright, so what's so different about it? First of all, besides the awesome chains in the back, we' added a satin ribbon tie at the bottom (it's hard to see in the photos, check it out in the etsy listing). Besides that, it's also DOUBLE-SIDED! Inside plain black, outside, Jackson Pollock-style paint splatter in white. So check it out, it's our new Heavy Metal top. Questions, comments and critiques are, as always, muchly welcomed.

<3
Andrea

Etsy Treasures

2010-08-15T19:51:00.004+03:00

Hi! I know that in my last blog post I said I'd be blogging a lot more, and that until now I haven't followed though with it... sorry! Anyway, I had the idea to share some of the wonderful treasuries we've been featured in on Etsy, so from now on, I'll be posting a treasury each day that we've been featured in. For anyone who's not Etsy-literate, a "treasury" is a list of goods available for sale on Etsy that has been put together by the site's members. With literally millions of things for sale, it's pretty awesome to be featured :)
Check out this one by MerryRoseBerry:

It's called "Recycled Wardrobe Treasures" , and I love the whole concept, especially that everything here is made from recycled materials!

I'll be back a lot more often now with new posts, I promise!

By the way, what do you think of the new layout? We're still playing with it, so we'd love to hear your feedback.

Cheers!
Andrea

Heart Handmade blog

2010-08-06T11:05:00.002+03:00

Hey everyone, we're happy to be back functioning online properly (we had some computer troubles last month). There's been a lot of great things happening here in PopLove-Land lately, one of them is a great interview we did with "Heart Handmade" blog. You can check it out here.

We've also been working a some new pieces, but you'll have to wait to get a look at them. In the meantime, our end of summer sale is still going on, so make sure you stop by our Etsy shop!

Hope everyone's having a great summer!

<3
Andrea

End of Season Sale Time!!

2010-07-22T11:50:00.001+03:00

Well, it's been far too long since our last post, but we've got a great excuse.... the computer died :(

Don't worry though, we've got it all sorted out now, and we're back online and better than ever. Lots has been going on, and we'll be posting all about the fun new things PopLove has been up to very very soon. In the meantime, the best news for you - PopLove's End of Season Sale has begun!!! Check out our Etsy Shop for some amazing deals on our Summer collection!

Happy Summer!

<3
Andrea

Thirsty for change

2010-07-01T12:07:00.004+03:00

We're really excited to be a part of the "Thirsty for change" fashion show next week! If anyone's in the Tel Aviv area next week, be sure to stop by and check it out. The show is promoting awareness of water conservation - a serious concern this side of the Mediterranean. We're really looking forward to it, and we'll be sure to post photos afterwards for everyone who couldn't make it person.
If think you might be able to make it, check out the details on the facebook page:
Thirsty for change event

Cheers,
Andrea

Works In Progress

2010-06-07T10:18:00.001+03:00

I completely didn't realize that it's been so long since we posted anything! Anyone who's been following us on Facebook has seen a bunch of our new pieces that we've been posting on our Sense of Fashion shop. Things are crazy busy (as usual!) but I'll be sure not to forget about posting here. As well, we've got some really cool new geometric designs that we've been working on. Take a look and tell me what you think!

T-Market time!

2010-05-09T18:27:00.000+03:00

For those of you who live in Israel, you'll know that the T-Market is an event that every streetwear fashionista waits for. We were in Herzliya this time around, and had a great time! We met some rather tall friends, got a visit from Shai's mum (Noodle was particularly happy about that!), and met some other amazing people... but kept forgetting to take photos of them! Well, next time we'll certainly be sure to be more camera-happy, but all in all we had a great time.

Pretty Pretty Pretty!

2010-04-19T16:23:00.000+03:00

I'm SUPER excited to finally be able to say that the Spring/Summer collection is here! We're getting everything together right now to put some pieces up for sale online, but if you're in the Tel Aviv area in the next little while, you can check out Mefoze (www.mefoze.com)

Cheers!

§Andrea

Spring Romance

2010-04-11T18:20:00.000+03:00

With the weather warming up lately (all the way to 35 today!), I'm spending more time wandering around outside, and noticing all those pretty reminders of Spring... flowers blooming, their perfume filling the air... my allergies acting up... but cynicism aside, I felt it was necessary to put together a little tribute to Spring Romance. So here are a few of my favorite things!

Spring / Summer 2010 Catalog!

2010-03-01T14:42:00.005+02:00

It finally arrived! The Spring / Summer 2010 Catalog.

The new line includes a women's sleek camisole, converted from a men's dress shirt, a belted tunic that goes great with tights or skinny jeans, a fabulous babydoll dress, men's and women's punky shredded t-shirts, adjustable capri pants for men and women, and mens Raglan T-shirts.

All the new items are of course made from recycled materials, making each item a unique creation. All recycled fabrics are carefully selected at PopLove to create the highest quality items possible. The finishing touches are hand done in our studio and so every item gets individual attention.

So check out the new catalog, and the items will be added to the online store in the next couple of weeks!

New catalog PDF

Behind the scenes..Catalog Shoot!

2010-02-20T18:45:00.001+02:00

We recently did a photoshoot for our Spring / Summer 2010 Catalog. It was super hot, since the weather in Israel hasn't been that wintery lately, and also 'cause we got super hot models this time around.
The general theme for the look of the catalog is the "American Dream".
The catalog should launch by March 1st in all of it's catalogy glory!
Take a look at behind the scenes and the real stuff will follow soon enough!

Working on PopLove

2010-02-01T12:24:00.000+02:00

We thought we should put up some shots of what we look like when we're creating our creative PopLove creations. Here's how we look when we cut, paint print etc. checkit!

Got some cover!

2010-01-30T19:05:00.000+02:00

We got an interview and we appear on the cover of the February edition of d'ash magazine. It's cool and exciting - check it out!

inspiration

2010-01-14T09:17:00.001+02:00

We've been getting together pictures of stuff that inspires us, and here are a few of the highlights. It's interesting, since it's not limited to fashion designers only. There are graffiti artists, architects, photographers and more. It seems that the main connection between them all is bold use of color, unique ideas and strong structure, even if sometimes it's not immediately apparent. Anyway here they are - check em out!

Reuse 3 by Inspire Collective

Zaha Hadid

Thierry Mugler

Alexander Mcqueen

David Lachapelle

Shooting up on the street

2010-01-08T11:36:00.001+02:00

We wanted to get some photos of our winter streetwear shirts, since they had only ever been photographed on a mannequin.

So what better place to shoot streetwear than on the street?
We went down to our cool neighborhood - Florentine at night, and shot the items on the backdrop of the market stores (or actually the stores shutters).

Came out really cool and urban feeling. Here are the highlights:

Happy New Year bookworms!

2010-01-01T13:44:00.001+02:00

Even though there's not much of a "Holiday Buzz" here in Israel, I love that I still get holiday gifts :), and this year is no exception. Between the two of us Shai & I got some seriously awesome stuff! 3 new ones, including "Architecture in China", "Science Spaces" and a cute one called "Fashion Makers, Fashion Shapers". All in all, our collection is getting to be seriously awesome. Next step... an apartment with space for a coffee table to keep them on...

A selection of our awesome coffee table book collection for the coffee table-less connoisseurs

Great deals in ebay auctions

2009-12-07T01:19:00.002+02:00

We put up a bunch of auctions on old "Hysteric Faerie" period stuff for *cheap* grabs on ebay - great holiday purchases!

http://tinyurl.com/yea2dce

What What? Here's what's up!

2009-11-08T09:56:00.003+02:00

We're feeling pretty perky over here lately. Not sure if it's because we've finally got some rain around Tel Aviv way, or maybe it's because we're in a WICKED shop now. Check out www.plazmalab.com/main and you'll see what we mean.

Also been busy working on some knock-your-socks-off style remade vintage bits'n'pieces. Here's a little eye-candy for you...

Set right up!

2009-09-21T15:19:00.003+03:00

Alright, so I've got to admit, this post is more for my "East of the Atlantic" friends, but it's great and exciting none the less. We've been invited to show at a local designer's market this week! Thursday the 25th, and Friday the 26th, we'll be at Dizengoff center in Tel Aviv at the designers' market on the lower level of Dizengoff center. Not only that, but we've been invited as special guests to be featured as one of Tel Aviv's hot new up-and-coming designers!!

So come by and visit, we'll be happy to see you, I promise!

<3 Andrea

Satellite Dog

2009-08-19T10:01:00.002+03:00

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-zup? I've been too busy to post lately, but I've got a good reason... a little fuzzy good reason and his name is Noodle! Shai & I adopted this little munchkin a couple of weeks ago, and today he's back from the vet (we had him neutered) and he looks like a Satellite dish! Aw, poor thing. Lots of stuff going on with new designs, but I'll post about that in a few days. Meanwhile, bask in the warm glow of cuteness of my poor little pup!

moon, music, nitzanim

2009-07-20T12:36:00.002+03:00

So a couple of weeks ago, Shai and I finally got out of the house and spent the night down at Nitzanim beach where there was a HUGE trance party all night. Fabulous time, but by 5am I was starting to feel a little old for these all-night parties. No matter, it was great seeing Skazi and Infected live, and Balkan beat box was surprisingly awesome, especially their video-art. Now just to find the time to get to the beach during the day... I need a tan

Sultry summer days

2009-06-29T12:10:00.002+03:00

I absolutely love summer days when I can sleep late, hang out on the balcony and just chill. Not that it happens very often, but maybe that's why I love it so much. Shai & I have been working hard on making our place look nice and homey. For starters, we went out and picked up some plants a few weeks ago to try and spruce up the balcony. I love the colours of the flowers we picked up, very cheery. I think I'll take my coffee outside and stare at the pretty colours awhile... because I can :)

Slacker much?

2009-06-19T10:43:00.002+03:00

OMG it's hot in here! Seriously, I have to get used to Israeli summers. It's only mid-June and already it's at LEAST 30*C every day (that's 86*F for all you Americans out there). Usually more. Anyway, I shouldn't complain, I've escaped the nastiness of Canadian winters!!!
Anyway, things have been going pretty well, slow and steady as they say. Shai & I are working together to get the rest of our designs finished by the end of June, so that we can start pushing forward and approaching stores! We've already had some interest from one or two places, and we may even be able to do a booth at the Designer's market in Dizengoff center by September. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
As you can see, I've been into experimenting lately, what do you think of the shoes? They're wicked vintage pieces that I picked up and made fabulous. Next step is going to be SPARKLY!!! Can't wait. My lust for fabulous shoes is constantly growing... this could be a problem guys...

weddings and wonderment

2009-05-25T11:59:00.000+03:00

Well hello there! That's right I'm still living on this planet, I've just been hibernating for the past month and a half! Let's see, what's new? First, Shai & I moved apartments, which means new STUDIO space!! I actually have space to cut fabric!! (Okay, but still not enough) Ha ha, and besides that his sister got married a couple of weeks ago, which means I had to (of course) make a fabulous dress to wear. Though I don't have any decent photos of it, I'll be sure to get some soon. With the move & everything we've been really slacking with shooting the new stuff. Ooh, and Shai & I also made him a fabulous leather tie!! Are you jealous? For all you animal lovers out there, you needn't worry, the tie was made from 100% repurposed vintage leather, and it's 100% awesome! BUT, for now, here are some shots of other wicked stuff we've been working on. I'm in love with these slouchy shirts, they're PERFECT for Israeli summers, they're nice and airy. Ooh, and don't tell, but the blue denim bag is a birthday present for my brother. I'll let you know if he likes it. Ciao for now chiquitas!

2009-04-13T00:31:00.003+03:00

Ooof, it's been a while since the last post! Anyway, I've been enjoying a nice break from my Ulpan (Hebrew Classes), and enjoying gianourmous amounts of food for passover. I'm not sure that my clothes fit properly any more... Anyway, as you can see, we've been slaving away on some sweet new designs, I MADE JEANS!!! They're pretty simple to start, but you'll see, we've got a whole lot more planned for them!!! I'm excited. Also, Shai's screen prints are becoming more and more AWESOME. Lovin' the lady print, no? Well, I've got to keep this one short and sweet, it's time for me to read some "זבנג" (it's a hebrew comic book... haha, gotta start somewhere ;)

Nu Stuff

2009-03-23T01:06:00.003+02:00

Alright, alright, so there's some exciting news here. Things are starting to move and we've got a shop in Jerusalem that's going to be carrying some PopLove-ised tee shirts! I'll post photos and details later, so check back soon. Besides that, we've been working on all kinds of neat designs and stuff, as you can see! Oh, and by the way, my hair is now blonder than ever :) But you'll have to check back next week so see photos of that ;)

More fun in nostalgia-land!

2009-03-10T23:13:00.003+02:00

So, I'm still obsessing about the past, so I figured that I'd post a few more of my favorite old photos. That's not to say that I'm not working on anything new, far from it! I guess it's just that here in Israel, it's Purim, which is basically the Jewish version of Halloween, so it's reminding me of all the old days when I used to dress up like "Halloween is every day". Here's to all the fabulous freaks of the world!

A History of PopLove in Pictures: Part 1 - photoshoots

2009-03-09T01:13:00.000+02:00

I've been searching through some old photos, and I never realized how much eye candy I used to make. So I'm going to post a series of blogs that show exactly where PopLove has come from. Let's start with the early days when we were still called "Hysteric Faerie"...

Fresh!

2009-01-20T18:56:00.000+02:00

So here we are in the world of the internet.

We've been working really hard here at PopLove and we've been creating some really cool stuff lately. We'll be posting some of the new awesomeness here and also in our Esty store.

Our Etsy store is at http://www.poplovedesigns.etsy.com

We've been working on some clothes, integrating vintage fabrics, dye removing, fabric painting and silk screening.
We've also been doing a lot of upcycling of some cool vintage jewelry that came from a pirate's trasure chest. And besides that we've been developing our line of PopBags and PopHome Decorative pillows.

Here are some of our latest additions

Poplove Designs

Blindfold Magazine

Photoshoot 4 fun!

Glass Sculptures and Summer Sales

The End of Summer sale has started in our Etsy shop! http://www.etsy.com/shop/poplo​vedesignsSimply enter the following coupon code in the checkout cart to receive a 20% discount:SUMMERLOVE

<3ShaiP.S. - Yes, I occasionally write here too!

Camisoles and tanks

Press, boutiques and new designs

How to Mordant Organic Cotton - Our Latest Tutorial

We're still here, I swear

Maya Stern - a course for Chocoholics!

Our tutorial on how to dye organic cotton is here!

Male models are hot. So are new stuffs.

Happy back-to-work time!

Art gallery and arty video

Busy doing what designers do - make stuff.

My brain is going to explode!

Auction Madness!

Epic Cupcakes!!!

Hot Shots

Guest-Blog!

Video Killed The Radio Star

Day off!

A key factor

Fast Fashion Trauma

Pencil me in

Key Pendant

That size 0 thing: Part 3

That size 0 thing: Part 2 - The male perspective

That size 0 thing: Part 1

From Blah to BLING - a DIY story

Rusty or Dusty?

Nightwalking

Marvelous Mondays

DIY cardigan!

Puzzles & Mysteries

Organic Beauty

A day dedicated to lovely

Some new items and a feature!

Patchy peony

New studio and a new jacket

Seasonally Inappropriate

Treasury fun

Autumn = chilly fingers

By the way...

Oh my! An update!

Etsy Treasures

Heart Handmade blog

End of Season Sale Time!!

Thirsty for change

Works In Progress

T-Market time!

Pretty Pretty Pretty!

Spring Romance

Spring / Summer 2010 Catalog!

Behind the scenes..Catalog Shoot!

Working on PopLove

Got some cover!

inspiration

Shooting up on the street

Happy New Year bookworms!

Great deals in ebay auctions

What What? Here's what's up!

Set right up!

Satellite Dog

moon, music, nitzanim

Sultry summer days

Slacker much?

weddings and wonderment

Nu Stuff

More fun in nostalgia-land!

A History of PopLove in Pictures: Part 1 - photoshoots

Fresh!

The End of Summer sale has started in our Etsy shop!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/poplovedesigns
Simply enter the following coupon code in the checkout cart to receive a 20% discount:

SUMMERLOVE

<3
Shai

P.S. - Yes, I occasionally write here too!