Exclusive Interview: Fink aka iheartfink

I am a self proclaimed (diagnosed) print junkie. My closet is filled with bold, graphic, subtle and classic prints spanning the decades. I hunt them out. I am drawn to them like a moth. A quick peek at the Fink collection found on iheartfink.etsy.com you can see why I dig their work.

Here are a few of my favorite Fink designs. Someday my closet will be filled with them! Fink is the collaborative effort of textile artists Karen and Kristen. Both artists design the prints on their textiles, hand print them, make each garment from scratch without patterns, model and photograph their own work. Even more amazing is that they work out of studios in two different states, NY and NM!

I was so intrigued by this business set up, my first question was how they worked out the details of their independent design business with so many miles (and some time zones too) between them. Here is what they had to say:

karen - "we met in the boston area where we were both working on the comedy central animated series dr. katz professional therapist...we became fast friends, kept in touch & after many years of not working together anymore we realized that we really missed it- that we had a particular energy that worked well creatively and that we needed to find a way to make it happen, we did and off we went...."

kristen - "yes, our Boston times were great and it became obvious over time that even though we were miles apart we could make something happen...and here it is"

I asked the ladies how they would describe Fink to someone who has never seen their collection before:

karen - "our tagline says it best for the style---nouveaux flowerchild chic . but more importantly handprinted & handmade from scratch. one of a kind- each item has an incredible amount of work put into it. we can't stress that enough. that enough"

kristen - "yes, everything Karen said. I tell people about our clothes...show them in person when I can and still they say "so, where do you get your fabrics?" even after I told them we print them...then I show them the screens and how we do it and then get the "WOW!!!" "OMG" and "AMAZING!!" stuff. we do our best to explain our work in written words on Etsy and other sites but when our customers receive the the clothes they really get it...and then they come back for more!"

Something that always intrigues me about designers (and bands) is how they come up with their name. Here is what Karen and Kristen have to say about the origin of Fink:

karen - "the usual...just chit chatting & laughing really. it doesn't really mean anything but what it means. it's funny. fink is a funny word and we love people who are finks."

kristen - "well, though we found it by giggling and conversing over cocktails...it makes so much sense. Fashion + Ink...Fink."

When asked about their muse, where they find inspiration for their textiles and silhouettes, they shared the following:

karen - "wow that is a tough one because inspiration is all over the place but a simple answer would be vintage of course- we both love love love vintage, and imagination & of course mother nature for colors & prints- she is a big influence."

kristen - "yes, I agree w/ Karen...vintage is number one. movies, books, music, memories, cocktails, conversations, love...they all inspire!"

I wanted to really find out about what goes on behind the computer screen at Fink. I asked Kristen and Karen to share about some of the hardest aspects of their designing and business. Some of the challenges included space. The solution: improvise, that's what the kitchen table is for. And every creative person's challenge: not enough time. Kristen's thoughts on solutions for shortage of time?

"I don't have the space problem here in Santa Fe and I feel most fortunate about that...for me it's time. that is really a positive thing though...like they say "time flies when you are having fun"...it does. and I am not willing to have less fun so time will keep flying!"

Both Kristen and Karen have been able to dedicate themselves to Fink 110% of the time. They are grateful for the freedom and spontaneity their independent design business has given them and welcome conversations from you!

Assessing Vintage Clothing & Accessories

Brace yourself for a thorough knowledge share! My new roommate moved in this weekend and in a conversation about YazBerry and the fact that I sell vintage clothing and purses, she asked me what I look for when I buy vintage items. I apparently had a lot to say on the subject and thought I'd share that with you.

The first thing I look for is color, texture or print. I have a pretty consistent color palate I like and which meets my aesthetic taste. If we are talking Crayola Markers, it would be the Bold colors. I also like black, gold, copper or brassy metallics and browns.

When shopping for texture my fingers play a key roll. Does the fabric feel comfortable to wear? Is it a particularly unique texture not commonly found? Does it feel particularly well made? Has the fiber aged well? These are questions I consider in regards to texture.

Prints are an exciting but, in my opinion, delicate topic in vintage. I shop for prints I consider timeless. Prints that I could see in stores today, or in many decades. I try to avoid gaudy prints that were part of a trend that shouldn't have happened or has happened and does not need to be revisited. I want my customers to wear the vintage treasures they find, accordingly it is key I look for prints that they would feel comfortable wearing in their day to day lives.

After an item has caught my attention based on the above, I start checking it for flaws. I avoid buying stained or torn or really well worn items when at all possible. Occasionally I may purchase an item that is flawed if the flaw is not noticeable when worn or does not affect the fit or use of the item. I want my vintage items to be strong and last the buyer a long time.

Once I've assessed an item on the above criteria, I get to move on to one of my favorite parts: placing it in a decade, researching the designer and determining the value of the item. Labels are a very important clue. The fonts, colors and materials used in a label tell a lot about how old an item is. They also tell us where it is made. Which, surprisingly enough, also can give a clue to an item's age. If it is made in the USA or Western Europe, often it is from the 1950's or older. The closer in date we come to today, the further east garment manufacturing moves. Of course there are exceptions to this, but it is a great starting point to assigning an era to an item.

Other things to look at are the materials used and how the item was made. If the seams are surged the item is newer. If a dress has a metal zipper the item is older. If the fibers are natural, often the item is older and if synthetic often the item is newer. Pairing this information with the label and other clues about the style of the garment, print, cut etc. aid in dating an item.

Of course style and cut are very big clues in putting an age on an item. Cinema, theater, newspapers, magazines and books aid in identifying style trends and characteristics from era to era. Each era has it's commonly found and stereotypical style and often this is one of the most useful tools in determining the age of an item.

However, this is not always true as contemporary fashion often draws on old styles or retro reproductions can be found. When I suspect this is the case, I refer to my other dating tools as previously described. That is why it's important to know all of the things to look for, not just the style when shopping for vintage items.

And the hardest part: determining the value. This depends on a few key things: Designer, materials and rarity of item. I always research designers online to see who they are. Of course there are many vintage designers who are familiar to me as I have been shopping for vintage for many years. This is a good way to determine what similar items are selling for.

If an item is made of fine materials: silk, leather, fur, embroidery, precise tailoring, hand construction, it will have a higher value. Additionally, if I have never seen an item like it before, and it is a rare item, it will definitely be of higher value. As I frequent vintage stores and browse vintage collections online, I have a vast mental database of what is out there.

I'm always amazed by vintage clothing and accessories. Like any collectible item or antique, there is a lot to know about assessing and appraising an item. I love it and have so much fun with it! For great vintage finds of mine for sale (don't worry, not all the cool stuff I find lives in my own closet...I'd need a whole room to house all of the treasures I come across) visit my etsy.com store: yazberryfashion.etsy.com!