Artist's Statement

As I walk and drive through life I am constantly thinking, constantly inspired by what I see around me and I try to jot down ideas as I go along. I'm lost without a pen and paper, a check list, a brief note. YazBerry Fashion is my outlet to bring that which inspires me to life, in a tangible, wearable, useful way. I create because whatever it is that keeps me up at night with ideas spinning through my head must be fed by putting my hands to work manifesting my visions.

I am obsessed with recycling; I think I was a first wave 'reduce, reuse, recycle' student and it stuck with me from an impressionable age. I strive to recycle as much as I possibly can; this comes through in my design work. I love working with recycled materials. I almost prefer them to new materials, though I do use a mix in my work. There is something about picking up a discarded material, taking in its limitations and characteristics and finding a way to breathe new life into it. I consider this sustainable fashion.

In the last fifteen years I have made my way around the world. I am inspired by the colors I see, vivid tropical hues, bold eastern pigments and delicious color combinations. I try to capture these colors, textures and sights in my work.

I enjoy examining everything I can with my fingers and my eyes, learning its texture, seeing its ornate details. I pay attention to these things and create with the details and hand in mind. I am inspired by vintage garments, architecture and the textiles themselves. Because I work with a lot of recycled materials, often the material tells me what it should become. I enjoy designing this way and find it more challenging to design from a drawing or a vision and find the materials that work to make this vision come to be.

My work is colorful. It has strong shapes, bold colors and patterns and subtle details reminiscent of vintage craftsmanship. I create with people that enjoy treasure hunting in mind. People that enjoy the art of dressing themselves in special items, pops of color, three or more colors at once like me. I design for people wanting something unique, one of a kind; something not available in malls or department stores. My work is wearable art.

- Virginia E. Berry

TO VIEW THE YAZBERRY PRESS KIT CLICK HERE.

YazBerry on Instagram (& Twitter)

Oh insomnia my familiar friend. The large amount of rain failing through the pipe outside my window has me awake and staring at the wall. Good thing my walls are loaded with interesting stuff.

A photo posted by Virginia (@yazberryfashion) on Sep 15, 2015 at 10:06pm PDT

I've been tweeting for a few years now but mostly YazBerry related stuff. In an attempt at soul searching and figuring out what it is that makes me tick this past winter, it occurred to me that I read A LOT of articles online daily. I enjoy cruising my facebook feed for interesting articles friends post and also all of the news sources I follow. I started tweeting links to the things I read, to take a pulse on what interests me. Deep down I think I am hoping it will inspire a career shift and focus.

I love making things, but I also need to make a living. I am hoping it will help me hone in on something that allows both jointly. 

In a further layer of soul searching, I've given myself permission to experiment with instagram. To see what visually makes me tick and how I spend my day. I am a very private person and don't often invite people into my home - in which I am the boss of every creative detail! I also don't like to overshare on the internet (shockingly I have experienced stalkers in the past...wtf I know). 

All of this said, if you would like a more intimate look into what makes this creative person tick, please, I invite you to follow me on Instagram & Twitter and as always, thank you for your continued support. 

YazBerry Jewelry Collection: Leather Lace

The Leather Lace Collection features hand cut leather lace necklace, bracelets and earrings. I might even try a new ring concept soon! My leather lace collection is one of my most detailed and highest skilled techniques. I have written some background on my technique and inspiration before, and recently produced a short "making of" film which is available on youtube.

Bold and eye catching. Delicate like lace but with the strength of leather. Sometimes imitating metal, sometimes paper. Always distinct and free hand cut by me. Some producers use lasers to mass produce leather filigree jewelry. I do not. I pride myself in a steady hand and the ability to visually transfer a drawn design to leather by simply using small knives and piercing tools. I am good, really good. My free hand cut leather jewelry rivals and surpasses designs cut by lasers time and time again!

Most of these designs I can make in any color of leather or reproduce in similar look to what is featured. Many are currently available on my Etsy shop and on my facebook page. Inspired? Have a design you'd like to see in leather? Contact me to discuss custom jewelry options.

Rescued materials, travel inspired design, functional fashion

I have a tough time answering the question, so what is your work like? How would you describe it? I can profess about it in writing much better, so here it is: 

YazBerry will leave people asking you where you got it!

I was the kid growing up selling dried wild flower bouquets to the neighbors from my wagon. I've always been most content working on creative projects. Sewing, drawing, painting, coloring, building things...One of my favorite games was "business"; I had a wooden box filled with fax cover sheets and blank receipt books.

While in college I had my first run with clothing design. Working in the costume shop at the Skidmore Theatre, my creativity was put to the test creating costumes from thin air based on an idea from the director. I then produced two collections for student fashion shows.

BA in hand and a day job to boot Etsy crossed my path. *light bulb* the perfect outlet for the creative working person. Of course I dream of quitting my day job like most Etsians, but for now the bills must get paid and Etsy is the perfect forum to run my business while I sleep. I recently have started selling directly on Facebook and in some local stores.

I have been transient the last *ahem* nearly a decade; each space I have lived in I have always made room for a studio. My current studio is a tiny, closet-less bedroom in my rented house with borrowed furniture. My living and creative space are often woven into and on top of one another. I have a hard time keeping projects in the project room...they sneak into the kitchen, the living room...it works. I thrive in organized chaos.

My favorite materials are discarded clothing found in secondhand shops. Textiles inherited from retired friends and family. Found objects from flea markets and the beach. My absolute favorite thing is to determine the limitations of a discarded item, discover its potential and work it into a functional piece of wearable art.

YazBerry is in essence, a grand recycling experiment; manifested in the form of wearable art. I am a first generation "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" student and have found it is one of my guiding mantras in all that I do in life. Always finding ways to reduce my impact on the ecosystem and preserve the beauty around us for those to come after.

At the moment I am mostly flying solo on the YazBerry frontier. At times my generous husband will help with projects; my number one fan and best sales person. My mom also helps at art fairs.

I always carry a small notepad and pen with me. I never know when something will catch my eye, inspire a design and need to be captured before my short term memory allows it to float on the wind. I am particularly inspired by architecture, eye catching color combinations in ethnic textiles and the artisan craft of peoples around the world.

I rarely make the same item twice. It feels like a chore and I want your YazBerry creation to be singular in this world. I stand by the promise that YazBerry will leave people asking you where you got it!

Enjoy!

Virginia E. Berry-Phillips
Designer * Creator * Picker * Maker

Is it a Tunic or a Dress?

TBD. Sometimes a design requires the hunt for the perfect fabric, other times the fabric inspires the design. That is the case this time. I had a piece of leather I had cut one of my leather corset leaf bodices out of that wants to be turned into either a tunic or a dress. My initial thoughts were tunic...but upon playing with some fabric around the house last night and today I am wondering if it might be a dress.

Here are the first peeks of an idea:




The lovely mauve and off white fabric you see is an antique kimono obi. The delicious giant buttons are vintage! I love recycling and repurposing fabric and buttons. To use the kimono obi fabric, I need to take it apart.


When I exposed part of the liner I discovered the makers mark (no not the whiskey), does anyone read Japanese characters? I'd love to know who made this as all kimonos and obis are meticulously and precisely hand sewn and this is the first stamp or label I have come across! This one, like a couple others I've worked with, had a lovely hidden silk lined pocket as well. I love the discovering little treasures like these. As the silk is in pristine condition I think it will find it's home in a purse in the near future.


Here is what it looks like day two. Part of the process is taking apart the first draft, which is simply pinned fabric and actually starting to tailor and assemble the item. Right now I am working on some organic, raised darts along the front waist. The idea is to cinch in the waist a bit, so it looks less sack like when the obi belt is tied around it. More later as the design progresses.