Mayu

What’s glam now? Neckwear like Mayu’s ruffled scarves. Working in Peru as a Peace Corps Volunteer, Kate Robertson fell in love with the local artisans and their hand-knitting skills. The Chicago native decided to start Mayu because she wanted to support the artisans as her time with the Peace Corps ended. They knit luxurious accessories made with high-quality pure alpaca fiber.

Robertson has spent years forming not only a business relationship but also friendships with the artisans and says they’ve been taught valuable business skills and earn fair wages, while still being able to take care of their children. “They’ve given us a stronger awareness of struggles women have in developing countries to provide for their families. They feed our passion to keep Mayu growing.” Mayu sells a bunch of products, including the ruffle scarf and an alpaca throw. Robertson says, “once you wear a Mayu product, you will not want to take it of!” Find out for yourself, http://www.shopmayu.com/

Kanye West: Not Glam

Kanye West started it. His casually draped scarf arond the neck took off like wildfire and now we can't get rid of it. Oh Vey. Every man (!), woman and tween sports the look which we now have to pronounce is so over, so not glam. If we see one more person with the, oh so lightly draped, ethnically correct, scarf draped around their neck, we will roll our eyes and try to squash every desire to rip it off and scream, "Find your own style, damn it!" Breathe. We do think it is dying it's own natural death and making room for way more creative offerings. See our next post to discover what we're talking about. And Kanye, after the fiasco of the MTV Video Music Awards, we hope you will scurry away and think about ALL the choices you make. Thanks.

Vat, Chen, Thai

We love Thailand. Exotic, spiritual, colorful and profound, it is a country of mystery and discovery. That’s why when we saw 360 Jewels it took us back to the contradiction of chaos and calm that embodies Bangkok. Designers May Vat and Belle Chen's jewelry line captures the essence of Thailand and brings exoticism home. Their pieces will spark conversation and curiosity. Vat, who was raised in the U.S. but whose parents are from Thailand went there for the first time several years ago and found that, once there, she couldn’t pull herself away. She stayed for several years. The seduction: Clear blue skies; flavorful food and fruits; the emerald colored sea; green mountains; ancient architecture and precious gemstones. Chen, Chinese by descent, was actually born and raised in Thailand. Her passion for jewelry was sparked when she visited a crystal factory in her mom’s hometown, Salzburg, Austria. She began to collect jewelry and then making it out of threads, beads and, yes, crystals.

In May 1999, Belle Chen and May Vat became friends, introduced by a mutual friend (still don’t believe in destiny?). They soon both quit their jobs to follow their passion. Today, Vat sketches the jewelry designs while Chen searches for precious stones in gemstone factories and mines in Thailand. Their pieces are made from 18K gold and up and 925 sterling silver with natural stones. Each design takes 3-5 months from initial design to production. The signature collection is priced from $400-$800. Buy here, http://www.360jewels.com/