here. boutique: a lifestyle brand on a mission!

My sweet sponsor and pal Chloe of Chloe Zola is going to tell you guys about the boutique she is in the process of creating. Her shop is going to feature hand-crafted goods that she and others designers create (she's collaborating with several other businesses and their products). Today she's going to tell you guys about the brand she's creating, her kickstarter and a little about the collaborators she's working with! Oh--and did I tell you guys she's already written a book? And that she's only 22?!??! AMAZEBALLS.

here. is a lifestyle brand based on the concept that we create as a basic instinct. It is not only a brand featuring high quality, conscious craftsmanship, it is also a way to showcase the person and the heart behind the product.

As an extension of the ideals (home, family, coming-of-age) that my writing conveys, I have created a brand that combines vintage, new, one-of-a-kind, and collaboration with a handful of artisans, designers & jewelers to create an intimate line of items that evoke the element of story. It will feature various limited edition bracelets, soaps, bags, sweaters.

As I sat in a classroom on the island of Paros two years ago, amidst a debate about why we make art, my teacher informed the class that when the Holocaust had ended, anthropologists found quiet sketches engraved on the walls of holding rooms and gas chambers. The solemn and inspiring lesson was to remind us that on our most basic level, our instinct is to make marks, create symbols of time and place for those around us and for people who will come long after we have gone. We turn our lights down and we create as a way to tell whoever is listening--"I was here."

This is an effort to find and connect with like-minded artists, designers, artisans, bakers, potters, authors--anyone from anywhere who makes marks as a way to make sense. People with a similar mindset of doing what you know, what you love, with a lot of integrity, a hint of nostalgia, and a mutual appreciation for where things come from.

Upcoming Collaborations:
LoveMert // Handbags- Passion for textures, scents, structures, patterns and vintage oddities translate into a collection that reinvents primitive patterns, faceted crystals and natural elements. Made by hand in our studio in Lake Tahoe, California.
Gracelette NYC // The spiritually reflective symbol of the red and turquoise strings represent the courage, strength, and resilience that resides within all of us. The elegance, simplicity, and grace of this bracelet reminds us of our own endurance when faced with life's everyday challenges.
Soap Cartel // We are committed to providing you with an unparalleled bathing & skin-care experience, using only nature's most treasured ingredients from all over the world to fashion our unique artisanal range of day-to-day essentials, all made by us in our New York based studio.
Carolina Loyola // I consider my pieces and style to be “Bohemian Chic," says Loyola. I love color and you will see that in all my collections. Carolina handpicks all her stones for her collections which come from all parts of the world. All stone is natural and either precious or semi-precious. All wire used in the making is either 14K gold-filled or sterling silver material.

You can connect with Chloe via her blog, Kickstarter and Twitter.