The One...
Let's talk about a bra that I just found this year that has endless combinations, no underwire but still lifts your girls which is extremely comfortable and makes mornings so much easier. It will change your mornings and who can argue with that?
This bra has colored inserts to satisfy all your color cravings and if you are feeling a little more adventurous, you don't have to wear any inserts at all. With my crazy schedule, it is a life saver since I don't have to dig through my drawer of bras and decide which one. This bra covers all of my basic day to day needs. But my absolute favorite are the lavender inserts. Absolutely calming and feels like you are wearing nothing at all. No more boob jail!
With this bra, I styled it for more of a sporty chic look since the lace detail is so much fun. Pair it with a simple v neck white tee, any color insert for a splash of surprise, layer it with a baseball button up, throw on a cap and you are casual ready with a kick.
Don't forget to check out CHANGEWEAR! A Portland company that is empowering women everywhere. Truly inspiring.
Photographer : Dung Nguyen @mushiefungus
Bra : Changewear www.changewear.com
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Consumer Guide / No.53 / ‘ChicCartel’ co-founder & photographer Victoria Nelson with Mark Watkins.
MW : Since we last spoke in 2015 (on your successful book 'Curves') you've started a new company, 'ChicCartel', tell me about that, Victoria...
VN : Well, I'm a person who really needs a cause to stand behind. Otherwise I literally get lost. So ‘Curves’ was the most exciting project. I loved helping women get a platform by doing it and the cause is very dear to me personally. The truth is that, after a two year long roller coaster with ‘Curves’, I was very exhausted both physically and mentally. So I took some time off to travel. I ended up doing months in India, Bali and Italy. Please don't make parallels with Eat Pray Love. It was a complete accident that my journey ended up being the same countries as in this book. When I came back to the states I was refreshed and inspired about a new cause - promoting sustainability and fair trade in fashion (as well as total hotness).
MW : So how are you mapping the United States?
VN : At the moment we have search areas as such: Manhattan, Brooklyn, San Francisco, L.A and Heartland. This was the best system we could come up with after researching sustainable local designers. Unfortunately, the sustainability in the fashion movement isn't spread out evenly in the states. Most designers being located in N.Y and Cali.
MW : How did you come up with the idea for your brand name?
VN : The idea here is very straightforward - we don't want sustainability to be boring. We would never buy it ourselves. We are into sexy, chic and badass sustainable ladies. So the company was named ChicCartel. Chic - because we are obviously after that. And Cartel - well, being a cartel we are a union of multiple designers (as well as we like a little fun with the badass association here).
MW : How does 'ChicCartel' empower women?
VN : So many ways! Firstly, we support female owned businesses (our designers) as well as we are a female owned company ourselves. We also use models of all shapes and sizes for our shoots - this is something that I was promoting heavily with ‘Curves’, and now I brought it to the new company. Plus, we support women by giving them an alternative choice to shop if they choose to be our customers.
MW : What’s sustainable about your products?
VN : There's a lot of different ways to look at sustainability. We chose the “local” aspect of it as a main. All our designers are based locally in the U.S and produce either locally, or very close to home, in a certified sustainability factory. This helps keep the jobs locally and help grow the economy; as well as ensures fair wages to all the people involved in production. This also helps them avoid lots of back-and-forth long distance shipping as part of the production. Most of our designers use sustainable fabrics.
MW : Give examples of ‘ChicCartel’ “putting fun into fashion”...
VN : I mean, check out our ads!! Here's just two out of 10’s that we are running.
https://youtu.be/FOt6z785aTw
https://youtu.be/tQf-3zCC3Vg
Also, our website and social media is super interactive and fun!
MW : Do you have a lingerie range?
VN : Yes ;) We have two - White Rabbit, N.Y based in N.Y.C, and Changewear based in Portland, Oregon!
MW: How do you oversee quality control?
VN : The designers ship us all their samples, as well as all of their materials, and we personally check every bit of it. Most of the times we do factory visits too.
MW : What are your current, mid-term and long-term plans for the business?
VN : We want to change the association that most people have with "sustainability". We want to bring the sexy to it, and finally make doing good to the Earth a pleasant, and rewarding, experience.
MW : Any thoughts on the demise of the print version of ‘The Village Voice’?
VN : Totally. To us, this is a great case study of how "staying local" and "doing good" doesn't resonate with people just because it lacks the "sexy". Most people don't mind doing good or/and supporting local communities - but they won't be inclined to actively participate in it unless they get entertained as a bonus.
MW : ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine celebrates 50 years this year ; any thoughts?
VN : Great stuff! Wait till ChicCartel is celebrating 50 years ;)
MW : If you could photograph anyone for the cover of ‘Rolling Stone’ who would it be, and why?
VN : My business partner Olga Gomonova in organic recycled silks. And this is why: https://chiccartel.com/blogs/blog/og-im-not-into-sustainability
MW : What make of camera do you use?
VN : Canon 5D mark ii. I get a new one every six months or so just because I overuse it. No need in any upgrades for me in the past six years.
MW : What do you enjoy seeing / doing?
VN : I recently moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn after nine years on the Village and I'm loving it ;)
To be honest, I love Brooklyn more than I could have imagined. It has the best bars, restaurants, co-working spaces. I feel that it's quieter than Manhattan was for me, which is great. And of course it's less touristy.
Since we started ChicCartel though, I work 10-12 hours daily and haven't been properly out in months :) So I might be a bad expert on these things.
MW : Any plans for a 'Curves 2' ?
VN : Definitely no. I said all I needed to say with the first book and it looks like the "Curvy" movement has made amazing progress since then. I feel like I contributed my part already ;)
MW : Where can we keep in touch on progress?
VN :
www.chiccartel.com IG @chic_cartel
© Mark Watkins / October 2017
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