Meet our new employee Maria Conchita and her beautiful jewelry designs.

Going Paleo

I have always had  fairly healthy eating and exercise habits, however I have decided that perhaps the”caveman” lifestyle is the way to go with the amount of processed foods we are faced with.   It is so interesting that trends affect food, exercise, and eating as strongly as they affect fashion and what we design.  Paleo is defiantly on trend.

Just to let you know that if you want to be on trend with all areas of your life here are 5  things you should know:

1.  Paleo has replaced Vegan

2. Coconut and Almond Milk are in, Dairy is out!

3.  Almond Flour in, Grains out

4. Veggies in, Carbs out

5. Meat in, Soy out

For those of you, who want to try a “Whole Food” approach to eating I will post recipes as I try them.  Most of you know that I like to cook and bake and so I will let you know the recipes that work.

Also, I recommend doing a “whole food” cleanse to accompany the “paleo” Lifestyle.

Keep in mind that food made in a factory is not worth eating, food made by mother nature is.

Okay, as some of you know I am a crazy reader.  Reading is my escape from life and also where I find most of my inspiration.  I just finished Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker and I do recommend it.  After seeing Lincoln, I became fascinated with him as a man and his family life.  This historical novel is a window into the family life of the Lincoln’s in the white house.  You get a glimpse of what Mary Todd was really like, but alos it is fascinating as a fashion designer, because the novel explains the making of the gowns and corsets and her special techniques.  It is a wonderful book to follow up the movie Lincoln.  It focuses less on Lincoln and more on Mary Todd and the pressures of life in the white house.

I give this book a thumbs up!! Read it and let me know your thoughts.

By the way if you have seen LINCOLN by Steven Speilberg you need to.  Every American needs to see this movie not only the understand the man in his own time, but also to understand that politics have not changed at all and at some point we need to elect a “Lincoln” of our own time.

We are proud to announce the newest member of the Fiveloaves Twofish Design Team

THEODORE JACOB KURIAKOSE

Born Feb. 24th @ 6:10 am

7 lbs. 4 oz.  19″ Long

We moved!!  Fiveloaves twofish is no longer at Liberty Station.  We have moved to a much larger Design Studio

Check it out

You asked for it and we responded.  Fiveloaves twofish is opening their New Design Studio for a one day FALL SAMPLE SALE.

Mark your Calenders for Saturday Sept. 29th between 11am-4pm to come and see our brand new studio and also to be able to shop the entire Fall Collection.

Our New Studio is at 301 W 28th St. Suite S National City, CA 91950  619-434-7930

SEE YOU ON SAT.   SEPT.29th for Fabulous Shopping, Fun, and of course Goodies fiveloaves Style!!

When the beach gets too sweltering hot to handle, it’s always nice to take refuge in a nice, quiet, air-conditioned movie theatre. Summer movies are upon us and this year especially there are a ton of awesome flicks to catch. Two recent films and their fearless heroines have left us at Fiveloaves Twofish reeling with excitement (no pun intended).

Brave's heroine Merida

Pixar’s Brave is nothing short of spectacular. Set in Dark-Age Scotland, the story focuses on rebellious Princess Merida as her suitors from the realm come to win her over. The men of Merida’s kingdom are brave and warrior-like, her father included, and she longs to be able to ride her horse and shoot some arrows like everyone else. With her mother insisting that princesses do not take up archery and are expected to marry a prince, Merida and the queen get into an argument and Merida rides off into the woods to discover a witch’s cabin and asks for a spell that will “change” her mother. As you might have guessed, things do not go quite as Merida planned.

Merida would love these playful pants and rompers

Much of the movie has to do with following fate versus deciding our own, as Merida literally follows sprite-like spirits that supposedly lead people to their destinies. Being the first of the Pixar movies to feature a female lead character (though I still consider Dory to be the true hero of Finding Nemo) Brave also has to do a lot with gender roles and equality. We love that Merida fights to be who she really is and doesn’t conform to someone else’s desires. We also are trying to get our hair to look like Merida’s wild crimson locks – seriously, that hair is fantastic!

Because Brave is Pixar there is something for absolutely everyone. Boys and girls, young and old, will be captivated by the sweet tale and the breathtaking scenery.

If Merida were a present-day Fiveloaves Twofish customer, we would peg her for a romper/wide-leg pants girl so that she could ride her faithful steed Angus while also looking fabulous.

Sam and Suzy planning their adventure

If you’re looking to get away from the Summer Blockbuster, we suggest the delightfully quirky

Suzy would love the Executive dress!

Moonrise Kingdom. Directed by Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr. Fox) and set in Cape Cod in 1965, this indie flick follows the Romeo & Juliet-like romance between quiet girl Suzy and Khaki Scout camper Sam. Both twelve years old and yet wise beyond their years, the two kids decide to run away together and go on adventures.

While rather odd at some points, the story of these two lovers is

sweet and beautiful. Wes Anderson with his detail-oriented eye makes

it so that every scene is like a piece of art, and the star-studded cast and lovely scenery make the film so enjoyable. The movie is recommended for older audiences, as the film deals with some adult issues, but the delightful style of Suzy is something that every age can enjoy! Suzy prefers solid dresses with collars and cuffs poking out beneath, and of course her signature “Sunday School” shoes. The Executive dress would be such a perfect fit for Suzy and her polished style!

What movies do you recommend this summer?

going to market has opened my eyes…the title designer is very loosely defined and used.

Defining Design…

What Defines a Designer?

Smoke and Mirrors “Designer”

this “designer”  likes to create an illusion with elaborate merchandising and photo shoots that  often feel like a still movie…but as for design they are often lacking or worse guilty of being “stealers” taking their pattern maker pictures of vintage, retro or even modern day clothing and asking for a knock off in their fabric of choice, and we are supposed to see this as design, it is set dressing, the garment is an after thought to this made up world.

The Stealer

The industry calls this “Knocking-Off;” This designer “steals” his/her designs, from fellow competitors or straight up goes to the mall and will buy what he/she likes and ask her pattern maker to duplicate it, in her fabric! AHHHHHH!!!!! This is a designers absolute nightmare… but here is the kicker the stealer does not realize they are knocker-offers! They honestly think everyone designs this way. I am trying to understand where they think new fresh looks come from if we are all regurgitating each others designs….but yes this is why so many things look the same…you have ”The Stealers and “knocker-offers” to thank.

Catalog ” Designer”

The eanie-mini-mighty-moe approach… The factory usually overseas sends a catalog of all the work they have ever sewn and can make. The catalog designer then puts his/her looks together by piecing them together…i.e. I want this dress, but with those sleeves and that skirt. This is better than just flat out stealing but still annoying, how do you think they can make all these garments because they are offering what they have sewn for other designer’s, only now you can mix and match…FYI the Catalog Designer think this is how we all design…YIKES!

THE  Designer   – the real deal

Works from scratch feeling out the desires of their customer working a year and half to 2 years in advance. Designs are sketched, patterned, proto-types are made and tested, designs tweaked and re-worked. Before the collection goes to market it is blood, sweat and tears, a true labor of love.

For me,  I want to dress our girl customer,  I want her to love wearing, living in my clothing…I want to create  clothing she relates to and will always remember wearing. I aim to  design clothing that is a perfect balance of form and function. I want my girls to feel and look fantastic no matter where they are or what they are doing.  You don’t need the perfect scene you just need the dress, and yourself.

To be fair  designers are often influenced by the past and can even be influenced by a fellow designer, BUT that is never where we start or search out ideas.  When it happens  you must  make it our own…So while you may be “inspired” by Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy by the time you make your design, it has transformed so much it is a new dress, and probably only you would know the seed it grew from.