Q & A: Arielle de Pinto

The first time I set eyes on a piece of Arielle de Pinto's bold yet delicate, hand-crocheted jewelry, I couldn't stop staring. The obvious aesthetics grabbed my attention initially, but after careful examination I couldn't help but wonder how much energy, blood sweat and tears went into each piece. It's not easy to gain praise in the fashion industry, especially with jewelry, but Montreal based Arielle de Pinto has made quite a name for herself (rightfully so), and is stocked at a growing list of Style Bite faves. It was only natural that I wanted to know more. I asked Arielle if she would answer a few questions, and she was game. Here's what she had to say:
S.B: Your jewelry making technique appears to be an incredibly intricate process, and very inventive. How would you describe the process? How long does it normally take to create a piece?
A.D.P: It is straight up crocheted chain. I can't tell you any more then that, and I especially will not tell you how long it takes. I can assure you that it is hard on the body.
S.B: What kind, if any, of formal training do you have in jewelry design?
A.D.P: ZERO
S.B: Before starting a collection, or designing a new piece, who or what do you turn to for inspiration?
A.D.P: Inspiration comes from activity for me. seeing things, doing things. If I become too isolated I lose all ambition. If I get an idea and it is not executed within 36 hours, I struggle to maintain interest. I have my materials on me at all times, and some of my best work comes when I am in transit, like on an airplane for 10 hours or in a car. I'll work until I get nauseous.
S.B: When you aren't wearing your own pieces, who else are you wearing? Jewelry and clothing.
A.D.P: Anntian, Electric Feathers, the no.6 line, Boessert/Schorn, Aesa Jewelry. I also love Von Sono.
S.B: If I'm correct, you're based in in Montreal, do you have any favorite boutiques there? How about favorite online boutiques?
A.D.P: Reborn, Les Etoffes, comissaires...local 23 can be good for digging, and headquarters boutique has some interesting things. I never buy anything online except for the occasional piece of junk on ebay though I love to browse the oogabooga online shop . Also erie basin has a beautiful website.
S.B: Any big plans or projects for 2009?
A.D.P: Yes, huge. To stay in one place and cook myself meals everyday. I travelled so much in the past couple of years to promote my line, the only thing that is in my mind is setting up an apartment, and working on showpieces. I do, however have a show coming up mid-January in El Paso, Texas at the Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts
Arielle de Pinto is available online at no6store, Reborn and Stand up Comedy.

Images from S/S 2009 lookbook

Q & A: Arielle de Pinto

Sneak Peek: Silver Spoon Attire S/S '09

Silver Spoon Attire is a London based collection of structured yet wearable designs that transition well from a day in, to a night out. Inspiration for their SS'09 collection comes from a twisted version of the movies "Talented Mr Ripley" and "Y Tu Mama Tambien." Not sure what part of those two movies the grey tailored sweatpants came from--but I'm dying for a pair.

Sneak Peek: Silver Spoon Attire S/S '09

Paris Fashion Week Schedule: Spring/Summer 2009

Paris Fashion Week Runway Schedule: Spring/Summer 2009
September 27 - October 5th 2008

Saturday September 27th: 11:00 am Impasse De La Défense Gare de Lyon - Train Bleu - Salle Dorée - place Louis Armand - Paris 12e, 12:00 pm Mraie Bishara Ecole du Louvre - Salle Imhotep - Porte Jaujard - Place du Carrousel - Paris 1er, 1:00 pm Sirivannavari Le Grand Hotel Intercontinental - 2 rue Scribe - Paris 9e, 3:00 Ianahelsinki Showcase - Pont Alexandre 111 - Port des Champs Elysées - Paris 8e, 4:00 pm Kris Van Assche 18 rue du Faubourg du Temple - Paris 11e, 5:00 pm Gareth Pugh Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e, 6:00 pm Dévatée Showcase - Pont Alexandre 111 - Port des Champs Elysées - Paris 8e, 8:00 pm Fatima Lopes Les Folies Bergéres - 32 rue Richer - Paris 9e Sunday September 28th: 11:00 am Lie Sang Bong Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel, 12:00 pm Anne Valérie Hash Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot, 1:00 pm Cher Michel Klein Le Grand Hotel Intercontinental - 2 rue Scribe - Paries 9e, 2:00 pm Rajesh Pratap Singh Galerie Nikka Diana Marquardt - 9 place des Vosges - Paris 4e, 3:00 pm Balmain Hotel Westin - 3 rue de Castiglione - Paris 1er, 4:00 pm Bruno Peters Maison des Métallos - salle Noire - 94 rue Jean - Pierre Timbaud - Paris 11e, 5:00 pm Rick Owens Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Mélpoméne - 13 quai Malauais - Paris 6e, 6:00 pm Lutz see invitation for location, 7:00 pm Nina Ricci Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e, 9:00 pm Bless 81 rue des Archives - Paris 3e Monday September 29th: 10:00 am Atsuro Tayama Musée Galliera - 10 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie - Paris 16e, 11:00 am Cacharel Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Notre, 12:00 pm Gaspard Yurkievich Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot 1:00 pm Dice Kayek Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel, 2:30 pm Christian Dior Espace Ephémére Tulleries - Jardin des Tulleries - Paris 1er, 3:30 pm Isabel Marant Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e, 4:40 pm Sharon Wauchob Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine - 11 avenue Albert de Mun - Paris 16e, 5:30 pm Undercover see invitation for location, 6:30 Maison Martin Margiela Le 104 - 5 rue Curial - Paris 19e, 7:30 pm Vivienne Westwood Ecole Natioinale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Mélpoméne - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e, 8:30 pm Yohji Yamamoto Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e Tuesday September 30th: 9:30 am Balenciaga see invitation for location, 10:30 am Junya Watanabe see invitation for location, 11:30 am Tsumori Chisato Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot, 12:30 pm Marithé & Francois Girbaud Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Norte, 1:30 pm Issey Miyake Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme, 2:30 pm Sophia Kokosalaki Espace Ephémére Tulleries - Jardin des Tuileries - Paris 1er, 3:30 pm Manish Arora Cirque d'Hiver - 110 rue Amelot - Paris 11e, 4:30 pm Ann Demeulemeester Couvent des Cordeliers - 15 rue de l'Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e, 5:30 pm Comme des Garcons see invitation for location, 7:00 Jean Paul Gaultier 325 rue Saint-Martin - Paris 3e, 8:00 pm Véronique Branquinho Parking Turenne - 66 rue de Turenne - Paris 3e, 9:00 pm Loewe Les Folies Bergéres - 32 rue Richer - Paris 9e Wednesday October 1st: 10:00 am Karl Lagerfeld Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e, 11:00 am Andrew Gn Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel, 12:00 pm Akris Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme, 1:00 pm Emanuel Ungaro Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Notre, 2:00 pm Costume National Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot, 3:00 Dries Van Noten Jardin du Palais Royal - Fontaines de Bury - Accés par la place Colette - Paris 1er, 4:00 pm Christian Lacroix Espace Ephémére Tulleries - Jardin des Tulleries - Paris 1er, 5:00 pm Estrella Archs Parking Turenne - 66 rue de Tuenne - Paris 3e, 6:30 pm Givenchy Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e, 7:30 pm Hussein Chalayan Popb - salle Marcel Cerdan - 8 boulevard de Bercy - Paris 12e, 9:00 pm Sonia Rykiel see invitation for location Thursday October 2nd: 10:00 am Stella McCartney Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e, 11:00 Léonard Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme, 12:00 pm Barbara Bui Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Notre, 1:00 pm Guy Laroche Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot, 2:00 pm Giambattista Valli Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e, 3:00 pm Zucca Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Mélpoméne - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e, 4:30 pm Celine Espace Ephémére Tulleries - Jardin des Tulleries - Paris 1er, 5:30 pm Haider Ackermann Couvent des Cordellers - 15 rue de l'Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e, 6:30 pm Bernhard Willhelm Parking Turenne - 66 rue de Turenne - Paris 3e, 8:00 pm Yves Saint Laurent Grand Palais - avenue Winston Churchhill - Paris 8e Friday October 3rd: 9:30 am Requim Cercle de l'Union Intealliée - 33 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré - Paris 8e 10:30 am Chanel Grand Palais - avenue du Général Elsenhower - Paris 8e, 11:30 am Agnés B. Palais de Tokyo - 13 avenue du Président Wilson - Paris 16e, 12:30 pm Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme, 1:30 pm Alena Akhmadullina Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot, 2:30 pm Valentino Espace Ephémére Tulleries - Jardin des Tulleries - Paris 1er, 3:30 pm Junko Shimada école Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpoméne - 14 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e 4:30 pm Rue du Mail (by Martine Sibon) Couvent de Cordellers - 15 rue de L'Ecole de Médecine - Paris 6e, 5:30 pm Commuun Garage Turenne - 66 rue de Turenne - Paris 3e, 6:30 pm Vanessa Bruno 8/10 rue de la Pierre Levée - Paris 11e, 8:00 pm Alexander McQueen le 104 - 11 bis rue Curial - Paris 19e Saturday October 4th: 9:30 am Talbot Runhof Weber Métaux - 66 rue de Turenne - Paris 3e, 10:30 am Kenzo Carreau du Temple - 3 rue Dupetit Thouars - Paris 3e, 11:30 am Elie Saab Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme, 12:30 pm Wunderkind Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot, 1:30 pm Paul & Joe Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Le Norte 2:30 pm Collette Dinnigan Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Gabriel, 3:30 pm Chloé Espace Ephémére Tulleries - Jardin des Tullerie - Paris 1er, 4:30 pm Martin Grant école Nationale Supérleure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melpoméne - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e, 5:30 pm Hermés Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e, 6:30 pm Limi Feu Musée de l'Homme - 17 place du Trocadéro - Paris 16e, 8:00 pm John Galliano Atelier de la Villette - 6/8 Sente a Bigot - Paris 19e Sunday October 5th: 10:30 am Jefen Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Soufflot 11:30 am Chapurin Le Carrousel du Louvre - Salle Delorme, 12:30 pm Shiatzy Chen école Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts - Salle Melopéne - 13 quai Malaquais - Paris 6e, 2:30 pm Louis Vuitton see invitation for location, 4:00 pm Iwaya for Dess 33 Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine - 11 avenue Albert de Mun - Paris 16e, 5:00 pm Lanvin Espace Eiffel - Quai Branly - Paris 7e, 6:00 pm Moon Young Hee Palais Galliéra - 10 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie - Paris 16e, 7:00 pm Miu Miu see invitation for location.

For more information visit Modeaparis.com

Paris Fashion Week Schedule: Spring/Summer 2009