I AM featured various pieces of hand-felted, naturally dyed, and hand-spun garments and wall hangings that utilize fiber as a way to explore and create a visual representation of God’s presence in our daily lives. Also, to interpret the constant guidance present in the universe. The exhibition’s title is drawn from Exodus 3:13-14 where Moses encounters the burning bush and asks God what he should tell the children of Israel when they should ask what his name is, “And God said unto Moses, ‘I Am that I Am.’”

Using local fibers, visitors will had the opportunity to interact in a self-reflective space where they created a physical connection from one textile installation to another.

DeconSTRUCTURE in Chaos is a collection of Avant-garde pieces created with deconstructed post-consumer denim that would otherwise have been waste.
Much of the denim was deconstructed by hand down to fibre form, respun with local wool on a drop spindle (hand-spun yarn), hand-woven, and hand-felted to create new fabric.
Denim fibres were also used to embroider and felt onto base fabric for unique surface designs.

Where do your old jeans go when they can no longer be worn or given to a secondhand store? Many of the pieces naturally dyed in indigo in the spirit of the original denim jeans created by Levi’s.

WOMAN embodies the courageous struggle of all women, both past, present, and future. Each piece is a link through time, that re-connects women through our shared vulnerability and complexity, and through our unending need to arm and protect ourselves for the battles of our times.

It’s difficult to see in the photos, but just some of the symbolism behind the pieces are: hand-felted wool from lovely Penelope the Lincoln Longwool – an endangered breed, raised on Prairie Fields Farm by a beautiful woman and her family; naturally dyed with Tara and iron from Botanical Colors run by a most generous and vibrant woman; medieval weapons that women most likely used in their time to fight to protect their homes while their men were at war; glass chain mail that a lovely woman at Glass Axis taught me to make (yes, I created every ring myself), and symbolises the idea that we have the choice to wear armour/when to wear it/when to remove it, and the idea that even when armoured, we can still be vulnerable and fragile…which is part of our empowerment and beauty…because we are complex; WE ARE WOMAN.

Photography at The California State House by Rhaniel deGuzman Lao

Model: Ryley Swanner
Photography of join models by William Stewart
Photography of single models by Gary Barragan
Models: Ryley Swanner and Lauren Keach
Hair and MUA: Joseph Salon, Louisville

Our latest Collection that was created in tandem with our Local Sound Collection was created specially for Aveda.  

The Horst Collection, which was created in the spirit of Aveda’s founder, Horst Rechelbacher, was showcased at Aveda Chapel Hill and then at the Aveda Columbus Earth Jam Show on May 19, and will show at the Aveda Los Angeles in Sept.  

For the first time, each piece was created organically and spontaneously, according to the spirit of the moment in which it was created; thus exploring the idea of a “free and full spirit.”

The collection was inspired by Horst Rechelbacher and the idea of angels on earth.  Every piece was hand-felted, using rare local Lincoln Longwool from Prairie Hills Farm in Orient, OH, and naturally dyed with madder root.

It is with great honour and pleasure that we say THANK YOU to Aveda for their support and kindness throughout this partnership with a special bow to Hema Voruganti, Will Molden, Patrick Weisgarber , Ed Stange, and Hauns Korpela. Our warm gratitude also to the Celestial 7 for sharing their elegance, patience, and beauty with us: Annie DeChellis, Sydney Irene, Desiree Dahl, Bethany Terry-Wehner, Danielle Dikeman, Kristin Laymon, and Sarah Volkman.

More gratitude to the following amazing artists:

Handwoven wig: Will Molden of Aveda Columbus and LavonneLavonne (Aveda Columbus alumnas)

MUA: Jaime Seabolt of Seabolt & Co.

Photography: by Dalong Yang for HUF Magazine’s Editorial “Asura”

Models: Jackie Chang & Michaela Neu

MUA: Sharon Puffenberger

Hair: Sydney Steward

Location courtesy of Prairie Fields Farm

PHOTO OF WHITE GOWN IN THE CITY by The Howard Brand

Stylist: Shayla Fite

Model: Alyssa Vallilo (Found Model Management)

MUA: Sara King

Hair: Rhonda Green of Girl and Guy Republic

This project is a collaborative collection between Celeste and local musician, Benji Robinson of Reptile Fiction.  

Incorporating sounds of Columbus, Benji is creating a special album of eight songs that is an homage to the city.  M=S is transforming the sound waves from Benji’s music onto couture pieces that will be showcased at the Fashion Meets Music Festival 2015 in Columbus. The dynamic of seeing the music on each piece while hearing it will represent a true fusion of high fashion and music!

As a sneak peek to the collection, two pieces are pictured below.  The couture pieces are hand-felted, using U.S. wool and naturally dyed at Hangar 391.  

The sound waves running down its front are laser engraved by Dan Linden of CutMaps (see the Collaborations page for more info).

Photography without watermark: Tariq Tarey

Models: Michaela Neu, Bethany Terry, Jackie Chang, Priscilla Dwomoh, Danielle Dikeman, and Audra Banfield

MUAs: Sharon Puffenberger, Seabolt & Co., and Sam Antics

Hair: Sydney Steward, Lavonne Johnson, and Shamika Skinner

Photography on rooftop by The Howard Brand

Stylist: Shayla Fite

Model: Sarah Volkman

MUA: Sara King

Hair: Rhonda Green of Girl and Guy Republic

Video created by Tariq Tarey

Inspired by the idea of how symbolic the blueprint is in design, the BLUEPRINT collection symbolizes the thought and work that must occur before anything is made; the careful attention to detail and calculating approach to design.

As a child growing up in San Francisco, Celeste became fascinated with tugboats that she would watch early in the morning, while fishing with her Uncle in the bay. Pulling from her memories, the blueprint used for this collection is a 1918 Luder’s Hull Wooden Tugboat, which whispers her childhood idea of how “even the smallest can do great things when considered in the right way.”

Our BLUEPRINT Collection whispers of a time when hand-work, great thought, and excellent craftsmanship was valued. Each bodice is hand-felted, using local wool and fine silk fabrics.  Accessories are entirely hand-felted.
Printed and indigo dyed by and in collaboration with fresh cut TEXTILES.

Black and white wedding gown image photographed by: Kory Cooper-Fenske

Photographer: Erin Watson
MUA: Sharon Puffenberger
Models: Michaela Meu, Amanda Reynolds – Snavley, Charlie Rowe, Rachel Lauren

The FIR ensemble is a luscious combination of rich textures.

FIR consists of three coordinate pieces – a tunic, shirt, and skirt.  The tunic is soft, warm and durable, and hand-felted using local wools atop a silk base. The shirt is loosely woven cotton with laminate felted areas, which achieves interesting depth and texture.  Its colour was attained by naturally dyeing the finished piece in madder; dyed by and in collaboration with fresh cut TEXTILES.  The skirt is made from beautiful vintage wool fabric salvaged from Stewart’s and lined with madder-dyed silk habotai by fresh cut TEXTILES.

Details of deconstruction along seams and hem add more texture to this piece to complement the ensemble without compromising its sound construction.

FIR is shown here worn with our hand felted leg warmers. Our leg warmers are soft and warm and made with local alpaca and various wool from local farms.

SUM is a continuation of the deconstructed – reconstructed effect that is found on GRATE, using Stewart’s vintage wool fabric.  SUM’s textural variety is accomplished from the Stewart’s wool fabric, handwoven merino wool gauze, and inner silk that has been dyed by and in collaboration with fresh cut TEXTILES.  The stole accessory is hand felted, using local alpaca and various wools.

Detroit Photo Shoot Thanks to

Photographer: Rhaniel deGuzman Lao
http://rhaniel.com/

fresh cut TEXTILES
http://www.freshcutextiles.com/

Model: Soleita Kabwasa
http://mkabwasa.wix.com/soleita

Figment Gallery for our custom belt buckles
http://figmentgallery.com

and the City of Detroit for sharing its revitalizing energy with us!

SUM photoshoot
Photographer: Erin Watson
Model: Rachel Lauren
MUA: Sharon Puffenberger

Scarves
Each scarf is created using a process called laminate felting, which is all done meticulously by hand.  The design is created by placing wool fibres (from local sheep farmers) strategically on a fine silk base fabric and embellished with hand-spun and remnant fine yarns of silk and wool.  It is then worked laboriously into the fabric, creating a permanent interlocking of all fibres to the silk fabric.
This process, as well as the design itself, creates a one-of-a-kind scarf that is rich in texture, lightweight and yet warm enough to wear in the winter.

Hand cozies & Leg warmers
In addition to our scarves, our hand cozies and legwarmers are hand-felted using local alpaca and various local wool.  They are perfect for keeping your hands and legs toasty during the winter and fall seasons!

Photography by S.e. Steele and Rhaniel deGuzman Lao

Cover Photo by Erin Watson
Model: Rachel Lauren
MUA: Sharon Puffenberger