Carve Designs Blog

My Inspiration for the New Year

2012-01-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the radio silence these past few weeks. The Holidays always seem to suck the life out of us over here at Carve HDQ. Its been a whirlwind to say the least and I am so glad to get back into the swing of things in the office and stop eating and drinking like it doesn't matter. I don't like to make new years resolutions only because I think it sets you up for disaster but I do like to be inspired. So here are some images that get my clock ticking as we saunter into the new year. Enjoy and have a happy new year, we do hope it's a healthy one with lots Peace and Joy.

(Shots gathered from Goldfishkiss, Chicgarden and Everly-after)

Return of a Classic

2011-11-23T08:29:00.000-08:00

Blame it on the fact that I grew up in cold Midwest winters, but there is something about a turtleneck that conjures up memories of cold autumn nights and the holiday season. While a turtleneck isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when you think ‘high fashion’, it has definitely come to my attention this season that the turtleneck is back! Seen on the runways from the likes of Derek Lam and Celine, impeccably styled by street-style bloggers, and looking chic on celebrities on the red carpet, the versatility of the turtleneck is what makes it so perfect for this time of year. Layer it under a great tailored blazer, or wear it alone with a bold piece of statement jewelry. Take a cue from the late great Steve Jobs, and cover your neck!

We love Messy Hair

2011-11-16T15:27:00.001-08:00

Yes we do. Since we live at the beach we have messy hair quite often. Recently we have seen a trend in unruly locks. Vogue magazine recently did an article on how to achieve the disheveled look and runways have been chalk full of long haired beauties. There are some easy ways to achieve messy hair with not a lot of fuss. Washing your hair at night and sleeping with it wet gets waves that are effortless. Or snapping up some bumble and bumble surf spray and covering your head with it. Best results are actually hopping in the ocean, getting your hair wet and not washing it for a day or two. Letting that salt water dry on your tresses gives it that chunky feel that is so desirable. Whichever way you choose to get perfectly disheveled hair, definitely don't brush it. Here are a few of our favorite shots of messy beach hair. Have fun.

Ripped For Some Pro Curl

2011-11-07T14:23:00.000-08:00

For those of us who surf the Bay Area, Ocean Beach is one of the gnarliest breaks around. The waves can be a mess, the currents brutal and not to mention the water is freezing. But on good days, it can be glorious, utter perfection. People who don’t live here don’t really believe it. So we think this is perhaps the reason the ASP and Rip Curl Pro Search chose Ocean Beach as the host site and 10th event of their world tour. It’s been going on for the past week and Ocean Beach hasn’t disappointed. With Sunny skies, offshore winds, overhead waves, and big barrels the action certainly has been exciting. Kelly Slater even cinched the world title on Sunday when the wind was howling and the surf was less than perfect. I haven’t seen that many people out at the beach ever. We have a low key surf community in San Francisco and honestly, we like it that way. But it was a nice change to have people all over the place, creating a buzz.

Check out some of the photos we got this week. And hope that you were able to get out there and surf a little too.

Fall's Must-Haves

2011-10-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

The end of summer is certainly bittersweet. While it’s hard to say goodbye to abundant sunshine and weekends spent at the beach, the approaching cooler temps are an exciting chance for us to update our autumn wardrobe with some of our favorite seasonal trends. What tops ours list of must-have looks to add to your closet? We are digging wide leg jeans, graphic prints, bold color-blocking, lace detail, suede booties, mid-length skirts, bracelet stacking, and bright nails. Take a look at what inspires us and makes us look forward to winter!

Fall '12 Photo Shoot

2011-10-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

We had yet another successful Photo Shoot for our Fall 12 line. We were lucky enough to be right on Rincon Point down in Carpinteria, Ca. It’s a sleepy little surf town just south of Santa Barbara. While there was a little rain, the surf remained pretty good the whole time. Here are some out takes from our week down there with our crew of talented people. Best part of the week was dinner at Pat’s where we cocktailed and cooked our own food with the help of the lovely Trish.

Vintage Finds

2011-09-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

We have been stirring about spring 2013 and while doing so we have looked into the archives and found these amazing shots. They have helped guide our mood and color through the years. They still seem relevant for our beach and surf style today. Have fun in these last summer days.

Obsessed With...

2011-09-20T10:02:00.001-07:00

It's one of the reasons I relocated from Massachusetts to California 10 years ago. Love.

Beach Culture

2011-09-13T22:17:00.000-07:00

As summer comes to an end I start to get nostalgic for Carefree moments, warmsand, sunkissed skin, salty air, long days and glistening nights. Here are someshots I have collected this summer from all over the place (blogs, websites,friends etc). Enjoy.

We love Danny Hess

2011-09-09T08:16:00.000-07:00

Check out the boards he made for us. With the help of our graphic designer Kiley Hertel they created two gorgeous surfboards for our raffle with Title Nine sports and our Trade show booth.

Crazy Beautiful.

http://hesssurfboards.com/

True Blue

2011-08-31T05:09:00.000-07:00

Every year this happens. Our lives are taken over by grey clouds, blustery winds and wild waves. We here at carve become blue (Yes it’s the end of August). Everyone goes through a blue period for sure. Delta musicians are steeped in it. Picasso had his and so did Joni Mitchell. And in my opinion, the east coast is covered in it December to April. Thankfully we are literally obsessed with it, especially navy. We’ve been wearing it almost every day as of recent. It’s the perfect color to match our grey skies.

The color looks good on everyone in every season, in every century. It’s never gone out of style. It’s a classic but totally modern. And looks great worn monochromatically. If black is the staple of a woman’s wardrobe. Then navy must be her bread and butter. Check out a few of our favorites below.

My New Favorite Spot

2011-08-24T18:46:00.001-07:00

There is no argument that the outer Richmond isn’t a hot spot for fashion or really anything. But I recently stumbled onto a cute little boutique called Richmond Rox. On clement and 33rd ave right next to one of my favorite watering holes The Tee off Grill. It’s an adorable little store with affordable finds and fun jewels. It’s a great spot to hit while hubby and kids are at the park across the way or boyfriend is in the bar watching the Giants.

Check out my latest purchase…

Coachella in Golden Gate Park

2011-08-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

Outside Lands festival began four years ago and has quickly one of San Francisco's--and Carve's--most anticipated music, culture and style-gazing events of the year.

And, 2011 was no exception.

Smack dab in the middle of Golden Gate Park, Bay Area culture aficionados and out of town guests descend upon this temporary miniature city to eat local cuisine, mingle and take in music from very conceivable genre from about a half dozen stages.

Friday night we checked out lo-fi, The Shins and old school Vermont jamband Phish. The former have stayed true to form, strumming out songs with lyrics that feel West Coast but their lyrics and occasional minor chordation give their songs a sense of urgency and longing other indie bands lack. The latter, on the other hand, is all dancing, smiles and good times. The fans are older, which is a good thing, because the Phishheads all seem to be a lot less dirty than we remember going to shows in the 90s. Which is a good thing.

The next night we tuned into The Roots “who were off the hook“ and then stayed to catch Muse. It seemed like a hundred thousand people filled every available space to see this this Devon, UK three-piece electronic, glam, pop outfit play with sheer rock abandon. It's amazing to see a band at the height of their powers thrill every single member of the audience.

When the sun finally peaked it's head out on Sunday, we were enjoying the fun and entertaining Decemberists. But the best was yet to come when Arcade fire closed out the weekend. Even though the band memebers look like theyve just fallen out of a clown car on the way to the circus, these nimble and gifted Canadians always put in an extra effort and bring their best to every performance they put on. It was awesome.

Style-wise, we were noticing a lot of what you'd see at Glastonbury, what with our similar temperatures and all. There were a lot of cute dresses paired with boots that could withstand and rain or mud. Likewise, leggings and Nike high tops paired with multiple layers were abundant. It’s a sort of style meets function look. Though the fuzzy bear animal hats we noticed peaking their way through the crowd didn’t seem to serve neither style nor function. Perhaps they should be left in the plushy box from whence they came, only to be doned on Halloween or for a Berenstain Bears school play. Just sayin.

All in all, a fan-freakin-tastic three days and we’re already looking forward to next year.

Magic 8 Booth

2011-08-09T16:02:00.001-07:00

If one's a lonely number, and two's a crowd, three's company, there's four on the floor, and five and dimes, can be six ways to Sunday, even with a seven year itch, then what is eight?

Eight is the number of years Carve has been in business. We can’t believe it ourselves, because it seems like yesterday that we set out to create a line of surf and beach wear for sophisticated women. Looking back on the past eight years, we realized we have succeeded beyond our wildest dreams and feel like everything is just now really come together: the vision, the brand, our partnerships, and our customers.

Though not being the type of women who are content to sit around and rest on our laurels, we thought now was time to change up our look at the trade show this year and make a change. So we rethought our booth concept and decided to create an environment that felt like a beach house, like the kind of place youd want to sink into and relax in after a long day surfing or lounging in the sand. With the help of some crafty friends, the booth got a facelift and was a truly relaxed and comfortable environment in which everyone felt welcome. We had a successful sample sale, Carve surf board raffle, and our appointments were booked solid.

We have loved every minute of the past eight years, working together to actualize the vision we had, creating unique designs and developing amazing relationships. And, looking back at where we’ve been and thinking about where we’re going, we wanted to express our gratitude toward everyone who’s been a part of Carve, and we look forward to working with you all for another eight years. And another eight years after that.

Monochromatic

2011-07-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

Not that we here at Carve Designs are opposed to mixing and matching bold and vibrant colors, but there is just something so clean and classic about a head-to-toe monochromatic look. From the runways of Milan to the streets of San Francisco, we can’t get enough of the tonal trend. And who can resist some of the gorgeous yet understated homes that also sport this trend? Want to be able to pull off this look yourself? Scour through your closet and pull pieces with different shades of the same color, add in different textures, and finalize with an optional punch of color from a great accessory. Voila!

Check out these images for some inspiration:

Reds, Whites and Blues

2011-06-29T10:15:00.001-07:00

Whatever your July 4^th weekend plans, make sure your travel bag is packed full of a few essential pieces: sunscreen, a versatile sundress, a pair of comfy sandals, and a smattering of red, white and blue attire. Nothing says to the world “I heart Independence Day” like donning these signature patriotic colors, and this summer, red, white and blue clothing and accessories have hit stores with a vengeance. From red Wayfarer sunglasses to blue J Brand Jeans, the combination of these classic colors will welcome you into summer with style.

Take a look at some of the patriotic looks we love!

Flying Over Ocean Beach

2011-06-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

Flying over Ocean Beach in SF today I snapped this shot. Looks so peaceful, that I forgot about the pounding I received yesterday while surfing.

Santa Cruz

2011-05-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

We are in the midst of our national sales meeting this week. We're prepping our sales reps on the 2012 spring line down in Santa Cruz. Thankfully, we have had time to fit in a little surfing. Our reps are from all over the country, some live in landlocked areas or far away from the beach. But that didn't stop them from taking a lesson from big wave surfer, Tyler Fox from www.santacruzwaves.com. These women now have some serious bragging rights! They braved nor cal surf conditions, wind, cold, grey skies, and actually ripped up the water at beer can beach. I gotta say, these women are bad ass and we think you will agree.

PiciNicaragua

2011-05-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

There was a lot going on in the world the past week: royal weddings, Southern hurricanes, Bin Laden’s death, Hawaii released Obama’s birth certificate, the White House Correspondents dinner. And while this was all happening, we didn’t take much notice as we were immersed in the wilds of Tola, Nicaragua shooting our Spring 2012 line on the beach of Playa Iguana. We chose this spot because the stretch of beach is not only famous for its dramatic views, but also for its great surf.

When we arrived, it was beyond hot, but the combination of the bright sun, warm air and temperate water made this ideal location to shoot our new collection. It’s rustic, foreign and yet inviting, and not only did we get to spend our days working in this amazing spot, at the end of the day (well, sometimes in the middle, to0) we got out in the water and cooled off after a day of work with a long, sweet ride.

Our Carve team is ever-growing, and we feel so blessed to be able to work with such dedicated, passionate, energetic, and fun people. Down on the shoot with us was our art director Kiley Hertel from HMNGBRD working alongside our new camera team of photographer Chris Bezamat and videographer Kina Pickett. They do amazing work that truly captures the spirit of our brand. Our long-time stylist and producer Carlee Bewick was also on hand as was hair and makeup guru Chris McDonald. Everyone worked tirelessly along with our talented talent, Kelsey Gallegos, Katherine Carter and Hailey Partridge, who are all surfers, models and all-around fabulous ladies, to capture the atmospheric, nostalgic, feminine look and feel of the spring line.

So here’s a behind-the-scenes look at not just what goes into a Carve shoot, but a look at the people who make Carve what it is.

Coachella

2011-04-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

No doubt about it, The Coachella Music Festival is the best and most anticipated music festival in the country. Each April, over 75,000 festival goers make their way to Indio, CA, a tiny town in the desert best known for its proximity to Palm Springs as well as being the home of this celebrated music festival. Three days of music in the blistering sun with a beer in hand…is there a better way to kick off the summer?

Once again this year, some of the best bands and musicians gathered on six different stages scattered on a polo field smattered with palm trees, floating balloons and one very large ferris wheel. Hats off to headliners Arcade Fire, who brought the house down into the late-night hours, permanent smiles across their faces staring into the mass of adoring fans. Other notable triumphs include Cut Copy, The Chemical Brothers, Foster the People, Yelle, Two Door Cinema Club, and Crystal Castles. Crystal Castles lead singer Alice Glass actually had a broken foot, which didn’t stop her at all from putting on an amazingly energetic performance in true Coachella spirit.

Besides the music, the other aspect of the festival we love is the fashion. In one place over three days, only the most hardcore music aficionados gather to party, dance and sing. During the day, girls don their finest and meticulously crafted ensembles, from floaty bohemian frocks to the totally rad get-ups. More often than not, they are dressed in as little as humanly possible, being that it hits upwards of 90 degrees. Gladiator sandals, jean shorts, feathers in the hair, layered jewelry, and leather belts are popular choice, and of course, the ubiquitous sunglasses. Boys tend toward sneakers, shorts, a backpack, and some form of hat, either trucker or fedora. All in all, it truly is a weekend of diverse fashion where individual style takes center stage.

As the weekend winds down, there is an unheard collective sigh, as festival goers realize they will soon have to leave the magical desert oasis they have called home for the past three days. Alas, there will always be next year…

Ty Milford's Photography

2011-04-11T09:46:00.001-07:00

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they answer the simple question: Is the glass half full or half empty? When you look at Ty Milford's photography, there's no doubt how he'd answer that question.

Based out of Portland, Oregon, Ty's photography is full of life, vitatlity, joy, and simplicity, which is probably a lot of the reason we love working with him, and why so many people comment on how much they adore his work. Each of his images captures a moment, a ray of sun, the shimmering ocean; there is beauty in everything he chooses to document (including our clothes!). His images just feel so inviting, so comfortable in themselves, like you're walking down an open, empty beach, the sun is low in the sky, and the ocean is beckoning you to dive in. It's all color, playfulness, spontaneousness - all the kinds of things we strive to catch in the lines we create every season.

His website showcases photo after photo of the brighter side of life, where as Ty puts it best, "Black is not a part of my color pallet, and a rainstorm is something that you use as an excuse to steal a kiss under an umbrella."

http://www.tymilford.com/

Here are a few of his best shots he’s captured through the last 5 years for us. Enjoy.

Danny Hess is All Aboard

2011-03-30T05:58:00.000-07:00

We worked with Danny Hess, a local artist and surfboarder, because he designed a weight and height-specific surfboard for Haley Mills, the winner of Title Nine’s “Make A Splash Photo Contest.” Since, we have come to love his work so much - between the personalized nature of the shaping to the look ethos behind his boards. Danny is like an artisanal shaper. Each board is like a work of art that ‘s meant to be ridden. And hard. He uses recyclable and sustainable materials in every single board, including Cork, Amapola and Poplar–which don’t fatigue or break down the way foam can, thus ensuring a longer lifespan of your board.

And this is precisely the reason Danny was the only person we thought of to collaborate with on our raffle this summer. His Kunkle Fish board, cut to produce endless down the line speed, glide and trim, will be designed with Carve fabrics and auctioned off to benefit the Save The Waves foundation here in San Francisco.

Stay tuned for more on the raffle. For more on Danny, check out his Website.

Get a Glimpse Behind the Scenes

2011-03-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

There’s a lot about what we do that we love. But one of the great joys of creation is seeing our concepts turn into fully realized executions. Every season, for each line, everything comes together in one room at one time during the photo shoot. It’s in this one place that everyone in the Carve family comes together and makes our ideas a reality.

We,the creative team,dream up the pieces and then seek the help of Kiley Hertel (www.hmngbrd.com), who’s been with us since the beginning, to art direct our visions. He synthesizes what’s come together and ensures that our look is in harmony with the feel of what we’re after. At the shoot, he works with Carlee Bewick, our very own stylist, to get that vision just right on our beloved Kat Carter, our model from Mill Valley, who also happens to be a kick ass surfer and artist. Our indefatigable photographer Erin Kunkel (www.erinkunkel.com), also a surfer extraordinaire, then brings this vision to print, or the screen as the case may be. She always manages to “Carve” pieces on the models in just the right way, in just the right light at just the right moment. The results are stunning.

A few of our favorite pieces this spring are the Monaco skirt, Bali bikini and Phoenix jacket. The skirt and jacket are designed a bit elongated and cropped respectively. Fresh takes on old standards. And, the bikini is just damn sexy.

Tune in below! We hope you enjoy watching the creation in process as much as we enjoy the process of creation.

Inspiration on the Pier 94 Docks

2011-03-15T16:02:00.001-07:00

Art is everywhere. It’s in everything. It’s in everyone. It just depends on how you look and where you find your inspiration. We found ours last weekend at the Armory Show in New York City, the modern and contemporary art fair held on Pier 94. This year’s event brought dealers, gallerists and artists from around the world working in every conceivable medium into one huge space. One particular artist that caught our attention was Phoebe Washburn, a 38-year-old New York based artist. On display were sculptures of jars filled with pickles and oranges and a Gatorade bottle surrounded by colorful rocks with a green tube sprouting from its lid. It was also unexpected; it just made us stop and gawk. It seemed so random, yet everything was so clever and it all fit in its rightful place. Almost like a family standing there shoulder to shoulder, and you can tell from their body language that they don’t quite fit together, there have been fights, divorces, ups and down, and yet they still are at home, together, because, well, they’re family. The imperfection was simply perfect.

Other works we loved were Gabriele Basilico’s “Bums” photos – wherein the backsaide of a sitter is left with an imprint from a chair. Clearly this woman has a wicked sense of humor. Peter Liversidge’s “Winter Drawing” was so simple and so complex all at the same time. It totally took us in. Also simple, but oh so languidly dreamy were Callum Innes’s four watercolors on square pieces of paper. The colors reminded us of an Ocean Beach sunset.

The work was all so amazing, from the wacky to the profane to the just plain beautiful, it makes you just love humanity. Doesn’t it? Okay, we’ve just inspired ourselves. Back to creating some new looks for summer!

Carve is Built on Color

2011-03-14T07:30:00.001-07:00

It’s back and hopefully here to stay. Carve is literally built upon color and no where was it more evident than at Paris and Milan fashion weeks. Reds, teals, deep greens, blues and marigold yellows! Prada being the most inspirational.

Take a look at what we are loving:

A Girl Named Stevie

2011-03-02T07:01:00.001-08:00

There were a lot of sartorial take aways from the 1970's: the Dorothy Hamill spin-bob, the Princess Leia space age Arab-bikini number, the Nike swoosh, bellbottoms-but no one epitomized the effortless glamour of that time better than Stevie Nicks. For the uninitiated, she was one of the five members of Fleetwood Mac, one of the supergroups of the 70s. She was a gypsy queen, a Laurel Canyon bohemian adorned with an "Oh, this old thing?" casualness.

The chic, flowing beach style of Stevie and the California 70s are back in a big way this spring. Old standards like ankle-length dresses and skirts, high-waisted jeans, Baja pullovers, and wedge sandals inspired our spring line. To us, nothing screams sexy like feeling comfortable, and so we designed a maxi dress, a wide brim sun hat, cut off skirts and peasant style tees with this ethos in mind-think California Dreamin' with a modern twist.

Pair our pieces up with big hoop earrings, a wristful of bangly bracelets and oversized sunglasses, and you'll be good from morning 'til night.

The Crop is Back

2011-02-23T14:04:00.000-08:00

It seems everywhere I look the crop top is back and we love it. At first I was really scared. This is a style that doesn’t look great on everyone. Thankfully it’s not too short and it’s easily layered on top of a tank. Here are a few styles that work for us and pretty much all can sport.

We're Back!

2011-02-15T17:41:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the radio silence these last few months, we have been busy working, photoshooting, skiing, having babies and traveling. Now that the rush of the end of year and holidays have passed, we can get back to normal…so, I’m back.

I have lived in San Francisco for almost 10 years now, and what I love the most about the city is that its constantly changing and growing. I live in the outer Richmond, right at Ocean Beach. If you don’t know it, it’s SF’s best beach. It spans for miles right, abuts the city and the Pacific Ocean.

For years, I have thought that my side of the park far outpaced the sunset side. Lately though, this is not the case. I have been house bound recently (just had a baby and trying to get him used to the world), when the holidays crept upon me, and I had not one gift. The mere thought of going downtown to shop made me sick and who wants to battle the crowds on December 23rd!?

I’d heard talk of a cool little hood that was developing on the “other side” of the park (Outer Sunset for non-residents). So, I walked over to check it out and visited some of the best kept secrets in the city. My first stop was Mollusk Surf Shop, the coolest surf shop in SF ) to get some cool tee’s and hats for all the men in my life when I discovered an amazing little jewelry shop next door called “The Last Straw” (415.566.4692). I literally found jewelry and stocking stuffers for friends, moms and grandmothers. This store is filled with hand made gifts and decorations that would make anyone happy. Then, I grabbed a bite at Outerlands, just about a block away. They make by far the best grilled cheese sandwich in the city. Their supplies are all organic and local, and the vibe is surfer meets hipster. Next, I popped over to Trouble for some strong coffee and a killer chocolate chip cookie. And finally to The General Store for some more shopping. This has to be one of my greatest finds in SF thus far. The owner stocks cool art, modern gifts and vintage clothing.

Talk about a great day. I felt great about supporting the local community and artisans (mostly everything I purchased had been made locally). On top of it, I found some of the most interesting trinkets ever. And the best part? TI was only a 20 min walk from my house.

Torture

2010-10-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

“Torture” – that has been the theme throughout this Giants baseball season, and that’s what it was Saturday night when we were all biting our nails, squeezing pillows and pacing our living rooms watching the Giants win the 6th game of the NLCS. It’s been 8 years since San Francisco went to the World Series where they lost to the Angels so we are hoping it’s our time now to beat the Texas Rangers. The 1st game is Wednesday night at 5pm here in SF. It’s not going to be easy, nothing the Giants have done this year has been easy. Be prepared to be standing on your sofa in the 6th inning or walking out to the porch and watching through your window. But the drama is what makes it so addictive- better than any episode of Project Runway or Americas next top model. I don’t know a woman who isn’t attracted to dramas! So tune in this week as the series gets started and if your not that into baseball watch anyways… Pat Burrell, Barry Zito and Buster Posey are too cute to miss.

GO GIANTS!

Ode to Patti Bewick

2010-10-11T09:31:00.001-07:00

Patti, you don’t know us over here at Carve Designs, but you are a bit of a legend. We have learned so much from you this year and you don’t even know it. Your little tidbits have taken wrinkles out of my clothes AND my skin. You have kept us very stylish, our bananas fresh and our dogs alive. Thank you, Patti. Someday we will meet, but in the meantime, we will keep worshiping your sage advice.

It’s such good knowledge we had to share with our loyal Carve followers:

1. Latisse eyelash formula really works

2. Put a damp wash cloth in the dryer and the wrinkles will magically disappear from your clothes

3. Take your omega 3’s – your skin will thank you as will your metabolism- especially if you are a vegan like some of us over here.

4. Stick your bananas in the fridge and they will stay firm and fresh- don’t worry the outside gets brown but the inside stays good.

5. Dogs are allergic to grapes- be careful!

6. Floss your teeth every day twice a day- you will live longer

7. Keep your stylish clothes forever because you never know when you will wear them again. Her daughter Carlee is wearing Patti’s prom shoes circa 1973.

We love you Patti Bewick. Thank you!

San Francisco in its Finest Hour

2010-09-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

Can we talk about how nice it’s been lately? Seriously, our summer/fall is finally here and we deserve every moment of it. I snapped a few pictures of SF in its finest hour and some of my favorite things about summer: Hanging with friends, surfing, sandy kids and long stretches of Ocean Beach early in the morning when no one is there- one of the best spots in CA.

Hope you all are enjoying our Indian summer like we are.

The New Girl

2010-09-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

There's a new girl on our team, Hailey Partridge. She is a rippin' surfer, and tall and gorgeous to boot. She is the newest addition to the Carve roster of women we are honored to support. Her current home town is Santa Cruz. We recently had her in SF for a quick shoot of our current fall collection and were thrilled with the results.

I thought you'd enjoy a behind the scenes photo of our shoot. The photographer is local Erin Kunkel (www.erinkunkel.com), who we're excited to be working with as a new member of our team as well.

Enjoy the footage. And, take a look at our fall collection when you have a chance. Enjoy shipping on us. Use code: BLOG922

Also, take a look at some behind the scenes footage from our Fall '10 photo shoot by clicking here!

The Western Snowy Plover

2010-09-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

We've been working hard over here and so have our athletes. Our resident surfer/yoga instructor Kelsey Gallegos went out to the beach to talk to us about the Western Snowy Plover (see our blog post from March 26^th). Take a look and make sure you watch out for those little guys on the beach.

Fellow Surfer and Artist Leigh McCarthy

2010-09-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Our love of water runs deep here at Carve Designs and it is something that inspires us on every level. We have come across an artist whose passion for the water is the same as ours. She is based here in San Francisco and is a fellow surfer. I think why we love her work so much is that despite being a southern California girl, she has strong ties to the east coast which is evident in her art. And since we are originally from the east coast we feel a strong connection to her work. Her name is Leigh McCarthy and she is one talented woman. She just had a show on Nantucket, MASS that was hugely successful. The theme to her show was “Shipwrecks” and it seemed appropriate with the hurricane weather that encompassed the eastern seaboard this past weekend. Check out her work that was on display. I proudly bought “Run Aground” and am so excited to hang it up on my wall. It seems like the mood evoked in it matches how we were feeling all summer here in SF- a little smashed up because the weather was so dreadful. She also has a Website with more of her creations and where she will be exhibiting next. We hope you enjoy her work as much as we do.

For more about Leigh's work, visit her Website.

Christie Glissmeyer and the 82-Foot Drop In

2010-08-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

I don’t mean to keep bragging about our awesome athletes…But, when I saw this picture of our girl Christie Glissmayer dropping in an 82’ waterfall at Metlako Falls in Oregon, I about lost it. Frankly, I think she’s absolutely nuts (in the absolute best way), but the fact that this woman has the guts to do this is astounding. She set the women’s world record!

All of us here at Carve Designs are in total awe of her and think she is just beyond anything we can imagine. Christie travels in a pack of other equally tubular women called the Femme 45. The three of them go all over the place navigating wild rivers and kayaking gnarly drops. Check out this recent article on Christie and her girls.

Outside Lands

2010-08-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

I know Outside Lands Festival was almost two weeks ago now but I am still reeling from how great it was. Of course it was grey and cold but I almost felt like the weather gave it a raw, rootsy feeling. Still there were tons of people out and even some Carve Designs sightings on Men! We attended both days and I have to say that the Strokes were amazing Saturday night and Phoenix on Sunday was a highlight. Check out the pics below. Some fashion shots, some random, some kids and a little video to show the energy. I look forward to next year, and even though the sun wasn’t out the music was a nice reprieve to the dull summer we’ve been having.

We're Back from Salt Lake City

2010-08-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

We just got back from the Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City. Usually these trade shows wear on us but I have to say this one was our best yet. We had a killer booth in a great location. We hired models to cruise around in our threads, a surfboard raffle with an eco board from Entropy, and we launched the newest part of our line, “Balance by Carve Designs”. We have created some comfortable movement wear that looks good in and out of the exercise studio. So there was a lot going on but we have a great team over here so we were able to pull it all of with some style. We had three showing stations this year so it made it easier for our stellar reps to show the line and not feel too stressed about incoming traffic. We designed a swim wall to show all our newest styles and a “retail” section that let passersby and PR people cruise the line without having to sit down. Here is a sneak peak at what we are offering, a view into the backside of the retail world and fun candid shots (taken by our loved photographer Chris Bezamat) of the party we had to celebrate the new “Balance” line. I hope you get as excited as we are for next summer!

Click Here to Check out the Carve Party Photos

Angles

2010-07-23T14:02:00.001-07:00

I am into angles these days. Zig zag prints, geometric shapes. I feel like with the resurgence of tribal comes cool patterns that we haven’t seen in a while. Case in point, we have a great “zig zag” print we are running at the moment and it seems like people are digging it b/c it’s almost all gone!

But, we are not the only ones doing fun shapes and patterns. Net-a-porter is selling a cute, yet expensive full piece with a fun zig zag pattern.

And, Free People has a ton of Pendleton inspired motifs they are running now, making geometric soft and wearable.

Lastly, Vanderhurd has amazing textiles in so many different geometric patterns – they are addictive to look at:

Have fun seeing and wearing geometrics this year, as I hope they inspire you as much as they do me!

Surfing Montauk

2010-07-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

While we are here suffering through another foggy summer in San Francisco the east coast is alive with heat and color. It’s just not fair. But I was lucky to be able to spend sometime back there this already and I am hoping that I soaked up enough vitamin D to last me until September. We traveled to many different places on the eastern seaboard but found one very special place in New York. I am sure you have all heard of Montauk. It seems to be making headlines these days in the media and I am afraid that in a few years it will be overflowing with people but for now it’s still relatively quite. We stayed at the Surf Lodge.

This place is a little overpriced for us Californians but seemed to be right on target for New Yorkers. But I have to say it was well worth the stay. It’s located on a fresh water pond called Fort Pond just down the road from the beach. We seemed to be quite blessed this trip because we had great 5 ft surf for most of the time we were there. The beach reminded me of our home break of Ocean Beach so we were immediately at ease. The great thing about the east coast in the summer is the warm weather so we were surfing in our bikinis and getting a tan. When the wind came up we were back at the surf lodge taking out paddle boards for the pond in back and renting bikes and biking into town. Montauk feels a little like Encinitas back in the day. Lots of blonde, wild hair surfers cruising around on skateboards eating fresh seafood at the plethora of crab shacks located on the side of the road. It felt like we were kids again. Nothing can beat that feeling. We ended our days with jack and gingers at the surf lodge bar grooving to bob Marley tunes and watching old surf videos. Dinner time really drew a crowd but we opted for other dinner places and we think South Edison is not to be missed. It was already named one of the top 25 places to eat this year.

So if you are having the summer blues here in SF and have the money and time to travel 6 hours back east, Montauk is not to be missed. Surf's up.

A Yoga Teacher We Love

2010-06-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

We do a lot of yoga over here at the Carve offices. It calms the nerves and offers a nice break in the middle of the day. Plus, it’s good conditioning for Surfing. We have been reluctant to talk about a teacher that we love- only because we don’t want his classes to get too crowded, but we decided to let the cat out of the bag and share. Tim Floreen is his name and if you want a kick ass, sweaty, leg burning, ab working class with thumping tunes, this is it. I don’t think I have ever left his class dry. That may sound gross to some of you but to us, it’s just what we need to start or break up the day. He’s a smart guy who is wickedly funny and likes to make his class laugh. He infuses just the right amount of spirituality that you feel connected to what your doing but not overwhelmed with it. He teaches at Red Dragon Yoga in Mill Valley on Mondays at 11:30am and 1pm- his power hour class is perfect but doing the double takes being sore to another level. He also teaches in the City at International Orange on Saturday mornings and The Yoga Tree throughout the week. He has killer taste in music and its hard to not want to shake your tailfeather. Thankfully he shares his music on line at www.yogatim.com . We highly recommend him. Namaste.

Carve Welcomes New Athlete

2010-06-17T07:13:00.000-07:00

We're welcoming a new athlete to our team at Carve Designs...and we think she is just plain COOL. And, I am not just saying that because she wears our clothes. This woman rocks.

She learned to surf just 4 years ago and is now competing on a near-professional level. Having learned to surf late in life, I can tell you from personal experience how difficult this is. Surfing has a super long learning curve. You can surf and surf every day for months and never catch a wave. It's frustrating, to say the least. Then one day, you'll catch a wave and it changes your life.

And, that’s what it did for Danielle Marvin, our latest and greatest. Having grown up on the East Coast, she earned a soccer scholarship to Southern Florida state (where she got the surfing bug). She was asked to play professional Soccer for Spain and instead, she followed her passion and moved with her husband to Hawaii to pursue an unlikely career in professional surfing.

I'm not sure how familiar you are with the Women's surf tour, but it's super competitive and not exactly lucrative. The purses are much smaller than the men's tour. Despite that fact, Danielle is working hard to join to tour to be one of the few woman in the world that can lay claim to such a feat.

In her spare time, she is an artist and works as a waitress. We are totally psyched to have Danielle on the Carve Designs roster. Watch out for her as she is a force to be reckoned with, and keep updated on her wins and life at http://www.daniellemarvin.blogspot.com/ . We know you will think she is as cool as we do.

Our favorite Danielle Marvin piece of Art (see more at:http://www.cafepress.com/daniellemarvin )

Ethnic Prints

2010-06-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

I am really into Ethnic prints these days, Navajo blankets, Pendleton inspired stuff and especially Ikat prints.

I was a hippie back in the day. I went to the University of Oregon, followed the Dead and Phish (should I even admit that?). The whole time, I was wearing Ikat tunics and Navajo jackets. I love how fashion comes full swing...here we are again revisiting these old motifs.

Luckily, usually when the fashion world circles back, the result is better. And now, everything is much cuter. You can get an ice bucket with a great ikat print from www.shopiom.com. Madeline Weinrib has an amazing line of Ikat fabric out at www.madelineweinrib.com. Gucci is even making a dress out of a great grey, black and blue ikat. My Fall 2011 line will be full of these prints, but you'll have to wait a little while for that!

Cabo and the 2011 Collection

2010-05-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been so long...we've had a busy couple of weeks. Lucky for us, we were busy surfing in Cabo and shooting our 2011 collection.

We invited four amazing women to join us. They rip on surfboards and can hop in front of the camera and look pretty.

Here is a sneak peak into our new Spring 2011 line, hope this gets you all excited for what's to come!

Where is Spring?

2010-04-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

So spring is suppose to be here, but I am not sure where it is. It's still a little chilly and rainy here. The silver lining is that the skiing in Tahoe is pretty sweet, which reminds me of my recent ski trip to Switzerland, a must do for all skiers.

The trip began in Ports Du Soleil, the largest ski resort in Europe boasting lifts connecting 12 mountains. Yes, that's TWELVE. We skied from Switzerland to France mostly off piste. It was incredible. The mountains in Switzerland are vast and stellar. Skiing out of bounds is the norm so peeps (a beacon, not the marshmellow candy) are a must.

We stayed at this quaint, very swiss hotel that had the most scrumptious chocolate cake.

We hopped the train to Verbier, where all the Brits go. It’s very swank, but in an understated sort of way. We stayed at a gorgeous condo at the base within walking distance of town and the lifts.

The best part is that ski tickets are half the price in Europe than here, which is mind boggling because the skiing is twice as good. I don’t think we ever skiied a groomer once while we were there.

Lastly, we hit Super Saint Bernard, which was by far the most epic spot to ski. It’s one gondola ride to the top. There is no bombing there so you ski at your own risk with your peeps on, shovel and probe in your backpack. The skiing here is powder all day long. One run takes 45 minutes, so probably a good idea to get in shape before you go. This resort was like those old east coast resorts back in the 70’s- nothing but an A-frame with soup and bread- in this case sausage and pretzels. There is no lodging here so we stayed in Martigney which is a great spot to access a ton of ski resorts. We had the most amazing meal at La Vache Qui Vole. Very Swiss/French, amazing ambiance, incredible wine selection and of course amazing chocolate cake.

Welcome Back, Friend

2010-04-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

The longer days and warmer weather remind me of childhood and I feel myself gravitating towards my younger days. I grew up in the late 70’s and early 80’s when hippies were around and a more natural way of life was more prominent. The lifestyle of the 90's was so far from hippie, that I even began to question my love affair. And then, I noticed that softer fabrics and colors seem to be making them way back into mainstream. And that's when I saw it, my old friend, one that I welcome back with open arms: Tie Dye.

I used to spend hours upon hours at summer camp tie dying t’shirts, shorts, shoes, etc. It appealed to my creative side, as well as my hippie side. Then it went out and anyone caught in it was considered a “dirty hippie” – Well my friends, it's back and coming in all different forms. OK, today's version doesn't inspire the same feeling that you're in a parking lot about to see a Grateful Dead show, but it's not that different. And yet, it's totally mainstream. Check out Glamour's most wearable 2010 trends in case you doubt me.

And, the original trend is inspiring prints and patterns in all forms and sizes. I've let it inspire watercolor plaids, stripes and a bit of splatter paint in our Fall 2010 collection.

And, there are some people doing a great job of it this spring. Blumarine’s Spring 10 line has beautiful tie dye tops, dresses, coverups and bags to match.

In case you were never a fan of tie dye, I'd brace yourself and get used to it, 'cause it's here to stay for a little while. And, I, for one, am going to enjoy it!

The Orginal Surf Chic

2010-03-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

I was walking at the beach this morning and came across this beautiful sign:

It's the “Western Snowy Plover”. This has got to be the cutest bird ever, and so aptly named “The Original Surf Chic”. So, we did a little research and this is the deal with this little thing...It’s a small shorebird that has been living on the pacific coast for thousands of years. It nests in the sand, taking advantage of any cover it can find- driftwood, seaweed, shells or rocks. This bird is so small that it is commonly mistaken for a cotton ball. Not surprisingly, their livelihood is being compromised by us. Cars are crushing their homes and humans and dogs off the leash are chasing the birds away. Sadly, these birds are now endangered.

I'm not usually one to preach, but, seriously the Surf Chic devastation was making me sad. So, I spoke with our local Audubon chapter (www.ca.audubon.org), and here is what they said we all can do to help:

1.“Obey Signs and fences protecting nests” like the picture below at Ocean Beach.

2. “Take part in a beach clean –up”

3. Raise awareness among other surfers and beach dwellers” (hence this blog entry)

4. Notify authorities about any problems with plover nests

5. And lastly - take your dog to a park or dog friendly beach during nesting season.

I think this is pretty manageable and am hoping you think so too. These little Surfer Chics are way too cute to vanish from our beach.

Thanks for reading.

My Recent Visit to Phuket

2010-03-09T09:47:00.000-08:00

It might take forever to get to (25 hours from San Francisco to be exact), but if you have the time and inclination Phuket, Thailand is a pretty sweet place to visit. I just got back from a super relaxing beach vacation there, with a short stop-over in Singapore.

I suggest renting a villa in the southern, less traveled part of the peninsula (check out http://www.phuket.net/rentals/villa-1215.htm for some seriously nice places to stay). The ocean was absolutely pristine, with white sand beaches as far as you can see. And, if salt water's not your thing, most hotels and villas have a pool. We hired a cook who prepared authentic Thai food daily and indulged in a full course of relation. A highlight, of course, is receiving the $10/hour masseuse that comes to visit you in the hotel.

For a bit of a tourist attraction, you can ride an elephant (only recommended if you happen to be traveling with families). Be sure to visit one of the more animal friendly places (it's pretty easy to tell the difference)!

And, if you're in need of an urban fix, check out Pantong. The nightclubs will mix a stiff, fruity cocktail.

The sun is strong, so be sure to pack plenty of sunblock. But, given the weather around here lately, I'd trade having to clog my pores with sunblock over wearing rain boots in a heart beat. So, here's to hoping that we get to wear sunblock around here soon!

3-Day Weekends and What to Pack

2010-02-24T17:48:00.000-08:00

Give us 3 days, a carry-on suitcase and a sunny, warm destination and we’ll take care of your “what to wear” dilemma.

Those last minute trips that come together on Thursday night? For sure, they’re the best. Who knows if it’s the spontaneous dash to meet your friends, taking only what you need….or just the fun of getting away last minute – but we love spontaneous 3-day weekends.

Sometimes during the winter, a quick fix of sun and warm, turquoise water is all you need to get by.

If you ask us, 3-day weekends rock. But the packing part --- well sometimes that’s trickier. Especially when it’s 3pm on Friday and you’re still not packed. The wardrobe question can turn the best of us, and our closets, upside down. Believe us, we get it.

So here are our best, most versatile picks for last-minute spring getaways.

1) The Sunshine V-neck dress: 100% certified organic cotton – perfect for a beach coverup, the taco stand or even restaurants with a view.

2) The fitted, feminine Dellis Tank: organic cotton and ideal match for board shorts or your bikini bottom.

3) And what would spring be without a hoodie? The Paris Hoodie is made of a super soft fabric, with a relaxed fit, it’s perfect for anything.

Fret not, we gotcha covered (and looking beautiful, natural and relaxed). As they say, the essentials are all you really need.

Is it the weekend yet? Till next time…

Spring 2010 Collection is Here

2010-02-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

We think inspiration comes when you least expect it. Like when riding a wave you wish you’d been the first to find. Or in the solitude of a quiet ride home.You could say we’re pretty fond of daydreaming. After all, some of the most creative ideas come out of it, especially in the middle of drizzly, dreary February. And this winter, it’s inspired a Spring 2010 Collection that’s Carve’s best yet: with huge splashes of color, vibrant energy and a beautiful ease that just says summer.

So just for a few minutes, indulge. Take a few minutes and dream a little. After all, summer—sweet languid summer—is just around the corner. In the meantime, we highly recommend a few things to bust through the blahs: enter our $1000 Beach Wardrobe Giveaway and check out the gorgeous designs and feminine silhouettes that bring summer just one step closer.

Here’s to wanderlust, and dreaming big.

Enjoy the ride.