Kristin Cofer - Design That Kills

Though I love a good deal of Bob Dylan’s music, I will admit that my admiration for him is based more on his status as an icon and what he stands for and less on a deep knowledge of his vast discography.   But I will argue that, unlike basically every other musician, Bob Dylan has gotten better with age.  Take, for example, my favorite Dylan album, Time out of Mind. It was released in 1997, a good three-and-a-half decades into his career. Another hero of mine, Nick Cave, is right at about 30 years into his career and has already made a few albums in a direction toward artistic irrelevancy.

Since this is primarily a fashion blog, though, I’d like to speak to Dylan’s personal style. Much as he’s been able to crescendo his craft, he’s also been making progressively cooler fashion decisions. The unassuming fuzzy-haired folkie has gradually evolved into the present-day sartorially elegant old-west gamblin’ ramblin’ cowboy oultlaw, complete with an impeccably groomed Gable-esque moustache.

Behold:

Mr. Dylan, you are one SUAVE motherf-er!

-Richard Wayne, founder of the Men’s Organization for the Utilization of Style and Taste in the Advancement of Countenancial Hair Enhancements (MOUSTACHE)

dreaming of film and bare branches.
hair and make-up by jonathan
face that launched a thousand ships by dee larsen

treasury pro, has anyone used this beautiful typeface in a design?

Again, it’s that American holiday, where people across the country eat and drink large quantities of food and think about those things we are thankful for. I enjoyed reading what the modcloth kids are thankful for, as well as the responses posted. It’s what got Richard Wayne and I thinking about those things in life we appreciate too.

1. Coming together after being thousands of miles apart.
2. blue bottle coffee, which is how we start off our mornings together.
3. Fun, crafty and artistic people who inspire us with their wares, writings, music, and all other endeavors, such as Heartbreaker Fashion, Sweetie Pie Press, the Misanthrope Specialty Co., our friend and hairmaster Amithyst, the outlaw Americana music of Hang Jones, the vintage savvy of our dear Olivia at Bows & Arrows Vintage, and so many others.
4. The invention of the camera.
5. Online streaming of NFL games so that Richard Wayne can still watch his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers when the west coast stations aren’t showing their games.
6. Amazing family and friends on both coasts and several points in between.
7. New shoes.
8. Puppies.
9. New adventures in southern California sight-seeing.
10. Having rejuvenated hope for our country under the compassionate, calm, and intelligent leadership of our next President of the United States, Barack Obama.

What are you thankful for today?

oh yes it is a 15% off coupon for cute dresses, skirts, tops and more- and please read all about the adorable lady behind heartbreaker fashion, mandie bee here.

When Mandie Bee of Heartbreaker Fashion agreed to do an interview for DTK, I was more than ecstatic!  She is the designer behind some of my favorite fashions, including my go-to photo shoot dress, the Super Spy Dress.  Not only does Mandie find time to run Heartbreaker Fashion with her mom, but she indulges in her musical passions as well, singing in her indie band, The Automatic Year.  Read on and be inspired by the fashionable and lovely, Mandie Bee.

“I do not associate myself with any one social scene.”

Name: Mandie Bee
Occupation: Business Owner/ Designer, Heartbreaker Fashion
Location: The adorable and hip Downtown of Fullerton, California

What is the history behind Heartbreaker fashion?
Through high school and the start of my college years, I was very much into vintage fashion- new reproduction and true vintage. If I ever came across a great find, I would often copy the basic design idea or even buy it to copy the pattern so that I could make my own rendition of that dress.
During my sophomore year in college in 2004, I would make myself a custom dress, wear it out on the weekend and then sell it on Ebay. Occasionally, my friends would take orders of the dress right off my body! I was able to sell each dress for about $50-75 on average, which for a poor college student was fantastic.

My mother, Teresa, is actually the one with the real background in fashion. She went to FIDM in 1974 and has worked in the fashion industry for more than 25 years. She has designed for lines carried in high end department stores, designed and manufactured her own clothing line in the mid 80’s, and has taught fashion at a number of trade schools in the area as well. As a skilled pattern maker and dress maker, she knows what’s up. My mother saw what I was up to and suggested that we try to turn it into an actual business.

Over the years, we have found that my greatest skill is in marketing and promotion. My mother takes care of making the patterns and the production end of it all. Together we design and cover all other aspects of the business. We call ourselves a well-oiled machine. I need her just as much as she needs me in order for Heartbreaker to be a success.

Favorite Heartbreaker pieces?
My favorite Heartbreaker pieces are: The Super Spy Dress, The Betty Bolero, The Trixie Top, and The Sabrina Dress.  All of our other pieces are great, too- I love the fit- but I wear these particular items out the most.

What inspires you?
My favorite thing to do is peruse old Vogue fashion magazines from the 1940’s-1960’s. We also flip through current fashion magazines to get ideas. We want to be able to sell a product that’s retro-looking enough for the rockabilly girl, but also hip enough for the modern girl.

Is it your full time job?
Yes it is! and I love it. My mom and I goof around a lot. I’ve always wanted to be my own boss since I was a kid, so I’m living my dream.

Tell me about your love of music and your band, the automatic year- It seems the sounds you create musically are very different than the mid century inspired fashions on Heartbreaker-

I am into all sorts of music. I grew up with the oldies station, in high school I got into jamaican ska and jazz standards, in college I fell in love with 60’s soul. I had a group of friends growing up that were and very much still are into the indie music scene and while I got hints of it here and there, I didn’t really involve myself until I joined my current band.

I’m a singer and I really don’t have much preference of what TYPE of music I’m involved with as long as I’m doing it. I’ve sung with a reggae band, I’ve jumped in on jazz jam sessions, I was in the gospel choir in high school, and I was the music director for our community theatre group for one production.

Writing songs and playing with my indie band (The Automatic Year) is my favorite thing to do. It’s all I ever want to do. And while I love my job, I really do look at Heartbreaker as my job, and music as my passion. I do not associate myself with any one social scene.

What are you listening to right now?
I’m listening to Ella Fitzgerald- Live at Newport. I love Ella.

Ten favorite things (anything)
In no real particular order:

1. Music
2. Pear Martinis from Table Ten in Fullerton
3. Astrology
4. Yogurt Land
5. Fondue
6. Riding bikes
7. My new forest green Peacoat
8. Shopping in Antique Stores and Vintage Clothing stores
9. Dancing
10. Playing with my band

Any favorite fashion/shoe/retail websites or blogs?
I have a few staples in what I like to call my “Beauty-is-your-duty” regimine.

E.C. Star is my favorite clothing line. Very hip and unique. Wonderful quality, too! Made in the USA.

Lush makes soaps and other cosmetics from natural ingredients. Here’s to the green movement!

Benefit Cosmetics. This is the only line of make up that will not make my skin break out. I LOVE all of their products and I swear by it. The packaging is adorable, too.

I am also a fan of Kaboodle.com- this helps me with my internet shopping.

Any advice to others pursuing the dream of having their own fashion line?
DREAM BIG! But take baby steps getting there and be realistic with your spending- you will not blow up over night!

Heartbreaker started in my parents back patio. We worked out of their home for 3 years before moving into our current work space. We started with 2 designs and a $50 investment- Now we have over 50 different patterns for dresses, tops and skirts.

I had to keep my other job for a long time- I could not expect Heartbreaker to take care of me, but we realized how much potential it had. My mother was not in a position to worry about money. Fashion and being a business owner is her passion, so this is ideal for her. They say that if you can make it past your first year without losing any money, you’re doing it right.

You can see all of her beautiful fashions at heartbreakerfashion.com (my current fashion crush is the Molly Dress) and listen to her band, The Automatic Year here!

I just can’t get over how amazing this Photoshop CS4 advertisement is! (And you can see the making of this beauty here.)

Photo shoots photo shoots photo shoots, can’t stop thinking about photo shoots! Some other things consuming this brain are, the ladies of Twin Peaks- I caught a terrible virus and for four days all I did was watch this television show, I finally know who killed Laura Palmer! Now that I am back at work, not only is the theme song stuck in my head, but I have a crush on Agent Cooper and the fashions of the Twin Peaks ladies.

“For all the musicians crafting grimy, lo-fi electro-rock, the man behind Blank Dogs takes it to another level, because it feels like he means it.” [The Wire] Another Brooklyn band from Mark, he sure knows my musical tastes, The Blank Dogs. Download two of my favorites, “Freezing Styles” and “Leaving the Light On”.

Other visual treats include the styling, photography and fashion design of Bea Szenfeld. The way bardot charming dresses on a daily basis, a model and a crocodile, Roald Dahl-themed photoshoot by Tim Walker for British Vogue December 2008, found via galadarling.

These shoes are my current favorites, as well as this femme fatale trench from modcloth- The search for inspiration continues- new fall days, moments, potential creations brimming inside these fingers and lens.

I’ve always been of the opinion that Tuesday is the worst day of the week. Monday is a fresh start; Wednesday is hump day; Thursday is almost Friday; and Friday is Friday! What is Tuesday but filler in our corporate, capitalist workweek? Therefore, to perk up our spirits (and our facial follicles) on this 24-hour span of time that serves as little more than wadding between Monday and Wednesday to keep them from catastrophically colliding into one another, Tuesday shall henceforth be known as “Moustache Day” at designthatkills.

But before I begin today’s topic, it has been brought to my attention that I neglected to include a key style of facial adornment in last week’s entry: the leather daddy moustache (known to some as the “Zapata”). Behold perhaps the most recognizable example:

(Thanks, Dee!)

Now, moving along…in light of our nation’s recent presidential election, I thought I’d dedicate this entry to the presidential moustache, and in particular to Howard Taft, who held the position from 1909-1913 and was the last U.S. president to wear facial hair.

Taft also has the dubious distinction of being the heaviest president ever, weighing in at 300+ pounds. However, as would seem evident from his staunch advocacy of world peace, Mr. Taft was a gentle giant. I like to think, then, that President Taft was a jolly fellow and that his upturned handlebar moustache was simply an extension of his smile.

And to all of you presidents since–what gives? What’s your beef with facial hair? You know, I think Mr. President-to-be Obama wouldn’t look too shabby with maybe a little pencil ’stache. What do you think?

Come on, Mr. Obama, bring the change that this country really needs!

-Richard Wayne, founder of the Men’s Organization for the Utilization of Style and Taste in the Advancement of Countenancial Hair Enhancements (MOUSTACHE)

presents for your eardrums: my dear friend mark, from unpiano sent two brooklyn bands that i am enjoying (and now you can too!)  the crystal stilts and vivian girls dance and enjoy-

another photographer to admire, alex prager who also makes me want to just quit- her images are conceptually beautiful and the subjects moving.

other special things include, one of my friends and recent model, liz liles, is featured in a pretty and user (fun) online zine, zinette

i am really loving, iheartnorwegianwood’s harness designs, such a unique and cool idea! plus, she sent me one to photograph, can’t wait, just need the right light and mode!l

i daydream about film and a mamiya camera, wanting to create some new images that move, feeling close, but not quite there yet- life is full, but there is stil so much to do, see, make, experience, sometimes i am overwhelmed just thinking about it!