Cheers

Lee

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“The only real elegance is in the mind; if you’ve got that, the rest really comes from it.”

— Diana Vreeland

Ms. Diana Vreeland: The empress of fashion.

Cheers

Lee

The post A Quote from the Empress of Fashion appeared first on Steel Pony.

Designing for Spring 2014 is in full swing here in the Steel Pony Studio. Could not be more excited. Here is what the design team is listening to in order to inspire creation today and sets the tone for the week. Tokyo Police Club – ‘Wait Up’. Take a look at the bands up beat video and tell us what you think.

Cheers

Lee

The post Tokyo Police Set the Tone for Design Inspiration appeared first on Steel Pony.

Philadelphia is soaking wet this week. The smell of a city hot and damp are seeping into our nostrils as we stroll the streets for inspiration. The Steel Pony studio is buzzing with activity, filling fall 2013 orders, preparing for August’s upcoming Vegas showcases and dreaming up the Spring 2014 line.

With all that going on in house, we need music to aid the chaos and with the rain pounding all around us, the end of the week staff pick is hands down: ‘Let it Rain’ by Amanda Marshall.

Take a listen and let us know what you think. Have you heard of Amanda Marshall? I have been listening and singing along to her for over a decade, nearing on two actually…ugh (feeling old admitting that-realizing that) She is an inspiration for my personal singing style and a go to musical comfort for a number of life occasions, good and bad.

Cheers

Lee

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Cheers!

Lee

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“I think there is beauty in everything. What ‘normal’ people would perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it.”

— Alexander McQueen

Cheers

Lee

The post Alexander McQueen Lends Philosophy to Quote of the Week appeared first on Steel Pony.

New week, new staff music obsession. This time around the must hear band is Frightened Rabbit, a killer Scottish band with an inspiring sound. Here is there single ‘Heads Roll Off’ Have a listen and let us know what you think!

Enoy

Cheers!

Lee

The post Steel Pony Can’t Get Enough Frightened Rabbit appeared first on Steel Pony.

It has been an insane week in Philadelphia and now we are under severe flood warnings and the sky has gone dark. We in the Steel Pony Studio are in need of some musical inspiration for the remainder of the day. This up and coming band has will be appearing tomorrow in Northern Liberties at the Piazza for the free to all 104.5 Summer Block Party Show with Metric headlining. Here is the up and coming single from Philly favorite- Royal Teeth. What do you think?

Check out the first wave of sale items available for the Welcome Summer Sale here at Steel Pony! Save 30% on pieces from Spring and Summer 2013!

Cheers

Lee

The post Rock Away Dark Skies with Royal Teeth & Summer Sale Items! appeared first on Steel Pony.

Photo Credit: AP

When a building goes down in the States, in a major metropolitan area, in one of saids’ busiest districts, it is- as it should be-an enormous deal. That is exactly what occurred yesterday in Steel Pony’s backyard: Philadelphia on 22nd street and Market in the bustling finance district.

As of this morning the death toll is at 6 and the critically injured is hovering at 14 people, as confirmed last night by Mayor Micheal Nutter. The partially demolished building tumbled on top of its neighboring Salvation Army Thrift Store.

This is close to my heart, as a sustainable shopper and textile artist, that thrift store is one of my favorite in the city. Only a few blocks down and over from my almamater: Moore College of Art and Design, we Moore girls used to head over to pick the racks every Wednesday afternoon when the new deliveries were , literally, just being placed on hangers and proped up on shelves. I have an insane amount of costumes, tee’s turned into art work and yarn yardage, vintage household goods, decor and jewelery from that thrift store.

We at Steel Pony are huge advocates of shopping at Thrift and Goodwills, vintage boutiques, antique stores and other re-use-it shop entities. To have something so tragic happen in our own yard is chilling, horrifying and begs to have the question asked: how the hell did this happen? The Philadelphia Inquirer described the scene as follows:

“Amid pandemonium and choking dust, bystanders and emergency responders pulled survivors from the collapsed thrift store at 22nd and Market Streets, which had been crowded with morning shoppers who turned out for its weekly “Half-Off” sale.”  (this is the exact half off sale I am referencing above)

Officials said the demolition contractor was Griffin Campbell Construction in Philadelphia. Apparently, upon investigating owner Campbell, records show that he  was charged in 2005 with dealing crack cocaine near a playground. The charges were dismissed after prosecutors misplaced evidence. Campbell pleaded guilty in an insurance fraud case in 2009, and was acquitted of aggravated assault and related offenses in 2007.

He has also filed for bankruptcy protection twice since 2010. The first bankruptcy was dismissed because he didn’t follow through on a repayment plan approved by the court. A second bankruptcy petition was filed in March.

There were no existing violations on the collapsed building, and Campbell had proper permits for the work being done, according to Carlton Williams, of the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections.

The city issued a demolition permit for the four-story structure on Feb. 1. Records show the property owner as STB Investments Corp., a company linked to prominent businessman and developer Richard Basciano, who has been best known as the owner of porn theaters in New York City and Philadelphia metropolitan areas.

Let us judge, these do not sound like good characters, people who particularly care about the well being of others as compared to the bottom line of their pockets being lined. Does this sound familiar to anyone? It smacks of the government official/owner of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, whose collapse last month killed over 1,000 people. Huge difference in death toll and situation, but similar in the possible ideology behind it, the driving force of commerce. Accidents happen, yes, but spotty work, cutting corners and not taking adequate measures to protect against any and all possible issues falls on those in charge. Roofer Patrick Glynn told the Associated Press that ”For weeks they’ve been standing on the edge, knocking bricks off…You could just see it was ready to go at any time. I knew it was going to happen.” more information is sure to come to light as the investigation goes on. Currently emergency workers are still combing the site for survivors.

Cheers

Lee

The post Building Collapse in Philadelphia Finance District appeared first on Steel Pony.

Enjoy!

Cheers

Lee

The post Creative Basics & Modal Adaptations Take Infinite Forms in SP Fall 2013 appeared first on Steel Pony.

Keeping in the theme of the week, thus far, from yesterday’s post featuring Muse’s new single- ‘Madness’ a quote that seemingly has no author…anyone who knows the answer to who said this? Please share!

Madness and creativity are often linked, perhaps more in the minds of those who would oppose new ideas than in the minds of creative people. Useful madness is the craziness of being different, of doing things and thinking up ideas that more traditional folks would abhor.

—-anonymous

Cheers!

Lee

The post A Quote to Make Us All Crave Madness appeared first on Steel Pony.

A new week has begun and with it a new song that will not leave our heads here in the Steel Pony Studio. This time it is a favorite band amoung the staffers: Muse and the song is titled: ‘Madness’.

Anyone who is familiar with Muse will most likely agree that the newest singles are a far cry from their old sound, but there is something charming about the new work. Take a listen and let us know what you think.

Enjoy!

Cheers

Lee

The post What’s Playing in The Steel Pony Studio: Muse – ‘Madness’ appeared first on Steel Pony.