samantha pleet

For those who cringe at the very mention of traditional wedding garb, now there's this. Online boutique Bona Drag has partnered with indie favorites Mara Hoffman, Pamela Love, Lindsey Thornburg, Samantha Pleet, Anna Sheffield, Meredith Kahn, and more on what can only be described as the least fussy bridal collection around. Even the name, "Ceremonial Collection," underscores the capsule's unconventional nature.

"I've learned that when buying, a lot of customers take things very literally," Bona Drag founder Heather Wojner explained. "If it doesn't say 'bridal' then they assume it can't be just that. I wanted to help show our customers where they can bend the rules, and that they don't have to be a cookie-cutter bride."

To that end, the collection is filled with exclusive pieces that are pretty, yes, but also tinged with edge. A ring set from Unearthen, for example, comes adorned with raw quartz, while Anna Sheffield's solitaires are punctuated with pitch-black diamonds and onyx. Gowns, too, come in unexpected shapes and hues: there's a dress in gothic black lace from Lover, and Mara Hoffman (who recently designed pal Pamela Love's wedding dress) offers an intricately-beaded chiffon dress with a neckline so daringly low it would probably be considered quite le scandale in any regular church.

"It's only natural for my brand to collaborate with Bona Drag on exclusive ceremony gowns," Lindsey Thornburg — who created two reversible gowns for the collection — explained. "Bona Drag understands what our clientele wants to drape themselves in for all of life's cherished moments."

See the entire lookbook — photographed by Wojner and Mike Goelzer — here.

Because everyone loves a good collaboration: in just a few short days Anthropologie will launch Made in Kind, a new ecommerce platform featuring 11 exclusive capsule collections from some of the most intriguing designers around. Among those involved in the project's April 5 debut? Established favorites Karen Walker, Gregory Parkinson, and John Patrick; up-and-comers Samantha Pleet and Charlotte Linton; and newbies Rachel Rose and Koto Bolofo.

With pieces priced from $84 to $470, the various collections offer an accessible introduction to each designer's respective aesthetic: there are whimsically printed dresses in vintage silhouettes from Karen Walker, clean-lined blouses and bottoms in sustainable fabrics from John Patrick, and hand-dyed tops and skirts in vivid hues from Gregory Parkinson. "I think women who say 'I never wear print or color' will be surprised when they try on these items," Parkinson says of his collection.

Click through for a complete look at some of our favorite collections from the Made in Kind project, all of which will be available exclusively on Anthropologie.com starting April 5.

>> Samantha Pleet just released her Fall 2011 lookbook, highlighting a sweet and quirky collection filled with constellation prints and fun tassels. She was "inspired by mythology, astronomy, and my recent trip through Iceland," Pleet says. "The clothes capture the enchantment I experienced at wonders along the Ring Road with its frozen waterfalls, geysers, and Northern Lights." She worked with an embroiderer back in New York to illustrate the starry night sky on high-waisted shorts, reflected moons on the lapels of a blazer, and the cycle of Venus on a dress collar; check the slideshow for the complete eco-friendly offering.

Let's take a quick break from Fashion Week to focus on a different kind of collection, one made of newspaper! Yesterday's News, a brand of cat litter made from recycled paper, put together a do-gooder design challenge in NYC to create eco-friendly pieces made of paper. Designers like Samantha Pleet participated, creating over-the-top pieces that rival any dress made of fabric. Watch Samantha's entire process of creating her super-cute frock.

In honor of Earth Day we think it's fitting to feature Bodkin's Fall 2009 look book. The contemporary brand, started by Eviana Hartman and Samantha Pleet, use sustainable design practices, organic cottons and wools and natural vegetable dyes in their collections. This year the duo won the inaugural Ecco Domani Sustainable Design Award. You might have seen our photos from their Fall 2009 presentation but here's a peek at their official look book. See the captions below each photo for materials and process details. 

>> Even established designers are editing, editing, editing for Fashion Week — the number of models, the number of looks, the amount of fabric used — but the tight times aren't keeping a crop of new blood away.  Joining former Bill Blass design director Prabal Gurung and Swaim and Christina Hutson, who are starting over with a new label, in the mix — alums of Central Saint Martins, FIT, and Parsons; apprentices of Marc Jacobs, J.Mendel, and Ralph Lauren; but most importantly, New York Fashion Week virgins — show us what you've got.
*image: source, source, source