Natalie Ford
Natalie Ford, an Austin prodigy, invents stunning, yet playful clothing with her design label Mi Hija. She recycles old fabrics to create one-of-a-kind garments, using anything from upholstery and quilting to fleece. Her designs speak to the future of wearable art, like a sewn collage. She is also pretty handy with a crochet needle and makes amazing bolero sweaters. Oh yeah, and she can also sew a mean pair of pants. I hope the world is ready for Natalie Ford.
Camille Breaux
Haute Tuna is the creation of Camille Breaux, a Houston-based artist who holds a BFA in Photography. When she's not working for "The Man", she creates unique clothing and accessories out of her home. Camille uses cotton t-shirt material to create tops and dresses with unusual fabric inserts and overlays. Her designs are colorful and fun with a pop sensibility, as well as, very soft and comfy.
Jessica Forney
Jessica Forney uses vintage beads, charms, buttons, images, and other remnants of the past to create her jewelry designs that not only come with a history, but also a sense of humor. Among her collection of baubles is an elegant necklace with a silver marijuana leaf /pearl charm and a ring that says "Great Minds Drink Alike". She is a prolific jeweler, local to Austin, TX, who creates pieces to span every decade. Jessica's outrageous designs deserve some up close attention.
Amalia Litsa
Litsa, as she likes to go by, makes the softest printed tees with birds. She also revamps shoes and creates wall hangings. I'm sure this girl can whip up anything. By day she is a super genius web developer. To learn more about Litsa visit her here.
Sarah Ritt
Sarah Ritt creates vivid hand painted wallets and handbags to match her zany sense of style and taste in music. She takes recycled bags and paints over them in candy colored acrylics detailed with imagery of rock stars from favorite album covers.
Else Eaton
Else Eaton is a photographer and jeweler who resides in Boston, MA between world traveling adventures. On her journeys through Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and South America, she has collected photos and creative inspirations from tribal crafts-folk that continue to influence her work. She is interested in incorporating organic shapes and materials into unlikely situations and drawing attention to hand-crafted quality. Her work is shown under the design label elsemaya.
Mister Records
<Mister Records is a small independent record label in Boston, MA run by John Manson. I am very excited about this music hook-up because none of my favorite Boston bands ever play in Austin and now at least they have a way of being discovered here. John has sent many cds and vinyl treasures including Neptune, Animal Hospital, Devil Music, Gabriel Boyer and the Thousand Eyes, Young Sexy Assasins, Magic People, Plunge Into Death, plus the infamous Journey To Happiness Island "children's album" lp, and an assortment of 7"s.
Ms. Rockie
With her label Opuntia, Rockie designs clothing and accessories from recycled fabrics. She creates playful yet wearable skirts, pants, dresses, sets, as well as, purses, wallets, scarves, and headbands. Rockie can be found in the Austin area, often floating around the shop.
Bob Wucher
As a hobby, local Austin-ite Bob Wucher makes lamps out of vintage blenders and musical instruments. A couple of his blender lamps are currently on display in the store. They are quite beautiful. What a neat hobby!
Wendy Willingham
Belts and wrist cuffs made out of vintage ties, vintage charms and beads turned into the latest baubles, old sweaters recycled into scarves and shrugs, redesigned t-shits, it's all DEJA Vintage. Designed by Austin native Wendy Willingham, she makes "new creations from vintage bits & pieces". What will she come up with next?
Sam Alexander
Sam Alexander is known around Austin as Sciborg Sam. He creates out of this world costumes for fashion and performance. His label Cyberchic leaves us with remnants of his experiments in outer space. Among the many curious items is a halter dress with electric light switch and some molded vinyl bustiers that must have jumped right out of a comic book. The perfect showstoppers for a night out on the town, or just to add to your already eccentric wardrobe. Who says Halloween has to end in October!
Leah Smith
Besides being the backbone of The Opera House, Leah Smith can also do everything else (when she puts her mind to it). She can write a book, make movies (but don't ask her to finish them), create art, and whip up wearable things. Currently, she is working on some knitted accessories that obviously come from another planet. Things to wrap around and over the neck is what you get! Be the first to catch on to this new trend! Broaches and new designs in fabric coming as soon as humanly possible......
Kate Dolamore
Kate spends her time in Florida creating wonderful paintings and prints. She also makes fun illustrated stationairy sets and cards that she sells at a variety of shops including, The Opera House. To find out more about the art of Kate Dolamore you can visit her website.
