Of a Kind

Forage makes blue Valentine a lot less depressing. (No offense, Ryan Gosling.) —erica

Of a Kind

Ok, it’s a little hard to tell from this picture, but this Forage bow tie is for tikes. And if we saw a little boy wearing it, we’d just want to squeeeeeeze. You can score it at Project Pop-Up NYC at STORY all month long! Whee! —erica

Let It Flow: The Forage Duo Puts Summer Berries to Work

Shauna Alterio and Stephen Loidolt of the tie line Forage (see!) are makers extraordinaire. And lucky for us, their passion for creating crosses over into the cocktail realm. Here, their summer drink of choice that will help you get some more fruit into your diet, too. 

“Stephen first made this drink a few summers ago inspired by all my favorite ingredients—we call it the Berry Fizz. Since then, it’s become one of our most popular treats to make for friends. The individual bottles make it perfect for picnics or lazy afternoons in the park.” —shauna

Ingredients:
1 ½ pints fresh raspberries and blackberries (about 4 cups)
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
6 large springs of fresh mint 
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup vodka
1 bottle prosecco

Directions:
Reserve some berries as garnish. Mash the remaining berries, sugar, and mint in a large bowl. Stir in the vodka, lemon juice, and prosecco. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a pitcher, pressing through; discard solids. Pour into 12-ounce bottles, top with reserved berries, and cork. Keep chilled on ice.

For more designer-approved drink recipes, click here.

Alumni News: The Forage Twosome Dives Into Stationery

If you’ve ever ordered a Forage tie (like the so-good one they just made for us!), you know that Shauna Alterio and Stephen Loidolt are serious about their packaging—like, letterpress-their-own-boxes serious. And now they’re going next level, launching Seed House to give their paper prowess the attention it deserves. There are adorable (but not too cutesy) cards like the clover ones above and even scents to make your notes smell as good as they look. Because olfactory know-how is apparently in their skill set, too. —erica

Keep up with other amazing Of a Kind designers right here.

Alumni Sunday: Autograph Tie by Forage

When Forage launched, the husband-wife duo make bowties exclusively. Now they’ve ventured into neckwear that takes a half Windsor or four-in-hand, and we’re damn psyched they have. How good (and summery!) is this cotton check? Oh, and: There’s a secret message sewn onto the back of each tie that, duh, we’re gonna make you click through to see. —erica

BUY / 50 of a kind / $78

Read more about Shauna and Stephen,  the couple behind this wonder:

+ On applying their art-schooling to a neckwear line.

+ On renting themselves a cabin in the woods to get this thing going.

+ On where exactly their tastes overlap.

Of a Kind

Forage has officially expanded beyond bowties, and their new full-length offerings look a little something like this. The material: guava chambray. Delicious. —erica

The 25 Of a Kind Designers You Should be Following on Instagram

Here’s your chance to get in on a road trip with the Upstate ladiez, peep a Society for Rational Dress photo shoot, and scope out Brook&Lyn’s newest materials. It’s this thing called Instagram. Heard of it? DUH. Of the 15 million users, these are the vets who get our seal of approval. —kate barrett

Ace & Jig - @jennnnnnnnna

Alex & Eli - @anna_zeman

ALL Knitwear - @annieleelarson

Ann Yee - @theannyee

Blanca Monrós Gómez - @blancamonrosgomez

Brook&Lyn - @brookandlyn

Clare Viver - @seevivier

Collina Strada - @collinastrada

Cursive Design - @cursivedesign

Dirty Librarian Chains - @dlcbrooklyn

Dusen Dusen - @dusendusen

Erin Considine - @erinconsidine

Forage - @foragebowties

Gabriela Artigas - @ladyartigas

Laura Lombardi - @lauralombardi

Louisa Parris - @louisaparris

Mctega - @semclellan

Partners & Spade - @partnersandspade

Rachel Nasvik - @rachelnasvik

Rachel Rose - @rachelrose8248

Society for Rational Dress - @societyforrationaldress

Sophie Monet - @sophiemonet

TOMTOM - @tomtomjewelry

Toujours Toi Family Affairs - @toujourstoi_familyaffairs

Upstate - @kalenk

Clare Vivier’s Very Favorite Places in Silverlake

The leather maven is a regular at these five spots.

Taix
“Taix is a really old-school French restaurant—the interior hasn’t changed in 30 years, and the waiters have been there forever. I love to eat steak frites in the bar area.” (taixfrench.com)


Intelligentsia
“It’s just the best coffee. I usually get an espresso, and they serve it with a little glass of sparkling water. I think that’s really cute.” (intelligentsiacoffee.com)


Forage
“My very favorite restaurant is Forage. I eat there at least once a week and order the kale and arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette and toasted breadcrumbs on top.” (foragela.com)


Mohawk General Store
“I got a pair of silver Rachel Comey loafers there last year, and I feel like she should release them again because I get so many compliments on them! There’s a Raquel Allegra coat in a nubby, boiled wool that I want right now.” (mohawkgeneralstore.net)


Cookbook
“This is a super cute little market on Echo Park Avenue. Any time you don’t have an idea of what to cook, they’ll help you figure it out. It seems like a small store with a small selection, but they’ll be like, ‘Oh! Just take this arugula, this mint, and peas…’ Which is nice—to have your selection totally slimmed down.” (cookbookla.com)

Of a Kind

Did you know that a bow tie could be this laid-back? This straight-up chill? Well, now you do. (You’re welcome.) Fact of the matter is, the all-cotton one with diagonal, blue-and-white stripes that the Philly-based duo behind Forage made us is about as anti-black-tie as they come. Because how many galas do you go to anyway? —erica

BUY / 35 of a kind / $68

Read more about the Forage couple:

+ On the 13 years the two have known each other.

+ On the his-and-her inspiration behind the line.

+ On their ever-changing bow tie shapes.