Archives, vintage Toshiki & Maryszka

Going thru some old slides which I recently scanned for our 30 year anniversary of designing jackets together, I found one of me modeling a lambskin piece from the late ’80’s, early ’90’s. Each of the pieces we made were one of a kind, hand cut geometric shapes backed with primary color lambskins. The stretch of the lambskin and holding it in place while stitching straight is a testament to Toshiki’s skill. That year we were juried into The Smithsonian Craft Show for the first time, which is held in April of the year. We took so many special orders on these we were booked until Christmas!  Who remembers, or purchased one of these?  If you have a picture of it, or better yet of you in it, we would love to hear!

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It’s Shearling Weather in New York!

If you are in New York City and are feeling more than chilly, looking for something to keep you warm, you are in luck! Yuta Powell on Madison Avenue still has a nice selection of Toshiki and Maryszka shearling coats and jackets. Conveniently located on the upper east side a few blocks up from The Whitney Museum of Art, and close to The Metropolitan Museum as well.

Click for info

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Signature Shearling Style

We had a client call us this summer, who had been wearing a jacket she had gotten from us about seven years ago; she loved the fit and style and wanted the same thing again, but to change it up a bit. This seems to happen more than you might think, someone has a go-to jacket that serves them well, and they don’t want to let go, but need a fresh piece.  In this case she kept the black body, but changed the leather trim from bronze to multi primary colors amid black lambskin tape. She kept the detachable hood, but this time we trimmed it in a curly black lamb, her last was a frosted Toscana.

What’s your favorite winter jacket, that you feel good in and functions well?  Does it have a hood?


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According to What? Ai Wei Wei (food for thoughts on Art/Craft)

I tend to snap photos of things I want to think about later. In October, we visited The Hirshorn at the Smithonian in Washington, DC, and had a chance to see for the first time the work of Ai Wei Wei. I was aware of his politics, but not of his art, so it was very interesting for me to see his comments, the shear beauty of the arrangement of materials to express meaning in a bigger context of moral & political outrage, and more food for thought for the ongoing debate, what is Art, what is Craft, and moreover, “According to What?”

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The New Year

Well after some much-needed down time, holiday time, family time, I am back. Not that we ever really stop working at this time of the year, we just sort of lay low. Saturday I needed to make a few deliveries, walk Madison Avenue, visit some museums to take in some art, all as part of the rejuvenation process. It was a beautiful day weather wise, I enjoyed the air, the streets, the style. First stop was a subway station meet up with a happy client from Connecticut, who came dressed wearing nice black suede boots, put on her nice new long blue shearling and she was off, looking gorgeous! Next stop was to deliver a custom  shearling jacket to Yuta Powell on Madison, just up from the Whitney. It was fun to see how Yuta styled one of our shearling vests  in the store, and a Toshiki & Maryszka shearling cape in her window, even thou the reflections were a challenge for me to photograph the mannequin on that bright sunny day!

Shearling Vest        Cape in Yuta's window

After business was taken care of I walked a few blocks to The Met, to see Matisse (in full color), & then The Guggenheim for some Picasso (in black & white);  by the end of the day, exhausted.