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Kading family pride

My grandfather died last week, and I traveled to his Iowa farm, where I got to know him and the family a little bit better.

Although I have been there many times and had my share of experiences as the grandchild-farmhand for the day, this trip had more gravity as I traced the family history and connected it to myself. This time as we revisited the buildings on the farm, my Dad told stories about the tools, machines, and the buildings that housed them, all designed and built by my Grandpa. One thing that my Dad emphasized was that he often didn't even draft a plan for the machines (many of them tractors that performed specific, unique functions for the farm) or tools, but had the entire plan in his head. That little piece about the way he worked really stood out to me, because I also work this way, so it seemed like a small part of him that I was lucky enough to inherit. Like him, I have a strong visual image of my designs that I keep in my mind, but (perhaps unlike him) my drawing skills are so poor that my sketches usually fail to capture the image I have in mind, so I often skip the drawing and go straight to drafting and draping the pattern. I sculpt the image that is in my mind, rather than drawing it first.

His workshop was especially attractive to me. Each tool in it's place, ready to be used. The time spent with tools, to me, is the best part of creating. This is the time for learning, inventing, perfecting, problem-solving, and finding the most elegant way of fitting pieces together. The product is nice too, but the process of creating is what's important to me.

I would be flattering myself to suggest that my skills live up to the skills of my Grandpa, but as I continue to develop as a designer and maker, the way I go about my work will remind me of my Grandpa and my connection to my family. One thing that I'm certain I inherited is the open-hearted love passed between family members, and for that I have so much gratitude.

Tools and workshop

Farm

And one more thing to admire---for work and for dress, he always had great personal style.

Fall fabrics

Here's a peak at a few of the fabrics that will be in the fall/winter line, which I'm currently designing. Fall is the season I most look forward to each year, and I have been planning this line enthusiastically. I'm even hoping to expand a bit beyond shirts. The line will debut and be available soon!

Special Order: Pencil Stub shirt

One of my good friends lives in Brooklyn, so we had a chance to hang out quite a bit during RCF. He is one of the only people in the world who will talk with me about the fashion details in a men's shirt for hours on end! He has a unique personal style, which I am often inspired by when designing. He really liked the original Pencil Shirt fabric, but had the idea that it would be a great addition to his wardrobe as a short-sleeved shirt.  He also is one of the few people alive today who really loves long shirt-tails, and always tucks his shirt in! The result was a simple short-sleeved shirt with one pocket. I have enough fabric to make one more, so let me know if you are interested!

Pencil Stub shirt

Exaggerated (by today's standards) shirt-tails

The five8ths logo inside the shirt, alongside my customer's initials

Folding the shirt-tails in preparation for mailing

Collarless Keyboard shirt

At the Renegade craft fair last month, I had the pleasure of meeting a man who said he had retired so didn't need to wear a shirt to work anymore, but he "just loves shirts".  His wife said he "needed a shirt like a hole in the head", but he was enamored with the Keyboard shirt, and raved about Ben's Wagon shirt and its banded collar.  He suggested the idea of ordering the Keyboard shirt with a banded collar, and so to visualize how this might look, I hid the collar inside the shirt and realized that his idea was actually a more striking design than the original!  I'm really happy with the results, and hope he enjoys wearing it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Renegade craft fair

Thank you to everyone who stopped by my booth at Renegade craft fair in Brooklyn this weekend!  It was really valuable and affirming to get feedback from so many different types of people, and it has given me guidance with how to move five8ths forward.  I'm sure five8ths will be back in Brooklyn again soon!

I am delighted to announce that five8ths was chosen for Brooklyn Magazine's feature on the 10 best booths at the fair!

The spring/summer designs that made their debut at the fair are now featured on the five8ths website and available on etsy. 

Day 1

Booth set-up

Hang tags

My booth partner, Melissa of Nikkuu design

A custom client, trying on a Colored Pencil shirt for size

The view of the East River and Manhattan from our booth

Day 2

It was a short walk from the booth to the river

 

Four new designs

I will be introducing four new designs (in addition to the Lawn Shirt and even some Shackets) this weekend at Renegade craft fair!  If you can't make it to the fair, they will be available online starting next week.

Red Clay Shirt

100% linen

removable collar stays

Wire Brush Shirt

100% cotton twill

Summer Camp Shirt

100% cotton

Colored Pencil Shirt

100% cotton