Hi Fashionistas! We hope that you are all having a lovely week. Are you enjoying this lovely weather? Spring is just around the corner, yay!

In honor of the Oscars, we decided to focus our latest MINC THINKS post on formal wear designers. There is nothing more glamorous than watching the brightly colored fabrics, feminine embellishments, and gorgeous styles of gowns sweeping across the red carpet. We have selected some of our favorite formal wear designers. Their work makes us feel like stars! Stunning!

xo Margaux Rathbun and the MINCS xo

All of us want to be the “belle of the ball” and the prettiest woman in the room. It’s been the fantasy of women around the world for years! When you wear a design created by Maria Aristidou, this is guaranteed to happen. Maria is an exceptionally talented designer. Her designs are so striking that nobody can resist staring. Here are a few of our favorite designs. Visit Maria’s website at www.mariaristidou.com.

Simply stunning! That’s all we can say when we first laid our fashionable eyes on Patricia Samaniego’s work…simple stunning! Patricia is extremely talented with her creations. The fabric is gorgeous and the cuts are ultra flattering.  Dressing up in one of Patricia’s gowns would make any gal feel like a red-carpet diva! These are some of Patricia’s Designs that we are in love with.

We love getting all glammed up! It’s a boost to our style ego. All it takes is the perfect dress made with beautiful fabric. Fashion Designer Maritza Marengo hits the spot with her elegant formal wear for women.

Maritza’s desire to become a gifted fashion designer was evident when she took sewing classes while in intermediate school. In these classes, advancement became manifest by her eagerness to learn. On her fifteen birthday, her mother bought her an antique sewing machine. With this gift she created her first pieces of clothing for her mother.  Maritza Marengo continued her education at Luis Munoz Rivera vocational high school in Utuado Puerto Rico, where she studied industrial sewing for three years. She started her college career in Fashion at the Liceo de Arte y Tecnologia, where she graduated with perfect attendance and honors. Maritza eventually moved to New York City where she motivated in continuing her career in fashion, enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology and graduated with honors. At FIT, Maritza Marengo created an award winning evening gown that was inspired by the later entertainer Josephine Baker.

Check out her latest collection on www.maritzamarengo.com. Here are some of our favorite designs!

Hello fellow Fashionistas! We hope that you are having a fabulous, fashionable week.

Boy, are we ready for some Spring weather! The rain and icky clouds need to evaporate…no more gray days. With Spring weather comes cute, new spring outfits…we can’t wait. This week, we’ve featured some designs that make us crave a colorful wardrobe for Spring 2008.

Just a reminder that MINC THINKS is updated every Sunday evening. If you are interested in being featured, send us an email to Margaux@margauxinc.com.

See you soon!

xo MINC THINKS xo

 Sustainable fashion is everywhere these days. We were excited when we stumbled upon a line of sustainable jewelry from Jesse Danger! Check out some the latest collection and our interview with the designer. Be sure to visit their website at www.jessedanger.etsy.com.

1. How did you get started designing jewelry?

I started by taking a few simple workshops at a local craft gallery, and then began to pursue more advanced classes while I was studying studio art in college. It wasn’t until I reached the advanced classes that things started falling into place, and fine metals became my favorite medium. Around this same time I began searching for an engagement ring, not satisfied with the designs I was finding, I decided I wanted to design my own ring for her. I started researching jewelry everywhere and sketching designs and that opened the flood gate!

2. What is the inspiration for your line?

My Satin and Lemongrass collection was a simultaneous inspiration from the ‘green’ movement that is taking place and from my love of eastern cultures. This collection is cast out of 100% recycled silver, with 5% of the profit from each piece funding Fair-trade mining. The pieces are very bold but minimal, and at the same time very personal and dramatic. The Lemongrass silhouette was from a shadow in my sun-room, my favorite place in the house, that was also the inspiration for my Dragonfly…

3. Tell me about the little dragonfly!

Ever since an assignment during college to create a metalwork piece that somehow changed I’ve been obsessed with creating my own miniature gadgets. After a few simpler projects I knew I wanted to attempt a really complex design, but I spent months trying to decide what to model it after. After seeing a dragonfly dart around the bushes by my house, the design came to life! My mechanical dragonfly is formed out of Argentium (anti-tarnish) Silver, and all the moving parts are hand-carved from 14k gold. Hundreds of hours went into designing the movements and precisely crafting all the parts, but the final product is fully-functioning dragonfly whose wings slowly flutter up and down as you turn a tiny gem. I had so much fun building this one that a second design is already in the works!

4. What is your next business venture?

Right now I’m focusing most of my attention on creating a handful eco-jewelry lines, the Satin and Lemongrass being the first so far. The jewelry industry is a little behind the times as a whole, and with my pieces I’m urging people to question where their jewelry comes from and how it is made. I strive to be as environmentally conscious as possible with every aspect of my work, and I try and support companies that do the same.

5. Where can we find your designs?

Right now I am using Etsy.com for all my pieces. My wife and I love supporting as many artists as possible, and we love shopping on Etsy, so it seemed like a great place to join. Etsy has such a positive community of people! I’m also working on getting my foot into a few trade shows as well.

Based in California, Killer Kitty Clothing is, well, KILLER! The line successfully combines Lolita, Japanese Street Fashions, and vintage styles. We are digging the corsets with vintage movie posters. How fun! Here are some of our fave designs. Be sure to visit www.killerkitty.net to shop. Meow!

We first discovered Jen Joy Designs when we participated in Rock the Runways fashion show…and we were in love! Jen uses such gorgeous colors, fabrics, and embellishments on her designs. The hoodies are our favorites because they can be dressy or casual with a pair of hot jeans. Check out some of our favorite designs and be sure to visit www.jenjoydesigns.com to shop! Love it.

Beautiful photography makes us want to dust off the old Pentax and attempt to become a photographer. That’s why we love Jenn Hoffman Photography. Her work is ultra creative and interesting to view. Jen has worked with top models around the world including Forbidden (AKA Christine Dolce). Jen has many fans that continue to love and support her. To see Jenn’s photos, be sure to visit her website at www.jennhoffmanphotography.com.