Kristen is the one-woman show behind iheartfink. Starting with sourcing the remnant and recycled fabrics she uses, she designs and makes her own silkscreens, mixes her own water-based inks, handprints the fabrics, and then sews them into her original designs, which she then models and photographs herself with the aid of a timer.
And how absolutely fabulous is the end result!? Wonderful, comfortable cotton jersey, printed with bright, graphic, linear patterns, stitched into easy-wearing tops, dresses and more; they are bold and distinctive.
iheartfink – bring the noise – cowl neck top
Kristen studied fine art in her 20s and involved herself in various disciplines – animation, bookbinding, sculpture, painting, drawing, photography and music. She learned to sew with a sewing machine in her early 30s, experimenting first with hats and accessories.
iheartfink – cassette single – top
Fink {Fashion + ink} started over 6 years ago as a collaboration of two, but is now one. “I am a self taught seamstress so it has been so exciting to discover magical things through process without manuals/instructions/patterns ~ hoods, sleeve formations and varieties, necklines…so much fun to meet the challenge of making these creations wearable, comfortable and user friendly.” She continues to make each garment one by one without the use of sewing patterns. “This keeps each piece totally unique and special and keeps the creative vibe of each garment alive and magical.”
Of course, working in this way comes with its fair share of things that don’t go as planned. “I have had some doozies as far as failures go ~ and continue to have failures frequently both printing and sewing…and drawing ~ but I have learned that in those times, when I fail, I have often discovered the best ideas. For me it’s hard to know when to stop working on something that doesn’t seem to work at all. I try to practice putting “failures” aside and usually can come back to it later. Making “failures” work is one of the most exciting parts of design for me!”
iheartfink – chain of comman – cowl dress
“In times of stress imagine that you are a cork floating on the sea and situations are objects floating around you and bumping up against you and then floating away. Situations do not define you and the possibilities in life are as endless as the sea.”
iheartfink – great expectations – bell sleeve top
As a little girl she constantly drew horses, winning many drawing contests in school, and this encouraged her to keep the pencils moving. She hasn’t stopped drawing since (although she’s moved on from horses). “I found out very early in life that getting lost in creativity was very fulfilling and still is.”
“Inspiration for me comes from just about everything ~ people watching, music, movies, daydreams, books…everywhere I look pretty much. I love passionate people and their energy is the most inspiring rather than a particular style, so I can be just as inspired by an object I find on the road as I can by a beautiful poem, painting or song.”
It’s this creative energy that drives Fink clothing. “I believe if you only bring beautiful (and by beautiful I mean soulfully gorgeous/emotionally inspiring) things into your life then it will look and feel beautiful even when it’s a mess.”
iheartfink – riverside – top
You can find more of Fink clothing on Etsy at iheartfink, and on tumblr.
I LOVE her work! I’ve been a fan of her shop for a while now. It’s so distinctive and it looks so comfortable, too.
it does look comfortable, doesn’t it? For me, those lovely graphics somehow bring to mind music
Oooohhhh, temptation! Especially the Cassette Single top.
Thanks for sharing Kristen’s work, Julie.
Tasha
I know! They’re colourful and bold and wonderful 🙂