Thursday, October 25, 2012

Nana: A Boutique for a New Generation


I went back to visit Nana again in its Mount Pleasant location.  (They opened in 2003 on U Street.  They are now at 3068 Mt. Pleasant Street, NW).  When I first went to Nana, I asked the owner/founder, Jackie Flanagan, whether they had any sustainable fashion lines.  She looked doubtful for a moment, and started to say that there was not much right now, except for this, and this, and this, and....  It turned out that almost everything in the store had a sustainable angle.  She seemed to have made these careful choices almost unconsciously, and it occurred to me that I was seeing the post-green-movement world.  For example, her own clothing line, also called Nana after her very stylish grandmother, is made in Adams Morgan and incorporates many vintage and organic fabrics. 
Nana proprietary line dress and soy candles
 Most of the jewelry is also made by local designers.  I loved the bold pieces by Sultana Maria, who uses antique bells and bullet casings paired with rough crystals. 
Sultana Maria jewelry
Quarter Life curates a vintage clothing corner (which currently has lots of nice tweed skirts in case you're thinking about joining the Tweed Ride).  Toronto-based company, Preloved makes upcycled garments and accessories from vintage elements, ensuring that your item will be unlike any other you see in town. 
Preloved upcycled sweater vest
 I am generally against anything that vaguely resembles tie-dye because I've seen too much of it in Takoma Park, but these shibori-dyed dresses by the local company La La Circuit won me over with their subtle colors and interesting patterns.  I loved the necklines too. 

La La Circuit shibori-dyed dress

 Judging from the hem, I believe these are made from upcycled bed sheets, which was a great surprise.  And there's much, much more to enjoy:  lovely fair-trade dresses by Mata Traders, soy candles made with love by Jackie and her husband, and DC-designed and made leather clutch purses. 
Do give yourself a treat and stop in with some girlfriends for a nice long shopping session.  You are sure to find something that you look great and feel great in.

1 comment:

  1. I'm late running across this, but thanks for the props! I have been having a great time crafting second-hand sheets into several dress styles. I love the surprise-filled process of hand-dying fabric, and it's a great way to elevate recycled fabrics. I always try to keep things on the 'haute hippie' side of things when I hit the dye vats;) -Leann, La La Circuit

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