Campo Dei Fiori Collection - Autumn Winter Holiday 2014 - Is Here

Hello friends,

First of all, thank you for all your patience.  Many of you have asked when you could see images from the catalog and photoshoot, and many of you have asked when you can buy the pieces you saw at NYFW in September.  Finally, I have the collection ready for you. Now. Today.

For the new collection, Jourdan wears a version of the Stella blouse in Blue Leopard and Black Silk Charmeuse, paired with the Flavia in Giraffe Wool, as previously worn by Victoria in the fashion show.

Maxey wore the Stella blouse in Orange Pebbles and Blue Digital Snakeskin Silk Charmeuse and the Flavia skirt in Atari 8-bit Chevron Brocade for the fashion show.  I had Frances wear it for our lookbook.

Bernadett wore the Stefania dress in Gold Balloons 4-ply silk with Gold Leopard contrast cuffs, collar, and yoke for the fashion show.  Frances wore the same dress for our catalog, but I made this dress in a number of different versions for the collection.

Maxey wears the Stefania in Blue Gerbera silk crepe de chine with Butternut silk faille trim, as well as a version with no contrast at all.

She also wears the Stefania in Horoscope White Italian merino wool jersey, a super fine gauge knit that insulates the body while being nearly translucent.

And Frances wears the Stefania in Blue Gerbera silk crepe de chine with Taupe Paintbrush silk twill trim with an accent belt.

As well as the Stefania in a Pink Jigsaw silk twill with black silk charmeuse contrast.

In the show, Frances wore a Sofia silk jersey dress in Black and White Wire Fence print, which immediately sold out.  For the collection, Frances wears the same Sofia cut in French Apricot silk jersey,

while Jourdan wears the Sofia in Blue Player Piano silk jersey, so named because the pattern reminds me of the punch card paper strips that make automatic vintage pianos play their tunes.

Finally, Mimi wore the Paola maxi dress in a one-of-a-kind fuchsia, brown and orange horizontal stripe. For the collection, Jourdan wears the Paola in a beautiful and soft Jade Green Italian merino wool jersey, with a softer, heavier hand than the Horoscope wool.  Each Paola in Jade Green has an individualized lining of fine cotton jersey in a pattern different from any other Paola out there.  A secret pleasure for the wearer.

I hope very much that you get the chance to touch and wear these garments soon.  Currently, Bombshell in St. Paul, MN and Boutique Larrieux in Milwaukee, WI have their Campo Dei Fiori collection pieces in stock.  MS.SVG in London, UK will have them starting in January, and Madison Plus Select has several pieces online for worldwide shipping.  Additionally, AbbeyPost had a special exclusive run of the Stefania dress made just for them in Gold Leopard and Black Hashmark, and Gwynnie Bee has a large selection of sizes of the Stefania in Pink Jigsaw only for their subscribers.

I am always looking for new retailers and new ways to get Cabiria to my customers, because the differences in quality are best communicated through personal experience.  I will be going to the Curvy-Is-Sexy trade show in Berlin in January to introduce the brand into the European Continental marketplace, and I'm happy to reach out personally to store owners where you shop.

Also, I'm always open to listen to what customers are really clamoring for in the marketplace.  As long as it is a cut and quality level that fit in with the Cabiria brand, I see no reason to ignore the collective expertise of so many plus size shoppers out there.  Cabiria was started to provide a choice!

One happy, beautiful, confident customer at a time.  That's how Cabiria is going to become a premier brand for discerning women all over the world.

Happy holidays everyone, and please shop the collection while it lasts!

                                                                                 All the best, Eden

Autumn Winter 2014 Campo Dei Fiori Collection - Delivery!!!

Hello friends,

It's been a while since I've posted, and there's a reason why: I've been super busy trying to get all the items through our New York City based factory for AW14, and tomorrow we're taking delivery on the clothes!  I can't believe how excited I am about all this, and I can't wait to get them into shops around the globe for you all to wear.

Right around the corner next week we'll have our photoshoot with all these new pieces, and I'm excited to be working with some of the gorgeous models from the NYFW show again, as well as a new face too.  I'm such a lucky woman to work with so much talent!

Frances in the Sofia in B&W Wire Fence at NYFW
Henry S. Dziekan III for Fashion Law Institute

Maxey in the Stella in Orange Pebble & Blue Snakeskin and Flavia in 8-bit Atari in at NYFW
Henry S. Dziekan III for Fashion Law Institute

Jourdan, our Plus Model Edie Sedgwick/ Jean Seberg lookalike

In the meantime, we're now stocked all across the US, newly in London, and working on getting into shops in Canada and elsewhere in Europe.  Let me know if there's a place that should carry Cabiria, and we'll try to get in there.

This collection is called Campo Dei Fiori, named after another neighborhood in Rome, which translates to "Field of Flowers".  There is so much pattern and color happening in this collection of favorite shapes from last season and new items like tops and skirts, how could I resist naming the collection after such a riotously beautiful place?

We have the Flavia, a deep pocketed pencil skirt, in 100% satin wool with a great giraffe print or in a dense French brocade that looks like an 8-bit Atari game in chevrons.

photo courtesy Madison Plus Select all rights reserved

photo courtesy Madison Plus Select all rights reserved

We have the Stella, a closed placket long sleeved romantic top in pattern mixes of orange pebbled 100% silk twill and a blue digital snakeskin print in stretch silk charmeuse, or an abstract blue leopard print on 100% silk charmeuse and black silk charmeuse contrast.

photo courtesy Madison Plus Select all rights reserved

We have the Paola, a 100% fine gauge merino wool maxi dress with a twisted keyhole neckline and a unique lining in jade green or huge orange and gold floral, with a different pattern for each person.

photo courtesy of Henry S. Dziekan III for Fashion Law Institute all rights reserved

We have the Stefania, a long sleeved version of our popular Sofia dress, with a lapel and elasticized waist in luxurious 100% silk Crepe de Chine, silk faille, silk twill, 4-ply silk or merino wool jersey.

And finally, we have new fabrics in our Sofia dress, still in silk jersey, and this time in French apricot bouquets on charcoal black, or black abstract bars on a blue like a clear summer day sky.

Cabiria's also received some incredible press, since the last post, but my absolute favorite is a piece of mail sent from a woman who bought the Sofia in Giant Peony for her honeymoon. I've never met Carrie Malone or her new husband , but she felt good enough in her dress to send me this photo, on Kawaii.  This is why I do what I do, in a nutshell.

Carrie and Zach Malone from their honeymoon in Hawaii

I can't wait to share the photoshoot images with you all as well!  Seriously, can not wait.

All the best, Eden

Store Tour Details and Things Cooking

Hello friends,

I am so very excited; I'm about to embark on a Store Tour of the Upper Midwest this coming week, and I want to let you in on the details!

On Thursday, June 20th from 4pm to 8pm I'll be coming to Boutique Larrieux in Milwaukee, WI at 315 N. Broadway. Our wonderful hostess, owner Lydia Hamilton will be supplying champagne and snacks, and I'll be bringing new items for you Wisconsin ladies to try and enjoy.

The next night, Friday, June 21st from 6pm to 8pm I'll be at Vive la femme in Chicago, IL in Bucktown at 2048 N. Damen. Stephanie Sack, fantastic plus-size mogul and hostess, will have Spa Soak on site to do hair and makeup, and there will be mint juleps and canapes! I'm so excited. She's created a Facebook Event page as well, just to see more, including unreal beautiful photos of a lovely customer wearing a bunch of the new styles sent over for the event.

Then, we're off to the Twin Cities! Saturday, June 22nd from 4pm to 8pm I'll come to Bombshell Boutique in St. Paul, MN at 794 Grand Ave. for our third event. The gracious Denise Alden will be hosting us, providing pink bubbly, some snacks, as well as drawings and giveaways. I love it! Bombshell will also have new styles provided just for the event.

In other news, Madison Plus Select has started releasing new items on their website, featuring the beautiful Denise Bidot wearing our Sofia in Giant Peony silk waffle weave pique lightweight dress, along with our previous offerings. Check it out, including the illustrious owner Aimee Cheshire wearing the self same dress!

Finally, behind the scenes news at Cabiria HQ is that we maybe, pending, could, might, possibly have a great new investor. What this means is that we really hope to have a Fall/Winter line ready to release to you all in proper time for the cold weather. However, if it makes more sense to do it big and right, we'll hold off and release a Spring Summer line further down with all sorts of bells and whistles. Either way, Cabiria is moving forward in big ways. I cannot WAIT to bring it to you!

Please come to the Milwaukee, Chicago, and St. Paul events next week. I really am looking forward to seeing you there!

All my best, Eden

Almost ready to Launch!

Hello friends,

It's been pretty busy here with Cabiria - we're gearing up to launch the e-store, the Lookbook and Collections Catalog will be online shortly, the Behind-the-Scenes video is almost cut, and we're about to launch a public crowdsource funding campaign next week!

I will be sharing all of the links to our visuals next week when we're 100% ready, but here's one I love from the photoshoot. The lovely Maxey Greene enjoying life on location with a little help from her waiter Josh and a Pinot Grigio. Hard work, right?

Oh, and that's the Giuseppina dress in our Butterflies 100% silk jersey she's wearing.

Please stay tuned for the launch coming very very soon!

-Eden

Re/Dress, Salon Z, and Deserving Good Things

Hi folks!

I just got back from an evening workshop at Re/Dress in Brooklyn - a space that has provided both fat community and amazing vintage and resale fashion in true plus sizes these last 3 years. Glenn Marla and Hana Malia led some wonderful exercises about exploring what it would be to let go of a lot of internalized fatphobia, and I was reminded again how lucky we've been to have Deb Malkin's amazing store these last several years.

Here's a photo of Glenn and I at Re/Dress in 2009:

Sadly, the physical store is closing November 20th, and with it goes the community space she provided in which to be fat and gloriously, fearlessly fashionable. The same week this information was released, news that Saks Fifth Avenue is removing ALL Salon Z plus size sections from it's stores to an online only model. Another venue where the economy is partially at fault, but marginalized selling floors and inconsistencies in quality (as in the quality across the price point is NOT equal to similar price points in mainstream sizing) are the real culprits.

As a fat person with money to spend on clothes (ok, theoretical money right now, but hey), I still say there's a market there for well made, comparable quality at comparable price point clothing. Hearing all the women at the workshop talk about the internalized sociological shame we all work very hard to combat during waking moments, no wonder we're tired. All that energy just geared towards facing the world, facing the fear, and facing what we're told we don't deserve.

I can't wait to change that and let all women feel entitled to inhabit whatever body they have gracefully and beautifully. I can't wait to show a woman my size (18 - 20, for the record) how nice Italian silk jersey feels on the skin, and how different that feeling is from polyester or rayon. How good fabric pays for itself by not needing to be replaced after a few wearings because it's pilled badly or the high spandex content is deteriorating. How a fashionable item can remain a staple in your closet if you feel confident wearing it time and time again.

Wish me luck, people. It's rough out there, but I've got some great role models.

-Eden

Moving on up to the (very) East Side and GLORIA!

Hey folks!

So as you know, I'll be moving to New York soon. Now I know where - a beautiful apartment in Astoria, Queens! It's big enough to have my workroom not eat the living quarters, and there's lots of natural light. I'm really looking forward to it.

I've shown you some of the dresses in the line so far, and I want to give you another teaser. This one is a top instead of a dress - GLORIA.

No pockets, but features controlled gathers at the center front to drape beautifully over jeans or skirts. We plus size women shouldn't have to think about our tops binding when we sit down, and this solves the issue gracefully. With accent bars at the top of the breast, wide enough to hide bra straps but open enough to show off, it's a feminine top to add to our collection. Hope you like it!

-Eden

Forward momentum

Hey folks,

So as you know from my last post, I'm moving back to New York in a few weeks. I'll regretfully not be there in time for Full Figured Fashion Week, but I encourage all of you to check it out. More exposure and positive press means more ability to make brands like mine a reality!

I'm furiously trying to make sure I don't leave anyone in the lurch information-wise while I transition, so here's another teaser from the line. This time, we have FLAMINIA.

This dress is inspired by James Galanos and Hana Mori, two designers famous for making women look chic in the 1960's - 1980's. Galanos was Nancy Reagan's favorite designer, and wore one of his designs for the 1980 inauguration. Chic!

FLAMINIA has a surplice (cross front) bodice, so many bust shapes can be accommodated, inverted tulip short sleeves, adding a pretty, feminine detail, a relatively straight/ pencil skirt, and a wide shaped waistband. Oh, and of course...pockets, so you can be chic and practical at the same time. Perfect dress for a spring or summer day at the office!

I hope to have some more big news very soon, so hold tight, loyal followers.

-Eden

Today's fabric yumminess

Hi Folks!

So it was a great weekend for people watching - I went to the Kentucky Derby! Okay, technically, I went to Louisville on Derby weekend with the hopes of getting in (and didn't), but the people watching around town was stupendous. Fabulous springtime dresses and hats everywhere, despite the rainy weather.

Which brings me to my latest fabric update. First of all, THANK YOU to the wonderful people who have DONATED (using the button conveniently located to your right) to Cabiria, and helped me get sumptuous fabrics, but also things like labels:

and shipping (less interesting to post a photo of my UPS guy) and business licences (VERY uninteresting photo there) and all the other ephemera that go into a start up. I can't do this without you, so THANK YOU! Now, onto some cool stuff...

Today's fabric teaser is a lightweight 100% silk piqué (marcella, or waffle weave) with ENORMOUS flowers on it. Like 14" across enormous. Which I think looks amazing on a bigger body, because we have the real estate to show it off properly (ahem). With all the 80's shapes and fabrics that have been hitting the market lately, the weave feels both James Galanos (Nancy Reagan's favorite designer) or Hanae Mori and totally au courant. Did I mention it's also light as air?

I get really excited about this stuff - I hope you guys do too, and please, let your friends know about us!

-Eden

Another glimpse of the future line

Hi guys!

Some of you know I was recently on a trip to beautiful new Orleans. While I was there, I found some new (to me) pieces of vintage fabric, which thrills me to no end. I love vintage fabrics - they don't make them quite like this anymore!

Today's featured glimpse is a 100% silk habotai panel print of a broken fishing net against a sea greenish-blue field. Habotai is gossamer light silk that's perfect for a hot summer day. The scale on these is 36" x 36", which means that entire skirt panels, etc. would be one entire scene! I'd hazard that this fabric was printed in the mid-1960's, if that. Just amazing.

Here's a much closer-up version:

Makes you think of some 1960's pop art poster, right?

-Eden