Full DisClothesure » Rotem Gear News

Kind Hearts and Coronets

jrotem — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:49:42 +0000

Each year someone discovers my Valentine Shmalentine tees and adds them to a Valentines Day gift guide, or features them in some other way. Yesterday it was Simo Media’s Craftsyble site, where the ironically romantic looking anti-Valentines Day tee was featured among some lovely handcrafted pro-Valentines Day gifts from bath items to jewelry (classic, modern, vintage, whimsical, elaborate, simple… you name it!), even a couple of very special bears. For those who want to shop right out of the box, this is an excellent place to start!

Romantic cupids and Victorian flourishes make for perfect irony.

Our feature last year on the Huffington Post.

We’re on Fox Small Business

jrotem — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:11:35 +0000

The story of how Rotem Gear came to be was featured in a short but sweet piece on Fox Small Business yesterday. The opportunity was a nice surprise when the reporter called and informed me that someone had nominated me. I still haven’t found out who that secret sdmirer is, although I have a hunch or two!

If you have a small business, you might be interested to know that Fox has a feature like this nearly every day. Per their website: “We’re highlighting small businesses from around the country as nominated by you, our readers. If your favorite small business is using Twitter to communicate with customers, let us know about it @fbsmallbiz with the hashtag #mysbc, and it may be featured as an upcoming Small Business of the Day.”

Rotem Gear Designs at Golden Globes Industry Mixer

jrotem — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:42:20 +0000

A little while ago I shared the fun — fairytale style –that I had participating in a gift bag for actress Ginnifer Goodwin of TV’s Once Upon a Time — I gifted a long black Agapanthus scarf. (Read about here.) The group of talented designer-crafters behind this opportunity is The Artisan Group (you can see their badge in my right nav bar.)

The Golden Globes is around the corner (Sun, Jan 15) and with it all the parties and gift lounges that accompany awards shows and gob up traffic in my city, lol. The GBK Gift Lounge is one of these events (and proclaimed by an insider friend of mine as “the best of the gift lounges”) and The Artisan Group will have a display table there. From all past photographs I’ve seen, it should be a spectacular display.

I’m going to be a helper elf for set-up, so I’ll get to see some of the gorgeous items that will be on display. While my designs won’t be among them, a number of Rotem Gear items will be in Industry Mixer gift bags!

Now I must share the guide to the TAG members who are participating in the display or gift bags — just check out the range of talent in this group!

The GBK official press release lists Mayim Bialik, Joe Mantegna, Laura Prepon and Descendants director Alexander Payne among guests who have RSVP’d. GBK will be making a “donation to (the) Clinton Global Initiative for this event and a local education fund in FIJI (sic).”

Hollywood’s not the only place getting some Rotem Gear goodness… A “Kitty Crossbones” Limited Edition tee is among the artisan gifts donated by members of The Artisan Group to be auctioned off at a charity event for S.A.R.A., an animal rescue and placement organization in New Jersey.

Holiday Round-Up

jrotem — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:44:29 +0000

As it’s the eighth day of Chanukah and Christmas is behind us, I’d best be posting my holiday update. From November to mid-December I was finishing up non-stop multiple client graphic design deadlines. Somehow, I managed to sail through the several holiday boutique events to which I’d committed.

For the first time, I participated in a home-based boutique-open house hosted by an old friend whom I see all too rarely. I had to scrunch a bit, sandwiched as I was between a sofa and a piano *wink*, and I took the photo while my display was in some disarray, but you can see some of the new cards I introduced this year.

I also had to pleasure of inviting a jewelry designer whom I’d met at another boutique. Shiho Mizuno aka Fifty50 Studio, creates wonderful chic, simple contemporary jewelry. I was thrilled when she gifted me with the middle necklace of this trio. Check out her shop on Etsy!

On a completely different track, I enjoyed posting a spontaneous giveaway on Twitter when I introduced a hashtag game inviting people to submit funny responses to the challenge to change one word of a quote or saying to “latkes.” Two people earned Rotem Gear t-shirts for their whimsy; here are some of the choice responses (we even got one from Shanghai!) Enjoy, along with some latkes, perhaps!:

“NORM!” “What’s the story, Norm?” “Boy meets Latke. Boy eats Latke. Boy meets another Latke.”

“My name is Inigo Montoya. You ate my Latke. Prepare to diet!”

“Leave the Latke, take the cannoli.”

“My name is Latke. Potato Latke”

“I like big Latkes and I cannot lie!”

“I did NOT have Latkes with that woman.”

“Who is rich? One who is satisfied with his latkes.”

“I just want to say one word to you. Just one word, Benjamin: Latke.”

“Bring me the Latkes of the Wicked Witch of the West! (I hear they’re delicious.)”

“Latkes in mirror are closer than they appear.”

“In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: … These are their latkes.”

“I love the smell of latkes in the morning”

“Keep your friends close and your latkes closer.”

“Look out for Miss Latke Lenya, and old Lucy Brown.”

“I want the latke!” “You can’t HANDLE the latke!”

“Where there’s smoke there’s latkes.”

“I’ve got a latke you can’t refuse.”

And with this last one, until 2012 … “So long, and thanks for all the latkes.”

Once Upon A Time

jrotem — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:05:20 +0000

Once upon a time, there lived a designer in a village nestled between the Great Ocean and the magical city of Tinsel. The designer loved to create magical garments to warm and delight people from near and far who were lucky enough to buy one of these rare items.

One special day, the designer was invited (along with other artisans from her crafts guild) to present one of her scarves to a Tinsel Town princess.* What a wonderful bag of enchanting gifts! — surely it would gladden the heart of the busy princess. It held baubles and books, scents and sights (no apples!) … and one, very special, magical scarf.

The scarf was made of the midnight sky and the ghost of spring flowers, long and flowing like a river but spun into a fabric so light and soft, it felt like a vapor on the skin.

Its magic made it light in the summer, and warm when chill settled over land, elegant for courtly duties yet just right for a walk down the Boulevard of Stars.

And so, the magical scarf was dispatched. (To be continued...)

*The princess in the story is, of course, the talented Ginnifer Goodwin, star of the current ABC hit “Once Upon a Time,” where she plays Snow White (caught in a time-space continuum sort of spell!) I am so honored to have been invited by The Artisan Group to gift her with my black pima Agapanthus scarf. See what other wonderful gifts they will be sending to Ginnifer here on Pinterest.

This is the same design that was purchased for (Desperate Housewives) actor Marcia Cross by a member of her staff, for a Christmas gift last year, but on a taupe heather burnout fabric. More scarves like this are available in my Limited Edition shop (black is currently sold out but other colors and fabrics available will be sure to delight!)

What was the magic that made this scarf? Well, it starts in the garden…

It’s the Start of Holiday Season

jrotem — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 06:17:46 +0000

I did my first show of the season last Saturday, at the “Boo-tique” that was part of the “Big Boo” festival, a local school fundraiser. Not all school fundraisers are as successful; I was impressed by the measure of parental and community support at the Big Boo.

It was a huge fun day for the kids with games, a DJ who kept them hopping (bunny hop to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face,” anyone?), a haunted house and a pumpkin patch, and we had beautiful weather — all contributing to a good time had by all. Adults without kids came as well, equally dressed up in creative, funny costumes or Halloween gear. I mean, who dresses up as a spatula or a colander of neon colored noodles?

So pleased once again to see how well received my scarves and tie cardigans were! Regardless, one thing I try to anticipate but which is always a mystery — what stock to bring for the audience of each event. It is rarely what I think. This time I brought tons of kids’ stuff since it’s a school event, but I sold nearly ALL adult items. I brought very little Hanukkah products and was asked for them specifically. You just can’t know…

Some of my scarves on display at Saturday’s Big Boo-tique.

My next event is Nov 20 at Temple Ahavat Shalom in Northridge, and I sure hope people won’t be too busy shopping for Thanksgiving to come and shop.

By the way, you can now take $15 of any order of $50 or more at the main Rotem Gear shop with coupon code ANN1102. Good through 11/16. Great time to shop for the holidays!!!

More About the Big Boo

jrotem — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:43:43 +0000

We’ll Be at the Big Boo! (Oct 29)

jrotem — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 04:25:32 +0000

Check out the fab local vendors that will be selling their artisan goods at the Big-Boo Boo-tique Sat, Oct. 29. This is part of the Halloween fest by Mar Vista Elementary School – haunted house, games, costumes, baked goods, games and fun for all ghouls. From 10-3 at Mar Vista Elementary in West Los Angeles, on 3330 Granville Ave.

Scarf + Necklace = Elegance

jrotem — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:56:44 +0000

What a honor! A fellow designer not only loved my green agapanthus scarf, but also crafted a necklace to go with it!

A extraordinarily talented illustrator and designer, Karyn Lewis started creating jewelry in the past couple of years. When I heard what she was planning, I couldn’t wait to see what she was going to come up with! In her blog post where she shares her project she writes:

Now that I’ve become obsessed with jewelry, family and friends have started receiving some of my work as gifts. This year for my sister’s birthday, I did something different. I knew that I wanted to send her a yummy floral print scarf from Rotem Gear Limited Edition: Apparel for the Global Tribe. In a lovely earthy green, the scarf is made out of a super soft burn out material, and features a silhouette of an Agapanthus (Lily of the Nile) plant, which shop owner Jean Roth developed from an original photograph in her line of botanical photography.

Then I made a necklace that I thought complemented the scarf. I knew I wanted to echo the earthy green and the spiky graphic floral on the scarf, so when I found Earthenwood Studio’s Leafy Tree Pendant, I felt I had a good pairing.

I surrounded the pendant with betel nut seeds, earthy green stones and brown Chinese Writing Stones. I also threw in a couple garnet beads too. And happily, as you can see above, the necklace fit my sister perfectly!

I love the beautiful layout in her photograph!

Vending Sep 10 at the Roller Derby!

jrotem — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 23:53:47 +0000

This Sat evening we will be vending at … wait for it … the LA Derby Dolls! See the Sirens vs Arizona Derby Dames and shop local artisans! Rotem Gear will be sharing with AngryChix so look for our of Kitty X-Bones tees and some cool pendants!

Kitty X-Bones Organic Unisex Fitted Tee by Rotem Gear

Naked on Roller Skates pendant by AngryChix

The Derby Dolls’ location.