Profile: Fashion Designer Sylvia Holden

"My aim is to make and find unique items." Stop by Sylvia Holden's brand new online boutique and you'll see that's the case. Her designs merge the fluidity of Bohemian chic with modern deconstruction and a healthy dose of swashbuckling energy. She'll encourage you to make bold fashion moves such as mixing gold and silver jewelry or layering a bustier with a turtleneck. The boutique showcases her handmade, limited edition clothing and accessories as well as some vintage designer pieces but, she likes to stress, it’s really about “selling a concept of style." 

The magnetic quality of Sylvia’s design comes from its contrasting qualities: “I like to make things pretty and then juxtapose it with something tough. Like soft and hard. My integrity tote is a good example of this approach: pretty words and gold trim sandwiched in vinyl. Or styling a pretty silk blouse with a large tough leather cuff, an old piece with a new piece…” Along those lines, I particularly love the contrast between the romantic quality of her princess t and her black and white split skirt. 

As far as surviving the recession, Sylvia’s advice to broke fashionistas is to “mix vintage with cool indie designer. It’s inexpensive, it’s recycling, it supports small American designers and it looks really sharp.”

Sylvia Holden’s designs can be found online at http://www.sylviaholden.com and at the Brooklyn Indie Market.