Luxury Fashion & Couture Styling Blog

SPRING AWAKENING ~ A Garden Wedding's Object of Desire, the Silk Stole!

3/3/2018

The Fashionista’s current accessory of choice has become a must-have for fashion lovers everywhere. Now brides are reclaiming it, reinventing it, and declaring it as the Essential Bridal Accessory that it is for a Spring Garden Wedding – The Silk Stole Wrap!

What could be better than having one, single Wrap Accessory to make your dream Spring Garden Wedding both functional….and perfect?

Whether you are having or attending a Spring Garden, City or Country Chapel or Gala event, if you are in need of a Luxe Bauble for yourself, or that will serve as a ‘Thank You’ or ‘Adore You’ Gift for your bride or bridesmaids, look no further than the luxury-approved curation White Stole has spent hours putting together.

The unexpected set of Italian hand silk-screened, inspired colors and designs in White Stole's Silk "Gift" Stole and Shawl Wrap Accessories Collection will rock any bride and her guests past the ceremony and on into her lifetime. We have picked the perfect designs that will be cherished - and used - forever!

White Stole’s influential Italian Luxury Couture Silk Wrap design and production of printed, solid and yarn-dyed luxury Women's Wraps in silk or cashmere use the traditional, heritage-based hand-dyed and silk-screened custom-manufacturing process that has long been used by our manufacturing companies in Como, Italy since 1945. The meticulous workmanship or our Silk Stoles are guaranteed to last a lifetime with proper care.

But perhaps the most exciting part of the story is that from March 1st until May 1st, you can BUY 6 and White Stole WRAPS THE BRIDE FREE! What else do you need!?

View White Stole’s entire collection for size and color ranges of Stoles, Shawl and Foulard Wraps, Vintage Stoles, and Cape Boleros for purchase, or rental, on our website.

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH SUSTAINABLE COUTURE – Pure Silk Chic!

4/22/2017

Did you know that the fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, next to oil? Never fear, because by buying from White Stole you’re doing something good for the planet! Allow us to explain our enthusiasm…

White Stole was born to help our savvy Brides, Bridesmaids, Mothers-of-the Bride and Wedding Guests and Luxury Goods Lovers alike contribute to the decline in the demand and production of “fast-fashion” items by buying high-quality when others are buying low.

Although most people assume that most of what they wear is natural fiber clothing, this is far from the truth. On top of how the fiber was grown and produced to create the fabric, how the fiber was processed, dyed and finished must be considered.

Conventional manufacturing processes rely heavily on chemicals to clean and bleach fibers to prepare for spinning, weaving, knitting or dying - often with heavy metals and large amounts of water to flush and clean fabrics all the way up to and including the final finishing step in the garment process. The facts regarding production of new materials also make vintage, recycled, reclaimed and surplus fabric arguably sustainable choices, as the raw materials require no agriculture and no further manufacturing to produce.

Of utmost importance at White Stole is the fact that “Natural” fiber clothing refers to clothing made from fiber found in nature, such as the vegetable fibers of Cotton, Hemp, Linen and Flax; the protein fibers such as Wool, Alpaca and Cashmere; and the elastic fibrous secretions of silkworm larvae in cocoons used to create Silk.

Each of the amazing natural fabrics in the White Stole Collection, irrespective of their distinct production and processing methods, nevertheless take them worlds-away from the man-made, artificially-created synthetic fibers which are chemically and structurally altered to the extent that they are toxic to both the person wearing them as well as to the planet.

For instance, despite the fact that all Cotton has a large carbon footprint for its cultivation and highly chemically treated production, Organic Cotton is considered a more sustainable choice for fabric because it is completely free of destructive toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. And while many designers have begun experimenting with Bamboo fiber which absorbs greenhouse gases during its life cycle and grows quickly and plentifully without pesticides, Bamboo fabric can cause environmental harm in production due to the chemicals used to create a soft viscose from hard bamboo. Some believe Hemp is one of the best choices for eco fabrics due to its ease of growth, though it remains illegal to grow in some countries.

Most relevant and adored in the eyes of followers of White Stole, Silk, the “Queen of Fiber” and cherished by couture lovers the planet over, is the fact that there are multiple ways to grow and harvest secretions from the natural larvae – from wild to ancient methods that date back to the Ancient Chinese and the Roman Empire to more eco-friendly methods today.

Whether choosing one continuous silk thread that has been dried, brushed and reeled around a spool to form one silk “raw” thread with its exceptional ability to absorb dye - or silk salvaged and harvested from a cocoon in smaller strands then spun or woven in ways similar to cotton or hemp to allow more silkworms to survive - Real Silk holds the remarkably different feel and visible glossy luster, natural amber glow, texture, durability, natural stain-resistance, and high-quality look to the knowing designer and consumer of fine fabric.

As with all natural fibers, Silk fashion is a blending of compromises. Whether the silk is hand-loomed in rural India by ancient artisan weavers or pure-dyed with mild-acid, environmentally low-impact fiber reactive dyes in a modern Italian cottage-industry factory using an age-old creation process as in the goods presented in the White Stole Collection, the raising of silkworms is, by its very nature, sustainable. And Silk is biodegradable!

Silk fabric when produced by weavers on handlooms has a near zero energy footprint, while silk produced by powerloomed textile factories are evaluated on a company-basis to determine sustainability. The environmentally- focused createurs are the suppliers White Stole has built their business upon.

White Stole exists to offer Luxury Couture created with the highest-quality and integrity, as well as sustainable and ethical standards in the handmade tradition that has built the reputation of respect and admiration the Italian Silk Industry holds to this day.

In essence, it’s a double bottom line — buying from White Stole you are doing your small part to create a cleaner environment by choosing “Pure” Silk fabric that is already produced, dyed and finished in an organic, low-impact environment while being the chicest of Planet-Lovers!

Join White Stole in making great strides toward a more sustainable fashion industry with “Pure” Silk and Vintage Wraps!

View White Stole’s entire collection for size and color ranges of Stoles, Shawls, Foulard Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Cape Boleros for purchase, or rental, on our website.

SHAWLS & STOLES in Indigo Infused Sacred Significance to 1900s Weddings

10/16/2016

"Spring Ribbons ~ Sky Blue" Couture Silk Satin Chiffon Bridal Stole Wrap Accessory by Valentino

Over the 100,000 years that humankind has been making clothes, a special reverence for cloth shaped in the form of a Stole, Shawl, or Cape has prevailed in many cultures, resulting in a rectangular garment that relies on a depth of meaning and strong belief. Once worn in transformational situations, these shoulder coverings were not to be taken lightly. None originated from a view of clothes as utilitarian. A Shawl has been considered to be a garment that carries a special blessing as early as the 1800s.

In the long parade that fashion is, Indigo has played an equally important role for centuries. Indigo can be a color of leadership, of sacred significance, or of “blue collar” status, but it’s resilience has led to its use by farmers, fishermen and workers from France to Japan, from China to America throughout the ages.

Once artists discovered Indigo-bearing plants containing the gift of blue, an infatuation with indigo and a huge impact on our visual world began. Nothing compares with this dye’s ability to capture the blues of nature – a midnight sky, early dawn or an impression of the sea. It can also define a mood – of joy and vitality in the lighter variations, or of melancholy and mystery in the dark hues.

However, Indigo is a dye that demands discipline to use. Because of that, artists who make textiles that incorporate the color can be considered feats of dedication to create. Some creations posted here took thousands of hours to produce – requiring prolonged concentration akin to a meditative state. Others were made swiftly but with highly specialized skill and have a different kind of appeal.

In this blogpost, White Stole showcases the diversity of what the Shawl, Stole and Sarong have signified in cultures from the late 1800’s onwards – from the Ceremonial to the Sacred Wedding - with 6 historical photos from around the world. Enjoy!

CEREMONIAL SHAWL (Pa Biang), ca. 1900 made of cotton, Indigo-dyed, with silk supplementary weft weave, metal toggles from Laos, Northern Tai Nuea people

Photo 1 is a CEREMONIAL SHAWL (Pa Biang), ca. 1900 from Laos, Northern Tai Nuea people
Long-nosed lions, serpent-headed birds are just two of the signs of a mythic imagination that inspired the creatures on this shawl. It implies a belief in the transformative vision of complex designs. Weavers have loaded the indigo background with an intricate diagram of ancient forms of hooks, spirals and stylized birds, serpents, and occasional people. Such a Shawl could serve as a facilitator of meditation, detachment and spiritual discipline.

CEREMONIAL SHAWL (Pa Biang), ca 1900 made of cotton, Indigo-dyed, with silk supplementary weft weave, metal toggles from Laos, Northern Tai Nuea people

Photo 2 is a CEREMONIAL SHAWL (Pa Biang), ca 1900 from Laos, Northern Tai Nuea people
Intensely symbolic Shawls are covered with signs of a dense imaginary world. Embedded in the maze in this piece are diamond shapes derived from Buddhism to suggest a star, or third eye. Looking closely you may also spot a river dragon, or naga, who is guardian of the underworld. Notice how the maze is not asymmetrical. The weaver’s goal was “to help the onlooker discard all preconceptions of balance and, in meditation, to question the very order of life itself.” Explains Patricia Cheesman, author of Lao Textiles: Ancient Symbols- Living Art (1988).

SACRED SHAWL (Ulos Ragidup), ca. 1900 made of cotton; warp resist (ikat); supplementary weft; natural dyes including indigo from Indonesian, Sumatra, Batak culture

Photo 3 is a SACRED SHAWL (Ulos Ragidup), ca. 1900 from Indonesian, Sumatra, Batak culture
Sacred honor is bestowed whenever this type of shawl appears in Batak communities. It is a technically remarkable cloth with complex iconography that carries great significance. Wrapped around the shoulders of a person in transition at weddings, for pregnancy, and other life changes, it invokes speeches by chosen people whose great knowledge enables them to carefully observe the cloth and divine a way to enhance the wearer’s future.

SARONG (kain kapala), 19th century made of cotton, factory plain weave; wax resist (batik)process; natural / synthetic indigo dye from Indonesian, Central Java

Photo 4 is a SARONG (kain kapala), 19th century from Indonesian, Central Java
Step into a Sarong and you enter via a network of symbols that support your place in a cosmic sacred landscape. On this sarong, a dark Indigo night is set off against a breathtaking day, both nurtured with a constant drizzle of growth and fertility – visually, plants are thriving as they drift across petals, floating coconut fronds and entwined tendrils. Fireflies flicker in the night while phoenixes and butterflies fly through the air during the day. A sense of vitality is bursting off the cloth, ready to accompany the wearer when they are participating in ceremonies wherever they may go.

KASHMIRI SHAWL with RUMAL design ca. 1870 made of wool, interlocked twill tapestry weave with embroidery in chain stitch; pieced; natural dyes including indigo from the Indian, Kashmir area (for export to Europe), Dogra Dynasty (1846 – 1949)

Photo 5 is a KASHMIRI SHAWL with RUMAL design ca. 1870 from the Indian, Kashmir area (for export to Europe), Dogra Dynasty (1846 – 1949)
Kashmiri Shawls once ignited a covetous desire throughout Europe. They were made of a lovely soft goat hair and evoked the aura of a royal Mughal personage. French King Napoleon Bonaparte saw soldiers bring them back from India around 1800 and his wife Josephine soon had acquired hundreds. Given this overwhelming demand, Indian producers began assembling shawls like this one, which is a mosaic of small woven segments locked together with embroidery. Meanwhile, weavers in Paris and Paisley, Scotland wove silk imitations that have endured in waves of revival unto today.

“Once upon a time, or actually several times upon a time, Indigo was the most important dye in the world. At one point it helped prop up an empire, and then later it helped destabilize it. Ancient Egyptians used Indigo-dyed clothes to wrap their mummies, in Central Asia it was one of the main colors for carpets, and for more than three centuries in Europe and America it was one of the more controversial dye-stuffs, and it would have been familiar to people of many nationalities.” Victoria Finlay, Color: A Natural History of the Palette, 2002

View White Stole’s entire collection for size and color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes, Shawls and Veiled Bridal Hair Accessories for purchase, or rental, on our website.

IN FULL BLOOM! FLORAL-PRINTS are the Garden Wedding Classic!

6/11/2016

It’s true that Floral-Printed anything is as ubiquitous to the season as the blooming buds, and rank high among the other motif you could be wearing during the warm-weather months ahead. As June marks the start of Summer Wedding Season, we honor the sunny days ahead with fun, patterned pieces sure to inject a bit of brightly hued cheer into your Wedding Wear wardrobe!

Chances are your calendar is already full of wedding dates as we wrap our way into summer, and you are looking forward to a wide variety of ceremonies from vineyard to yacht to ranch, but by-far, one of the most romantic and memorable wedding backdrops is the age-old idea of a Spring Garden or Summer Veranda Wedding.

And to toast to this occasion, White Stole humbly suggests a POP of pink and persimmon floral to a Bridal Wedding Party set to the scent of anything from the Queen’s Rose Garden to Grandma’s gladiolas and peony patch!

Bring a “cultivated” look and a treasure trove of floral to your Garden Wedding in White Stole's "Fabiola" Couture Bridal Stole Wrap Accessory in pure Silk Satin Chiffon from the Signature Leonard Paris Collection. You will treasure this divine pure silk Momento of your wedding day forever.

“Fabiola” is in full bloom putting pretty glamour into any summer wedding with its luxurious pastel floral iconic "Orchid" design in lush shades of rose pink, purple, pale gray and persimmon on blushed white that will wrap sweeping highlights around shoulders, arms or neck of your Garden Veranda Wedding Party!

Shop the full Wedding Stole and Wrap lineup now and keep your eyes peeled for more wedding coverage from us throughout Summer Wedding Season.

View White Stole’s entire collection for size and color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes, Shawls and Veiled Bridal Hair Accessories for purchase, or rental, on our website.

Take toughness out of your world with Silk Floral Wraps for Garden Wedding

4/24/2016

‘To express oneself and how one wishes to be to the world isn’t much different than how an artist views a figure or landscape’ a biographer of Helena Rubinstein once said.

White Stole is a big supporter of the view that how a woman chooses to craft her look and construct her identity is chiefly accomplished with the fashion and accessories she adopts.

And more importantly, that on the most important day of her life, challenging some norms – such as those surrounding weddings – simply are in order! Our Brides know that her own beauty is in her eyes as she beholds herself at it’s deepest essence. And expressing that self means not stepping into someone else’s fairybook Princess Wedding Story….but into her own!

May we humbly suggest that one of the most perfect ways to cultivate your inner feminine-self is with the soft, flowing look of pure Silk Chiffon in Couture Silk Floral Stole Wraps!

White Stole’s "Charming Rose" Bridal Wrap in Pink or Lilac from the Signature Valentino Collection offers you a sheer cascading rose design that not only wraps your future in a floral embrace, but gives a perfectly flowing Heirloom Gift for the Bride and Bridesmaids who know how to put the fun into elegance for a lifetime in any season from Spring to Summer!

Delicately highlight your bridal party's silhouette with a rainbow of pastel shades from lavender and lilac, or pale pink to coral in any Spring or Summer, Garden Wedding setting or season while giving yourself a pure Silk Momento of your Wedding Day that you will cherish forever.

The women White Stole loves to love have a deep desire to have, hold and “wear her accessories for life"….then see them end-up in the hands of her daughter, her favorite nieces or cousins, or even a fashionable second-hand store where Style-Savvy young girls or Budget-Minded women will discover them 20 years later.

View White Stole’s entire collection for size and color ranges of Stoles, Stole Wraps, Vintage Stoles, Stole Capes, Shawls and Veiled Bridal Hair Accessories for purchase, or rental, on our website.

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SPRING AWAKENING ~ A Garden Wedding's Object of Desire, the Silk Stole!

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH SUSTAINABLE COUTURE – Pure Silk Chic!

SHAWLS & STOLES in Indigo Infused Sacred Significance to 1900s Weddings

IN FULL BLOOM! FLORAL-PRINTS are the Garden Wedding Classic!

Take toughness out of your world with Silk Floral Wraps for Garden Wedding

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SPRING AWAKENING ~ A Garden Wedding's Object of Desire, the Silk Stole!

CELEBRATE EARTH DAY WITH SUSTAINABLE COUTURE – Pure Silk Chic!

SHAWLS & STOLES in Indigo Infused Sacred Significance to 1900s Weddings

IN FULL BLOOM! FLORAL-PRINTS are the Garden Wedding Classic!

Take toughness out of your world with Silk Floral Wraps for Garden Wedding

Archives

A note from ​White Stole's Stylist

Archives

Categories

Author - Who is White Stole's Stylist?

A note from
White Stole's Stylist