What’s Buzzing Around Austin This September
For What Ails You
Launched in October 2018 by mother-daughter duo Katherine Lott and Heather Hale, the Wildflower Remedies brand features tonics and tinctures created with kids in mind. Their blends aim to tackle common needs like settling stomachs, boosting immunity and battling germs. They’ve even created a special “nod + dream” roll-on for sleep, which parents can apply to the bottoms of children’s feet. “Just the way you have to apply the product provides a sweet moment before bedtime,” Hale says. “It’s more than just the lavender helping your kids be calm.”
Get Your FIBER
I’ve always been fascinated by textiles,” Ellen Bruxvoort says. Before starting her handmade woven goods shop, Fibrous, in 2014, Bruxvoort was studying graphic design and had taken up weaving as a hobby. Inspired to further develop her skills, she traveled to Peru to live with a family of weavers and learn their techniques firsthand. “They taught me a lot of what I know,” Bruxvoort says.
After starting with wall hangings, Bruxvoort branched into jewelry, hand-making bracelets and necklaces and crafting earrings from rattan, wool and cotton fibers. “I feel like you buy jewelry to feel good, look good, and I wanted to be part of that,” Bruxvoort says. Look for a fall collection filled with organic shapes and curved lines.
Behind the Brands
If you’ve donned a top from Miranda Bennett Studio or picked up a waxed-canvas handbag from Newton Supply Co., chances are you’ve interacted with Open Arms Studio’s work. Under the umbrella of the Multicultural Refugee Center (MRC), Open Arms engages the refugee community, providing sewing apprenticeships, training and textile-manufacturing services. “Our goal is to provide livelihood opportunities,” says Meg Erskine, CEO of MRC. “That means a fair wage and opportunities for upward mobility, leadership and more skills.”
mrcaustin.org/open-arms-studio
NOW TRENDING
Amplify your fall style with new designer looks at Wood & Rose. The North Lamar boutique, started by fashion buyer Wendy Vaughan, carries sleek blouses and skirts, trendy jewelry, denim and a variety of handbags and accessories to punctuate any ensemble.
Good Values
We were a tiny team of two when we launched. We’ve now become one of the largest cruelty-free retailers in the world,” says Ryan Miner. After meeting as students at UT Austin, Miner and Madeline Alcott started Petit Vour in 2013, originating as a vegan beauty box. “Pretty quickly, subscribers let us know that they needed a way to buy their favorite products,” Miner says, “and they wanted more than beauty.”
Now Petit Vour is a premier online destination not only for beauty products, but also for vegan clothing, accessories, shoes and handbags. The current most coveted item? Veja shoes. “They’re pretty trendy right now, and they’re blowing up in our shop,” Miner says. “We’re sold-out by the time we can get the next order in.”
Stepping UP
What good can a pair of shoes do? The elegantly hand-embroidered flats from Rumee promise a donation toward girls’ education in India with the purchase of every pair. Originally from Lucknow, India, founder Ishi Puri made it her mission to produce beautiful shoes, available in black and blush grapefruit, that do more than just complete an outfit.