When I stopped by Amy Johnson's pop-up yesterday afternoon she was hurriedly putting finishing touches on the shop space at 387 N. Euclid, next Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. Amy's 2016 Spring Collection, "Bursting into Life," will debut this afternoon, starting at 4 p.m., and remain at this location until May 31.
As I was snapping Amy's photo, she said, "I feel like we've been here before." Indeed we have, in various neighborhood locations over the past 8 years. We first met when Chris Lanter, proprietor of 10denza, 44 Maryland Plaza, carried a few of her designs. Curious about a local designer, whom I learned had taken a hiatus from her profession as an engineer to fly off for a fashion design course in Florence, Italy, I set up an interview in her CWE studio in 2008. You can read the resulting post here.
Before Amy completed the design course, which curiously did not include learning how to sew, the students were required to choose a name for their dream business. Amy settled on KayOss, based on the engineering principle that out of chaos comes order. In the post referred to above, she explains how she eventually learned to sew,through another serendipitous CWE connection.
Amy is shown holding a skirt made from a fabric of woven metal, $229, left, and another featuring a dramatic blue flower, $159.
The newest designs feature reversible dresses, example above, $179, and tops, $129, so essentially you are purchasing 2 for 1, great for traveling.
Amy finds her colorful fabrics on shopping trips to New York and Los Angeles. Most of her designs can be made to order by her local seamstresses – this fabric (depending on availability), that dress, your size.
Amy's "Bursting into Life" theme is evidenced in the knit dress shown above, $159.
A Grecian-themed skirt, $129, above.
The designer was especially pleased with her unusual strapless tiered dress, $149, which can also be worn cinched at the waist. View the dress on a live model on the website.
Lightweight kimono-style cardigans in dreamy patterns, above, are $129.
KayOss, 387 N. Euclid. Grand opening is today, Friday, April 8 from 4 to 7 p.m. Be aware that Left Bank Books is hosting a sold-out event for NPR's Krista Tippet this evening at 7 p.m., so you may want to walk over. After today, shop hours are 11 to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information visit the KayOss Designs website.
Awesome and bursting with color! So glad I can come find something for my Mexico trip before I go this year