Friday, February 14, 2014

2014 Collection Photoshoot - Part I


On a snowy February afternoon in one of Westchester County's picturesque rivertowns, a fantastic group of women gathered for an unusual photo-session. My vision for the shoot was to showcase a phenomenon, a trend, a connecting thread I have experienced over the past few years with many of my amazing customers. In person, at the art & fine craft shows I do, and through interactions in my online store, I have observed women of different generations gravitate toward and fall in love with the same designs of mine. Whether they are in their teens, twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties and above, women of all ages seem to find my styles and my work beautiful and desirable. 

I love seeing multi-generational families shopping in my show booth together. And I love knowing that my fashion accessories, clothing, and adornments have been worn on round-the-world journeys, to weddings, soirees, vow renewals, recitals, or simply on strolls around town or quiet afternoons at home. I love seeing people's faces light up when they try one of my designs on, and when they feel elegant, warm, pampered, and loved in what they are wearing. With thousands of individual stitches comprising every garment and accessory, each exquisitely made by hand one at a time, what else could you feel when wearing an Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art original, if not love? 

Here in these photos are women of several generations looking positively dazzling in the shawls, wraps, scarves, capelets, hats, and gauntlets from my recent collection. It is a reflection of things coming full circle too, as in the last year or so, the work coming out of my knitwear studio is no longer produced by me alone. We are now a two-person team, with my mother, Alla Kachuro (who taught me to knit when I was 10 or 11!), skillfully contributing production help on some of the designs.

I hope you love these photos as much as I do! Stay tuned for more images and details from this session in Part II, coming soon!

A little behind-the-scenes collage from the photo-session, captured for Instagram. Photos by Elena Rosenberg
For making this photoshoot possible, I am grateful to the talented dance and portrait photographer Ellen Crane, hair & makeup artist Ilise Heitzner Harris, and my gorgeous models, Abigail Garland Loose, Hannah Devaney, Erica Halliwell (yoga instructor at Hastings Yoga), and Maxine Sherman (former principal dancer at Martha Graham Dance Company and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater). Scarf/shawl pins pictured with some of the designs are custom-made for my collection by wood artisan Harry Firth.

As you know, most of my work is handmade in very limited editions or is one of a kind. To see these and many other designs in person, visit me at the American Craft Council show in Baltimore, MD, next week (February 21-23, 2014). Most of the pieces pictured here have not been added to my online store yet. Please feel free to contact me directly to inquire about availability.


Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Hand-knit Shawl, Hat, and Gauntlets (merino wool, alpaca, silk). Photography by Ellen Crane.
Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Hand-knit Shawl, Hat, and Gauntlets (merino wool). Photography by Ellen Crane.

Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Hand-knit Shawl and Hat (merino wool). Photography by Ellen Crane.
Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Hand-knit Shawl (merino wool). Photography by Ellen Crane.
Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Hand-knit Wrap and Hat (merino wool). Photography by Ellen Crane.
Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Hand-knit Shawl, Hat, and Gauntlets (merino wool). Photography by Ellen Crane.
Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Hand-knit Capelet and Hat (merino wool). Photography by Ellen Crane.
Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Hand-knit Shawl, Hat, and Gauntlets (merino wool). Photography by Ellen Crane.
Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art. Crochet Collier Necklace, Multistrand Bracelet, Blossom ring (Silk). Photography by Ellen Crane.

Can't wait to work with this talented crew on another collection and style concept!

Your feedback and thoughts are welcome!


Thursday, February 13, 2014

2014 NICHE Award

Elated to announce that I am the recipient of the 2014 NICHE Award in Fashion Accessories (Professional Category)! The prestigious NICHE Awards recognize excellence and innovation in American and Canadian fine craft. I am thrilled beyond words to have my hand-knit design and work honored in this important way by the fine craft community.

Hand-Knit Shawl by Elena Rosenberg. 2014 NICHE Award Winner.

I traveled to Philadelphia for the Awards Ceremony, which was held at the annual Buyer's Market of American Craft / American Made Show, and got to meet BMAC and NICHE Magazine staff. I also had a lovely time catching up with friends Melanie of Rumi Sumaq (a 2014 Finalist in Jewelry-Alternative Materials!), and Barbara of BMJCNYC Jewelry. It was a treat to meet Wendy Rosen and have a photo taken with her too. I love the fact that the award itself (pictured below) is handcrafted and signed by Pennsylvania-based Glasslight studio.

Photo courtesy of NICHE magazine.

Here are some of my favorites from the various categories of 2014 NICHE Awards Finalists.

Pictured, top left to right: (row 1) Aleksandra Vali, Jeffrey Lloyd, Coco Paniora-Salinas of Rumi Sumaq, (row 2) Aleksandra Vali, Lee Sipe, Carrie Gustafson, (row 3) Larisa Safayan, Mike Davis, Joy Raskin   
You can view this year's and previous years' winners and finalists on the NICHE Awards website.