ReMade USA designer Shannon South’s favorite pieces are a vintage Armani cashmere blazer, a hand-crafted scarf and a very special ring that once belonged to her great grandmother.

As Founder and Designer of ReMade USA, Shannon South gives old leather jackets new lives as gorgeously handmade bags, clutches, iPad and iPhone cases. It seems only fitting that one of the favorite pieces in her closet is a vintage jacket. This one, however, is made from cashmere, not leather.

“I got this Armani Collezioni cashmere pinstripe blazer at a consignment store in San Francisco a few years ago,” Shannon says. “I was first attracted to its softness and when I tried it on, it fit me perfectly. I rarely buy expensive designer clothes and even on consignment this was well over my normal price range, but I could not resist the tailoring.”

Most of us never count on spending a lot of money when walking into consignment, vintage or second hand stores, but sometimes it’s just worth it. Considering the quality and versatility of the garment, the CPW (cost per wear) may be far less than a less expensive dress that you’ll end up wearing just a few times.

“I cannot tell you how many times I have worn this jacket — It goes with so many things and it is probably the most high-end designer item I own,” says Shannon. “I have never had a jacket fit me as well as this one and I always feel so polished when I wear it. It’s a reminder to me to save my money to buy quality, classic clothes, even if they are used. I feel better when I wear them and they last way longer than the cheap, trendy stuff.”

Speaking of craft, another favorite of Shannon’s is a loop scarf that she made last winter. “I bought the yarn at a knitting store in Williamsburg, on my way to a knitting party with my old studio mates. It comes from a small, organic farm where they hand-dye the wool in small batches. It is the one and only thing I have ever knitted and it reminds me of happy times with friends.”

“Lastly,” Shannon says, “my wedding band is the one staple that I wear everyday. It’s a traditional ring that is more practical to wear than my engagement ring when I am working. It was handed down from my great grandmother who I never met. I’m the only other person to ever wear it and somehow it makes me feel connected to her.”

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Future:Standard Founder Jessica Althoff’s favorite piece is a vintage Western belt handed down to her by a friend’s mother.

Jessica Althoff is the founder of Future:Standard, an online eco-boutique that sells ethical clothing and accessories – “anything made with respect to the planet and those who are making it,” as Althoff puts it. Future:Standard, which we named one of our 15 best online boutiqes, distinguishes itself from the rest by carrying indie lines that aren’t frequently seen in other eco shops. Her favorite piece is a vintage Western-style belt that was handed down to her by a friend’s mother.

“I have this vintage brown leather belt that I absolutely love,” says Jessica. “When I was right out of college, I was visiting my best friend in San Francisco, and I desperately needed a belt. She found this old belt that had been her mother’s. I fell in love immediately, and began planning  how I was going to keep it. Later that day, she gave it to me.”

“It has been about ten years since I got the belt and it has been a favorite for all these years. I am a pretty casual person (jeans and a perfect white tee are my favorite outfit), so this belt adds a lot to every outfit and is definitely a conversation starter. Sometimes when I wear it, I imagine Anne, my best friend’s mom, and what her life was like when it belonged to her. I imagine her and my friend’s dad, Ed, cruising around the city, going to concerts, just being young and having a great time. I love to think about the great boho outfits with bell bottoms that Anne might have worn with it.”

Althoff should have no trouble carrying on Anne’s bohemian chic style legacy.

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Clossette’s Yuka Yoneda revamps vintage treasures for a living, but her favorite closet pieces are two family heirlooms that are perfect just as they are.

As Senior Editor of Inhabitat and Founder of style blog and revamped vintage fashion shop Clossette, Yuka Yoneda is a whirlwind of creativity. In the DIY section of Clossette she will teach you, among other things, how to turn your boyfriend’s T-shirt into a cute tank top, how to turn a sad-looking pillow into a summery top and, my personal favorite, how to make a Chanel scarf into a silk tank. Some things take some serious guts to put the scissors too, but luckily courage is not something that Yuka lacks in the fashion department. While, for work, she finds vintage treasures and remakes them, her favorite wardrobe pieces are two family heirlooms that are perfect just as they are.

“The first is a gold zodiac Tiffany medallion from the 70s that belonged to my dad,” says Yoneda. “It has a Libra sign on it (both of us are October babies) and the fact that he owned such a pimp piece makes me imagine that he was some kind of ladies’ man before he became a dad. I actually have a stack of photos of him surrounded by pretty girls with feathered hair and bell bottoms, which further leads me to believe that this hypothesis is true.”

She continues: “My dad isn’t around anymore but when I wear this medallion, it reminds me of my favorite memories of him, which ironically, aren’t very stylish at all. In fact, one of them is how we used to mix together SlimFast shakes (I was a more-than-just-chubby child and he had a middle age belly), chug them and then go get fast food, which, as you know, totally defeats the purpose of a meal replacement drink. A friend of a friend recently saw the medallion and it turns out her dad has the same one, though it’s a different sign. I wonder how many of our dads rocked a necklace like this one way back when!”

Yuka Yoneda wearing her dad’s medallion in one of her daily look posts for Clossette.

Inheriting something from our parents or grandparents not only makes us of think of them every time we wear it, but it also reminds us of the lives they had before we even knew them. Carrying on a legacy through style is a great way to honor our heritage as well as our ancestors, no matter how near or far they may be.

“The second piece is a gold ring that my grandmother gave me from her own collection last summer when I visited her in Japan, says Yoneda. “It’s definitely not a ring for the faint of heart — it’s big, gold and gaudy! — but if you know my style, that’s kind of what I’m all about. All of my girlfriends wear silver or platinum but I might as well be Goldmember from Austin Powers — ‘I luff goooold.’ So when my grandma handed me this ring all wrapped in tissues, I immediately saw it and felt it was made just for me. If I saw it in a jewelry case, I know I would love it more than any of the others there, and the fact that my grandma felt that same way about it so many years ago, despite trends or how styles may have changed, means the world to me.”

Really great pieces have the power to transcend cultures, something Yoneda proves by taking a piece purchased in Japan many decades ago and a piece purchased at Tiffanys in the 70s and seamlessly incorporating both into her NYC-girl closet.

True style never fades.

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Anna Griffin, Editor-in-Chief of Coco Eco, found her favorite piece—this show-stopping vintage dress— while styling Gossip Girl actress Kelly Rutherford for a magazine cover.

Anna Griffin is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Coco Eco Magazine, the first fashion glossy to go completely digital when it was launched in 2008. A native of London, Griffin now calls Los Angeles home and her style is the perfect mix of European sophistication and California-girl sassy. The most special piece in her wardrobe is a vintage 1980s Rifat Ozbek knit dress that has been worn by movie stars and featured on magazine covers.

“It’s a bit of a traffic-stopper being rainbow striped and somewhat figure hugging, and reminds me of my coming-of-age in the late eighties and early nineties,” Anna says. “I grew up on the outskirts of London, with a fashion designer sister who had a steady stream of Vogue and Elle magazines coming through the mailbox. It was the dawn of the supermodel-era, and Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell and Stephanie Seymour were its stars. A time of glamour and excess, it was played out by designers like Versace and Galliano in music videos by George Michael, and was a fabulously fun time in London and the fashion industry. Ozbek, Turkish born but London raised, was a revered British Designer of the Year in 1988 and 1992, and perfectly defined this era adding his own indelible imprint.”

Like a true style icon, Griffin views her closet as an extension of complement to her life.

Fast-forward to November 2009, and a wardrobe pull with Coco Eco’s Fashion Editor, Sarah Griffin Berns. “We were at Sielian’s Vintage Boutique on LA’s Melrose Avenue, for our Jan-Feb ’10 cover shoot with Kelly Rutherford,” Anna recalls. “As we scoured the racks, this spectacular dress jumped out at me, and although it wasn’t in keeping with Sarah’s storyline, she let me have my way. It ended up as our cover, with Kelly looking absolutely stunning and knowing exactly how to work it. After the shoot, it was impossible for me to let it go.”

Even though it was love at first sight, Griffin is well aware of the power of saving something for very special occasions.

“I have worn it only twice as it is an extremely memorable piece and you have to be in the right shape and frame of mind to wear it. Each time I have slipped into it I have felt like a million dollars, and being an iconic fashion statement, it draws attention and sparks conversation in any crowd. However, my favorite thing is being able to give it a much-deserved second showing, keeping it from the landfill, and bringing a unique element to my wardrobe.”

Anna Griffin wearing her vintage Rifat Ozbek dress. Here, with actress Daphne Zuniga.

Being so deeply involved in the world of sustainable style and upscale eco-fashion, Anna Griffin is not your typical fashionista. “When I make a purchase, it’s with longevity for both quality and cut in mind. Where it comes from, who’s been affected by its production, its impact on the earth, and where it’s going once I am done with it, are all considered. That might sound restrictive, but I actually feel more freedom to exercise my individual style now than ever before. And that includes a very modest yet delightful indulgence in vintage couture. To me, it’s the cherry on top of a very delicious and organic cake!”

Sometimes setting boundaries for yourself is the best way to truly find your style. But, if you do come across that show-stopping piece that makes your heart skip a beat, it may just be time to make an investment so you can have your own closet story.

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Amanda Walker approaches her jewelry box with the same kind of statement-making spirit she does the creation of scents.

For her company A Perfume Organic, Amanda Walker designs scents using equal parts experience and imagination.

She’s inspired by memories as wide-ranging as the jelly bracelets and cherry Chapsticks of her childhood to a current weekend walk in the woods smelling tree bark and dirt. Besides being incredible, layered and sophisticated, Walker’s scents are all certified organic, a step she saw as an extra assurance to herself and her customers of her awareness and commitment to sustainable principles and true health. Whereas many mainstream perfumes contain potential toxins, Walker’s scents are designed to possess health benefits. “Anything you apply to your skin,” she says, “is absorbed into your blood stream and can therefore benefit you.”

Walker approaches her jewelry collection with the same statement-making mentality as she does her scents. Her favorite pieces are a ring that has been with her for a long time and a newly acquired necklace.

“The ring was my first piece of ‘real’ jewelry. It’s by Stephen Dweck, made from bronze and faceted amber. I purchased it with my first couple paychecks from my first job in New York when I first moved here. I was doing marketing for Perkins Eastman Architecture firm and it was a super difficult job, seriously tough boss and I really wanted to spoil myself. Without fail, I’m always complimented on it. It constantly reminds me of how hard work can be rewarding.”

When it comes to jewelry, it’s incredible how “power-pieces” like this can work wonders for our confidence.

“The second piece is by House of Waris. I just discovered this brand and it’s the newest addition to my wardrobe. I was first introduced to Waris when a colleague wore a similar necklace to the office (hers was red and her desk was right next to mine). I was instantly obsessed and searched for days trying to find a similar piece. The words on the necklace means ‘Love Conquers All’ in Latin. I totally agree. I never wore it to the office though… and never told my colleague I bought it.” (See top image.)

Sometimes, what we wear closest to our hearts can possess meaning that is a secret to everyone but you. Keeping some mystery on our everyday lives is what makes it all so much more interesting.

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Jill Danyelle pioneered eco-fashion blogging with her FiftyRx3 project. Her favorite outfit is a combination of family heirlooms, designer duds and activewear.

Six years ago, Jill Danyelle began a year-long project, documenting every outfit she wore on the blog FiftyRx3. As indicated by the name of the project, her goal was to make sure that 50% of her outfits were made up of the three Rs of sustainability: Reused, Reduced or Recycled. Now, as everyone and their mother (sometimes, quite literally) has a daily outfit blog this may not seem like anything unique, but at the time it was a groundbreaking experiment.

During the FiftyRx3 project, Danyelle also designed clothing. Among the projects that garnered the most attention was the 30-minute dress — sewn from an old T-shirt during a lunch break — and the umbrella dress — made from broken umbrellas gathered on the streets of NYC after a major rainstorm. A master of many trades, Danyelle now runs a successful business doing personal style and interiors. Her own NYC pad was recently featured on Design*Sponge.

During the time I have known Jill, I have always taken great pleasure in seeing her come up with creative outfits, usually put together from thrifted items that she often customizes using scissors and simple stitching. Her favorite outfit is an eclectic combination of family heirlooms, designer duds and activewear — a perfect reflection of the Downtown/Upstate girl that she is.

“My Mexican silver bracelet is a favorite piece. It was the first piece of jewelry that my father gave my mother. I love it for sentimental reasons, but it also happens to be very much my style. I often wear it with one of these beaded necklaces that I have had forever. The rings are lapis and turquoise that I bought myself in Mexico,” says Danyelle. “It seems such a NYC cliché to be dressed in all black, but didn’t someone say ‘Black always goes with black’? I admit this is an easy roll-out-of-bed go to outfit, but it is also comprised of some of my favorite things and very much represents my wardrobe philosophy. I tend to pull from many places and price points.”

“The leather jacket was purchased at a vintage shop in Lawrence, Kansas. I went to university there and still have good friends who live there. Layered underneath is a black cotton tank that was gifted to me from John Patrick from his ORGANIC line and an asymmetrical cashmere sweater from Maria Cornejo, who is one of my favorite designers. The leggings are actually a Patagonia base layer, so I am ready to climb a mountain or some subway stairs. The Prada boots are in heavy rotation as they are comfortable and work with everything. Finally, there is a navy cotton scarf in there that I love. It pinch hits as a wrap and in the summer months doubles as my towel and sarong at the beach.”

What we love about Jill’s style is that it’s a unique mix of old and new, high and low, eco and non-eco. She makes each piece her own by unexpectedly mixing it with the other treasures in her closet. That, is what personal style is all about.

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One of the favorite items inside Marc Alt’s (mostly black) closet is a custom made leather jacket, designed for motorcycle riding and a lifetime of wear.

Marc Alt is editor and founder of Open Source Cities, an idea marketplace for the future of cities. During a career dedicated to connecting design, technology and ecology, he’s worked with companies like BMW, MINI USA and Ogilvy Earth and is actively involved in a number of urban mobility and smart cities initiatives. He often travels presenting workshops on living systems, resiliency, ecological design and ancestral knowledge. It was during one of these trips that he acquired the perfect leather jacket.

“I think that the year was 2005. I was at a design conference in Boston, and I used that as an excuse to take a drive out to the coastal town of Fall River to visit the factory and headquarters of Vanson Leathers, one of the few custom leather shops at the time that was still working with horse hide. Since then, there has been a small resurgence of interest in horse hide, and other makers have introduced or re-introduced it as an option in their lines. But at the time, it was very hard to come by, and only one tannery that I know of, the venerable Horween in Chicago, was still processing it.”

“I have a special affinity to horses, having grown up around them as a kid, and now living among them in California. I’m studying ancestral knowledge and primitive technology in my current work and life, and leather has an important role in the history of human civilization. Leather is the oldest continuously used material known to man. Its use pre-dates recorded history. Since at least 2,000 B.C, leather was used in China as currency and for weapons and armor. It is referred to in The Bible, Genesis 3:21. The same qualities that made it valued by ancient cultures make it valuable in modern times. Many traditional cultures believed that by wearing the skin, horns or feathers of an animal they took on some of its characteristics and gained some of its strength. For them, wearing leather communicated that strength as well as purpose and identity.”

Leather has always been one of those divisive topics among environmentalists, but if sourced properly it is a material that will last for generations. And the value of true craft should never be underestimated.

“How we acquire and process leather in modern times is far less considered, sacred or ethical, and represents often a very shameful legacy. However, very often, garment leather is in fact a byproduct of another industry and using it is part of a natural cycle that would otherwise be wasted. I strive to source leather from known or vintage sources, but at the time I wasn’t as aware in my purchasing as I am today.”

“Vanson is not the oldest leather company in the U.S., they have been around since the 1970s, but they have a heritage and specialty of making custom leathers, by hand, to the highest standard, for the sport bike racing industry. At their cavernous building, they still perform drum-dyeing, tanning, finishing, waxing, cutting and stitching by hand. Drum dyeing is a process in which leather is tumbled for hours with a mixture of oils, dyes and hot water in 12 x 12 foot oak drums.”

“I wanted a simple, basic black leather jacket that would last me for life, and be an heirloom that could be passed down. I also wanted something custom fit for riding. Most of the off-the shelf leather jackets have sleeves that are too short and ride up your arm while riding a sport bike or café racer style bike. I wanted something a little longer in the arms and body. After I spent some time wandering through countless racks of garments in their warehouse, someone emerged from their sewing shop, measured me up and took my order. The jacket arrived a few months later and has been with me ever since.”

In this new weekly column, we’ll take you inside the closets of some of our favorite people, asking them to choose one piece that defines them in some way and also, to tell the story behind it. To us, style is not about being a follower of trends, coveting this or that season must-have, it’s about carefully selecting pieces that deserve to be in your closet because they represent you. Personal style is something that lasts through years and fads — just like that favorite piece in your closet.

The post Closet Stories: Marc Alt’s Custom Leather Jacket appeared first on EcoSalon.

Jean Godfrey June, Beauty Editor of Lucky Magazine, tells us about the favorite item in her closet.

As Beauty Editor of Lucky Magazine, Jean Godfrey June comes across many sparkly little packages on a daily basis (word has it that she receives somewhere between 50 to 200 products for review every day). But nothing speaks to her heart quite like that favorite tee.

“I have had this Miu Miu T-shirt for years, and it still my ultimate favorite, fail-safe item. It’s a t-shirt but it’s super-dressed up; where ever I wear it, it’s perfect. It speaks volumes and it says nothing. It’s tight but it’s loose. It’s pink and spangled with flowers yet somehow it’s super-tough. Good with a fancy skirt or ancient jeans.”

Isn’t that the way it is with everything that fits you perfectly? It just goes with anything. That’s what we call personal style. The only thing that is left to regret when it comes to buying things that put a sparkle in our eye is that we didn’t buy two. “If Muiccia Prada would make another one I would pay ANY price,” says Godfrey June.

In this new weekly column, we’ll take you inside the closets of some of our favorite people, asking them to choose one piece that defines them in some way and also, to tell the story behind it. To us, style is not about being a follower of trends, coveting this or that season must-have, it’s about carefully selecting pieces that deserve to be in your closet because they represent you. Personal style is something that lasts through years and fads — just like that favorite piece in your closet.

The post Closet Stories: Jean Godfrey June’s Perfect Tee appeared first on EcoSalon.