Hello! From Brooklyn

So lot’s of time has passed since my last post and so I will update you with some news…

Obama is president!  Just Kidding it’s only been like 6 weeks..

My Movie Debut!  Check out this trailer and me sitting very near Mr. Ben Stiller in one of my favorite directors, Noah Baumbach’s latest film due out in 2010.  The movie was a blast to shoot for a week of my life in April and I met some great great people.

AUGHHHH!!!  WOOOOO While in Los Angeles, I had a sample sale with my pal, Layla.  The female star of the movie, Greta Gerwig, came and is now a proud owner of a Desira Pesta top.  She is also a super sweet lady.  A blast.  Can’t wait to see the movie!!  Greenberg – Coming to theaters March 12, 2010. Cast: Ben Stiller, Greta Gerwig, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Never would I thought that four years ago after seeing The Squid and the Whale and thereafter watching it obsessively for a year would I get to meet and be on set with Noah.  AUGHHHHHHHHH  Similarly, Zoolander, one of my guiltiest pleasures and from which I can quote every line, is another surreal dream come true.  Follow your dreams.

Forgive My MIA-ness, I Have Been Busy…

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set by Desira Pesta

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set by Desira Pesta

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set by Desira Pesta

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set by Desira Pesta

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set

Los Angeles Silk Dress Set

Nantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker

Nantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker

Nantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker

Nantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker

Nantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker by Desira Pesta

Nantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker by Desira Pesta

Nantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker by Desira Pesta

Nantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker by Desira Pesta

Nantucket Sailor Set / SeersuckerNantucket Sailor Set / Seersucker

time for excitement

springfabric

On Thursday, my fabric supply man will be coming to our studio to show us what he’s got to buy.  These purchases will make my Spring 2009 designs come to life and will dictate a whole new palette and more mature, yet show-stopping look for Desira Pesta. The fabric I use is completely green, as it’s all top quality (think Marc Jacobs and Fendi throw-aways!!!) designer surplus and overstock and thus thwarting would-be waste.

I’m so excited!!!!! Buying fabric is like Christmas for me….

Spring/Summer 09 will be launched in two weeks and will also be shown at a trunk show at APARTMENT3,an avant guarde and independent boutique in Los Angeles on April 25th along with my pal and associate Layla’s line, LEDTHREAD.

A World….

I have quoted myself below regarding what question I was asked about what I would like to see in the world (regarding business).  I don’t capitalize and punctuate correctly when I get to writing heatedly or passionately, so I apologize if you’re a a a voracious grammarina or polyglot.

cotton , organically

cotton , organically

“The chance of there being egalitarianism in any day and age in the future is seemingly nil. i think the things we have been discussing since day one about local economic sovereignty and succession from a corporate-driven world can be universally possible, yet on a crazily uneven scale.

E.G. in businesses in countries such as those on KIVA.ORG, a loan for entrepreneurs can mean a few hundred dollars.  this small amount of money therefore generates enough aid for this individual or business to do their thang and they pay it back.  it’s small scale and it works.  in amurrica, we “need”/NEED and are given grandiose numbers because of the scale americans need to work on to actually “make it”.

e.g. in order to create a handmade clothing business here in NYC, USA, desira pesta would need enough capital (say 30,000) to finance a studio, equipment, to pay factory for making small run garments, to finance advertising/marketing/web, to buy materials (duh), to keep the lights on and the electricity to find stores to sell in and other things i am missing……….  this is an insane amount of need.

okay, what i am getting at is that globally, business is painstakingly different.  i wish in my humble feeble mind i could envision a world where business can operate on a more hand to mouth scale.  where an enormous amount of outside funding will not mean yes or no to a business’ existence.  it’s invariably difficult for me to think of a way that the world can operate on as local and unimpending a scale as in the Phillipines where Genkey Mercado needs the equivalent of a NYC lunch to aid her fishing biz. 

i’m having a hard time synopsizing this.  alright. it would KICK ASS for there to be a local economies that exist without the indulgence and gluttony of the western world’s use and rape of them.

Gluttony

Gluttony

i want to use fabrics that came from someone down the street.  i want to eat grass-fed steaks from a mile away.  i want us to really suffer some more in this economic crisis and come out of it a lot greener and a lot leaner (our insane need to chew and clothe and forage for things that are not necessary for life would be nice to rid ourselves of).

Plastic Waste

Plastic Waste

glutton

glutton

we have a lot of metal and cloth and rubber and plastic lying around from years past and it’s really not going to be used.  i wish we could get to a point where we solely used the things in existence.  recycling is awesome but it’s done on a 20/80 scale.  upcycling is awesome.  i wish it could be applied to every genre of manufacture. the huge thriving of organic today is spectacular, but it isn’t enough.  it’s still new production and new waste. cotton is also quite pillaging to the environment, as other crops are.  i wish we could turn that parking lot full of FEMA trailors on Louisiana Highway 90 into gorgeous tabletops and silverware.

FEMA

FEMA

I wish we could take all of the thrift store cloth and melt it down into a new fabric (don’t think i think that is possible).  anyway, there’s a lot of stuff.  i want us to use it.

these last few adjectives would sum up some of what i want for the world:

QUALITY (food, house, life, clothing, goods, et al)
NONVIOLENCE
EDUCATION
NO PLACE FOR HATE
THRIVING ECONOMIES
THRIVING BELLIES, MINDS, AND HEARTS

There’s so much more I want to write…

Here is a list of some of the things/people that have enriched and altered my life for the better in my twenty-six years on this soil:

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EUAN HAGUE:

my college professor during my freshman year who taught the most profound, cumulative social/anthro/geograhically diverse curriculum of my life and propelled a lot of my political thought into action and practice.

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desira in italy

desira in italy

AGROTURISMO/ WWOOF:

WWOOF is a world wide network - It started in the UK in 1971 and has since become an international movement that is helping people share more sustainable ways of living.

WWOOF is an exchange - In return for volunteer help, WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Rob Kalin

Rob Kalin

rob kalin

ROB KALIN/ETSY:

enabled a handmade living worldwide…. and has been a mentor an integral part of my business/life since.

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WORKING since I was 14

I started working at 14 and I have held over 2o jobs.  I thank my parents’ insistence on my working at a young age to discipline, a stellar work ethic, a widespread understanding of various businesses, and interpersonal skills… to name a few.  Seriously now.  I know a lot of friends who were seemingly disabled once they left college and had to get a job.  I have never had a problem and owe this to Ma & Pa Pesta.