Member Kickstarter and other fundraisers.

[Jtchinoy]



youre obviously flogging your crap here (and in other threads) and its becoming annoying. i didnt say anything at first because I chalked it up to someone with curious taste. but i can only look at those awful shoes so many times before my feelings of dislike and annoyance turn to antipathy. be gone you shoe pimp

If you're talking about nycxandy's post, what's so bad about them? The designs look nice to me. I was just about to post to ask what other people think.

 

[byAsum]

Hi, Sharing my project here. Happy to say it got funded after 7 hours Never could have imagined since I know my audience is more particular and less broad.

Anyhow, even though it's funded I could definitely use more backers. The fashion industry for an indie non-mainstream) designer like me is very narrow. I can definitely come up with very unique yet sensible designs but without sufficient audience, it's just too difficult even for a small business. I included photos for the girls items in case there's something you might want to get as a gift? (is this allowed?)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/byasum/asum-bags-by-an-engineer-turned-project-runway-des

Thank you for letting me share here. Please kindly help me share if possible. www.facebook.com/byAsum

thx, angela

 

[MaiwennS]

Hi !

We've discovered SF a few months ago and it’s a wonderful community to better understand your experiences and opinions about sustainable fashion accessories.

I am Clément, the founder of KOPPO, a French sustainable fashion brand that aims to manufacture high quality products with a timeless design, that both respect the planet and traditional craftsmanship.

I launched KOPPO because of a simple analysis :

Why should we accept that manufacturing is gone to Asia ?
Why should we embrace the era of disposability ?

For three years, aside of my job for a Swiss watchmaker, I thought about these questions and I worked hard to build a solution: KOPPO. Our first products collection will be timepieces, handmade by French and Swiss artisans.

What KOPPO's timepieces are about :

- Timeless design, in collaboration with Swiss based designers
- Dial : uniquely made out of wood using marquetry techniques. Made in France by an exceptional artisan.
- Straps : vegetable-tanned leather straps handmade in France
- Swiss quartz movement
- Assembled by a French watchmaker
- Warranty : 10 years

Here are some pictures of our watches collections:

The veneers used are : Smoked Spruce, Oak, Ash, Larch and Maple.

Our kickstarter has just launched and we've already been funded. Here's the link : https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1503994656/luxury-watches-with-wood-marquetry-dial/community

We’d love to hear your feedback ! Don’t hesitate to ask question, it will be a pleasure to exchange with you.

Thank you !

​

Clément

PS : KOPPO means small piece of material in French.

 

[VictoryPete]

I just wanted to let members know that my 3rd handmade leather project is currently on Kickstarter & crossed into '100% Funded' territory a couple of hours ago. The Firefighter Belt uses a solid brass (sand-cast in England) faithful recreation of a quick-release buckle used by the fire service in the late 1800s. Teamed with the finest English bridle leather with all edges bevelled, dyed & burnished, these really are a thing of beauty & a great talking point when worn. Click here to take a look. Thanks!

 

[ericgustaf]

Hi guys,

if this breaks any guidelines in terms of advertising I apologize.

My kickstarter campaign just went live and I think the project might be of interest to you. Basically I have spent the past year looking for the world's best bedding. I visited over 25 factories in China, India and Europe. In Northern Italy I found a family company that has been supplying most major luxury hotels with bedding since 1867. They only use the finest Egyptian cotton in their sheets, and honestly, the sheets are the best I have encountered.

Anyway not sure if I am allowed to post links here but if you are interested you can PM me. Since I have spent almost a year doing research about the bedding industry I am happy to answer any questions you might have about bed linen or bed linen for hotels in particular in this thread!

Cheers
Eric

 

[myk7000]

Hello everyone! Though I’ve been mostly a convenient lurker for the past 5-6 years (with the occasional post), this community has actually had a pretty big impact on me over that timespan.

This forum was one of several resources that inspired me to create a menswear blog many years ago called Simpler Man, and I visited quite frequently to get inspiration about the craft. Unfortunately, the blog has since been largely deprecated, but I look super fondly on those days, and thankfully am a much better dressed man now

Anyhow, let me introduce myself – my name is Mark Kwak and the reason I wanted to post today is to introduce a product I’ve been working on day in and day out for the last year… the MARK pen.

I believe, and have believed for a long time, that pens are one of the iconic accessories in any person’s arsenal.

And even if technology seemed to be chipping away at pen & paper, I feel like the resurgence of analog and peoples’ digital fatigue is making way for the pen to return as a key accessory once again. I mean just look at the number of modern premium planners/journals/notebooks there are… but where’s the pen?

A pen used to be something to be proud of, but today most the pens out there are cheap, made of low quality plastics, and unreliable. Others are older, traditional luxury fountain and rollerball pens, costing many hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. Thus I’ve been working for the past year to launch a modern pen that inspires, without breaking the bank.

Here are some things to look forward to in the MARK pen:

1. Some of the best ink you’ll ever use. I tested probably up to a hundred ink capsules over the past year, and found one that I believe to have just the perfect viscosity, consistency, and smoothness.

2. Highest grade metal construction – Made from a solid piece of the highest grade brass I could find, this pen should last a lifetime. It is also designed, QA’ed, finished, and assembled in San Francisco by multiple people before being delivered to you.

3. Clean minimalist design – No frills, extraneous features, or unnecessary parts to this pen, and that was entirely by design. Though I will likely be adding an external clip in the near future though for those who would like that.

4. Encouraging creative writing all around – Currently in talks with two non-profit organizations in the Bay Area whose mission it is to help children (ages 6-18) express creativity through writing. Because their missions align with mine so tightly, I'll be giving back to those organizations with each pen sale.

5. Four wonderful colors – There’s one for everyone since the MARK pen comes in gold, onyx, slate, and blush.

Here are some photos of the product in action in case you're curious:

I'm launching in the next month (just wrapping up the video as we speak) but would LOVE to hear your feedback / answer any questions / have a discussion about pens / etc. with you guys! And for Styleforum folks, I'll definitely make sure you guys get some extras from the rest of the Kickstarter audience when it launches

Cheers,
Mark

You can also check out my pre-launch Insta here too! And admins - If this is much more in the category of an affiliate thread, please let me know how I can join that! I've tried emailing a couple times and set up a thread to find out how to become an affiliate but wasn't able to get a response! Thanks guys!

 

[Andy57]

Why does everything have to have a "clean, minimalist design"? I'm quite happy with my Montblanc La Bohème Paso Doble. It's not minimalist at all. In fact I like the complexity, the theater, of preparing it to write. And it's one of the best writing pens I've ever used. Plus, it's red.

 

[myk7000]

I've found that a minimalist, Scandinavian design of sorts appeals to the modern urbanite (myself included), but it certainly doesn't stop me from applauding your taste - I'm a fan of the Boheme

 

[Andy57]

I guess it must have an appeal as Kickstarter is awash with "clean, minimalist" watch designs that all look tediously the same and lack even a shred of originality.

I assume your pen is a ball point or a rollerball. I do wish you well in your endeavor.

 

[dieworkwear]

Why does everything have to have a "clean, minimalist design"?

::coughs:: Apple ::coughs::

More seriously, I think it's because of the success of Steve Jobs and Apple. They didn't invent minimalism, but I think the company's aesthetic has helped popularize its current form. The sort of sans serif, cleanly designed and metallic silver style you see everywhere today. It's become a default look that you can use to literally market anything.

(Saying that as a person who loves Apple and has used Apple's computers exclusively for the last twenty plus years.)

 

[Andy57]

::coughs:: Apple ::coughs::

More seriously, I think it's because of the success of Steve Jobs and Apple. They didn't invent minimalism, but I think the company's aesthetic has helped popularize its current form. The sort of sans serif, cleanly designed and metallic silver style you see everywhere today. It's become a default look that you can use to literally market anything.

(Saying that as a person who loves Apple and has used Apple's computers exclusively for the last twenty plus years.)

Interesting comparison and not one that I would honestly have thought of. Nevertheless, I'm not a fan of these "clean, minimalist" watch designs. They're not an improvement on anything. I realize I'm expressing my taste and nothing more. But I do believe that the "clean, minimalist" label is used as a fig leaf to cover cookie-cutter designs that are unimaginative and boring.

 

[dieworkwear]

Interesting comparison and not one that I would honestly have thought of. Nevertheless, I'm not a fan of these "clean, minimalist" watch designs. They're not an improvement on anything. I realize I'm expressing my taste and nothing more. But I do believe that the "clean, minimalist" label is used as a fig leaf to cover cookie-cutter designs that are unimaginative and boring.

I agree. This isn't a comment on the OP's pen designs, as I have no opinion about pens, but I also think it's often a cookie cutter approach. It's easy to execute and get off the ground, esp with these sort of crowdfunded projects that are popular now. Racked had an article about it a while back.

https://www.racked.com/2017/7/27/16029512/sans-serif-lifestyle-font

I also think in clothing, it connects to this idea of "consumerism without guilt." A clean, minimalist design can suggest a clutter free, luxury lifestyle -- especially in the way the item is marketed -- even if you're just filling your home with more stuff.

 

[GBR]

To last a lifetime it must need a tracker to help find it when misplaced. What have you used?

 

[useless_username]

Good luck with your venture myk7000. Comments from a layman:

1) Definitely add the detachable clip. For someone like me (prone to losing pens), the absence of one would be a deal-breaker.
2) The grip appears completely smooth. This could be a problem for heavy-duty writers (e.g. taking minutes of a long meeting).
3) I rather like the overall design.

 

[myk7000]

Good luck with your venture myk7000. Comments from a layman:

1) Definitely add the detachable clip. For someone like me (prone to losing pens), the absence of one would be a deal-breaker.
2) The grip appears completely smooth. This could be a problem for heavy-duty writers (e.g. taking minutes of a long meeting).
3) I rather like the overall design.

Thank you so much and feedback heard! I'm working on a pretty nifty clip design that should be able to solve your problems. As far as the grip, yes it is smooth, but from using it extensively over the last several months, the threading and the small grooves do help with the grip overall.

---

To address the minimalist/clean design, really appreciate the comments! In my experience, I've personally found myself enjoying a cleaner, no-frills aesthetic over the last several years. My blog was actually very much focused on that concept and how keeping things simple can do wonders for your look!

Totally understand the idea that "minimalist" could look uncreative or lazy, but it has been quite a challenge to design a pen that can be minimalist and clean, yet distinctive and functionally/ergonomically practical.

Things like engineering for a solid center balance, a thin profile despite a large ink capsule, the right balance of heft (feeling valuable and structurally solid) to daily driver practicality (being non-fatiguing in the hand), require a lot of thought that might not be as prevalent if you're not held within the constraints of keeping things clean and minimalist.

Hope that helps you understand the thought process that I've been going through to get to this design!