The Making of our Brand

I Love ADIDAS

2008-10-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

In Boston, Adidas is not just a brand or a sneaker- it’s a lifestyle. I grew up in a city where kids would greet each-other with the 3 finger handshake symbolizing the 3 stripes. At one point there was a place called Addias Park where you would go to showcase the lastest kicks you coped.

I always stayed fresh in my white one white shell toes with the dress to match. You could not tell me or my squad anything, we thought we were sooooooooo hot…lol! I know the girls are going to kill me for leaking the pictures, so they better hope I don't find them! (Picture Coming Soon!!!!)

So when I heard Adidas Originals went eco on us, I was more then pleased. The Grün collection aims to better the environment by efficiently utilizing the natural resources of this world.

Yes, you can have style with less impact on the earth.

In Their Own Words:Vintage Blue

2008-10-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

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Designers Liza Goncalves and Michelle D'Avella show off the best of their vintage-inspired clothing line.

First Women's Baseball League

2008-10-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

As the Phillies go for their second World Series title beginning tonight against Tampa Bay, let’s take a look back when this ball club gave Edith Houghton, a chance to become the first woman hired as a first major-league baseball scout.

In 1866, Vassar College created the first women's baseball team . In 1875, the first public game was held between two women's teams. This first game was a form of entertainment organized by men. "The Blonds" played "The Brunettes."

Still, baseball for women caught on. Early players took to the field in high-button shoes, high necklines, long skirts and long sleeves. Later, Amelia Bloomer would create loose trousers that carried her name.

The "Bloomer Girls" were born.The Bloomer Girls era lasted from the 1890s until 1934. Hundreds of teams; All Star Ranger Girls, Philadelphia Bobbies, New York Bloomer Girls, Baltimore Black Sox Colored Girls, offered employment, travel, and adventure for young women who could hit, field, slide, or catch.

Edith Houghton was only ten years old when she joined the Philadelphia Bobbies, a factory team made up of women, all of whom bobbed their hair. After the war, Edith wrote to Bob Carpenter, owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, asking for a job as a scout.Carpenter decided to give her a chance and the rest is HISTORY!!!!!

There's No Crying In Baseball!

2008-10-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

Be the first to rock the original Vintage Blue Tee "Evelyn" inspired by the famous Tom Hank line "There's No Crying In Baseball" from the movie "A League of Their Own". Please visit our Shop page to purchase the popular tee and represent at The World Series. "Go Phillies!!!!"

Happy Birthday Michelle!!!

2008-10-10T08:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a year already??? Reference Blog Post 10-04-07 "Birthday Break"

My how time flies when your bustin your behind everyday to make your dreams come true!!! It's that time of year again when the Vintage Blue girls take a "Birthday Break"

This time we decided to celebrate the whole week which included massages, (thanks Free) an afternoon brunch at Dolce and bringing it all to a close with dinner at La Viola with all of Michelle's friends and family that came out to celebrate her day and of course no B-day would be complete with out dancing the night away on our private bed on the rooftop of Vango Lounge and Skybar.

Thanks For A Great Night To All That Came Out, Till Next Time!!!!

VH1 Hip Hop Honors Award Show

2008-10-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

I got the opportunity to attend the VH1 Hip Hop Honors Award Show in NYC. In Rachel Zoe's words I "Shut It Down" in the original floor length polo Vintage Blue dress I rocked to the award show. The dress attracted so much attention, even Six Feet Under star Freddy Rodríguez commented " This has to be one of the most comfortable sexiest dresses I have ever seen!" To find out when this dress will be available please register to our mailing list on our website to get all the lastest news about our product. The show was bananas, it honored some of the greatest MC's in the game including Slick Rick.

Now in our world the night can never end on a normal note, we decided to have a late night snack at one of my favorite restaurants in New York, Cafeteria. They have the best mac n cheese and berry mojitos I have ever had. I'm not sure if you have noticed by now, but I love good food and a great cocktail..lol As we were enjoying our food "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner"

Let's Just Say "Crack is Wack" "Say No To Drugs"
Till The Next Adventure
Liza

Become a Vintage Blue Fan on Facebook!

2008-10-06T18:48:00.001-07:00

Become a Vintage Blue Fan on Facebook to stay updated on the latest news, fashions, and goodies only to be found on Vintage Blue's Page on Facebook. Click here to become a fan.

Also, don't forget to register on our mailing list at www.vintage-blue.com for a chance to win the following prizes:
$100 Philly Car Share (be as eco-friendly as a car can be...get the hybrid ;)
$100 Chez Bow Wow (make your dog look pretty in Northern Liberties)
$50 Very Bad Horse (get some hot clothes in Northern Liberties)
$50 Studio Teknik (treat yourself to a new do on South Street)
$50 Moko Beauty Studio in Old City (one cut with Jessica)
$25 Honey's Sit N Eat in Northern Liberties (amazing brunch!)

Make sure you give us all your info so we can get in touch with you. The winners will be drawn on Halloween 2008!

It's A Celebration!!!!!

2008-10-05T21:08:00.000-07:00

After our successful launch party we headed south to our nations capital to see Mos Def perform at the Kennedy Center. The show was amazing and his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner Remixed with the Go-Go Classic "Sardines, Hey and Pork and Beans" left audience members speechless.

We ended the night in tears as Dave Chappelle, Mos Def and Set Free kept everyone laughing the night away as we devoured the best crab cakes I have ever had in my life at dinner and I know that was not because of the several glasses of wine I consumed that night...LOL

Thanks for an unforgettable night;(Mos, Dave, Undrcrwn Crew, Ana, Djafa, Tecora and Set Free)
As Dave would Say Prazer B*#tches!!!!
Liza

Go to www.vintage-blue.com to WIn...

2008-09-29T19:23:00.000-07:00

We had some amazing gift certificates donated by Philadelphia businesses that were not redeemed from our launch party. We want to make sure they get into the hands of some lucky VB fans.

So, go register on our mailing list at www.vintage-blue.com to be entered in a chance to win one of the following prizes:

$100 Philly Car Share (be as eco-friendly as a car can be...get the hybrid ;)

$100 Chez Bow Wow (make your dog look pretty in Northern Liberties)

$50 Very Bad Horse (get some hot clothes in Northern Liberties)

$50 Studio Teknik (treat yourself to a new do on South Street)

$50 Moko Beauty Studio in Old City (one cut with Jessica)

$25 Honey's Sit N Eat in Northern Liberties (amazing brunch!)

Make sure you give us all your info so we can get in touch with you. The winners will be drawn on Halloween 2008!

Philly Weekly Pics

2008-09-28T18:18:00.001-07:00

Click here to check out some pics taken by The Philadelphia Weekly at our launch party!

Thank You!

2008-09-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to everyone who helped make our launch party at McFadden's Ballpark such an amazing night!

Thank you to all our friends, family, and supporters who filled the bar last Friday night. I hope the first 50 people there enjoyed their Gift bag from Fabulous Stationary with goodies from Mugshots Cafe, Soy Cafe, Sephora, Primitve natural lipstick, The Little Candy Shoppe and more.

Thank you to all of the local businesses that donated gift certificates for the raffle with proceeds being donated to The Achieving Independence Center (www.aiphilly.org) including Arcadia Boutique, Philly Car Share, City Fitness, Studio Teknik, Chroma Hair Gallery, Art Star Gallery & Boutique, Chez Bow Wow, Moko Beauty Salon, and Honey's Sit 'N Eat.

Thank you to all of our promo models who walked around giving out vintage candy, popcorn, cracker jacks, and peatnuts as well as our models sporting our new line and some of our looks to come.

A special thank you to Mark from McFadden's and Cheldin of I-G Creative for making this event possible for us, and Akia and Da for being our side kicks and amazing helpers.

Please check out our site www.vintage-blue.com, and make sure you get your own VB shirt! Spread the word!

215 Magazine Features Vintage Blue

2008-09-23T19:49:00.000-07:00

Catzie of 215 Magazine recently sat down with Liza Goncalves owner of Vintage Blue to get the load down on how the brand got started, where are they now and what's next.

To Read The Interview in Full Click Here!

Launch Party at McFadden's Ballpark

2008-09-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

Don't miss our launch party on September 19th and McFadden's Ballpark at the Phillie's Stadium! The event is from 9pm-2am.
In celebration of the our online launch, a small shop will be set up inside the bar. The shop will include the eco-friendly line of tees and totes, where customers can get an exclusive 15% discount for making an online purchase at the affair. A free Vintage Blue Mash Up CD will be included with purchase, with custom blends from the past and present, produced by Grand Larceny.

The giving doesn’t stop there. We will be handing out complimentary eco-friendly gift bags provided by Fabulous Stationary filled with goodies, such as Primitive Natural Lipstick, and gift certificates from various local companies. Attendees will also be lucky enough to scoop up free natural makeup products from Sephora, located on Chestnut Street. Raffles will also take place, offering gifts, such as $150 to Closet Fever, $100 to City Fitness, a gift basket provided by Mew Gallery, gift certificates from Honey's, and more. Proceeds will be donated to The Achieving Independence Center in Philadelphia.

The company’s tagline, The Future is in the Past, will give attendees at the September 19th party a head spin with the mix of displays of vintage suitcases, baseball bats, and balls as girls serve popcorn from old fashioned concession trays, styled with flaunting retro hairstyles, all while sporting Vintage Blue attire. Partygoers will enjoy complimentary beverages, drink specials, a “Nickel and Dime Menu” of baseball snacks such as Cracker Jacks, mini hotdogs, and pretzels, as a tribute to the 40’s and 50’s.

If chatter among peers isn’t entertainment enough, vintage board games will adorn tables to pass the night away and a sneak preview fashion show of the entire collection will grace the stage by the end of the night, with makeup provided by Sephora. To keep the event eco-friendly, The Recycling Alliance of Philadelphia has teamed up with Vintage Blue to keep all the bottles and cans from ending up in landfills.

We hope to see you all out there!

Vintage Gone Wrong

2008-08-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

We are obviously Vintage junkies over here. And apparently the apple does not fall far from my family tree. My lovely cuz Ana recently went thrifting and thought of me : )!!! Her fabulous cuz (Liza) who defiantly has a shoe problem…You should see my closet.

While I was visiting in DC she surprised me with these one of kind vintage lavender sling back flats from Italy. I was more then thrilled with these babies because they made their way to my non-flat wearing feet the next morning after a rough night of drinking; that involved me cursing everyone out including Yoshi my dog for not believing in VB making millions by the end of the year…lol

Feeling extremely sick but looking chic in my new vintage find. We made our way to Georgetown to a breakfast spot. Lets just say I was not feeling to good and kept making several trips to the restroom. During one of my many restroom breaks I noticed a trail of debris all over the restaurant and looked down and this is what I saw

Needless to say I left my mark all over Georgetown…lol Thanks Ana for the laughs, It was the thought that counts!!!!

Save The Date

2008-08-21T19:45:00.000-07:00

Vintage Blue is officially launching our e-commerce website with a big bash at McFadden's Ballpark on September 19th. Save the Date and make sure you come out for a very special night with lots of surprises and goodies! More info to come!

Red Sox Blogs about VB

2008-08-09T18:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys
For those of you Bostonians who haven't checked out the Vintage Blue exhibit at The Science Museum in Boston, you have until September 1st and The Baseball As America exhibit will be leaving the city.

Steve T of the Red Soxs Blog recently did a write up on our line.

Check it out here: http://soxblog.mlblogs.com/archives/2008/08/spaceman_speaks_at_1_vintage_b.html
and be sure to get your butts over to the museum!

VB Takes Over NYC

2008-08-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

Vintage Blue in NYC from Carmen D'Avella on Vimeo.

Vintage Blue goes to NYC to try to sell some tees guerilla style! Watch the video to get a behind the scenes peak of what it takes to Make the Brand. Special thanks to our friend Cynthia Germain of St Germain for helping out. Keep your eyes peeled for her line and maybe even a VB/St Germain collabo in the future!

MAGIC

2008-06-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

This post is long overdue. But, we went to MAGIC Tradeshow in Vegas back in February. This was when we were trying to produce our fullscale line of hoodies, dresses, skirts, and more. Sorry for the tease, but right now we are scaling it back to just t-shirts. But, don't worry- the rest will come soon enough!

Baseball As America Exhibit in Boston

2008-06-26T17:28:00.000-07:00

Vintage Blue is now for sale at the Baseball as America exhibit at The Museum of Science in Boston, MA. The exhibit will last until September 1st.

Philly Weekly Cover

2008-05-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia Weekly Cover: Vintage Blue from Carmen D'Avella on Vimeo.

Matthew D'Avella, Michelle's talented brother, followed us around filming the behind the scenes on our freezy photo shoot for the Philadelphia Weekly cover story on Vintage Blue. More videos to come this summer!

Help Vintage Blue Win $10k

2008-04-25T13:11:00.001-07:00

Vintage Blue has just made the finals in a competition to win $10,000 at www.ideablob.com.

Please help support us by casting your vote before Wednesday, April 1st. Vote for The Future is in the Past.

Each and every vote counts, so please take 5 minutes out of your day to help our company!

(Above is an image of our signature floor length polo dress. The photo shoot represents the struggle women have gone through, yet the Vintage Blue woman stands strong and powerful despite the madness. Photography by Kelly Turso.)

Denim Society Sponsors Fashion Rocks for a Cure

2007-10-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night (Friday) at 8pm Denim Society models will rock the runway at the Moshulu for the 2nd Annual Fashion Rocks for a CURE event benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

An estimated 823,349 people across the United States currently battle leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Every five minutes, someone new is diagnosed with blood cancer. Every 10 minutes, someone dies. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children under the age of 20.

Taste Mojitos under the stars, witness the latest trends in Fall Fashion and help us ROCK THE BOAT for a CURE with Live performances complimenting this FASHION ROCK SHOW CHARITY EVENT.

Friday October 5th 2007

Doors: 8 pm
Open Bar 9-11

Ticket Price: $25 presale / 30$ door
proceeds benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Come out tomorrow night at 8pm to show your support for Denim Society and support an amazing cause.

New York Times Style Magazine

2007-10-04T13:28:00.001-07:00

Exciting news! We were featured in the New York Times Style Magazine as the 7th hottest spot to check out in the Northern Liberties/Old City area.

Here's what our post reads:

7. Denim Society
The racks here are conveniently separated by waist size, so you don't need to sheepishly dig to the bottom of the pile looking for the right fit. Choose from the usual suspects: Joe's Jeans, Citizens of Humanity, Chip & Pepper, and Paper Denim and Cloth. 627 North Second Street; (215) 923-0536.

Birthday Break

2007-10-04T13:19:00.000-07:00

We finally got out of the dungeon last weekend to celebrate Michelle's birthday at Bamboo. We had some drinks and did some dancing. Thanks to all of our family and friends who came out for the celebration. Great night and great memories.

But, of course, now we're back grindin out!

PSA Air Times

2007-10-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

The PSA our kids worked so hard on with us will be airing on Drexel University Telivision on this Saturday & Sunday Oct.6 & 7 at 4:58pm.

If you live in the Philadelphia area please check this out.

We are hoping to have the Making of the PSA online soon.

To view the PSA please go to www.youtube.com/thebeaconprogram.

Please spread the word, and if you know anyone in the media please get their message out there.

A Mural's Message

2007-09-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

In April eight students came together to try to make a change in Philadelphia. Everyday the news reports more and more deaths due to violence. We created a class, Lights, Camera, Action, through the Beacon Program which enabled the students to brainstorm, act, tape, write, and produce an entire public service announcement (PSA) themselves. Through this PSA the students developed a voice to stop the violence in Philadelphia.

Please visit www.youtube.com/thebeaconprogram to view their PSA entitled, "A Mural's Message."

We spent many hours with these kids. We took them to hear Russel Simmons speak about his newest book, "Do You."

After the PSA was complete, we held a premiere at the school. We went to Power 99 to talk about the PSA. Chris Tucker was there, spoke to the kids, and ended up advocating what they've done on the air afterward. Hopefully, we can get that soundclip on here for you guys.

This was our first class, and many of these kids have gone on to take an advanced course with us. Please go check out their PSA, and if anyone would like a copy or wants to write an article about the PSA we'd be glad to give you any info.

Vintage Magazine

2007-09-22T14:22:00.000-07:00

Vintage Blue was scheduled to meet with Macy's for a meeting about launching the line in the department store. For the presentation we spent three months creating this magazine to present what our company is about. We created ads, wrote editorials, explained our demographic and target market, our inspiration, and displayed the line. The Macy's meeting has been postponed for a couple of weeks, but our 50 page baby is now into the world, and we're already thinking of how we can improve the next one!

Vintage Blue

2007-09-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

Vintage Blue is a vintage-inspired apparel line drawing inspiration from the 40's and 50's with a contemporary twist fusing old with new. The line has acquired the license from The All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) featured in the movie A League of their Own with Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnel.

Bringing 1940 to 2007- Vintage Blue designs are tailored for the trend-setting woman whose main interests and passions are sports, music, and fashion. The line will offer everything from vintage soft tees with distressed graphics from the 40’s and 50’s, as well as an abundance of tops, skirts, dresses, sweatsuits, and signature pieces like the stylish floor-length polo dress.

Black Vintage- Represent Your Culture

2007-09-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

Black Vintage is an apparel line designed to represent cultures. Cultures give character to a group of human beings. Communication, beliefs, activities and structure are unique aspects giving each culture its profound form. This line is a representation of individual cultures with the realization that each culture functions best with open minds and open eyes. Black Vintage believes in the acceptance of every culture, living freely, and representing your roots.

Black Vintage is launching with the Cape Verde collection. Cape Verde is a group of islands off the coast of West Africa. Previously colonized by the Portuguese, Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975 after a long armed struggle by the The African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde led by Amilcar Cabral. This line reflects the stregnth and importance of the fight for independence as well as a playful representation of being a Kriolu.

Women, Men, and Children shirts are available as well as a tote bag.

To order please visit www.blackvintageapparel.com

Denim Society

2007-09-22T11:52:00.001-07:00

Denim Society is a premium denim boutique located in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Brands from Joe's Jeans, Citizens of Humanity, J & Company, Antik Denim to 575, People's Liberation, and Jame's Jeans can be found on the floor. The store offers a unique ambiance with warm colors, antique furniture, and an array of unique hand-crafted accessories that gives customers an original shopping experience.

Every second Thursday of the month the store hosts an Opening Art Exhibit where a different local artist is featured each month. The event is held from 6-9pm and draws a crowd interested in supporting local artists as well as the local fashionistas. Free massages are delved in the candlelit back office space of the boutique. Party dwellers mingle to the sounds of a live DJ sipping on cocktails and picking at appetizers. This month's exhibit features John Andrulis Photography, and his limited edition book Philadelphia and The Jersey Shore are available for purchase.

Denim Society also hosts private parties where the store is shut down for a group of ladies while a personal stylist fits them to the perfect jeans, top, and accessories. The ladies chat with their girlfriends, get a free massage, and sip on cocktails- the ultimate shopping experience.

M-T Appointment Only
W-Sat 12-7
627 N 2nd St Suite A
Philadelphia, PA 19123
215.923.0536
www.denim-society.com

Car Troubles Again

2007-09-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

We're back in Philly trying to get into the grind of things again. We have new interns starting that we are tryingt o get organized as well as another Art Exhibit in the beginning of October. We have to cut our day short to go teach our video production class, Lights, Camera, Action. We pack up and get into the car.

It doesn't start. So, we're sitting here unable to get to class.

To update you, last week someone decided to give Liza a gift in the shape of a lovely boulder which was thrown through the passenger window.

Just to note- we are taking these pictures with our computers photobooth because we're too broke to get a digital right now!

Adventures in the Bean

2007-09-20T14:34:00.000-07:00

So, we've been saying how we need to document our lives. It's time to make it happen. We're about to get a video camera and digital camera to document our chaotic lives. We have about 5 companies you'll hear about during our adventures.

So Thursday we had an art event at our store, Denim Society. (By the way, we are Liza and Michelle.) We sell premium denim along with t-shirts, funky jewelry, and art in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Our site is being reconstructed, but you can check us out at www.denim-society.com. Thursday began our chaotic week. We ran around getting food and drinks and such for the event. We had a great turn out from 6-9pm with food, drinks, music, and free massages.

Next up we head to Bean Town. We (liza michelle and partner Free) leave for Boston after the event at midnight. We get to Boston at 5am and try to get some rest. The plan is to meet with investors for our company, Vintage Blue on Monday and Tuesday. Vintage Blue is a vintage inspired clothing line. We have the rights to the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) from the movie A League of their Own with Madonna and Tom Hanks. We have samples and a strong team in place- now we're trying to earn some capital to make it happen!

So, our money guy say they set us up with two BIG investor meetings for Monday and Tuesday. After spending days creating a powerpoint the money men said we needed, Sunday night we sit down in the hotel lobby to go over the presentation. To give you guys a little understanding of how we work- we don't do conventional presentations. Everything we do is natural, shows our personality and passion. However, Liza was persuaded by the money men to be formal and write notecards-many many many notecards.
We were all arguing that this is not us and how we work. We spend the entire next day practicing. We go into the meeting- only to find out this is a Hot Seat where they critique your presentation. Halfway through the presentaion the notecards get thrown out and the real passion comes through. Everyone loves it- but no real money people are there- our money men say Tuesday is the big night.

So, we head home and work all night long again. Wake up early and prepare all day long. We set up the meeting room with the magazine we created, vintage candy and luggage, our samples, baseball bats and balls. The room looks fantastic.

No one shows up. Well, one person ends up showing up. So, it would be fantastic to get a lead from this. But, we are pissed that we spent so much time and energy to come to Boston from Philly, practice and put ourselves through so much for these supposedly huge investors- to have one person show up. We had to find someone to work our store and also had to cancel our classes. Oh, that's another thing. We teach a video production class in West Philly through the Beacon program three times a week. Because we aren't busy enough.

So, we hit the road after the meeting and head back to good old Philly. Get in at 5am and wake up at 10am to head to NYC for Coterie- a tradeshow where we just ordered the hottest new denim for the store. We treated ourself to a lovely dinner at Cafeteria for our troubles. We're always learning from our experiences. At the end of the day, life is always good.