by Brynn Watkins | Nov 23, 2012 | Uncategorized
Warby Parker is the Toms of the eyewear industry. It was founded on a new, yet simple concept in eyewear. The Warby Parker team wanted to provide “eyewear with a purpose.” After many brainstorming sessions, a collaboration between four friends formed. All avid fans of the famous beatnik author Jack Kerouac, the friends decided to name their revolutionary company “Warby Parker” after two characters in Kerouac’s first novel. Sick of the pretentious and over-priced glasses industry, the Warby Parker team realized the obvious need for a low-priced alternative. So, they did something about it. When you purchase a pair of glasses or sunglasses from Warby Parker Eyewear, a pair is given to a person in need. On the company’s website, it explains the mission further: “Almost one billion people worldwide lack access to glasses. This means that 15 percent of the global population cannot effectively learn or work — a problem that Warby Parker is determined to address. We’ve partnered with non-profits like VisionSpring to ensure that for every pair of glasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need. We believe that everyone has the right to see.” To do this, Warby Parker needed to create quality prescription glasses at affordable prices. The Warby Parker team decided it needed to bypass the larger eyewear cooperations in order to create a more personal customer-to-company approach. They decided to go with a website format so they could keep prices down and quality up. By eliminating the big business aspect, Warby Parker customers can engage the company directly through the Warby Parker Eyewear website. This keeps prices down and provides customers with higher-quality, better-looking prescription eyewear...
by Brynn Watkins | Nov 14, 2012 | Uncategorized
Mark Slagle and Alex Cox are the men behind MANA Nutrition’s Manabago project. Through a partnership with MANA Nutrition, the team has helped raise money and provide sustenance for malnourished people across the globe. However, Slagle and Cox encountered an unfortunate setback when their 1971 Winnebago exploded on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif., leaving the philanthropic duo car-less and craving a new start. That new start came with a rather “nutty” idea called Good Spread Peanut Butter. Good Spread Peanut Butter is made from essential vitamins blended with organic honey and natural sea salt. With three servings of MANA’s peanut butter-based therapeutic food each day, a child on the brink of death can be revived in four to six weeks. “The dream and ultimate goal of Good Spread is to provide more therapeutic food to more severely malnourished kids,” Slagle said. Slagle and Cox partnered with MANA Nutrition once again to launch Good Spread Peanut Butter. In fact, MANA let Slagle and Cox use the company’s factory in South Georgia to produce their product. World Vision and other organizations have also partnered with MANA to help provide food for needy children. To help raise money for the Good Spread cause, Slagle and Cox established a website called Indiegogo to try and raise $65,000 in two weeks – just enough to help make 100,000 packets of Good Spread to get the project started. “We wanted something to give people so they wouldn’t just donate money to a cause and then turn around and forget about it all the next day,” Cox said. “We think a creative and delicious way to do that is by turning America’s craving...
by Brynn Watkins | Oct 30, 2012 | Uncategorized
If you were to glance at Kevin Mac Erwin while passing him on the way to class, you would probably assume he was an art student. With his unique sense of style, gauged earrings and fancy Ray Bans, it is easy to peg him as a simple student artist. However, Kevin is not only a full time art student at Lipscomb but also an internationally known musician. Kevin Mac Erwin is the man behind the electronic music sensation Lunova Labs. Kevin’s music career all started with a piano and an unquenchable desire for something new. Kevin is an entirely self-taught pianist. He picked up piano one day, and from then on, he was hooked on the instrument. Before Lunova Labs, Kevin performed in a couple of experimental hard-core bands in his teenage years which helped shape him as a musician. Kevin’s fascination with the music of Aphex Twin and Brian Eno gave him the incentive to begin producing electronic music at an early age. He would make up songs in his head and translate them into a beat. The beats then turned into full-length projects, and from this cycle, Lunova Labs was born. Many of the ideas behind Lunova Labs’ vibrant and catchy beats came from the diverse area he grew up in. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Kevin’s style of music was influenced heavily by the city’s aesthetic. City culture and diversity were a clear cornerstone of the Lunova Labs unique sound. Kevin says he is always taking in inspiration with every aspect of life. Soon after Kevin’s teenage years, he decided he wanted a change of scenery...
by Brynn Watkins | Oct 22, 2012 | Uncategorized
Name: Crystal Davis Year: Senior Style: Trendy / Comfortable / Classic Inspirations: Chloe Calvin Klein Kate Bosworth Piperlime What are your top three favorite places to shop? BCBG 7 for all mankind Lululemon 1. Leggings, tights and jacket – BCBG 2. Sunglasses – Prada 3. Shoes – Nine West 4. Bag – DVF Why did you choose these pieces? Bag – “This DVF bag is a classic and will last and last. I fell in love with the classic pattern and feel of the bag, in general. This bag matches everything and finishes off every outfit with a bang.” Shirt – “This BCBG shirt is a bright and statement-making piece that is a fun alternative to a regular classic T-shirt.” Shoes – “They are super comfy and match everything…one of the best purchases I have ever made.” Leggings – “I loved the style. They are are sleek, black and very on-trend. I loved how they were a mix of two fabrics as opposed to just a simple legging style.” Sunglasses – “I have been looking for a pair of statement sunglasses that really flatter my face shape. These tortoise print Pradas fit the bill.” What are your top three local Nashville favorites? City House SEE Eyewear UAL Any fashion advice for Lipscomb Students? “Don’t overdo it. Don’t wear stuff that is too big for you, not matter what designer it is. Get clothing items tailored to your body and they will flatter you much more. The tailoring will be worth the extra dollar spent. Fit is the most important aspect to an...
by Brynn Watkins | Oct 12, 2012 | News Slider
Looking for the perfect signature piece of jewelry to have and to hold? A gift for a special someone in your life? Well, look no further. Sleeveless, a premium accessories company right out of Nashville, is the answer to all your accessories wants and woes. Sleeveless was started by Kyah Hillis, a wardrobe stylish who lives and works in Nashville. Hillis started Sleeveless in 2009 to provide her celebrity cliental with chic and functional jewelry. Hillis wanted to design pieces that could transition from the runway to the real world. She envisioned Sleeveless as a company that incorporated well-crafted and wearable pieces — pieces that display quality rather than purely quantity, made to be worn over and over again. She was not kidding when she said, “the pieces were made to last.” With accessories and bags designed with materials made for wear and tear like canvas, leather, suede, metal and stone, Sleeveless designs are made to last. These pieces are not the “come and go trendy” types. Sleeveless pieces are substantial. Sleeveless’s innovative designs with Americana are not cheap but are worth the extra dollar. With designs that will take plain-Jane outfits from drab to fab, Sleeveless designs are definitely worth the price tag. “When you see a Sleeveless design, you can’t immediately tell what inspired it,” said Hillis, whose line is sold internationally in 80 stores. “Sleeveless designs are cultural mash ups. They’re the fashion equivalent of a very diverse fusion restaurant. The base might be an Egyptian design, but the details will be Victorian or from the 80s, with maybe a touch of Americana thrown in for...
