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• June 19, 2008
• The Goods

Petal Pusher: A Bag for Summer's Bloom

By Nicole Schlomann

Good deeds bring good karma (and good fashion too). Such is the case for creative collective Beyond the Valley, which was founded on the premise of supporting and promoting emerging talent in fashion, art, and design. Not bad for those first few throwaway years out of college.

The three founders—Jo Jackson, Kate Harwood, and Kristjana S. Williams—were all graduates of Central St. Martins Art College, were frustrated with the lack of opportunities for young designers and, thus, decided to set up shop for themselves. Based in London, Beyond the Valley started out as a space on Carnaby Street where hundreds of artists could display their wares, testing them out to the public before putting them into large-scale production. So successful was the space that the ladies were able to start their own signature line.

The jubilant collection, also called Beyond the Valley, features sassy minidresses and skirts for women, graphic tops for men, and accessories like handbags and scarves. One especially beguiling item, a black tote inscribed with bright florals, fits right in with the Liberty-print pieces we've been spotting all over. Slouchy and large enough to fit all of your essentials (and maybe a couple of non-essentials), this tote is definitely Vera Bradley-meets-downtown cool. Oh so perfect for carrying that starving artist right through stardom (or maybe just August).

Floral tote, $85, available at www.pixiemarket.com. For more information, go to www.beyondthevalley.com.

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