River Takada-Capel, creative director and designer behind Riverbasin Outfitters, just has it going on. Cool name? Check. Righteous look? Check. Captivating story? Check. A little Southern-ish charm? Check.
Artists& Fleas: Who are you and what do you do?
River: I make things from all over the place! I rework items I get from yard sales, flea markets, hand-me-downs, etc. I’m drawn to stripes, plaid, flowers and hearts. I cut up the clothes, hand-dye them, screen print bicycles, anchors and recycle hearts. Then I sew them back together. I like working with things no one else wants and make them wearable again.

A&F: Is there one particular look or item that you are known for?

River: My staple pieces are pillow case tube dresses (made from a pillowcase! it has ribbon tie straps and pockets), field dresses (for the ladies with hips – mixed fabric panels, straps and pockets) and the Oxford 5 dress (made from 5 oxford men’s shirts). These are my best sellers, I make more every season!

A&F: Who and what inspires you?
River: Old school designers – Madeline Vionnet, CoCo Chanel. Women pioneers – Amelia Earhart, Frida Kahlo. Vintage clothes – when I’m sourcing materials at thrift stores I find the most amazing clothes that I learn from.

A&F: What kind of messsage do you hope or intend for your clothing to present to others?
River: Reuse & repair!! I like it when people look at my stuff and say “I could do that”. Yes! Do it! Go home, pull things out of your closet that you never wear – shred it, crop it, make it new and then sport it.

A&F: Where are you originally from?
River: I was born in Tokyo. My mom is Japanese and my dad is from North Carolina. I grew up state side but visited my family in Tokyo every year. I am so inspired by Japanese fashion and street wear. There’s all the crazy stuff you might see on blogs and in magazines but Japanese style is also very sleek and clean. There’s also the layering. I love layering. Then being in North Carolina grounds me. It keeps my clothing practical – good for going to the market, biking around town, going for a hike and having an active life in general.

A&F: If you had the opportunity to have a totally different career anywhere in the world, what and where would it be?
River: I would love to teach children in Africa, do disaster relief work, explore different energy sources – become an engineer. I think about giving/ selling everything I own and sailing around the world – helping teach people to sew and help start up business in developing communities. I think no matter where I go I’ll still want/ need to create things to stay sane.

A&F: What do you like about selling in Brooklyn and Artists & Fleas?
River: This is totally my target audience. There are so many young people with style – my ideal customer. The location is great and since it’s open every weekend, people know to stop by and browse. Also, the music is great. It’s like my dream pandora station – a never ending mix tape made just for me!

A&F: If you could relive a day in your life, which one would it be and why?
River: I recently tagged along with my mom on a work retreat to St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. I had a great time and met my boyfriend there! We had an amazing day sailing, snorkeling, drinking, swoimming in the dreamy ocean water under a near full moon and talking all night on the beach. If we could do that again, I wouldn’t object!

Saturday, April 17th, hundreds of people packed into the hip urban atmosphere of Flander’s Art Gallery in downtown Raleigh to view the 2nd Annual Redress Raleigh Fashion Show.  Redress is the Triangle’s premier ecologically friendly fashion show featuring area designers.  The sold out show was a stunning success. This year’s event was hands down the most sophisticated & polished fashion event in Raleigh to date.  The talent was impressive, many designers on-par with New York & other large city designers.

Clothing was well-made, wearable, & whimsical. A carefree spirit was evoked in breezy fashion lines created by designers such as Margo Scott, River Takada-Capel, Jackie Almeter, Keira Flood, Lindsay Kay, Rima L’Amir, Grace McFarland, & accessories designer Johanna Ely.  Glamorous, head-turning silhouettes were showcased in elegant upscale clothing designed by Courtney Schaffer, Crystal Pickard, Allison Szatek, Christy Michael, Payton-Alexis Brown, Brittany Erb & Katy Robb, & design duo Nicole Falchi & Daniella Wartner.

The show, part of the city’s Planet Earth Celebration, is produced annually by Mor Aframian, Jamie Powell, & Beth Stewart. The three women share a passion not only for clothing, but also for the environment.  Proceeds from the fashion event benefit the three representative host organizations: MorLove, a global community of socially conscious artists whose talents go to help those in need; Revamp, an eco-conscious clothing company that supports local causes;  & Triangle Emerging Green Builders, a committee of the U.S. Green Building Council.

CHAPEL HILL -- River Takada-Capel, a Chapel Hill artist, has been selected to show her work at the prestigious American Craft Council Show in Baltimore.

The 2010 AltCraft Artists at The 34th annual American Craft Council Show in Baltimore features some unorthodox work in unusual manifestations. Broken plates and dandelions become whimsical pieces of jewelry. A roll of yarn transforms into an exciting children's toy. A careful modification changes an old piece of wood into stylish eyeglass frames.

In all, 20 indie artists will showcase their work in the show Feb. 25-28 at the Baltimore Convention Center. These AltCraft artists will join more than 700 of the nation's top contemporary craft artists in presenting their latest handmade works.

From the recycled and reclaimed to the reconstructed and reused, these artists and their eclectic pieces have been selected from hundreds of applicants through a rigorous jury process.

To see some of Takada-Capel's work, go to www.riverbasinoutfitters.com.

For additional information about The American Craft Council, visit www.craftcouncil.org.




Thank you to all the organizations who have helped me stay in school.
It has been an honor to receive the following scholarships:

Western North Carolina Fiber Handweavers Guild  2007-2009

Asheville Quilt Guild 2007-2009

Highland Quilt Guild (Maggie Valley)  2009

Smoky Mountain News  April 2009

The Guide
March/April
2009

Sweet Nothings
DIY Lingerie Pattern Book, projects designed for the intermediate sewer.

published by Lark Books, Asheville, NC

Coming soon to a Barnes & Noble near you!