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If you, like myself, happened to walk through Dimes Square this weekend, and wondered to yourself why — despite the uncannily nice weather — the Square's skaters were kicking around large chunks of ice... I have the tea. Had you or I arrived a day earlier, we might have had the opportunity to spot the full-blown ice sculptures erected by Canadian luxury outerwear legend Moose Knuckles and the beloved Downtown designer duo Eckhaus Latta. 

Said sculptures were a celebration of the second capsule collaboration between the two brands, which will be officially dropping on November 10.

With the highly technical engineering behind Moose Knuckles products and Eckhaus Latta's eye for subtle yet eccentric structure, shape, and color, we've been eagerly awaiting a second chapter to their partnership since we received the first drop.

If you, like myself, missed out on the ice scultpures which took cues from images in the campaign and had puffers from the collection frozen inside of them on Lafayette & Kenmare St in SoHo and Ludlow St & Division St in Lower East Side — or didn't have an ice pick handy, no need to worry. The collection will be available to us all this week on the Eckhaus Latta site.

NIINFA World is one where many realities have the opportunity to exist all at the same time. Delicate beauty and gore coexist harmoniously and the unruly is accepted with open arms, being seen for not only what it lacks, but in totality. There is great beauty and knowledge in understanding duality — and Patricia of NIINFA seems to have mastered it.

Patricia’s mind often wanders to a mystical realm characterized by magical creatures and mythical beings. Out of that world, NIINFA was born. The handbags, which are hand-sculpted by the designer herself, take on an otherworldly quality — toeing the line between elegance and the outrageous in a way that only NIINFA can.

office had a chance to sit down with Patricia and discuss her recent launch, her favorite folktales, and more.

What parts of Mexico City do you hope translate to wearers through your work?

It’s funny because I didn’t necessarily design these with the intention of transmitting some part of Mexico or Mexico City to its wearers. The other day, though, my boyfriend said that they look quite Mexican in a way he hadn’t thought about. I asked him what he meant and he sent me a reference of an Oaxacan vase and a picture of the Aztec calendar. He said they weren’t the perfect references but something in that vein. It confirmed a similar, abstract thought that I had about them: they had this unintentional Mexican essence in their visual language, in their DNA. I guess if I had to choose a part of Mexico I’d go for somewhere deep inside a pyramid in Teotihuacan — some place that existed through ritual and gore.

What about not being factory-made enriches your designs? Can you dive into the intricacy and intention that goes into each handbag?

Everything! Each piece is unique; no two are the same. There are variations in terms of shine or dullness and detail because they’re sculpted and finished by hand. I find that pieces like these have a soul and an energy that isn’t felt in something that originated from a factory. It’s more of a wearable sculpture at the end of the day. They were born out of days and days at a foundry (where the aluminum part is made) and at a studio (where the leather part is made) fine-tuning every detail. I also made some sort of unspoken vow that whatever I did create, I would do so in Mexico, alongside my people. That in itself has its pros and its cons, but all things considered, I wouldn’t ever change that.

As a creative director in the music space and previous experience at Vogue and Elle Mexico, what did you take with you from those experiences and bring to NIINFA?

I would say I’ve gotten really good at story-telling and visual campaigns around an idea, a brand, or an EP. That will probably come across all NIINFA-related visual assets.

 NIINFA bags set out to explore the dichotomy between femininity and the unkempt. What does femininity mean to you and how is this a fluid concept, as displayed through your designs?

Femininity to me represents beauty, elegance, and poise but simultaneously that which is unknown and cavernous, like female genitals or a venus flytrap. It is also unapologetic and forceful; it is fluid in the sense that it doesn’t pertain to any one gender and embodies archetypal female traits, as well as masculine traits. That’s what I seek to explore in my designs.

Your designs are hand-sculpted and forged from recycled aluminum and leather. Can you take us through the sourcing and sculpting journey and why you decided to use these materials, which are more difficult to come across than traditional leather and aluminum?

I knew I wanted one component of them to be a lightweight metal that doesn't tarnish, so I decided on aluminum. I asked a Colombian friend and architect that lives in Mexico City if he knew where I could make this bag — at this point, I only had 2D drawings and a bag I had sculpted out of clay. He told me about this foundry outside of Mexico City. I went and I loved it — shoutout to Manuel. I told him it was important for me to consider the sustainability of the bags. He said he could recycle the aluminum, melt down any unused metal and repurpose it for the bags. Then there was the receptacle component of the bag, which I wanted to be made of scraps or leftover leather from other productions. I went to my friend Sergio that has a large tannery outside of Mexico City to look through their scraps and leftover inventory. That’s the thing about working in Mexico — it's very much an interpersonal process. Manuel and Sergio have now met my mom and my dad and we’ve exchanged Christmas gifts. I can go and sit in their foundry and tannery respectively and prod at everything.

The designs take on ancient folkloric qualities — what inspired the actual aesthetic and look of the bags?

I was very inspired by the lamiak of Basque mythology (my dad’s family is from the Basque country). They have the upper bodies of alluring, long-haired maidens with the webbed feet of ducks, sometimes the hooves of goats. They would often help in the building of bridges or the plowing of fields but if displeased by a man, they would punish him or take him into the forest never to be seen again. I guess in terms of design I imagined their duck feet, I thought of a beautiful maiden caught with an open mouth full of spiky teeth…and thorns!

If you existed in any folklore story or fairy tale world, which would it be?

There’s a Basque legend of a shepherd that hears the voice of a beautiful maiden. He follows it to a stream and finds the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. She asks him if he will marry her and he says yes. She gives him a ring. He goes home and tells his mom he’s going to get married but she’s concerned, not knowing who she is, what family she comes from, and warns him she might be a lamiak. She urges him to look at her feet. He goes back to the stream, unwillingly, and hides behind a bush to catch a glimpse of her feet. Duck feet! He goes home, breaking his promise to marry her. He dies of sadness. I’d exist in this one.

In what ways do you hope to be able to continue reversing stereotypical displays of femininity within your art?

Stereotypically femininity is seen as passive, naive, soft, nurturing, and accepting. I’d say that I’m not always those things. I’m deeply triggered by injustice and betrayal, often expressed with rage. I’m anything but passive when crossed, which generally makes people feel uncomfortable. I’d like to continue to explore that narrative, one that deals with vengeance, force, ancient weaponry, and dominion, which is often seen as pertaining to the masculine.

Why do you think donning non-traditional, unsettling, or distorted forms is empowering?

I think it has to do with intimidation, like wearing war paint to preemptively scare or shock your spectator and make them succumb to your will. It also has to do with accepting your ugliness and displaying it; you don’t always have to wrap yourself up in a pretty little bow for the sake of people’s comfort.

What are your plans to continue building upon the story that NIINFA has created thus far?

I’m taking it day by day but there are two Sappho quotes that I have written in my notes pertaining to the story that is and will be NIINFA:

“May I write words more naked than flesh, stronger than bone, more resilient than sinew, sensitive than nerve.” ― Sappho

“She who loves roses must be patient and not cry out when she is pierced by thorns.” ― Sappho

Jules Kim pulled a complete 180, and it's proven fruitful. After spending 20 years in New York working in nightlife as a DJ and promoter, she moved to Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands. Escaping the city's safety hazards during the pandemic, she made hiking, surfing, and swimming a pivotal part of her daily routine. As she told me over Zoom, Kim gets her best ideas underwater, it is clear in the visuals for Bijules and the fine jewelry line she's recently launched.

In an exclusive editorial for office, singer Cailin Russo stood in front of the camera adorned in an array of mermaid-like multicolored wigs and accessorized with Kim's edgy, elegant new line. The images echo Kim's own ethos that she channels into each piece, conveying a sense of strength, a sense of longevity inspired by the sea and nature. 

Not only has she made a major move and begun her jewelry journey, Kim's efforts extend into aiding her community as well. In support of young talent entering the high-end jewelry industry, she's launched the Bijules Incubator alongside her brand — a mentoring program especially targeting talents hailing from underrepresented communities.

Right after she took a dip into the ocean, she took the time to chat with office. Read below.

What are you doing in Fuerteventura? 

My husband and I escaped New York during the pandemic. So we've been here for two years now. It's super soaked in nature. It's just volcanoes, there's barely any vegetation. We're surfing, hiking, just going on adventures, really. After, or during the pandemic and living in New York for 20 years, we were just like: "Okay, there's got to be something different."

I guess also New York during the pandemic was not really it. I was here in London. So that was like a ghost town. I heard that New York was even worse.

When you're working as hard as one works in an urban environment, and let's just say New York City is the top rank - I think London and London is super high expectation as well. But I think New York City is the craziest city on earth, to be honest. You can really turn over an idea in 24 hours which is super exhilarating. But during the pandemic, all of us are brought to like a virtual, clean slate. The things that make my job unique, that I can move so fast, that is brought to a literal halt. What made my work really cool for the moment wasn't possible at that time. When we all stopped, we were like: "Fuck, now we're all the same, right?"

Moving from New York to such a nature-based place like Fuerteventura must have had an impact on how you design your jewelry, no? 

I think what was really important about that moment, was taking a monumental risk and following through with it. I think that dominates my work as a whole, that I'm a huge risk taker, and so are all of my clients. By moving from New York to Fuerteventura it was really a big ask for me to be able to continue making jewelry at the same level, because my normal habits of production were completely brought to a stop. I think that really put me in a place of contemplation, of reflection, of really honing in on the importance of what my work is and what defines it. What I started to understand is that it's the feeling of the piece, it's the storytelling of the piece - the piece itself is inactive. I'm the storyteller. It's also about representing what the future generation can do with this material and with the storytelling because it creates a circular motion. There's this really crazy intrinsic value in fine jewelry, which is very important to me as a jewelry designer, who comes from a non-traditional background, who doesn't come from generational wealth, who has worked a long and hard arduous path, to reach a certain level of success.

What have you done before you started with Bijules? 

So I've been making jewelry for 20 years, and I started as a DJ and promoter in nightlife in New York City. So basically, before I did jewelry, I was partying.

That's great. I mean, you need some cool accessories for that as well. 

Exactly! I mean, honestly it's not as dissimilar as what we're talking about right now, where there was a community, there was a need, but there was no object. So you speak the story into the object, and then the community is in there. It's the same thing now. I've built the community literally from the underground up. It's a beautiful challenge because the challenge is not just about who you're working with, but it's also you know, the visual storytelling and the product itself. I was excited to bring multicolored wigs with diamond jewelry, put them together and then cater to a specific genre of person. People who, for instance read Office Magazine, people who buy jewels, people who go to parties, people who uplift their communities, all this like-mindedness came together during this photoshoot.

How did you decide what colour you want for the wigs and what jewelry will go along with it? 

With fine jewelry, because it has this dry standard, I would say that I wanted to bring movement, motion and texture to the photoshoot. I'm a water person. I literally just got out of the water. I also wanted to bring some of that into the storytelling. A lot of times Cailin was either in motion, or she's wet. That had a lot to do with the texture but also about where I am in my life. Being submerged in water, we are closest to the source. When you're in water as a creative you're a superconductor - shit just comes to you. Just now like a half an hour ago I was swimming underwater and I had an idea with this crazy pebble sand. I thought let's dry them, they'll bleach out, and then I'm going to do something with them. But I was under water when I came up with that.

That's like having the best ideas in the shower. 

Yeah, totally! Because when you're under water or in the shower, there's nothing else rupturing it. You're just focused on what you're doing because you're under a different source. There's something really cleansing about that. Also, with the photoshoot there are only certain very simple components that will change the aesthetic. And then it's our vibe, it's our feeling that will create the image. I wanted also, for it to be super colourful, yet without it being over the top. I wanted the feeling that was generated from the imagery to be the empowerment, not only the wigs, per se. The wigs are just part of the visual storytelling a psalm to the jewelry. Although it's not the biggest or most prominent aspect of the photoshoot, it is the base of the photoshoot. I also represent a whole generation of people that I mentor, that I represent, that I push forward. This is not just me putting my foot in the door and closing it after someone walks through it, it's keeping my foot in the door the entire time for others to come through.

I saw that there's also a Bijules Incubator that supports jewelry talent development. Can you elaborate on that a bit more? 

As I mentioned, I come from nightlife, from a very unique community. In terms of creating safety within that community, I'm constantly bringing people in, even if they don't want to. 

I see. I guess you see a vision and their potential before they do.

It's exactly like that. I think that vision is something that's not specifically unique, because it's community, it's a shared vision. As a thought leader what I like to do is sort of create this calling and be able to create also the dialogue with the calling. When I speak to possible mentees, I don't speak to them on a condescending level, I speak to them on an equal level. I believe that a lot of times, people who come from non traditional backgrounds, they're constantly in the face of adversity, and it's fucking draining. Look at the jewelry industry, it's totally based on generational wealth and easy access, because you're born into it. It's based on just being rich, or all of these conditions of the luxury industry. Those are things that will immediately sway someone from even being a jewelry designer. They might be the dopest thing out there, and they don't even know it. I also think that the Bijules Incubator is a more formalised way of saying that I'm here for everyone. If you have a question, don't fear asking. I think that as a unit, because we come from adversity, there's a lot of fear and asking for help. 

How many people are in your collective? 

Right now, I probably have three or four mentees that I'm working with. And that's in service to however ―  the work needs to be done for them. Each person has a different pursuit, has a different focus, and my role is different for each one. One is focused on helping someone become a grill maker, another one is focused on online marketing for the jewelry industry. It's literally about creating a safe place to make really individualistic policy.

After seeing the Spring/Summer 23 Balenciaga / adidas collection hit the Stock Exchange floor, we've all been waiting anxiously for it to arrive. And today, it has — in stores and online, as well as in the form of an inspired campaign. In an appropriate transition, it's traveled from the thick of Wall Street to a Manhattan high rise office, where familiar faces Bella Hadid, Isabelle Huppert, boxer Han So Hee, singer BCW and Khadim Sock dramatically act out an office-space fantasy — with stereotypical workplace expressions ranging from boredom to stress as they engage with a clutter of staplers, landline phones and the like. The Three Stripe looks meet and match the environment: the tracksuit is playfully reimagined as a business suit, sneakers present themselves pumps. 

Check out the campaign shot by Joshua Bright, below. 

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