The faded, vintage-inspired logos give items the look of being around for decades while the silhouettes and fabric content have the style and substance that is in sharp contrast to the acres of brightly colored synthetic pieces found in most campus shops.

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Throughout the house, Ms. Emerson brought in brightly colored, interesting rugs, chandeliers and furniture, like a bookshelf with different colored framed boxes and a granny chair upholstered in fabric painted in a pop art style.

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Making another dress would require a trip to Italy to procure the fantastic fabric, reprinting the pattern and re-cutting the style as a one-off.

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Betina has found a way to modernize hand-embroidery techniques and indigenous materials like shell and pineapple weave fabric by playing on the strengths of her youth and her personal style urban with traces of influence from designers like Nicolas Ghesquiere, the team at Kenzo, Proenza Schouler, Givenchy and Alexander Wang.

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Still another advantage is NPR Music's ties to "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition, " which, even if Washington-centric, have music woven into their fabric and provide news for the site as well as a familiar storytelling style.

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The Benetton order, placed last September after the fabric had arrived from India, was viewed by the owners as a lifeline, according to New Wave Style officials who survived the collapse.

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Ryan Goldston decorated his apartment in a style he calls "Ralph Lauren-esque, " covering his couch and chairs with old suit fabric and buying white furniture to create an airy, light feel.

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