Kathy Malone, aka fofolle, has been creating tangible links between the offline and online worlds of Etsy. We invited her to be this week's Featured Buyer and asked her to highlight some of her favorite Brooklyn sellers, thus showing us her personal Shop Local.

Hi! My name is Kathy Malone (aka fofolle) and I am a designer and market organizer. I'd had a deep desire to be able to Shop Local, so I took matters into my own hands. I opened up a weekly-weekend indie designer market in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn called Brooklyn Indie Market.

I think the best ideas come from looking and listening to what’s around your immediate environment. I was meeting a lot of independent designers like myself who needed more selling opportunities. I was also starting to hear a lot about Etsy; in a way, I feel like we are all growing up together! The online made the offline possible: it’s a marvelous time to be doing what we are doing.

Brooklyn Indie Market is a collective of fashion and product designers providing a connection between emerging designers and shoppers, boutiques, stylists, personal shoppers and the press. Our aim is to connect one another, as well as the greater New York public, to our weekend Brooklyn market, events, showcases, trunk shows, workshops, and related resources. We also welcome non-New York area designers who are interested in our mission.

We launched the Brooklyn Indie Market website and list serve as a joint venture among independent Brooklyn-based designers to share information, learn from each other's small business challenges and to inspire and foster a community of creativity and authenticity. Our designers converge under the red and white striped tent and kiosks offering the public a first glimpse of the many new names in design.

We are on a brief hiatus until the spring so we can work on our new lines, so check back with us either as a seller or lover of all things handmade!

Carina's work, like this luxe sweater, is sooo rich! Wear a Black Rabbit NYC original, have some champagne, feel exquisite.

 

 

 

Oh my gosh, LuckyDuct! Thanks for the laugh, I needed that!

If I could spell a whistle sound, I would when it comes to Melissa Bell's (aka melbell333) sexy, flattering dresses. Everyone looks amazing in them.

I have not owned a clock until purchasing a New York clock from newyorkclocks. Why? Because its found art, functional and time.

PrincessVivi's backround in painting, sculpture and architecture makes her creations irresistible, and no two pieces are alike!

Katharine of reiter8 had the inspired idea of rescuing old sailboat sails and repurposing them into extremely stylish and durable totes. #35 is my new lucky number.

 

Further Resources:

Finger to the Pulse Stuff
Cool Hunting
NEET Magazine
Trend Watching

Indie Friendly Brooklyn Shops
Ai Ai Gasa
Eidolon
Flirt Brooklyn
Rare Device
Neda

What's your favorite local shop? Post it in the comments!