SuperLuckyCat - A Recycled One-of-a-Kind Clothing Label

Ecological style, better known as eco-chic, has been fast and furiously hitting the pavement this season. From the spring 2009 Heatherette line to retail store Anthropologie, eco-fashion can be found in every nook and cranny across coasts. If you think back, let's say, 10 years ago, no tarot card, crystal ball, or star positioning could have predicted the eco fashion craze we see today. Unless that is, you're L.A. based SuperLuckyCat Designer and Co-Founder, Crystal Butler.

In 2000, Butler decided to turn a hobby into a full-fledged business. Butler, a thrift store fanatic, spent her college years at the Fashion Institute of Technology turning thrift store finds into fine threads. After years of working within the many facets of the retail world, Butler decided to return to her roots by exclusively devoting her energy towards transforming the past into the future. She is turning vintage clothing into new-fangled, contemporary, one-of-a-kind designs. That's right, one-of-a-kind! You will never find two SuperLuckyCat pieces alike. Butler, and co-founder Michael Baffico, are dancing at the cusp of innovation and doing well at it.

Grooveeffect recently caught up with SuperLuckyCat designer Crystal Butler to get inside the head of an eco-chic mastermind:

First off, how did you come up with the name "SuperLuckyCat" and what does it mean to you?

Our company is in a live-work artist's space near Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. When we first started talking about getting our business going, we spent a lot of time eating out in the area. There are lucky cats all over Little Tokyo, and one night when we were trying to come up with a name my partner looked over at one and said "SuperLuckyCat". So that was that!

The cat beckons customers to come into shops, which can't hurt for a fledgling clothing company.

You worked in retail as a buyer before creating SuperLuckyCat. How has your experience in the retail industry helped you as a designer?

Working in the retail end of the industry is an invaluable reality check. I learned how to weigh customer needs against what I want to design.

What made you decide to leave the administrative side of retail for the creative/design side?

Design has always been my first love. I went back to it once I had enough experience in other aspects of the industry to feel confident starting my own business.

Why recycled material as opposed to new?

At heart I'm a hoarder who just can't bear to see anything with a useful life left in it go into the garbage! I also enjoy the challenge of engineering ways to work with the materials.

What is your design philosophy?

From a design perspective, I like the idea of individualism. People all have their own quirks; so do our clothes. Design differs from art in that the end product has to be functional as well as (if it's done right) aesthetically pleasing. Good design can bring pleasure by enhancing the everyday objects we have to interact with. Clothing is something we use more or less all day, so making a garment that can bring a little joy to put on is one way to make the world a little bit nicer place.

Where do you find your inspiration?

My inspiration comes from past and current fashion, as well as the recycled materials themselves.

Are you trying to be completely innovative with every piece? Or do you play off of current trends and fashions?

Since our clothes are a little unusual to begin with due to their components, we try to come up with designs reflect current fashion to some degree. The recycled materials always give them their own look.

Who is your favorite designer?

That's a tough question! As a designer and business owner, I'd have to pick Betsy Johnson. She's remained true to herself, been commercially successful, and looks like she's always having a good time doing it.

Where do you see SuperLuckyCat in the future?

We're hoping to expand the materials we recycle by possibly going into categories besides clothing or working in new fabric made from recycled fibers.

What are you obsessed with right now?

Finding the perfect pair of brightly colored jeans.

I'd Rock That, INTO BATTLE: Ecko Unlimited Master Chief Hoodies

Looking to expand their line of geek-wear, Ecko Unlimited is releasing this $88Master Chief hoodie just in time for cooler weather. Good thing too, I'm tired of setting myself on fire!

Brand new, limited edition Halo 3 hoodie from Ecko makes a great gift for your favorite gamer. Color-blocked hoodie is zip-front with nylon welt pockets and nylon overlay over fleece. Velcro(R) close hood with self-welt pockets, rib knit sleeve cuffs and hem.

I, for one, would wear the hell outta that thing. And I'm not just saying that cause it'll compliment my cardboard Halo arsenal so nicely, but that's part of it. *pew pew* *bang bang* *rat-a-tat-tat!* What do you mean I can't get on the bus like this?! Mr. Driver -- PREPARE TO BE BAGGED!

Conceptual Oldschool Video Game Shirts

This is a picture of two conceptual video game shirts that Geekologie tipster Jessica sent me. Aaaaand that's all the information we have. Anybody seen these before? Are they being manufactured? Do YOU want to manufacture them? Because if you do I swear I won't tell the original designer or the Pac-Man andTetris copyright owners. I just want that Pac-Man polo. You know, so I can rock it open all the way down to my belly button. Cause chicks dig outties, am I right? No?How about scars? Okay, what if I had a hairlip? Because I know people. With scissors.

You're So Oldschool!: A NES Controller Jacket

This NES Controller Varsity Jacket is available for $200* from 80'sTees and has a giant freaking NES controller on the back, hence the name. It's only being made in a limited edition of 1,000 and allegedly they're already running out of several sizes, so if you want one, you better act quickly. Same goes for if you want some of this. No, I'm serious -- my girlfriend should be back any minute.

*Tough guy not included.

Hit the jump for a closeup of the embroidered controller above the breast.

I Want: Jackets Made From Blow-Up Dolls

You heard right, 31-year old Utrecht-based designer Sander Reijgers modifies track jackets with parts from blow-up dolls to make them mad sexy. It's about time!

I customize existing tracksuit tops with parts of the blow-up dolls: the head, the breasts, the vagina, the anus. These dolls are so ugly and vulgar that turning them into something beautiful has become a challenge for me. The doll is a means to convey something else.

ZOMG, I want one! Except I want mine to have like a hundred vaginas and two nipples on the head like little antennae. Wait till the people on the bus seem me!"ZIP ZAP, I AM FROM MARS."

Hit the jump to see several better ones, I only chose this picture for the front page because of that junkie's ass.

Cool: PEW PEW Laser Fashion PEW PEW

Hussein Chalayan is a fashion *PEW PEW!* designer I've never heard of, but that's*PEW PEW!* okay because there are probably only a handful of names I would*PEW PEW!* recognize anyway. Unlike The Superficial Writer who, *PEW PEW!*, can rattle off their names and collections faster than you a normal man can *PEW PEW!* fire up a chainsaw. In this particular showcase, now to be known as The PEW PEW! Collection, Husssein had engineer Moritz Waldemeyer add servo-driven *PEW PEW!* lasers to the dresses. Nice, guys. As you can see, the *PEW PEW!* dresses are sure to be a big *PEW PEW!* hit at raves. Unfortunately, you may never *PEW PEW!* see one because I'm suing the pants (!) off Chalayan. You see, I burnt my *PEW PEW!* retinas out trying to score an upskirt shot.

It's That Time Of Year!: Sexy Geek Swimwear

Swimsuits: if you take yours off in line at a water park they'll kick you out. Thankfully, Black Milk Clothing, a company best known for the sessy-ass Space Invader tightsI posted back in January, has you covered. Literally -- their stuff will cover your privates. Now, I know what you're thinking, "I really appreciate the unconventional nature of releasing a new swim line in mid-October, but seriously, WTF?" And you see, young Padawonton, it's just now mid-spring in Australia where Black Milk is based. How does that even work? aside, here they all are. As you can see, there's the mandatory R2 and Darth Vader models, some outerspacey ones, and even some skulls and bones. I posted larger shots of all the geekier ones after the jump, so be sure to check them out. It's just like looking through the lingerie section of a JC Penny catalog on the john! But hopefully your sister won't walk in on you this time. Damn yeah she told me! You nasty.