Kristin Dickson is the lady behind Rowena Sartin and proprietor of the brand-new Elysian Park unique-boutique, IKO IKO. We love her shop because it feels genuine and reflective of her own personality: creative, fun-loving, down to earth, and full of surprises. Mixing her own creations with found objects, sculptures, gems and minerals, hand-picked imported goods, and even more creations made by friends, she creates a magical environment in which everything feels special and precious— yet thankfully not too precious either!
When did you start making clothes?
A few years ago as a trial and error effort. I do Rowena Sartin now which is women’s clothing and accessories project and I’m working on some men’s pieces that will be ready in November. I also have done a collaboration called Souvenir with friend Brady Cunningham, which was a line focused on eco-friendly fabrics. We stopped for the last year and a half but we’re working on an idea that will come to form in January or so…
What are your current design inspirations?
School uniforms, early ’90s geometric prints, balloons, tablecloths, the film Chungking Express, Joan Armatrading, elastic waistbands, black dresses.
Do you design many of the fabric prints yourself or do you source them?
Most of my fabrics are vintage and remnant so it’s nice that there a limited run to them. I really enjoy hunting for unusual wovens and prints and often times buy fabric not necessarily knowing what I will make with it and kind of let the print decide. For the store I did hand silk screened typewriter drawing scarves collaborating with my friend Jeremy Rendina who makes these amazing typewriter drawings (think Harry Smith). I asked if he would consider making it a textile, so we had our friend Sebastian Boher silk screen them. I would love to do another original print or hand painted fabric in the near future collaborating with another artist…
How did your shop IKO IKO come about?
I originally got the space as a work space for designing but thought it would be interesting to use the front portion as a store space showing my work with a varied circle of artists and designers under rotating themes. I want it to feel like an atypical store experience where there are a lot of curiosities and beautiful handmade, high design objects and wearable pieces and a humor and awe to everything, too.
Is there a certain focus or concept?
I change it up every 2 months or so, but the main idea is to underline the handmade quality of things here. These aren’t pieces bought from a show room or extraneous things that seem to be repeated in a lot of stores these days. I hope that people see that everything is specifically curated for the space— triangle furniture for sale, globe lamps, ceramics, felted headpieces, limited run clothing, weird rocks/minerals…I try to have a sense of humor in a lot of what is for sale here, too. The themes have ranged from traditions of still life, taxonomy (how we classify things), and now it’s home sweet home (ornamentation of you and your space). I have a lot of unusual plants, ceramic vessels and accessories, home objects, handthrown pots, kokedamas (Japanese moss ball plants) and some new men’s/unisex pieces so that it’s not just a space for ladies.
Is it difficult designing in the back and running the shop in front?
It can be a challenge sometimes but also a good experiment for things I’m making at the moment and would like feedback on.
Can you list some of the designers / artists you work with?
Hannah Keefe: beautiful chain/solder jewelry; Natascha Snellman: collage and sculptures; PJ Risse: masks; Ashley Helvey: felted wool works— headbands/neckpieces, wall hangings; Vivian Joyner: photographs; Shin Okuda: custom furniture; Plume: jewelry— geometric stud earrings; Ida Falck: paper/laminate earrings; Eden Batki: ceramics
What is your favorite item in the shop right now?
Eden Batki’s ceramic wall planters and Shin Okuda’s triangle (cheese slice) tables.
What’s coming up next?
Next is a vintage book installation with accessories for your book collection and the comforts you want when you read at home — bookmarks, journals, writing gear, book-ends, etc.— and a special selection of Japanese gear curated by WAKA WAKA. I guess I always try to balance geometry, Wabi Sabi, nature, craft, novelties (colored duck tape), button down shirts under the IKO IKO roof. We have an opening reception for this tomorrow— Saturday December 5th, 7-10pm at the store— please come.
Thanks Kristin!
(Below: some Rowena Sartin selections at Ooga Booga)
