Once in awhile, a clothing line gets its start from a class project. Or at least that’s how it happened for Elykssor Clothing. Kyle Poissonier, the line’s Creative Director, met up with us to discuss how a marketing major and two former football players formed their very own fashion line.

Originally from Skowhegan, Kyle met his business partners at Husson University in Bangor. After creating the line as a fake business proposal - he thought that it might just work. After figuring out the purpose, style and fit they were going after, they enlisted artists from Sacramento to Maine (including our very own Ryan Adams) to come up with creative designs. 

Elykssor’s name is from “the elixir of life”. Many of the t-shirt slogans read “prolong life” to promote strong, healthy lifestyles. The line has also helped raise funds for charities, with proceeds going to organizations like the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Though Kyle is back in Maine, his partners are based in NYC where the line was originally launched. “Portland saved Elykssor,” says Kyle. “The response here has been great. I don’t know if the line would have survived if I didn’t come back to Maine.” 

Next up for Elykssor are vintage-inspired garb which they’re expanding into more fashion pieces like dresses and jackets. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter. 

 

Give a gift that truly resonates this holiday season. Our dear friends at Turtle Love Co. have partnered with WaterAid America to raise money for bringing safe water and hygiene to the world’s poorest countries. TLC are selling these beautiful Clean Water Necklaces and Earrings for $50 each - and they’re donating $30 to WaterAid for each pair that’s sold. WHOA. Plus these pieces just happen to be stunning - not bad for giving and receiving.

We encourage you all to check out the jewelry as a unique gift for friends or family that believe in supporting such an important cause.  Thanks to Adrienne for letting us know about such a special offering!

Did you know there are three different Coolidge Avenue’s in the Portland area? Luckily, the third time was a charm when we finally made it to Liza and Chris’s house, owners of Zinnia Clothing. (It’s time we invest in a GPS.)

Liza, a former nurse, returned to her home state of Maine almost ten years ago with her husband. They’ve lived in South Portland for the past seven years in a neighborhood “that’s filled with artsy and creative people.” 

Zinnia Clothing has been in the works for the past three years, but launched online in January ‘10. Liza first got the idea for a t-shirt line because she couldn’t find any that she liked. “I had left nursing and the long hours behind me and I was looking for a creative outlet. Since there weren’t any t-shirts I liked I thought, I guess I’ll make some!” 

Her husband was on board with the idea and enrolled in Montage Screen Printing Academy on Long Island, New York. In their basement now sits a four-station, four color press where everything is made.  Liza designs are translated to screen print films with the help of Irene Stapleford, a local graphic designer, with whom she works as part of a creative team. Liza finds inspiration in everything from pillowcases to children’s books. All the shirts are made with water-based inks on 100% supima cottons. “I looked at several different shirts I liked and took all of their best features, like the neck line or sleeve length, so that we could produce a truly custom product,” says Liza.

Zinnia Clothing donates 5% of all their proceeds to Women for Women International. “It’s a cause that’s really important to me and I set out to make sure we could give back when we started our own business,” she says. And if you’re their 100th follower on twitter, you’ll get a free shirt. After all, it is the season of giving.