Handmade jackets with a hint of history at Make + Matter
With the official start of spring just a few weeks away, it’s that time of year in Pittsburgh where it can be snowy one day and 50 degrees the next.
If you’re looking for a transitional jacket to help you bridge that gap, there are several beautiful handmade ones stocked at Make + Matter. The shop opened at 3711 Butler St., Lawrenceville, in 2018. It’s owned by three Pittsburgh-based designers — Kelly Simpson-Scupelli, Rebekah Joy and Rona Chang — who work on their collections in the back and sell them in the front of the store. They also curate and carry pieces by other homegrown designers.
Ms. Chang’s brand Otto Finn has three jacket styles perfect for Pittsburgh’s seesaw temperatures. Each is inspired by music and the jacket’s fabrication. The Anoushka style is named after BritishIndian sitar composer and player Anoushka Shankar. It’s crafted from Kanthas, or quilts traditionally from South Asia’s Bengal region made from old saris or other discarded cloth with a running stitch. These jackets are reversible, unisex and oversized with large pockets.
“There may be stains, small holes or other imperfections in the jacket,” Ms. Chang said in an email. “We consider it to be part of the story of the jacket and embrace its history.”
The Norah jacket is similar to the Anoushka, except that it’s dyed in indigo. Ms. Chang named this one after American singer-songwriter Norah Jones. The other option is the Billie jacket for jazz musician Billie Holiday. These unisex jackets are made from second-market materials, including wool, wool blends, corduroy and other warm fabrics.
Prices range from $249 to $328, depending upon the fabric type and its length. All jackets are cut and sewn by Lauren Sims of Why Sews or women in the work training program at East End Cooperative
Ministries. Scrap fabrics from them are turned into clutches or cowl neck warmers, Ms. Chang says.
Learn more about the shop at shopmakeandmatter.com and Otto Finn at ottofinn.com.