Level21 Magazine(The Level Up Foundation) had the great pleasure of volunteering at local event in Charlotte known as “Tinselbox Holiday Pop-Up Shop” on Wednesday and Thursday, December 2nd-3rd, 2015. The inspiration behind this event is to re-create and bring attention to an old tradition of visiting your local shops during any season to grab your local apparel, jewelry and other creative gifts from local artisans and retailers. We also had the opportunity view local retailers most sought after merchandise. We were also able to wrap gifts to support our Non-Profit. The Level Up Foundation.We wanted to make sure our readers had the opportunity to experience what local talent Charlotte has to offer, and possibly be the middle-man that connects new customers to the local shops. We have listed the retailers below, as well as a brief description of what their shop has to offer via personal interview with each retailer. We hope you’ll take the opportunity to support a local shop, as we did. Enjoy!

 

Tinselbox Holiday Pop-Up Shop Event Information:

Location: Foundation for the Carolinas

Event Curator: Chris Hemmes of Charlotte Center City Partners

 

Vendors List:

 

Retailer: Porsche Design

Interviewer: Sonia Fornini, General Manager

 

The store is located in South Park Mall and has been a home for this luxury lifestyle brand for the last two years. Although fairly new to the Charlotte area, this international and iconic line has sustained its global presence for 40 years. Since infiltrating the Charlotte market, Porsche Design has committed to utilizing local talent and collaborating with those in the city as a show of local support. "Form follows function" is the phrase that was used to describe the streamlined, technical and minimalist chic designs.

The staple of Porsche Designs is their hand made handbags and brief bags for men. Each bag is handcrafted from a single piece of Italian leather, with the exception of exotics, in Florence, Italy. The Mya Bag Pony, a signature piece, is 5 of only 10 made in the world. There are 21 U.S. stores and 160 stores globally.

 

As a pioneer in the fashion industry, Porsche Design is credited for making the first all-black watch in 1972. Later in 1990, they then created the first all titanium watch. In 1978 their sunglasses were spotlighted by Yoko Ono and have also been worn by the likes of Prince and Kanye West.

 

If you wish to gather additional information you can follow them on their social media sites:

Instagram: @porschedesigncharlotte  or Twitter: porschedesignnc

 

Retailer: Elsa Fine

Interviewer: Jordan Dollard, Owner/ Personal Shopper/Stylist

 

Elsa Fine is boutique that sells handmade gifts from small businesses nationwide. There are a variety of items sold from Vidalia Vogue Jewelry, to hand-poured candles from California. They are also a retailer for the clothing line Trophies Are for Winners, which is a "sassy, forward, bold" women's clothing line. The entire line, in a nutshell, was described as "tough but cute".

 

Retailer: Frock Shop

Interviewer: Lori Terrell, Associate

 

The Frock Shop is located in the Plaza-Midwood area of Charlotte. Their niche is women's apparel and closeout vintage. It was described by Lori as comparable to a "homegrown Anthropologie" because of the culmination of clothing, dishware and home furnishings. They have been in business for 3 years and opened their brick and mortar location in 2013.

 

 

Retailer: Straight Stitch and Co.

Interviewer: Stan Fraser, Owner

 

This company is rooted in New York, where it all started in 2008. They brought their unique concept to Charlotte, NC in 2013. They specialize in denim customization for a tailored fit and design. You can build your own jeans! There is also a ready to wear portion of their line called Anarke Jeans Co; which includes jeans, t-shirts, sweat shirts, accessories, jewelry, dresses, bags and leather goods. They are located behind the Panthers' Stadium in Downtown Charlotte.

 

Retailer: Kendra Scott

Interviewer: Kelsea Buddo

 

Kendra Scott is a mixed-metals jewelry line located in South Park Mall. They opened their doors here on March 31st, 2015 but have been in existence since 2007. Their first store was opened in 2009 in Austin, Texas and there is a sister store located in Durham, NC at Southpoint Mall. They have thrived because of their wide price range with makes their jewelry and customizable piece affordable for nearly any budget. The accessories range from $50 to a little over $300. Annually, they release 4 seasonal collections. Their current release is the "Mirror, Mirror" winter collection.

 

Retailer: Machicao

Interviewer: Peter Carey

 

Machicao is a luxury clothing designer from Charlotte, NC and is now launching a fragrance. He was the 2013 winner of Paris Fashion Week for the best new designer. The fragrance has heavy citrus notes and floral tones combined with woodsy undertones. It is also hypoallergenic, which makes it inclusive to those that are the most sensitive to allergens. The women's fragrance femininity is accentuated by florals and citrus fragrances whereas the men's fragrance masculinity is played up by ginger and wood. The price range for this is $100-$120, due to the holiday special the pricing is at $75 pre-launch.

 

If you wish to gather additional information you can follow them on their social media sites:

Instagram: @machicaoessence or Facebook: Machicaoessence