Beyond the Alley

About DEPT…

Young contemporary apparel, caters to the everyday fashionable woman, the modern and sophisticated girl and all the way up to the fashion forward, diverse gal.

About Corey Lynn Calter…

Corey Lynn Calter developed her aesthetic, a postmodern mix of elegant and offbeat attire, at an early age in her native Philadelphia. There she learned about sewing and fit from her grandfather, a skilled Italian tailor, and combined this talent with a knowledge of color and textiles learned from her mother, a successful interior designer.

She spent her youth back and forth from Philadelphia and New York, spending quality time with the then budding East Village creative and music community while working as the younger-than-expected host of several of the most influential nightclubs in the city.

After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology, Calter immediately embarked on her career working as a costumer for performances like the Joffrey Ballet and Broadway productions such as Phantom of the Opera and Guys and Dolls. Her original vision began to emerge while creating specialty pieces for the urban-punk mecca House of Field during the famed boutique’s 1980’s heyday.

Inspired by the concept of women’s reinvention through fashion, Calter then created her current enterprise, Corey Lynn Calter in 1996, designing contemporary women’s dresses, separates and accessories. She shines in her ability to create and assemble unique prints and unconventional fabrics.

Corey has won several awards throughout her career. In 2001 she was one of GenArt’s Fresh Faces in Fashion, and in 2003 she won the prestigious Los Angeles Fashion Award for Fashion Achievement. She debuted on the runway the same year in a hit show at Smashbox Studios which Women’s Wear Daily named “Best Show” for Los Angeles Fashion week.  Calter has since had several successful shows at LA Fashion Week and also more intimate events for her closest celebrity and journalist supporters.  Her designs have landed on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily seven times, two of which were during the coveted Fashion Week issues featuring her runway show.

About CHINESE LAUNDRY…

CHINESE LAUNDRY was launched in 1981. With groundbreaking styles season after season, Chinese Laundry lives at the forefront of fashion footwear for young women. Chinese Laundry is the perfect expression of its signature combination of outstanding quality and value with a unique and inspired point of view. From stylish daytime looks in innovative fabrics and leathers to evening collections in eye-catching metallics and satins, Chinese Laundry consistently provides a mix of styles and trends that are ideal for today’s fashion landscape.

About Ach Ach Liebling…

Ach Ach Liebling is a pint-sized jewelry company located in the Mission District of San Francisco, CA. All Ach Ach Liebling jewelry is made by hand. Keeping in mind the modern lifestyles of the men and women we serve, our goal is to delight you with new and unexpected jewelry as stylish, durable and affordable as we know how.

Begun in 2006 with a focus on plastics and thematic assemblages, the Ach Ach Liebling line continues to grow in size and scope, but the driving core– our heart, that engine– doesn’t waver. We remain committed to following our own peculiar visions and are unmoved by trends. We like outsiders, hidden treasures, secrets, beauty that’s a little off-beat, fantasy, private hideaways and still link dressing up with make-believe. Some sources of inspiration in drawing up designs have included: all Fassbinder movies, Berlin, The Switchblade Sisters, old postcards, anonymous portraits, Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, E.M. Forrester, classical archeology, Victorian print culture, railroads, clouds, candy, love letters and bullfights.