BOK-Newspaper-Fall25

A Look Inside

Issue 31 Fall 2025

1

Fall 2025

Ready to Wear Discover what some of Bok’s fashion and textile designers have brought from sketchbook to cloth for you to sport this season.

Wax Poetic Clothing Johanna and Bryn design and create whimsical alternative styles with a focus on size inclusivity and accessibility. Shop their Halloween styles in person at Bok Open Studios! waxpoeticclothing.com @waxpoeticclothing

Room Shop Low waste, small batch women’s accessories made in Philadelphia by founder Shelly Horst. Dramatize your fall look with ribbon and lace headscarves and scrunchies! roomshop.us / @roomshopcapsule

A flowing wedding cape customized from scratch for the special day.

The Tailored Collective Specializing in custom tailoring and design, founder Nik Ronca believes in creating a safe environment for queer and body-positive alterations. linktr.ee/thetailoredcollective @tailoredcollectivephl

The Deli Collective Where passion for food meets fashion flair!

The Deli Collective’s Sopranos-inspired collection is available now. delicollective.com @TheDeli_Collective

2

/ A Look Inside

Ready to Wear

Parcel Island Parcel Island specializes in gifts like greeting cards, stickers, apparel, art prints, and home goods. Saddle up this fall with their “City Slicker” t-shirt, featuring a graphic of a cowboy skeleton wrangling a raccoon through the streets of Philly.

StockedUp StockedUp is an elevated streetwear brand with a message focused on personal motivation and growth. For their current capsule collection, StockedUP merges art, culture, and creativity in motion.

parcelisland.com / @parcelisland

stockedup.store @stockedup15

The Law Bridal Owner Megan Lawrence designs non-traditional bridal, constructed in-house at their Bok studio. Available to shop next door at Kinfolk Bride. thelawbridal.com @thelawbridal

ruin studios Ruin Studios is rooted in slow fashion— founder Caitlyn Ellerbeck believes in ‘sexiness in strength’ and creates pieces to empower, while giving new life to deadstock and upcycled materials. @mslauryntats in a full upcycled ruin look shot by @brookepizio

ruinstudios.com / @ruin_studios

Larkin Blouse + Skirt

To see the full list of textile + design businesses at Bok, visit buildingbok.com/community.

Guatemalan men’s shirts and women’s huipils embody Mother Earth’s colors and symbols, blending Mayan traditions with Spanish influences while carrying forward vibrant history, color, and cultural pride. Together, these textiles inspire new generations to honor and preserve their Guatemalan heritage.

This hat weaving technique is a fully manual craft using toquilla straw. Each hat undergoes washing, bleaching, shaping, ironing, and pressing, taking anywhere from one week to nine months depending on its quality and delicacy.

Traditional Salvadoran wallets, crafted from colorful fabrics, leather, or recycled materials, feature embroidery and native patterns that blend function with local art. Their vibrant colors, geometric shapes, and nature- or faith-inspired designs are rooted in Pipil (Nahuatl) heritage.

In Colombia’s Valle del Cauca, artisans collect tagua seeds—“vegetable ivory”—and transform them into handmade accessories that unite biodiversity, tradition, and conscious design. Polished and crafted with recycled fibers, each piece carries the rainforest’s story while honoring the bond between people and land.

Founded in 2018, the Global Craft Market (GCM) is a collective of immigrant artisans and micro-importers dedicated to sharing the artisanal traditions of their home countries. After participating in a program with Bok-based nonprofit the Welcoming Center and years of vending at building and local markets—including Philadelphia’s Christmas Village— the group became a cooperative in 2024. Offering handmade products from across Latin America, every purchase supports fair trade, preserves tradition, and sustains livelihoods. They’re proud to be Philadelphia’s first immigrant women-owned craft and micro-importers cooperative.

Ocoxal (o-koh-shal), from the Nahuatl words for “Ocote pine” and “sand,” refers to the pine needles carpeting the forest floor. In regions like Michoacán and Estado de México, artisans collect and weave these needles into one-of-a-kind baskets that merge natural beauty with traditional craft.

This summer the GCM opened up their first storefront in the Bok WKSHP. “We’ve seen firsthand the genuine work and passion of the artists in their workshops and studios, and that energy is what drew us in,” says Silvia Roldan, President of the Global Craft Market Cooperative. “This is more than just a place; it’s a community where we feel a strong sense of belonging.” Step into their shop and you might find toys such as ceramic whistles, cloth dolls of different colors, rings made of silver threads, handcrafted paintings, alpaca jackets, and more! This fall keep an eye out for new products, some special workshops and pop-up events, and a new website so you can shop and support the GCM from anywhere.

Shop the Global Craft Market in the Bok WKSHP! Tuesday-Friday 10am to 3:30pm, Saturday + Sunday from 10am to 4pm. @globalcraftmarket

5

Fall 2025

A Perfect Fit: The Tailored Collective

Founder Nik Ronca in their studio.

How owner Nik is tailoring without limits or labels to create a tight-knit creative community—and “gownzedos.”

What is Tailored Collective all about?

Nik puts the finishing touches on a custom bridal piece.

Do you have a favorite piece you’ve designed recently?

I’d have to say the “Gownzedo.” When I was a child I had a sketchbook of different garments I wanted to make. One was a tuxedo with a beautiful dress flowing from the bottom. When my client reached out to me after being turned away by 12 other tailors, it was like the manifestation of a childhood dream.

Tell us about the art we see in your studio.

Photos by Ed Newton

After the tragic passing of my partner, As Above, So Below (a prominent member of the Philly street art community), I found myself supported by many of the artists found on these walls. Seeing their art every day reminds me of how much this city, and its people, mean to me.

Above: Founders Maricha Genovese and Kaitlin Kerr. Right: Their jewelry is made in-studio and displayed for shopping in their retail area.

Making Magic with Alloy Atelier From the workbench to the display case, find your sparkle with jewelers Maricha and Kaitlin at Alloy Atelier.

What is Alloy Atelier all about and what inspired you to start your business?

Alloy celebrates craftsmanship, self-expression, tradition, and community through handmade jewelry and shared knowledge. We became friends while

Photos by Ed Newton

As a queer-owned business, we aim to create a positive and accepting environment for people to explore their personal sense of style. We believe that finding your perfect fit should be a joyous experience, unhampered by arbitrary, pre-drawn boxes. We specialize in alterations for queers, whether that’s orientation or personality. If you’ve ever felt even a little out of place in general society, we’ve got the space for you!

What’s new at Tailored Collective this fall?

We’re welcoming artists Emily Joynton of Loop 306 (who provides unique chain stitch embroidery) and Jeremy Pero, owner of Slag Bags, to join our space.

I’m excited to see what these two amazing Philly textile artists will accomplish.

How can people get involved in your business?

Create your own perfect piece by playing around with what you already own. How many times have you put something on only to immediately take it off because it just doesn’t fit quite right? Bring those things to us and let’s have a conversation! linktr.ee/thetailoredcollective / @tailoredcollectivephl

studying Craft at the University of the Arts. After 15 years of building our own jewelry brands it was time to combine our longtime dreams of owning a jewelry store and teaching space! The current state of the world has also deepened our desire to create a space for connection and joy.

What makes Alloy Atelier a unique space?

Alloy is one-of-a-kind—a galler y, workshop, and educational space all in one.

We call it an “atelier” as a nod to the traditional way makers learned their craft: in a shared community of beginners and experts.

After UArts’ sudden closure last year, we were able to purchase some of the very tools we trained on, which our students now use too! By displaying finished pieces in the same space they’re made, we bridge the gap between creation and appreciation.

solitaire-style ring with a central diamond nestled amongst leaves; it is one of the designs debuting in my upcoming Bridal/Commitment collection.

Kaitlin: When it comes to our educational offerings, I will always get excited about an Intro class.

Watching a student light a torch for the first time never loses its magic, and seeing their confidence grow and their skills progress week after week is so inspiring.

What’s new at Alloy Atelier this fall?

Our fall schedule includes new workshops, plus more sessions of our multi-week classes. We’ll also be welcoming a few new artists to our gallery space to ramp up for holiday shopping.

How can people get involved in your business?

Sign up for our newsletter, take a class, and shop mindfully—a value close to our hearts. At Alloy, we offer repairs to give your beloved pieces new life, and our gallery features thoughtfully-made pieces that will stand the test of time. Come shop and visit us in the WKSHP!

Do you have a favorite piece you’ve designed recently? What about a favorite class or workshop?

Alloy Atelier’s educational area for jewelry-making classes and workshops.

Maricha: I recently finished an engagement ring redesign for a close friend. It is a hand-carved,

alloyatelier.com / @alloyatelier

/ A Look Inside

6

Simon

Co-owner of Transport Cycles East Passyunk

’Shop Style

FALL FASHION MUST

“Tenugui scarves for a splash of color around my neck, and my Freenote Cloth shirts.”

Need some fall fashion inspo? Look no further than the Bok WKSHP!

Michael

Boxing coach

South Philly FALL FASHION MUST

Andrew

Photographer (caught in Bok shooting with Feast Jewelry) and designer

“Gorpcore— baggy cargo pants, Goretex shoes... in general I want to look like I’m from space.”

Kye

Content Creator for the Working Families Party

Allentown

Queen Village

TODAY’S LOOK

From a State of Ruin

FALL FASHION MUST

“The pants and shoes were a personal project; the vest I made under my line @highof69—I thrift, bleach, dye, and draw on denim.”

See old textiles in an all new (fashionable) light at Ruin Studios.

“Wearing pants again.”

Clancey

Works at a Queer Community Center West Philly FALL FASHION MUST

Dan

“Utility layers and good biking weather.”

Barista at Two Persons

Tired of the fashion industry’s waste, pollution, and excess, Caitlin started Ruin Studios to “make something cool out of what already exists, and give new life and meaning to unwanted garments and materials.” Rooted in slow, sustainable consumption with an aim to create pieces that empower the wearer, Ruin offers upcycled oneof-ones, bespoke cut-and-sew garments, thrift flips, curated vintage, and original art.

West Philly

Kam

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FALL

Retired South Philly

“Making Time!”

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FALL

“The Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinatown. I love watching the mooncake eating contest!”

Niare

Designer, StockedUp

Rob

South Philly

Strawberry Mansion

FALL FASHION MUST

Event assistant at Bok

Recent pieces include a black denim cropped pullover with brass buckles and gold stitch work down the sleeves. “It’s a statement piece that gives a dystopian, straight jacket vibe; the details in it are crazy,” says Caitlin. Those special touches and details in her work are catching eyes outside of Philly—this fall Ruin has its first NYFW runway debut!

“I can’t wait to wear beanies again.”

FALL FASHION MUST

“It’s time to bring capes back to the forefront— we’re not doing enough floorlength capes.”

Ruin Studios’ space feels less like an artist’s studio and more like your coolest friend’s apartment— sunlit and airy, with lush plants, cozy rugs, racks of one-of-a-kind garments, a WIP canvas in the corner, and a vibey playlist humming in the background. The calm, inspiring atmosphere doesn’t feel like an accident, but rather owner Caitlin Ellerbeck’s personal antidote to the overstimulating world of fast fashion.

Ruin Studios is always open to connect and collab—DM them on Instagram or stop by their space on the 6th floor. Caitlin’s pitbull Nala (“the brains behind the business”), will probably be snoozing on the couch, so feel free to bring her a treat.

Casey

Cook

ruinstudios.com @ruin_studios

Erica

Kensington FALL FASHION MUST

Program Manager Chinatown FALL FASHION MUST

“Jackets!”

Iveth Ashley

Tour photographer

Point Breeze LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FALL

“My birthday!”

Barista at Two Persons South Philly FALL FASHION MUST

“I recently learned how to make my own button-up shirts. I need to find some fun fabric to make more.”

Darnell

Facilities at Bok

From sketch to wearable, upcycled art.

North Philly LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS FALL

“Football!” (caught sporting a sweatshirt

by Bok tenant Wear Phillthy!)

Photos by Ed Newton

“I’m still on the hunt for the perfect denim jacket.”

Issue 31 // Fall 2025 A Look Inside

What’s Next

buildingbok.com @buildingbok

Made @ Bok Market

Yours Truly Market Sunday, September 28 Kick your holiday shopping off early this year! Yours Truly Market is a thoughtfully-curated event created by artists, for artists.

Explore their selection of handmade goods, jewelry, fine art, ceramics, and more.

Fall Open Studios Friday, October 10 Fall into inspiration at Bok! Explore all 9 floors of the building and step inside 100+ artist and creative studios for an evening of discovery and connection. Free and family-friendly, it’s your chance to shop, sip, and engage with the talented artists, makers, and small businesses that bring Bok (and the great Philly arts community!) to life.

Made @ Bok Night Market Friday, November 14 Made @ Bok Market is back this season with an evening kickoff event. Get a head start on holiday shopping while supporting some of the incredible makers and small businesses from our building community. Shop—and gift—local!

Produced by

scout

Cover photo Ruin Studios by Ed Newton Content + Design Kelley Garrard

For more events, visit buildingbok.com/calendar

Template design Smith & Diction Photos Provided by Scout or each feature unless otherwise credited