In this week’s Sunday Spotlight, we hit up Claire Mazur, the co-founder of Of a Kind, “an art gallery for emerging designers” that carries exclusive limited editions. Of a Kind selects designers whose work it loves and features them on the site, one at a time (sound familiar?). As the first ever store to be launched on Tumblr, Claire & Of a Kind have been covered by WWD, DailyCandy, the Today Show and more.
Even though Claire is currently not single (sorry gents!), we couldn’t think of anyone better to get fashion & date tips than Claire—she’s been in the fashion industry since 16, after a chance encounter with Donna Karan. And being in the fashion industry also means lots of opportunities for social events at the hottest spots in the city!
To keep up with her latest & greatest, follow Claire on tweeter @ofakind
———————————————————————————————-

1. What is the must-have accessories for men this summer that can elevate his looks?

Men need to make sure their summer shoe game is on point. This is, evidently, a struggle for them. I don’t think flip-flops are acceptable for dudes, and, in general, I think you’d be hard-pressed to find a guy who can pull off any type of sandal. I think the single-color slip-on Vans (#1) are a nice and inexpensive solution—white is great if you can keep them clean. If you want something a little more substantial and are willing to shell out a bit more money, these Common Projects sneakers (#2) are also great.

2. Same for ladies?

I rarely leave home without my jean jacket in the summer—it goes with everything I wear and it’s clutch in combating the A/C-induced whiplash when moving from outdoors to indoors. I love this vintage one by reformation (#3) which they updated with lace sleeves—so perfect for summer. 

Something else I’ve been over-wearing most this summer are the wren batik print shorts in red (#4), which I purchased from Of a Kind. They are ridiculously comfortable and light—and also make me look like I’m putting in more effort than throwing on a pair of jean cut-offs. 

3. (Bonus for New Yorkers!) What is your idea of the best Sunday date in NYC?

Almost anything that tears me away from the computer and my inbox would be great! I love a good bloody mary, and I’ve been dying to try the one at Joseph Leonard, so I’d want to head there for a big brunch. Then we’d walk it off on our way over to the Megaplex at Union Square to see Magic Mike. I never get to see movies when they’re still in the theatres, and this one seems like it would be well-served by the big screen. This all assumes the weather is gross and I’ll want to escape into the air-conditioning, since that’s New York’s M.O. lately. On the off-chance that it’s pleasant out I’d love to try the free kayaking on the Hudson