Dear Santa: Thread Social's Holiday Give and Get List

By Chris Frey
December 8, 2010

Our Series on What Today's Top Style Experts Plan to Give—and Hope to Get!—for the Holidays

If Thread is the freewheeling yet elegant bride, then Thread Social is her not-yet-married, life-of-the-party younger sister. And ReThread is the socially conscious baby of the family—ever-fashionable but always committed to the larger cause.

All three are designed by New Yorkers Beth Blake and Melissa Akey; and together, they provide countless solutions to any sort of sartorial dilemma.

Thread Social, defined by Beth Blake and Melissa Akey as “fresh, fun, easy, polished, day-to-night dresses with a sense of humor” was born in 2006 on the heels of the highly successful, fashion-forward bridal line, Thread. The fashion design company now maintains the original bridal collection, a bridesmaid dress line, four fashion collections per year and ReThread, an eco- and wallet-friendly line made from leftover fabrics. No piece costs more than $225. “We developed ReThread after an inventory meeting in 2008. We realized we had quite a lot of fabric left over, so we decided to 're-thread' that fabric into existing silhouettes, rather than letting it just sit in our factory and go to waste. ReThread, as a whole, is financially and economically sound, and by saving on development costs and offering it exclusively on our website, we are able to keep the price points low for our customers.”

Thread Social

Thread Social Holiday and Spring 2011

Before launching Thread, Beth Blake and Melissa Akey honed their impeccable taste working in other divisions of the fashion industry. “Our experience in other areas is what makes us a really great team. Having worked at Chanel, Barneys, Vogue and Stila, collectively, we both have an understanding of the luxury industry, as well as the levels of quality and expectations that come with it. We try to implement this knowledge and experience into our own business, from the quality of a fabric to the cut of a dress. We maintain a high standard for Thread,” they told us. To ensure the originality of their line, Beth Blake and Melissa Akey design their own fashion prints—ones often inspired by vintage artwork or wallpaper.

Reese Witherspon, Zooey Deschanel, Lea Michelle, Madeline Martin, Camilla Belle and Blake Lively are just a few of the brand's celebrity fans, and all, according to Beth Blake and Melissa Akey, represent the woman they have in mind when designing their fashion collections. As for a dream client they haven't yet worked with, First Lady Michelle Obama “always comes to mind" they said.

Thread Social

While Blake and Akey concede that celebrity endorsement and generous editorial support from magazines like Elle, Lucky, Instyle and Teen Vogue are key to reaching customers, they also rely on Facebook, Twitter and the Thread Social blog to, in their words, “maintain and nurture our relationships and give our customers instant, insider access into the day-to-day behind Thread.”

Recently that customer base broadened with a designer fashion line they developed in their second collaboration with HSN and Lucky magazine. “With HSN, we were able to reach a new customer, and offer great style and quality at a price we couldn't have managed previously... Going forward, we would love to round out the Thread girl by collaborating with other designers specializing in other genres, be it bags, shoes, sunglasses, outerwear, knits, tights, jewelry, etc.”

Thread Social

What fashion designs Melissa Akey and Beth Blake will wear for the holidays: Magenta Polka Dot Easy Chiffon Dress (Akey), Our Black and Gold Jacquard Print Trench Dress (Blake)

While countless fashionable fans don Thread dresses for all number of holiday parties this season, Beth Blake and Melissa Akey will be keeping things more intimate with family and friends. Akey jumpstarts her holiday season with a mysteriously named celebration we can’t help but compare to the infamous “Festivus (for the rest of us)” introduced on "Seinfeld" (although we’re certain Akey’s festivities are loads more fun). She explained, “My husband and I get together with a big group of friends the weekend before Thanksgiving every year for 'Ripsgiving.' We get creative with the decor (think homemade placemats) and dress code (one year it was red turtlenecks and khakis). A few of the guys are amazing chefs, so the menu is always outstanding.” Later, Melissa Akey will travel to Chicago for Christmas and go skiing in Aspen for the New Year.

Beth Blake will stay close to home this year, as she prepares for a holiday quite possibly spent in the delivery room. (Her due date falls sometime around December 15th.) While Blake said her only Christmas wish is “a healthy baby,” we nevertheless managed to cajole her and Melissa Akey to add a few more items to their list for Santa. They also shared a bit of what they'll be giving in addition to the indulgent day at the spa they're treading “all their beloved Thread girls” to.

(images provided by Thread Social)

What Beth Blake and Melissa Akey Plan to Give (and Hope to Get) This Holiday Season

Roll over items for details

Lego

Beanbag Chair

Sterling Silver Frame

Lanvin H&M

Christopher Rado Limited Edition Ornament

Giles & Brother by Philip Crangi Anchor Necklace

Bulgari Watch

Isabel Marant Leather Trim Blazer

Mink Tunic

Interior Design Book

Dear Santa: Thread Social's Holiday Give and Get List

GIVING

1. Lego: It’s hard to believe this boat is made of Legos! Beth would like to take her nephews to Lego Land, where the Lego marvels are even more impressive.

2. Beanbag Chair: For new nephews, Melissa Akey will personalize super-comfy beanbag chairs by adding a monogram.

3. Lanvin H&M: While the Lanvin Hearts H&M collection has flown off the shelves in-stores, there's plenty on eBay for Melissa to stock up for her nieces.

4. Sterling Silver Frame: This classic sterling silver frame is similar to those that Beth Blake shops for at Framed on Madison, a legendary frame shop in New York. She fills frames with photos for friends and family.

5. Christopher Rado Limited Edition Ornament: Beth Blake loves to give Christmas ornaments to friends and family especially Limited Editions from Christopher Radko.

GETTING

6. Giles & Brother by Philip Crangi Anchor Necklace: Melissa is a fan of the triple anchor style from Philip Crangi’s Giles & Bros. line. We found this Giles & Bros. double anchor pendant that you can build upon by adding other charms.

7. Isabel Marant Leather Trim Blazer: This Isabel Marant designer jacket is top on Melissa's list. The leather trim lends rock star status to the classic cut.

8. Mink Tunic: Beth fell for J Mendel’s mink tunic that just recently made its debut on the fashion runway. This ombre coat has a similar vibe.

9. Bulgari Watch: Beth has the soon-to-be-discontinued Bulgari Tubogas Wraparound Serpent watch on her wish list. This Tubogas bracelet style is equally stunning.

10. Interior Design Book: Melissa would love a gift certificate for an interior decorator to help with her new home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This gorgeous coffee table book from Vogue Living should keep her inspired.

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