We're adoring fans of just about anything Philip Crangi creates, whether it's luxe treasures for his eponymous signature label, or more everyday wares (and believe us, you'll want to wear them every day) for his lower-priced entry-level line Giles & Brother.
And after reading the Business of Fashion's profile on the 2008 CFDA Swarovski Award for Accessories winner, we're even more enamored. “I’d rather own 100 percent of something small than 10 percent of something huge,” he says of his NYC-based enterprise. “It’s more than a job. It’s my baby. I want control over it. I believe in control.” With many young and wide-eyed designers pining for global exposure, Crangi's wisened perspective is a refreshing one.
But what we find all the more impressive is his relationship with his sister and business partner, Courtney, with whom he fondly regards as his co-conspirator in cultivating a "dynasty of design." Despite Crangi's collaborations with fashion designers such as Phillip Lim, Vera Wang and Jason Wu, it's most often his sister who brings out his best work. "Some of my favorite pieces I have made for her—like to wear to something special...I think you can see the love in the pieces," he says in the accompanying home video-like footage (note: it beautifully matches the "buried treasure" aesthetic embodied in most of his pieces).
"Our Story" from The Little Squares on Vimeo.
