On the road with Timothy Liles...

I just had the great pleasure of meeting with an up-and-coming designer from New England, Timothy Liles. He has already received much acclaim while working as a footwear designer for the beloved brand Converse, collaborating with them on a "Shoe String Settee" that is pure genius. He also creates Crayon Rings in his kitchen....how cool is that??

His current work is a collection called “New New England,” which he describes as "a modern set influenced by traditional American craft aimed at connecting consumers with the source of their products, bringing maker and user closer together." The pieces are connected to the past in craftsmanship while definitely designed with a modern aesthetic.

Right now he is touring the country in a renovated conversion van, showing his collection along the way. By the way, how much do you love the tour blog, "Vanpire Weekend"?

Here's a few photos of the collection, which is also being featured at NYC's new hip hotel, the Ace Hotel: