Upcycled cashmere by Irina Baranova

Richmond, VA is famous for it's beautiful James river, southern cuisine and historic landmarks. It's now getting more and more attention for its vibrant arts and creative talent community. With the local university (VCU) art's school being ranked among the top art schools in the country and a number of local companies attracting international talent the city is turning into a very cool place to live in.



One of the very talented and unique local textile artists is Irina Baranova who is originally from Russia. Irina works with luxurious textiles like cashmere, silk and linen turning them into wearable pieces of art.



Irina upcycles items donated to her by friends and clients turning them into completely new designs. Mixing different fabrics, colors and fibers Irina creates stylish and beautiful sweaters, coats, skirts, vests that look luxurious and cozy at the same time. Every item turns out to be unique and special. Her style is instantly recognizable and you might have seen women and men wearing her designs in the streets of Richmond.

Hand felted scarlet heart for Valentines

There are so many decoration and ornamental items one could create of wool. Hand felting is a very creative and rewarding process. I came up with an idea of hand felting a set of bright red and scarlet wool hearts that could be used as a home decoration or a Valentines Day gift to a friend, class mate, colleague or someone truly special. Each heart has a thread and you can hang it next to your computer at your office or next to a fireplace at home. Let's celebrate February and Valentine's Day!

Spring Green Earrings simple and beautiful

Green is the color of spring. It's very happy, positive and beautiful. I started creating items in green to get ready for the upcoming season. Felted earrings are light, durable and stylish. They look quite different from many other standard jewelry items and are natural and eco-friendly.

Red Rose Brooch for Valentine's Day

I've recently came up with an idea of creating a rose brooch for Valentine's day. It's made of red felted wool and wire. The idea is to celebrate a wonderful day of love, passion and upcoming spring. Bright red and fuchsia hues will be seen everywhere as we approach Valentine's day! Let's celebrate!

Sakura felted berry brooch in cherry and gray

My newest creation is a felted berry brooch in red and gray. The color of the felted beads reminds me of cherry. I was inspired by Sakura Japanese cherry trees in blossom. The brooch in simple and minimalist yet very vivid and eye catching. It has a safe pin attached to its back and can be worn on pretty much any outfit.
The brooch will look perfect on any business suit or a matching dress.

Felted Berry Brooch in Chocolate Blue

I keep experimenting with colors and shapes. My new version of a felted berry brooch comes in chocolate and blue. It's a very vivid and beautiful combination of colors that goes well with pretty much any outdoor and indoor outfits and attires. Unique shapes of my berry brooches make them standout. I get a lot of feedback from clients about how they get noticed everywhere they go wearing my brooch. It's so rewarding to know that!
The colors of the brooch make me think about chocolate and cotton candy ice cream that is pretty good by the way! The combination of tilted blue and dark brown is very rewarding and stylish.