Valerie Mayen is Yellowcake.
I found Yellowcake while surfing Etsy the other day and fell in love with her unique interpretation of a throw-back, 60′s style coat in what she calls the “Bubble Coat with Funnel Collar”.

Bubble Hem Coat by Yellowcake

This adorable and unique piece shows a ton of imagination and beautiful attention to detail. I love the vintage buttons, those are always a favorite for me. The three-quarter sleeves gives the bubble hem the perfect balance.

Not only is this style something close to my heart but Valerie is currently working out of Cleveland, Ohio (my birthplace).  I see other parallels in our lives if only that she, like me, is an illustrator and art lover, and that passion seemed to surface first in our lives for whatever reason but have ultimately led to expression through a wearable medium.

You can see clearly from a sample of Ms. Mayen’s art work (prints for sale on Etsy.com) that she is inspired by pop-culture but her fashions are not limited by it.

Cupid Valentine Indie Red and Black Striped Sexy Bubble Dress with Yellow Posh lining

Her dresses are what I would call “fairy-tale American” in the way the cut and fabric choices give the Cupid Valentine dress an Almost in Wonderland aesthetic. This super fun dress, that I would wear to just about any formal event, has that sexy but comfortably charming appeal. Again with this piece her very high level of craftsmanship shows in this detail of the sewn in accent of a vintage hair comb at the seem.

Her exceptional attention to detail goes into each custom made item she sells and for that warrants the higher end of the average budget for her coats and dresses. That said, I could see her beautiful “The Animal Collective” prints easily translating into some more accessible screened items (if she has so desired) to add to her fashion collection.

Though her current offering is limited, I will certainly keep a trained eye in her direction, as I know it’s only a matter of time before we see more of her brilliance through artistic fashion expression. Keep up the outstanding work Ms. Mayen, I look forward to seeing your next amazing creation!