From periwinklebloom.blogspot.com

If I could horde these by the piles I would. Soft luxurious
waves of delicately reworked cashmere. Indeed, beautiful
pieces to covet. I must admit I already have several, wraps
and scarves and shrugs, oh my! As delightful to give as they
are to get and all responsibly created of reclaimed
cashmere. Jen Sertl of Angelina Accoutrements, has
honored her Italian heritage of textile artisans and stitched
her way into solid footing amongst her family tree. Her
work is exquisite; trimmed in velvet, embellished with
found beading and finished with a bit of whimsy and
romance. Whether lusciously thick or whispery weightless,
the reworked cashmere is hand-selected and cut with care,
finding unique form in every piece. Jen also happily works
directly with you to freshen up cashmere in your closet!
Simply lovely and effortlessly stylish, a seamless transition
from crisp Winter to cool sweet Spring. Adorn yourself (or
give a subtle mention to your Valentine) and look for her
site and shop updates soon.
Since 2003, independent designer Jen Sertl has been deconstructing and restyling
vintage cashmere into halters, wraps, sweaters, shrugs and scarves.  Each piece is
handcrafted by the designer and features thoughtful details like ruffling, reverse
applique, hand beadwork, silk velvet and lace trims, and vintage pearl and
rhinestone buttons. The result is a collection of exclusive, one-of-a-kind pieces
that are versatile enough to be dressed up or down.

Sertl also creates one-of-a-kind A-line wrap skirts of raw silk, silk organza and other
fine textiles featuring ruffles and other hand-detailing designed to be feminine and
flattering.

Her inspiration is rooted in tradition: She is inspired by her grandmothers’ practice
of utilizing what you have to create something new, by the idea of giving
something a second life that is somehow more beautiful than the first, and by the
idea that in doing so she is honoring her heritage.       

Jen gives trunk shows throughout the Midwest and had her first department store
showing at Mark Shale in Atlanta in Fall 2008.She has received global attention for
her ecofriendly designs, including features on treehugger.com and ecoluxe.com.

Jen donates a portion of sales each year to Amani ya Juu, a ministry teaching
sewing skills to refugee women in Nairobi, Kenya so they can provide for
themselves and their families.

About the designer, in her own words:
This is an interview that I feel best sums up what is most important to me:
http://realbeauty.quasico.com/category/real-beauty-interviews


I have a degree in art history with a focus in Italian Renaissance art, and a love
affair with textiles.  Perhaps this is why my eyes were always drawn to the
gorgeously depicted velvet drapings in the paintings of the artists of that time
period.  

Working with vintage cashmeres is something I truly love and enjoy every moment
of.  I hand-select each sweater based on quality, style, and color.  I find it
invigorating to work with each vintage piece as each has inherent flaws to work
around and with.  It is a challenge I look forward to each time I pick one up.  I
incorporate Italian silk velvets, using embroidery, hand-beading and applique work.  
One of my childhood loves-- raw silk and silk in its many forms and finishes. . . the
texture and the raw edges.  I even find the scent of raw silk to have a strangely
comforting familiar smell that always makes me think of family.  Even more peculiar
is the connection I recently uncovered while talking with my grandma about our
Italian heritage.  She shared with me that my great-grandma's parents were silk-
worm farmers in Northern Italy and that she lived and slept in the barn with the silk
worms hanging over her each night.  

It is this connection and many others that enliven me, and lead me to believe I am
exactly where I am supposed to be doing what I am meant to do.