Over the weekend, longtime Portland designer/perfumer/vintage purveyor Julia Barbee posted a pretty horrible status update:
I knew something was wrong when I regained consciousness and heard strangers talking about collecting my teeth off the street… If you’re biking at se 32nd & lincoln, that blood is mine!
Barbee was biking when her “bag caught in my wheel and I think maybe I was going over a speedbump? My face hit first…” Luckily, she was wearing a helmet, but the photo she later posted after two hours of surgery is rather grim. So! Due to that, she has also announced the likelihood that her studio in the 811 E Burnside building will be closed temporarily, most likely through the end of the month, at which point you should pay her a visit to compliment her scars and perhaps score yourself one of her wildly imaginative, one-of-a-kind, conversation starting pieces. Here’s to a smooth recovery.
- Julia Barbee
- Just a two and a half foot long necklace made out of skunk fur. NBD.

THIS STORY WOULD BE BETTER IF THAT PHOTO OF THE INJURY WERE INCLUDED.
@graham. Agreed.
Also, will Julia be using the teeth in any of her designs?
Thanks for the news. That shop is one of Portland’s most noted. Bike accidents happen like Mr Plazm and we send best wishes for full recovery to all.
Don’t mind me, just gonna tack this article onto the last big Blogtown debate about bike helmets.
She was wearing a helmet!
Facial injuries are really not funny, and a helmet will do nothing to help prevent them. Hopefully she has insurance and will recover from the accident just fine
Here’s a link to the photo from the accident. I was wearing a helmet, and yeah, I keep kind of laughing that my face protected my helmet.
http://juliabarbee.com/artwork/2821161_Facebook_Portrait_2.html