Work In Progress

It's been a little while since my last entry. I've been quite the busy bee. In between doing the research for my blog and catching up on my fashion magazines (I just have the current ones to get through before the major September issue of American Vogue comes out), I've been working on putting together some menswear pieces. I've been designing and creating womenswear, but I've been asked quite a bit if I design menswear. I can do a few pieces here and there, but I haven't actually sat down and put together a menswear line yet. I want to do it in the future, but right now I'm gonna focus on womenswear.

I've also been working on a couple of thing, both are still in their early stages, but I have to mention them. For one, a few of my pieces will be featured in a photo shoot. The shoot will take place in September (hopefully before I go to London Fashion Week). Here are the pieces that will be featured:

The first is a royal blue cocktail dress with a ruffle collar. It started off as a simple plunging neckline, low back, short dress but it needed some drama, so the ruffle collar came in. It was my first piece ever with a ruffle. I'm very proud of that dress and every time someone sees it, I get really good, really big responses.

The second piece is a white cocktail dress with a Marimekko ruffle on the shoulder and waist. It's another dress that I'm very proud of and I can't wait to see it on a model.

The next couple of dresses are very interesting because at the time I made them, I was still practicing on my machine, trying to get back in the groove of sewing after not doing it for a long time. The fabric is a sheet (or duvet cover with matching pillowcases) that I liked the pattern of from Ikea (inspiration can strike anywhere- EVEN IKEA) and I've combined them with red and black cotton to come up with these two dresses. One has red triangle detail and one strap and the other has red stripe detail leading up to a triple strap/single strap dress.

I'm most likely gonna work on a couple more pieces or redo them for this shoot. I'm trying to bring in some cohesion, so it looks like more like a line and less like random dresses. I'm also gonna get (or create) a few accessories to go with them.

Another thing that I'm working on concerns my menswear designs. I'm not exactly sure what I'm gonna do yet, so I may try out a few things and see what sticks. I'll try out a few jackets, button up shirts and see what works. A friend of mine in Amsterdam mentioned a store that was looking for edgy menswear and he passed on my name and email address. I'm dying to get my stuff in a store, so I have to get back to him as soon as I possibly can. Let's just say that all of this will keep me busy for a bit!!!!

Stay fashionable and sexy!!!!

Fashion and The Economy- A Designer's View

As I sit and try to figure out the logic behind the current budget package and seeing where the economy is going, I'm trying to see what it means fashion wise. I'm mostly trying to see what is selling and how can I make money in this economy. Many fashion magazines will tell you that you should have an investment piece (something that you spend a lot of money on, like a Burberry trench coat or a shearling coat by Andrew Marc) and mix it with your midrange (Zara, Ann Taylor, Jones New York, Topshop/Topman) or lower range pieces (H&M, Forever 21, Strawberry, Joyce Leslie), and that is a good idea, although I think it's something that everyone does already.

Right now the U.S. stock market has ended it's day at the lowest that it has been in years. Tomorrow I'll find out about Europe's market and on Wednesday, the Asian market. As a struggling, beginning designer how does all of this affect what I do and how do I stay true to myself (being edgy with some conservative pieces) and also make money to sustain my business in this economic down turn.

I wanted to take some time and work on a website, where you can see and purchase my clothes, but there isn't much time. Nonetheless, I have a plan.

My plan is to go through my sketchbook and pick out five dresses that can work in any color combination and within the five pieces, have a couple of silohuettes and sew them like crazy. I would do as many as I can and put them on Facebook, Ebay and Amazon.com. I would do this to get my name out there and to generate some income to keep the business going. Since we're coming into the fall season and the holiday season, the dresses will be party dresses. As I do them, I will post them on Facebook and on my blog. I may also do some one off pieces as well. Now is as good a time as any to get this started.

If time allows, I will also offer up my services to custom make things. Keep in mind that they may take a little longer and I may need you to do your own measurements (I will tell you how to do them), unless you're in Berlin (or anywhere I am), then I can take them for you.

As for menswear, there may be some one off pieces popping up as well. I will devote a few entries to menswear, but right now my focus is womenswear.

This is just a plan that I have been tossing around in my head for the past couple of hours and I'm still trying to work out all the details on paper, but I think with more suggestions I can make this work and finally get my line off of the ground.

Let me know what you think!!!!!!

Stay fashionable and sexy!!!!