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!!!!

Project Runway: Season 9- A Fan's View

I'm having a blast on my vacation in Finland and I'm ecstatic about my favorite show will begin it's 9th season tomorrow. That show is Project Runway USA. I haven't seen any video on the designers (because the site doesn't show video outside of the US), but I have checked out their bios. Based on the bios, there are some pretty interesting designers, but I'll have to wait until I am able to see the show to see what their personalities are like. I'll have to wait until it airs first in the States, so I may have to wait a couple of days before I see it. I'm probably going to call my U.S. friends and drive them crazy, or I'll attack all of their Facebook pages with tons of questions and asking what do the think of the show and the designers. Maybe, I'll try out for it again, when Season 10 comes around. Until then, stay fashionable and sexy!!!

Walter Van Beirendonck- A Fan's View

I am a fan of many designers. I love Valentino for his glamour. I love Giorgio Armani for his sleek and clean lines. I love Dolce & Gabbana and D Squared for their sleek Italian tailoring and sexy edge. I love Vivienne Westwood for combining her punk edge and her love of art history, but there is one designer that always injects so much fun, humor and caring for the AIDS cause into his clothes (by sewing a re stitch throughout his designs). Every time I see any of his collections, either on line, in magazines, or in stores, I am always surprised and amazed. He always manages to take it somewhere I have never expected. His name is Walter Van Beirendonck.

Walter Van Beirendonck was born in Brecht, Belgium on April 2, 1957. He studied fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium (another place I would like to visit). He is part of the legendary "Antwerp Six" which includes Dirk Van Saene, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, and Marina Yee. His influences were always art and music and his first big break was during London Fashion Week in 1987 with the "Antwerp Six".

When I look at his clothes, I see the sense of humor that he has and the bold use of color in his prints. I used to shy away from prints because I was never sure how to make them work, but after seeing what he does, I try to inject at least a little of his influence into my own designs as well as the sense of fun I have from my club kid days. I love that he and I can be somewhat unconventional. he can see a pattern and create something that may be out of this world, but makes sense in my world.

I also wanna take a moment to say a little prayer for Amy Winehouse, who passed way earlier today. She was 27 years old. Amy, rest in peace. You have lit up the world with your music and you've had to deal with your demons publicly. I hope that you went without pain to sing in the heavens. Love you lots, Amy!!!!

Stay fashionable and sexy!!!!!

Catching Up (Visually) With Fashion- Part Two

As I relax in the endless daylight in the Finnish countryside, I decide to check out my favorite fashion blogs some more as well as some of my favorite designer websites. In the midst of that, I decided to show you more of what I like. Most of what I'll show now is from the Spring/Summer 2012 and Fall/Winter 2011 collections from my favorite designers.

The first set of photos that I'm gonna show is from one of my favorite designers. To me, his stuff always rocks and it's edgy and wearable. His name is Rick Owens and the stuff I will show is from his Fall/Winter 2011 collection. Rick Owens is one of those designers that never fails to surprise me with what he does. There's always a lot of draping and relaxed, slouchy fits, but all of the lines are clean. He's also designed some killer boots that I am DYING to own in black and snakeskin. The boots were from last season, but I still WANT them!!!

These photos are from his Spring/Summer collection. I love that he shows drapey skirts and pants for me. It's totally one direction that I wanna go in!!!!!!

The next set of photos are from Phenomenon Fall/Winter 2011. The clothes here are avant garde, but tongue in cheek. The colors for this collection are a little typical for fall, but there are some surprises (i.e. long pink coat!!!!!). They also showcase a lot of skirts for men and it all looks like a hell of a lot of fun to wear.

The last batch of photos is from Etro. They always amaze me with their prints and their sharp, European tailoring. I would love to OWN this whole collection of Spring/Summer 2012. So many amazing pieces that I would wear into fall and on!!!

I also took some time and caught up on one of my favorite shows, Project Runway Australia.

They have a new host, a new mentor and new judges. The mentor, Alex Perry I am familiar with, because of his work as a designer and as a judge on Australia's Next Top Model (see a pattern here? Next place to check out ;) ). I love his brand of "tough love" when he mentors the other designers. I also like a few of the designers on the show, either because of what they can do or their personality. It's gonna make for a fun season of creativity. I already have my favorites and I'm gearing up to see when Project Runway USA starts.

Until then, stay fashionable and sexy!!!!!

Catching Up (Visually) With Fashion

While on vacation in Finland, I took some time to check up on my fellow fashion bloggers and other fashion sources to prepare myself for the next phase of creating and designing. I'm always sewing and sketching, but now it's time to take it further. I'm also working in the schedule of doing an entry every day, or every other day. Everything is still in the beginning stages, but I will hit my stride soon enough.

There has been an explosion of Fall/Winter fashion being shown lately as well as some interesting Spring/Summer fashion. I've been stockpiling many fashion layouts and look books that have caught my attention. I've got them from some of the designer websites as well as from my fellow bloggers. I'll showcase and speak on a few now. Most of these pics are on my Facebook page. These are fashion layouts that are inspiring me and giving me the direction where I want to go.

The first is a layout from "Schon Magazine". I got this from one of my favorite photography blogs, Homotography. It stars one of my favorite models of the moment, Leebo Freeman. The reason why I like this layout is because of the amazing clothes and the bold colors. I am especially in love with the spiked purple leather jacket and the crystal encrusted eye patch. The whole look of this particular shoot appeals to my glam rock side of myself. I'm a sucker for a glam rock or a punk look, so anything studded or encrusted gets my attention.

I haven't posted the whole layout, but these are my favorite pics.

The next set of pics are of the Gilt/Lady Gaga campaign. It was styled by Nicola Formischetti. He is the creative director for Thierry Mugler. I LOVE his vision. This layout also stars another favorite model of the moment, Eric Puzio. I particularly like this shoot because of the edginess that Eric brings because of his unique look and the unconventional featuring of the clothes (i.e. Eric in an asymetric dress with a purse and slouchy boots with all of his piercings). It's attention grabbing, but everything works here!!!

Also, Eric is SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

The last set of pics are from "Chaos Magazine". This layout features another favorite model of the moment, Dan Felton. This shoot is TOTALLY up my alley and is pretty much in the direction where I want to go with some of my designs.

I have taken all of these pics from Homotography and NewMaleFashion. I thank them both for posting them and giving me countless ideas for my creations.

Stay Fashionable!!!!!!

Berlin Fashion Week: 7/5 - 7/11

This season's Berlin Fashion Week was pretty cool. I didn't get to see any shows, like I did last season, but I made up for it by checking out a lot of showrooms and galleries this time around. I'll be speaking on a few highlights.

One of my first galleries that I checked out was Camera Work (Camera Work-Herb Ritts, Kantstrasse 149, Berlin 10623) for the Herb Ritts exhibit. Herb Ritts is one of my many favorite photographers. His work is simply amazing!!! There were many different photos on display of supermodels (Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Elaine Irwin), actors and actresses (Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, Christian Bale, Jack Nicholson) and pop stars (Madonna). My favorite photograph (and I would love to own a print of) is of a blood splattered Christian Bale when he did "American Psycho". It's a little morbid, but it's a pretty awesome pic. The exhibition showed a body of work of a photographer that really connected with his subjects and got the best out of them. Whether it was for his own art projects, album artwork, or a fashion magazine, he manages to showcase his style within the celebrities and models. His photographs are usually the kind of photographs that when you look at them, you know it's him.

The next gallery I checked out was the West Berlin Gallery (West Berlin Gallery- Adidas Slvr, Brunnenstrasse 56, Berlin 13355). This gallery had some amazing artwork sponsored by Adidas Slvr. I went there, expecting to see some out of this world sneakers, but got some amazing artwork on paper, canvas, and even tshirts!!! Adidas never fails to surprise me with their collaborations. All of the artworks there were stand out pieces.

At this point, I was ready to check out some clothes. I've indulged in my arty, gallery side and now i was ready to take on some showrooms. Every showroom I went to had the the kind of set up that i wanted for myself: the front room to show and sell the clothes and the back room to sew and create the pieces.

The first showroom I checked out was Wesen Showroom (Wesen Showroom, Weserstrasse 191, Berlin 12045). The clothes were pretty sharp, casual wear and green. Let's just say that this is some funky street wear!!! The cuts for men and women were cool and slick and by just going through their racks, I got some ideas for my own stuff.

The next showroom I checked out was Widda Berlin (Widda Berlin- Die Modepioniere, Brunnenstrasse 67, Berlin 13355). The clothes here were cool and pretty dramatic in some ways. I love her ideas and a lot of the fabrics she used (silks, leathers) as well as her accessories. Her bags alone make me want to carry a purse. There was a gallery owner/rock star vibe to her clothes. All of the concepts were wearable and would turn heads on the street. I hope to see some edgy men and women in her clothes, even if I'm the only one!!!

Those were just a few places that I've checked out on this Fashion Week. I got a lot of ideas from a lot of the things I saw. I may be incorporating some of them into what I do.

As for the previous sketches that I've done, the pieces are coming along slowly and i still have to do a few more patterns. I've been traveling for a bit, so I'm off of my game a little, but it's all coming together.

During my travels, I got to NYC and checked out the Alexander McQueen- Savage Beauty exhibit. It was breathtaking!!!!! He is the kind of designer I want to be: a little dark, but tongue in cheek. I couldn't begin to describe how AMAZING everything was!!!! The fabrics, the ideas, the drama!!! Simply amazing!!!!


Stay fashionable!!!!