NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog

What's a Fashion Colorist?

2012-02-01T00:12:00.005-05:00

The fashion industry is very unique and dynamic. It's a wonderful industry to be a part of! Not everyone is a design director or an assistant designer. There are other major roles that assist in the process of development through production.

A fashion colorist is a person whose role is to approve lab dips and bulk fabric according to the color standards that the design team choses to use for each style. For example, the design team designs a scoop neck tee offered in six colorways which includes one print (tangerine, sun, turquoise, sand, grass green, rose print). The color standards are physically mailed to the production manufacturer. The color standards can be yarn swatches or Pantone color swatches. In the case of a print like our rose print example, the CAD (color aided design) team will produce artwork that the design team chooses to use. This artwork can be emailed or physically mailed to the production manufacturer.

The production manufacturer will send lab dip swatches to be approved before they proceed to make sales samples and proceed into bulk production. The colorist reviews the lab dips which should be in the desired fabric chosen by the design team. The lab dips will be received on a card with fabric quality details and color names of each lab dip. The lab dips are approximately 1" x 1" in size. The colorist reviews the lab dips against the design team's color standards in a color cabinet or what's popularly known as a light box.

photo courtsey of Gester Instruments

The light box has different light settings so that the colors can be a sure match. Depending on the type of light box that's used, the color settings can range from incandescent, outdoor, department store and ultra violet. The fashion colorist approves or rejects lab dips sent from the production manufacturer by emailing comments to the manufacturer. For example, color comments can be as follows:

-Grass Green: Go 20% less blue. Send a 2nd submit for review
-Sun: Approved. Proceed with sales samples in this color

The colorist has a sharp eye and is great at organizing lab dip submits to bring into design status update meetings with the internal development team. The colorist also has a good filing system to refer to lab dip comments for future references. This is a very important position as it's the colorists enthusiasm and commitment to perfection that's needed to be in charge of this process.

If this sounds like a position that you're interested in, try working as an intern to get a feel of this position.

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Collaborate for Growth & Success

2012-01-15T11:53:00.019-05:00

Happy Birthday to the great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

This post is a reminder about collaborating with others to expand your market and reach more potential customers. So how does this relate to Mr. King? He collaborated with others who shared his views which allowed him to reach a wider audience. Here are just a few ways that King worked with others to bring more attention to his cause:

-The Southern Christian Leadership Conference
-The Poor People's Campaign
-The Sanitation Worker's Campaign

As we celebrate his birthday today and honor all of his achievements, let's explore how we can learn from his efforts by applying them to our fashion business. This could include joining fashion groups in your area, inviting other designer friends to help establish a local fashion week or donating to non profit causes.

Here's my favorite King tribute video. It's a great example of artist collaboration. There are so many wonderful artists featured like New Edition, Stephanie Mills, Fat Boys and Whitney Houston among a talented host of others. I can't imagine this song as a solo performance but as a group collaboration it's dynamic!

Wishing you All the Best in 2012!

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How to Become a Fashion Designer 2

2012-01-04T22:22:00.009-05:00

Fashion Designer, Juan Delgado answers this question in part two of his interview!

Juan's designs photographed by Ehsan Ababafha

In part two of this video interview, fashion designer Juan Delgado's motto is to just do it! That is, if you are talented and are thinking about becoming a fashion designer, there's no better time than now to showcase your talent to the world! Do it in a way that feels comfortable to you. If you want to start by showcasing your designs to family and friends, great! That's a start. Talent is a natural gift and sharing your talent makes your gift even more special. By sharing, you enlighten others to your creative world.

Juan definitely enlightened me in the second part of this interview as he discusses the cultural differences on the island of Hispanola between the African and French traditions.

Come and take a peak at Juan's portfolio! He's only in high school and already has had his own fashion show.

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How to Become a Fashion Designer

2011-12-18T23:32:00.011-05:00

Juan Delgado has the answer to this question!

Designer, Juan Delgado

Who is Juan? I met Juan in Tarrytown, NY and discovered his interest in fashion design. I noticed his desire and ambition which is truly magnetic and genuine. His love of fashion is truly amazing given his age. Juan is a senior in high school and has so much confidence and drive that he produced his very own fashion show featuring his unique designs. His fashion show was presented at the Tarrytown library earlier this year.

His idea is to share his talent now and not wait until he graduates from college which of course his major will be fashion design.

Come with us on this adventurous journey as Juan tells the story of his last memory of his native country and how it sparked an interest in fashion design!

This video is part one of two.

Enjoy!

***Turn your volume up more if needed to hear Juan's voice better :)

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Costing a Garment - The Real Scoop!

2011-08-24T09:01:00.007-04:00

Ever wonder how apparel companies deal with costing their garments? I've just read an interesting article that I'd like to share! The company's name is Bento, they give their readers full transparency on costing one of their t-shirt styles. They break down the costs involved with the following:

*fabric cost
*pattern making cost for the t-shirt
*sample cost for having samples made to approve for fit
*grading the t-shirts for a size run
*labels and hang tag cost
*manufacturing cost for production

After the cost breakdown, Bento shares their profit for this particular t-shirt and openly shares the cost that they sell the t-shirt to their stockist (retailer), and the price that the retailer sells it to consumers.

"So, each t-shirt costs a grand total of $30.00 to produce. We sell them to stockists for around $40.00 and they sell them to you for around $80.00."

Here's the link to read the full article: http://thisisbento.com/tag/finance/

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Are You Curious About Being a Fashion Designer? Jumpstart Your Career with Workable Proven Tactics!

2011-06-10T10:15:00.030-04:00

Follow our featured New York fashion designer for 3 quick tips to get you in!

Being a fashion designer certainly has it's share of roller coaster thrills. Every season is going to be different from the last. So, how do you jump into this constantly moving industry and run your own fashion business at the same time? It's good to have guidance from an experienced peer for career advice.

Today, we have a fabulous apparel designer whose t-shirts are worn by fashion savvy men and women who love rockin’ unique tees. This designer is going to share with you three quick tips to help you gain entry into the New York fashion industry while managing your own fashion apparel business. These exclusive tips are universal so use them wherever your fashion industry is located.

So, who is this fabulous designer and why should you take her advice? Adriana Marie is the designer behind her vintage inspired line of t-shirts for men and women. Her company’s name is Adriana Marie Co.

Adriana Marie (Fashion Designer)

How did Adriana start working in the New York fashion design industry and create her own business?

Adriana studied fashion design at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and moved to New York to work in the fashion industry in 2008. She started her t-shirt line in 2009 while working full-time in the fashion industry.

“I started really pushing my tee shirt line in April 2009. I was doing research for about a year prior. I was so dedicated that when I moved here (NYC) I had no internet so I would sneak into Hunter College and tell them that I was a part of the student government and they let me use their computers. lol.”

Amore Collection, Adriana Marie Co.
Adriana has worked for major apparel companies such as Talbots as a Pre-Production Coordinator. She also has the following experiences as she quotes:

“I have worked for a bathing suit company in Florida, Lila Nikole, worked for BCBG as their visual merchandiser of their flagship store and I have also worked for Christian Francis Roth and Tory Burch.“

She also has the experience of working with notable television personalities such as America's Next Top Models Jade Cole, Bre and Tocarra. She has also worked with singer/songwriter Ellie Goulding and CSI Miami's Eva LaRue.

Adriana is able to balance working in the industry and designing her t-shirt collection. The beauty of her tees is that they incorporate art with positive inspirational quotes. She grew up with inspirational quotes all around her, literally!

"My parents posted positive quotes and affirmations around the house to promote a positive lifestyle and enforce self-development. So basically, when you looked anywhere we were always reading something positive, inspiring and empowering."

Wow! Adriana has an awesome background. We can see that she started with an idea, went to school, moved to New York City and did whatever it took to make her dream come true. This can happen for you as well! It takes consistent work and dedication to make your dream a reality.

Amore Collection, Adriana Marie Co.

Now it’s your turn to shine! Here are the exclusive tips that Adriana shares with you so that you can make the big leap into the wonderful world of fashion design:

1) Fashion design portfolio maintenance and computer programs to know:

“Keep up to date on your portfolio regularly. It’s such a competitive industry and this is how you sell yourself. Make sure that you know Illustrator and Photo shop for sure. Other programs such as the Microsoft Office programs and Outlook (email) are a necessity. Most jobs use different systems so it’s hard to pinpoint what to suggest...like at Talbots we used WebPDM and at my current job we use Electra Gallery.”

2) What's the quickest way to get a freelance or full-time job?

“Be current with what the industry is looking for. It’s a good idea to work with a placement agency because, they get the jobs first hand. Sometimes when you submit your resume online it goes into a pool and if they don’t call you, there is less of a chance to get looked at in the future, agencies help with that! “

3) What's the best way to manage working a job in the fashion industry and building your business?

“Wow… It’s not easy. I work around the clock and I’m surrounded by my business. The best way to manage both is to be on top of everything and make sure that you don’t let anything lag or pass you by. You have to be on your A game at all times.”

It looks like being organized is one of the keys to success. You already have the talent! Now you just have to manage your day.

These are wonderful, workable tips from a real life experienced professional. Thanks Adriana for sharing these quick tips!

But, that's not all! Adriana is very active in the fashion community. You'll want to follow her for more insights and to be a part of her great adventure as she builds her fashion business.

“I invite everyone to visit my website and sign up on the contact form for new collection releases, new promotions and events!”

Check out her fashion blog, friend her on facebook and follow her on twitter. She is always sharing her New York fashion design experience with her friends on these networks…and most definitely check out her t-shirt collection. The warm weather is here, it’s time to rock cool inspirational tees from a New York designer!

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Looking for Clarity & a Boost of Creativity for Your Fashion Business?

2011-05-14T18:15:00.008-04:00

I just came across this exercise while I was not feeling so well. I was sick a few days ago with flu like symptoms. The only food that I had in two days was a fresh lemon and honey mix drink and tons of water. Believe it or not, although I was feeling bad physically, I was able to get my work done. I had a boost of mental clarity and confidence! I put two and two together and realized that I was on a mini fast since I was only digesting liquids. This was helping me to gain new ideas and have clarity. I loved it! It makes me respect my body, mind and spirit even more. I now know that fasting is not only to loose weight, to cleanse the body or to heal a physical condition it can be used for mind clarity and to solve creative challenges.

How about you? Do you have mental clarity or a burst of creative energy when you're fasting?

The next time when you're not feeling so well and are only drinking liquids see if your mind is more sharp even though you may be in physical pain. Everyone is different so you may have your own unique experience.

This is just one way to gain clarity and creativity. I hope that it works for you!

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Fashion Job Etiquette-Cell Phones at Work

2011-04-02T17:07:00.005-04:00

Do you have on the job etiquette as it relates to cell phone use at work? It's very easy these days to run your business while working a day job with the use of smart phones. You can get so much done. The trick is to do it in such a way that it does not distract you from your obligations on the job. Staying professional and respectful of your primary responsibility is key!

Here are two tips to get you through:

1) Make full use of your lunch time:

The cool thing about working in the New York fashion district is that fabric stores and trim shops are right in the vicinity of most fashion office buildings so, you don't have to travel too far on your lunch break if you work in the fashion district. Meeting a client during lunch is great also because, there's so many cafe's nearby the fashion offices. Just find a quiet cafe to conduct business.

2) Cell Phone Use:

The volume should definitely be on low or better yet vibrating. Again being respectful is key. Bringing a cell phone to a company team meeting is not a good idea unless you're waiting for an emergency call. Be in the moment while at work and show your team that you're able to fully focus on your job. Constantly checking your phone while in meetings is distracting and looks like one is not interested. Check your messages on your breaks. It's ok to take a quick break to return a call but, don't return your call in the vicinity of your coworkers. The bathroom is also a definite no. Hearing toilets flushing in the background is not professional and you never know who else is there that can hear your conversation. Simply take a quick 10 minute break and go outside if there is no private space within the office. This is your private business and you do not want to jeopordize your day job by distracting your coworkers with your conversation.

The key is to mindful and respectful to others and to treat people how you will like to be treated. Just think: would you like your own employees to be distracted by their personal business while working for you?

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Discover an Ancient System that You can use to Save $$$ while Promoting Your Fabulous Clothing Line!

2011-02-24T14:29:00.006-05:00

Looking for ways to cut your costs while promoting your brand? My friend forwarded this video to me and I'd like to share with you! We're creative designers, artsy people but, when it comes to marketing and promoting our brands are we transferring that same creative energy into promoting?

Trade shows and events cost are what they are so, it's up to you to figure figure out how to cut costs.

Bartering as a method for exchange:
The sister design team of Porter Grey made it happen. Although, they still spent a pretty penny, they cut their cost dramatically by 35% or so! That's pretty amazing, don't you think? Even if you already have a financial backer, it's a great idea to only spend on what's truly needed and try bartering to cut costs.

Here's link to video:
http://money.cnn.com/video/smallbusiness/2011/02/17/smb_sbt_porter_grey.cnnmoney/

So, don't let the lack of money stop you from achieving your goals. Grab a pen and paper and start jotting down all of the ways that you can start saving today. Let your creativity soar through your entire business not just in the design aspect.

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Fashion Design Dress Contest

2011-01-24T11:11:00.006-05:00

Here's a design contest that I just came across on the Tracy Reese fan page. You can win two tickets to her Fall 2011 show next month in NYC if you re-design a strapless dress that she offers for Spring 2011.

Here's the link for more details! This contest ends soon so check it out right away.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=148470601873344&index=1

Good luck :)

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Handbag Design Contest

2011-01-14T09:06:00.006-05:00

It's that time again for all handbag designers who want to enter into this yearly contest to start thinking about their submissions. The competition is called The 5th Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards. They have a ton of different categories that you can apply for. It looks like there will be nine winners. Here are the categories:

Best Handbag in Overall Style & Design
InStyle Red Carpet Ready Evening Bag
Artisan House Award by Isabella Fiore
Best Use of SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS
Best Student Made Handbag Inspired by the colors of vitaminwater
Best Handmade Handbag
Best Green Handbag
Most Socially Responsible Handbag
Audience Fan Favorite Handbag

Here's the link for more information:

"http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/ihda" target="_blank"> http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/ihda

Good luck on winning and if you do decide to enter the contest post a link here of your handbag submission. I would love to see it :)

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Getting Started in Fashion Design

2011-01-11T14:28:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year! Glad to continue posting here for another year. It's my pleasure to share information about the how to's of the fashion design industry with these posts. So, thank you for joining me for another year!

Here's a post that I think you will really enjoy. How do you know if your designs will fly? Meaning, will other people think that they are cool enough to buy? Well, I came across this site that I think you will absolutely LOVE! It's a super cool site where you can upload your fashion illustration sketches and have your online community vote "yea! or nay :(".

Here's the chance for you to test your designs while they are in illustration stage before you produce a collection. We don't have time to waste money these days therefore, we need to be as much on target as we possibly can. On this site, you'll have reviews and insights that could help you tailor to your market better. We could all use honest opinions when it comes to our work and not the sugar coated compliments that we get from our mom. We need honest opinions from our potential customers.

So check out this link. The site is called: http://wouldyourockthis.com/

Try it out! It's a very colorful and inviting site.

If you want to practice your fashion illustration skills. This same company, Would you Rock this, also holds fashion illustration meet up sessions where you can practice your skills on a live model. I think these meet up sessions are in New York City only. Here's the link for more details: www.meetup.com/FashionDrawingSession

Let me know if you've tested out your designs on this site, I would love to see them. It's all about sharing and growing.

I hope that you've found this tip on getting started in fashion design useful.

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Upcoming Fashion Apparel Trade Shows

2010-12-15T13:33:00.018-05:00

Hi Everyone, the new year is upon us. Do you already have your fashion/trade show schedule already planned? You can use this widget to go to biztrade.com and get more details for shows that you are interested in. This site is very detailed. You can filter trade shows by country or industry and it seems to be pretty up to date.

To use this widget, click on any link that you are interested in or go to the bottom of the widget where it says "View All" you will be taken to their site to view the list of upcoming shows!

Good Luck and Best Wishes in Promoting and Selling Your Designs!

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The Beauty of Resting, Know when to Rest

2010-11-17T20:27:00.006-05:00

What do you mean rest in this day of being virtually plugged-in 24/7? Some days our bodies and spirit need a day off from the routine of workaholism. I know this routine all too well. I used to work all day and many nights at jobs that I was not happy in. This only lead to stress and the idea of feeling guilty of taking time off was insane. What a horrible position to be in? This situation also robbed me of my creativity. How can you flow and share your creative talents if you're overworked?

Wherever you are in your life, I hope that you are taking advantage of your personal days and use them when you need to not only use sick days when you are physically sick. Life is way to beautiful to miss out on the simplicity of resting and being re-energized. Besides as designers, artists and entreprenuers, we definitely need some down time to re-charge our creative batteries.

Try this for one day:
*Go for a walk, jog or do your favorite exercise
*Eat the very best food you can afford
*Don't use the computer, cell phone or any electronic gadget, instead read a book, sketch some new ideas or write in your journal. Oh and no, tv well maybe you can watch tv if you choose but, why not go all the way and enjoy some free time away from the tube.

Enjoy the beauty of resting!

The next day, resume your life as normal and see how you feel. I am actually going to try this this coming weekend so I will let you know how it goes!

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Freelance Fashion vs Full-Time Jobs

2010-11-05T22:00:00.000-04:00

It's so good to know that we have options in the work world. Depending on our desires at a specific time in our work life we can choose to either work full-time or freelance. Both has it's pros and cons. I'd like to share some of the benefits from my experiences.

Freelance Pros:
-Flexibility: Great to do when you need the flexibility to work on your own projects, meet clients and exhibit or attend shows.
-Focused: Most freelance jobs are very specific so, you don't have to juggle too many tasks that you are not assigned to do.
-Exposure: Working at different jobs builds your experience of working in various computer systems and, job cultures more quickly than at a full-time permanent job.
-Insurance: Health insurance may be available through your freelance agency.

Freelance Cons:
-Pay: Income may not be steady depending on how aggressive one is in finding work (includes working outside of the freelance agencies)

Full-Time Pros:
-Pay: Great for "continuous" pay (as long as your position is needed). You may earn enough to have the money you need to continuously fund your projects if necessary.
-Growth: Career growth and build relationships based on your interest in moving forward with your company.
-Insurance: Most likely to have health insurance options.

Full-Time Cons:
-Time Consuming: Definitely time consuming which includes, time dedicated to the full work day plus any over-time and, commuting back and forth to a job. This may or may not become a challenge in working on your own projects depending on how organized and determined one is.

Share your own pros and cons of working freelance and full-time by posting a comment here.

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Fashion Week is Here Again! Manuel De La Cruz, The Sky's the Limit

2010-09-09T23:45:00.000-04:00

It's so exciting to be a part of this creative industry. Every season, you have the chance to view your favorite designer's collection. In this case, I will be attending the Manuel De La Cruz show this Saturday. I love seeing friends in a position to show their work to a wide audience such as Manuel.

So who is Manuel De La Cruz? Manuel is originally from Guatemala. He has studied at some of the finest schools in Milan, Florence and even at the famed Parsons the New School for Design in New York City to prepare for his career in design. He's worked behind the scenes as a designer for top notch, well known designers that we all love, Marc Jacobs, Ralph Lauren, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Givenchy and more! My goodness, with a background this extensive it's obvious that Manuel would break out and design his own collection. Wouldn't you?

Manuel will present his Spring/Summer 2011 collection this Saturday September 11th at the Metropolitan Pavilion in NYC. As noted in the press release, this collection is inspired by Semana Santa (Holy Week) from his native traditions in Guatemala.

Visit Manuel's site to view his previous collections and to read more about his bio.
manuel-delacruz.com

Fashion is so much fun! With dedication, creative talents and an audience, the sky's the limit.

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Start a Fashion Line & Get Noticed - 3 Quick Tips!

2010-08-03T00:59:00.000-04:00

Ok, so what’s the deal with breaking into the fashion design business? My good friend Minna Kao is definitely getting the press to notice her designs. She’s been reviewed in so many fashion articles as someone to lookout for in the bridal scene. She’s a designer in NYC who is super talented. Her label is MinnaK. She designs the most beautiful evening gowns and she does this all while working a full-time job in fashion as a Production Associate for a major corporation.

Minna shares a few tips with you that you can use to start your own fashion line and propel your career!

1) Finding Your Target Audience

Go to the stores that you think your customers go to and research price points, style, what's in (not the sales rack), and the color scheme.

2) Cutting Costs

Start by silk-screening t-shirts or making things from your home. If it looks professional, no one would know it came from the garage, and you can possibly find backers to help support your love of design. The internet is an economical way to spread the word, and the most popular. It is extremely saturated, but research all the social networks, and put yourself out there.

3) Designing and Promoting Your Biz while Working Full-Time

It is extremely difficult to work full time AND come home and work. When I have an idea, I need the mental space to conceptualize it so, I've created a schedule for myself in order to stay disciplined. I love designing. I won't ever stop, so for me, it's worth those extra hours to do what I love until I can do it full time.

In addition, I find inspiration in the strength of women and children, so I want my love of design to generate money so that I can return it to my favorite organization - Foundation For International Medical Relief of
Children.

*Minna Kao pictured in the center with two models wearing her gowns.

Check out MinnaK’s collection at:http://www.minnak.com/collection

Visit MinnaK's blog at: http://minnak.com/blog

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Fashion and Health- 15th Day Master Cleanse

2010-07-31T11:55:00.000-04:00

What a journey! Fashion and health really does go hand in hand. Now I'm ready to eat again. 15 days of the Master Cleanse is such a wonderful detox. I got rid of a lot of toxins. Now it's time to re-build with super nutrition and enjoy eating again. Wow, I wonder how my first complete whole meal will taste?

Staying focused and determined was key and not giving into cravings. This type of discipline is great for improvement in other areas of life such as running your own business. There's a feeling of confidence and clarity that shined through towards my last week of this detox.

This short video shows you how easy it is to have the Master Cleanse ingredients on the go! There's no excuse for not detoxing periodically. You might just love the experience.

"Fashion and Health go hand in hand. Make sure that your outside fabulous self matches your inside fabulous self. Try the Master Cleanse or any method of detoxing that suites your lifestlye."-Kali

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Disclaimer: I am a fashion designer. Any health suggestions that I share come from my personal experiences. If you follow any health related suggestions on this blog, fully consider the pros and cons. Also do your own research and if necessary consult with your doctor.

Fashion and Health-10th Day Master Cleanse

2010-07-25T13:57:00.000-04:00

Check out inspiration for a 10 day Master Cleanse. Congrats!!! I've completed the minimum time period for the Master Cleanse. Ten days of no solid food, only the lemonade drink. If I can do it, you can too!

I've decided to extend my cleansing for a few more days longer though, to improve upon what I've started, a deep cleansing. I am on a journey to make sure that my outside fabulous self really does match my inside fabulous self!

"Fashion and Health go hand in hand. Make sure that your outside fabulous self matches your inside fabulous self. Try the Master Cleanse or any method of detoxing that suites your lifestlye."-Kali

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Disclaimer: I am a fashion designer. Any health suggestions that I share come from my personal experiences. If you follow any health related suggestions on this blog, fully consider the pros and cons. Also do your own research and if necessary consult with your doctor.

Throughout Your Day

2010-07-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

I have a question for you. Does anyone repeat affirmations or declarations as you go about your normal day or even on weekends? I find it fun to keep reminding myself of a few key affirmations while I'm working or even while commuting to work. It reminds me that I'm really in charge of my life. Even when hit with a challenge while working, repeating affirmations helps me get through them. How about you?

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Fashion and Health-The Master Cleanse!

2010-07-21T20:05:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Hope that you are having a wonderful summer! Here's a quick video that I'd like to share about looking good and feeling good.

"Fashion and Health go hand in hand. Make sure that your outside fabulous self matches your inside fabulous self. Try the Master Cleanse or any method of detoxing that suites your lifestlye."-Kali

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Disclaimer: I am a fashion designer. Any health suggestions that I share come from my personal experiences. If you follow any health related suggestions on this blog, fully consider the pros and cons. Also do your own research and if necessary consult with your doctor.

Enjoy Your Night's Sleep and Get Good Energy

2010-01-03T22:21:00.000-05:00

Getting lots of sleep at night has proven to be really beneficial for me and is one of the ways that I have good energy the next day. Juggling a full-time job and a business, it's easy and enticing to stay up all night to work on your own entreprenurial endeavors. I must say that I've learned the hard way. If I consistently do late nighters, I feel worn out. I can do one late night a week but more than one late night per week is asking for big trouble down the road!

So what's the solution?

When I go to bed before 11:00PM I wake up earlier with good energy in the morning and I have the time to devote an hour or so to the business. It's much better than staying up late and feeling tired the next day.

Having dinner before 8:00PM and not going to bed with a full stomach and also going to bed before 11:00PM are two main things that I struggled with last year but, I am definitely making them a priority this year. I've learned to eat a lighter meal at night and have lunch as the main meal since this is when our digestive systems are at the highest. It's all about adjusting our schedules. When we make something a routine for a few days it becomes a habit. These are two habits that I'm looking forward to keeping.

Are you an entreprenuer and work full-time? How do you spend your evenings after work?

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Back in Action! Fashion Design Career & Business Blog

2009-12-30T19:35:00.000-05:00

I've definitely been out of the blogging world for the past three months and have truly missed it. Now that I have a few days off. I just wanted to let you know what's been going on. My freelance fashion job has hired me full-time and my business, http://www.newyorkaccents.com has been really picking up so, I haven't been posting as often as I would like.

Now's a good time to post and wish everyone who visits a Happy New Year. The one thing that I would truly love to do more consistently in 2010 is to publish more posts. I do have a lot to share with you regarding being an entreprenuer and a full-time employee in the fashion industry. So much is going on which is a very good thing.

What about you? What are your goals for 2010?

Wishing you the best and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Time Management for Entreprenuers

2009-08-20T00:09:00.000-04:00

Time management can be tricky while freelancing and working a business. As you can see, I have not posted in a while! I've found that making sure that I do at least one or two major tasks for my business each day continues the flow of operations and keeps me in track with my goals.

Now, I just have to allot time for new posts! There's so much information to share. I'll post again soon.

If you are working and running your own business as well, please share your experience of what works and what doesn't in managing your time.

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Handbag Fashion Exhibit

2009-03-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

For handbag enthusiasts and designers, the Museum of Design in Atlanta currently has an exhibit entitled, "In the Bag". This exhibit describes the makings of handbags, the history and showcases handbags from leading designers.

This exhibit ends May 2, 2009 so catch it while you can.

Want to know more? Here's the link to MODA for the handbag fashion exhibit.

Enjoy!

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New Economy-Fashion Resume and Interview Tips

2009-03-17T19:51:00.000-04:00

If you are looking for fashion related resume and interview tips in this new economy, 24 Seven, a major job placement agency for the fashion industry has just published this very in depth and detailed pamphlet titled, "Confessions of A Recruiter, Insider tips on what it takes to land a job". It gives resume writing tips, interview tips with ways to follow up, and tips on how to work with a recruiter at an agency. It's definitely worth the read.

Here's the link: fashion resume and interview tips

Check it out and let me know what you think!

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Oops!

2009-02-26T21:55:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in a month. I knew that it was a while ago but, I did not realize that it has been this long. What have I been up to? Well juggling my business and freelancing in the fashion industry up until early February. My freelance job ended and I've been focusing on the business full-time. It's great because, the business has been good since December. I'm excited to be giving my 100% focus to my dream and goal. I love designing fashion accessories, costing my product, shipping to my customers and following up with them.

What happens when you put your full time and energy into a dream? I think, ultimate achievement and happiness. This is when you can be yourself all of the time and let your true talents shine. When I was freelancing I felt guilty about not putting enough time and energy into my business.

The snake necklace that I offer has been doing extremely well so now, I'm offering it in two sizes. I'm also excited because, I now offer it in black which is my favorite. I did not design this necklace but, I absolutely love it. You can also wear it as a bracelet. It's a fun piece to own.

I'll keep you posted on what's going on with New York Accents business wise this year and of course, I'll interview associates in the industry and post about other topics of interest regarding a design career.

Enjoy,
Kali

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Show Your Apparel Collection Next Month

2009-01-24T00:19:00.000-05:00

This just in, DC Fashion Week has spots open for 3 more fashion designers for the 10th International Couture Collections Show on February 22, 2009.

Here's the link for more info and to apply. The original deadline was January 5th but, there are still spots open. If you have a line ready to show, click this link to sign up!

http://www.dcfashionweek.org

Enjoy!

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Dreams and Passion

2009-01-18T13:52:00.005-05:00

Hope that your new year is off to a spectacular start!

I'd like to share a video, as a reminder to live your passion. As artists, we're need to share our work with the world. Your work will touch those who you're supposed to connect with.

Tomorrow is Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's. birthday. Talk about passion and determination, this man had it all. Hope that this song is a good reminder that we all have a role to play in this life and to never let go of your dream.

Enjoy Creating!
-Kali

Sing! Celebrate!

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Happy New Year

2009-01-01T23:45:00.000-05:00

May you reach all of your goals and desires this year. Challenges may arise but they are only opportunities to grow stronger and advance.

Enjoy!
Kali

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Happy Holidays

2008-12-22T19:58:00.000-05:00

Wishing everyone a Happy Holidays and a Healthy New Year!

Thank you for visiting my blog. I truly hope that you find the posts informative. I always welcome your comments or suggestions.

Enjoy,

-Kali

Try these Job Hunting Skills for a Competitive Edge

2008-11-27T21:14:00.000-05:00

Here are some job hunting tips that may set you apart from your competition!

Personalize Your Resume
1) Make sure your resume speaks to who you are. Is there room for creativity? Instead of having a static resume that's exactly as a template, add your personal touch as long as it's easy to read and professional.

Follow Up
2) Follow up on resume's and applications that you send out. If you can obtain the hiring manager's phone number, then call. A phone call adds a personal touch. Be pleasantly persistent. Following up can set you apart from those who do not. Don't wait for a company to call or email you back. In this competitive environment you want to do whatever it takes to set yourself apart from other candidates.

Consult Friends and Associates
3) Consult your network of friends and associates. Call or email your contacts at company's that you have worked at before to see if there are any openings that match your skills. If your contacts don't have any opportunities ask if they can refer you to their connections for resources.

Be Confident
4) Be confident in all of your communications especially in interviews. Have your pitch ready. Be able to list your strengths, know the value that you can bring the company.

Be honest about your skills. Typical questions that hiring managers ask are: What are your strengths and weaknesses? How do you solve problems related to your particular job? What was a mistake you made and how did you solve it, what did you learn from it? Practice your pitch to friends or in front of a mirror.

Show that you know your industry's trends and current events by researching online. Review forums related to your industry from both the professional and the customer's view point to be in the know of what's really going on outside corporate walls.

Interview the interviewer. Ask thought out questions as this can catch your interviewer's attention and leave them with a lasting impression.

Follow Up Again
5) Be sure to get your interviewer's business card and follow up with a thank you note.

Good Luck!

Have any tips or suggestions for job hunting? Please share them by posting a comment.

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Arm Yourself with These Job Hunting Resources II

2008-11-19T22:04:00.000-05:00

Here's an update to the article that I published March 11, 2008 titled, "Arm Yourself with These Job Hunting Resources". As I am aware of more job placement agencies and resources, I will publish additional posts.

Websites
fashionjobs.com

clothingindustryjobs.com

Job Placement Agency in NYC
taylorhodson.com

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Here's to a Profitable Holiday Season!

2008-11-11T17:24:00.001-05:00

We're well into the shopping season even though traditionally, it may seem a bit early. Some stores have been posting sales as early as last month. WWD.com has two articles today describing how department stores are trying to capture as many sales as possible this season with secret sales. Sounds enticing.

I hope that you are creative in your efforts and have been in touch with your customers. Hope that you have a strong selling season.

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Friday's Fab Fashion Quote On Working in Fashion Production

2008-11-07T10:57:00.001-05:00

"When you're in production, you're responsible for the [company's] profit and loss, [garment] sample execution, where the collection is made and maintaining production delivery." - Mercedes Kerrison, Fashion Production Associate

Source: NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog, "Behind the Scenes, Fashion Production Revealed" November 1, 2008

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Happy Friday!

2008-11-07T10:49:00.000-05:00

For some reason, I started thinking about this song this morning. It has nothing to do with fashion design careers but, who cares. It's a happy song that I wanted to share this Friday.

Enjoy and Happy Friday!

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Behind the Scenes: Fashion Production Revealed

2008-11-01T04:27:00.000-04:00

While I was away from the blogging world, I caught up with a friend who works in fashion production, Mercedes Kerrison. It was the perfect opportunity to ask for an interview. The production side of fashion is an amazing world of costing, working with vendors, agents and, in house staff of designers, merchandisers and technical designers to make sure that the product that design envisions is executed to meet quality and fit standards and most importantly, you guessed it, the company's margin goals.

Mercedes is a young professional who is taking New York City by storm. She's helping companies meet their margin goals with her expertise in fashion production. She knows the business side of fashion and what it takes to succeed in this part of the industry.

Have you been wondering about the many possible careers in fashion? Enjoy this interview as Mercedes gives her insights as a fashion production associate.

Kali: Mercedes, how did you first become interested in fashion?

Mercedes: I remember wanting to pursue fashion during my senior year in high school. As a teenager growing up in the 90's, I loved hip hop fashion. I have always been interested in the latest fashions as well as just loving to shop overall.

Kali: Did you have a fashion major in college?

Mercedes: I have a Bachelors degree in Fabric Styling as well as a Masters degree in Fashion Merchandising.

 Kali: What led you to choose to work in the production side of fashion?

Mercedes: Actually, production is a sector of the industry that had just fallen into my lap. However, I had always known that I had wanted to pursue a career that centered more around product development along with the challenge of making strategic decisions in which production entails.

Kali:  Mercedes has worked for companies such as Russell Newman/Will Creek Sleepwear Division, Spiegel Brands, Inc. and is currently at Calvin Klein.
 
Kali: Mercedes, tell us about your role as a fashion production associate. What is it exactly that you do? What are your daily tasks from when you start in the mornings to the time that you leave?

Mercedes: As a production associate, I interface with all in-house departments (merchandising, buyers, technical design and designers) to ensure that all product is being developed in the right place (i.e. country of origin), at the right cost and most importantly is being delivered on time to the warehouse. Daily tasks include working with overseas offices by approving fabric for bulk production. I attend fittings and work closely with technical design to ensure all samples are fitted in a timely manner to meet garment production delivery dates. I also attend fittings to make sure that any changes made in the fit session does not impact production delivery or increase costs to where our margins are not met.

As a production associate, I am also responsible for new seasonal developments, working on costing to determine whether all pricing is competitive to meet buyers current target margin.

Kali: Mercedes, your job seems pretty involved. What hours do you work as a fashion production associate?

Mercedes: Hours as a production associate fluctuate often. However, this is not a 9-5 job. During a busy period I am leaving work anytime between 8:30pm-10:00pm on a daily basis. When there is a slow period (which doesn’t happen often!) I will leave around 6:30pm or 7:00pm.
 
Kali: How important is the role of the production associate in the fashion design process?

 Mercedes: Production/Sourcing is very important within a company overall because we are primarily responsible for making sure that the company does not lose any money. We are responsible for making sure that any fabric or trims that are being developed are affordable for our target customer. It is imperative that a production associate is aware of current events around the world because this affects where we will develop our product as well as determining how cost will be affected.

Kali: Mercedes, do you have any advice for those considering working in fashion production? What's the best way for someone to enter this field?

Mercedes: The best way for someone to enter this field is to pursue product development. There are a lot of companies that are always looking for production associates; therefore, it is not a hard segment to break into. You can also check the classifieds in WWD and also network. Join professional organizations like Fashion Group International.

Kali: Mercedes, what last words can you leave our readers with regarding working as a fashion production associate?

Mercedes: In order to become involved in production, one must have dedication and motivation because it is a very stressful job. It’s stressful because you are basically in charge of making sure that all departments are giving you all of the information needed to maintain on-time delivery of the product to the stores. You're holding the entire company together. As a person who works in production, you must be extremely detail oriented as you will be working on many different projects all at once. It’s also good to build strong working relationships with vendors because it will make the product development process a little easier to manage.

What I love about my job is trying to meet everyone's expectations. I see the business internally and externally. I have a big reputation to keep up!

---------------
Want to discuss further? Have any questions for Mercedes? Leave a comment here and she will be glad to respond.

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Taking A Break

2008-10-17T00:35:00.000-04:00

Hey, Thanks for visiting! I hope that you enjoy the articles. I would love to know what you think. Feel free to leave comments in the articles or in the chat box.

I'll have more new posts starting next week. Make sure to sign up for the email list to get new posts immediately.

Enjoy!
Kali

Friday's Fab Fashion Quote On Starting in the Design Business

2008-10-03T23:34:00.000-04:00

"When I was first getting started I couldn't afford fancy fabrics, so I bought plain cotton and dyed it. Later, as my business grew, I added silk and linen to my Holiday and Spring lines." -Claudia Robinson, Fashion Designer, Actress

Source: "Threads of Time Fabric of History", page 154

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Send a Survey and Build A Better Product

2008-09-23T21:14:00.000-04:00

Designers, are you searching for ways to connect more with your prospects or looking for ways to build repeat customers. Cater your product to your customer by asking for their advice. Ask what do they like about your product or service and what do they not like. This can be done in a survey format. You personally may not agree with some of the answers because, after all you've designed this magnificent fashion product but, the truth can help you more than hurt you.

Get excited about building a better product based on what people actually really want. Don't worry, this will not hamper your creativity as a designer. In order to really connect and achieve more sales we really have to put the customer first and take their suggestions and comments to give them what they want.

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Friday's Fab Fashion Quote On Unexpected Fame

2008-09-19T21:49:00.000-04:00

"I'm so blessed to be given this opportunity. One minute I am walking down the street in the Dominican Republic and the next minute I am coming to the U.S. for the first time and working with famous models like Liya Kebede and Chanel Iman and photographers like Steven Meisel and appearing in ads for a major company like Lancome. It's really unbelievable" -Arlenis Sosa, Model

Source: WWD Friday September 5, 2008 pg 14

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NY Fashion Week, The Frenzy of It All!

2008-09-11T20:21:00.000-04:00

Why I Love the Fashion Industry

The scene today outside at Calvin Klein's fashion show.

I was leaving work today and right outside my building was an unexpected surprise. As you may know by now, I am an entreprenuer- fashion accessory designer and creator of www.newyorkaccents.com. I do however; freelance in the apparel industry, most recently in fashion production doing garment cost negotiating and sample tracking with the factories. So, in this particular assignment, I'm working in the same building as some of the Calvin Klein offices. I took the elevator down to the lobby as normal to find paparazzi right in front of me ready to shoot. Oh well, I guess that I disappointed them because, I'm not famous. What's going on I thought? What did I just walk into? Oh! Someone told me it's Calvin Klein's fashion show. It is NY Fashion Week after all. How convenient! I kind of got caught up in the frenzy and excitement of star gazing. The paparazzi's wandering eyes and constant buzz influenced me so, I broke out my digital and played the game.

Why do I love this industry? I know the work that goes on behind the scenes in creating, developing and costing a garment. I appreciate the process of taking a sketch which starts from an inspiration and then communicating this idea to the producing offices, who are located offshore in countries like Asia, India and Brazil among others. The back and forth communication between the offices can be tiring but, it has to be done in order to get the sample in of what the design team and the merchandisers desire. It has to be priced to meet the company's margin goals and it has to be fitted on a model so that it can be graded for production. It's a very dynamic process with many eyes looking at one garment and many hands touching a garment before it is approved to show during market week or in this case, fashion week!

The market week presentation is the result of tons of behind the scenes preparations in order to show (sell), your collection (idea) to buyers and to create industry buzz. I truly love and appreciate this entire process.

Here are some shots that I took. Now remember, I'm not a professional photographer. These are what I call real street shots. Who did I see? Just a few very big fashion icons and celebrities like Anna Wintour, Tyra Banks, Andre Talley, Eva Mendes, Constance White, and a Japanese movie star among other people whom I don't know their names.

Here's the scene in front of my building with people looking out of their office windows.

Someone famous. Do you know who she is?

Constance White, ebay's style director.

A Japanese movie star

Eva Mendes

Someone else famous. Who is she?

The excitement was so enticing!

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Why Feel Great About FREE Give Aways?

2008-09-03T22:41:00.000-04:00

Giving away your fashion product or fashion service is a great way to gain immediate feedback, get referrals and win new customers. If your product or service is desirable, people will definitely want to respond. I love the actual feeling of giving away a t-shirt, bangle, or most recently fine art from the Le Grande Parterre Collection (French Gardens and Abstract Art). It makes me feel that I have something worthy to give. I place a high value on my product and towards the people that I am connecting with. I feel as though they deserve a free gift as a way of stopping by my website and browsing or making a purchase.

You can give away your product or service randomly or offer a limited time free trial. Imagine the joy and unexpected surprise that you give to someone by telling them that they've just been randomly selected to win your product or service. For me, the entire process of emailing the winner, letting them choose the item that they want from the featured category and shipping it to them feels really good. It says that I do have room to spare, to share my product.

To get feedback ask for a direct comment or suggestion or you can create a very short survey. If, the feedback is not as good as you expected, that's great because, then you get to improve your product or service. Really listen to what they have to say and implement it in another version. Test this new version and see if it sells better than your original.

It's all about connecting with the customer and prospect and having them feel comfortable and trusting of you and your product or service.

Go ahead! Brighten someone's day today by sharing your fashion product or service.

Do you already give FREE give-aways? Share what product or service you offer for free and how it is working with you.

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Friday's Fab Fashion Quote: On Becoming Christian Dior's Successor

2008-08-29T19:30:00.000-04:00

"I was so nervous, but it was also exhilarating. I was young, carefree and convinced I would succeed." -Yves Saint Laurent

Source: WWD 2002, "Twilight of a Star"

Enjoy Working Two Jobs! Insights on Managing A Business and A 9-5

2008-08-27T20:10:00.000-04:00

Working a full-time or part-time job while running your business can be a challenge but, it's well worth it. I'm writing this post from personal experience. I've just started a freelance job doing fashion production work and if you've read my other post titled, "Notes from the Sales Floor", you'll see that occasionally, I'll work outside of my business.

I agree with designer, Lara Shandi. In her interview that I posted titled "Behind the Scenes with L~Shandi", Lara works a full-time job and runs her fashion design business. She enjoys both jobs very much and I must that I'm in the same position. I love my fashion production job and my accessories business.

Here are a few insights that I would like to share regarding working a 9-5 and running your business. Some may seem obvious but, I'm going to list them anyway.

Job Insights:
* Never use your 9-5 job's resources like paper, office phone...etc to run your business.
* Take care of your business emails and phone calls through your own mobile device on your lunch break.
* Be on time to your job. Don't stay up too late working on your business that you oversleep and arrive late to your 9-5.
* The more you push yourself to complete tasks, keep calendar dates, be a team player and simply work you 9-5 100%, the more you will learn and be able to apply to your own business. Try not to think of it as a job just for a paycheck. The experience that you gain is equally important even if your job is not related to fashion at all. Lara of L~Shandi is a HIV researcher, totally not related to fashion. But, I am sure that she has learned skills from her day job that she's able to use in her business.
* Freelancing is great because, you get to work for different clients. You can go through an agency or contract work out on your own.

Your Business Insights:
* Make sure to plan your week as now that you are working another job, you want to make sure that your business is still running and things are not getting left undone.
* Now that your week is planned make sure that your daily goals are attainable and that you are getting enough rest to work both jobs. It's better to do 2-3 tasks (small amounts) on your business daily than to trying to overdo it. You don't want to burn out.
* Can you afford to hire someone to assist you while you're working your 9-5? I did an article on the idea of having virtual assistants to assist you with your business, titled "Is Being A Do-It Yourselfer Holding You Back From Blossoming".

I think that if you want to brush up in a particular area of your business, then working for someone else in that area is a great way to learn the ropes. Just remember the insights above and you'll be fine. It's definitely a challenge but, a good one that you will learn and grow from.

Are you working a 9-5 and running your business? Please share your experiences and insights!

Fashion Design Business Networking

2008-08-19T14:37:00.000-04:00

Nolcha Fashion Network is a wonderful organization for designers to join. They highly promote fashion design business networking within all aspects of the industry from designers to manufacturers to stylists. I listed them in my post regarding "Upcoming Runway Fashion Week Dates". I joined this organization about a year ago and besides from being able to attend and participate in fashion shows during fashion week, you can take advantage of their social network site.

Their website has up to date fashion business and industry news headlines, current events and fashion related competition postings. They also have a fashion designer magazine, Metier, that keeps you updated with full articles that covers a wide variety of topics relating to fashion designers. The magazine also has a marketing and pr section with tips for budding designers.

Visit the Nolcha Fashion Network, check out their magazine, Metier and let me know what you think!

Enjoy!

Trying to Catch a Show at the Tent During Fashion Week?

2008-08-12T16:38:00.000-04:00

If you can't make it in to see a top designer's show at the tent in Bryant Park in NYC next month during fashion week, all is not lost. I came across a show that you just might be interested in seeing.

It's the Academy of Art University in San Francisco's fashion design students. The academy claims to be the only school to show during fashion week at the tent. If you're in the area you might want to check this out. It's a free fashion show!

When:
Friday, September 5, 2008 at 8:00 PM

Where:
Bryant Park
The Tent
6th Ave. (at 41st St.)
New York City, NY

Here's the link to RSVP. Click here to RSVP

Enjoy!

Friday's Fab Fashion Quote On Leaving a Legacy

2008-08-08T09:38:00.000-04:00

"I'd like my legacy to be a library of beautifully detailed gowns. When one looks back at all the celebrities I've dressed, [I'd like people] to say that these were certainly some of the most beautifully dressed women of their day." Kevan Hall

Source: Ebony Magazine, September 2007, Style Hall of Fame

Get Noticed: Upcoming Runway Fashion Week Dates

2008-08-07T10:19:00.000-04:00

It's that time of season again. When designers and their teams are near ready to present their collections for Spring and Summer. The exciting thing is that in recent years it's become a nation wide celebration of talent with fashion week events spurring across the U.S. There are many fashion weeks throughout the world but, today, I am just focusing on fashion weeks in the U.S.

Most fashion weeks show twice per year in September and February. September collections feature the upcoming Spring/Summer collections and February features Fall/Winter collections.

The excitement is definitely on the runway for apparel designers to showcase their collections but, off the runway there are opportunities for accessories designers to have a table or booth exhibit (check with your local organizer). I participated last year at Washington, D.C.'s fashion week where as an accessory designer, I not only had a table display, I was able to sell my items to a fashion savvy crowd.

Local fashion weeks are great for everyone to see talent that they may have never heard of before this includes designers and hair and make up stylists. Some fashion weeks also draw international designers. It's normally a fun and festive atmosphere where fashion, art and music come together for a spectacular show. These are professional shows with some bearing major advertiser sponsorship.

The grandmother of all of the shows is New York Fashion Week which dates back to 1943 when it used to be called "Press Week" (for more details: Press Week)

Here is a list of fashion weeks that I've researched. Please feel free to add to this list.

Atlanta Fashion Week

Boston Fashion Week

Charlotte NC Fashion Week

Chicago Fashion Week

Fashion Week Cleveland

D.C. Fashion Week

Detroit Fashion Week

Honolulu Fashion Week

Fashion Week LA

Miami Fashion Week

Milwaukee Fashion Week

New York Fashion Week

Nolcha Fashion Week New York

Saint Louis Fashion Week

Fashion Week San Diego

USA International Fashion Shows

Virginia Fashion Week

Marketing Products and Services, The King of Fashion Does it Again

2008-07-30T11:56:00.001-04:00

Wow, talk about marketing your product by expanding your business affiliations and collaborating with others, famed designer Giorgio Armani is doing it all. He boldly went outside of his normal niche for apparel and home products and is drawing buzz with his latest design. He designed a bullfighters costume for Cayetano Rivera Ordóñez, a famous bullfighter in Spain. He designed the costume for Cayetano to wear at a major upcoming bullfighting event in Spain. Don't you love it?

My idea in sharing this article is for us to remember that marketing our products or services for our business does not have to be a solo effort and it does not have to be boring. We can join forces with others who are perhaps more visible to aid in our marketing efforts. Who knows the strategy behind Mr. Armani's latest move but, it's exciting, and it's drawing a buzz to his already successful fashion business empire.

You don't have to wait until you're rich and famous, see if there are ways that you can join forces now with someone or even another company in your community. For example, if you're an evening wear designer, maybe you can design an ice skating costume for someone that you know who competes on a regular basis and is seen in front of a large audience. It's good to create some buzz every now and then in marketing your product or service.

Here's the link to the WWD article for more details on Mr. Armani's new venture. You'll have to scroll down two articles to read it. They also post a picture of the sketched costume in the slideshow.

GIORGIO, OLE!

I'll bet that Mr. Armani's latest venture draws in a fashion crowd on the day of the big bullfighting event in September, a crowd who would have never had an interest in watching this sport. I'll probably be part of this crowd, watching the fight just to see the costume that Mr. Armani designed!

Enjoy coming up with new ways to create buzz in marketing your products or services!

Friday's Fab Fashion Quote On Defining Style

2008-07-25T20:02:00.000-04:00

"In fashion, facts speak for themselves. Attempting to remain faithful to any given style is to live a contradiction. Fashion is absurd. To live it is to take part in its death and perpetual rebirth. Style is the way in which individuals, using their more or less original creative resources, means of expression, and habits, accept and express developments in fashion freely, putting aside any preconceived ideas." Karl Lagerfeld

Source: 2005, Chanel, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Behind the Scenes with L~Shandi

2008-07-22T19:04:00.000-04:00

If You're Meant to Be a Designer You Will Succeed!-The Magic Behind Success

O.k. drop whatever pre-conceived notion that you may have about becoming a fashion designer and the lifestyle that a designer lives. I have an amazing interview to share with you today about a young designer who is making strong moves all while juggling a fascinating full-time career outside of fashion.

Lara Akinsanya is the founder and designer of L~Shandi. Her company is based in the Washington, D.C. area. I spoke with Lara by phone and got the chance to learn more about her. She has a very strong work ethic and is enjoying the process of growing her business. There's no need to rush, was one of the themes that she emphasized during our interview. The great thing about fashion is that "fashion is always going to exist. If you can't create a product this year, wait until next year." Enjoy creating things that you can afford to, enjoy the process of creating and sharing your product with your customers and build trusting relationships with everyone that you do business with. This is the magic behind Lara that's made her successful.

Fashion design came as a hobby to Lara, she made her first sample in 1994. She started designing for friends, family and herself.

Lara, when was your first experience with fashion design and how old were you?

Lara: My first experience was at age 17. I started by reworking my own garments to fit my style and personality.

Did you go to fashion design school? If so, where?

Lara: No. I learned everything I know about Fashion by developing great relationships with others.

When did you know that you only wanted to be a designer?

This question is not applicable to me because, I am a public health analyst as well. I have a masters of Science degree in biochemistry.

Lara does research on HIV cases. This, my friends is her full-time job! From our phone conversation, she mentioned that she loves both fashion design and her full-time job equally.

How long have you been in business and where is your company based?

Lara: My business is four years old. I'm based in the Wasington, D.C. metro area.

Her official launch was July 2007. Here are some photos taken of her designs at her fashion show launch.

Lara is originally from Nigeria, west Africa. She shares with us the meaning of her company's name.

Lara: L~Shandi was created from a Nigerian street slang "Lepa Shandi". Lepa Shandi is the term for women whose clothing, outfit, or ensemble has a flattering and sexy fit. So if a guy sees you and says "look at her...lepa shandi or l~shandi", take it as a compliment and enjoy it.

Lara, you normally use Nigerian lace in your collections, correct? What other fabrics do you use?

Lara: I actually use African lace. The other fabrics that I primarily use are African Wax Prints, Guinea Brocade, Hoodin from Ghana and Hand Woven cotton from Nigeria.

What is the difference, if any in style, technique or color in African lace verses European lace?

Lara: The style and color are more bold and the embroidery work is much more elaborate in African lace giving it more depth in texture. This also makes it more durable.

Lara, I love how your styles are contemporary but, have a unique edge. The lace, prints and embroideries are bold but, very easy to wear. Describe your main customer. Where does she live, what is she like?

Lara: My designs appeal to women of different backgrounds, age, marital status e.t.c. My customer is a woman that likes to look different and stand out in a bold but, yet subtle way.

Did you first go into business knowing your target customer or did you fine tune and define your customer as you went along?

Lara: I went into my business knowing who my target customer was and I have been fine tuning/defining what they really want as I am going along.

Lara stated that if you have a good product, the market will tell you, if it's good or not. The market will shape your product if you listen to comments and responses. Lara takes notes of whatever problems arises and fixes them right away. She keeps an open line of communication with buyers from the boutiques she works with. Her goal is to get as much feedback as possible in order to provide a better product.

I've noticed that your designs are in stores nation wide from Florida, NYC, NJ, Washington, DC, MA, CT. How did you get buyers interested in carrying your clothing? How did you build your relationship with boutique buyers?

Lara: I participated in reputable national clothing trade shows that bring buyers and designers together. Boutique buyers are happy if you deliver quality products to them on time.

Being a fashion designer is very unique because, you have to work with a team of people on a daily basis in order to get your samples made, production delivered and market and sell your clothing. Describe a typical day for you and how do you manage to put all of the components of the business together so that you can deliver your product on time to stores.

Lara: I manage my busy schedule (both as a designer and as a public health analyst) by being super organized. I also treat everyone that I work with like a client (even those that I pay to provide a service for me) and believe that if I try to serve others to the best of my ability, they will go the extra mile for me.

While Lara works full-time, she hires freelancers to work for her.

What would you say are your top 3-5 tasks that a designer has to do on a daily basis that are non glamorous?

Lara:
*Alterations
*Shipping/labeling
*Business paperwork including inventory control, invoicing price tagging

What part of your job do you love the most?

Lara: Sketching designs/picking fabrics to go with them.

Do you welcome volunteers to help out at your shows or events and if so, how can they contact you?

Lara: Yes I love to work with volunteers and they can contact me by email.

If a store is interested in wholesale orders how should they contact you?

Lara: I have an online showroom at http://www.belesprit.net. Contact Deborah Pokalus at belesprit@ureach.com

Lara, do you have any inside tips to help budding designers?

Lara: Stay true to yourself, be consistent and build the best possible relationships with everyone you work with.

Lara's website: http://www.lshandi.com/index.htm

------

What I love about Lara is that she gets it. She gets the idea of building relationships and is enjoying the process along the way.

The main lesson that I've gained from Lara is that things don't happen overnight. What people judge as someone's success is their current reality in which they've been building, laying the foundation for years. I learned that it's a slow process in which we should enjoy, enjoy creating your future. Why rush it?

-Kali

Friday's Fashion Quote On Achieving Success

2008-07-18T21:12:00.000-04:00

"What interests me is what I don't yet know about it." Issey Miyake

Source: 1997, Universe of Fashion, Issey Miyake

Jack + Bill FREE PR Opportunity

2008-07-16T16:04:00.000-04:00

I went to the event yesterday as a candidate. Everyone was so very nice and truly interested in my work. I presented some of my jewelry from the Kali Collection.

The location of the event was in a nice open and airy space down in Tribeca, in NYC. Today's the second and last day of the event. The good thing about their hours is that they're open til 9pm so you still have time to check it out. They have a live DJ and I have to reiterate how friendly the staff was. Everyone was just so darn nice and accomodating.

So if you're an aspiring model, jewelry designer, apparel designer or fashion stylist you have to check out this FREE opportunity to be represented by this public relations agency. You'll have a blast.

Time's ticking! It ends at 9pm tonight so no excuses :)

Here's the link to their site where you can get more details: jackandbillpr.com/casting

Notes From the Sales Floor

2008-07-16T14:04:00.000-04:00

I just ended a part-time sales job last week. I was doing a fundraising campaign for a well known arts organization. I did this in part because, I needed the sales experience. I'm a fashion apparel and accessories designer by natural talent but, sales is a process that I have to develop and learn to be better at. I'd love to share with you some notes that I learned while on this job. It was very fascinating to me because, I stepped out of my comfort zone in order to learn something completely new. Some of you may already be great at sales so please do share your experiences.

Here are some quick and random notes that I've gained while at my job as a telephone sales representative:

*Targeting your market (sales 101)
Does not necessarily mean that sales will come automatically right away. You still have to work to gain your customers trust.

*Customers will buy from you because they:
-Trust you (these could be referrals as well as first time customers who trust you)
-Like your presentation or your product

*Gaining sales can be categorized as follows:
-Easy Wins
Those who are sitting ready and eager to buy. No need to convince them. Just close on the sale.

-Soft No's
Those who you have to present your case to firmly and pleasantly to. Let them know the benefits that they will receive of your product or service. The mission of your product or service has to be explained and presented in a way to let them know that without their support the mission could be in jeopardy of not existing and they would not get their benefits. It's about explaining the "win win" situation for all.

As it relates to fashion design, if you have an ecommerce site, make sure your copy is enticing and spells out the customer's benefits of purchasing your product. If you are calling stores, make sure your sales script precisely spells out the stores benefit of carrying your product. If you're face to face in a outdoor market situation and you come across someone who is not sure if they want to purchase now, engage them by asking where do they plan on wearing your product. Engage them on the experience of already owning your product and they will see how it benefits them to purchase it right now. Give them an immediate cause to purchase it now or else the price could increase, you could run out of stock...etc. It has to be a pure and honest engagement in order for soft no's to be converted. People will be able to see right through any type of untrue flattery. So be honest.

-Firm No's
Completely not interested and there's nothing that you can say to convert this type of person. They will not budge but, do keep them on your list only if they are interested because, they may purchase from you in the future.

I've learned that you have to go through a certain amount of firm no's to get to the easy wins and the soft no's. Some designers new to selling may be inclined to give up too soon by being offended of their encounters with firm no's because, these no's can be very abrupt. That's just the way it is. I've had the phone hung up on me countless times within a four hour period just to get 1 or 2 sales. The idea is to not let the firm no's affect your ability to keep going through your highly targeted list. You will connect with the people that you are supposed to connect to. These are the people who will gladly support your cause or your product. Whether you are calling boutiques or building your email list, you have to keep finding ways to target your market and clean up your list so that at the end of the day you have easy wins, soft no's and future prospects. Do not let the firm no's affect you from doing your job. Keep it moving.

Repetition with the desire to improve is key to mastering a skill:
With telephone sales you repeat your script within a matter of minutes, allowing you to get better and better with each call. So, by the end of your day if you've focused on improving you become so much better than when you started your day. Apply this to your communication with your prospects. Evaluate what works and what doesn't. Keep steadily improving.

Selling is really fascinating just as much as designing is to me as well. Selling is definitely a great skill to learn if you will be representing your own work. It's a very important part of business to know how to communicate with your prospects. The reward is their trust in your product or service. You win them with your script or your presentation. They trust you so much that they will hand over their credit card to purchase from you, to support your mission. How cool is that?

Would Love to Have Your FEEDback!

Opportunity for FREE Publicity

2008-07-09T16:09:00.000-04:00

By now you probably have figured out that I love posting about selling and marketing your work. As designers, this is the most important aspect of being a successful entrepreneur. You can't escape marketing. So here's cool contest, well FREE offer that I came across from one of my new friends on twitter.com.

Jack + Bill, a public relations agency in NYC is having a contest where they will choose one fashion apparel designer, one model and one accessories designer to market for FREE! Sounds great right?

Here's the link to their site where you can get more details: http://jackandbillpr.com/casting.html

Good Luck!

If you're up on twitter.com, let's connect! I just joined about a week ago. Click the badge below.

Hone Your Skills in these Upcoming Fashion Design Workshops

2008-07-03T12:50:00.000-04:00

A fashion industry associate that I know has been doing fashion design workshops for the past five years now in Los Angeles, Atlanta and NYC. Her company's name is Mshop. She also teaches at Parson's the New School for Design in NYC. Her Mshop newsletters will keep you updated with interesting local fashion happenings in NYC and of course give you updates on her workshops.

Tip #1: Subscribe to her newsletters!
Tip #2: If you're in the LA area and could really use some advice on making it in the fashion biz, take one of her courses coming up on July 12 and 13.

Here's a blurb from her latest newsletter:

"Join M Shop NYC in LA for our ultra informative Workshops that have been attended by Chris Stokes (Music Producer and Film Director), Marques Houston (Recording Artist and Actor), and their LA team to gain fashion industry knowledge for their new high end line Christopher Brian Apparel, as well as Colin Egglesfield of All My Children for his Shout Out clothing line."

Here's her link: Mshop Fashion Design Workshops Check it out Now!

Check Out these Super Cool Fashion Exhibits

2008-07-01T12:43:00.000-04:00

Hey There,
It's summer and a perfect time to hit the museums! These fashion exhibits are definitely worth checking out.

New York City Museums

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy
Superheroes and fashion, I absolutely love it! If you can't make it to this exhibit, just click the link to visit the the Met's site regarding this exhibit. You'll gain a lot this way.
through September 1, 2008

The Museum at FIT

Arbiters of Style: Women at the Forefront of Fashion
Want to see a retrospective of what influential women wore from department store executives to models? Check out this exhibit.
through November 8, 2008

The World Financial Center

Amazonai Design, Fashion & Sustainable Economy
Designers from the Amazon region in South America focus on eco-sustainability in this exhibit. The goal is to make viewers aware of the need to preserve the Amazon region. Designers used raw materials from the Amazon for their creations that are showcased.
through July 13, 2008

Upcoming
Just wanted to mention this now so that I won't forget later!
The Museum of the City of New York

Paris/New York: Design Fashion Culture 1925-1940
This exhibit will include the best of fashion, art, architecture from New York City and Paris!
starts Oct 3, 2008 through Feb 22,2009

Other Current Noteworthy Exhibits Around the Globe

London, UK
The V&A Museum (Victoria and Albert Museum)

The Story of the Supremes from the Mary Wilson Collection
On display will be "over fifty outfits that chart the changing image of the group, from their dresses in the early days as The Primettes, to the glamorous Hollywood designs worn at the height of their fame."
through October 19, 2008

Montreal, Quebec Canada
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

I had to mention this exhibit since this very talented and successful designer passed away on June 1, 2008. If you will be in Montreal, check out this exhibit and tell us about it!
through September 28, 2008

Know of any other fashion exhibits? Please post them here!

Sell at Summer Events and Holiday Markets

2008-06-29T18:19:00.000-04:00

Hey Designers and Artists, are you looking for events in your area to sell at or are you willing to travel to do shows?

www.eventlister.com is a wonderful resource. You can register as a free member to get access to finding shows such as festivals, fine arts and craft shows up to one month in advance for a free membership. It's a large community that features a forum where people give tons of valuable information on topics ranging from how to find quality shows, booth displaying tips, tips on how to make a reasonable profit goal and much more. Their newsletters are great also. I'm a member of this site and highly recommend it as a great tool for designer's and artist entreprenuers who are looking to find new selling venues.

As a member, you can have your own personal page where you can post pictures of your product and a link to your store. You can also manage your event applications. It's a great source for finding summer fairs, festivals and holiday markets!

Check it out and let me know what you think!
www.eventlister.com

Designers, Are You Up on ETSY?

2008-06-19T10:58:00.000-04:00

etsy.com is a cool shopping portal which mainly focuses on all things handmade. They have other categories such as vintage and commercial supplies. It's great for designers of all categories, whether you specialize in apparel, accessories, photography, ceramics or any other category. I've even seen graphic designers with an etsy shop selling their design services.

Tons of visitors go there because, etsy is known for really cool and unique handmade items which is perfect for gift giving. Even though I have my own ecommerce site, www.newyorkaccents.com, I joined etsy about a month ago to test it out. So far no sales yet for me but, I have received tons of interest. I think it's a great way for us designers to expand our prospect base.

Etsy wants you to succeed as well. Their site has a ton of self help materials in an easy to read and fun format. They have forums, online classes, and news flashes of tips from successful etsy sellers. The vibe at etsy is very positive. They do an excellent job at promoting sharing success tips. Best of all their fees are very reasonable.

Check it out for yourself at www.etsy.com. Let me know what you think!

Customer Service Is Always Key

2008-06-05T11:20:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine who works at Macy's as a sales representatives informed me that they now have to reach out to their customers by calling them, like a personal shopper. This type of service is normally known to happen in fine boutiques and high end department stores. I also found out the JC Penny's is doing the same as well.

Do you think that this is a good idea? Do you really want these department stores to call you every time that they have a sell which in my opinion seems to be every weekend. Macy's already sends out circulars every week so, the public knows when they are having a sale. I wonder how this new service is working out for these department stores.

As designers and entrepreneurs, this is something that we must and should be doing on a regular basis. Whether it's communicating with our clients through emailed newsletters, snail mail or a phone call once in a while to those clients who allow you to call them. If these department stores feel the need to be on a more personal level with their shoppers then, this is telling us something. They are trying more ways to bring in more sales.

So, lets not forget about providing superior customer service but, not too much frequent contact that it annoys your clients.

Tell me what you think. Do you really want these major department stores calling you?

Enjoy!

Kali

Going Off the Beaten Path to Find a Road of Success and Satisfaction

2008-05-27T18:49:00.000-04:00

I came across this youtube video and was excited about sharing it with everyone here. The idea is creative marketing. I love the way the Terry Prince is so passionate about his work. He dispels conventional marketing practices and seems to earn a really good salary from his part-time gig. I was shocked to learn how many CD's he's sold in just one year by not following conventional methods of marketing. He follows his heart and is rewarded for doing so.

As artist and designers we have to be open to explore unconventional ways to market our product. Let me know what you think about this video. I am sure it will put a smile on your face and maybe even inspire you.

Enjoy!

Specialty Items Rein Supreme in Down Ecomony

2008-05-14T23:47:00.000-04:00

Today's economy is the perfect time for us designers who specialize in specialty items instead of apparel collections to gain more sales. Items such as accessories, t-shirts jewelry and skirts are fun and easy buys for consumers. The more unique and also salable the better.

Today's issue of WWD posted an article on this subject titled, "Buyers Wait Longer, Scour Harder for Special Items". The article indicates that store buyers shopped at the recent trade shows the way customers shop in stores, very cautiously. This means that the more unique your product, the the more people will notice it. Think about yourself as a shopper, are you purchasing single items or are you buying spring/summer clothes like you normally would in an upbeat economy?

This is the perfect opportunity for designers to showcase their unique items by doing trunk shows at local boutiques. This eliminates the risk for retailers as you would pay them a commission for your total sales for the event. Everyone wins in a trunk show event. You and the retailer make money from sales. You get to test your product and if you get a lot of interest, the retailer may want to place a wholesale order for your items that did well!

So, start making your phone calls to your local boutiques and schedule a few trunk shows for this summer. After all, everyone loves fun and unique summer tees, jewelry and bags!

*Pictured above: The Jenny bag from the Kali Collection. Click here for more details!

A Follow Up Interview Tip that Will Get You Noticed

2008-05-09T18:07:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows that thank you cards are a must, right? They show that you really appreciate your interviewer's time and that you have a real interest in the position that you have interviewed for.

Here's the tip:
Buy your thank you card immediately after the interview rather than buying a generic box of cards. When you buy cards individually you get to choose the card based on the company's culture and the feeling that you received from the person who interviewed you. You will be able to pick up on whether the person is conservative or artsy. Buy your card and have a cup of coffee and write your draft. Highlight key points that your interviewer stressed. Also reconfirm the reason why you would make the perfect candidate. Keep your card brief and upbeat!

Forget about snail mail. Now that your card is finished. Go back to the company where you interviewed and drop it off with the receptionist.

Your interviewer will most likely appreciate this quick and immediate attention. In this competitive environment where there are so many people applying for jobs, tips like this can set you apart from your competition.

Is Being a Do-It-Yourselfer Holding You Back from Blossoming?

2008-05-06T11:41:00.000-04:00

If you are an entreprenuer who runs the entire show yourself you could be faced with the, "I must do everything myself" syndrome. This in fact could possibly be holding you back from achieving more sales and focusing on the tasks that you are skilled in.

I've had to evaluate my workload and learn how to delegate work out to either freelancers or interns. I've also just found out about virtual assistants whom you can hire from various online companies. You can hire a virtual assistant from different countries not just within where you live. I have not hired a VA yet but, when I do I will let you know how it works out!

If you're an artist, you truly care about presentation online and offline but, try not to do all of the artistic work yourself. Delegate small projects out like creating logos, flyers and catalogs. You can also have them build up your social network pages. This can save you tons of time, even though you may be skilled at doing these tasks yourself. You will now have the time to focus on the more important tasks like designing you product and selling it. The sooner we delegate or outsource work the more time we will have to do the things that we truly want or need to do.

There's always a way to get affordable assistance. Try one of the ways that I listed above (freelancers, interns, VA's) and let me know how it works for you.

Do you already have assistants in your business? What was the tipping point that made you realize that you can't do everything yourself?

Break the Workplace Norm and Take an Excursion

2008-04-29T11:12:00.000-04:00

While I was writing the blog for the post below on April 26th, I realized how valuable an experience I had at Jones Apparel Group. My boss who was the design director created an environment that was more than just work. He made fashion design a real life experience by letting his team know about events related to fashion that we should check out. He was big on taking time out of the office once every blue moon and expose us to cultural events related to fashion. We did little excursions to the museum like, going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the Chanel exhibit and the Dangerous Liasons, Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century exhibits. I also accompanied him to the Parson's School of Design fashion show. Of course we did the work related trade shows but, the events not directly related to work is what I loved because, it showed another aspect of our industry.

There's always going to be work to do, deadlines to meet and fires to put out but, once in a while it's good to Break the Norm and do a group event with your staff.

I think that if we have the opportunity to enrich someone else's lives then we should. It doesn't matter what industry you are in. There's bound to be some type of event that your staff can benefit from seeing together as a team. These little events around town are fun and of course educational. It gets you out of the office for a few hours to merge work with culture and history.

So go ahead, take the aftenoon off once and a while and treat your staff to a local cultural event that relates to your industry. You'll be looked at as someone who is a true leader, someone who is passionate about his industry while enriching yourself and your staff! If you're and employee, you take the lead and mention to your boss that you want do a group outing for a specific event. If he/or she is not interested, you and your fellow staff can still make arrangements. The whole idea is to grow oneself, to become more knowledgeable about your industry's past, present and future direction and to support this knowledge through engaging conversations. This is how you can become more valuable.

What's Old, Really is New Again!

2008-04-26T20:19:00.000-04:00

Hey, I just wanted to share this book with you! While I was working at Jones Apparel Group, my boss gave this book to me as a gift. It's called "Ossie Clark 1965-1974" by Judith Watt. It's a book about the life of Ossie Clark a British fashion designer whose hay day was in the mid 1960's - 70's. What's interesting is that although this designer passed away back in 1996 his name is being revitalized. A new Ossie Clark collection was presented at the February '08 fashion week in London so we should see the collection in stores this fall.

Who was Ossie Clark? According to Judith Watt, "Ossie Clark 1965-1974", Clark was considered a rock star in the fashion design scene. His evening dresses were all the rage. He was very skilled in flattering the female body with ruffles, flounces, layers and intricate cutting techniques in sheer chiffon to heavy weight wool. "His brilliance lay in his ability to understand form and proportion and to achieve it through cut and fabric." He was married to Celia Britwell who was a textile designer. They collaborated with Celia providing the prints and Ossie the high fashion garments.

Ossie designed both for the high end elite and was able to appeal to the mass market customer by designing for the Radley label in London. He even designed leather jumpsuits for Mick Jagger.

I'm excited to see how the collection will be interpreted for today's customer. Ossie Clark seemed like a real master technician. According to an article in W magazine. His clothes has inspired contemporary designers such as "Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney and Anna Sui, among others".

New Ossie Clark! Picture from W magazine. article

One of my favorite Ossie Clark Dresses from the 70's featured in the Ossie Clark book by Judith Watt.
Click on image to enlarge and read print!

The Yeahs and Woes of Website Personalities

2008-04-21T16:46:00.001-04:00

Are you getting the sales results that you want online? If so, that's great! If not, then there could be a few things going wrong. Maybe your sight is not enticing enough, the products don't interest the prospect, your offer may not be strong enough, not enough new items or the classic, prospect is just not ready to buy.

If your're an artist/fashion designer and you've created your own web presence in any platform whether it's your own store or Myspace, Blogger, Facebook or even a classified ads, I want to share with you a cool tip that could help you bring in more dollars!

I want to discuss your website's personality in relation to sales. Is your site uplifting, energetic and happy or dull and drab? Sometimes we are so attached to the products that we've designed, marketing strategies, and just learning about the dynamics of selling online that we forget to take a breather. Step back and see if the work we are doing is shown in an exciting way that will entice prospects. I'm speaking from first hand experience if you can't already tell. A friend of mine who is a graphic artist gave me a list of things that I needed to change to make the mood of my site more happier and to reflect the company's name and my product. I listened, took notes and made the changes.

I must say that having others show you problems is a stepping stone to success. My advice is to survey your customers, ask friends and family for their honest opinions. You can only get the answers you need if you make the first step and ask! There's no time to overlook your site's mood. It's very critical to sales.

So, my tip for today is to re-evaluate your website. When you look at it does it make you want to purchase something right away? You could have designed the cutest dress or handbag but, if the mood of your site is dull and drab then, sales will be as well. The good thing about the internet is that it's only one click away to making a change. If you need assistance with web copy and graphics, you might just have to hire a professional. The whole idea is to have a site that says

WOW!!!!!

Take a look at your favorite sites and take note of the things that make you want to keep revisiting them. Of course, each site has it's own character, it's own product but, look at a site that's similar to yours that is one of your favorites and see why it is so enticing for you to keep coming back!

Best of Luck!
Was this insight helpful?

It's A Juggling Act with Many Rewards part 2

2008-04-15T19:13:00.000-04:00

Here's part two of this article. It continues to describe the role of the designer. I based it off of my work experience with the various jobs that I held as associate designer and sourcing associate.

Being a designer, you have to coordinate your tasks with different in-house divisions. The ultimate goal is to have your production ship to stores on-time. Here is how the designer coordinates with the following teams.

•Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. As a designer one works with an entire team of people in order to coordinate the process of sample making and production approvals. This applies to interacting with in house departments such as the following:

sales: Design normally generates style sheets for the sales team to use during market week. This computer generated catalog normally includes a brief description of each product with fabric details. It also shows the many colorways a particular garment will be sold in.

Design also works with the sales team to get feedback on what the buyers want and any changes that the buyers require for a particular style, design has to act on the changes that the buyers want by putting into work a new sample reflecting the change.

production: Design’s role with production is to make sure that if any questions arise during a garments approval process that a representative from design is ready and available to answer these questions. There could be a need to confirm a print layout on a strike-off or if there are any concerns about fabric quality, design can reconfirm with their production counterpart.

technical design: Design normally works with technical design during the entire process of a garment’s life. Initial sketches are presented to the tech person to go over new styling details for each delivery. Design has to make sure that the technical designer is fully aware of all styling details because, tech creates the specs that will be sent to the manufacturer. Any prolonged delays in the process could result in a style not being in-house for market week. Design also has to attend fittings to make sure that the garment’s overall look and fit is what they conceived.

cad (computer aided design): Design works with this department when new artwork is needed for a style. For example, if a pair of cotton capri pants are designed to have a floral print, design is responsible for giving cad any purchased artwork that was used to conceive the idea plus any additional requests to be represented in the final work. Design tells the cad team what colorways to print the artwork in and approves the repeat or border or placed art pattern. Design has to make sure that artwork such as a print, embroidery, applique is affordable. They work with the cad team to stay within the allowed price for each art work.

product development: Product development sends out the packages of style development which includes fabric, artwork, and in some cases specs to the manufacturers. Design works with this team to make sure that the packages are correct as if the wrong fabric details go out to factories, this could delay the fabric sample yardage making process. Product development also raises any alarms in terms of fabric yardage availability and tracks samples for the design team.

Do you work Differnetly?

Smaller companies may work slightly different from larger companies. What are the rewards? Being able to juggle all of these tasks season after season successfully bringing in sales and repeat orders is definitely a major reward. Walking down the street and seeing someone wear one of the garments that you designed is rewarding as well.

Of course there are some seasons when sales are bad and tensions are high. That's the whole challenge of being a designer. It's being able to keep moving forward.

Quick Cash for Designers

2008-04-14T19:15:00.000-04:00

Do you have a new online store? While you're testing out your online marketing strategies and promotions, you can make quick cash off-line. Here's what I did this past Sunday. I hosted an accessories sale in my apartment for my neighbors. It worked! Maybe you're doing this already which is great. It's good to establish an off-line presence especially in your neighborhood. People like to know that there's a designer in the area. Now, take caution. Of course only invite those who you trust to let in your home. Maybe you have a basement that you can set up as your showroom. I have a friend who used her basement to show her collection of African home decor items. It was like a museum. I always loved going to her space. It's private shopping at it's best. There's really no limitations on how creative you can be with creating opportunities to sell without spending tons of money and in this case. You don't spend anything.

The benefits of setting up your own off-line market are getting customers responses live, right away. That's the best. Also asking your customers or prospects what outlets they use to shop and how often they shop is pretty good information. And of course, you don't spend a dime! How's that?

So, go ahead! introduce your product and your company to your neighbors, family and friends you never know what word of mouth affect this could have. It's also a great way to test new products!

Happy Selling,

It's A Juggling Act with Many Rewards part 1

2008-04-11T15:53:00.000-04:00

Being a fashion designer may sound glamours but, there's a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes. I've picked up the following skills while working as an assistant and associate designer. The bosses that I worked for had to display these skills in order to run their division effectively. I currently have to use these skills in my business as an accessories designer. It's a juggling act with many challenges and rewards. Here is part 1 of "Important Skills" that a designer must have.

• Design - Knowledge of current trends in styles, colors, prints and other decorative trimming. Knowledge of design techniques that are cost efficient. Able to sketch collections fully and come up with new ideas constantly.

• Sell- Ability to “sell”/present seasonal collections to design directors department heads, and sales team for approval to start sample process. All parties have to be convinced that the collection will sell therefore, concept presentations are not for the shy. Designer has to have confidence in his ideas and be able to present them during concept presentations.

• Active Learning - Being aware of price points of fabrics and trims. Attending fabric and print trade shows for new concepts and materials to adopt. Reading fashion publications and keeping abreast of sourcing trends. For example if the price of metal has been on the rise then, a collection may not have much decorative metal trimmings. Knowledge of your competitors and their price points.

• Communication- Able to direct the design team that assists in building the collection. This includes interns, assistant and associate designers. Some companies have specific woven and knit designers. Head designer has to communicate with the entire team on the direction of the collection.

• Problem Solver- Able to settle any misunderstandings in regards to style development and can quickly come up with new ideas to solve a problem. If a sample does not come out looking the way design expected, designer has the skill to communicate adjustments to spec technician or must be able to decide to drop the style and replace with new idea immediately.

You can click here to download the ebook "6 Quick Steps to Get the Job, Move to NYC and Live Your Dreams, From a fashion designer's perspective" to get more insights.

Question: Are you a designer? Add to this list. What are some of the skills that you use?

Be sure to check back on Tuesday for part 2 of this article!

Will this Acquisition Mean Better Service for Clients?

2008-04-08T14:13:00.000-04:00

24 Seven a major power house fashion job placement agency has acquired the Gromwell Group another large fashion job placement agency in New York City. The deal supposedly closed late last week and was announced yesterday Monday April 7. Apparently, Gromwell was in financial trouble and had filed for bankruptcy. 24 Seven was in the position when the opportunity came and had the resources to acquire Gromwell. Read more about this acquisition on 24 Seven's web site.

So, how does this relate to me?

I first heard about this last week from a friend who's listed as a candidate at Gromwell as a graphic designer. This person was excited because, now, he has the opportunity to be a candidate for fashion jobs in graphic design. At Gromwell he was not listed in their fashion department. He mainly worked at financial institutions as a graphic designer. So to answer this question, how does this relate to me? This new combined pool of resources should mean more job placement opportunities. It should mean better and more efficient ways to assist job seekers and also employers looking for talent. Let's see what happens over the next few months.

The CEO at 24 Seven and Gromwell both have a combined total of over 30 years of working in the staffing industry according to the press release by 24 Seven. I'm expecting this merger to have a huge impact on those who use it's services in a positive way. I can imagine that, this will help to fill more fashion related jobs in locations outside of New York as well. I know that 24 Seven has several locations in California, an office in Seattle and in London.

Even though this is a power acquisition, all is not lost for the smaller job placement staffing companies or the headhunters. I would think that this is their opportunity to provide it's clients with more specialized services with more of a personal touch than that of a larger organization. Maybe better follow-up communication with clients. That would be nice!

This Just In: Free Exposure in Fashion Show!

2008-04-04T16:32:00.000-04:00

Hey There!

Just got this information about an upcoming fashion show. The Laboratory Institute of Merchandising in NYC has a fashion club that sponsors this annual event. LIM is a fashion business school that has four locations in midtown Manhattan.

Show details:

Show Title- 80's Glam Rock!

*The fashion club is putting this show together. Tickets are $25. You can fax in your order or purchase at the door.

*Show starts at 7pm, doors open 6:15pm Friday April 11th

*Location at the Altman Building - 135 West 18th St

*After party benefits LIM's Fashion Education Foundation

Here's the Deal:

They are looking for designers to submit items for the show. Just spoke with Mrs. Ionia Dunn Lee, Faculty Advisor and Fashion Show Production Teacher...very nice lady. Right now they just need hats and handbags. Must act quickly though, show is next Friday!

You can give her a call or email at (917) 406.7462 or ilee@limcollege.edu.

You get to advertise your accessories in the fashion show. Your logo will be flashed on the screen during the show. The
fashion show will be broken up into 3 categories all with an 80's theme:

* Career Dressing

*Casual -"Flash Dance" inspired

*Evening- Metallics and club scene inspired

Here's the link to their site.

LIM fashion show

You can arrange to have your items mailed back to you. Just call Mrs. Ionia Dunn Lee and you can work out an arrangement.

Enjoy!

Internships that Stand the Test of Time

2008-04-01T14:55:00.000-04:00

Has anyone had an internship that has developed into an ongoing relationship with one of the staff or owners of the establishment where you worked? There's something to be said for being true to yourself....read on! Or, scroll down to the bottom to read today's hot tip.

My internship was at Toast and Strawberries. It was the type of internship that I did on my own without it being attached to school credit. I wanted to work in the fashion industry while I attended school for business to help nurture and satisfy this developing craving that I had for fashion design. During the summer's I came home to Washington, D.C. from Saint Augustine's college in Raleigh, NC and worked in my dream industry, fashion. I had heard about Toast and Strawberries, they were a very popular fine and unique women's apparel and accessories boutique in Washington, DC. I called them up one day and they accepted my offer to work for FREE. I had no prior retail experience so I was in for an overwhelming surprise.

What did I do on a daily basis?
Let's see, where do I start? I did the regular customer service type of work like greeting customers as they came into the store and suggesting items for them to try on, learned how to ring up sales. I called customers to tell them about upcoming events or sales. The boutique was located a few blocks away from the Hilton hotel. The hotel would hold large conventions during the summers so, I would have to trek up the hill to the hotel if there was a convention and pass out flyers. This was not my idea of fun but, I had to do it. I knew that it would attract customers. What else did I do? I worked on in store visual displays, I was able to sell some of my hand painted t-shirts there and I helped with in-store events such as modeling in fashion shows and networking events.

I had so much fun at this boutique. It was like my little dream world. My escape. It was easy to get to from my home, I just had to catch a bus and the train and there I was, in a different world. I had no idea whatsoever that more than ten years later I would still have a working relationship with the owner of the store. It's funny, you never know how things are going to turn out.

Let's fast forward a few years later, I've graduated from both Saint Augustine's College and Marymount University. I've moved to NYC and Mrs. Miller, (owner of Toast) and I had been keeping in touch sporadically. In some cases we would only communicate maybe once or twice per year. Little did I know that our relationship was about to come Alive again. Her book "The Threads of Time, The Fabric of History" was published and she started promoting the book outside of DC to include NYC and other states. Last year, she came to NY to do a presentation and book signing at The City Museum of New York. This was no ordinary book signing. I didn't expect it to be with Mrs. Reed-Miller. There was a slide presentation and a panel discussion with featured designers from her book. There was also a fashion show and this is where my role came in. It was great working with Mrs. Rosemary again. I would help out a few more times and most recently this past February at the Midtown Library.

I really got a "big break" back in February '08. This time, there was only the slide presentation, panel discussion and book signing. No fashion show because, of unlikely timing with the other designers, this meant that I had the opportunity to step up. I was given the opportunity to be a part of the panel discussion. This was great! It lead me to do a speaking engagement a few weeks later at Berkley College in NYC and it led me to start this blog site. To be honest. I had always wanted to do a blog and thought that it would be about my product, you know reviews and tips about my fashion accessories but, I was so influenced by the students to blog about fashion design career tips and suggestions. This really made more sense to me.

Hot Tip There's no need to wait for an internship to be required for school credit. You never know what type of opportunities you will have and how these opportunities will shape your career. Another hot tip is to be true to yourself. Had Mrs. Miller never started Toast and Strawberries I would have never had that experience and we would not be associates today. Had I not followed my passion I would have never called her store.

I always look forward to working with Mrs. Miller. She has this way of attracting an eclectic mix of people who have dynamic lives. You see, there is something to be said for being true to yourself.

Post back to share your internship experiences!

PS: Yes. I did have the nerve to post a picture of me from the 90's. Hey, It's fashion what else can I say!

Think You Have What it Takes?

2008-03-28T10:56:00.000-04:00

Want quick exposure? A design open see or a competition may be just what you need.

Here are 2 upcoming events in NYC. Better hurry, they're right around the corner!

Henri Bendel's Designer Open See
is this Monday March 31st. 9 A.M. - Noon
I went last year and have to tell you that you MUST get there early! I got there around 6:30 A.M. and signed my name on the list. There were approximately 10-15 people ahead of me. The picture of the people standing in a line that stretches all the way around the corner is very real. So, if you are serious, get there as early as possible. The event is only from 9AM-Noon. That's only 3 hours. You would not want to arrive there at 10am just to find out that you're at the very back of the line and may not be seen.

According to their website, a few of the notable designers who emerged through this process are Anna Sui and Todd Oldham among others.

So, go ahead pack you best samples and get their Early!

Click to visit Henri Bendel's website for more details.

Calling All Handbag Designers!
Designer Handbag 101, a source for everything handbag hosts it's Second Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards. Application deadline is April 18th.
I like this competition because, there is one winner from six categories and you can submit your application online.

Here are the categories:

*Best Student Made Handbag
*Most Socially Responsible Handbag
*Audience-Selected Handbag
*Best Handmade Handbag
*Best Green Handbag
*Best Handbag in Overall Style & Design

The winners will be presented in an awards ceremony in June at the Historical Society of New York. Just some of the prizes include:

* Opportunity to have trunk show at Henri Bendel's with window display of winning bags.
* "Best Overall Bag" winner gets free booth at WWD Magic Accessories trade show in August. How wonderful!

These are just a few of the prizes. Visit Designer Handbag 101's site for more details and to sign up!

Best of Luck!

Have you participated in any of these events? If so, share your experience by posting a comment. We'd love to know how it worked out for you.

It's Portfolio Review and Senior Project Time!- Don't Forget to Use this Tip!!!

2008-03-25T10:29:00.001-04:00

If you're a senior in a fashion design school, you're probably tearing your hair out right about now trying to put the finishing touches on your senior project and complete your portfolio for review. Keep reading, I want to share with you a tip that I just thought of that may propel your career!

For those not associated with this world, senior year is the last time while you're a student in school that you get to show off your talents and skills. Your senior project is a collection of about 3-4 garments. At my school, Marymount University in Arlington, VA students got to come up with their own theme and design a collection based on this. The focus is to make it salable and not just advant garde. Students had to have their concept sketches approved by the teacher with fabric swatches to support your idea. Once approved then you start the drafting/pattern making process in muslin. Once the pattern is finalized then you're ready to make your garments in real fabric. The portfolio review is an extension of this. Your senior collection project is included in the portfolio along with other collections that were clearly targeted to a specific customer. We also had to show flat sketches with measurements and any textile prints or anything else that we wanted to include in our first book.

I did a men's wear line for my senior project. It was a very casual collection in linen. I wanted to stand out because, I had a feeling that most students were going to do evening wear which turned out to be true. I can remember popping Vivarin (I'm not endorsing) and staying up 48 hours straight just to make sure that my senior line was complete, sewing til the very last moment just before showtime.

I came up a little short on my portfolio review. My book was about 90% complete or so. Our guest speaker for our fashion show was Dana Buchman and she did our portfolio review as well. I don't remember her exact comments on my book. It was average and favorable though. I do remember sitting there with a silly nervous smile on my face when I could have been more proactive.

Here's the tip for you!
*While you're sitting there having your book reviewed as the guest designer thumbs through in a matter of seconds, pop in a question like:
-What's it like working as an assistant designer in your company?
-Can I contact your HR to see if there are any openings?
Too many questions would be a distraction but, one good one could lead to unexpected opportunities.

*It's always good to send a thank you note in the mail after your review. It shows that you really appreciated their time.

Enjoy these last few weeks of your senior year and try not to pull all of your hair out!

How did your portfolio review or senior project go? Post it here. We'd love to know!

Much Success!

I Didn't Know That! The Fashion Industry's Little Secret

2008-03-21T12:36:00.000-04:00

"The Threads of Time, The Fabric of History", a book by Mrs. Rosemary Reed-Miller, brings to light the contribution of African American women fashion designers. It's amazing how the author takes us back, way back to the 1850's and brings us up to the very present with notable black women designers. This is history, American history that's not praised or spoken about widely. I surely didn't learn about this when I was in fashion design school. You can believe though, that I learned about European designers. You know, all of the legendary couture designers.

This book is filled with profiles of well over 20 designers. It's a paperback book, now in it's 3rd edition. It's filled with black and white photos of designers and their work. Mrs. Reed-Miller starts with the profile of Mrs. Elizabeth Keckley who was born in 1818 in Dinwidie, Virginia. Mrs. Keckley was born during slavery and developed the craft of sewing. She honed her skills so well that she was able to build a business as a dressmaker for wealthy women. She won the appointment to be the dressmaker for Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. To give you an idea of how important the role of being a black seamstress was in those days, here is an excerpt from the first paragraph of Mrs. Keckley's profile:

"During slavery in the United States, first in the colonies and then later in the states and territories, black women were responsible for the sewing needs of the plantation as well as the general household in the city. They mended and fashioned clothing for the mistress of the house, the family and household servants. They used their ingenuity and skills to make and repair clothing from leftover materials for the other slaves and children."

This book goes through history the bad and the good times with interesting highlights. Have you ever heard of Ann Lowe? She designed the wedding gown for Mrs. Jackie Kennedy.

I truly love the history and richness of the stories behind these designers. This book is an excellent read for any fashion or American history enthusiast.

You can get more details and purchase this book directly from the author's website www.toastandstrawberries.com. Go ahead check it out! The author has been in the fashion industry for over 30 years. She established the famed boutique in Washington, DC, Toast and Strawberries!

Enjoy!

Free Fashion Information at Your Service!

2008-03-18T13:46:00.000-04:00

So, you're launching a fashion business or you're in fashion school and want to visit the fashion district to buy trims, fabrics, notions for your final school project Whatever your needs, the fashion center kiosk in New York City is a great place to start. You can go inside the kiosk and get a print out of the specific information that you need. For example, do you need a list of apparel manufacturers that only do small orders, or wholesale button and trimming companies? You can get this and more for FREE just by stopping in and asking or you can send an email and they will respond back with the information that you requested.

The kiosk is located at the corner of 7th Ave. and 39th streets in NYC. It's landmark is the huge button and needle structure right on the corner. I've used the service many times. For the most part, the companies are easy to contact because, their name, address and phone numbers are listed on the print out that you are given. In some cases you may find that a few of the companies listed have moved and their new location is not registered with the fashion center. While looking for these companies, I've found that the security person at the lobby of the old listing was able to direct me to the company's new location. It's a small world!

Here is the contact details for the kiosk:
Open 10am-4pm Monday - Friday EST
ph: 212-398-7943
fx: 212-398-7945
e-mail: info@fashioncenter.com
(please fax or e-mail all inquires)

You should also check out the fashioncenter.com. This is really the starting point to learn about the services that the fashion center provides. This link is to their home page where you can find the link to the fashion kiosk that I described above.

Best Wishes in Your Venture!

When You're Hit with A Loss Do You Seek the Closest Exit?

2008-03-14T13:31:00.000-04:00

Today's issue of WWD features this article, "A Painful Period: Write-downs Drive Liz Claiborne to $435M Loss". It's a lesson in loosing and achieving your goals. The article explains how Liz Claiborne company loss $435M last quarter. Wow! That's definitely a blow! How do you recover from that? It seems as though their leadership has a plan in place to put the company back on track. It was encouraging to read that their leadership realizes that nothing happens overnight.

"We realize we have a lot to do, that it can't be done overnight, and we are focused on meeting our targets over a three-year period."

They had some brands that weren't doing well, they made some restructuring adjustments and it seems as though they are confident and excited about moving forward. Being in business creates all sorts of challenges. It's up to the leadership of the company to seek new profit making ideas. It's a creative position to be in. It's never static because, you're always striving to be the best even when losses are so severe. We can use this as an example in our own lives weather we are in business or not. Do you evaluate your goals on a regular basis and make amendments if necessary? Now's the time to start evaluating and taking control of the situation weather you're in a favorable position or not, there's always room for improvement. It all starts from a confident, clear objective and accomplishing goals one by one on your "To Do List".

Article is archived at WWD.

Arm Yourself with These Job Hunting Resources

2008-03-11T21:00:00.000-04:00

A successful job search is more than just good timing. The resources that you use are key and could make the difference in the length of time that it takes to find a job. If you're in the fashion industry, you'll want to use some or all of these resources. I'm sure you're already reading Women's Wear Daily which has a classifieds section for jobs. There's also the obvious search engines like hotjobs and careerbuilder.com. Indeed.com is a search engine that compiles jobs from other websites, newspapers and other resources. Here are a few other essential resources that you may find handy. I've personally used them or have registered with their service throughout my career and have been in communication with them as recent as last year.

Websites

These 2 sites are excellent for finding fashion jobs. Major corporations along with smaller companies list job opening positions on these sites.

fashioncareers.com

stylecareers.com

Headhunters/Agencies in NYC
I'm listing these agencies in no particular order. They are excellent for finding freelance and full-time work.

The Gromwell Group

24/Seven

Project Solvers

4th Floor Fashions

Karlyn Fashion Recruiters

Winston Resources

Soloman Page Group

Executive Network Associates

Friends and Associates

This may seem obvious. Time to say goodbye to your pride and ask friends and people that you are close with if they have any leads. This is the easiest route.

If you know of any other resources post them in your comments!

Welcome

2008-03-07T13:46:00.000-05:00

This past Monday and Tuesday March 3rd and 4th, I had the opportunity to do a presentation about my fashion design experience and my business to two different classes at Berkley College in NYC. I was thrilled at the idea of finally being able to give back! All through my life, I've had mentors and surrounded myself with people who were willing to help in teaching me in some way. This has helped me in choosing my career. For me to finally be in a position as someone who can help guide, is a true joy. I had wanted to set up a blog site for some time now. This opportunity motivated me, as I want to keep the communication going with the students and anyone else who reads the ebook "6 Quick Steps to Get the Job, Move to NYC an Live Your Dreams, from a fashion designer's perspective" (see side menu bar to download free ebook). That's the joy about learning. We both are learning and growing, the one who shares and the one who benefits from the person who shares.

This is a very new blog. I'll add new information on a weekly basis. I am looking forward to growing this community and having a site where anyone who is interested can participate in discussions and share ideas. Along with the educational portion, this blog will also introduce to you new accessories from our online boutique New York Accents. After all, it is a fashion site!

Enjoy,
Kali

6 Quick Steps to Get the Job, Move to NYC and Live Your Dreams!

2008-03-05T20:36:00.000-05:00

Here's an ebook for all interested in working in the fashion industry. It's written from my perspective as a fashion designer who has had eight years of experience working for companies in NYC. I wanted to share my experience and tips for those seeking to work in this dynamic industry. Download this Free ebook and let me know if you find it helpful! It includes:

*a sample resume
*tips to look for housing
*skills that a designer has beyond the obvious
*a mini glossary
...and more!

Click Here to Download this FREE ebook!

Pass Along: Ok to forward ebook to friends!