Sunday, December 18, 2011

How to Become a Fashion Designer

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 :)





----------



Want to see out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Join me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email



Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Costing a Garment - The Real Scoop!

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/

----------



Want to see out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Join me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email



Friday, June 10, 2011

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

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.


new

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!


----------



Want to see out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Joint me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email



Saturday, May 14, 2011

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



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!

----------



Want to see out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Join me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email



Saturday, April 2, 2011

Fashion Job Etiquette-Cell Phones at Work



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?


----------



Want to see out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Join me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email



Thursday, February 24, 2011

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

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.

----------



Want to see out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Join me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email



Monday, January 24, 2011

Fashion Design Dress Contest

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 :)


----------
Want to check out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Join me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email



Friday, January 14, 2011

Handbag Design Contest

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 :)



----------
Want to check out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Join me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email



Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Getting Started in Fashion Design

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.



----------
Want to check out what I'm doing in my biz, newyorkaccents.com? Come and check out my facebook page where you'll be in the loop about free product give-aways, fashion accessories cool news and tidbits, my new product updates and more!

Join me on facebook for cool fashion accessories with a twist!

Subscribe to NYAccents: Fashion Design Career Blog by Email