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

"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

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

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?

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

"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

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

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!