Paize Digital Design Journal

Angel's Lake House Sign

2011-11-10T13:22:00.001-05:00

Need More Brain Power

2007-10-11T13:37:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had so many things going on in your life that you feel like you've just ran out of brain power? You know, kinda like when your computer's RAM is max out and can no longer process new data.

That's where I am right now. It's different than stress 'cause I like all the projects I am working on now. It just involves a lot of thinking, planning and remembering.

Anyway, here's a pic of my computer screen while working on my design flats.

Lulu Packed and Ready to Go!

2007-10-10T13:13:00.000-05:00

Right now I am living out of cardboard boxes. We are in between apartments and will be for the next 3-4 months.

The one month "buffer" I built into my schedule has already been used up. Of course I hadn't planned on moving, selling, buying and renovating a new apartment.

My designs are done now, I am almost finished with the flats. Now I have to go look for a pattern maker ... actually, I need to revisit my fabric vendor, 'cause I wanna get heavier fabrics for fall.

Thank goodness for DVR! I am not going to have any time to watch any of the new shows!

Why am I Moving !?!

2007-09-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

I say this to myself every time I move. It always seems like a good idea at the time, until the actual move is happening.

So much time is spent on the phone with all the utilities companies, the moving companies, the supers in both buildings to reserve the elevator, etc.

This is all after all the time I spent running around looking at rental apartments. Sometimes I think it's good that I have my own business so I can do all this stuff during "business" hours ... gotta set up that day-long appointment with Time Warner to hook up cable. And I can do that without using up a "vacation day".On the other hand, I am so distracted with all this "stuff" that I haven't done much this month. So of course now I am falling behind schedule. Luckily I had built in a month buffer so I am still okay. But I think after I finish moving I should rewrite my schedule (maybe while I am waiting for the cable guy) so I'll be back on track.

Working the Cowl

2007-09-21T15:11:00.000-05:00

Just trying out different cowl necklines with different fabrics.

This is Silk Crepe de Chine.Double Silk Georgette

Silk Crepe de Chine again, draped on the back.

Working the Style Lines

2007-09-17T10:50:00.000-05:00

As part of the design process, I like to drape all sketches. I find that I work better on the form. It also gives me an opportunity to think about the construction of garment, which works better on a 3D medium.

Here's is the finished style lines for one of the designs. This design varied a lot from the sketch, but that happens. I also started to do the pattern for this design, but I found it to be too time consuming so I am going to have to hire a pattern maker.

One Month Hiatus

2007-09-13T13:05:00.000-05:00

It's crazy to think that almost a month has already gone by since I last posted. I'll try to catch you up on everything that's been going on the last month. Unfortunately since I am moving out of my apartment at the end of this month, I am not going to have that much time to post.

Here's a little peek into what I've been sketching lately.

Speaking of Shopping

2007-08-16T13:53:00.000-05:00

I've been shopping a lot lately, must be all of the end of summer sales. But one sale I am really looking forward to is the Prada Sample Sale.

I've been once before and I found a really cute pair of shoes, a belt, and a skirt or two. That was a while back, now they have this whole system of reserving a spot, etc. Which is way better than waiting in line for an hour.

My appointment is for next Wed. at 3pm. My partner in crime, Aphrodite, is going to go with me. Luckily she was able to squeeze this shopping trip in right before she flies off to France for 3 weeks.

Shop 'Til I Dropped

2007-08-16T13:25:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while, the stars align and a couple of my good friends don't need to go in to work in the middle of the week. So of course we get together for a day of lunch and shopping.

We had lunch at Alice's Tea Cup. You can't get any girlier than that. It is such a great place to go with your girlfriends. After a long lunch where we ate small bits of tea sandwiches (okay, I had big bites of steak salad) and sipping cups of rose tea, we were ready to go shopping.

Time flew by so fast. We were only able to visit a couple of shops within the 2-3 block radius.

Believe it or not, I went to all new stores. I bought some great finds from Searle, pookie & sebastian, and Lingerie on Lexington. I am not sure why I've never been to these stores, maybe they are more popular with the upper eastsiders.

At Searle, they were having a trunk show, so we helped ourselves to complimentary glasses of wine. After a glass, I had to get out of store, before I moved from the sales rack to their new fall merchandise.

Another Colorboard

2007-08-14T17:50:00.000-05:00

Yes, I have another colorboard. This one is based off the most recent mood board.

According to my schedule, I should be designing right now. I looked over the sketches I have for S/S '08 and I didn't like any of it. At least not enough to bring over to A/W '08-'09. Is it totally normal to just not like your designs after a while?

I thought I can at least bring forward a couple of designs so I wouldn't have to drape everything over, but I really want to produce a design I truly love.

So I am going to start another intense session of sketching and designing. And maybe this time I won't drape everything, just the ones that are hard to describe on paper. We'll see ....

Mood Board A/W 08-09

2007-08-10T14:50:00.000-05:00

When I was working on S/S 08, I didn't have a mood board, 'cause I was just rushing through the process. Now that I have given myself more time, this is my mood board for A/W 08-09.

I can see how a mood board can be beneficial in the design process. It is an inspiration and an anchor.

Lost Roman Holiday

2007-08-09T12:34:00.000-05:00

I was just catching up on all my WWD reading and ran into an article about an Pompeii Exhibit showing in Dallas.

This reminded me of the time when I went to Pompeii with my DH. We had such a great time. Walking through the ashes of old Pompeii was surreal.

I would like to explore this inspiration at another date, not for the season I am working on now, but I guess I'll just file it away and maybe it'll work for another season.

Radom Find on Google Images

2007-08-07T17:06:00.000-05:00

So in my search for inspirational images, I found these series of hand-painted photographs by fine arts photographer, Wendi Schneider.

This was the first image that caught my attention. I found it because in the description it says the model is laying on vintage 1940's textile.

Since I like the photo so much, I started looking through the rest of the series and I found that a lot of images where exactly what I was seeing in my head. The poses, the colors, etc.

It's 1947

2007-08-07T12:43:00.001-05:00

My first deadline has come and gone. I didn't get a chance to do ANY work this weekend. I am still working on my story/mood board. Now I am exploring the whole 40's feel.

The vintage Vogue covers I found before were all too 1920's, too flapper. I am leaning towards a slimmer silhouette with a tiny, tiny waist. I guess it's a back lash against all the "pregnancy" dresses.

Here are some more images for my mood board.

This is my favorite image. The whole mood is very mysterious, dark, and sexy. The only thing I don't like is the yellow plaid. Is it just me or is she wearing black ankle socks? I think I am going to have crop this picture 'cause I can't stop staring at her socks!

Vintage Vogue Covers

2007-08-03T13:36:00.000-05:00

Another inspiration I want to explore is vintage Vogue covers, especially during the 1920's. I wanted to go to the FIT library where they have all the vogue magazines, but was sad to find out that the library will be closed until the end of this month.

Luckily for google, I found a whole bunch of sites that had pics of vintage Vogue covers. Here are some that I like.

This last one is very spring so if I don't use this inspiration, I can save it for next season.

The Black Dahila

2007-08-02T13:58:00.000-05:00

So according to my schedule I have to be finished with my storyboard and color board by next Monday. That give me 3 "business" days and 2 weekend days to do this. I actually already tried to talk myself into giving myself a couple more days and "rework" the schedule. That conversation only lasted 30 seconds before I reminded myself that was how I got into trouble before.

To start with I want to explore a story that I was exploring before ... the story and the movie "The Black Dahlia". To me the movie told a story of sadness, murder, mystery with a undertone of twisted sexual desires. Sounds like a good collection? :) I would love to hear any thoughts you may have on this story and/or other stories.

Here are some arresting imageries from the movie .....

Moving on to the next season ....

2007-08-01T13:43:00.000-05:00

So as I mentioned yesterday, due to sever procrastination I am blaming on the beautiful summer days, I am pushing back my debut collection to Fall/Winter '08. To make myself feel better, I referred back to Kathleen Fasanella's book The Entrepreneur's Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing, where I remember her saying that Fall season is the best launch time.

This is on page 43 under "Determine Market Entry" ....
"Fall is the easy favorite ....", "It is the number one selling season by a wide margin." "... Fall Market is the best choice of a start-up."

The only reason I didn't adhere to her advice before was because I was too impatient to launch my collection.

So now I have a definitive launch date .... January 1, 2008. And a definitive development schedule with hard deadlines.

Below is the schedule I adopted from Fasanella's book. I've broken up the steps a lot more and of course instead of 16 weeks, I've given myself 23 weeks.

Vegas Baby!

2007-07-31T15:06:00.000-05:00

Okay, okay, so I've been back from my Vegas trip for a week already. Sorry these pics are so late.

This is Daisy wanting to go on the trip with us.

I think every tourist who has ever gone to Vegas has a picture of this shot.

This is the sculpture I was staring at the full 4 hours we were playing Pai Gaw at MGM Grand.

I was really trying to finish all my draping so I can get samples made. So as I was rushing through the whole process, I realized that I had really procrastinated too much and now I am at the point where I have to decided whether to just punch out a small collection or to push back a season and really do it right.

Of course I chose the latter. So now my debut collection is going to be Fall/Winter '08. I am going to try to use as much as I can from all my work on S/S '08. Even as I am starting now for F/W '08, I still don't have that much time. First step is to work out a time line, print it out and stick to it.

Designing Shapes

2007-07-19T04:30:00.001-05:00

I've been really busy finishing up on my designs. I really should be done with my first samples at this point so I am about 3 weeks behind on my schedule. And I am off to Vegas for a long weekend. Alas, I always work better when under pressure.

This is my first attempt at cutting out the organic shape of the neckline. I felt the shape was too small ....

This is my second attempt. I felt the shape was a little bit too odd, if that makes any sense.

I reworked the shaped a couple of other times. This is the progression of the development.

I decided on the last one, but kept all the other shapes taped to my worksheet in case I want to change my mind.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I got my camera in the mail a couple of days ago. Love the camera! I've been taking so many random pictures.

I Work Where I Eat

2007-07-12T02:52:00.000-05:00

After living in NYC for over 10 years, I've become quit used to living in small spaces. And while my current apartment isn't small by NYC standards, when I am working, I do wish I had a large loft with a large working table and all the room to run around in.

Here's a picture (that I took a while back ... still waiting for my camera) of my working space.

It's not too bad, except I feel like I have to clean up after each work session because it is also my living space. I can't just close a door and forget about all the fabric scrapes on the floors, loose thread lying around, and all the various tools of the trade I've collected over the past year or so.

First Attempt at Draping

2007-07-10T11:37:00.000-05:00

I spent all of yesterday draping first muslin of one of my designs. It took me quit a long time, 'cause I am a bit out of practice. Sorry, my camera died so I won't be taking pictures for a week or so.

My Casio has served me well for 6-7 years. It has taken many pictures of weddings, babies, vacations and birthdays.

After much research and discussion with my DS, I purchased the Canon SD900 camera. I had a hard time deciding between the SD900 and SD850 IS, but when I found a SD900 COACH edition, I just had to have it.

Now I am impatiently waiting for delivery from Amazon. I was too cheap to pay for the faster shipping. Now, I don't think it'll get here before my Vegas vacation starting the 19th .... grrrr.

Fabrics and Colors

2007-07-02T13:10:00.000-05:00

This is my color board for S/S '08. The story is "Lost Innocence". I didn't create a story board, even though it's one of the more fun things I like to do. I have just been concentrating on finalizing the designs. Thanks to everyone that commented either online or in person.

This is just the fabrication board from the textile supplier that I will be using. I've marked off the self fabrics I'll be using with the green tags, actually one of them is for lining, so I'll actually be just working with two different fabrications for self fabrics. The pink tags are the possible trim fabrics, those I haven't finalized.

My deadline is to get all the first samples done by the end of this month.

Public Opinion Part 3: Underdog

2007-06-29T17:47:00.000-05:00

So these are the designs that didn't get that many votes, but I like them so they are being considered to be in the final collection.

Design 9

This actually got three votes, but was my favorite out of all the other designs that got three votes. All that rounded things on the neckline are embroidered applique chained together to create a neckline. Depending on the embroidery, it can be subdued or sparkly.

Design 10

This design didn't get any votes. I am not sure why. The bodice is a collage of different fabrics to create a graphic story. I am going to move this design forward and do a color rendering with fabric swatches, maybe people will like it better.

Design 11

This design got one vote, so at least one person likes it. I think the lack of votes has more to do with the drawing than the actual design. The back is suppose to be drapey with the lining showing. I am probably going to keep this design, but shorten the skirt.

So that's it, those are the contenders.

Public Opinion Part 2: Most Likely to Succeed

2007-06-28T10:51:00.000-05:00

This group of designs each had 4 votes.

Design 3

This one is definitely in. I like the back detail. What you may not be able to see is that there are cords accenting the back opening. The front sketch is off. It's a bit more fitted than it is possible with a back like that. This one I'll need to drape to get a real look at the silhouette.

Design 4

Like I said before, people seemed to really like the rouching and gathering. I am undecided about this one. It doesn't seem to fit in with design 3 which I really like and it is a bit more ... how should I say this ... 80's prom dress? If I really need to I can see if I can tone it down, maybe get ride of the gathers at that skirt waist line.

Design 5

This is cute. A little Banana Republic. And a bit more fall/winter. Maybe I'll save this for the following season.

Design 6

I love this one ... I wonder who didn't vote for this one! J/K! I may take this and do a little bit more design development to see if I can evolve this into 2 additional designs.

Design 7

This design kinda goes with design 5. I think I'll just save these suckers for next season.

Design 8

This is very formal ... I think too formal for the group. I do like the bow detail, although I think right now, I would change it from a "stiff" bow to a "loose" bow. And maybe if I shorten it, it wouldn't be so formal.

Public Opinion Part 1: Most Popular

2007-06-25T16:21:00.001-05:00

As a part of my design development process, I shared the 60+ rough sketches I have been working on the past month or so with some family and friends ... 5 people in total. I should get more opinion, but I need to move on. So this is a review of which designs people liked.

My purpose for doing this exercise is to step out of my own design bubble and listen to what other people have to say. Since I can get kinda sensitive when people criticize my designs, even if they something like, "Oh I love the skirt, but I don't really like the collar/sleeve/whatever", I asked them to just make a mark next to the designs they like or have a good first impression without saying a single word to me.

I welcome any votes you may want to cast. Just leave in the comments area something like, "I vote for design 2 and 10."

In this post, there are the two designs that all five people liked. Over the next few days I'll add the rest of the designs for a total of 13 designs.

Design 1

I was quit surprised at the popularity of this design because it is so simple. The idea is to have some really knock out trim that looks like a necklace holding the dress up.

Design 2

This design is cute. It seems like people really like the ruching and the gathers. You'll see more of that design detail in the next post where I'll showcase the designs with 4 votes.

Weekend at Newport, RI

2007-06-22T12:16:00.000-05:00

For our 3rd year wedding anniversary, my DH planned a lovely weekend at Newport, RI. What was special about this trip was that we were able to share it with our two girls, Daisy and Lulu. It's the first vacation we've taken with the girls. It was so much fun.

When we got there and took a good deep breath of the sea air, the first thing my DH said was, "maybe we can stay here an extra day."

Everything about the town was so relaxing. The staff at the Hyatt was super friendly. We watched the white sail boats cut through the blue water and sky.

The view from our hotel room.

Our girls are crazy about tennis balls, so naturally when we played tennis, the girls went crazy, running around picking up tennis balls.

So while in Newport, of course we have to sample the local seafood. For dinner we went to The Landing upon the recommendation of our hotel concierge. We had fabulous steamers, lobster, and fillet mignon.

For lunch we went to The Cook House. This time we brought our girls with us 'cause they have a cute little sidewalk cafe. The food was also great. The best was definitely the steamed local mussels we had in garlic and butter.

Daisy, not wanting to drink from the dog bar at The Cook House.

The second day, we walked the Cliff Walk that follows along the ocean side with the Newport Mansions on one side. Although the temperature was in the 70's, the cool ocean breeze made it very comfortable. Our girls were so tired that my DH had to carry one of them towards the end of the walk.

Lulu enjoying a break from walking the Cliff Walk. That's my DH's hand in the upper left hand corner

Gen Art Emerging Designer Sale

2007-06-22T11:58:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, New York's young and fashionable gathered at the Puck Building for the Gen Art Emerging Designer Sale.

Even though I got there early, I still had to wait in line to get in. What is it about NYC and lines? I saw a sign that said that I can skip the line if I waved my NY:INC American Express Card. Can't believe I just cancelled that useless card 3 weeks ago!

When I got in, the list lady couldn't find my name on the list ... but she stamped me anyways. So off I went, shopping.

First I tried on these really cute shoes, but couldn't find one in my size. Next I wondered over to a handbag place and set my sights on this large, roomy, leather bag with gold studs. I don't know what I was thinking, after all, I was at a sale where all the items were below wholesale prices.

I put the bag down to check out the rest of the selection, and before I knew it, someone else picked it up and started fondling it. I kept following her around, telling myself that she was just looking, there's no way she was going to buy MY bag. Well, I think you can guess how that story ends ... that girl bought my bag!

Dejected, I went to get a free bottle of water, and thought about drinking a couple of Bailey cocktails. Since I was shopping by myself, I felt kinda silly drinking by myself. So I went on to visit my friend Grace Sun who was showing there.

I had previously went to her private sales, but didn't buy much because everything was in sample size so I couldn't try anything on. This time however, I was able to try things on and ended buying a dress and a blouse. I wish I could have bought more, but I don't think she had her full collection there.

I also bought a whole bunch of french lace lingerie from a designer named CLO. My DH really liked them :)

All in all, a great shopping experience, can't wait for next year's!

Who do I hang with?

2007-06-14T11:50:00.000-05:00

My friend Aphrodite had these $25 off $100 purchase coupons for Bloomingdale's. So I joined her on her little shopping's spree. I just can't pass up a good deal.

I must say we did very well. We ran around the store finding things we liked that matched up to the $100 total so we can maximize the discount. It helps that Aphrodite is a super mathematician, I would have given up a long time ago.

I did have an opportunity to shop the store before while waiting for her to show up. First I circled around the dress department. This is where they have all the cocktail/evening dresses with labels like Vera Wang, Badgely Mischka, Tadashi, BCBG, Nicole Miller, Carmen Marc Valvo, etc.

Bloomies was having a great sale, so there were a lot of items for around $100 after discounts and coupons. But the retail prices of the section were around $200 to $500 for cocktail dress and $400 to $1000+ for long evening gowns.

I noticed that while some dresses were cute, overall I did not find them stylish or fashion forward. I was quit disappointed because I have respect for all of the above mentioned designers.

Then I went to the designer collection floor. Each designer had their own section whether it was a section of a wall with names Stella McCartney, Alberta Ferretti, Petere Som, etc. or a separate "boutique" like Chanel, Armani, etc.

I concentrated more on the dresses from each label. I found them to be inspirational, fashionable, and very well constructed. All were made with high quality fabrics with superior finishings and foundation construction. I was quite impressed until I saw the prices. Nothing was below $2,000, even for the simplest shift dress.

So this whole time I was having an identify crisis. I kept asking myself, "who do I hang with?" and could not come up with an answer.

Even by the time I left I couldn't come up with an answer. I didn't want to hang with the dress department, 'cause I felt that the quality and style were sub par. I didn't want to hang with the designers, 'cause I was afraid it would be too expensive for my target customers.

Then I read a blog entry on fashion-incubators.com .... and I figured it out ... I just don't hang in Bloomingdale's.

To Perm or Not To Perm?

2007-06-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

So remember how I said I was thinking of perming my hair after reading through the Japanese magazine, Vivi? Well, after I wrote the entry, I kinda got that thought out of my system. Then, my DS called and said that she's been thinking of getting a perm also. So we agreed that she'll drive up to the city on 4th of July and we'll both get our hair permed together.

This is a picture of I want to happen.

I know my hair dresser is going to tell me that look is done with a curling iron, but I figure if I can get some sort of large, loose curls put in, it'll have the same effect, no?

Maybe my good friend CC, the ex-hair dresser can weigh in on this debate?

Tax Return Time

2007-05-29T14:42:00.000-05:00

I filed my first business sales tax return today! Since my sales is $0.00 for this quarter, it was easy.

It is a bit of a reality check. It's been 3 months since I started this line, and I don't even have my business plan done.

Magazines from ..... Italy!

2007-05-23T14:13:00.000-05:00

So thanks to my friend KO, I've been flipping through the latest batch of magazines from around the world .... well, Italy this time. Love the Vogue.

Here is an inside spread ... what's with the floral print dress ...

.... maybe an inspiration from my flower garden is in order ....

Mags from Japan

2007-05-15T13:56:00.000-05:00

The second batch of fashion magazines came from my old high school friend SH who was actually visiting from Japan. He didn't know what to get me at first, so figuring he was a guy and would need help in deciding what fashion mags to get, I gave him a whole list.

He did a really good job in picking up Vivi 'cause it's a very local magazine. I love the different layouts and colors. I especially appreciate all the Asian models 'cause I can better relate to their look. After going through the magazines, it did make want me to perm my hair. All the girls had these gorgeous long wavy hair.

Fashion wise, it was more street fashion, which Japan is so famous for. The other magazine I asked for was Fruits which concentrates purely on street fashion.

Fashion Mags from Around the World

2007-05-15T13:39:00.000-05:00

Recently a lot of my friends have been traveling overseas on vacations. And I totally took advantage of this opportunity to ask them to bring back some fashion mags.

The pink one is from Japan, which I'll talk about later.

The first batch was from my friend, Aphrodite who want to Spain. Not only did she bring back Vogue Spain, she also found all these industry mags such as Hola and Moda that are just super expensive here.

They are just wonderful. So inspirational. I love them so much, that I may just spend my money at the incredibly over priced fashion book stores here for future copies ..... unless someone else is going to Spain ....

MODA Manhattan

2007-05-09T18:33:00.000-05:00

I attended my first apparel trade show on Monday, many thanks to a friend, who is in the industry. She has been so incredibly helpful.

The show is Moda Manhattan. It's a juried trade show with companies in the apparel, accessory, and footwear industry.

My main purpose was just to check out the show and check out the types of people that showed there. There was one whole section on evening wear, which is where I would like to be grouped if I ever showed there.

I thought I would be intimidated by the whole experience, but I wasn't. Once I have a few accounts, I'll definitely be looking to show in some sort of a trade show.

Where Have I Been?

2007-05-03T14:10:00.000-05:00

I know I've been MIA for the past few weeks ... my DH and I along with friends, decided to take a last minute vacation to the beautiful blue waters of South Caribbean.

That's my DH's swim trunks in the lower right hand corner.

Our cruise ship, Royal Caribbean, Adventure of the Seas. Highly Recommended.

This Green Monkey may look cute, but I think it was pissed at all the tourists snapping pictures of it. Or, it could be that the only thing he had to eat was that rock in its hands.

Now that I am back, it's back to business.

Logo Round 2

2007-04-04T12:57:00.000-05:00

Natalie read my blog and saw that I needed help creating a logo and offered to help. It's amazing to receive help like this from the cyber world from total strangers. Above are the logos she created. Aren't they great?

I am going to play around with them and see how they fit in with my brand image. But it's great to get a fresh point of view. So many thanks to my new cyber friend, Natalie!

Working my Left Brain

2007-04-04T12:25:00.000-05:00

I didn't think it would be this hard. What, with my 4 years of business school and 4 years of corporate America experience, one would think that I can whip up a business plan in a matter of weeks.

I had started one in the beginning, but gave it up to work on sketches. Which I definitely enjoy more. Now that I have a good number of sketches and a clear brand direction, I have no other excuses. I must put together a business plan, even if it is a one pager.

I have been consulting this book that I've had forever, The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies by Rhonda Abrams. It has all the basic outline and advice, but it can't write the plan for me.

In a desperate attempt at finding business plan writing inspiration, I spent yesterday at the NY Science, Industry, & Business library. Wasted time. All the books were either taken out or lost. And there is absolutely no books on business plans writing for clothing manufactures. Seeing how there are so many people starting new clothing manufacturing business, I am surprised there are not more resources out there.

So now I am left to my own devices, have to dust off the left side of my brain, and put together a business plan.

Romantic at Heart

2007-03-28T16:09:00.000-05:00

Remeber that quote from a Balenciaga book? .... "A magical instant can define the whole style of a collection."

I've been searching for that magical moment. That's why I've been sketching so much. I was searching. Then I read a small blurb in one of my historical costume books about Romanticism.

Romanticism: Pursued imaginative and romantic impulses and fostered a taste for historical or exotic worlds.

That described my aesthetics really well.

Romantic Image: The ideal woman was delicate and melancholic.

Now I know some of you are saying melancholic, who wants to be melancholic. Listen to what Keats have to say.

(Keats) wished his readers to accept melancholy as a desirable experience. It should not be avoided; rather, it should be endured and its sufferer emerge with renewed strength and understanding.

Keats

So this is it. Romanticism. This is my inspiration for my first collection and actually it will set the tone for my whole brand. I am going to dedicate the next series of posts on working through this inspiration.

Sunny Spring

2007-03-28T16:02:00.000-05:00

On days like this, I thank my lucky stars that I have a patio where I can enjoy the sun while sketching. It may not seem like much to people outside of the city, but it's a pure luxury if you ever lived in a NYC apartment.

Mr. Cristobal Balenciaga

2007-03-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

So I know of Mr. Cristobal Balenciaga, which fashion design student doesn't. I know he was a master couturier. And, I know there was a lot of press on revival of the House of Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquiere especially last year. But I was never very interested in studying him, until Mr. Ralph Rucci mentioned that Cristobal Balenciaga influenced and inspired him the most.

I spent this past weekend with my DH at the library again. This time I didn't really have a list of things to do so I figured I would browse around the library and see what I can find. I found this wonderful section on Art. They had the most amazing books. I remembered Balenciaga, and decided to spend my time studying him.

The monster of all Balenciaga book is Balenciaga by Marie-Andree Jouve, published in 1989. Oh, if I can only have this book in my library. On Amazon.com, used copies are selling for $600 - $800. I can't even begin to describe the wealth of information that is contained in this books. There are countless pictures, drawings, and sketches. I really felt like I was stepping through the pages and into Mr. Cristobal Balenciaga's atelier.

In one of the smaller Balenciaga books Hommage a Balenciaga, I found this great quote on design inspiration.

"A magical instant can define the whole style of a collection. Colour, drama or aesthetics spring from sources which are not foreign to us, which are a part of a world layered in the unconsciousness. The understanding of those sources is essential to achieve the status of artistry."

I forgot to bring my camera, so sorry, no pictures :(

Sketching

2007-03-23T18:19:00.000-05:00

I've been sketching all week. Just really rough sketches with no clear focus or direction. I have pages and pages of sketches, but not really happy with any grouping. Maybe because it's because I don't have a clear focus or directions. Sounds like it's time to go back making a storyboard.

I randomly picked out two pages. Here they are ... No need to comment, I get a little sensitive when it comes to my designs :) Trying to develop a thick skin but still working on that.

Book Review: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing

2007-03-16T14:14:00.000-05:00

I love books. When I was little, my father would take my sister and I to the library EVERY Sat. Although I spent most of my time reading Nancy Drew and the Sweet Valley High girls, I learned to appreciate the world a book can open.

That is why I want to start off my first book review series with Kathleen Fasanella's book The Entrepreneur's Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing.

I actually first discovered her blog site www.fashion-incubator.com by accident. Once I started reading her comments I was hooked. It did take me a while to buy this book because honestly the title is just not that inviting. But once I decided to become a DE, I figure I had to buy the book. And now I am sorry that I didn't buy it sooner.

The book takes you through the process of manufacturing a fashion line in a very open and no nonsense way. I honestly felt like I was talking with a friend/mentor.

There are so many things I can point out, but let me share one with you and you can discover the rest for yourselves.

This is in Section 1, titled "Weird Things that No One Ever Tells You".

"In some ways, DEs are disadvantaged because they assume that industry suppliers and service providers will act rationally." (uhmm yeah ...)

"Suppliers have things to sell but they won't tell you what they have!" (yeah, what is the deal with that? I've always wondered how they stay in business when they make it so hard to find them and then make it so hard to find a particular product, forget about asking for prices!)

"The reason is that everybody keeps secrets from everybody else." (I am getting tired ...)

But then she goes into how to deal with suppliers who have this set mind frame.

So basically this a high recommendation to all those who are or are thinking of becoming a DE.

Ralph Rucci: Words of Wisdom

2007-03-16T13:47:00.000-05:00

I didn't know that much about Mr. Ralph Rucci until this past year, but the more I hear him speak and the more I look at his garments, the more I respect him as a designer.

The first time I heard him speak was at FIT when he was guest speaker. Even then I knew what an honor and a privilege it was to hear him speak. I remember him as a very eloquent speaker with a strong point of view on fashion, kind of like his designs.

Of course I was blown away by the Ralph Rucci exhibition at FIT. I had already spent an hour walking through the exhibit, but I think I may want to go back for a second viewing.

Now I read a little article in Tuesday's WWD and I just want to share a few quotes of his.

"At some point, I lost interest in the simple activity of fashion design. If a young person wants to be a fashion designer and just thinks about the clothes, they are missing an enormous amount. Just to dive into fashion design is going to be ultimately disappointing. I approach fashion design as an academic. I wouldn't dare sketch a jacket without researching the history behind it."

"When I discovered Cristobal Balenciaga, it was as though something was released in me and I had a future. It's important, especially in fashion, to pay homage to the people who laid the groundwork. There is no such thing as anything dated, if it is important and inspirational."

"Where did the idea of grace and finesse go?"

And he doesn't have a website, at least one that I can find. Puts my sadness at not having my first choice domain name in prospective.

Meet Lynn

2007-03-13T14:17:00.000-05:00

Meet Lynn, my muse. It's a form my mom gave me when I was accepted to FIT, her Alma Mater. Noticed the year Lynn was born, very serendipitous. Her measurements are 34.5 - 25.75"- 35.75". I was planning on making my sample size 34.5" - 27" - 36.5" so I can work on Lynn since it's the bust measurement that's most important.

In my research about sizing in the garment industry, I am amazed at the lack of standardization. I can not believe that I, as a DE can just make up a size and call it a size 6 or 8. I really want to revolutionize this system, but how?

I know there was a whole bunch of posts on this on fashion-incubator.com, but there doesn't seem to be a solution.

I think the best way for me to handle the sizing issue would be to include a sizing chart on the hang tag. And actually manufacture my garments to those specs.

Anyway, so it was a lot of fun draping. I am so much more a draper than a sketcher. But sketching helps me go into a certain direction and draping finalizes the journey.

My Domain Name is Taken!

2007-03-09T15:24:00.000-05:00

Okay, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, type in paize.com or goggle it or anything.

Yesterday, I figure I should go ahead and secure my domain name. I didn't think I would have any problems with it since my name is so unique. To my surprise, when I was ready to sign up with a web hosting company, I found out that my domain name has already been registered by a cybersquatter (a new term I just learned yesterday). I know it is a cybersquatter because the site doesn't DO anything. It just brings up a page that kinda looks like a search engine index to random links like financial services and that is it. This company DomainNameSales, based in the Cayman Islands has over 347,000 domain names registered and my is one of them!

I am not sure what to do. After many hours of research on line, I figured out that one way they could have known my interest in the domain name is by "watching" my activity online. Now I am scared that there is "someone" watching my every keystroke. I never worried 'cause I work off a Mac and it's supposed to be more secure.

Anyway, apparently this company registered my name June 2005 and it doesn't expire until 2008. I guess they want me to buy it from them. But I am scared to contact them right now because I don't want them to know I am interested ..... I read somewhere that there are companies that buy up domain names based on traffic. I can't imagine there being much traffic from my name, but you never know. These companies buy the name for a couple of days and if there are no traffic then they let go of the name. That's why I asked you not to click on the website or Google it in case it drives up the number of clicks or something.

My first big obstacle. If I can't secure that domain name at a reasonable price, I'll just have to have another brain storming session for other creative domain names. Not my first choice, but will have to do.

PAIZE, PAIZE and More PAIZE

2007-03-08T17:29:00.000-05:00

So I spent the whole day working on my logo. And what I've learned is that I don't know the first thing about typography. It may seem really simple, but it's not. There are a million different ways to work a type and every minuscule variation can make a difference.

Here is a very rough collection of the logos I have been playing around with. I know they are all over the map, but it's only my first round. I am expecting at least 10 or 20 or more rounds.

I am kinda liking the second one, maybe I can go explore in that direction more. By the way the are all in 48pt. You see how varied the size and shapes can be just by changing the font, tracking, and kerning, etc.

I really need help so Natalie, if you are out there, please email me!

After the Museum .... the Library

2007-03-08T11:17:00.000-05:00

As a FIT alumni, I have access to the FIT library. I like going there because the collection is so focused on fashion and design so it makes it easier to find things.

I had a number of topics I wanted to research. For example, Logo Design, Business Card Design, Graphics in Fashion, Machine Embroidery, Fashion and Textile Periodicals, and of course a visit is never complete without a random visit to the historical fashion archives to visit some of the great fashion masters.

I grabbed many books, flipped through a lot of duds, but found this nice book with many visual examples of different labels and tags from the garment industry. I did notice that a lot of fashion houses do use actual graphic logos like one commenter pointed out.

I accidentally found a book titled The Paris Collection: Invitation Cards. It is complied by a Japanese fashion journalist, a visual collection of selected invitation cards to Paris Fashion Week Shows. It was a great way to look at the graphics and the designs used. Much more relevant than all the graphic books I flipped through that talked about Dunkin' Donuts design.

I found this one invitation card where the logo really appealed to me. It is short and fat in it's individual type. But in its totality, it is long and lean. So I might explore this type direction, even though there are only five letters in my brand name.

And finally a snap shot of a Balenciaga sketch. It's not an actual sketch from the hands of Mr. Balenciaga, rather a sketch based on one of his designs. It's all good. Upper right hand corner you can get a glimpse of my own sketch book.

Ralph Rucci: The Art of Weightlessness Exhibit

2007-03-08T10:30:00.000-05:00

The weather was snowy, wet, and cold yesterday, but since I had a lunch date with a friend, I had to get out of the apartment. I am so glad I did. After lunch I went to the FIT Museum to see the Ralph Rucci exhibit.

What can I say ... I was in awe. In the front entryway there were exhibits of his own sketches and items from his own personal museum quality art collection which had inspired his designs. The items were organic, sculptural, and complex in its simplicity, very much like his designs. I can't even begin to imagine what his home must be like.

The grand room contained the entire exhibit. Every single garment on display was worthy of a close examination. I was not bored for a single moment.

Upstairs was an exhibit on Colors in Fashion. It was also interesting, but nothing like the Ralph Rucci exhibit.

The museum is free for everyone. It is a must see for everyone interested in fashion.

Logo

2007-03-06T12:08:00.000-05:00

The other day my DH asked if I have a logo yet and I don't. I mean I have ideas in my head, but I haven't decided on anything yet. I figure I should spend some time finalizing that since it will represent my whole vision and brand personality.

I saw this compilation of logos and thought it would be a great comparative starting point.

Definitely going toward all CAPS. I am looking for something that's clean and modern, tall and skinny. So I am leaning towards something like ESCADA. Any graphic designers out there that want to help me out?

More Color

2007-03-02T17:50:00.000-05:00

I know I said that I was done with my color board, but I couldn't stop thinking about the incomplete color board w/the paint chips.

So since both Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy were re-runs yesterday, I finished the board, not with paint chips, but w/colors I cut out from magazines.

NOW it's complete and I can bring this chart w/me when I fabric shop to help me stay focused.

Color Chart

Not much fabric shopping done today, I mostly got distracted with trim stores. I ended up buying some jewelry stuff.

But it wasn't a total waste, while browsing, I thought I could add some "jewelry" elements to my designs. It'll all make sense later.

Colorboard

2007-03-01T18:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I finalized my colorstory board.

This is the colorstory board all blurred up because I look at it w/squinted eye.

At this point I usually scan in the board and pick out prominent colors in photoshop and create a colorboard. But, I discovered that my printer sucks and that the colors it prints out are junk. So, I figure I can go to the paint store and pick out the colors that way.

The only problem is that I didn't want to look dumb with my over sized colorstory boards so I went by memory and brought back a whole bunch of paint chips. I cut up the paint chips and picked out the colors. That is when I discovered that I don't have the right reds and nudes.

Story Board with Paint Chips

I was going to go back to the paint store to get more, but figured that this is for reference only and since I am already behind on my deadlines, I need to move on with my process.

I pixelated the colorstory board even more to get a better set of colors to work with. The colors are a bit more muted than I had envisioned, it's a bit "Black Dahlia" isn't it? I know I said that I didn't want to use that for my inspiration, but I just can't stop thinking about the movie when designing. So, instead of fighting it, I am going to embrace the inspiration.

Big day tomorrow ... fabric shopping!

Oscar Inspiration

2007-02-27T11:19:00.000-05:00

My poor DH. On Sunday I watched the pre Oscar show on E! and the whole ENTIRE Oscar show. He finally stopped me when I turned back to E! for the post Oscar show :)

I just can't get enough of the Oscar. I love looking at all the stars and analyzing every single dress.

I thought Nicole Kidman looked the most jaw dropping with that amazing red and just the simplicity of the line. I really liked Penelope Cruz's Versace dress just 'cause I am a sucker for anything that looks that extravagant. I also liked Reese Witherspoon's dress. It looked wonderful when she walked.

Here is a page from my sketch book.

I always get inspired when there is a parade of beautiful dresses in front of me. You can see that the sketches in no way even resemble anything that was on the red carpet.

I've been working on the business end of the line, so it's nice to get some of my creative energy out.

I am Official!

2007-02-26T21:21:00.000-05:00

So as of today, my business is official. I went to the New York County Supreme Court House today to register my Doing Business As or DBA form and got my sales ID. I guess I should set up a business checking account, although it's not as urgent.

This is the court house.

The building has so much character, with gray marble, grand entrances and extremely high ceilings. I had to go down into the basement where they keep all the records. I think all built to intimidate. There was no one there. No lines, no waiting. That made my day. I even had time to meet up with my DH for a quick afternoon coffee break.

Pages from my Portfolio

2007-02-20T14:20:00.000-05:00

Wow, I didn't even realize how long it has been since I've blogged. With all the excitement surrounding Chinese New Year, I haven't really worked on my line much.

Also a friend referred me to a job opening so I've been working on that. It would be nice to have the extra cash to fund my line.

Here are some pages from my Illustrator flat portfolio. This is the mood board comprised of pictures DH and I took during our vacation to Maui last year, attending the unforgettable wedding of my friend N who wants to be known as Aphrodite here on forward.

Color palette inspired by the mood board.
Page 1 of the Illustrator flats.
Page 2 of the Illustrator flats.

Moody and Desperate

2007-02-15T23:08:00.000-05:00

This is the color story board I am working on. The coloring is richer in real life. I've got to ask my DS if she has any tips on lighting when taking photos since she's becoming quite the photographer.

From school we were taught to work with an inspiration. While, I think it's helpful in creating a story, I am the type of person who can take things a little too literal.

For example, I had been inspired by the movie The Black Dahlia. But with that inspiration in my head, I just couldn't get away from all the gorgeous two-piece suits and smart hats Scarlett Johansson wore.

So instead, I am going to work with a color palette and a word palette like ... Moody, Desperate, you see where I am going?

Here is a little something that is neither moody nor desperate from my DH.

Shopping the Stores

2007-02-13T19:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to earn $150 by participating in a focus group about mascara. I love talking about beauty products. My friend "N" and I can talk about it nonstop for hours. So to get paid for it is extra nice.

It also gave me an opportunity to shop the stores. When I was at FIT and told my none fashion design friends that for my homework assignment I had to go shopping at Barney's they were all like, "where do I sign up for your class". I have to admit it is much more fun than my NYU days where homework would be spending a day in the library on the whatzumacallit database looking up industry info. so I can write a 10 page report on nothing.

Anyway, I started at Takashimaya and walked my way down Fifth Avenue. I love just going into the Takashimaya store. I always have to stop at their floral design shop at the entrance and just absorb all the beauty. This time I actually went up stairs and looked at their merchandise.

I saw a lot of innovative design as expected, but the target customer is definitely 55+ and above. All the merchandise was well designed and well constructed. Not my target customer but still nice to look at.

I also stopped at Saks Fifth Avenue where I spend the bulk of my time looking at everything from the designer collection on 2nd Floor to the evening dresses on 8th Floor. My main purpose this trip was to get a better feel of my competitor's price points, although to have Badgley Mishka and Vera Wang as my competitor is a honor I hope to live up to.

I was actually surprised at how much lower the price points were. I would say retail was $300 to $500 for a cocktail dress and $500 to $1,000 for a long evening gown. The styles were relatively simple within this price range. For the more complicated designs shown on 2nd and 3rd floor, the price point was of course much higher, but that's not where I want to compete. I was going to price my line higher, but after this trip I'll have to make sure my manufacturing can sustain the cost of production.

I think if I am able to deliver an innovative and fresh design within these price points, I will be able to be successful.

My lesson here also is to get use to bringing my camera with me everywhere now that I've started blogging. A blog is pretty boring without pictures right?

Weekend at the Library

2007-02-13T19:23:00.001-05:00

I spend the whole entire weekend with DH at the New York Public Library. But it was not as boring or as nerdy as it sounds. The Library at Bryant Park is amazing, Beau-Art at the best. Hey, that can be part of my inspiration for Holiday '07. Maybe I'll do a little bit more research on the Beau-Art period.

DH was there to study for an upcoming exam. I spent Sat working on my business plan. I finished my "Executive Summary" which I am suppose to leave to the end, but I had an idea so I ran with it. By the end of that day I was totally businessed out so I spend Sun catching up on all the WWD and Daily. That was much more fun.

This is the ceiling above the Rose Reading Room. I am going to try to go there on my own during the week 'cause there are just too many distractions at home to get much work done.

Take Two

2007-02-13T19:18:00.000-05:00

This is actually my second attempt at a blog for my digital design journal. For the four people that read my first blog, you will know that I had a name crisis. But thanks to all the people who gave me feed back, I have definitively decided on the name of my fashion line (it's Paize btw) and am ready to move forward.

Besides the other blog was turning out to be more a journal of my start-up woes instead of a design journal, so this time, I am going to try to stay away from the business end of things.