The L.A. Version of Runway

So I finally tracked down a video of the fashion show I was privileged enough to be in last November - it was on YouTube - who knew?

Since it was my very first solo show, I thought I'd share a bit about it.

It all happened very fast - I responded to a craigslist ad on a sunday, and was selected to be in the show that evening.  Tuesday I met with the stylist and the models where we chose the outfits for each of the girls.  Of course, the stylist and I didn't exactly see eye to eye on the concept, but that wasn't important - what was important was that Linden was having a public debut in Hollywood.

A really interesting thing has happened in LA - its so common for clubs and bars to put on fashion shows year round and not just be dedicated to organized tents and runways during fashion week.  It's a little refreshing, actually, for small designers to have venues where their clothing can be seen by the consumers themselves and not just the fashion elite.


So back on track, I showed up at the venue early - too early of course - parked*, and rolled racks into the venue.  I spent the next several hours with my mother and some backstage assistants steaming while the models had hair and makeup done, and then dressing the models once they were ready.  And then, we were all ready...and still ready...and still ready.  So we had a bit of a late start, but when it finally happened, I was backstage with the dressers, my stomach in knots, my hands shaking, and finally it was done and I had to walk out and wave at the crowd.  I stood out there for the finale with the models for what felt like ages, I could hear my close friends and family screaming every time I looked in their direction.  I went backstage, took some photos with the models and then joined the party where I had an excited group of friends waiting for me.  I'd never felt more justified in my choice to start a line than right there when I heard about the audience reaction from my friends, and even got to see the stunned looks on their faces.  Truly a memorable experience.

**It was almost a perfect night until about 30 minutes after the show I was asked to clean up the backstage area.  I packed everything up and took it all to my car, to learn I'd been towed.  WIN!

Lull

I'm currently in a lull as far as what is required of me.  Right now all I have to do are run a few errands to complete production, and wrap up the details of the next season so everything is ready for the trade show.  I'm just waiting for fabrics to come in, and doing technical drawings for line sheets.  (For those of you that don't know, line sheets are booklets companies provide to buyers that include technical flat drawings, fabric content, sizes available, colors, wholesale prices, delivery dates, and can include retail prices as well.)  Aside from that, there's some business end things to do before the end of the month - but all of those things together, there's not much to do that requires concentration.  My mind has been wandering - and has landed on this video:

Basically, I'm already plotting next season and its all inspired by Ida Maria

It's the little things

To most people, fashion is clothing.  It's what you wear, what you buy, and yes we all have some personal taste, but for the most part all of the subtleties go ignored.  Things like the right zipper to match the color of the fabric, in the right length, size, width of teeth, are often the kind that get left until the last minute - at least for me.  I'm dealing with several small details at the moment which may seem insignificant, but are actually quite important with regards to presentation.  And as we know, presentation makes a huge difference.

At the moment, I am preparing for two things.

1. Production of Spring 2011

2. Trade shows for Fall 2011

1. Production of spring includes several details that must be attended to.  Zippers are one, but another is care labels.  What size should they be, what weight, how much information should they hold, etc.  Each season fabrics differ, so they must be ordered season to season.  One thing you may not think of is called fusible interfacing.  Most waistbands are reinforced with it so they don't roll or shift.  There are dozens of weights with different adhesives, and I have lately been spending time tracking down the right one for spring.  It's not a visible part of a design, so it's something people don't necessarily consider when buying clothes, but it is very important.  Beyond that I'm just trying to round up everything from trims to fabrics so that the garments will get shipped on time.

 

2. Trade shows are tricky.  I spend so much time getting the collection together that sometimes I fail to remember the small things.  Customized order forms, hang tags with prices for a clean presentation to buyers, the right hangers - it all matters.  The trade shows are vast spaces filled with booth after booth - buyers look at hundreds if not thousands of designers in a matter of days - presentation makes a huge difference.  Someone may be more willing to stop if you have a striking item on a mannequin, or at least something eye catching hanging in the front of your rack.  So right now I am trying to make sure all of my samples are pristinely put together and that the presentation is immaculate.

the countdown begins Pool Trade Show - Las Vegas - Feb 14-16

And now I must get back to sorting out the details

Hanger Appeal

I very often sketch out styles that can never exist as I imagine them.  They defy gravity and the laws of physics sometimes, or maybe I just haven't found the right materials to make them exist.  But I still I find myself wanting to get as close to those ideas as possible, so I work with my pattern maker to make it happen.  Sometimes, things just look much better as a sketch, but sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised with the result, and other times I'm appalled by the way a sample looks when it's handed to me on the hanger.  

This happened to me yesterday.  I had a dress in mind which was heading toward disaster before it was ever cut and sewn.  First I couldn't track down the right fabrics, then the right zippers, and then I had to change the design slightly to make it work, etc.  So yesterday when I looked at this sample, my heart sank.  But maybe I'm too close to the designs.  I have the ideal in my head so when it doesn't look like my vision, I panic a little.  I took the sample home, and tried it on - its actually pretty cool- but even so, a garment has to have hanger appeal - or nobody will buy it.  This got me thinking from a marketing point of view.

I'm a designer and an avid shopper and I fall victim to hanger appeal regularly.  I know better, I know that sometimes clothing can never look as good on a hanger as it does on a person.  I do sometimes see something that looks bizarre and decide to try it on, just to give it a chance, and I would say about half the time what i've tried on is actually a great piece.  But what if it's not great?  What if it's just nice, or ok?  Chances are you wont buy something that's just ok, especially if its a more expensive piece.  Will a buyer for a store even pick up a style that doesn't look great on a hanger?  It happens sometimes, but more often than not those things are passed over at trade shows and never produced.  It got me thinking, we designers spend a fortune on samples to take to trade shows, many of which may never be made because they lack hanger appeal.  But how do we know that it wont work out?

For me, design is an instinct.  It's a curiosity to see if two fabrics will work well together, or if that fit line is flattering or not.  More often than not I'm satisfied with my decisions, even when they don't turn out how I had expected - sometimes they turn out even better than I could have imagined.  So what is the lesson?  Do I consider the hanger more when I start my initial sketches?  Or do I continue as I have on instinct and curiosity and hope for the best?  I should probably attempt to blend the two, but I have a feeling one will win over the other - I guess we'll see.