photography by jeremy lee
jeremyleephoto.com germyinsocal.com
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Real Women, Real Clothes
I’ve always wanted Linden to be an accessible brand. The goal has always been to create fashion forward clothing with an edge that is easy enough for the average person to mix it into their wardrobe. You can be bold and daring with it, or dress it down for everyday wear.
This past Saturday I invited some friends to my studio for a photo shoot. Four wonderful women showed up, each a different body type, age group, profession, and each with her own personal style. I asked them to pull from my racks (anything available for purchase from www.LindenCA.com) and style themselves as they would if it was their own closet. I helped when I was asked but I tried to give them as much control as possible.
They all did their own hair and makeup, wore their own shoes and accessories, and the only pro in the mix was friend and photographer Jeremy Lee (http://jeremyleePhoto.com/ http://www.germyinsocal.com/) Talented as he is, he repeatedly brought out the inner super model of each girl.
After 6 hours on the roof of my building on a hot Los Angeles day, we wound up with some beautiful photos and what I consider a successful experiment. Over the next week or so (Jeremy has a lot of photos to filter through) we will introduce each girl and each outfit she put together. We are so excited to share this with you.
Much love,
Jennifer Lynn
This past Saturday I invited some friends to my studio for a photo shoot. Four wonderful women showed up, each a different body type, age group, profession, and each with her own personal style. I asked them to pull from my racks (anything available for purchase from www.LindenCA.com) and style themselves as they would if it was their own closet. I helped when I was asked but I tried to give them as much control as possible.
They all did their own hair and makeup, wore their own shoes and accessories, and the only pro in the mix was friend and photographer Jeremy Lee (http://jeremyleePhoto.com/ http://www.germyinsocal.com/) Talented as he is, he repeatedly brought out the inner super model of each girl.
After 6 hours on the roof of my building on a hot Los Angeles day, we wound up with some beautiful photos and what I consider a successful experiment. Over the next week or so (Jeremy has a lot of photos to filter through) we will introduce each girl and each outfit she put together. We are so excited to share this with you.
Much love,
Jennifer Lynn
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Pre-Spring Clean
I try to keep things simple in my closet, but sometimes I have unnatural attachments to inanimate objects. Shoes for example. I have some shoes I purchased years ago, have worn once, but don't have the heart to give away. Like these pink Anne Klein shoes I bought at least 5 years ago at Macy's, on sale for $25, that I dubbed "barbie shoes". They are hideous, I bought them mostly as a joke, wore them once, as a joke, and yet continue to hold onto them. Someone please explain this. Or these Miss Sixty boxing high tops? Seriously love them, worn them maybe 5 times, also owned at least 5 years.
I'm getting rid of the barbie shoes for sure, but as for the other half dozen shoes in my closet I love dearly but never wear, I'm giving myself a challenge:
If I do not wear them once by June, then off they go! Same goes for old purses, wallets that are falling apart, and t-shirts.
At a certain point, I just start to feel weighed down by THINGS. Not to mention, new Spring 2013 stock is almost ready and I have to make room in my closet for all of it!
Now to assemble a box of donations, someone else will surely love these barbie shoes.
I'm getting rid of the barbie shoes for sure, but as for the other half dozen shoes in my closet I love dearly but never wear, I'm giving myself a challenge:
If I do not wear them once by June, then off they go! Same goes for old purses, wallets that are falling apart, and t-shirts.
At a certain point, I just start to feel weighed down by THINGS. Not to mention, new Spring 2013 stock is almost ready and I have to make room in my closet for all of it!
Now to assemble a box of donations, someone else will surely love these barbie shoes.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Screens
As I make my first real effort to begin constructing something from Fall 2013, I decided i wanted to create a print. I really love having a hands on approach to my work, so I've decided to take a stab at screen printing for the first time since college. I'm not that old, but its definitely been a while.
I'm only posting a few photos since i'd hate to give away all the details pre Fashion Week, but proof of my arts and crafts are below. Just know that my fingernails are stained black, and not from polish, but from screen printing ink. It looks pretty cool, but i do need to brush up on my skills.
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| painting the resist onto the screen (That face in the background is from whatever I had on in the background while I applied the resist. ) |
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| print setup |
Thursday, October 18, 2012
LA Fashion Week
Wow, the last few weeks have been overwhelming! Last thursday, October 11th, 2012, Linden had its first ever LA Fashion Week show with Project Ethos. All the necessary drama ensued, including models dropping out the morning of the show, 10 designers backstage but 1 outlet to plug in a steamer (in the ladies room of course), and the terrifying quick changes happening between shows. Will the girls make it to the runway on time? YES! Instead of inundating you with stories of stress and terror, just enjoy these photos of the fruits of my labor. I could not be more thrilled with how this show turned out. A huge thanks to my models, Project Ethos, and everyone who attended. Make sure to check out the new online boutique at www.lindenca.com and enjoy a 15% discount off your next purchase with code: ProjectEthos to celebrate this exciting LA Fashion Week debut.
Also check out the lines of fellow exhibitors and new friends, Lawren Michele and Collective26. Those girls put on some good shows!
Also check out the lines of fellow exhibitors and new friends, Lawren Michele and Collective26. Those girls put on some good shows!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Hero: Elsa Schiaparelli
Day 3 at the Pool Trade Show in Las Vegas and I have been inspired by a fashion history lesson I basically exploded onto my unwilling student/helper/roommate to take a moment and just acknowledge the greatness that was Elsa Schiaparelli. I wont word vomit the same lesson on all of you, so instead, pictures:
She was just amazing. Thank you for shocking pink, lobster dresses, shoe hats, and so much more.
Monday, August 20, 2012
American Psycho
Just over a month ago I quit the full time day job and just about 18 days ago I decided that without a single sample ready, I would show a Spring 2013 collection at Pool TradeShow in Las Vegas. So what did I do? I buckled down and worked my freaking butt off to produce one of the best collections I've ever put together.
The only way to do that after being burnt out from the day job was to have some kickass inspiration. I looked to one of my favorite authors and one of the most well written and disturbingly visual books, American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis. Without going into an epic analysis of what I think the book means, I took a couple of different ideas from the main character, Patrick Bateman.
1. True identities vs how we want to be perceived
2. Open wounds, both literal and metaphorical
3. Piecing together an outward presentation of perfection while internally struggling with the imperfections
4. A nod to the Patrick Bateman wardrobe
In less than 3 weeks I have 23 pieces, a look book, and have debuted the collection here in Las Vegas today!
Have a look at some of the looks from the shoot!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Locals Only
A couple of weeks ago I was in Las Vegas. For some reason, shopping in Vegas always seems better than shopping at home - even if you're shopping in all of the same stores. There we were, at The Fashion Show mall near the Wynn rifling through racks at, first, Forever 21, then H&M, then TopShop (granted we do not have one in LA yet) and I got really sad. Wandering through the land of mass production, the world of everyone wearing the same boring look and then tossing it in the trash and updating it weeks later at another fast fashion shop, was breaking my heart. How is there nothing interesting out there anymore, how is it that fast fashion has become an acceptable way to clothe yourself - bringing home the latest trends moments after you see them in magazines and losing our individuality all over again. I even find myself putting together the weirdest outfits these days because I'm so sick of looking like everything else out there. I want to help promote a change. Lets all own different things, made on a smaller scale so you know it's special and fairly unique to who you are!
A few months ago i decided I was going to do my best to support garments manufactured at the very least, in the country the brands hail from - this cut down my shopping significantly. No Forever 21, no H&M, but also take away my favorite Helmut Lang, most of what is sold at Bloomingdales, Saks, Neimans, Ron Herman, etc. It's pretty stunning how much high end merchandise is manufactured in China, Indonesia, Turkey, India, Taiwan, and who knows where else. As a Los Angeles based manufacturer I know it's not impossible to do it here and to do it for a reasonable price, so I find myself disappointed that some of the most expensive lines out there can't figure out how to manufacture locally. Is it greed? Volume? Quality? The reasons don't matter to me much anymore. I have simply begun to care more about a local economy. If you are going to spend your money on something, maybe it should be toward promoting jobs in your own city. I know that Linden is not the only local line out there, so I want to know who else manufactures here and is worth knowing about. Not just fashion, but any product manufactured in this city. I created a facebook community page just to see who else is interested in this, who else feels passionately about it. Share with me and the rest of this LA loving community who has a business worth checking out. Click the link below, like the page, and please suggest LA local designers and manufacturers you love!
MadeInLosAngeles - click this link to find the new facebook page
A few months ago i decided I was going to do my best to support garments manufactured at the very least, in the country the brands hail from - this cut down my shopping significantly. No Forever 21, no H&M, but also take away my favorite Helmut Lang, most of what is sold at Bloomingdales, Saks, Neimans, Ron Herman, etc. It's pretty stunning how much high end merchandise is manufactured in China, Indonesia, Turkey, India, Taiwan, and who knows where else. As a Los Angeles based manufacturer I know it's not impossible to do it here and to do it for a reasonable price, so I find myself disappointed that some of the most expensive lines out there can't figure out how to manufacture locally. Is it greed? Volume? Quality? The reasons don't matter to me much anymore. I have simply begun to care more about a local economy. If you are going to spend your money on something, maybe it should be toward promoting jobs in your own city. I know that Linden is not the only local line out there, so I want to know who else manufactures here and is worth knowing about. Not just fashion, but any product manufactured in this city. I created a facebook community page just to see who else is interested in this, who else feels passionately about it. Share with me and the rest of this LA loving community who has a business worth checking out. Click the link below, like the page, and please suggest LA local designers and manufacturers you love!
MadeInLosAngeles - click this link to find the new facebook page
Monday, May 21, 2012
Shameless self promotion: T-shirt edition
Basics are basics, yes but a good t-shirt is seriously important to a complete wardrobe. Yes, it's true, sometimes we all copy each other in fashion, but as a very serious t-shirt snob, I pulled 3 different t-shirts and copied different aspects from each. There was the body of one, the neckline of another, and the sleeve of a 3rd, and then I modified it all over again once the first sample was complete. I sourced some really amazing lightweight supima cotton (basically the best of the best soft cozy cotton), ordered a ton of it (made in los angeles!), had it preshrunk (yes so that when you wash your t-shirt it will not shrink, but just go back to its original shape), and used it to create what I called the perfect t-shirt.
Here are the keys to the fit
1. Rounded out and yes, low cut, v-neck makes this a woman's v-neck t-shirt and not one for your average douchy hipster dude rockin some man cleavage (guys always tell me they love to wear women's t-shirts, they like the fit - until they try mine - these are really for us ladies only)
2. The length crosses the hips so you will never look obscene rocking this basic with some leggings (this was obviously intentional as I also specialize in some rock star leggings)
3. The fit in the body cuts in slightly at the waist so you still have a shape underneath this loose fitting comfy but still somehow sexy basic tshirt.
Want proof? Look who's wearing it
Here are the keys to the fit
1. Rounded out and yes, low cut, v-neck makes this a woman's v-neck t-shirt and not one for your average douchy hipster dude rockin some man cleavage (guys always tell me they love to wear women's t-shirts, they like the fit - until they try mine - these are really for us ladies only)
2. The length crosses the hips so you will never look obscene rocking this basic with some leggings (this was obviously intentional as I also specialize in some rock star leggings)
3. The fit in the body cuts in slightly at the waist so you still have a shape underneath this loose fitting comfy but still somehow sexy basic tshirt.
Want proof? Look who's wearing it
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| Swimsuit Model Joanna Krupa wears the Linden Basic Tee in Black |
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| A very pregnant Katie Aselton of "The League" wears the Linden Basic Tee in Black |
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| Katrina Law of "Sparticus" makes it look SO easy with the Linden Basic Tee in White |
Sometimes I really like to have fun with those basic t-shirts and completely destroy them. I hand carve block prints and then work with a soldering iron to burn and distress the t-shirts. If you buy one of these items from any stores, I hand distressed each of them with love and an evil grin while I burn each and every singed whole into these tshirts!
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| Alexandra Chando of "The Lying Game" wears the Distressed Linden Tee in Black |
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| Stella Maeva of "The Runaways" wears the Exposed Ribs T-shirt in Acid Yellow |
And then of course there was the modification of the perfect t-shirt, to create the perfect muscle tee. The neckline is the same, but here is a sleeveless t-shirt that ends just past the waist making it perfect for tucking into high waisted skirts, or perfect for a jeans and a t-shirt look!
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| Cameron Richardson wears the Linden Muscle Tee in Black |
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| Eloise Mumford of "The River" wears the Linden Muscle Tee in White |
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| Janina Gavankar of "True Blood" wears the Linde Muscle Tee in White |
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Grunge Aesthetic
I have no real affinity for country music, nor do I care to rock any western styles, but my two inspirations for Fall 2012 led me to a grunge rock cowgirl.
Initially I had searched for images of 1920's lingerie and antique pistols. The pistols inspired a laser cut leather lace that trims much of the collection as well as some of the rough edges, and the lingerie is referenced in some kimono-esque shapes based on lightweight robes as well as placement of the leather lace. But the surprise addition was a floral print fabric I stumbled on before I started to produce my samples.
The fabric is a double face, which essentially means 2 different fabrics woven together. Each side of the fabric has its own pattern, and each a beautifully muddled floral. I pretty much geeked out when I saw this fabric. It is a little 70s in the color way, but also a little bit 90s in it grungy floral pattern. Perhaps I have mentioned before that my formative fashion years were during the grunge rock years. I've never outgrown an offensive floral print paired with combat boots, and I'm certain I never will. I could not resist it, I had to buy it and knew right away how it would fit into the collection. It wound up defining the look I had created for the season and thus the grunge rock cowgirl became my look for fall 2012
So if you are keeping track, my fashion obsessions are:
- muddy florals
- combat boots
- leather
- obnoxious colors
Initially I had searched for images of 1920's lingerie and antique pistols. The pistols inspired a laser cut leather lace that trims much of the collection as well as some of the rough edges, and the lingerie is referenced in some kimono-esque shapes based on lightweight robes as well as placement of the leather lace. But the surprise addition was a floral print fabric I stumbled on before I started to produce my samples.
The fabric is a double face, which essentially means 2 different fabrics woven together. Each side of the fabric has its own pattern, and each a beautifully muddled floral. I pretty much geeked out when I saw this fabric. It is a little 70s in the color way, but also a little bit 90s in it grungy floral pattern. Perhaps I have mentioned before that my formative fashion years were during the grunge rock years. I've never outgrown an offensive floral print paired with combat boots, and I'm certain I never will. I could not resist it, I had to buy it and knew right away how it would fit into the collection. It wound up defining the look I had created for the season and thus the grunge rock cowgirl became my look for fall 2012
So if you are keeping track, my fashion obsessions are:
- muddy florals
- combat boots
- leather
- obnoxious colors
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Decisions
I'm coming up on my 4th round of manufacturing, and I'd like to think i've learned a lot in the last 2.5 years. I've learned why some items sell slower than others. I've learned that buyers are often looking for a deal because their customers are looking for a deal. I've learned that I often have to undervalue some of my pieces in order to put them into stores, or perhaps what I have actually learned there is that things need to be pristinely manufactured in order to deserve their appropriate price tag. All of these lessons are coming into play right now as I decide what to manufacture.
This silk camisole would retail for something like $200 and it's really hard to wear a bra under it. Would any of you out there pay that much for a silk cami?
This skirt doesn't have such a bad retail price, still winding up under $300, but how many women would rock both the porthole wasteband AND the fluttering layers on their hips. I designed it and I think it is actually flattering, but after working in retail for many years I know far too many women are incredibly insecure about wearing anything that might make them look wider. Any takers on this one?
I do not automatically manufacture everything I design for each season because some things just don't make sense. My production runs are small and I manufacture locally so my costs are not really that low. (That said, my prices are significantly lower than those "high end" manufacturers who make everything in china!) Often, I find that the cost to manufacture dictates a selling price way more than what most of my customers would be willing to spend!
Here are a few examples of items that would never have sold at their appropriate selling price
This silk camisole would retail for something like $200 and it's really hard to wear a bra under it. Would any of you out there pay that much for a silk cami?
This skirt doesn't have such a bad retail price, still winding up under $300, but how many women would rock both the porthole wasteband AND the fluttering layers on their hips. I designed it and I think it is actually flattering, but after working in retail for many years I know far too many women are incredibly insecure about wearing anything that might make them look wider. Any takers on this one?
This one I am still debating. These leggings are from my fall 2012 collection, due out in stores in just a couple months. The contrast panels on this new version of the leggings are custom designed (by me of course) laser cut leather lace. The laser cutting process is by no means inexpensive and that puts these signature Linden leggings at a retail value of $385. Limited edition or not (there might be a grand total of 50 of these out there should I decide to make them), unless you are a recognized brand name it is hard to get someone to spend almost $400 on a pair of leggings.
The image above brings me to my point about making a decision. I mentioned once before that I found a machine washable fish leather. It is completely sustainable (except for the part where it has to be shipped from iceland) because it requires only hot water for the tanning process and the plant is situated on natural hot springs so there is no excess energy wasted in heating the water. And oh, did I mention, MACHINE WASHABLE LEATHER! It is scaled and has a beautiful exotic look and also comes in a variety of colors. Where's the catch? It is not cheap. I have had a number of people asking me to recut the original Linden moto leggings (right), but the people asking are referring to the original washed lambskin leggings at a price of $225, but these leggings cut with fish leather may retail much closer to $400 as well. (This also takes into account that i have switched to a way better manufacturer but at a slightly higher cost) But just imagine them in steely grey, or bright red and obviously, black. Would you wear them? Would you pay that price tag for them? I always try to keep in mind that brands like Helmut Lang manufacture leather leggings for about $1000 (yes i know they are all leather and not just partial like mine) and those are not made locally.
it's time to decide - order the fish leather, or not?
Monday, May 7, 2012
I'm back, or trying to be
It has been some time since i've written anything at all for this blog and I would almost feel guilty if I had some kind of regular readership, but alas I believe that is not the case as I never post so nobody is really going to stumble onto my blog. That is all going to change! I think, or hope.
Where have i been?
As many aspiring entrepreneurs must do, I have been working a day job in order to pay for the business i so dearly want to succeed. So I work in a store in Beverly Hills. I was only working part time up until december (and when was my last post?) until I got promoted. To be clear I was not interested in being promoted. I was quite happy being an incredibly overqualified keyholder training people to work above me, but my boss convinced me it was the right move and I guess my eyes were filled with dollar signs, because I agreed. So now I am in charge of other people, and in charge of my line, and somehow I am supposed to be social, and involved in family obligations (a sisters wedding quickly approaching and a grandmother moving closer to be near the family), maintain a healthy active lifestyle, eat well, clean my house, and still have time to sleep. So long story short, this will be my outlet for the time being (meaning i plan to whine here a lot) and a place to muse about my current creative shortcomings, bounce ideas off of people who will hopefully some day one day read my blog and COMMENT on it, and perhaps work out the details of opening a Linden store in the (hopefully very) near future.
but so its not all just whining, here's a photo of linden stuff
Where have i been?
As many aspiring entrepreneurs must do, I have been working a day job in order to pay for the business i so dearly want to succeed. So I work in a store in Beverly Hills. I was only working part time up until december (and when was my last post?) until I got promoted. To be clear I was not interested in being promoted. I was quite happy being an incredibly overqualified keyholder training people to work above me, but my boss convinced me it was the right move and I guess my eyes were filled with dollar signs, because I agreed. So now I am in charge of other people, and in charge of my line, and somehow I am supposed to be social, and involved in family obligations (a sisters wedding quickly approaching and a grandmother moving closer to be near the family), maintain a healthy active lifestyle, eat well, clean my house, and still have time to sleep. So long story short, this will be my outlet for the time being (meaning i plan to whine here a lot) and a place to muse about my current creative shortcomings, bounce ideas off of people who will hopefully some day one day read my blog and COMMENT on it, and perhaps work out the details of opening a Linden store in the (hopefully very) near future.
but so its not all just whining, here's a photo of linden stuff
Thursday, November 10, 2011
saving the world vs looking good
ok so saving the world might be a little extreme, but as you know i've been seeking out more sustainable fabrics. Yesterday I visited 2 vendors that tout eco-friendly materials and it is quite sad how little effort seems to go into creating them. They tend to be bland and unexciting- of course the world is going to continue using toxic materials if nobody out there is going to take the effort to make the sustainable ones chic!
The first place I went to uses organic cottons and hemp and bamboo (which is actually not eco friendly at all) but still makes those fabrics with some polyester to keep the prices down. On top of it the fabric isn't actually all that wonderful. TRAGIC!
The second I went to is the only leather tannery in the country, perhaps the world, who has perfected a vegetable tanning process for more than just saddle quality hides. The leathers were actually gorgeous and I will use them in the future for jackets and purses, BUT they're much too heavy for the leggings and dresses I make - I will look into this a bit more to see if there is a way I can work with it, but sadly I am stuck with lambskin again this time around until I get the samples from the fish leather tannery in iceland (still waiting!) The other issue I had with the tanner was that in a huge warehouse full of hides, they had maybe 2 shelves dedicated to the eco-friendly ones. Granted they do take custom orders and I could request any number of colors or finishes, but it still irked me, especially because the regular hides come in so many different weights where the eco hides are only the one heavy weight.
The other problem I'm running into is that because my business is run on such a small scale, I am often at the will of whatever small quantities I can find. On the plus side, I wind up buying ends and deadstock of already made materials, not generating more energy to create something that is already there, but I still want to know that if something of mine winds up in a landfill it will not leach harmful chemicals into the earth. Still researching, but in the meantime continuing with the same materials I've been using.
The first place I went to uses organic cottons and hemp and bamboo (which is actually not eco friendly at all) but still makes those fabrics with some polyester to keep the prices down. On top of it the fabric isn't actually all that wonderful. TRAGIC!
The second I went to is the only leather tannery in the country, perhaps the world, who has perfected a vegetable tanning process for more than just saddle quality hides. The leathers were actually gorgeous and I will use them in the future for jackets and purses, BUT they're much too heavy for the leggings and dresses I make - I will look into this a bit more to see if there is a way I can work with it, but sadly I am stuck with lambskin again this time around until I get the samples from the fish leather tannery in iceland (still waiting!) The other issue I had with the tanner was that in a huge warehouse full of hides, they had maybe 2 shelves dedicated to the eco-friendly ones. Granted they do take custom orders and I could request any number of colors or finishes, but it still irked me, especially because the regular hides come in so many different weights where the eco hides are only the one heavy weight.
The other problem I'm running into is that because my business is run on such a small scale, I am often at the will of whatever small quantities I can find. On the plus side, I wind up buying ends and deadstock of already made materials, not generating more energy to create something that is already there, but I still want to know that if something of mine winds up in a landfill it will not leach harmful chemicals into the earth. Still researching, but in the meantime continuing with the same materials I've been using.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Just Ask
I've spent almost 2 years now contacting strangers out of the blue trying to get them to help me in some way. I contact businesses for textiles, notions, and other situations where I am the customer, and I get responses. But more often than trying to buy things, I'm trying to sell them. It is not always so easy to get a response, but once in a while...
Linden has added 2 stores in the last 2 weeks. In September I went to Montreal and Quebec City with my family. I walked into Boutique Mademoizelle Sefra in Quebec City with my sister after a day of touring. It's a super chic boutique that, at the time, had a small rack of clothing and several jewelry cases. The clothing was their own line, and the jewelry was theirs and some other independent designers. We struck up a conversation with the two people working there who happened to be the co-owners. They told us they'd recently opened and in addition to their jewelry and clothing lines, they are running a styling business for customers in need of some head to toe fashion guidance. I'd taken a business card with me when we left, and one night when I was going through a huge stack of cards on my desk, i stumbled across it. That night I emailed them, and later that night, I got a response. Jean-Felix was, again, friendly and welcoming. After some back and forth, he and his partner Sefra, decided to pick up a few pieces to test out and, voila! New stockist!
The other store was a different kind of contact, one I've always had but never made the effort to cross the line from friend to business. My friend Grace, one of the few people I stayed in touch with post art school, and the ONLY one from the fashion department, opened a boutique in her hometown of Glenview IL called Stella + Grace. I visited a couple years ago and this boutique is ADORABLE. She carries some more mainstream lines, and some small unknown designers, hand picking everything herself. She knows her customer well. The same night I got in touch with Mademoizelle Sefra, I emailed Grace. I asked if we could test some of my stock with her customers on consignment (meaning she doesn't order from me, but I send her stock and she pays me as she sells). She got the first box 5 days ago, and has already sold several pieces, requesting a replenishment already!
It was great to get some encouragement after so many attempts to contact boutiques with no response. While there might be a lot of "NO", every "YES" seems that much greater and reminds me that even if most people say no, all I have to do is ask and sometimes I'll get a yes!
Linden has added 2 stores in the last 2 weeks. In September I went to Montreal and Quebec City with my family. I walked into Boutique Mademoizelle Sefra in Quebec City with my sister after a day of touring. It's a super chic boutique that, at the time, had a small rack of clothing and several jewelry cases. The clothing was their own line, and the jewelry was theirs and some other independent designers. We struck up a conversation with the two people working there who happened to be the co-owners. They told us they'd recently opened and in addition to their jewelry and clothing lines, they are running a styling business for customers in need of some head to toe fashion guidance. I'd taken a business card with me when we left, and one night when I was going through a huge stack of cards on my desk, i stumbled across it. That night I emailed them, and later that night, I got a response. Jean-Felix was, again, friendly and welcoming. After some back and forth, he and his partner Sefra, decided to pick up a few pieces to test out and, voila! New stockist!
The other store was a different kind of contact, one I've always had but never made the effort to cross the line from friend to business. My friend Grace, one of the few people I stayed in touch with post art school, and the ONLY one from the fashion department, opened a boutique in her hometown of Glenview IL called Stella + Grace. I visited a couple years ago and this boutique is ADORABLE. She carries some more mainstream lines, and some small unknown designers, hand picking everything herself. She knows her customer well. The same night I got in touch with Mademoizelle Sefra, I emailed Grace. I asked if we could test some of my stock with her customers on consignment (meaning she doesn't order from me, but I send her stock and she pays me as she sells). She got the first box 5 days ago, and has already sold several pieces, requesting a replenishment already!
It was great to get some encouragement after so many attempts to contact boutiques with no response. While there might be a lot of "NO", every "YES" seems that much greater and reminds me that even if most people say no, all I have to do is ask and sometimes I'll get a yes!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Sustainability
I have always been interested in sustainability, and recently I've had that interest renewed. I have been doing a lot of reading on the subject lately, but I don't promise to be an expert on this concept, so dont hate me if I'm a little bit off on some of this..i'm still learning.
Sustainability is a tough concept to describe in relation to fashion, but the best way I can put it is producing a product with limited energy consumption that can either maintain its usefulness over time, or return to the earth without added harm to the environment. I started Linden with this in mind, but at the time I was more concerned with simply producing a 10 look collection so i mainly focused on producing locally as my effort in sustainability. I have since begun researching how to keep my aesthetic while using materials that are more sustainable.
In my searching I have discovered some interesting things:
1. many "revolutionary" textiles on the market are often the result of excellent marketing - for example, polyester derived from recycled PET bottles is merely prolonging the inevitable of being another harmful item in a landfill. It is unlikely that the recycled fabric will be repurposed in the future, and in its textile state it is more difficult to break down again to reuse. These textiles have been brilliantly marketed as keeping plastics out of the landfills and oceans, but the best way to stop plastic from hurting our environment is to find a less harmful alternative so plastic production slows down.
2. natural "environmentally friendly" materials, while bio-degradable, can still be polluting. Cotton requires a great deal of pesticides and energy to produce - organic cotton is significantly better though, but still consumes a sizable amount of energy to harvest. Often the natural substance has a flaw, especially with regards to mass production, that keeps it from being truly sustainable. That said, because it is biodegradable, it is still superior to plastics.
3. Leather, my guiltiest design pleasure, while natural and using the whole animal, is usually treated chemically and as a result is quite harmful to the environment. There are leathers tanned with natural substances that are not harmful, but their uses are more limited. I have however, excitingly come across fish leather. Again it is natural, and uses the part of the animal which is usually just discarded, but it simply requires hot water and not chemicals. The source I have found uses a natural hot spring instead of powering water heaters, and the only drawback I have found so far is that I would need to ship it from Iceland, but I think I can live with that since most of the leather I use is not tanned locally (looking into that as well) and is also shipped to the states.
So what i've learned so far is that I cannot produce a product that is completely sustainable, but I can, at the very least, reduce the amount of polluting waste my line produces as much as possible. I mean, even sparing some bottles from the landfill temporarily gives us all a bit more time to find another way to repurpose those plastics.
I will continue to share my findings here!
Sustainability is a tough concept to describe in relation to fashion, but the best way I can put it is producing a product with limited energy consumption that can either maintain its usefulness over time, or return to the earth without added harm to the environment. I started Linden with this in mind, but at the time I was more concerned with simply producing a 10 look collection so i mainly focused on producing locally as my effort in sustainability. I have since begun researching how to keep my aesthetic while using materials that are more sustainable.
In my searching I have discovered some interesting things:
1. many "revolutionary" textiles on the market are often the result of excellent marketing - for example, polyester derived from recycled PET bottles is merely prolonging the inevitable of being another harmful item in a landfill. It is unlikely that the recycled fabric will be repurposed in the future, and in its textile state it is more difficult to break down again to reuse. These textiles have been brilliantly marketed as keeping plastics out of the landfills and oceans, but the best way to stop plastic from hurting our environment is to find a less harmful alternative so plastic production slows down.
2. natural "environmentally friendly" materials, while bio-degradable, can still be polluting. Cotton requires a great deal of pesticides and energy to produce - organic cotton is significantly better though, but still consumes a sizable amount of energy to harvest. Often the natural substance has a flaw, especially with regards to mass production, that keeps it from being truly sustainable. That said, because it is biodegradable, it is still superior to plastics.
3. Leather, my guiltiest design pleasure, while natural and using the whole animal, is usually treated chemically and as a result is quite harmful to the environment. There are leathers tanned with natural substances that are not harmful, but their uses are more limited. I have however, excitingly come across fish leather. Again it is natural, and uses the part of the animal which is usually just discarded, but it simply requires hot water and not chemicals. The source I have found uses a natural hot spring instead of powering water heaters, and the only drawback I have found so far is that I would need to ship it from Iceland, but I think I can live with that since most of the leather I use is not tanned locally (looking into that as well) and is also shipped to the states.
So what i've learned so far is that I cannot produce a product that is completely sustainable, but I can, at the very least, reduce the amount of polluting waste my line produces as much as possible. I mean, even sparing some bottles from the landfill temporarily gives us all a bit more time to find another way to repurpose those plastics.
I will continue to share my findings here!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
So what should I wear?
I am certain those of you out there who are also in the fashion industry experience this, I am regularly asked by new acquaintances where to shop and how to dress. It's a question that amuses me because half the time I never know what to wear myself. I've probably never dressed "right" for a job interview, or a date, or a nice restaurant, and I constantly harass my best friend and my mom for approval once i've settled on something to wear (and let me tell you they are both brutally honest - which i desperately need).
The thing is, I've always felt there is no "right way" to dress. Because I studied costume design, I look at my wardrobe to hold some representation of who I am. I have quite a few personalities according to my closet, but the understanding of what I am looking for comes from the creative side within me, and is about who I am, which is why it perplexes me when people ask for my advice, especially people I don't know well. They ask, "What should I wear?", and I can't help but reply with, "Whatever you want to wear!" They often look at me confused, as if I am meant to be their fashion sage and guide them through the difficult world of shopping. How should I know what ideal image they are trying to fit so I can suggest the right attire for them? There are so many different ways to dress, for all shapes and sizes, and there is no longer one right way to dress.
I shop all over the spectrum, from places like Forever 21, PacSun, and H & M to Bloomingdales, Saks, Neimans, etc. I mix cheap with designer constantly - and usually the outfits I get the most positive reactions on are the less expensive ones. But the one thing that is a constant is that when I actually make an effort to look a certain way, something I am wearing has to channel the ridiculous or the absurd - but that's my thing.
How do you find yours? I'm not sure, but if its a matter of "how do I dress for my body type?" - either start with the magazines that have cornered the market of telling you what to wear, or look up people who have the same shape as you. See what they get away with and then go shopping - ANYWHERE - and try things on, figure out how to make that look your own. Show your personality in what you wear whether its a bright color or a mismatched print, or shoes that dont necessarily make sense -- all that matters is you love what you wear and you wear it with confidence. There is no sense in walking out the door without feeling amazing about yourself - there is a look out there for you, but you have to find it yourself.
My only real advice - it's best not to longingly look at the stylings of someone who is your opposite in shape, size, lifestyle etc. I know a lot of people who say "I wish i could dress like ..." - try it, but if it's not for you move onto something else and don't look back wishing you were anything but who you are.
The thing is, I've always felt there is no "right way" to dress. Because I studied costume design, I look at my wardrobe to hold some representation of who I am. I have quite a few personalities according to my closet, but the understanding of what I am looking for comes from the creative side within me, and is about who I am, which is why it perplexes me when people ask for my advice, especially people I don't know well. They ask, "What should I wear?", and I can't help but reply with, "Whatever you want to wear!" They often look at me confused, as if I am meant to be their fashion sage and guide them through the difficult world of shopping. How should I know what ideal image they are trying to fit so I can suggest the right attire for them? There are so many different ways to dress, for all shapes and sizes, and there is no longer one right way to dress.
I shop all over the spectrum, from places like Forever 21, PacSun, and H & M to Bloomingdales, Saks, Neimans, etc. I mix cheap with designer constantly - and usually the outfits I get the most positive reactions on are the less expensive ones. But the one thing that is a constant is that when I actually make an effort to look a certain way, something I am wearing has to channel the ridiculous or the absurd - but that's my thing.
How do you find yours? I'm not sure, but if its a matter of "how do I dress for my body type?" - either start with the magazines that have cornered the market of telling you what to wear, or look up people who have the same shape as you. See what they get away with and then go shopping - ANYWHERE - and try things on, figure out how to make that look your own. Show your personality in what you wear whether its a bright color or a mismatched print, or shoes that dont necessarily make sense -- all that matters is you love what you wear and you wear it with confidence. There is no sense in walking out the door without feeling amazing about yourself - there is a look out there for you, but you have to find it yourself.
My only real advice - it's best not to longingly look at the stylings of someone who is your opposite in shape, size, lifestyle etc. I know a lot of people who say "I wish i could dress like ..." - try it, but if it's not for you move onto something else and don't look back wishing you were anything but who you are.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Beginning of Hope/Craigslist is a wonderful thing
A few months ago I got bored and started searching the creative gigs on craigslist. This was certainly not the first time I've done so, and not the first time I wound up making great contacts as a result.
The first time I found success, I found a listing by stylist Dee Anderson. She turned out to be the stylist for one of my all time favorite bands, Green Day. I cannot even begin to explain the many MANY things I learned in the several months I worked for Dee. She's an amazingly talented stylist and was such a great influence on me. So many of the great things I have done were a result of knowing Dee.
The second time, I worked on a Dresden Dolls music video assisting Katie Kay as the stylist. Not only was it just a super fun video, knowing Katie resulted in Linden being sold at her fantastic boutique Gather and her being my sales rep, getting the line out into the world. Yet another incredible contact via CL.
The third time, I found an internship with Park Showroom owner Kristen Aguilera, and without her I would never have gained enough knowledge of the fashion industry to start my own line.
Four and Five were within a week of each other. I met up and coming stylist Corina Garcia through her CL ad where we teamed up to shoot the spring 2011 photos on www.Lindenca.com AND I found the Elite fashion academy posting that led to my very first Linden fashion show. Just check the website and past posts to see the results of those efforts.
And now here I am, several months later with yet another successful contact made. I replied to an ad early in the year regarding a charity fashion show event in San Diego. Stacey Blanchet, of Blanchet Designs, has coordinated a wonderful event, titled "Beginning of Hope", benefiting two charities dedicated to foster youth. The event will take place this coming Wednesday in San Diego (May 18th, 2011) and will feature 3 designers showing, some local artisans vending, wine tasting, food, a silent auction, and a raffle, all to benefit these charities. I haven't shared the information about this show until now because I only finally met Stacey a day ago, and finally started to feel more involved in the whole thing. I have cast my models, and cannot wait to be a part of this show. I know most of you reading this are in Los Angeles, but should anyone find themselves in San Diego wednesday, here's how you can attend this wonderful event. http://www.blanchetdesigns.com/news.html
Photos WILL be posted asap!
 |
| The first paid design job I ever had thanks to Dee. A motorola campaign with Danica Patrick and "her dog" |
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| the poor Dresden Dolls fan I had the pleasure of dressing on set |
The second time, I worked on a Dresden Dolls music video assisting Katie Kay as the stylist. Not only was it just a super fun video, knowing Katie resulted in Linden being sold at her fantastic boutique Gather and her being my sales rep, getting the line out into the world. Yet another incredible contact via CL.
The third time, I found an internship with Park Showroom owner Kristen Aguilera, and without her I would never have gained enough knowledge of the fashion industry to start my own line.
Four and Five were within a week of each other. I met up and coming stylist Corina Garcia through her CL ad where we teamed up to shoot the spring 2011 photos on www.Lindenca.com AND I found the Elite fashion academy posting that led to my very first Linden fashion show. Just check the website and past posts to see the results of those efforts.
And now here I am, several months later with yet another successful contact made. I replied to an ad early in the year regarding a charity fashion show event in San Diego. Stacey Blanchet, of Blanchet Designs, has coordinated a wonderful event, titled "Beginning of Hope", benefiting two charities dedicated to foster youth. The event will take place this coming Wednesday in San Diego (May 18th, 2011) and will feature 3 designers showing, some local artisans vending, wine tasting, food, a silent auction, and a raffle, all to benefit these charities. I haven't shared the information about this show until now because I only finally met Stacey a day ago, and finally started to feel more involved in the whole thing. I have cast my models, and cannot wait to be a part of this show. I know most of you reading this are in Los Angeles, but should anyone find themselves in San Diego wednesday, here's how you can attend this wonderful event. http://www.blanchetdesigns.com/news.html
Photos WILL be posted asap!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
waste not
There has always been one thing that really bothers me about the fashion industry - the waste. Starting with sampling, we make patterns, cut that pattern in muslin, sew it together, make adjustments, make a new pattern and sew it into a sample. Of all of that, only the final pattern and sample are not going to get thrown out. Move onto production - when pieces are cut out they are put on a marker. A marker is each pattern piece of each size spread out across the fabric to utilize as much fabric as possible. But there is still always waste, and always leftover fabric. Much of this goes into the trash. Next is shipping out production - pieces are tagged, wrapped in tissue, and poly-bags to be as protected as possible while they travel to shops. The shops then unpack each item, throwing out the poly bags and the tissue paper.
There is a green movement in fashion, trying to cut waste, but no matter what, it will always be a waste-heavy industry. To minimize my own waste as a designer, I've begun taking scraps and turning them into wearable pieces instead of letting it go to the trash. I plan to expand this effort, but for now, I'm making jewelry out of leather scraps that are too small to use for anything else. Adding a little bit of whimsy to my designs, customers can now buy hand cut leather skull and unicorn earrings - this is only the beginning. While I continue on with Linden, there will be many limited or one of a kind hand made items that I will use predominantly leftovers to produce.
There is a green movement in fashion, trying to cut waste, but no matter what, it will always be a waste-heavy industry. To minimize my own waste as a designer, I've begun taking scraps and turning them into wearable pieces instead of letting it go to the trash. I plan to expand this effort, but for now, I'm making jewelry out of leather scraps that are too small to use for anything else. Adding a little bit of whimsy to my designs, customers can now buy hand cut leather skull and unicorn earrings - this is only the beginning. While I continue on with Linden, there will be many limited or one of a kind hand made items that I will use predominantly leftovers to produce.
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