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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2007
Happy Holidays!
Hi & Happy Holidays!
Carolyn will be back in January with more diary updates. Until then, all of us at the Toronto Fashion Incubator wish you the very best for the holidays and for the New Year!
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 07, 2007Q& A with Susie Love, Promoter and Marketer Extraordinaire
I first met jewelry designer Susie Love last summer at the Fashion and Design Festival. Everyone noticed this smiling girl with a cart full of innovative jewelry. At one point, there were about ten of us around her cart and impromptu display, trying on necklaces, bracelets and going crazy for her designs. She GAVE me a wrist cuff made out of a melted record that absolutely rocks, and I’ve admired her work and marketing strategy ever since. If you haven’t seen her around Toronto, you will. And if you don’t live in Toronto, it’s time to meet Susie Love!
What's your story? What led you to become a jewellery designer and start your own company?
My background is in painting and singing/songwriting, but I was injured badly in an elevator accident 3 years ago and couldn't do anything for one year. I stayed with friends, then wound up in the wacky antiques/ Parkdale world. While working for an antiques dealer, I started collecting and remaking vintage (clothing, purses, sweaters and then jewelry), all of which I sold in 69 Vintage and Melanie’s Closet. About a year ago, I discovered plastic, I love it, it's very tactile and sculptural, and I just love working with it!
You are one of the best self-promoters I've seen. Can you describe your promotional strategy?
Thank you! I've taken a lot of Anthony Robbins-type training (at Peak Potentials, based out of Vancouver), I applied it to my music in the past and now to my jewelry. I actually listen to motivational and business tapes while I am working and try to absorb as much as I can and then apply it. I also just love people; I find it fun to talk to everyone, and I love people's reactions, because I am usually wearing my most outrageous pieces. I also adhere to the MLM philosophy of the 3 foot rule: I talk to anyone who comes within 3 feet of me. And I am always wearing my jewelry, even if I'm just going to the store! Plus, I think it's good to think about what events people you want to meet might attend, and then show up with an open, positive mind.
Do you have any tips for getting you and your products noticed?
I'm always wearing my stuff. During festivals, I'll show up and give a few big pieces away, and a handful of rings. As I am having conversations, I really try to gauge if the person likes it first though, and if I'm wrong, I don’t worry about it.
For instance, I gave a big cross to Ronnie James Dio's keyboard player, before asking him if he liked it. He put it in his pocket, then Ronnie James Dio said he loved it, but the bass player wouldn't give it to him, or wear it!
Then there are other lovely souls like Sonja Andic (Fashion and Entertainment Publicist), Robin Kay (Fashion Design Council of Canada President), Nathalie Atkinson (National Post Columnist), Gail McInnes (Plutino Group Artist Rep), and Daniel Wilson (DJ and Event Promoter) and so many others who are lovely enough to wear my stuff all over the place. That's really key; I can't physically go to all the parties, but my jewelry can!
This way, people at the party you are at see your jewelry everywhere, and you are accessible to meet right then, and it creates buzz
Can you offer any advice for readers considering a career in accessories design?
Try lots of mediums, be open, and go with the one you are drawn to, that you enjoy working with. I'd love to work with ceramics next; I love how messy it is. I've done pottery before; you're literally right in your work! And I love sculpture!
What has been your greatest lesson learned as a fashion business owner?
Be open to ideas from those who have been in it a lot longer and probably know a thing or two more than me!
You recently joined the TFI. Why did you join? Have any of the resources helped with your business yet?
I joined because Nada told me to! It's a really great, great community, great resources, and I'm really learning a lot. I love the fashion industry, I don’t sit still well, and this business is so fast paced, it really entertains me.
What do you think about the state of Canadian fashion? Are there any designers who inspire you?
So many: Ula Zukowska, David Dixon, Nada, Katya Revenko, Lucian Matis, and of course, I have been in love with Betsey Johnson forever (I know she lives in New York now, but isn't she Canadian?) [Note from Carolyn: I just spoke with Susie and broke the news that Betsey is not Canadian. Sorry,Susie!] I bought my first Betsey Johnson dress when I was 17. I saved up for it, it was a tie dyed purple baby doll, with an Alice in Wonderland print and was $300 (all the rest of my wardrobe was the craziest stuff I could find in Kensington market!). I still remember it, and hope when hunting vintage, I will come across it. I actually bought a 60's black/wool /fur coat at a Hamilton thrift store, and when I went to brunch with my mother, she gasped, she actually owned it in her 30's! How crazy is that? I'll never part with it!
State of Canadian fashion? Hmm…I think Canadians are getting more excited over fashion and I think it's a great time to get involved!
You can find my jewelry at: Y5, Model Citizen, Made You Look, and Boutique Letrou, plus you can find my remade vintage at Melanie's Closet, and 69 Vintage. www.myspace.com/susielovesfun
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2007TFI Members Meeting Goes to Vancouver
I’m taking my fashion support group to Vancouver over the holidays! Hopefully I’ll meet and interview our Vancouver members and get the scoop on the Canadian West Coast fashion scene. If you’re a Vancouver-based TFI member and haven’t yet received my e-mail, please contact me.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2007Newsletters
So…you want to communicate your company’s latest news to your e-mail list, but what’s the best way to do it?
I’ve seen some great e-newsletters and some terrible ones. The terrible ones are the plain old typed messages, but we’re beyond that now. You need a strong, professional layout to make an impact. It is very much worthwhile to invest money in someone who can do this for you or a program that does it and makes sending mass e-mails less spammy.
Unfortunately, I don’t have recommendations for either, but what I can recommend is that you look closely at the e-newsletters you receive. Assess what works, what doesn’t, and why. If they use a company, it will be at the bottom of the message, usually outside of the newsletter box, and there will likely be a link to the company that did the layout and the mailing.
Happy e-mailing! It sure beats stuffing and licking thousands of envelopes.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 03, 2007Members Meeting
Thanks to everyone who came to the members meeting last night. There were a lot of new faces and a great mix of fashion interests: clothing designers, accessory designers, importers/exporters, manufacturers, illustrators, store owners and TFI members just interested in chatting.
We talked a lot about New Labels, what it’s like to be a TFI resident (thanks to new resident, Carrie Hayes – www.carriehayes.com), what happened at the TFI Press Breakfast (thanks again to Carrie and to Danielle Meder – www.finalfashion.ca and Ashley Rowe – www.missrowe.com), promotions, marketing and the next TFI seminar: Public and Media Relations. It’s on December 13. Members and non-members are welcome, so come out to the new TFI space.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 02, 2007Canadian Subsidy Directory
So I got the following press release in my inbox and don’t know if it will be helpful to anyone, but thought I’d post it in case it is legitimate. Read it, check out the website, and decide for yourself if this subsidy directly might help you get some financial assistance for your fashion business. I take no responsibility if it’s a scam or if there isn’t any useful information because I don’t have an extra $70 or $150 to buy it and review it for you.
CANADIAN SUBSIDY DIRECTORY YEAR 2007 EDITION
Legal Deposit-National Library
The Canadian Subsidy Directory 2007 is now available, newly revised it is the most complete and affordable reference for anyone looking for financing. It is the perfect tool for new and existing businesses, individuals, foundations and associations.
This Publication contains more than 3200 direct and indirect financial subsidies, grants and loans offered by government departments and agencies, foundations, associations and organizations. In this new 2007
edition all programs are well described.
The Canadian Subsidy Directory is the most comprehensive tool to start up a business, improve existent activities, set up a business plan, or obtain assistance from experts in fields such as: Industry, transport, agriculture, communications, municipal infrastructure, education, import-export, labour, construction and renovation, the service sector, hi-tech industries, research and development, joint ventures, arts, cinema, theatre, music and recording industry, the self employed, contests, and new talents. Assistance from and for foundations and associations, guidance to prepare a business plan, market surveys, computers, and much more!
The Canadian Subsidy Directory is sold $ 69.95 (CD-ROM), $ 149.95
(Printed 430 pages)
to obtain a copy please call toll free *1-866-322-3376*
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2007Strategic Partnerships: Doll Factory by Damzels and Satan’s Candy
Yes, another band-related post. For those of you who are dying to see Satan’s Candy, you’ll be able to on Friday December 14. We’re playing the Bovine, which is at 542 Queen Street West. Doors at 9pm, we play at 10:30.
Come on out! And tell me you read my blog! I’ll be the one with the bass and the tiara.
Why am I posting this on a fashion-business blog, you ask? Simple: we’re partnering with local designers and store owners, Rory Lindo and Kelly Freeman from Damzels in this Dress. Their store, Doll Factory by Damzels, is celebrating its first year and Satan’s Candy can’t wait to help the festivities (Okay, we’re kind of biased because Rory is our drummer! Even if she wasn’t, we’d still support Doll Factory and Damzels, though, because we love the store and the dress line!). Event and artist management company Constant Crush is also working with us and we’ll play with their band, The Outfit.
How does this all work together? Let’s talk partnerships. It can help financially and emotionally to share event planning with other companies/designers/artists. Not only can you share work and costs, but you can share customer bases too. You just have to make sure that your partners make sense with your own project. Satan’s Candy is kind of a fashion-y band, so this will be a great partnership. It’ll be great to have Constant Crush and The Outfit fans out to see Satan’s Candy and support the Doll Factory store and vice versa.
There’s so much great local initiative and partnership going on that I almost can’t stand it! I love it and want to see you there.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2007Toronto Alternative Fashion Week
I’m so excited for Alternative Fashion Week (www.getfat.ca) in April 2008 that my band submitted an application to play in this fashion, music, and art celebration. I’ll keep you posted on our progress.
The application deadline is December 1, but they will accept some late entries, so check out the site if you’re interested. The last event was an excellent showcase for new designers, recent fashion grads, artists, and musicians, and I have full confidence that April’s event will be just as good, if not better.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2007Ryerson Exhibit at the Design Exchange
Tonight, the Ryerson University School of Fashion hosted a gala evening to celebrate 60 years of Ryerson Fashion. A cool exhibit took over the first floor of the Design Exchange and it had everything from colour theory to sketches, pattern blocks and finished garments.
My favourite display was about the assignment asking students to design garments for a professor’s trousseau. For those of you who don’t know what a trousseau is, it’s the collection of items – usually clothes, linens, crystal and silver – that a bride assembles for marriage. Can you imagine being asked to design a professor’s honeymoon wardrobe? Ha.
Unfortunately, this show is only on display for two more days. I want more fashion exhibits! Apparently the event’s organizers do too, since they are trying to organize an exhibition space on the Ryerson campus. I wish them well and will keep you posted on any developments that I hear.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2007P&G Beauty Rocks!
Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned the new P&G Beauty website (www.pgbeauty.ca) designed for fashion and beauty industry members? I checked it out and was excited to learn that they offered product information and free samples. I kind of thought the free samples were too good to be true, but guess what? They showed up today! I got tons of great stuff:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2007Learning from a Store: Fashion Crimes by Pam Chorley
Pam Chorley has long been one of Toronto’s favourite designers and with a business that has survived for over twenty years, she’s obviously one of Toronto’s favourite business women as well. Last night, Fashion Crimes hosted a wonderful, festive holiday party.
One thing I really like about Fashion Crimes is that the staff are encouraged to wear all the clothes and accessories. It’s a simple way to show product and allow staff to gain more product knowledge. Through experience, they get to know about cut, construction, and fabric.
The Fashion Crimes windows are always fun, elaborate productions and give shoppers an excuse to keep going back.
In-store events are also smart ways to maintain and build your customer base while getting to know them a bit better. Last night, the entire staff epitomized the vision of the fabulous Fashion Crimes gal and made efforts to have fun with customers, which made people want to buy stuff, which, of course, is the ultimate goal of owning a store. You have to make the sales to survive.
If you’re thinking of opening a store or launching a clothing or accessories line, I recommend that you attend as many store events as you can. Do your homework and think about how products can be displayed and how salespeople and customers react to them. Fashion Crimes is a great place to learn how a local designer successfully built a thriving store.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2007Technical Translations
I received a request from a reader in Chicago who requires French translations for technical sewing terms and label information, but I have no leads. Do you?
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2007Cadbury Couture
Excuse me…I’m suffering a chocolate hangover.
Last night, Cadbury sponsored an event called Cadbury Couture, where ten Canadian fashion designers made outfits that were at least 70% chocolate. What a delicious example of a corporation working with and supporting Canadian designers. Yum!
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2007Contracting Out
A reader asked if I could recommend any people who might be able to sew her designs and since I receive requests like this every so often, I thought I’d give you all my advice. Lucky you!
First, I recommend that you have some sewing, fabric, or garment construction knowledge before you start designing. You really have to know how fabrics and seams work before you can design clothes effectively.
Second, knowing how to draw your ideas really helps. You don’t have to be the best illustrator, but you should be able to graphically communicate your design concepts.
Third, if you cannot sew or illustrate, but still have some great ideas, you have to make sure you have a lot of money to pay illustrators, pattern drafters, and sample makers. If you do, then go for it, but you should also have a bullet-proof business plan and a strong group of people working with you.
Good luck!
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2007Interview: Meet Michelle Germain, the Shopgirl!
After organizing a series of events promoting and selling Canadian designers, Michelle Germain decided to open a store, and I’m quite excited for it. Appropriately, it is called Shopgirls (www.shopgirls.ca).
I stopped by the future home of Shopgirls way West on Queen Street and found Michelle hard at work installing ceiling tiles, taking phone calls, and brushing off layers of construction dust from her clothes. Fashion is so glamorous!
Construction work aside, after hearing Michelle’s plans, I am quite sure that the store will be glamorous (due to a lot of hard work!). There are plans to sell Canadian handcrafted and original work from fashion, accessory, and furniture designers as well as work by Canadian artists. If it’s displayed in vignettes throughout the space, you’ll be able to buy it.
Artist promotion will be the Shopgirls focus. Not only will artists have space to work and hang out in the store, but Michelle has over 14 years of fashion and art marketing and advertising experience after working at Holt Renfrew and the Bay. If your work is in her store, Michelle wants to make sure it will be promoted.
Wonderful! Store exposure and promotion! But how do you get your work in Shopgirls? To put it simply, Michelle has to like your work and determine if it will appeal to her target market. She does that by scouting new and interesting designers through networking and events.
Michelle provides two consignment choices: 1) There is limited space in the Artist Circle, where artists can participate for a monthly fee and receive 75% of all commission from sales (usually retailers will take 50%); or 2) Work a number of hours in the store each month in exchange for sales percentages. If you have questions, I recommend that you contact Michelle to discuss your work and the Shopgirls organizational structure. She will be meeting artists this Monday November 26 and Tuesday November 27. Call her at 416.629.2344 or email info@shopgirls.ca.
Michelle thinks that Canadian designers are extremely talented, but poorly represented, so Shopgirls is her solution. Along the way, she has learned how much work is involved in opening a store, such as negotiating leases, designing spaces, and working with neighbours, and this is just the beginning. The store is scheduled to open on December 7, and I can’t wait to shop for Canadian work at Shopgirls.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2007Back to TFI New Labels: What About Accessory Designers?
Are you an accessory designer and feel bummed about not being able to enter the TFI New Labels Competition?
Susan Langdon has a solution for you: she suggests pairing with a designer to help create an entry. By working with a clothing designer, you can work on a complete look right from the start rather than being called in at the end.
How do you do this? Check out the TFI Member Listings (www.fashionincubator.com/our_members/outreach_listings/index.shtml) to see if there are any members who share your aesthetic. Contact them and ask if they’re entering the competition. If not, maybe you have started a new working relationship. What do you have to lose?
You could also contact TFI administration and ask them to send a message to TFI New Labels Competition entrants.
The key is that you have to take initiative and make things happen for yourself.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2007Media’s Gone Green: Electronic Press Kits
Tonight I attended a Rogers Wireless holiday product launch because the invitation mentioned an “evening of innovation and style”, so I thought it had something to do with fashion. It did not. I mean, the phones were cool, but there was no fashion (except for those fashionably dressed). So why am I writing about it?
As I left, I was handed a USB stick as the press kit. There was no wasted paper. Rogers PR has gone green!
With most fashion publications and L’Oréal Fashion Week all proclaiming green as the new black, the USB press kit makes sense. But are journalists ready for it?
I’m not quite sure if the USB press kit will replace the paper press kit just yet. There is something that journalists like about seeing physical photos and look books. Paper versus electronic is definitely something for you to consider when planning your press kit, especially if you have an environmentally or socially conscious business. I don’t have an answer for you about what’s best, so you’ll have to decide for yourself. Maybe a mix of paper and electronic press kits is the solution for now before everyone goes green.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2007The F-List
I’ve written about the F-List (www.f-list.ca) before, but since the recent newsletter landed in my inbox, I thought it was time to mention it again.
The F-List is a website that focuses on Canadian fashion designers, retail sales, and news. In my opinion, it has the best comprehensive online list of Canadian designers. You might want to check it out as an introduction to Canadian fashion.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2007What’s in a Buyer’s Mind?
An Interview with Holt Renfrew Buyer Jason Morikawa
I kept running into Jason Morikawa at various functions and thought you’d learn a lot from him. Jason is the buyer for three separate Holt Renfrew departments called Directional Designers, Designer Eveningwear and the World Design Lab. If you want to learn about a buyer’s job and what a buyer thinks, then read our Q&A.
What's your story? (e.g. What did you do before, and how did you end up here?)
After working in various capacities within the retail world, I began my career at Holt Renfrew as the manager of the World Design Lab. I had always admired the concept and area and was excited to join Canada 's leading luxury retailer. I had only been working for Holt Renfrew for about a year when I was asked to take on more responsibility as the area sales manager of contemporary womenswear and eventually the area sales manager of Designer womenswear.
At the beginning of this year, I noticed that a buyer’s position had opened up in the designer world that I love, with a specific focus on Paris collections and the World Design Lab. I jumped at the opportunity and that is how I ended up in my current role. Holt Renfrew nurtures and grows talent and now every day is like a new learning experience for me.
Please describe your job as a buyer. What do you do in a typical workday?
As a buyer, every day is different, which is one of the things that I love about being a buyer.
A typical work day can include analyzing sellthroughs by color/style/price, focusing on upcoming markets by preparing strategies, market research, communicating with vendors, planning special marketing events for clients, store visits and travel.
What do you do on a buying trip?
Buying trips are a lot of work. A typical buying trip involves attending between 3- 8 appointments in one day(depending on type and size of collections) and working through with a vendor to select merchandise. In some of my bigger collections, that means taking collections that are 150 - 250 styles in size and picking 40 - 50 styles that will hit our floor. The one fabulous thing of buying trips during fashion weeks is the opportunity to go to runway shows. It is amazing the people you see and the energy in the room. It is truly one of the perks of being a buyer.
As a buyer, what grabs your attention?
I look for collections that will fit a niche market in Canada that we have not covered and collections that have a distinct point of view. There are hundreds and thousands of designers out there, and I need to ensure that I am not buying the same thing. I want excitement and something new, but must keep in mind that it needs to make sense for the market that I am buying for.
What is the best way for a new designer to approach you about selling his or her line in your store?
There are a few things that a new designer should keep in mind when approaching a retailer:
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2007TFI New Labels: Enter Now!
If you missed the TFI Members Meeting last week, I probably made you regret it by writing about how great it was, and this post is going to make you feel worse, especially if you’re considering applying to the TFI New Labels Competition.
TFI Executive Director Susan Langdon attended the meeting and offered tons of advice about entering the competion. What were her strongest words of wisdom?
“Do not start your entry the night before the deadline.”
That deadline is December 10, so you still have time to work on your application. If you are interested, I strongly recommend that you start working NOW. Download the application from www.fashionincubator.com/happenings/events/new-labels-fashion-design-2.shtml, research past competitions and finalists, and maybe even contact some previous participants. I’m sure they would be happy to talk to you about their experiences and maybe give you some advice.
The ELLE Canada magazine $25,000 prize package and exposure is invaluable, not to mention how much you will learn from Susan and the judging panel. If your company is less than three years old and you’re ready for media and sales attention, you really should consider entering the TFI New Labels Competition. It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s worth it.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2007Entrepreneurial TV: The Dragon’s Den
A bunch of TFI Members recommended watching The Dragon’s Den because it’s all about pitching entrepreneurial ideas to business moguls. To be honest, I never thought about it because I thought it would be too “business-y”, but I guess that’s the point and why I need to watch it.
It’s on CBC Monday nights at 8:00pm.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2007Lawyers
When starting a business, you will always have to deal with legal issues, but there’s so much legalese to wade through, what do you do?
If you’re having a specific legal issue, you might want to contact the Law Society of Canada (www.lsuc.on.ca) since they offer a half hour of free legal advice.
Guess where I got this tip? From the Members Meeting! Am I enticing you to go to the next one?
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2007Apparel Jobs
Thanks to the Members Meeting, I checked out www.appareljobs.ca and you should too. It’s hosted by the Apparel Human Resource Council, whose mandate is “to develop and implement a human resources strategy that supports the long-term competitiveness of Canada’s apparel manufacturing industry and meets the developmental needs of its workforce.”
The site lists career opportunities in Design, Business Administration, Sales & Marketing, Engineering, Information Technology, Human Resources, Logistics/Production, and other sectors. If you’re looking for a job, contemplating a career in fashion, or thinking about a career change, the information on this site will help you.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 06, 2007Karamea and Philip Sparks Trunk Show and Open House
After last night’s Members Meeting, I grabbed a few people and we went to a trunk show and open house hosted by Michelle Turpin, who designs under the Karamea label www.karamea.ca">(www.karamea.ca) and Philip Sparks, who designs under his own name (www.philipsparks.com).
I didn’t get a chance to mention Philip’s Spring/Summer 2008 show during L’Oréal Fashion Week, but it was perfect, from media releases, invitations, venue, guest arrivals, and seating to styling, design, and clothing quality. For only a second show, Philip did so well. As I always do, I recommend watching him to learn how to do things right.
Michelle Turpin is a meticulous designer who has a great business sense. She has a wonderful website that is updated and reflects her work.
Both Philip and Michelle have good design and business ideas, so it makes sense that they’re sharing a studio. Here are two designers that you can learn from. Both are professional, creative, amazing designers, and best of all they’re really, really nice.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 05, 2007FashTFI Members Meeting
Tonight was the largest TFI Members Meeting yet and it was largely thanks to the great space at Gossip restaurant (www.dine.to/gossip).
Seems like forever since the last meeting and I missed everyone, but the TFI had to settle into its new home before arranging this meeting. The wait was worth it, as demonstrated from the tour of the new space before the meeting.
At Gossip, there were a lot of new faces. About thirty of us were able to meet and chat over wine. The TFI was even nice enough to treat us to some wonderful flatbread pizza, which we ate while talking about:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2007Gift Bag Randomness
For the record, I do love gift bags. I enjoy playing Gift Bag Hit or Miss with you. I do think that gift bags do reflect the overall details of an event. There’s no denying that they have become important at fashion events, but I’m kind of appalled at some people’s gift bag behaviour.
After hearing complaints and whispers about gift bags, I guess it’s time for gift bag etiquette:
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 01, 2007Fashion Week Apologies
As you can tell, I was focused on the show I produced last week, which completely affected my Fashion Week coverage and availability to watch shows. My production involvement did affect my thoughts on some of the shows I did see. Here are some belated Fashion Week thoughts:
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2007Happy Hallowe’en!
Oh! It’s my band’s show tonight at the El Mocambo, and I can tell you that I’ve been promoting the show as much as Fashion Grindhouse. Seriously, band and clothing label promotion are similar and I’m learning a lot from the crossover between both industries. Flyers, buttons, posters, ads, and the Internet are so important for both clothing and music. Interesting how I can use my experience from one industry for another.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2007P&G Beauty’s New Site
I’ve been so busy with fashion show stuff that I haven’t had time to mention the new P&G Beauty site. They launched it earlier this month and promised all sorts of tips and samples for Canadian beauty and fashion influencers. You might want to check it out at www.pgbeauty.ca.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2007Fashion Show Production: Press
In the days since the Playdead Cult/Damzels in this Dress Fashion Grindhouse, I’ve been monitoring press and I’m happy to boast that we got some of the best press of the week! It makes me so proud.
Not only did we have a story-worthy production, but it helped to have a PR rep. We worked with Desia Brill at Brill Communications and I found her extremely helpful when inviting press members to the show, arranging the seating chart, and seating guests quickly upon entrance. I highly encourage any designer to get an effective PR person for their show.
Just remember that you’ve got to have the clothes and the show to match the hype!
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Working with the Fashion Design Council of Canada and L’Oréal Fashion Week
As many of you know, I used to be the Fashion Week Volunteer Coordinator, and that’s where I learned a lot about fashion show production. This week was the first time I worked with the designer’s team and I was a bit anxious since I left a lot in the hands of the FDCC. What was the result?
I enjoyed working with the FDCC! Sometimes it took a while to get a response to messages and it was hard to plan our show when they were settling on dates, but once everything got going, it was well-organized.
It was a relief to be a show producer and not have to worry about venue and Audio-Visual demands. The FDCC made sure everything was working and on-schedule. The backstage team of show producers and volunteers knew exactly what was happening and answered any and all questions.
I had a wonderful experience and I think that the designers did too. Showing with L’Oréal Fashion Week and the FDCC was a wise investment and I was impressed.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2007Fashion Show Production: Thank yous!
I’m so happy with how the Damzels in this Dress/Playdead Cult Fashion Grindhouse Double Feature turned out that I want to thank the following people:
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2007Fashion Show Production: Show Day!
Thanks to working with Susan Langdon at TFI shows, I learned the important of an almost minute-by-minute timeline of tasks that also includes contact information and lists the location of where everyone can be found at any time. I made one for the Playdead and Damzels designers that was probably too detailed, but it outlined everything that we needed to do today.
I can’t even tell you what we needed to do; there was so much! We had to transport clothes, make sure all accessories were included, meet models, keep hair and makeup artists on schedule, meet with the Fashion Design Council of Canada show producers and volunteers to make sure we all knew what was happening, have a rehearsal, get the models dressed, have a show, clean up backstage for the next show, get the designers out for post-show interviews, ensure all clothes and accessories were returned, and then set up for an afterparty!
The day flew by, as did the show. There were Fashion Television cameras backstage, so you’re going to want to watch for the feature. I’m sure it will be great to watch because everything was going so smoothly; everyone backstage told us that we were the calmest and on-schedule production we worked with. That was until our technical difficulty: the Damzels movie started skipping and we were all devastated backstage. I kept wondering what happened since I saw the test, but as we all know, some things are beyond our control. The rest of the show rocked, the Playdead movie ran smoothly, and we got the early-evening crowd cheering.
My two big goals as a show producer were to start the show on time and have a working timeline so effective that we had everything done the day before the show. I really wanted the designers to sleep the night before and not have to worry about last-minute things. I achieved both these goals and produced my favourite show of L’Oréal Fashion Week! I’m pretty happy.
Now on to the party….we deserve it.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Plan Nothing the Day Before!
That’s right; I’m telling you to plan nothing the day before a show. You should have everything done by now because the day before, you’ll have a million phone calls, a million fires to put out, and so much to do, even though you’re already done.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2007Fashion Show Production: Rehearsal
I cannot stress how important it is to have at least one show rehearsal. This is where you can finalize music, accessories, fitting, and model order. Ideally I would have loved to have this at least a week before the show, but things are just so busy that today (2 days before the show!) was the earliest we could do it.
The Damzels in this Dress/Playdead Cult double-feature is going to be the most rock ‘n roll show at L’Oréal Fashion Week. No doubt about that, but I’ve got to admit that I’m starting to get anxious for things that could happen beyond our control. I think it’s normal to get a bit nervous before a production, and for this one, we’re showing two short films before each show
For that reason, I left our rehearsal early so I could get to the Fashion Week venue and give our Audio-Visual material to the AV guys to test. After the Project Runway show (Yes! I got to see the finalists! But I can’t tell you anything about that since everyone was sworn to secrecy, so I’m glad I have show production tips to give.), I went to the AV area and handed over the short film that will screen before the Damzels show, crossed my fingers, and peered at the projection screens.
Hooray! The movie worked! Phew! That was one thing I was really nervous about because I didn’t want the designers or film editors have to worry about.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2007Fashion Show Production: Gift Bags
You know how I always talk about how everything about your show – right down to your gift bags – should be consistent and reflect your company? Well, since I’ve been producing this show, I realize there are more important things than gift bags; things like clothes!
When we started planning the show, we had grand ideas about our giftbags: DVDs, CDs, and treats that suited our show theme of “Fashion Grindhouse”. But you know what? It was more important for us to spend time on completing clothes, working on choreography, timing, music, PR, and guest list planning.
Nevertheless, we had two great sponsors for our gift bags, Cadbury and Lucaffe, and ended up with some cute treats for our VIPs. If you would have seen us stuffing gift bags this afternoon, you would have again questioned the glamour of being a fashion designer.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Working on the Weekend
I deliberately left today open for Playdead and Damzels designers to catch up on whatever they need to do. When planning a show, the work piles up and despite your best efforts, some things don’t get done, so remember to save a few days for catch-up.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2007Fashion Show Production:
So Much Correspondence!
E-mails, phone calls, documents…I have a huge pile of different things I need to remember. As a show producer, my job is to consolidate everything that comes in and make sure that everyone in the production from the volunteers to designers, AV people, FDCC staff, media, PR team, and guests know what’s happening.
I’m writing this at 2:00am because I only just now finished our first guest list draft and guest list e-mail confirmations; I’ve been working on it all week. The list is going to change a million more times before the show. I used to criticize event organizers who didn’t have updated guest lists, but I know we’re going to get a lot of last-minute changes the day of the show when I’m not near a computer. It’s going to be fun!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2007L’Oréal Fashion Week Begins:
Gift Bag Hit or Miss
Since I picked up my L’Oréal Fashion Week media registration and got…a giant gift bag! So it’s time for your favourite fashion game, Gift Bag Hit or Miss. It’s a simple game: I list gift bag contents and you decide if they help or hinder the overall impression of an event. Ready? Here we go…
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Lists, Lists, Lists!
It’s list madness! To make sure everyone knows exactly what’s happening, I send out a daily e-mail with task checklists for each team member. Quite sure they’re all sick of my lists and me, but they’re keeping everyone on track. Hooray for lists!
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2007TFI Press Breakfast
Today was the first time I attended the TFI Press Breakfast since guests are limited to press only. This allows designers and journalists some highly valued one-on-one time. Susan Langdon invited me so I could tell you what happens there…
…and what happens there is the best media opportunity a new designer can get.
Every important Canadian fashion journalist was there, chatting with designers and inspecting creations up close. Let me re-iterate: designers were explaining their collections to Rita Silvan, Editor-in-Chief of Elle Canada; staff from Fashion were admiring cuts and fabrics; Nathalie Atkinson from The National Post was chatting with designers; Andrew Sardone from NOW was getting excited over prints, and Flare was there.
Not only did I see journalists at the TFI Press Breakfast, but I saw important buyers and stylists that can be instrumental in placing your designs into the hands of influential tastemakers.
The TFI Press Breakfast was way better than a media kit because you make connections in one morning that could take months or years for you to do on your own. If your line is ready for promotion for next September/October, I strongly recommend that you apply for the TFI Press Breakfast. Watch for the entry call at the end of Summer 2008.
A panel of fashion industry veterans jury TFI Press Breakfast entries, ensuring a high-calibre, professional showcase for new Canadian designers. I was going to create a list of my favourite exhibits and strengths for each designer at the event, but they were all so good, with strong presentations, quality construction, wonderful models who suited their designs, effective signage, and perfect press kits, so I’m going to list them all here. I encourage you to check out their work:
ANATA (www.anatadesign.com)
CARRIE (www.carriehayes.com)
DANIELLE SWEENEY DESIGN (www.daniellesweeneydesign.com)
D’MILA (www.dlgpartners.com)
FOXY ORIGINALS (www.foxyoriginals.com)
HILLBERG & BERK (www.hillbergandberk.com)
HORTENSE SALVATORE (www.hortensesalvatore.com)
JENNIFER REILLY (www.jenniferreilly.com)
JESSICA JENSEN (www.shopjessicajensen.com)
MALAK BY KALAM LEE (www.malakbykalamlee.com)
MARGIE JEWELLERY STUDIO (www.margiejewellery.com)
MIRJANA SCEPANOVIC (www.mirjanascepanovic.com)
MISS ROWE (www.missrowe.com)
MONIKQUE (www.monikque.com)
MORRIS B (www.morrisb.com)
REVOLVE CLOTHING COMPANY (www.revolveyourworld.com)
SNOFLAKE (www.snoflakefashion.com)
TRYD&TRUE (www.trydandtrue.com)
Congratulations to all of the designers at the TFI Press Breakfast. You were amazing! Hope to see your stuff in the press soon.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Oh So Glamorous!
You want to be a fashion designer? You want to go to all the shows, parties, and jet-set around the world? Today we did the opposite of all that: we stuffed 600 invitations into envelopes.
Sure, we could have found volunteers, but we were in a rush to get them out tomorrow (just over a week before the show) and nobody really learns about the fashion business by stuffing envelopes. It’s kind of mean to make volunteers do that, especially when there’s no reward. I was dreading calling people, begging for envelope duty help. But there we were, doing the boring stuff. Really, though, it wasn’t that boring. I kind of had fun because Bean and Stu from Playdead and Kelly and Rory from Damzels are fantastic to work with.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Guest Lists
Today was guest list day. We’ve got to get invitations out to the show early this week so everyone gets them early next week.
When planning a show, who should you invite? Lots of media! The show is definitely for media. You also want to think about buyers, sales reps, stylists, celebrities, and your star clients. Those are all the people who should be on your main list. Then round out your guest list with good clients and do everything you can to fill those seats. It’s better to have an overcrowded show than an empty one.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Volunteers
Usually I plan volunteers beyond two weeks before a show, but for this one, the FDCC is promising all the volunteers. To be on the safe side, I’m planning to have two of our most reliable colleagues in every section to help the FDCC volunteers with any questions. It’s kind of strange not to organize my own volunteer army, but since I once was the FDCC volunteer coordinator, I trust that they will have their own army.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Check that Checklist
It’s the end of the week, so it’s time to review our progress. Seriously, checklists are great. Damzels and Playdead are right on schedule!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2007You Wanted My Band, You’ll Get My Band
Some of you have asked when you can see my band, Satan’s Candy, and we’ve got a Hallowe’en show coming up. Yes, of course great costumes, so you can see us:
Wednesday October 31
El Mocambo – 464 Spadina Avenue
Doors: 9:00pm
Show start: 10:00pm (there are 3 other bands and we start at 10:40)
Tickets: $7 advance at www.ticketweb.com; $10 at door
It looks like we have a not-to-be-missed party cooking for mid-December and it may involve some fashion-y stuff beyond our wicked stage outfits, so check out www.myspace.com/satanscandyrocks for more information.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2007Want to Experience a Trunk Sale?
If you’ve never been to a trunk sale, you should probably check one out.
Nathalie-Roze Fisher, who owns nathalie-roze & co. (www.nathalie-roze.com), writes the Frugal Fashionista column at Metro (www.metronews.ca/column.aspx?id=5704), and the queen of DIY fashion, is hosting an Autumn Trunk Sale for Snoflake and Dagg and Stacey. It’s on Thursday October 18 from 6:00pm to 9:30pm at her store, which is at 1015 Queen Street East. Nathalie-Roze is a great supporter of local designers, so you should check out this show. You’ll learn a lot from her.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 09, 2007TFI Members Meeting
The TFI announced the reappearance of monthly TFI Members Meetings and guess what? All the spots filled up in a day! Thanks everyone for wanting to meet. I look forward to chatting with all of you on Monday November 5.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 08, 2007Fashion Show Production: PR
We’re going to meet with our PR rep tomorrow and you know what? I highly recommend that you hire one whenever you have a show. They have the contacts, know who to invite, and can organize interviews.
What to look for in a PR person?
*Experience;
*Has the RIGHT media contacts for your brand
*Good reputation;
*Aggressiveness without being too pushy; and
*Someone who knows the fashion industry.
How do you find a PR person?
If you don’t know any reps, you might want to contact designers who you admire and ask for recommendations. Attend as many fashion shows as you can and make note of who reps the successful shows. Read show press and do research on who is getting the most press and try to find that PR rep. It takes a lot of research to get your PR, so prepare to put in a lot of research and add room in your budget for a PR rep.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2007The Secret’s Out:
Damzels in this Dress and Playdead Cult are Showing Together at Fashion Week
Yes, this is the show I’m working on! I can finally tell you about it since the date has been finalized. For the first time at L’Oréal Fashion Week, there will be a runway doublebill. It’s the Damzels in this Dress and Playdead Cult Fashion Grindhouse!
It will be on Wednesday October 24 at 5:00pm onsite at Fashion Week. If you have Fashion Week tickets, you should be able to get in. Trust me, you’ll want to get in because it’s going to be the most memorable show of the week (and it’ll be on time because I’ll make sure of it!)
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 03, 2007Toronto Alternative Fashion Week Call for Entries
Alternative Fashion Week (FAT) will return in April 2008 and if you’ve got a small label and collection, I recommend that you check into showing there. I thought it was an excellent, smoothly-run event. You can see images from last year’s event at www.getfat.ca and if you want more information about submissions, write to info@alternativefashionweek.com.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 02, 2007Fashion Show Production:
Save the Date Announcements
Fashion week is about 20 days away and I received my first Save the Date announcement. It’s from my favourite media-techniqued designer, Philip Sparks. You can learn a lot from his approach to media (not to mention design!)
What comprises a Save the Date announcement?
It’s basically a press release that mentions some interesting tidbits about the show and definitely the Who, What, Where, and When of the show. You don’t want to forget designer and PR rep contact information.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2007L’Oréal Fashion Week Dates Announced
Fashion Week will be from October 22 to October 27 in tents at Nathan Phillips Square.
Go register! If you’re starting a clothing company, you’ve got to see shows and this is the best way to see a whole lot of Canadian fashion at once. You can register as industry or public and can find all details at www.lorealfashionweek.ca. See you there.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2007Planning a Fashion Show:
The Importance of a Timeline
Okay, I’ll be able to give you details about the show that I’m producing, but for now I’ll tell you about what I’m working on: the all-important timeline.
Why is it so important and what does a producer actually do? Well, I’m creating this timeline with a breakdown of all tasks and who is responsible for them. It is my job as a producer to make sure they get done in plenty of time before the show so the designers can focus on the clothes, interviews, and making contacts on the day of the show. It is my goal to have one task for a designer on show day: show up.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll give you tons of show planning secrets and let you know what super-fantastic show it is that I’m producing. Can’t wait to tell you more!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2007Event Review: The Clothing Show
You know how much I love the Clothing Show, but I wasn’t really too impressed this time. There was a glut of silk-screened t-shirts and underwear, which is kind of getting boring.
The boutique section wasn’t boring, though. Wow, were there ever some well-made garments, but I saw two problems with presenting high-end clothing at the Clothing Show:
1. Designers keep telling me that the Clothing Show attracts bargain hunters.
2. Consumers don’t seem to be in moods appropriate for trying on expensive clothes, especially if there is only one tiny change room in your booth.
How to solve those problems?
▪ Use the Clothing Show as a way to sell your samples and lower-priced goods; use it as advertising for your full-priced products.
▪ If you have a lot of stock, consider purchasing two booths to make one big one. Companies with larger areas seemed to have more traffic and were able to accommodate sales better.
▪ If you don’t have a lot of stock, but want to establish a presence and build a customer base, share a booth with like-minded designers. It will cut costs and expand your area. I was very impressed with the booth shared by Knotty Girls (www.knottygirls.ca), Karamea (www.karamea.ca), and Wonderlust (www.wonderlustclothing.ca). They were also smart and sent out a press release on the Sunday before the show informing clients of the booth location.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2007Store Opening Review: jacflash
I went to the opening of high-end clothing store jacflash tonight and even though it didn’t feature local clothing designers, it did highlight a local interior designer, Clayton Budd, and I his work made me consider the importance of interior retail design. Just walking into the store made me want to buy something, and I think that if you open a store, that’s a goal you should have. Of course, you have to think beyond an opening night party, but to sustain your business, you have to make people spend money.
For more information on the science of retail, you should read “Why We Buy” by Paco Underhill.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007Show Review: Fashion Takes Action
I was lucky enough to attend an “Eco-Couture Gala and Benefit” called Fashion Takes Action, but it left me with more questions than answers or feelings of goodwill. That’s probably because of my background in environmental planning, but if you plan an event such as this, you have to cover your everything and be very clear. So, based on the website (www.fashiontakesaction) and the e-vite I received, here are my questions:
▪ Who benefitted from this benefit? The e-vite said that proceeds went to “Environmental Defence” but was it to the Environmental Defense Fund? If you’re hosting a benefit, you should be clear about the beneficiaries and allow them to create a strong presence at the event.
▪ How much waste was produced before, during, and after the event? There was a page on the site that stated, “Every effort has been made to make this event as green as possible”, but I wasn’t satisfied because there wasn’t public transportation to the event, there was disposable cutlery, and the runway was sod that I assumed would not be re-usable. I could be wrong on that last point and I realize the cutlery was biodegradable, but that’s hardly a minimal impact on the earth.
▪ Where were the green designers? Ten of my favourite Toronto designers participated, but I wouldn’t classify any of them green designers, even if they each did make three outfits for this show with soy, bamboo, hemp, and organic cotton. The show required designers who use these fabrics every day as a brand and lifestyle choice.
This critique is not supposed to be mean. I think this was a great start to creating eco-awareness in Toronto fashion, but it was only a start. We obviously have a long, long way to go.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2007Logo Designs for a Brand or Band
One reason why I’ve been so busy and have had sucky blog entries lately is because I’ve been working on band stuff and some of it doesn’t fit with the goal of this blog. One thing that does fit is logo design.
My bandmates and I have been toying with a lot of logo ideas and I think we had problems deciding on something because we were all kind of hoping for the BEST. LOGO. EVER! Unfortunately, nothing was perfect. We had some great ideas, but nothing that would change the world.
Then we worked with a graphic designer friend, who mentioned that we could revisit the logo with different phases of our band life, and I realized that you could probably do that with a clothing company too. If you do modify your logo, you must be very aware of brand consistency, though.
If you’re on a budget and don’t have a friend as nice as ours who will design a logo for free, you might want to check out the work of graphic design students at your local university, college, or art school.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2007Interview: The Calgary Fashion Scene with Shauna Ireland
You know that I grew up in Calgary and tried to find some Calgary-centric fashion information when I returned last Christmas. While there, I was lucky enough to meet Shauna Ireland, who recently moved to Toronto. I helped her sew some garments for her own clothing line, Revive 45, and she recently returned to the city to show them at Calgary Fashion Week. Since Calgary is Canada’s boomtown, I asked her for the fashion lowdown there.
1. Can you tell me what you were doing in Calgary and what’s happening in the fashion scene there? Are there any designers or events we should watch?
Calgary Spot on Fashion (www.calgaryfashionweek.com) was an incredible success! I produced the show called Phunkshion and my company, Revive 45, was a part of the show. I also included SD&R, who we featured as Calgary born designers making it in the big city of Toronto. After the fashion show we, had a Thomas Lynch fashion party (www.thomaslynchfashions.com, www.thomaslynchevents.com) in conjunction with Underground Republic (SD&R’s event
company) as an example of Calgary and Toronto fusion.
I think that since I have moved to Toronto I have been inspired by so many and I strive to bring that to Calgary. There is definitely a yearning for culture and fashion in Calgary...it is just a matter of blending these new ideas.
With Thomas Lynch Fashions and Thomas Lynch Events, we have had 2 successful events in Calgary with SD&R to date and we plan on to continue them since it’s an example of individual expression through a collective effort. If your readers are friends of Thomas Lynch on facebook, they can check out the video on the event. It’s pretty cool!
When I produced the show for Calgary Spot on Fashion, I was so excited about the designers involved! There are some great lines and labels born in Calgary. Designers to watch are:
▪ Cheryl Janish with a sexy couture line of winter outer wear called Frost Sportiva.
▪ Kaiti Pasqualotto a.k.a dangerkat. (www.dangerkat.com)
▪ Roberta Cheema’s line called Tush. (www.tushltd.com)
▪ ohhh and of course, Shauna Ireland and Lindsay Perraton with Revive 45! (www.revivefashion.com)
2. You told me about Fashion Central. Can you tell me about the concept?
There is another very exciting project in Calgary Called Fashion Central (www.fashioncentral.com). Jodi Opshal is one of the leaders in this project and she stayed with me for a couple of days in Toronto. Together we hit the streets, scouting designers and stores that would be suitable for this incredible project, which focuses on stores offering unique and contemporary quality driven and
innovative fashion. It will become a destination for Calgary fashion enthusiasts and will include recognized designer brands and stores not found in shopping centres as well as local and Canadian fashion designer outlets. Calgary needs this!!!!!! It is exciting to be a part of the birth of such a concept in Calgary.
3. You moved from Calgary to Toronto a few months ago and I convinced you to join the TFI. Can you tell readers why you joined and how it has helped you pursue your fashion endeavours?
The Toronto Fashion incubator is an incredible resource available to the fashion business and design community. I can’t tell you how privileged I feel to have found such a place. It is inspiring to be involved with this organization. I have learned and obtained knowledge not only from the center, but through the people I met there. I am trying to pass along this knowledge primarily with my work in Calgary fashion world.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2007What’s it Like to Go to the Magic Show in Vegas?
I keep forgetting to post the link to this article in Canadian Business about Doll Factory/Damzels in This Dress owners and designers Rory Lindo and Kelly Freeman. Leah Rumack (a Toronto Fashion editor) joined the small business owners at a buying trip at Magic in Vegas and any fashion business owner should read the result, especially if you’re going to head to a trade show.
www.canadianbusiness.com/after_hours/lifestyle_activities/article.jsp?content=20070604_85472_85472
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2007I’m Such a Bad Blogger
Okay, okay. I know my blog has sucked lately.
Every time I try to research something, organize an interview, or write anything, I get torn away by my job (gotta make some money to live!), my band (gotta have a creative outlet!), or personal stuff (gotta celebrate my mom’s birthday!).
It looks as though things are calming down for my job next week, and I’ve been lining up interviews, checking out fashion biz stuff, and working on producing a fashion show, so I will be back in full fashion form. Thanks for sticking with me and not throwing virtual rotten tomatoes.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 06, 2007My Day Job is Taking Over My Life!
Hey guys!
Yes, I've been quiet for a while, but it's not because I don't have anything to tell you. It's because I spend all of my time at my day job. I work in the film industry and the Toronto International Film Festival is coming up, as well as a movie release, so I'm swamped. By swamped, I mean that I work until 10 or 11 every night and have no time to even call or e-mail my family, friends, and blog readers to tell them I'm alive under this pile of virtual paperwork.
So here you go: I'm alive!
And I have tons of updates for you when I have time to get to them. Thanks for understanding that I can't get to everything right now. If you promise to check back soon, I promise to send you some decent info and interviews about starting a fashion business.
Oh yeah, and don’t forget that TFI is moving September 10 – 14th and their computers may be down for a while so look for a new posting from me the week of September 24th.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2007Fashion & Design Festival – Remaining Thoughts
There was overwhelming positive response from everyone I spoke with about this event, so I’d like to address one issue from a designer’s perspective: when you should sacrifice creative control.
In the case of this event, designers submitted outfits, but had no say in models or styling. It’s also a risk as a designer to align yourself with an event that hasn’t been established, but sometimes you have to sacrifice your vision for brand recognition and exposure.
Check out Izzy Camilleri’s quotes in this Toronto Star article (www.thestar.com/article/248839) and Farley Chatto’s pre-show thoughts in eye (www.eyeweekly.com/eye/issue/issue_08.23.07/style/meetstyle.php).
Sometimes, though, you’ve got to take a breath, take a risk, and go with your gut. In this case, the risk paid off for everyone involved.
If you’re approached to participate in an event that you are unfamiliar with, make sure to do background checks on the organizers and participants. If their experience seems sketchy, you might want to seriously consider your participation. If you participate in a bad event, it could tarnish your brand. On the other hand, if you participate in a good event, it can add credibility to your brand.
Oh, and if you’re planning an event, I overheard this tidbit in the VIP tent: “Every event should serve champagne to the media! I’m much happier!”
SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2007Fashion & Design Festival – Day Three
(Sorry, I missed day two because I was working late!)
Though the retail component made me think that the Fashion and Design Festival would be a glorified mall show, after this event I bet there are many more people who can name at least five Canadian designers.
Unfortunately, I missed the TFI’s draping demonstration with Katya Revenko (www.desperatelydifferent.com), Engelbert Gayagoy (www.1point6-1-8.com), and Danielle Meder, but I saw the result and Danielle posted an excellent recap at finalfashion.ca/?p=620. Susan Langdon (Executive Director of the TFI) asked me why I didn’t volunteer for draping demonstration and this recap illustrates why. Katya, Engelbert, and Danielle would have blown me out of the water! I’m not an evening wear designer nor am I particularly progressive in my designs. I like to modify paper patterns and see what I get. I’m just in awe of what these three created. Way to go!
As I said in Thursday’s post, the Fashion & Design Festival got me. What a brilliant way to combine accessible retail fashion with exposure to local designers. I loved it! I’m so excited thinking about the possibility that someone’s first exposure to a real live fashion show could have been any one of these TFI members who showed in the middle of Dundas Square tonight:
▪ D’Mila (www.dlgparners.com)
▪ Hortense Salvatore (www.hortensesalvatore.com)
▪ ICANDY Couture (www.icandycouture.com)
▪ Jason Meyers (www.jasonmeyers.net)
▪ OZEN
▪ Quelques Filles (www.quelquesfilles.com)
▪ Revolve (www.revolveyourworld.com)
This event was a great way to showcase and democratize Canadian fashion by illustrating what is Canadian fashion. That is, a mix of couturiers, streetwear designers and retail outlets.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2007Noel’s Networking Tips
To celebrate Friday’s fashion and entertainment networking session at Waterfall Lounge, event coordinator and Director of DNA Marketing and Operations, Noel, offered the following networking tips:
1. Attend as many fashion related functions as possible, even if it seems pointless. You never know who you may meet.
2. When networking, learn to be assertive without being too pushy. You should have a good balance in your approach.
3. Learn to sell yourself/ideas and what you do. Don't be afraid to talk about what you do. Remember that you are your own best advertisement.
4. Always, Always, Always have your business cards available and ready.
5. Keep your eye out for potential investors to finance your idea.
6. Have samples of your work that you could show people (i.e website, portfolio book etc.).
7. Try to build good relations with photographers, make-up artists, wardrobe stylists and model agencies.
Get out there and practice these networking skills. I hope to see you at the next event.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2007Fashion & Design Festival – Day One
I was half excited and half apprehensive about the Toronto Fashion & Design Festival (www.sensationmode.com), but tonight’s opening shows got me. Right through my fashion heart.
To begin with, every person working the event knew what they were doing and answered every single question wisely and with a smile. Not only that, but I saw employees dancing, having fun, and getting jobs done with efficiency and enthusiasm. This translated to the crowd and most definitely the models.
My favourite show was “Highlight Toronto”, which included twenty Toronto designers. I loved the egalitarian nature of this fashion event. It was in an under-utilized, but completely utilitarian public square in downtown Toronto, which allowed the public to wander past and check out fashion shows.
What got me most was a little girl (about 8 years old) sitting on top of her father’s shoulders, mesmerised at the models, the crowd, the clothes. I knew it was the first time she ever saw a fashion show and it featured Canadian designers. I also knew that I’d be seeing her at fashion shows ten years from now. She was sold on the Fashion & Design Festival and so was I.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2007Fashion Goes Digital
I wonder if I should just pay Nathalie Atkinson to write my blog because she’s giving me such great information.
Remember when I wrote about fashion design in Second Life (Wednesday June 6 and Sunday May 27)? Well, Nathalie pointed me to an article about it in the International Herald Tribune (www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/06/style/favatar.php). There’s even a Canadian connection: Nyla is a Vancouver designer who designs in real and virtual life. Check out her site at www.houseofnyla.com. The amount of work that goes into virtual design blows my mind, but I can see how it would work very well, especially if you use computer tools to create your designs, as I do. I’m not great at freehand illustration, but I love drawing on my computer.
Hmmm…or should fashion publications start paying me for stories? I seriously wouldn’t mind…
MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2007Fashion Gets Illustrated
National Post reporter Nathalie Atkinson outdid herself when providing me with information about fashion representation at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. You’ve got to check out some of this work:
▪ Canadian cartoonist Seth provided the New Yorker with a grand cover for its Spring style issue last season (www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/01/08/slideshow_070108?slide=9#showHeader)
▪ Did any of you catch Nathalie’s illustrated recap of L’Oréal Fashion Week a few seasons ago (sorry, I can’t find it online)? If so, you saw Kagan McLeod’s sketches. If not, check out his work at www.kaganmcleod.com. Not only does he do fashion illustration, he is responsible for a kickin’ kung fu graphic novel.
▪ I admired Michael Cho’s work without realizing he is based in Toronto. You can find his work at http://chodrawings.blogspot.com/ and I’m sure you’ll find some inspiration.
▪ Maurice Vellekoop is going to get another mention because he’s my favourite illustrator and he’s Canadian. I first saw his work in Wallpaper magazine and fell in love. Nathalie informs me that his regular clients include Vanity Fair, CosmoGirl, and New York. I love his illustrations so much that I gave my boss a copy of Maurice’s book, “A Nut at the Opera” (www.drawnandquarterly.com/shopCatalogLong.php?item=a4433f4f3bfba5) for Christmas last year.
If you like some of these works, you can find prints at The Beguiling (www.beguiling.com/artstore1a.asp). I didn’t realize how much fashion illustration overlapped with comics. Who said comics were geeky?
SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 2007Comic Arts and Fashion Illustration
I went to visit a Calgary friend with a booth at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival (www.torontocomics.com) and who knew I’d find so much fashion stuff there?
First, I have to clarify that a Comic Arts Festival is different than a Comic Convention. No Spock ears at the arts fest. With all the independent artists at booths selling their art, it reminded me of the Clothing Show. I discovered a lot of interesting promotional ideas there.
Second, I ran into Nathalie Atkinson, National Post fashion journalist, and discovered that she leads a secret comic life (I hope she doesn’t mind that I expose it here!). Her other half owns a store called The Beguiling (www.beguiling.com), which was a festival sponsor, so Nathalie knew everything! She even filled me in on all the fashion-related artists at the festival. I’m going to do some more research, but you might be interested in checking out Maurice Vellekoop for his fashion illustrations and Paul Pope for his work with Diesel.
Third, I bumped into Danielle Meder, who is one of my favourite local fashion illustrators, so we walked around for a bit and talked fashion, illustration, and comics.
Finally, I left with a lot of interesting ideas about fashion illustration and trade shows. From this experience, I strongly recommend that you attend shows and festivals from different disciplines to get sales, marketing, and PR ideas for your company.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2007Fashion Industry Social
Last week I met Noel Dexter, who told me about his new fashion and entertainment industry networking event, so I stopped by today. I got there early, but it gave me a chance to chat with Noel about his goals for social media. He’s going to send me information, so hopefully I’ll be able to pass it on to you next week.
In the meantime, keep your Friday evenings free to go and meet your fashion industry colleagues after work. We’ll all be at Waterfall Lounge, which is 326 Adelaide Street West (east of Peter). Hope to see you there.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2007Not a Store Opening
Ha ha. I thought I had a store opening to report to you, but oops…it’s next week.
Guess I’ll just say to you that if you’re thinking of starting a company, it’s a smart idea to attend as many industry-events as possible. You’ll learn a lot with open eyes and ears no matter where you go.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2007I Keep Remembering Event Planning Tips For You!
People don’t read! It’s true. Whatever information you send about your company or event, create it with the assumption that people don’t read. Keep it simple.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2007Oh, and Another Thing…
I forgot to tell you something else that I learned about event planning: people sort of expect you to start late.
Can you believe that? After all my late event gripes, my last event started late. It was on purpose, I swear!
Even though we told guests that doors were at 10:00 with the show at 11, half didn’t show up until 11:15. We decided to start late so people wouldn’t miss the event. At least we were ready to go on time and didn’t hear complaints about starting late. To be fair, I’ll be more patient when I’m at late events in the future, but only for 15 minutes. I think I’m allowed to gripe after a delay of 15 minutes.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2007Vote for Your Favourite Up & Coming Designer
There’s a fantastic new contest for new designers! Go to www.nowtoronto.com/designer/ to check it out and vote for your favourite up and coming designer. You can choose from:
* Adrienne Butikofer (www.butikofer.com)
* Jennifer Fukushima (www.paperpeopleclothing.com)
* Fanny Goldsmith
* Kalam Lee (www.malakbykalamlee.com)
* Rowena Jozic & Filip Kardzic (www.babuetmoi.com)
* Danielle Supa
The competition is presented by The Bay, NOW Magazine, and the Toronto Fashion & Design Festival. I’ve been hearing about the Fashion & Design Festival for the last little while and this gave me an excuse to check out the site (www.sensationmode.com). Now I’m super-excited for August 23 to 25 for three days of fashion and music outside at Dundas Square. I can’t wait for it.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 09, 2007Elmer Olsen Model Showcase
Tonight I went to the Guvernment for a showcase of Elmer Olsen’s models and thought it was a great way for industry decision-makers to get familiar with the roster. The strange thing was that I didn’t run into any designers I knew, so I wondered if there were any there. What a wasted opportunity; they should have invited as many designers as possible. With thirty-some models, it was a wonderful opportunity to see who could sell your clothes and determine what makes a good model.
And here’s a production tip that I learned from the show: KEEP IT SIMPLE! This one started with live cameras out in the parking lot, waiting for models to arrive. There were some glitches that marred the impact of the arrival, so really, try to stay away from high-tech or high concept ideas that are difficult to execute. When starting off, keep costs down and chances of success high.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 07, 2007And the TFI is Moving to…
…Exhibition Place! At 285 Manitoba Drive, the TFI’s new home will be easy to find and it will be in a beautifully restored historic building. Go to the TFI news (www.fashionincubator.com/happenings/newsletter/tfi-news-july-2007.shtml) for more information.
The move will be in the last week of August, but you can get a sneak peek at the building during the C.N.E., which starts August 17. The TFI won’t be in there yet (there will be an environmental display), but the building will be open to the public during the Ex.
I can’t wait to see the TFI after the move. After I see it for the first time, I’ll tell you all about it.
MONDAY, AUGUST 06, 2007Sorry!
Please accept my apologies. I’ve been meaning to post for two weeks, but I’ve been so busy that I wasn’t able to finish them until today.
What’s keeping me so busy? My day job is getting super-busy, my band had its debut, and I’ve been working on a fashion show proposal with some designers. It’s only going to get busier, but that means I’ll have more to write about. I promise to be more vigilant about submitting my posts weekly.
Thanks so much for understanding and for reading.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 05, 2007Why I Love Sparkles
So…I went to the World Baton Twirling Championships today. Bet you never thought I was a baton twirler in my youth!
While I was there, I realized why I’m so crazy about sparkly clothes; it all started with my baton costumes. I can’t tell you how much fun it was to see all the different fabrics and designs. Inspiration can be found anywhere.
I haven’t seen a baton competition for about 15 years, so a bunch of memories came back and you know what? I realized that my first fashion design came when I worked with my friend’s mom on new costumes. It was so exciting to tell her what I wanted, going out to choose fabrics and trim with my mom, and then seeing the completed costume. Now that I think about it, that was the first time I got excited about design and knew that I could do it. Wow! I’m so glad I went to the competition.
Now I’m going to whip out my Bedazzler and do something to a t-shirt…
SATURDAY, AUGUST 04, 2007Press!
I’m so excited! My band’s first show got a review in Toronto’s NOW Weekly (www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-08-02/goods_fashionnotes.php) and Toronto Street Fashion (www.torontostreetfashion.com/street/2007/07/satans-candy-debutante-ball.html).
How cool is that and how does it apply to you?
From this experience, I’ll give you a piece of advice: always treat everyone nicely and equally. You never know if that person you’re talking to can affect your career. For instance, that person you met while directing people at a fashion show could turn out to be a writer for NOW magazine some day.
Even though fashion has a reputation for being a mean industry, don’t forget to always be nice!
FRIDAY, AUGUST 03, 2007Got Some New Business Cards!
My Danielle-designed business cards arrived today and I love them! I was impressed with how quickly she was able to complete a wonderful illustration and order the cards. I completely recommend her for any of your fashion illustration needs.
Here’s the link to my order experience: http://finalfashion.ca/?p=596.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 02, 2007New Era Store Opening
Prior to receiving a few press releases about the company, I didn’t know anything about New Era. But the press releases were well written, personalized, and timed well (2 weeks before the event, 1 week before the event, and a reminder that day), that I had to check out the store opening. I discovered that New Era is a baseball hat company. Why am I telling you about it? Is it really fashion?
I thought they did an amazing job with their store opening and especially their branding. Everything in the gift bag fit their colour scheme and had their logos. There was nothing in the bag that distracted from their brand message. Sure, it was a simple bag, but everything made sense. What was in it? It’s time for Gift Bag Hit or Miss:
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 01, 2007Fashion Show Proposal:
Organizing Deadlines
Yes, I might produce another fashion show and I’m pretty excited because I loved my last experience. I’ve been working on a fashion show proposal and today was deadline day. To ensure everything was on time, I set up false deadlines for the designers and asked them to complete their parts two days ago.
Needless to say, they were a bit late with their deadlines, so I had to work like crazy yesterday to get everything done, but if I hadn’t set the false deadline, I wouldn’t have slept last night. So there you go: false deadlines can be quite effective.
Oh, and I know you’re dying to find out who I’m working with, but I’ve got to wait until proposal acceptance to tell. I’m sorry
SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2007Brunch!
Yes, it was another Toronto Fashion Bloggers Brunch, but it was more of a Toronto Fashion Bloggers Afternoon Hangover since many attendees were at my show last night.
As usual, it was a great day, but I admit that I was not up to my intellectual best; I got everyone talking about nail salons since I had zebra-striped ones. I want to thank these people for elevating the conversation level:
SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2007My Band’s First Show:
Some Event Planning Tips
For those of you dying to know how Satan’s Candy’s first show went, it was fantastic! It couldn’t have gone any better. Well, it could have been a bit cooler, but having a hundred people in a hot, sweaty basement was so rock ‘n roll. I hope that our next venue will be bigger so I can invite all of you out and maybe meet some readers, so I promise to let you know about our next show.
But why am I even writing about this on a blog about owning a fashion business?
I’m learning that starting a band is very much like starting a clothing company. I’m not joking! There are so many similarities and event planning is important for both.
I learned from this event that you should invite double the amount of guests that can fit in your venue because only half tend to show up. Getting the right number of people is always tricky. You don’t want an empty room, but neither do you want a room so packed that you have grumpy guests. In this case, though, we decided that we wanted to pack the place, no matter how grumpy people got. You know what? Nobody was grumpy! In this case, it was best to start small and grow.
MONDAY, JULY 23, 2007Planning a Photo Shoot
Since I never had a chance to plan a photo shoot for my clothing company, I thought I’d tell you about planning one for my band and try to apply that to planning a fashion shoot.
You’ll want to find an excellent photographer. Don’t just go with someone because he or she is a friend. You want your photographer to fit with your company’s vision. If you can’t afford a photographer, consider students or recent graduates since they’re always looking to build their portfolios.
Next, you’ll want to find professional models who can wear your clothes well. Start by sending e-mails to modeling agencies describing your company and the type of model you require. Include a price quote request. I’d try three to five agencies for comparison.
Obviously, you want a hair and makeup team. Sure, if you are on a budget and have reliable friends, call in your favours. Just ensure that they can do the job.
When organizing my band’s shoot for tonight, I found scheduling to be the hardest part. I had to find an evening that worked for three band members, the photographer, makeup artist, and hair stylist. The date changed about three times, and there were a lot of e-mails and phone calls. And that was just for six people! Make sure you start planning for the shoot at least a month in advance of when you require the photos.
I have to say that the shoot was one of the funnest things ever! I’m sure you’ll have the same feeling when you see your clothes photographed on the perfect model with perfect hair and makeup. Good luck!
FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2007Blogging Holiday
Hey there. I'm sorry to tell you that I don't have much to report this week. There haven't been many events that I can dissect and a lot of people I want to interview are on holiday, so I thought I'd take a little blog-holiday myself. I can't wait to get more news for you, though. I'm working on it!
FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2007Slow Week?
Yes, it was kind of a slow week for my fashion adventures and initiatives. Apart from increased work at my day job, I’ve been preoccupied with preparing for my band’s first show. It’s coming up, so I’ve been working on my dress this week. Our guest list is already full, but I promise to invite you to our future shows!
I also promise to write about the ups and downs of creating merchandise because let’s face it, that’s a fashion business. And we’re going to have the best merch!
I’ve also been in meetings to produce some fashion shows and parties, but I can’t talk about it until they’re finalized.
So, according to blog posts, it was a slow week, but in actuality it’s been very busy. Hopefully I’ll be able to give you more info in the next few weeks.
TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2007Micro-preneurship
Guess what? Danielle drew an illustration and ordered Moo cards for me and she’s offering her services to small businesses in the spirit of micro-preneurship. I love it!
Her offer is here: http://finalfashion.ca/?p=594.
And our experience is posted here: http://finalfashion.ca/?p=596.
Even though buying one of Danielle’s illustrations does not make Moo cards reasonably-priced, they are innovative, easy, and well, fabulous. I can’t wait for my cards!
But I want to get back to micro-preneurship. It’s based around small businesses helping other small businesses, and I think it’s fantastic. I don’t have time to look into it right now, but it’s on my research to-do list so I can report back to you. It might be a good way for you to enter into the fashion business, though. Take a small, manageable idea, build some capital, and watch it grow. That way you can keep your day job and reasonably manage your fashion business.
MONDAY, JULY 09, 2007Business Cards!
Danielle over at Final Fashion (www.finalfashion.ca) told me about Moo cards (www.moo.com) and we think they’re a reasonably-priced, innovative, and easy business card idea for fashion designers.
Moo cards access photos you post on flickr and randomly print them on one side and your contact information on the other. Danielle has some with her illustrations, and they look great. I think I’ll get some, since I only have outdated BoastToastie cards.
FRIDAY, JULY 06, 2007Save the Date: TFI Resident and Alumni Sale
I don’t usually post about sales; I usually write about what you can learn from a sale, but this one is going to be packed with TFI residents and alumni, so I think you should go!
All the designers will be there, so it will be a rare chance to meet them and get personal service and style advice. You can even talk to them about their TFI experiences if you’re not a member and thinking of joining.
Here are the details:
What: Designer summer sample sale.
Who: Wonderlust, House of Spy, Juma Movement –all TFI alumni and residents! There may also be a Men’s line from Vancouver, Uppercut.
When: Saturday July 21, 2007. 12:00-6:00pm
Where: The Chocolate Factory Lofts, 967 Queen Street West (at Shaw). It will be in the future location of Fawn, and new designer boutique opening mid-August.
What to expect: Local designer clothes exclusive to this shopping event, including fabulous one of a kind pieces, summer samples sold at discounted prices, and summer dresses and separates perfect for parties, weddings, and other special events. It’s a wonderful chance to get some unique designer clothes and support the Canadian fashion scene. It will also be one of the last chances to check out Wonderlust before the designer, Hannah Melville, moves to Vancouver.
Refreshments will be served.
See you there!
THURSDAY, JULY 05, 2007How to Start in the Fashion Business
My inbox has been full this week with quite a few questions, and one was from a recent fashion school grad asking about how to break into the business. I’m not going to lie; it’s hard.
I think the best thing you can do is volunteer for a company or organization that you respect and is where you would like to work. You might start with a small role, but it’s a great way to show your work ethic and establish connections. If you do a good job, your supervisor will probably act as a reference and maybe write a recommendation letter. You can also use volunteer experiences on your resume. Do some Googling to see what events and businesses are in your area and give them a call to offer your services. You can definitely volunteer for a few hours a week while working at your non-dream job. It will help you get to that dream job.
TUESDAY, JULY 03, 2007Where to Find Sewing Contractors
Today I found an e-mail request for advice on sewing contractors and it’s been the third or fourth one I received in the last little while, so I guess it’s time to post about the TFI’s amazing resource center again. Just click on “resources” on the TFI website for more information. If you’re looking for sewing contractors, check it out.
This is how I found my contractors. I bought the list online, called contractors in my area to see what fabrics they had experience with, production minimums, rates, and locations. Seriously, my time is so precious that I made some decisions based on location. Many contractors are in the suburbs, which can take up two or three hours of Toronto public transit time, which you can use doing so many other business related ones. So my best advice is to do your research, ask for references, and look at samples produced by contractors before you decide on one. At the very least, check out three possible contractors.
MONDAY, JULY 02, 2007Bedazzled!
Oh yeah…I do love my bedazzler! And I love my cute cigarette pants. And I am about to love my new skirt when I get it finished. I love long weekends!
FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2007Long Weekend Plans
After finishing the cowboy shirts, I plan to make myself a pair of cigarette pants, a skirt, and learn how to use my Bedazzler. I’m quite sure that I will get addicted to rhinestones and you will never be able to miss me in a crowd.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 2007Just Sewing
I’ve really been enjoying sewing shirts for my friend; I have to admit that re-working vintage shirts and adding stuff to them is a lot easier than designing and sewing them from scratch. I’ve got it easy since she’s doing all the designing and I sit back and sew. I love my sewing machine again!
MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2007Internship Advice
A reader asked me for summer internship advice, so I gave her some. She says that it helped her find some leads, so I thought I’d share it with you:
* Most students find internships a month or two before the school semester ends, so start your search early.
* Go to schools that offer fashion courses and check out their job boards. In Toronto, some of these schools are Ryerson, George Brown, the International Academy of Design, Humber and Seneca.
* There isn't really a giant fashion job listing place, so research what companies you would like to work for, send a resume, and offer your summer intern services.
* Consider working for a small, independent designer because a lot of local designers would love extra help and value interns more than chains.