Last week (what I accomplished)

This week I finished printing the fabric as well as the tank top that I will be using in the shoot. I also cut out the pieces for my black silk open back top, all I need to do is sew it and it will be ready for the shoot. I also have a problem last minute in terms with my photo shoot, my photographer Carlotta Kohl cannot photograph the shoot so I have been working on finding someone else and I think I will use Hannah Levy. I will do the shoot as soon as I finish the long georgette skirt, the top, and the leather shorts so it should be done by next Wednesday. I am excited to get this done, I will be showing my project on the second floor of the senior building as well!

printing fabric

today I started and finished printing on the 3 yards of white silk that I bought. I think it will look really cool in the gallery or wherever I end up showing my stuff.

10th week (what I accomplished)

This week I finished all of my sketches and also worked more on my process book. I called a fabric store in the city to send over some swatches of fabric. I needed fabric for the skirt and for the piece I am going to print onto. I ordered black silk georgette which is a wide stitch silk so it is somewhat see-through. I also got some white silk to do my printing on. I altered the blazer with the gold lining a bit more so the gold sticks out of the sleeves a bit more so you can see it. I came up with a concept for my photo shoot and it is going to be me getting ready to go out. I am excited to shoot the clothing either next weekend or during break!

9th week (what I accomplished)

This week I finished putting the lining into another blazer. I was able to find a gold version of the fabric that I put in the first one so I think they will look nice together. I was able to figure out my whole collection and in the end I will have 8 pieces and possibly 9. I also found a new location for my photo shoot which is at my friend's modern house in Watermill. I decided that the first location was too old fashioned and I think it should be more modern so I am very excited. I also asked my good friend Yvie to do the makeup at the shoot. I am very excited for this shoot and I hope to do it in the next few weeks.

8th week (what I accomplished)

So this week I finished putting the liner in the blazer. Im really happy with the way it turned out and I am so excited that its finished, all I need to do now is find some buttons for the blazer. I want either black and gold or red and gold buttons that sort of match the lining, maybe I will even find some that have a bit of asian feel to them. I am also almost finished with the dress, I made it a little short so I will need to add on to it, I also need to cut the back and make it a low back dress. I don't think I will add the stingray because I don't think it looks good with the dress.

cutting the pieces for the lining of the blazer

7th Week (what I accomplished)

This week I worked on printing onto tanks and tees again. Last night I printed metallic silver ink on to a black tank and some paper. Tonight I am going to work on some more probably the white ones. Last night I also took the lining out of a blazer I bought from a thrift shop because I am going to replace the lining with chinese red and gold fabric that I bought in the city. Tonight I also want to work on my second dress for a bit. This weekend is portfolio day in the city so I have been also working on my portfolio for schools.

5th+6th week (what I accomplished)

I definitely got a lot done these past 2 weeks. I am so close to finishing the dress, I just need to stitch a few more things and it will be finished. I decided to add a lining in the dress using the same fabric which was so difficult, I basically had to make the same dress twice. The fabric I am using with the dress isnt the best, it isnt real silk so it is even harder to work with than regular silk because it is so slippery. Last week I went to the city with my mom and bought some more fabric for my next dresses that I will design. I bought REAL black and a very dark gray silk. I also bought some chinese silk that is red with some gold detailing. I want to use that as a lining inside of a black blazer that I have from a thrift store. I figured out my next 2 designs and I am very excited to start those. I have sketched both of them out and I feel like they will be really nice. I also bought some stingray skin for one of the dresses, I will probably use it on the front of the dress which should be interesting.

Meeting with Outside Consultant

Today I met with my outside consultant, Edward Wilkerson. http://www.lafayette148.com/aboutus_designer.shtml

He is a fashion designer who used to work with my mother at Calvin Klein. We spoke for a while about how he first began, he actually had gone to Parsons The New School of Design (which is my first college choice) and told me how he and his good friend Donna Karen were both asked to leave the school which is somewhat ironic due to how successful they both are today. Edward is known for his fashion drawings, he was hired at Calvin Klein and Donna Karen to do the sketches for them. Today he showed me his technique and I was so impressed by it. He gave me some lessons and it was so helpful. I was so lucky to be able to meet with him.

4th week (what I accomplished)

This week I decided that I will work on my portfolio for school. Right now I am working a large scale drawing of a leaf with a ton of detail in it. This week I was also so busy with m-term, trying to decide what I want to do. I decided to stay here, and try and get an internship with something in fashion. I was offered one at a modeling agency called Next Models in NYC. Before I agree to that I want to get a little more information about what I will be doing there. I am also trying to see if I can get an internship with two other, one with Intermix (where I worked this past summer) or one at Helmut Lang (one of my favorite designers). Last night I watched a documentary about Valentin0 (the designer) and I got a ton of inspiration. He has been designing clothes for 45 years and I respect that. He is so talented and it was an extremely good movie, I recommend it to anyone who in interested in the world of fashion.

2nd week (what I accomplished)

This week I worked a good amount on my first sketch. I also painted my first tank top (photo below) with ink. I bought this white tank top at american apparel and used a roller to paint on the gunmetal and white ink. I am happy with the way it turned out and Im excited to wear it! I am also altering my moms old leather pants to make them into shorts. They are high waisted so that will be a little difficult because I want them to be low rise. I decided that for each of my designs they will have a "process" board showing my inspiration, a sketch of it, and also a swatch of the fabric. This week I also got my outside consultant, he is an old friend of my moms and they used to work together. Edward Wilckenson used to design for Calvin Klein (with my mom) and with Donna Karen, now he makes his own things. I cant wait to meet with him, I know that he will be a great help.

3rd week (what I accomplished)

This past weekend I finished up painting my tank top and actually wore it out to the film festival. The film I saw was at Guild Hall so after the film I got to see the "Fashion in the Hamptons" exhibit. Fashion designers such as Ralph Lauren and Donna Karen showed off some of their pieces in their own litter area in the gallery. I was not very impressed by it but it was somewhat interesting seeing all of their different styles. Tonight I worked on my first dress and I actually got more done than I thought I would. I pretty much have all of if put together all I need to do now is sew it. Im hoping to have it completely finished by mid next week. This week I also sketched my second design that I will be working on when this is finished. Im very happy at where I stand right now..

Exciting!

I am so excited because I just found out that Polaroid Cameras will be back in mid 2010! So exciting! They ceased production over a year and a half ago, they are used very often in the fashion world so that was sad news in the industry. However they are coming back and I am so excited!

my first tank top design

this was painting on with ink using rollers. Was a white tank top.

Alexander McQueen's S2010 collection

this is the video clip of the runway show of Alexander McQueens spring 2010 collection. The show is so insane and interesting I just had to put it up. The models have to go through a bit of torture in terms of the shoes they are wearing. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE-xYSLunwY&feature=player_embedded

1st week (what I accomplished)

This past week I worked on figure drawing. I have never been good at drawing human bodies so its been a bit of a struggle to do so. I also am working on the name of my clothing line (my brand name) and I have been asking friends to vote on which on is there favorite. I am deciding between S.LEE or ANNAVAS but I am still not sure if I will use either one of them. This weekend I am planning on going into the city and getting more fabrics and zippers and buttons. I am waiting on a book right now that will teach me how the drape, which is basically how to make clothes. As soon as I receive that book I will begin making my clothes. Right now I am working on the designs. I changed up my project a bit, I am now only making dresses and altering vintage ones rather than working on t-shirts and jeans. I really want to make sure that my line is elegant and edgy at the same time as well as modern and new.

What I Hope to Complete

For my senior project, I hope to complete the following;

-At least 5 elegant gowns

-Design at least 10 t-shirts

-Design at least 2 pairs of jeans

-Design at least 5 shorter cocktail dresses

-Alter vintage clothes and make them modern, I will do as many as I can in this department.

-Have a photo shoot with the dresses in the Villa Maria House (the house in Watermill that is to the right of the windmill, you cant miss it) and have the jeans and tshirts shot in the city to show the "edgy" side of it. Carlotta Kohl will be the photographer

-Possibly make a small film of the dresses in the Villa Maria. I will edit it and make it as elegant as possible.

-Make a high end catalog of the pieces. The photographs will have their own page in it and they will also include the materials and design shape written about each dress.

Fashion's Night Out

Last night I had the opportunity to participate in Fashions Night Out in New York City. In every famous fashion district in new york (meatpacking, soho, upper east side on lexington and madison) stores were holding special events to draw customers into their stores. Not only were there special events but instead of the stores closing early, they stayed open until 11pm. The most exciting part of my night was when I went to the Helmut Lang store down in the meatpacking district. Helmut Lang is my favorite designer and is probably the designer who is inspiring me the most during my project. I was so excited to be in the store alone but when I accidentally met the 2 head designers of the company that really blew my mind. Helmut Lang himself had sold the company 4 years ago to a couple name Michael and Nicole. I spoke to both of them for a good while about the company as well as how they got started. One of them, Michael, had studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and told me how he had wished he had gone to Parsons (The New School) instead. In the end Michael asked me if I would like to intern for him sometime this year and I agreed to it. It ended up being a successful night last night