From Design to Production

I had the opportunity to experience firsthand how to prepare for a fashion show during my internship at Marc Jacobs. In order to fully grasp what goes into the preparation of a collection, I spent the first half of my internship working for the design team and the second half in production. Dividing my time at Marc Jacobs into two spectrums of the brand allowed me to see the process from start to finish.

I was heavily involved in the research and inspiration process for the Fall/Winter 2014 collection during the first few months of my internship. I enjoyed this process because it allowed me to look through Marc Jacobs' library, which was an endless collection of photography and fashion books. The designers would assign me topics to research, and I would pull images, which I would later present to them. Throughout the design process, it is only natural for the inspiration to change even weeks before the final collection. I enjoyed being a part of the progression and seeing the final direction Marc went in.

Two months before Marc Jacobs F/W 2014 debut, I transitioned into the sample room to work for the production team. On the production end, I was able to see how the inspiration was coming to life. From the fabrics to silhouettes, I began to get a taste for the route the collection was going in. At first I found working in the sample room to be quite intimidating, because of how hands on and design focused it was. However, I quickly picked up the pace and felt like a significant part of the team. I worked on constructing, and most of the time deconstructing garments, sourcing materials, airbrushing the runway pieces, assisting the sewers and pattern makers, sewing and a wide range of projects. Every day was a new challenge and opportunity to learn something completely new.

I knew the show was just around the corner when vitamins and Advil were conveniently placed in the sample room. There is no time to get sick when preparing for a collection. There is also no room for mistakes, despite the amplified pressure to get every job finished seamlessly and at the speed of light. Thanks to the Zipper Gods (they do exist), I could make a zipper for a garment under a minute. With the increased pressure in the sample room, I learned to be quick and pay attention to every detail to avoid any mistakes. Although hectic, I was more than thrilled to be a part of it all.

The day of the show was surprisingly calm. At the end of the workday, I received my personal invitation and ran home to get ready. I was very fortunate that I was able to attend the show with the MJ team. It was an emotional experience seeing how the collection, and all of our hard work, transferred onto the runway. Overall, my time at Marc Jacobs was truly life changing. The opportunity to be involved in a collection from start to finish is an experience I will never forget.

Polo's Flagship Store

Ralph Lauren recently expanded, opening up a new flagship store on 5^th Avenue in New York City; this is the first Ralph Lauren store ever to be on 5^th Avenue.  This store is strictly polo and houses men’s, women’s and children’s clothing.  Ralph Lauren did not want this store to be what one might stereotypically think of when they envision Polo.   The atmosphere is not preppy, but more young and hip.  For example, Ralph Lauren designed the women’s collection with his “East-meets-Southwest design signatures.” (nypost.com)  Some of these signature items include a motorcycle jacket, concho belt, a serape cardigan and a pinstripe suit.  Lauren also replaced his brand Blue Label with the brand Polo Women’s, which ranged in price anywhere from 70 dollars to 2000 dollars.  “Polo introduced the world to an aspirational lifestyle that has come to define the essence of our company.  Over many years, the Polo brand has established a reputation for quality, heritage and authenticity.” – Ralph Lauren

Two new fun features of the store are Ralph’s coffee and a new, high-end restaurant called The Polo Bar.  Ralph’s coffee is all organic and is a coffee blend created by Ralph Lauren himself.  Up for sale in the café s a variety of different coffee drinks as well as teas and snacks and of course some gifting items, like mugs and t-shirts. The Polo bar has already seen many celebrities and has been fully booked since it’s opening in November.  This is Lauren’s third restaurant but only one in New York.  

            I, along with a group of other D&M students had the opportunity to have a private tour of the new store as well as meet with one of the Ralph Lauren recruiters this past Thursday.  The store is absolutely beautiful and fits their aesthetic as well as the looking Lauren envisioned perfectly.  It is really a rare and great opportunity for us to be able to see the store before it is opened and what preparations are made each morning before the doors open. 

Remembering Vince Camuto

I was instantly struck when I read the deeply sad news that Vince Camuto passed away on Wednesday, January 21^st at 78 years old. I’ve lusted after his signature shoes for years now and on my 21^st birthday I broke down and bought a pair of red patent leather pumps with gold metal details. I’ve always appreciated the quality styling you get at a reasonable price for Vince Camuto shoes.  Curious about his career, I did some research and learned about the incredible life of this legend.

            Vince Camuto started in this industry at 18 years old working for I. Miller. He took customer complaints, which was how he learned exactly what women looked for in shoes. He co-founded Nine West with Jerome Fisher in his mid-30s. The Nine West brand gained popularity fast and by 1999, Camuto and Fisher were able to sell the company to Jones Group Inc. for $900 million (wwd.com). In 2001 he launched Camuto Group and created 3 labels: Vince Camuto, VC Signature Vince Camuto, and Louise et Cie. He also developed footwear collections for Jessica Simpson, Tory Burch, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Dillard’s, and owned the licenses for Lucky Brand shoes and BCBG Max Azria (wwd.com). If this was not enough, he added apparel, accessories, fragrance, handbags, menswear and a ready-to-wear line to his massive footwear empire. He accomplished this through licensing and without having to sell or go public with the company.

            Through this unbelievably successful career, Camuto has made industry friends who have spoken out since his passing. Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Tory Burch amongst many others commented on his immense passion, expertise, and influence on the industry. Even Steve Madden, a direct competitor of Camuto’s footwear stated, “We had a very respectful relationship. He was a shoe god. There is no other way to say. We were competitive, although I would have loved to have collaborated with him” (wwd.com).  Many also spoke about Camuto’s family and how much he adored them. He is quoted saying “my children are my proudest accomplishment. Even at the office, I feel like everyone is family. Family is what is most important to me” (wwd.com).

            I think it is safe to say that Vince Camuto is the perfect model for how to behave and lead in fashion. As graduating seniors, we worry about the ruthless reputation of the industry we’ve spent four years preparing for. Some of us have already experienced the stereotypical rude and dramatic fashionista behavior on our co-ops. Vince Camuto’s life and career is a testament to the fact that you can treat your employees, partners, and colleagues respectfully and still achieve great success. People like Vince Camuto are the examples we need and must strive to emulate.

Bibliography:

http://www.wwd.com/accessories-news/footwear/vince-camuto-dies-at-78-8130334

http://www.wwd.com/fashion-news/designer-luxury/vince-camuto-remembered-as-a-visionary-designer-8133869?module=hp-topstories

The Rise of Activewear

  As a Pilates instructor and fashion lover, there is often a struggle in choosing what to wear to both workout and teach. Wanting to look serious about exercise without losing my own personal style, I turn to brands such as Fabletics and Lulu Lemon to convey both sides of my teaching personality.

                Many brands have introduced activewear into their existing garment lines. H&M, Express, the Gap, and Forever 21 have all created new pieces to accommodate the ever growing need for stylish activewear. Collaborations between famous designer and sports brands are also a budding industry niche; Stella McCartney has a partnership with Adidas, Armani and Reebock created a special edition line, and Swarovski created sneakers in collaboration with Nike and Sabrina Dehoff. Net-a-Porter has even opened a new activewear channel, Net-a-Sporter, to bring in the active customer.

                At a lower price point than designer collaboration, brands such as Lulu Lemon, Athleta, The Gap, and Cory Vines are dominating the market with their stylish prints, changing silhouettes, and new iterations on the activewear staple pieces. For those who aren’t quite able to afford the average industry price point, H&M, Forever 21, and Express offer affordable and stylish pieces.  New brands such as Fabletics also offer 50% off of first purchases, with the option to become a brand member with perks such as personalized outfits and rewards toward purchases.

Coming a long way from the Juicy Tracksuits of the 2000’s, activewear seems to be a new and lasting portion of the fashion industry. People are able to sweat in style, looking and feeling good. 

Philly Fashion- Smak Parlour

As it is my fourth year as a Philadelphia resident I am amazed at how little I still know about this amazing city. Growing up just 30 minutes away in the suburbs, I have visited the city for special events, but never truly got the opportunity to explore. That is until I came to Drexel and had many opportunities to do so through class projects. Reaching the end of my college career, I have come to realize that I have much more exploring to do especially within the fashion culture of Philly. 

Just last week I was assigned an area of the city to research by physically going there and figuring out what the “flavor” of the area was. Old City was where I visited and I could not believe that I have been missing out on all of the shopping opportunities there. The fashion ranges from vintage to current popular brands in independently owned boutiques. I went into Vagabond, The Geisha House, Sugarcube, Philadelphia Independents and Smak Parlour which was my favorite of the few stores that I explored. I thought it was charming from the second I looked at the very pink and vibrant window display on 2nd and Market. Apparently I am one of the very few that did not know about this boutique. As I began fishing around the internet for more information on this boutique, I realized that the owners are actually Drexel alumni and reading about them has definitely inspired me. 

For those who do not know about it, I highly suggest visiting. It encompasses a very girly, pin-up, but fierce feel with merchandise including women’s clothing (tops, bottoms, dresses, tees, rompers, jackets), jewelry and other accessories. There are a range of current brands, but they also sell vintage pieces along with old graphic tees that are cut up and made into unique styles. Smak Parlour is owned by two women, Abby and Katie who have shared the same passion for fashion since they met in high school. Together they have created a successful and beloved business. The store opened in 2005 and later in 2013 the stylish team of two would open a mobile boutique, the “The Smak Parlour Fashion Truck.” This is a way to bring Smak directly to their customers, also doing private events and parties. As I researched further I grew to love this company even more when I found out that they support local animal charities because that is something that I too support. Overall, I felt very at home walking through the store and I wanted to examine every single item that they had (if only I had the money to purchase everything). I feel like most things were one-of-a-kind and very “DIY" and I kept saying "wow, this is awesome." It is so cool to walk into a store and later find out that it was created by previous Drexel students, because it shows that can accomplish what we want if we stay true to our passion and work hard, while being extremely stylish at the same time of course. 

Galliano Continued...

In the 1990s, John Galliano was famed for his “over the top” French shows. He was appointed as the head designer for Dior after working for Givenchy. During his time as the couturier of Dior, Galliano created some of the most innovative fashion designs and shows. Fashions productions back then were minimalistic and Galliano distinguished himself from his contemporaries by producing dramatic and intricate collections that came to life on the runway.

Unfortunately for the designer in year 2011 he was caught on camera making drunken anti-sematic comments in a Paris Bistro. His racist comments were inexcusable and Galliano was dismissed from Dior. However, Dior announced that it would continue to support the Galliano brand financially due to the license, despite the scandal. Shortly after Bill Gaytten was named the Creative Director of John Gallaino SA.

I thought it would be interesting to compare and contrast two fashion shows under the Galliano brand, one being the Spring/Summer 1994 collection designed by Galliano himself and the other being the Spring/Summer 2015 collection designed by Gaytten.

The 1994 collection named ‘Princess Lucretia,’ is inspired from the Princess’s escape from Russia. The show begins with models running in massive crinolines with wolves howling in the background symbolizing the escape. The models walk with great confidence that represents the Princess’s rebellious spirit. The show is theatrical, full of energy, and suspense. The capes, flowing locks, and bias-cut designs characterize it. It is clear that for Galliano, the runway has always been his narrative medium.

 

The recent 2015 collection designed by Gaytten in my opinion goes against what the brand is typically known for. The qualities that made Galliano a fashion namesake in the first place are no longer present. Minimalism in terms of production seems to be the theme here, it lacks the excitement of a true Galliano runway. To compensate for the theatrics it did not posses, Gaytten designed an intricate runway walking pattern for the models. In a result, it complicated the lineup; the models entered from the center, they walked up steps that led to a circular runway and the audience viewpoints were obstructed because of this. The collection was "junglesque," it had bamboo prints, wood trimmed basket weave headpieces, and iridescent plastic leaves. There was a clear point of

In conclusion, when a designer that carries the name of a brand steps away from the pedestal, it is hard to find a replacement. Just by watching what the runway encompassed before and after John Galliano’s reign, I realized it is difficult to replicate the intensity of this creative genius. But it looks like Maison Martin Margiela lucked out recently and maybe the signature Galliano show hasn’t reached an end…

House of Holland Pre-Fall 2015: Trend Transformation

In the fast-paced fashion cycle, designers are constantly referencing the past and we see trends come, go, and often even come back again, maybe in a new form. High fashion references the street, street fashion reinterprets the high-end designers and the cycle continues. Sometimes trends are even recycled for a different kind of consumer, for instance, the largely discussed Moschino Spring 2015 collection reinterpreting Barbie for adult dress.. With designer Jeremy Scott’s array of hot pink and vinyl matching outfits on models with big tousled hair, and bright oversized plastic accessories, we are immediately taken back to being little girls playing with our plastic fashion idols and wishing we could be them. The reference is clear, intentional, fabulous, and effective. But what about when the references may not be intentional?

Similar to Jeremy Scott, designer Henry Holland makes bold, bright, eclectic statements with his collections each season, usually inspired by a variety of culture and fashion trends. In his most recent Pre-Fall 2015 collection, Holland names 90's cartoon Tank Girl and Asian travel as his primary influences. Cartoon prints and Kimono inspired robes result in a high street mix of bright punk color and quirky prints with a tough girl attitude, true to Holland’s brand and tied together with Japanese doodled combat boots. The Tartan used in many of the pieces, reaching outside the main theme, but true to Holland’s brand heritage, the designer claims is tribute to Seventies Scottish band the Bay City Rollers and their kilts.

But this particular “tartan” in both it’s cascading houndstooth to plaid pattern, and fringe application on Holland’s designs reminded me not of Scottish rock but of a trend off the street I remember with the same kind of nostalgia I remember Barbie with, but that brings me back to middle school, during my pop punk phase between 2005 and 2008. This houndstooth into plaid printed fringe scarf was in in every Hot Topic in any mall, from the same bright blue to pink and purple and red and was spotted on “Emos” and “Hipsters” everywhere. But along with the descent of "guyliner", it disappeared from the mainstream on the street, and the last spot I thought I would see it again is almost a decade later in a high fashion lookbook. But upon flipping through the season’s latest collections, I find myself transported to my 12 year old self staring up at posters of Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance surrounding my bedroom walls.

But this isn't even the original source of the scarf. Though sometimes referred to as “desert scarfs” they actually originate from the Palestinian Kaffiyeh scarves worn on the head as a symbol of nationalism beginning in the 1960's and 70's. Worn around the neck they became a political statement to Punks during the 70's and 80's and then an anti-war symbol to many hipsters in the early 2000's. But to us tweens they were merely a fashion accessory, one of the many trends that brought us together as we listened to pop punk or emo bands and idolized stars like Pete Wentz. And now, whether the designer's intention or not, in House of Holland's Pre-Fall 2015 collection, I see the Kaffiyeh transformed, the same plaid pattern in bright punk colors fringed across the body, but as part of a dress or a top. Even if the reference is entirely unintentional, it fits right in with the aesthetic of the collection, with the high-energy punk attitude of Tank Girl and the Japanese doodled combat boots. Looking back, this phase of my life is a time in fashion trends I sometimes wish I could forget, but in this new transformation, in a cool modern dress, it's the same loud, edgy statement I think many of us who wore the scarf would now love to wear as young adults. So trends come and go, they are worn different ways and transformed into different applications of dress, but whether seen on the street or on the runway, fashion is more than just a cycle of trends. It can be personal and nostalgic, and it is the attitude, that image we choose project that makes the clothes and makes us want to wear them.

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/fashion/shows/11KAFFIYEH.html
http://www.style.com/fashion-shows/pre-fall-2015/house-of-holland
http://www.style.com/fashion-shows/spring-2015-ready-to-wear/moschino

http://www.wwd.com/runway/pre-fall-2015/review/house-of-holland?module=runway-all-shows