Saturday, July 23, 2011

Sweet Success!

I finally have a few minutes to relax and reflect on the experience of my first fashion show. Last week I participated in the Sugar does Seattle Art and Fashion Show, a show that mashed together designers with all different kinds of aesthetics as well as local artists and musicians. It was insanely fun, inspiring, and I learned a ton about myself as a designer and the direction I'm headed in.

One thing I learned is that I'm not a fashion designer. I'm still an accessories designer who is baby stepping into the world of costuming, in that I do design one of a kind wearable art pieces that are intended as a focal point, rather than a complete look on their own. In order to not send models down the runway naked in just hats and jewelry, though, (as exciting a show as that would have made) I needed to come up with clothing looks that enhanced the designs I was showing. I went with sheer tulle ballgown skirts and fishnets on each model, rounding out a bubblegum fantasy look that I got by drawing inspiration from the idea of the Sugar show itself. This genius woman, Timmery Turner, created Sugar in LA to support and promote up and coming female artists and designers. The spirit of this showcase, marrying different forms of street art with the next things in fashion under an umbrella of sticky sweet love and respect for each other in the community, is beautiful in itself. The collection I found myself making for the show was inspired by graffiti, tattoos, candy and sugar.

It was frikin fabulous. Backstage was nothing short of complete insanity. I felt like I was watching myself from outside of my body most of the night. I ended up with the greatest group of models and hair and make up professionals who WORKED my creations, made everything come together and were so easy going. A couple of them told me at the end of the night that I kept my cool under pressure and I was well organized, which I took as the highest compliment considering I felt completely the opposite. It was HOT backstage (and not just because of the male models being body-painted in every corner). There was very little room to maneuver and to get models dressed and get hair and make up done, everyone was sweating gallons. Another very important tidbit I learned about my previously untested in a real world setting corset creations – is that they aren't washable. Eww . . .

Its impossible to reflect on the night and not see things that I could have done better. For instance, rather than spazzing out on how awesome of a frikin acid trip dreamscape it was seeing my collection standing live in front of me, I probably should have been doing designer-y stuff like last looks before they went out. Watching the video back I noticed things like a necklace that I forgot to put on one of the models, which unfortunately I think made that particular look, and a couple of the ballgown skirts that were worn high on the waist when I would preferred to see them a little lower slung. I also intended to make rings as thank you gifts for all my models, but as I was still putting tags and linings in and changing directions on things for the show the morning of the show, I realized I wasn't going to have time for that (Sorry models). Then there was my rather pathetic tiny little vendor table, which could have used about 6 additional feet of room to spread out merchandise for the display to really look the way I pictured it in my mind. All in all really, that's minor stuff. It went incredibly well and had the effect that I wanted it to. Publicity baby!

I talked with tons of fellow fashion industry peeps at the show, and since the show the connections have continued to be made. I'm terrified now to lose the momentum I have going at this moment, so hopefully it wont be too long before I'll be announcing whatever's up next for Shameless Glamour!

I also have had time since the show to reflect on that dang company name again, after hearing it shouted a million times throughout the day as we all tried to get organized, I realized its kind of long and doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely as one would hope. I have debated dropping the “glamour” and just being Shameless. I sort of feel now that glamour is kind of implied . . . Either way, SG or just Shameless, its going pretty well. The website is going to start getting regular retail items listed on it soon and have full online shopping functionality, and hopefully I'll get a website launch party together this Fall. Stay Tuned!

No comments:

Post a Comment