Thrust into the Fashion World

When I thought about doing A, I never considered that it would get me to B. What am I talking about? A = designing clothes. B= fashion world. I started out with a clear enough plan. I was going to begin making clothes again. I was going to sell the clothes on Etsy. That was it. That was the area I wanted to grow in. That isn't how it has turned out. There is so much more growth behind the Etsy scene that they don't even compare. Next thing I know, I'm doing my very first fashion show. Oh don't get me wrong. This is a good thing. The local exposure is great! I have now been asked to participate in a second fashion show. This one is bigger with a lot more exposure, with plenty of time to solidify my 2010 - 2011 collection. I didn't have that kind of time with the first fashion show. So I really look forward to putting my skills to the test with this one.

Even before the first fashion show, I found myself meeting with photographers, models and making decisions that didn't have anything to do with what fabric I would be using for a piece. Suddenly I had been thrust into the fashion world. When you see the fashion world depicted on TV it seems like a world all its own because it is. In the fashion industry, the question is never ever "Is that pretty or ugly?". The question is "Will it sell?" It's the first thing you learn in fashion design. And Vogue magazine becomes your bible. Your priorities change. You learn to speak a different language. You learn fashion.

I'm pretty sure like any artist, designers have dry spells when they just can't pull together a cohesive look. I'm not suffering from that right now. The exact opposite! The ideas are just flowing through my head to the point I hardly have time to do all the things I'd like to do. So I've decided to approach each idea one at a time. I will be listing my new designs on Etsy, but also getting ready for the upcoming fashion show. Question is... can I really get it all done in time? (Sigh) We shall see.

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A few months ago I launched my woman's clothing line on Etsy and the name of the store is Fine-Threadz. This has been so much fun because it takes me back to my roots. I made my very first garment at the age of 4. It was an apron and I've been sewing ever since. Obviously, not always clothes because so far the leather goods have kept me pretty busy. But I started with clothes and I feel like I've come full circle.

Well yesterday was so exciting because I had a photo shoot downtown. It was awesome. The model, Nikki, really complemented my clothes and when I saw her in them, I said, "Yea, that's exactly why I love designing! Look at that girl! You go girl!" The dress shown above, done in the South Beach cut, using "Eye Candy" fabric is what she had on at the time. That and a pair of red high heels. I wish I could show you the actual pictures taken, but those won't be back from the photographer for a while. I can't wait to list them in my Fine-Threadz shop!!!!

And then more good news! The 24/7 Leggings from my clothing line, made the front page of Etsy. I didn't even know about it till it was all over with. I ended up with a sale and one custom order pending, plus a whole lot of hearts and hits. Of course, you need a lot more than that to get on Etsy's top seller map, but you gotta start somewhere.

Bedroom Project.

Wish I had taken before and after photos but I didn't even think about it. Here's the results. New laminate floor without the red tones I dislike, painted walls a celery green and the closet is a deep earth tone green. Got the flower decal from a seller on Etsy out of Canada. Nice! Chair from IKEA, and I made the ottoman myself. Done.

All business makes....

Business is starting to pick up and I'm starting to get really busy. But it can't all be about business, no matter what. So I'm also redecorating my bedroom. It hadn't been painted in 5 yrs. Before I had really strong colors. A golden wheat on the walls and red on the closet walls. But 5 yrs can change a body. This time I have a light celery green on the walls and a deep earthy green on the closet. I think the deep earthy green was a big mistake now that it's up, but what the hay.... I'll just live with it for another 5 yrs.

I had the carpet taken up and my sinuses are better already. Bought laminate flooring but I've had a hard time finding someone to do the job in my price range. Had a guy walk out on me. That's right... he just left. (Can't think of a followup to that last sentence.) So now I've got a guy coming this Saturday. We'll see. Anyway my bedroom is kinda large so I'm going to buy a chair for the corner, put a hanging lamp over it and add a retro atomic clock. For some reason I think those items will fit the new room. I'm just waiting to get the floor down. I looked at a few area rugs, and then thought about all of the hair on cowhide I have upstairs. I'm just going to make my own rugs. I think the cowhide will be an interesting effect/affect (never did know for sure how to use those two words)

Lets see, what else have I done? I got a new ceiling fan and new curtains. Most of the changes are big, like the wood laminate and the paint job. It looks great already.

In the works...

For the past month, I've been working on my inventory for a show I have in March. Actually, I have two shows. Not enough inventory to start out, but I work on that every day. Day in, day out. Some days I don't even go out of the house. All I do is work right now. That's to be expected when you start a business. I'm sure I'm not saying anything that any other entrepreneur has said when they first start out. So I've got no cause to whine.

My background in design and making clothes have begun to take the forefront. I've opened an Etsy shop to feature my clothes. The shop is called Fine-Threadz! Awesome, huh? I love the name. At first is was Fine-Ragz, but I just couldn't reconcile my vision with that name. Sounds a bit too punk rock for me. Nothing wrong with punk rock, just not the direction I wanted to head. So I cast that shop aside and Fine-Threadz it is. A subsidiary of Fine-Thangz. I like using that word... subsidiary. Well don't go running off to check out Fine-Threadz because there isn't a thing listed yet. Won't be doing that until after March. Gotta keep working on the inventory and I've got my 2010 designs in the works as we speak.

For all my high ideal and visions, I didn't really start to feel like a business owner until I got a merchant account a few days ago. I can now take American Express, Visa or Mastercard. That's big shit! LOL! Being able to accept credit cards at the craft shows was "mucho importante" It was one of the items on my "Big Ass List". This is a list of all of the things I would need to get my business up and running. On this list were things like, body forms, show displays, tables, custom clothing labels, a tent.... The rest was mostly supplies for making stuff. The big ass list was purely business stuff. Well there are now only four items left on the list. It started out at sixteen items, so you can imagine how busy I have been.

Still more to do.

Day 1 - Officially unemployed

Okay, so here we go. This is my first day of being unemployed. The idea is going to take some getting use to. This time it's different because I don't plan on changing it. I now consider myself "self-employed". Yet the idea of not having a "nine-to-fiver" is scary, devastating, crazy.... okay I could go on all day if the doom and gloom adjectives. I wasn't given a choice in this lay off, but how I handle it is all mine. So what next?

Right now I'm starting to work on my new line of clothes for the craft shows I'll be doing starting in March. I really do have plenty of work to do.

One thing I want to say. In this current economy, I have no illusions about just how hard it's going to be to get my business up and running to the point where it can support me and my son. I don't think there's going to be some magic fairy come along and make it all work overnight. That's bullshit. I don't have time to stick my head in the clouds. Not on this issue. If I want this to work, I'll have to work like a Hebrew slave, day and night, eat crow from buyers and people that can help me, lower myself to the position of a slug and kiss asses. It's an ugly truth. Being good isn't good enough. No one owes me a livelihood. If I want to survive, I may have to do some things I don't like. Okay, so here we go....