Friday, November 2, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
Student Designer Extraordinaire
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| Photography by Natasha Wilson |
I'm blessed to know a lot of lovely and talented people. Nicole Suerez is one of these people. Though she is sadly currently studying at the University of Arizona, she and I studied together in our high school's Fashion and Textiles Design classes. In two years, we learned everything from silk painting and felting to pattern drafting and garment design. Nicole has taken those skills and transformed them into a business: TwentyTwo Boutique. She sells a plethora of shirts, skirts, dresses, aprons, and even lingerie - all designed and sewn lovingly by her! Her work has been showcased in two fashion shows, and she's been featured in an online magazine. Impressive, for a student-run business created a mere year ago!
Surely you didn't think that was the only thing she's been up to? Nicole is currently studying Costume Design, and she landed an internship this past summer as a Costume Production Assistant for Noah, Darren Aronofsky's new film. It stars Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Anthony Hopkins, and Jennifer Connelly. Get excited. The summer previous, Nicole interned at Steve Madden. Yes, THE Steve Madden. The shoe god of college girls everywhere. Nicole is nothing if not busy. Thankfully, she had time to answer some questions from an old friend!
What inspired you to start 22B?
I was inspired to start 22B one night over my winter vacation. I had been selling my aprons on Etsy, but I wanted a place where people could see my designs as a brand, instead of just a search keyword. Two months later, I released TwentyTwo Boutique and I couldn't be happier! It makes it a more personal experience.
What were the greatest challenges you faced in starting up a brand new business?
The biggest challenge I had with setting up 22B was doing it alone. Each garment is a process. My products are all handmade, it's difficult to keep up with sales with a limited time schedule.
How do you decide on what to make?
I decide what to make based on if I would buy it! I see trends that I like and I develop that into each garment. Chances are that if you don't love something, you won't buy it, and if you won't buy it, I'm not going to sell it. I keep my products streamlined with a few key pieces in each category.
What is it like displaying your work at a runway show?
I love doing runway shows! It's a great judge to see how my consumer is accepting the product. Whether the reaction is good or bad, it's exciting to hear people's opinion on my work, and it's especially inspiring to hear positive things. I guess it validates all the work I put into my line.
What advice would you give to other aspiring designers?
My advice to other aspiring designers is to just GO FOR IT. You never know what will happen unless you try. Make a solid product and try and sell it locally...working with my local community has made huge strides in my business!
What was the most valuable thing you learned while interning at Steve Madden?
The most valuable thing I learned at Steve Madden was to see how a product is created at such a higher level. Obviously the products aren't going to be handmade because of huge amount of demand, so it was interesting to see how they created a product at such a high amount.
What about while being a costume production assistant for Noah?
Being a costume PA was one of the most amazing experiences. It allowed me to see, and listen, to so much of the design process. Working there was really inspiring and interesting. Instead of designing with the consumer in mind, you are designing for a specific character. For example, what is that character going to wake up and decide to wear in the morning? It's your job as the designer to figure that out. Also most products in fashion are designed for the present. Costumes can be in the future, past or present, so it creates a whole new level of design.
What are you planning on doing next? Both with 22B and your career?
What's next for me? I guess we'll see! I love my business and I also love working on movies. I'm planning on keeping 22B locally but if I land a job on a new movie in Nebraska...I guess I'll bring 22B there!
Monday, October 8, 2012
Photography in the Present Moment
If you're interested in photography and you haven't heard of Flakphoto, you need to go explore it. Right now. It's brimming with current work, and conversations with both well-known and up-and-coming artists. It is an online art space that hosts a digital archive of photography that is updated multiple times a week. Anyone and everyone can submit work for consideration!
Probably my favorite featured on the site at the moment is Monika Sziladi, a New York artist originally from Hungary. Her work is a startling but fascinating collage of images relating to the baffling and bizarre world of modern culture and consumerism.
In the statement for her body of work entitled Wide Receivers, she explains that she is "...interested in how society and human behavior are becoming simultaneously tribalized and atomized amidst the ever increasing noise of mass (over)communication, digital media, and self-broadcasting."
My other favorite artists currently on Flak Photo include:
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Sweater Season.
It is nice to be back again! This year has swept me up into the swing of things before I could quite catch my breath. I had a hot, work-filled summer that left me feeling anesthetized, so I can't tell you how excited I am to be breathing the (almost) crisp air of fall.
Fall is always the best time of the year. It's a time to break out the boots, leggings, and scarves that have been sitting forlornly in your closet. And the sweaters. Oh, the sweaters. If only I could wear cardigans, oversized pullovers, and cashmere v-necks all year round. Nothing would make me more content! Fall fashion will forever be my favorite. Even the September issue of Vogue is always the most exciting.
There's a hopeful, refreshed, exhilarated attitude on campus. For students, it's also a time for new school year resolutions. Not that we always stick to them. (For example, I was resolved to begin blogging again in August... Sorry, guys. I done goofed.) Nevertheless, it's a time where everything feels possible.
My resolution is to make the Winsome brand better. I have ideas and plans bursting at the seams, I just need to finally implement them. My focus with Winsome: ASU Fashion has been fashion, art, and culture. We haven't yet explored these themes to their full potential! This needs to change. I will be making an effort to have more coverage of art and culture, especially locally.
I also want to incorporate all of you! I'm tired of my fashion monologue - I want discussion and opinions and different views. Fashion is diverse, and I plan on treating it as such. There will be writing contests and street style photography contests coming up within the next two months, so keep reading and watching!
Monday, June 25, 2012
How to survive the summer in style
Summer in the desert is difficult, to say the least. And it makes finding something comfortable to wear almost impossible. With the heat draining our energy, and our closets getting dusty, Winsome is here to help. Our favorite go to's for summer, from head to toe.
Everyday Staples
- asymmetrical hems
- maxi dresses
- colored denim
- bright colors and mixed patterns
- florals
- loose shirts and thin fabrics
- simple layers
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(from left) Silk Dotty Sunshade Top & Ace and Jig Surf Shorts
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Thursday, April 12, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Emerging Brand: Fyodor Golan
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| F/W 2012 |
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| F/W 2012 |
After looking through many of
the collections featured in the Paris, London, New York and Milan fashion weeks, Fyodor Golan, a label I had never looked at in great detail,
caught my attention with their wonderful Fall/Winter 2012 collection. Fyodor
Podgorny and Golan Frydman, the young designers of this beautiful and innovative women’s clothing brand, featured in London Fashion Week, started this label just two years ago.
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| F/W 2012 |
In the late 2000’s, after the two had
finished their studies (Fyodor at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and Golan at
the Istituto Marangoni) they met in England and were married just
before the launch of their brand, which they personally funded in 2010. In 2011, they were the winners of Fashion Fringe, a competition for new designers
created by Colin McDowell, with the goal of discovering and encouraging
innovative young designers who planned to develop their careers in London.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Meat Market Vintage: a grand opening, a great store
Meat Market Vintage was a concept created by co-owners Cory Martinez and Ben Funke (who are both ASU alums, and super nice). Based out of Phoenix, they began collecting vintage clothing and accessories for women, and launched an online shop through Ebay six years ago. They just opened their first brick and mortar store here in February. (ironically, on the same day that Winsome was launched!)
The store's white walls are a perfect backdrop for their colorful clothing, their two dressing rooms are enclosed by funky mismatched curtains, and the back wall is adorned by a super cool mural, painted by the owner of the art store Wet Paint.
The exposed ceiling beams and metal piping of the clothing racks lend an industrial tone, and the accessories found throughout the room— like the comfy orange couch, and a 70's era yellow telephone— are fun. It's a shop that could easily fit in among the boutiques of NYC or San Francisco, but unlike other vintage stores, Cory and Ben find over-pricing items ridiculous. They've aimed to have their clothing be as affordable as possible for college students. Thanks, guys!
All of the items they sell are vintage- meaning they've been previously worn, and are at least 20 years old. If you have genuine vintage clothing to sell, take 'em here! I was told they'll be accepting sales for cash, trades, and store credit; much like Buffalo Exchange does.
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| Sophie, wearing MMV |
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| Hannah, wearing MMV |
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
New Winsome Team Members!
I'm so very excited to introduce you to Monique and Serena, the new members of Winsome!
I met Monique in a 3D Design class last semester. While building a boat (yes, that was an assignment) was not exactly our forte, we nevertheless bonded fairly quickly over a shared love of cats and fashion. She's a super cool girl with a sarcastic sense of humor and a love for styling and organization. As the Assistant Creative Director, she'll be focusing primarily on brainstorming fresh and innovative ideas for Winsome, and helping us find ways to expand and grow.
I met Serena this semester, and may not have met her at all if not for Winsome. As a fellow photography student, she was always nearby. I took notice of her style immediately, and she became my muse of sorts (hence all the photos of her posted on the blog!) Though I'm still just getting to know her, she's a sweet girl with a bunch of creative ideas and a passion for all things art.
As a Blogger, she'll be contributing her ideas and concepts for Winsome, photographing all over campus, and writing articles.
All three of us will be roaming campus, snapping pictures of the stylish students we see, writing articles, and keeping you updated on the latest news in fashion! Check out their full bios on the About the Team page, take a look at what inspires us, and stay tuned for more articles and photos!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Jason Wu Brings Beautiful Spring Style to Target
Jason Wu's exclusive line for Target hit the web and stores yesterday, just in time for Spring. And it couldn't be more perfect for the upcoming season. He perfectly blends retro chic with feminine details. The Audrey Hepburn-esq silhouettes and demure patterns make these staple items for 2012. His inspiration for the line? “French new wave films and the likes of Jean Seberg and Anna Karina. It's ‘gamine chic’ incorporated with American sportswear details, channeling an American girl in Paris.”
Wu launched his first full collection in 2006, and only two years later, he was one of the CFDA/Vogue finalists. This—in addition to Michelle Obama wearing one of his designs in 2009 to the inaugural balls, followed by winning the CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear in 2010—launched the Taiwanese American designer from obscurity to fame. Pieces from his collection have now adorned A-listers like Natalie Portman, Diane Kruger, and Emma Stone. His collection is worldly and sophisticated, influenced by his Taiwanese heritage, his time spent in Vancouver, Paris, and his current home, New York City. He has experience in seemingly every aspect of the fashion world: In addition to handbags, shoes, clothing, and an eyewear collection, he designed nail polish colors for CND, andco-developed a cosmetic collection, "Jason Wu for Supreme Aupres".
He uses couture techniques to create his American sportswear inspired collections, and focuses with minute detail on exquisite craftsmanship and luxury materials. Most of his fabrics are designed specifically for him, in Italy and France. Check out this beautiful Toni cross body tote, priced at $1,999 on his site. But not to worry! Though celebs flocked to the opening of the pop-up Target by Jason Wu store in New York for the launch, his beautiful clothing and handbags are now available for those of us with budgets more modest than Blake Lively’s or Emmy Rossum’s . Everything is priced beneath $60!
Some of my personal favorites:
This dress has a classic silhouette—one that will be seen often in the 2012 Spring collections, which nod to 50’s pencil skirts, sleeveless sheaths, and scooped necklines (just no poodle skirts, please). Floral patterns are, of course, expected for spring; but this print is somehow more modern and fresh than the bright pastels we usually see. Pair it with a bright blazer for work, or a pair of cat-eye sunglasses for sunny days (so, every day).
I can’t get over the darling little bow on this sheer blouse! Match it with this pleated canvas skirt, and you’ve instantly got a 2012 version of Blair Waldorf from her high school days. The classically shaped straw handbag is the perfect everyday bag: smaller than a tote, but larger than a clutch, and will add a touch of modernism to any outfit. Pair this ensemble with patterned tights and wedge booties for the last of February’s rare chilly days, and with ankle-skimming socks and pumps for spring.
Obviously, Jason has been paying attention to internet trends, and has addressed the needs of those of us who have set Kitteh Roulette as their home page. I don’t have words for this bag, other than: I will definitely be making a trip to Tempe Marketplace this week to get my hands on it. It’s the perfect sized school bag, and will add quirk to your look. (psst: this fashionable feline is also printed on a basic white tee)
Of course, by the time I post this article, all of the items may be sold out. You better visit Target.com or race to the store as quickly as you can, if you haven’t already braved the massive lines to snag Wu’s latest lovely creations. But I’m just warning you now, I will engage in any and all catfights for that tote…
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Welcome to Winsome!
I’ve stammered and backtracked and rethought what it is I should write for the debut article of Winsome. As a modest online presence, hoping to cater to the population of one of the largest universities in the United States… Well, let’s just say the task is a tad daunting. I nearly didn’t even begin. It’s amazing to me after only four short weeks, this tentative idea has kindled from inspiration after watching Bill Cunningham New York, to business cards and grand plans. In a way, beginning this project represents the attitude that I love to see in others: Nerve. It was difficult for me to step outside my comfort zone (do you know how creepy you feel asking a bunch of people on the street if you can take their picture?!) and push boundaries. And yet, most of the people I desire to photograph do just that in the morning as they stand in front of their closets. It takes guts to stand out, or dress in a way that some might scorn or gaze at with quizzical expressions. Though my opinion is clichéd, I’m going to state it anyway: confidence is the best accessory. You can buy a couture dress and the most stunning heels anyone’s ever seen, but if you don’t feel you in them, everyone will see it.
I’m interested in those who represent a style all their own.
Winsome is, for now, a fashion blog. But I’m looking to push boundaries and expand Winsome into something greater. It began as a three-fold concept: a blog about fashion specific to ASU’s campus; a source of information, reviews, and commentary on fashion, art, culture, and student work; and as an expansion for my own work as a fine art and fashion photographer.
ASU Fashion was an important concept to me. I love watching trends develop and unfold, and I just love clothing in general. I constantly people watch the many fashion-forward men and women on campus, and Winsome became a way for me to share their style with the rest of the student body, and hopefully interest other appreciators of fashion.
Sometime soon, I will also include opinionated articles on the latest fashion magazine issues, trends, art, and culture. I want to be a voice for the latest subjects that ASU students are interested in, and focus on local fashionistas, artists, designers, galleries, and businesses.
As for my own artistic expression, I’m continually creating fine art photographs, specifically centered in film and darkroom printing. I am also currently partnering with a lovely friend of mine to create fashion editorial photography. We’re dreaming up the themes and hashing out the details, and as soon as we have work to show for it, it will be posted for all of you to see!
Thank you for looking! I will post new content each Wednesday and Friday, so check back for more posts soon!
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