Rachael

Student Designer Extraordinaire

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! 

Her site is www.twentytwoboutique.com

Be sure to like 22B's Facebook page and follow 22B on Twitter!

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: 

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!

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

(from left) Silk Dotty Sunshade Top & Ace and Jig Surf Shorts

from Madewell; blouse, shorts, and handbag from H&M

(from left) Toothpick Jean in "light citron" from J. Crew;

Elizabeth and James Low Rise Skinny in "tropical"from Madewell