Summer 2011: Thus Far

I really struggled with the title of this blog post.  I feel like since it's been OVER A MONTH since my last post, that most fitting title would acknowledge how much I need to catch up on...as in the entire summer.

In a nutshell, these last few weeks have been a total blur.  Between my actual moneymaking job, plus the new money sucking business (I finally went to City Hall and registered it too, so exciting!), patternmaking, seeing friends, celebrating a grillion birthdays (a LOT of people apparently get busy in October, because July is just one long birthday jam), and my recent trip to Toronto, I legitimately can't even remember all the finer details of it all.

My Toronto visit was so amazing because of how much I was able to accomplish in only about 24 hrs.  First, I picked up this ginormous roll of manila paper that I need for my patterns.  This thing weighs over 100 lbs and is apparently going to last me years of patternmaking for my swimwear.  Which is both fantastic AND frustrating seeing as I think I have mentioned before the lack of space in this apartment.  I genuinely welcome any suggestions on how to somehow integrate it into my living space without it just being a huge totem pole of paper in the middle of the living room.  Then, I drove to Newmarket to meet my most favourite person ie. the man who knows everything about manufacturing fashion designs.  This meeting was particularly important because I was showing him what I have so far with my patterns and if he told me that I was doing it all wrong, then these last few months would have been a total waste of time and resources.  Fortunately, he gave me only positive feedback and reinforcement for my plans.  By the end of this month, I will have sent him everything he needs to create my sample collection, and from there it will be under a month before I receive it in its glorious completion!  INSANITY!  From that meeting, I travelled back downtown to Queen St. West's garment district to go fabric shopping.  Not even the disgusting stop-and-go traffic could slow down my great mood.  I managed to find 4 fabrics I loved and bought them in under 2.5 hours.  I've never been so decisive!  Finally, Tuesday evening I met with my girlfriend and PR/event marketing extraordinaire Marie Chevrier and a group of talented musicians/artists and venue scouted for a show we are planning for the end of August.  I don't want to say too much yet about the event before all the details are ironed out, but it will be amazing.  We found some great spaces and met new friends and I celebrated my fabulously productive day!

So, that's the latest and the greatest.  Sorry I've been such an epic failure with the posting.  I can honestly say that the only thing suffering from my loss of day job is this blog.  I just don't sit in front of a computer anymore, which is indescribably FANTASTIC, but on the other hand I really enjoy blogging and just haven't been keeping up with it.  I hereby make a promise to myself that I will try harder now :)

I will cap this post off with some pics from the one night I was able to go to Bluesfest!

Metric Played!

Photo credit:  Greg Kolz
Emily Haines is such a hottie.

Yes, beer and live music!
Blouse-Pink Violet, shorts-Aritzia, sandals-Urban Outfitters, watch-Michael Kors, bag-thrifted, necklace-gifted and made by my talented friend.

Oh, look who I bumped into!

During My Morning Jacket...loved!

Well, that's it for now friends!  Hope your summer has been as great as mine so far!  

xo Amber

Richard Robinson Grande Premiere 2011

Hello!

Last Saturday was the Richard Robinson annual end of the year fashion show.  The students were able to show off their hard work and I was able to sit in the audience and just enjoy the show instead of being backstage!

Here are some photos from the event of my favourite pieces and collections:

Stephanie Ross

I absolutely died (pun intended) over this collection.  I loved the entire concept with blood-splattered brides.  It reminded me of a combination of Kill Bill, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the movie) and of one of my ultimate fave flicks, American Psycho.  Particularly the part where he brings his bloody sheets into the dry cleaner's, hahaha.

Photo:  Richard Tardif

Photo:  Tina Picard

Photo:  Tina Picard

Photo:  Tina Picard

Photo:  Tina Picard

And a few other designs that I enjoyed:
(all photos by Tina Picard)

Lidia Beausoleil

Rebecca Knox

Yesha Raval

Francine Lavack

France Renee Miron

Lily Cunha

Although I was not a fan of all the clothing shown on Saturday, I acknowledge the work that goes into the design and production as well as the techniques used to create them.  I know I have a lot to learn and after seeing the Richard Robinson show, I realise I do need to look into a few courses in the future to improve my skills and know-how.

Tomorrow is my final fitting for my pattern-making, then we need to grade the size 4 patterns up and down to create different sizes and from there make the patterns in a more durable material so that the manufacturer can use them for production.  Baby steps, but I'm making progress!

Stay tuned :)

xo Amber

Predator vs. Prey

Several years ago, I was in Montreal with a few friends for the Britney Spears Circus concert tour.  We were all getting ready to go out and my friend Alex, who loves animal print anything, asked "is ok to mix predator with prey?".  I honestly do not think we stopped laughing about that for the rest of the weekend and I STILL quote it to this day.  I cannot even remember what the verdict was...I just know that I see nothing wrong with it myself.  Frankly, it's somewhat symbolic.  Remember in the Lion King when Mufasa explains the Circle of Life to Simba- how lions and antelope live together in harmony with one balancing the other?  How fitting, then, to have my giraffe print belt hold up my leopard print skirt.

Sorry I have the worst backgrounds of life for my photos...those of you with a patient and understanding photographer, I hope you appreciate it.

Shirt and belt - H&M

Shoes - Steve Madden

Skirt - Winners

Watch - Michael Kors

Necklace - vintage

Bracelet - Aldo

Tights - Zellers 



Sing it with me now:

"Maaaaaatsebenyaaaaabababeeetubabo..situnuuuuwenyamaaa.

MAAAAAAtsebenyababaBEEEtubabo..situnuuuwenyabaaaaaaa...hagabaaa...

It's the CIR-cleeeee, the CIR-cle of-a-LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!"  BOOM!

Elton...you complete my circle of life.

xo Amber 


PS. Going to TO this weekend!  Tomorrow I meet with someone who may be able to help me manufacture my designs!  Wish me luck :)

Get your floaties on

The painful irony of becoming a sought-after designer/label, is that you don't always make a lot of dough doing it-especially not in the first few years (well-established, century-old fashion houses excluded).  You might successfully achieve elitism, but you're not going to be able to actually make a lot of money if you only sell to the 3% (fictional stat to make point) that can dish out that kind of money and not have it affect their credit score.  So essentially, as a designer, you're literally selling your clothing to people who make more money than even YOU do, and you're often barely making ends meet after all the dust has settled.  Many of these designers have gone on to do "collections for the masses" after the economic crisis illuminated how the cause and effect phenomenon of "keeping up with the Joneses" inevitably hit a wall.  "Recession-chic" became a well-known term and designers like Vera Wang produced collections at a lower price point, which not only helped to stimulate the economy but also, quite likely, kept their businesses afloat as well.  These designers appear to live like they're rolling in the dough, and no doubt some are, but many live for years on a much smaller paycheque than those who are buying their gorgeous clothing.  These collections, usually done as a collaboration with Target, H&M or Zellers, have come full circle and in themselves have become the trendy thing to do even for design houses who don't have any personal need for the financial boost.

Now I enjoy myself some Louboutins and check Style.com every single day, sometimes more.  I am just as in love with the labels as anyone else, and wish that I could be one of the elite who can buy them.  I check ebay for the latest deals on the designers and STILL can't afford them.  The reason why we covet them is because they are so difficult to attain..it's a basic human mentality exhibited from early childhood and this psychological effect of "want/can't have/do it anyway?" continues to plague us well into adulthood.  So, I go to H&M, or Zara or a vintage shop and buy something cute there...and thank goodness for those stores because I have, all things considering, a pretty full wardrobe.  I also know that designers are inarguably artists.  And most artists will tell you that they don't define success by how much money they make (and most don't...until they die).  Many designers are just happy making their clothing and seeing people wear them and love them as much as they do.  Or, with haute couture designers, they don't even care if people wear them, because quite frankly nobody would unless they're Gaga.  So then I need to ask myself, as a designer who hopes to establish herself in some capacity...what is the trade off?  I hope to one day be selling my collections.  I want my friends to wear them and be able to afford to do so.  I also want other people to wear them, others with money to spend..and want to give it to me.  Is that wrong?  Is that against the artist code to wish for monetary success?  There is a certain juggling act that occurs in fashion that must be performed to make it out alive.  As a designer clamboring for exposure and success, you're at once both an artist and a business.  Two worlds must collide.  For that, I'm grateful to have such an amazing business partner, Marie.  She keeps my feet on the ground and the business moving forward despite my creative schizophrenia. 

Maybe one day there will be an Amber Watkins for H&M.  Ah, to dream....

xo Amber