Trending: Alejandra G. Shoes

Latino shoe designer Alejandra G. is gaining quite the following.  Her designs have been featured in Elle and spotted on a number of notable celebrities including Janelle Monae, Rocsi Diaz, Tyra Banks, Draya Michelle, and Karrueche Tran.  Her spring line includes vertiginous pumps and strappy sandals in fun prints and colors, as well as flats, and ranges from $99-$500.

Lorde for MAC

Lorde, the 17 year old Grammy award winning singer from New Zeland is set to release a collection for MAC on June 5th.  Thus far the collection includes a lipstick in a deep plum color called "Pure Heroine" (the title of her debut album) and a Penultimate eye liner in Rapidblack.  Synergy between the artist and the cosmetics retailer is apparent given that Lorde is known for her vampy looks and makeup colors, and MAC enthusiasts rely on them for fashion forward products.

Here's Tea Though: Months ago MAC put out a very similar limited edition lip color called "Heroine."  A similar color with a very similar name that has been paired with one other product does not a collection make.  Why not skip the limited edition release of "Heroine" and just give us this new one in June?  I am a fan of MAC, especially their lip colors, but it really burns my chops for them to offer us these identical products tagging on a celebrity endorser and calling it a collection.  I'm not sure who should feel more tried: MAC customers or Lorde.

Fashion Lifehacking

People often tell me that they don't know how to dress.  I find that odd, because it doesn't seem that hard to me, but that's me speaking from my ivory tower.  Here's a really easy way to figure it out.

1. Take a real evaluation of what your body type is.
2. Look for a celebrity or fashion icon whose style you like and that has the same build as you.
3. Study their style.  Take note of what is flattering and unflattering on them.
4. Act accordingly.

I find that this is the easiest way to evaluate whether or not you can pull off a certain look.  Although the key is being honest with yourself about your body type.  I find it so confusing when I see women with "muffin tops" and "is she pregnant or nah?" bodies shoved into these super tight body con dresses.  I wonder to myself how are they comfortable highlighting such an unflattering part of their body?  Especially when it can be easily hidden with a good pair of Spanx.  I say this as a curvy woman that has struggled and continues to struggle to lose weight.  There is no shame in wearing proper undergarments to hide unflattering features.  I am a firm believer that every look is not for every body.

Even if you're opposed to wearing Spanx or some type of girdle that puts everything in its proper place, just stay away from looks that do you no favors.  For example, I love flowy maxi dresses, but if I wear one without cinching my waist in the form of a belt I will look pregnant.  This is just something that I have chosen to accept.

My go to fashion muse has been Kim Kardashian (go ahead and judge me).  While I will not pretend that my body is as sickeningly dope as hers, we have a similar height and build.  Therefore, if I see her do a look that makes her look short and pudgy I know it's one that I too should stay away from.  Christina Hendricks and I have similar builds, but she is substantially taller than me; hence, I cannot take fashion cues from her.  This saves me time, money, and disappointment.

This not only works for choosing looks that are appropriate for your body type, but also color pairing, and makeup tricks.  I'm brown skinned, so why would I look to a fairer skinned person for ideas on what colors I can pull off?  I look to Tika Sumpter for makeup inspiration, because she and I have similar skin tones.  If I for some reason am getting my makeup done professionally I save a picture of her on my phone with a beat that I like, which gives my artist a blueprint for what I want.  I do the same when I go into Sephora or Elf to shop for makeup.  I pull out my picture and I say this is what I'm going for.  It makes their job easier for you to come in with a realistic perception of yourself.

So in conclusion, if you are completely clueless about what to wear, how to do your makeup, and what trends you should try out find someone with similar features (body type, skin tone, etc.) and follow their lead. You are not Rihanna and no one expects for you to be a fashion innovator so it's perfectly fine to take cues from someone who has the time, money, and resources to experiment.  Learn from their mistakes and benefit from their victories.

Humble or the Help?

On Monday my intern partner and I were propositioned by our boss to run an errand that would earn us an extra undisclosed amount of money.  We agreed to it before she even completed the question.  Our task: to go to a gala event that the company was participating in after it was over and gather up the materials used since they were actually samples from the spring collection.  In addition to our extra cash they also sprung for a car service to take us to and from the location and get us home safely.  For a couple of girls that take the subway everyday and suffer through the smells and sights of public transportation, a free cab and car service home is a sweet deal in and of itself.

We show up to the famed Cipriani 42nd Street (you may remember this is the venue whrer LaLa and Carmelo Anthony tied the knot) around 11:15 pm as we were instructed to and use the back entrance of the restaurant (this was my first clue that I am in fact the help).  As we passed through the side corridor we could hear the unexpectedly current hip hop music blaring and even caught a few glances of the black tie clad guests.  As we waited alongside the other people that were sent there to clean up after the festivities I thought about my grandmother, and how she has spent her whole life doing exactly what I am about to do.  My grandmother has cleaned office buildings, and the houses of wealthy white people for decades.  At one point she worked at a very prominent country club in South Carolina where she orchestrated banquets and the like, but all in all she's spent her career cleaning up after people that have substantially more than she does.  I thought to myself, how could someone in my family still have to do this kind of work after so many years?  My grandparents were blue collar workers so that the subsequent generations of my family wouldn't have to be, but I'm here following in their footsteps in a way that I'm not so sure would make them proud.

The 11:30 mark hit, and we went in through the front door to find our table and packing supplies.  We looked around the room at the extravagant floral arrangements wondering who had attended and what they wore, and what they got to eat.  In my mind I wondered how did she do this for all these years without feeling some sense of inferiority?  How do you make a career out of servitude and maintain this strong sense of self?  I felt a little bit sad and embarrassed as I cleaned food residue off plates that cost more than what some people make in a week.  We packed everything up with the help of a very nice Trinidadian man who works at Cirpirani, and took it to its final destination for the night.

On the free cab ride home I remembered my mom telling me how my grandmother and great-great aunt would leave their houses in the morning in dresses, pearls, gloves, stockings, and heels, and they would change into their work clothes at the offices they were there to clean.  At the end of their shift, they would freshen up and change back into their nice clothing and head home.  They never allowed the outside world to see them as servants.  They were very proud women, who knew that because of what they did their families could eat and live well.  Because of the work my grandmother did and continues to do, I have had opportunities and things that I may not have otherwise had if she hadn't.

These past couple of months have been the most humbling of my life.  I do my best to keep in mind that regardless of what I have to do right now, this isn't what I will be doing forever.  I try to remain optimistic that life doesn't end here for me and that all things will lead to a great career where I can take pride in what I do, and be the woman I want to be.  Last night though, I wondered am I being humble or am I just the help?

Hip Hop and Fashion: Has the Relationship Gone Too Far?

 

Over the past few weeks there have been discussions and even Twitter beefs over black men wearing skirts or kilts.  Rapper Lord Jamar had some choice words for Omar Epps for wearing a skirt when he made an appearance on The View to promote his new show Resurrection, even going so far as to compare him to a complicit Nazi, claiming that men like Epps should be put on trial for crimes against humanity.  Apparently, Lord Jamar has been very vocal over the past few years about what he deems to be "the feminization of the black man."  Epps responded by saying that his ensemble was an ode to Zulu warrior roots, and that Lord Jamar is actually just uninformed about his own history.  

Following Lord Jamar's rant came 50 Cent who in his usual manner attacked rappers like Kanye West and Puffy for wearing skinny jeans and kilts, respectively.  He's quoted as saying “I ain’t with it. I asked it on a mix tape. N***as wear skinny jeans. I can’t fit in,” he said. “If you Google, ‘rapper in a dress’, do you know how many will pop? Young Thug is the one that actually said, ‘This is a dress’. The other ones will call it a kilt. What about that culture is making you choose to wear it for the evening?”

It is clear that hip hop culture has evolved over the years.  Hip hop is not a monolithic culture, and I don't think that it ever was.  Even when it became a notable genre of music in the 80's you had your gangster rappers juxtaposed with the culturally conscious rappers.  There were the Adidas track suits and shell toe's contra to the African garb donned by others, and everyone got along.  Now that we have moved away from the baggy jeans, jerseys, and Timberland boots of the 90's and early 2000's, rappers have started to dress more clean cut, more fitted and more fashion forward.  I think that this is attributed to the fact that a successful rapper is no longer one with thought provoking lyrics and five mics to prove it.  In addition to talent, today's successful rapper also has to be a brand.  For many of the performers on the forefront of the industry today, fashion is an integral part of their brand.  Kanye West is almost synonymous with leather sweatpants.  A$AP Rocky has collaborated with designer Jeremy Scott, and both can be spotted sitting front row during Fashion Week.  Jay Z who is so highly respected in the rap community did a capsule collection for high end retailer Barney's New York.  

Rappers have always had a casual relationship with fashion.  One of the greatest fashion moments of the 90's was when Snoop performed on Saturday Night Live in a Tommy Hilfiger logo shirt, and then the designer enlisted Aaliyah to do a full fashion spread as one of his models.  I remember seeing those Tommy boxers peeking over her sagging jeans and saying that's how I want to dress.  That look became her signature.  Run DMC is almost synonymous with Shell toe Adidas.  "I'm clockin' ya, Versace shade watching ya," Biggie told us in his name dropping bars on One More Chance.  The concept of rap x fashion is nothing new.  However, as rappers have matured so have their tastes.  As the business has grown, so have the opportunities for branding.  As technology gives us more access to other fashion forms outside of what's in our neighborhoods, our desires have changed.  Television is no longer the only medium from which to draw inspiration, so it is natural that the relationship between fashion and hip hop culture would grow.  When you achieve a certain level of success in any industry, your taste level changes, and this is the natural course of things.  As a performer gaining noteriety you are being presented with more money than you've ever had, and you are exposed to different people and different cultures that you can now afford to emulate.

As we see the rap veterans like Lord Jamar get older, you also see the nostalgia permeate their opinions.    One cannot hold hip hop culture to one standard.  To call in to question a man's sexuality or his masculinity because he takes fashion chances in accordance with his brand is a bit far-fetched in my opinion.  I cannot help but feel that this is the source of good old fashioned hating.  I would be more inclined to listen to a rapper that has put out successful music within the past few years than one that is trying to remain relevant and put out a new album.  Yes things are different in the industry from what they were when you mattered, but it is not going to put any money in your pocket or any fans in your base to attack the people that matter these days.  What they fail to realize is that the attack on relevant artists of the times will overshadow their legacy and talent.  Does it really benefit black culture for one black man to attack another for taking a fashion risk or two?

Really Awkward New York Moments

Don't get me wrong.  I love this overpopulated, smelly, concrete jungle, but there are some days where I'm just like ok I've made a horrible decision coming here, get me back to Georgia ASAP!  Here are some awkward situations one might find themselves in that will make them rethink their entire move.

1. You are lucky enough to find a seat on a crowded train, but a man comes and stands in front of you to hold on to the rail above your head, which puts his pelvis right at your eye level.  Aside from the discomfort of being shoved into a tin can with dozens of strangers, and a multitude of smells, his crotch is the only thing in eye shot for you to look at, so you put your head down….which makes the scene look even more odd.
2. Again, you're on a crowded train, only this time there's no seat, so you're standing there holding on to a germ infested pole in the middle of the cart.  Someone's bag is molesting your butt, and the person standing in front of you yawns directly in your face.  You have now been accosted by an unholy combination of coffee, cigarettes, and whatever that person had on their bagel on the way to the train.
3. It's a Friday night.  The weather lends itself to a cute ensemble that doesn't require three additional layers for warmth.  A pre game drinking session has taken place at your friend's apartment, so you head out for a nice night on the town.  Hair is laid, eyebrows are snatched, and you are slaying the scene.  You get to the party which is swarming with eligible young black professionals, and not a single one will even maintain eye contact with you long enough for you to engage them in a conversation.  I mean not a single one.
4. You have somehow become a circus act known as the Juggling Bag Lady.  You have your giant purse (which is really more of an inconveniently carried book bag) your lunch bag, and the bag of groceries you picked up from Whole Foods.  You get home, but have to somehow dig your keys out of the labyrinth that is the bottom of your purse, meanwhile your earbuds have gotten inevitably tangled, and God-forbid you put your bag on New York concrete.  You are now contorting your body and your bags so as to not drop anything, and to spectators you look completely insane.
5. It's late, it's dark, and you live in Brooklyn.  You are walking as if there is a serial killer behind you, because you just binge watched The Following. There is a person ahead of you walking just as fast as you are, only because you actually are behind that person they fear that you are in fact the serial killer that you're afraid of.  Your mind is blown I know.

Spring Trend 2014: Cropped Top and Skirt Combo

                                                              Get in touch with your girly side!

Rihanna to be the CFDA Fashion Icon of the Year

The CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) announced that Rihanna is the recipient of the 2014 Fashion Icon of the Year award.  Whether you agree with her choice of style or not there is no denying the impact she's had on the fashion world over the course of her career, especially when she began to embrace and promote her bad girl image.  In addition to being a front row fixture this past Paris Fashion Week, she is also the current face of Paris fashion house Balmain and has tried her hand at fashion design when she created two collections for River Island.  Did I mention her highly coveted MAC collection this year?  Let's also get into the fact that she is on the cover of Vogue, for the third time.

To be honest, her looks are hit or miss with me, but a consistently well dressed person does not a fashion icon make.  It is her willingness to take fashion risks without them looking contrived that sets her apart from her peers.  To be an icon one must not only take the risks, they have to look convincing and build a brand around their style choices.  It's not always about making the best dressed list, it's about making a significant mark in fashion, and there is no denying that she as well as past recipients like Lady Gaga and Iman have done just that.

Coping with Creativity

I can't help but see the eerie coincidence between the suicide of deigner L'Wren Scott on Monday and the fact that it was also the birthday of designer Alexander McQueen, who also committed suicide in 2010.

Artists have long been revered as tortured souls who suffer for their art.  Their emotional distress adds to the mystique of their lives, making them all the more intriguing to onlookers.  Many want to understand them, their inspiration, the source of their creativity.  In the words of Oscar Wilde, "behind every exquisite thing that existed, there was something tragic."  This proves true in the self inflicted deaths of these two artists.

The illusion created by the fashion world that it's all glamour, models, fashion shows, parties, and grandeur overshadows the reality of the harsh business side of it all.  I witnessed this not too long ago when the fashion accessories designer had to meet with the sales team to decide which pieces of what she created for next season's collection would actually be sold.  It's not an uncommon practice for pieces from the runway to be "dumbed down" for ready to wear production, but seeing the disappointment on the face of the designer makes it more real.  It's not just turning art into something realistically wearable, it's altering an artist's vision, which for them I'm sure is much more heart wrenching.

When fashion transitioned from being an elitist, one of a kind, haute couture entity to a mass market big business, the designers that survived are the ones that found a sweet spot between maintaining their design aesthetic and providing something that the masses will buy and wear.  For the designers that were unable to achieve the Goldilocks just right formula, their fashion houses fell.  It's not surprising that in the face of over $6 million of debt, L'Wren felt "discouraged," as longtime friend Cathy Horyn put it in her heart felt piece in the Times.

A well loved and respected stylist turned designer, L'Wren had a reputation as a hard worker with a level of clothing construction education reminiscent of those that come up in the French couture tradition.  Many regarded her as very private, yet charming and warm to those around her, as evident by her relationship with singer Mick Jagger.  While he added to her fame, she never wanted to be defined by her relationship, and was a star in her own right via her undeniable talent for creating clothes that women want to wear.  Despite her financial woes, it is surprising to those closest to her that she chose suicide as a way out.  "She's not someone I would have ever said was a tortured artist or a tortured designer," celebrity stylist Cristina Ehrlich told the New York Times.
 
When a person chooses to take their own life, particularly when there is no note left, the people they leave behind are left with unanswered questions.  Hence, we can only speculate about what the true mental state and motivation behind Scott's decision to take her life was, but I can't help but wonder if being faced with having to close her business was just too much for her to bear.

Some Random Thoughts

The pressure is really on. Time is flying by and the job hunt is moving at a glacial pace. My fear is waking up and it's May 22nd (the day of my commencement) and I still haven't secured a position for after graduation. I have midterms coming up, the internship isn't going as smoothly as it started, and I'm in full on financial survival mode (I'm waiting with bated breath for income tax check).

I made a commitment to myself to stay positive throughout all of this. When God blessed me with the money that I needed to come back to school I knew that there would be hard days. I knew that I was taking on a lot as a full time student, an intern, and a blogger. Working to help someone else pursue their goals while also working towards your own is exhausting, but I don't feel like I have the right to complain. I always feel guilty when I get home and vent to my friends about the day's struggles. This is what I prayed for so vehemently, so I don't feel like it's fair for me to take a swan dive into my emotions on the days when it gets rough, and I feel unsure.

I guess today I'm just feeling a little afraid. There are so many people rooting for me and supporting me and saying how proud they are of me and I'm afraid to let those people down. I'm afraid of letting myself down. I want so badly to succeed and to fulfill the vision I have for my life, especially when the people closest to me are doing so well. They're in their careers and making money and buying houses and cars, and I'm just trying to figure it all out. When you choose the road less traveled the paths aren't as defined, and it gets scary along the way. Sometimes you get lost and you and you look for guidance where there isn't any; hence, I'm looking forward to this event on the 29th honoring black women in media. I'm sure it will be a good opportunity to see women that look like me and how they've achieved success in media, and of course I'm always here for a good networking opportunity.

Anyway, tomorrow's anew and I'm determined to maintain my inner peace no matter what's going on around me. God has a plan for me and for my life and it will be fulfilled. Can't devote too much time to the negative.

5th and Mercer Pop Up Shop Event

On Friday night actress, DJ, and television personality LaLa Anthony hosted a pop up shop event on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.  The busy wife and mother is adding fashion designer to her long list of job titles.  The evening began with a brief fashion presentation of the line, and LaLa's mom actually appeared as a real life model as she attended the event sporting a bright red fitted long sleeved dress from the line.

The collection includes pencil skirts, shirts, jumpers, and dresses in black, royal blue, red, and white, and ranges from $35 for a t shirt to $250 for a jumper.  5th and Mercer is available for sale at www.shopbop.com.

Guests included model Shaun D. Ross (who I'm kind of obsessed with right now) Monica and Shannon Brown, Po and Dice from LaLa's Full Court Life, Charlamagne Tha God, and a bevy of bloggers.  There was an open bar and very tasty hors devours circulated the room as the DJ played all the latest rap hits.  All in all it was a night of fun, food, drinks, and socializing.  Glad I attended!

Transitional Attire

It was a beautiful day in New York.  The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect, and there was the occasional slight breeze.  It has been an unusually snowy, wet, cold winter here so everyone is waiting with bated breath for actual spring weather.  Hence, why there were so many people inappropriately dressed people walking through the streets of Manhattan today.  This is the season for transitional wear, not full on summer attire.

Layers are your friend.  If you have a warm weather top that you're dying to wear you can do so if you pair it with a light outerwear garment.  A denim jacket is nice contrast to a silk blouse for example.  As it gets warmer throughout the day take it off, and when the temp drops at night throw it back on.

Light outerwear is key.  You can trade in your heavy, lined coats for lighter ones.  Keep it stylish and opt for a cropped leather biker jacket, which will go nicely with boyfriend jeans and relaxed t-shirt.

Updated cardigans and blazers are key layering pieces.  These aren't your mom's blazers or your grandmother's cardigans.  Choose blazers in fun shapes, colors, patterns, and textures.  A blazer with no lapels can be a chic finishing touch to a nice pair of boot cut pants and heels.  You can add shape to an open cardigan by adding a waist belt and statement necklace for a complete look.

Vests are a great spring outerwear piece.  Go for denim or leather for a cute grunge look.

Tomorrow's Anew

So yesterday was everything that nightmares and ill wishes are made of.  My God sis and I have this weird thing where we always catch the clock at the same time everyday.  We usually send each other a text when it happens, but I was feeling so down yesterday that I just told her I would have to talk to her later because I felt so beaten down by life.  Her response was: tomorrow's anew.  I woke up today determined to make it better than yesterday.  I said a prayer and made my declarations while getting dressed for my internship, and when I walked outside it was actually warm!  Look at God!  Won't He do it?

I got to the office and detected a weird mood from my superiors but I was so determined to be great today that I just did my work and kept my inner light shining, and wouldn't you know it, their mood seemed to improve as well.  It's funny how a bad day can get passed around like a disease.  One person pisses off another, and they just pass that negativity around.  It really only takes one person to maintain their inner peace to break that cycle.  You would be surprised how telling someone they look nice can alter their whole mood.  That's my namaste moment for this post.

Anyway, my boss invited my intern partner and I to accompany her to a speaking engagement she was doing at our school and we accepted the invite of course.  As we sat there listening to her tell about her career and how she got started I found myself in awe of her.  To see a woman in a power position holding down a job, two children, and a husband, and doing so with style filled me with such inspiration.  The highlight of her speech was when she acknowledged the qualities that my partner and I possess that make us such great assets to their team.  I was so flattered and surprised, because it never occurred to me that she took notice of our personalities like that.  We get so caught up in our various projects throughout the work day that it seems like no one really has time to notice anything about anyone aside from whether or not they look cute that day.  Trust me in our office nine times out of ten they do.

The presentation concluded with the attendees coming up to my partner and I asking us questions like how we got the internship and if we really like it, and what they should do to get chosen to intern as well.  We had a nice fifteen minutes of fame before departing and heading back to the office to get lunch.  It was so nice out that we sat in Bryant Park and took in the sights of people in inappropriate attire, overly anxious for consistently warm weather.

I took quite a few things away from today.  First off I have to remember that even when things get hard, there are so many people that would love to be where I am (financial struggles and all) so I have to remain humble and thankful.  Second, people are always watching you, so be mindful of what you're showing them.  Third, don't get so caught up in the everyday hustle that you forget to look up.  After all I do live in New York.

In my best Ice Cube voice: today was a good day.

The Mean Reds

Most days I get this overwhelming feeling of joy and pride in knowing that I am well on my way to accomplishing my goals.  It often hits me when I'm walking towards Times Square to catch the train to class that I am actually a fashion student and intern living in New York.  That realization gives me the second wind to make it through class successfully after a long day of thankless, pay-less work.  Today wasn't one of those days.  Today I had a case of the mean reds.  If you are unfamiliar with Breakfast at Tiffany's I'm sure that reference is lost on you.  The mean reds are days that are worse than having the blues.  It's another way of saying: I'm really going through it today.

The day started normal enough.  Spottieottiedopalicious blared from my iPad to wake me up at 6:15 am so that I could put the finishing touches on my press release assignment for class.  As the sunlight started to slowly fill my room I got up from my bed desk and got ready to take on the day.  Well I put on this really cute black midi dress with sheer sleeves and my black suede ankle boots with the practical heel (of course my 4 inch stiletto booties are comfortably nestled in my bag).  With fresh hair and makeup done to my satisfaction I head outside down my stoop only to realize that it's snowing.

So I hustle to the train so as to protect my freshly pressed edges and I look down and realize that I forgot to shave my legs.  At this point I can't turn back and go home to do it, because I took extra time prepping my lunch and snacks for the day, and my train has just arrived.  Now just as an aside let me tell you that the G train has no respect for you, your time, your edges, or your appointments.  It truly comes smooth whenever the eff it wants to, so if you are lucky enough to catch it right when you get to the platform you take it.  

I arrive at my internship with minutes to spare so I sit down to eat my breakfast, and as soon as I start I am given a project that will literally take all day for me to complete.  I don't mind being busy at all, because it makes the day go by faster.  What I do mind is being given a project that takes all day to do and then being asked five minutes before it's time for me to leave to run all the way uptown to run an errand which then made me 30 minutes late to class.

I am hustling down Madison Avenue looking like the bag lady trying to make it to the school library to print the aforementioned press release for class.  I figured well I'm already late, I may as well be late and prepared, and wouldn't you know that the entrance to the library is closed because there's some sort of an event going on.  

So I head in to class empty handed and my professor doesn't make a fuss about it.  Finally a break, right? no.  All of a sudden mother nature rears her ugly head and I take a swan dive into my emotions.  Finally I get home ready to eat and wash this questionable day off and rest, and guess what?  My hot water isn't working.

So at the close of this very crappy Monday I sit in my bed and I realize that this is me in the midst of my fashion dreams.  Financially struggling, single and alone (because one doesn't always equal the other) living the fashion intern life.  This is what I wanted so I won't complain, but tomorrow simply has to be better.

LUPITA!

Lupita Nyong'o is single handedly bringing color back, and not just with her epic skin.  The following are some looks inspired by her recent appearances. 

Lupita Nyong'o at the GQ Men of the Year Event

Lupita Nyong'o in yellow J. Mendel dress
At the 17th Annual Hollywood Film Awards

Jess' Life: The Plight of the Intern

It is a thankless job with little to no pay, long hours and more experience than you could ever hope to gain in a classroom or retail job.  Every semester fashion hopefuls scrounge to get some of the most highly coveted internships in the industry.  We all do this with the hopes that adding those few lines to our résumés will mean an entry level position post graduation.  An internship at a reputable company is an integral part of securing a real industry job, or so we've been told.  

So we go in to these companies three days a week putting our best foot forward.  You observe the women in the office.  How they dress, how they carry themselves, how they speak, their work ethic, and you take notes, lots and lots of mental notes.  You try to remember every little nugget of information that your superiors give you, because you just know that it will come in handy.  "The fashion world is incredibly small, so don't make any enemies."  "You can take all the marketing classes in the world, but attention to detail and efficiency are what help you to survive here."  "Ask questions.  Better to ask questions than to screw up and have to explain later."  And you hang on to these words, because you're ever hopeful that you will get the opportunity to put them to use sooner than later.

Never mind that you get overlooked when the account managers are introducing the team.  Don't worry about the fact that you don't get to eat what everyone else gets to eat of the catered meals.  Ignore that your feet hurt from wearing heels to run errands all day.  Don't focus on the fact that you may or may not get credit for your contribution to the overall goal.  Stay positive.  Be teachable.  Always be willing and available to help.  Don't take anything personally.  Make a positive and lasting impression.  Be a self starter.  Take some initiative.  Whatever you do dress well.

Alexandre Mattiussi: The Normal Designer

 

The plight of the modern fashion designer consists of finding that sweet spot between artistic expression   and mass appeal.  Contrary to popular belief it is the masses that determines the success or failure of a designer.  It really isn't considered fashion until it is accepted by the masses, and most people aren't into the avant garde looks that we see on the runways.  The designers that survive in this world of big business and commercialism are those that find the balance between maintaining/communicating their creativity, and their ability to produce clothing that is realistically wearable.  People are more inclined to dress for function than fashion as evident by the morning ritual throughout our office whereby we all change out of our Hunter boots into our heels.

I am a huge proponent of wearable, realistic, affordable fashion.  Hence, my heart went aflutter when I came across a story on the Parisian label Ami by designer Alexandre Mattiussi.  The menswear designer's line presented during Paris Men's Fashion Week looks like what your average fashionista would want her boyfriend to dress like.  There are no outrageous gimmicks or themes, and you don't have to think too hard to understand what you're seeing.  The models are multi racial and look like regular guys that you may see in Williamsburg Brooklyn or strolling through Bergdorf's.  The approachability of the pieces in familiar colors like red, camel, black, and white make you feel even more at ease with this line of clothing for everyday guys that care about the way they dress.

Mr.  Mattiussi has studied and worked under some of the biggest names in fashion from Dior to Marc Jacobs to Givenchy, but decided that he wanted to make clothes that he could actually afford.  “I mean, I just want a nice sweater,” Mr. Mattiussi said. “I don’t want to put zippers all over it.”  Following his successful show, he didn't opt for a swanky after party, but went for beer and pizza with friends and family.  This is my kind of designer!