31 December 2009

Chapter 2 is Killing Me!! :-)

Hey Hey Everybody!!

Read Chapter 2, and it kicked my butt! lol
This chapter detailed the basic first steps of starting a fashion line-- beginning with the business plan...

And the elements of the business plan are slightly overwhelming!! Gehlhar informs the reader on the Executive summary, Company Overview, Sales Plan, Operations, Financial Projections, lions, tigers, and bears... Oh my oh freaking my!! She adamantly insists that you write your company's business plan yourself because who better to make your company exactly what you dream it to be.

A section in the chapter informs the reader on deciding what type of company to set up, whether it be a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or variations of the three. Trademarking and choosing a perfect company name are briefly discussed, and hiring a business lawyer is greatly recommended. The chapter ends with a brief section informing the entrepreneur subjects including insurance, employees, hiring accountants etc.

The steps discussed in this chapter, I know, will be ridiculously difficult if I do not break them down into smaller tasks. So my goal for tonight is to break a few sections down and make a step by step list for myself. I will post it for here for everyone to see.

26 December 2009

Some Supplies

Hey Hey Everybody!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday!
Today I decided to post some pictures of a few of the supplies I use in making accessories. I apologize for the horrible photography; I am not a photographer at all!! lol
Also, I'm going to soon be reading some more in The Fashion Designer Survival Guide, and I will let you know the details.

'Till Later...




23 December 2009

First Chapter

Hey Hey!!

The informative first chapter of The Fashion Designer Survival Guide included several aspects and facts that persons thinking of beginning their own fashion line should know. Some of these facts include horror (HaHa) stories and statistics on how likely a new fashion company is to fail. Such as the Small Business Association statistic that at least 50% of new business fall out within their first year! Scary!!

Readers are let in on a little of what to expect when running your own fashion company-- how much money to expect to spend, how much time the designer will have to work, business sometimes is untrustworthy etc. Let's the reader know the truth about the industry, rather than filling our heads with glitter and glam.

Before reading, I was not truly aware of how important utilizing connections and keeping open relationships are to the success of a new line. Even if someone aproaches you with an offer you can not or do not want to use at the moment stay friendly and on good terms with them-- you may want to take them up on their offer sometime in the future. No bridge burning!! lol

This first chapter taught me several useful tips. Thanks Gehlhar!

Working on Dreams,
AM

21 December 2009

The Fashion Designer Survival Guide by Mary Gehlhar

Hey Hey Everyone,

About a year ago I ordered this book The Fashion Designer Survival Guide: An Insider's Look at Starting and Running Your Own Fashion Business by Mary Gehlhar with Foreword by Zac Posen. She is the Fashion Division Director of Gen Art. The book is supposed to tell you how to start your own fashion business; it is going to be one of my guides throughout this endeavor.
I've scanned a couple chapters, and it seems very informative. Hopefully, it will be a great asset. I am going to read a chapter tonight, and let you guys know how it goes.

Working on Dreams,
Anna Maria

Intro to Anna Maria and 365 Days to Runway

Hey Hey Everybody!!!

Just writing to introduce myself a little. My name is Anna Maria, and my degree is in Apparel Design and Textiles. I've in the fashion industry for a few years, with experience in New York City on an urban line and also have experience with a specialty line in Paris, France. For the past two years, I've been working miscellaneous jobs and surviving as a starving artist. (HaHa) Technically I've been avoiding working a "real" job ;-) because I enjoy the freedom of making my own schedule. I love it!!!

In the world today, television shows, magazines, and web-zines make the fashion industry out to be entirely beautiful and glamorous. Don't get me wrong, there are glamorous aspects in the industry i.e. celebrities, travel, art, but these are only a very small percentage of the whole. A beautiful clothing line doesn't just pop out of sketch over night. Blood, sweat, months of work, and many, many hands goes into creating each garment. Everyday I meet people that have no idea what the fashion industry truly is. Friends come up to me saying, "Hey, I saw this leather jacket on a movie, could you make one like it for me by this weekend?" which just happens to be only three days away. They do not realize how much work and time goes into creating a custom garment. Yes, yes, I know some of you are thinking about a certain runway show right now, and yes, I know they create their garments in just a couple days. However, you also notice that often the garments are left uncompleted, and I bet that if you turn those dresses inside out the finishing is most likely not up to par.

Since college I've been wanting to start my own clothing or accessory line, but haven't been able to keep myself focused on this goal. A local gallery and boutique does sell some of my art and my accessory "line." Quotations are placed around line due to the fact that the actual line is a very small amount of items that have yet to have the name made official. I am out to change this...

The blog will consist of my day to day journey of creating a fashion line from start to runway in 365 days. Every detail will be included from the more mundane aspects consisting of such things as fictitious names, legal, trademarks, and financing, as well as, the more creative parts that I personally consider more fun i.e. inspiration, sketching, finding models, and photo shoots. You will get the dirty and gritty along with the shiny and sparkley. My freak outs and my fashion highs. I hope you enjoy the ride, or at the very least, learn a little something.

Remember, 365 Days to Runway...

Working on Making Dreams Reality,

Anna Maria