Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Personal Identity

For our final assignment of the semester, we had to create a personal identity package. I had to create a logo in Illustrator and then design this package using InDesign. I re-used and modified the "Style Eyes" logo from last project for the name of an Image Consultanting business.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

PC Merchandising Assignment #2: Fashion Show Event



 Had to create a fashion show event promotion package including our own brand logo and theme. I decided to create a theme around music and fashion, and my brand is called Style Eyes. 

Monday, November 15, 2010

Visual Merchandising: Mannequin Set up

Here's our stylish little mannequin! Each group had a theme to work with when developing their own styling technique. Our theme: Class Act. The inspiration boards included a lot of camel and neutral tones, since we were dealing with classic pieces. The outfit had to consist of three layers: dress, sweater and trench in our case. It was also important to incorporate a full outfit including shoes and other accessoires such as the necklace and purse shown above!


So once we steamed all the clothing and styled the mannequin, we had to choose an appropriate location for the Class Act theme. We chose the library, scanning some pictures from a Valentino book (fashion had to be included, somehow). This project was relatively easy. 

Visual Merchandising: Build-Up Display





 Above is my build-up visual merch project as part of my Store Planning and Merchandising course taken at Humber. It was fun developing this idea. I looked in my closet for possibilities and noticed that I had a this sorta candy theme going on. So I decided to incorporate red, yellow and blue gumballs and huge suspended lollipops to coincide with the overall colour story. Other than giving into inflation, (seriously, $7 for a lollipop? C'mon now) I loved working on this project. However, I do not plan my career around visual merchandising, unlike a few of the students in my program. 

Things I learned from doing this project:
1. When you display shoes, make sure the the heel is visible
2. It is important to develop a strong colour story and theme
3. Try and keep the background nutural so it does not take away from the merchandise
4. When developing a build-up display, make sure the merch is displayed in a "mountain" ( /\ ) formation
5. Carrying 8 lollipops around Toronto without cracking them is no easy task

My teacher really enjoyed my signage. It's a model in the middle of a gumball storm, so it suited the idea pretty well.

So my instructor also said she loved the display but she just wishes that I could have done a couple of things differently. The background and foreground colour creates contrast, taking away from the merchandise. Oops. I was actually trying to create contrast...I thought the overwhelming primary colours were strong enough to handle such a contrast. Apparently not! :) Hindsight is 20-20..

Monday, November 1, 2010

Trend Du Jour: The Scarf!


Yes it's that time again, bundle up for those cold winter months ahead. Nowadays though, the scarf is used as an opulent accessory rather than the obvious reason. There are numerous scarf trends this season! We got the loop scarf (shown above), the blanket scarf, the lengthy scarf in silk, wool and cotton. Solid colours as well as unique geometric and clean lined prints can be seen as well. Overall, the whole cowboy-esque way of wearing scarves is so five minutes ago you guys, like, really.
                                                            
                  
               

                                                           

Lady Gaga's Heartbeats



Isn't it great to be a famous...anything these days? The freedom of product development by celebrities is sweet. A lot of the stars choose the clothing line option, fragrance line, home decor, the list goes on. But Lady Gaga has come out with her own Heartbeats ear bud. The unique triangular shape represents three things that she cannot live without: love, fashion and writing. The ear buds retails for about $80 a pop, so needless to say, they best not disappoint eager users. I think Lady Gaga could come out with her own line of infamous meat dresses, slap her name on there and still succeed in multiple sale turnovers due to her millions of fans.

Let's just talk about sound quality for a minute. The biggest pet-peeve of musicians these days? Not that users can download their music for free, but the fact that their music is being listened to in such bad quality. Many of the .mp3 files that are downloaded are not top quality and the producer's hard work is not transpired to the file. SO sound quality is important to the musician's image and overall satisfaction of the user.

Reviews state that Lady Gaga's Heartbeats are not comparable to Dr.Dre's Beats earphones, but they do surpass the Apple iPod earphones (which happen to be my favourite as of now).

The design is ultra sleek and come in three different colours: white, black, and red, again tied in with the theme of her "must-haves."

If you have a bit of extra money lying around, I'd say go for it!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Monday = Internship Day!

Today I'm searching for fall trends, zeroing in on sequins. Yup, looks like sequins is here to stay for another two seasons anyway! After viewing Spring/Summer 2011 collections, sequins is in abundance in typical and classic colours such as grey, black and white, but also in new and exciting colours for that fresh Spring look. I've shopped hundreds (ok, maybe not hundreds) of sites, looking for top trends and favourite picks for zestypink.com. Here are my favourite "save", "spend" and "splurge" pieces of the day: Although I must pick the splurge option as my personal favourite. I love that kind of gradient/monochoromatic look.






 
  


How much sequins is too much? The time of major excess is gone and passed, but that doesn't mean you have to resort to pure minimalism when it comes to sequins. With that being said, rule of thumb is to focus ONE (1) aspect of clothing on sequins. For example, a sequined top with a pencil skirt -OR- a sequined pencil skirt with a top, not both. If you want to wear a full-on sequined dress, that's fine. Too many colours in your dress? Not a problem, balance it out with heels in a neutral shade if you feel too conspicuous. If your dress is a neutral hue, up the anti with the shoes and make a statement! (ie- white sequined dress with red heels)  

Friday, October 22, 2010

Fashion Faux Paux du Jour

Ok, this is..well should... be obvious. PLEASE wear the right size of pants ladies. Do you want to be associated with a muffin and/or muffin top? It's not great when your shape is the topic of conversation.

Jeanne Becker Said it Best!


I've just learned that powerhouse fashionista, Jeanne Becker has added the Humber degree of Applied Business-Fashion Management to her never-ending list of achievements. In another 2 and a half years we'll have that in common! The Eye Weekly article spoke about her life, focusing on her now 25 years with FT. She is such an icon for anyone pursing a fashion career, wherever they may be in the world. But, the thing that stuck out like a sore thumb to me was how the hell she managed to get where she is today.

"I mean, it’s very flattering that I made what I do look like so much fun that they want to do it, too. But it’s like, "Hey, you know what? This job didn’t exist before I started doing it — you have to blaze your own trail. And that’s another important message I want to tell the kids: it’s not about being like somebody else. I mean, yes, you can be like them in terms of your energy and passion, but in terms of really doing something, try and take it to the next level. I really don’t think we have enough original thinkers in this world and that sometimes worries me."


This really inspired and pretty much hit me like a ton of bricks (excuse the overused cliche). It's so true, there are so many successful people who "went off the beaten path" so to speak. Unfortunately, where I'm from, in order to be successful you need to become a doctor, teacher, nurse, engineer, etc, etc, etc. you know, the normal-everyday careers. Obviously, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with these choices, but what's wrong with going with the career choice you love? I find it kind of sad that people may give up on their dreams because they are not "attainable." After all, the typical person spends 50% or more of their lives working. And if you hate your job, welcome to hell. Seriously, is it worth it?  I'll leave on that note. Happy career hunting to those about to endure the tedious adventure.

Check out the full interview here
!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

LG FASHION WEEK: Lovas Show


LG Fashion Week is here folks! I was lucky enough to attend the Lovas Show tonight for free, compliments of my Event Planning class :) The video showcases the entire collection as the show comes to an end. Toronto Fashion Week does not display haute couture or identifiable labels such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton,  (the late) Alexander McQueen, etc so the majority of this week's fashion will be RTW. But, in some cases, that's great! You know there are some eager buyers in the room anxious to talk to and make deals with the designer for retail stores near you! So, that's something to look forward to. Also keep in mind that fashion years are ahead by 18 months, so each show showcases all trends before they happen. That's another great reason to watch a show; you're surrounded by future trends before they actually come to stores....beat them before they are mass marketed and be a fashion leader, not follower.

With that being said, Lovas gave off an excellent show..no hitches except they did not display the first two opulent, b-e-a-utiful pink gowns at the end of the show. Probably a dressing issue back stage. I know how hectic it can be dressing models from my experience last year, and models are literally running to get changed, clothes going everywhere and so on. But yes! Other than that, the show was great in my opinion. Looks like yellows, greys and sequins, sequins, sequins for those warmer months next year!

As for the venue this season. It took place at the Heritage Court (part of the Direct Energy building) in the Exhibition Centre, downtown Toronto...right across the road from last year's venue, the Allstream Centre. If it ain't broke then don't fix it!! I don't know what FDCC were thinking, really. I mean the atmosphere last year was so much more of a "luxurious" feeling than this year's. Although there were style booths, L'Oreal Paris booths, Barbie and Ken booths, V.I.P sections, etc - the same as last year, the feeling was just not the same for me. Note that the front of the building is all glass so guess what, if it's a beautiful sunny day outside, you're going to be struggling to see inside. This evening the sun was shining, causing squints and hand-over the-forehand actions. A lot of people seemed annoyed by this but I guess it's nothing a pair of sunglasses can't handle. It also creates problems for taking pictures and videos, as I see crewmen struggle with their cameras.




Monday, October 18, 2010

KOL FANS!!!! NEW CD RELEASE!!! COME AROUND SUNDOWN!!! TOO MANY EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!



Self explanatory title there guys. Kings of Leon's newest album hits stores tomorrow!! :) Not only does the cover entice you buy it, but the lyrical content and overall classic KOL sound forces you!

LG! Life's Good



It's that time again, fashion lovers! Toronto's LG Fashion Week kicks off today, October 18th and lasts until October 23rd.  Dress to impress tonight at 8PM: Holt Renfrew presents: Denis Gagnon, Jeremy Laing, Lida Baday, Line RUNWAY, Mikhael Kale, Pink Tartan, Smythe, Wayne Clark, Wings + Horns. Then at 9:30 Bustle rocks the runway. Check out the full schedule here!
Toronto too far away? No worries, LG Fashion Week got you covered wth live stream shows. Check it out!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Keep Your Eye on These Sites!

My new internship with Zestpink.com involves web marketing and scouring the web for top trends and fashionable sales. Here's a tip from piperlime.com, one of my favourite websites for everything fashion.


Check out these sites!
www.whowhatwear.com (my current browser homepage)
www.piperlime.gap.com www.stylehog.com
www.fashionmagnet.com
 
www.beyondtherack.com
www.zestypink.com
www.jakandjil.com

www.shopbop.com
www.womensweardaily.com (a must!)

Retail Signage Project

Newest PC Merchandising/Advanced Adobe Suite project: Retail Signing (received  94% :)).  Required to choose a lifestyle image (non-posed image of everyday activity) and a coordinating retailer. All work done in InDesign and Illustrator for vector image purposes. In order of appearance: cover page, lifestyle, conversational, price point and sale sign.





Sunday, September 19, 2010

Lauren Conrad's Impecable Style


Hasn't everyone fallen under Lauren Conrad's stylish spell? Her gorgeous wavy hair,  natural take on make-up, feminine and flowy style seen here on the September 20th issue of US Weekly. I'll just say that I'm not the type to pick up US Weekly or any other type of celebrity gossip column for that matter, but I bought this issue because of Lauren's article. I never see her sporting an outfit I didn't like yet. The picture above have a boho feel to it no doubt, but also notice the hair colour.  The whole, "I have no time to get my roots done" look is actually in. To steal the beauty's look (on a budget of course) try stores like H&M, Mango and Zara. 

  Escaping the boho look and aiming for the rock-star nighttime look, Lauren opts for this ensemble. Throwing a chunky knit vest over a tree and leggings is a modern way to update a classic style. Again, notice the beautiful wavy hair (I'm obsessed!). And since not everyone cause afford the luxuries of a red-soled shoe from Christian Louboutin ($625 a pop), you're going to have to get creative! Take a closer look, and notice the layered metal bracelets; accessories is a perfect way to complete this look. The outfit is "almost reminiscent of a '70s rock 'n' roll with those shaggy vests," says Conrad. And where would you wear it? "Definitely to see a band!" Good choice, good times. 

 I also like this simplistic, yet stylish look Lauren is aiming for in this photo. Layered jewellery with a simple and neutral tee is genius! Her flaw-less face is achieved by applying neutral tones to the eyes, while applying mascara on the diagonal, creating a fan look. Her signature winged eye-liner is a must of course, and her light pink blush and nude lips add for a au natural look. She changed her wavy hair for a more sophisticated bun. Pulling her locks into a ponytail, braiding it and then wrapping it around into a alluring bun. 
Side note: favourite quote of the article, "I find it bizzare that people are constantly applauding me for my constant sanity," or something along those lines.. funny stuff!  

Thursday, August 26, 2010

I'm Back in the CiTY Again!

After a 4 month hiatus (which really seemed like two weeks) I'm back in Toronto for another school year. I can't believe I only have two semesters left at Humber, then I'm finished! I'm currently looking for an internship with a focus on the following areas: public relations, magazine atmosphere or event coordination. I'm always searching for fashion related events going on around the city to add to my agenda, so stay tuned!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Final PC Merchandising Assignment: The Sweet Escape


Magazine spread. Do not underestimate the trials and tribulations of photoshop. Detail, detail detail....but it was fun at the same time since it was the last assignment of the year! Finished year one starting now : )

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Fashion History and Forecasting Trend Board

By choosing inspiration from either the "Key Largo" or "En Vie En Rose" themes, we were required to create a trend board depicting Spring/Summer '10 trends. As you can see, I chose Key Largo mostly because I'm in love the beach atmosphere. The board required 3D elements, raised pictures, at least five colours from the theme- all of which you had to name yourself. 

Friday, April 23, 2010

FAT - Fashion Alternative Toronto

So, after spending the last couple of days in LA surfing, exploring Hollywood and going to a NHL game, it's back to Toronto reality!
As a writer for Fash Mag, I'm going to be covering several runway shows during Fashion Alternative Week located on 1 Pardee Ave in Studio City. It's my first show acting as a media rep- gaining access to front row seats, free swag and not to mention free tickets to the show. I'm excited!


My Fash Mag Article


Fashion Alternative Week 
April 21st-25th 2010



Fashion Alternative Arts and Fashion Week is a fashionable playground, with over 50 runway shows, photography exhibits, video screenings, live bands, art installations and multi-media parties celebrating national and international leaders in design, music, arts and culture. Often abbreviated F.A.T for "Fashion Art Toronto," this year's universal theme was "Made With Love," surveying a different emotion each night. Toronto was the perfect location for this event because of its diverse culture and savvy fashionistas, and what a better place than Liberty Village's Studio City for the venue location. 2010 marked the fifth anniversary of F.A.T, as the event promised to be a hit with its unique dressing room project, an after party presented by Scion and its first ever designer sample sale. 

The event kicked off on April 21st, exploring the theme of "Longing" as DJ Adam Smith hit the sound stage. With three runway segments, and approximately five designers for each segment, it can be said that the audience members definitely fell victim to the night's theme. Beautifully constructed garments, intricate designs, and vibrant pops of colour by such designers as Melow by Melissa Bolduc,  Jasper Garvida and Mitra could be spotted on the runway. 
The second day's theme was all about "Lust" where 13 sultry and seductive runway were showcased throughout the night. Among the talent was a lingerie line by Diepo, fetish inspired collections by Fashion Whore, feminine and contemporary women's wear line by Jessica Mary Clayton and a provocative line by Magpie to name a few. 


April 23 featured 12 edgy, conscious and conceptual collections inspired by the night's theme called "Rage". The collection, Dystropolis by Wendy NG was inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland, a world full of contradictions: "innocent girlhood and conscientious womanhood; love and hate; rage and joy; black and white; broken and healed." This collection includes dark gothic designs, huge platforms, full length trench coats made in faux fur, leatherette, PVC, lace, vinyl, chiffon, metal beading, zippers and buckles to create a sense of order in chaos. Female models wore mid-calf length platforms, leather dresses and opulent hair pieces. Male models opted for head-to-toe leather with big, bold shoulders. A non-traditional and eco-friendly collection by Vancouver based label Sans Soucie was also displayed. Pops of green, yellow and white in all natural fabrics cannot help but to affect all sense of smell, touch and feel of nature. The ruffles, natural designs, feminine pleats and colours transport you to a serene paradise. With all the focus being on the environment and "go green" campaigns, it is only natural to be inspired by your outdoor surroundings.
"
The final day of FAT concentrated on the emotion of "Joy." Finally a breath of fresh air after the last three days of longing, lust and rage. 



Friday, April 16, 2010

All About Colour Assignment



My second last assingment for PC Merchandising: a magazine ad. As you can see, we were required to
chose a colour and create an overall theme.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

LG FASHION WEEK!!!


I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer for FDCC's LG Fashion Week Beauty by L'Oreal Paris (what a mouthful eh?) this year! I am now reminded as to why I'm in the fashion industry. The show looks so well put together and organized, but backstage you'll see the industry's true colours:  a fast-pased, multi-tasking frenzy... or what I like to call, a total rush.
The huge, very high end venue's location was The Allstream Centre at Exhibition Place downtown Toronto. Although I have volunteered for fashion shows before, I have never experienced anything quite like LG Fashion Week.
So with that being said, you're probably picturing me in this glamours, "lights. camera. action" kind of atmosphere, but until the actual show it was quite the opposite. And truly, that's what you can expect when you volunteer- you're at the bottom of the food chain so to speak, so get ready to be ran off your feet! Do not get discouraged though, you have to start somewhere, right?! Even the mundane or trivial tasks must be taken seriously, then you will be. Simple as that.
First of all, as a volunteer you had the choice to work in either the backstage atmosphere or the fashion environment, I was lucky enough to work in both exciting areas. Day 1 I was working in the fashion environment where my duties pre-show included tasks from gift bagging,  to signing in backstage designers and models,  to even making sure the water coolers were full of water. Basically if you were a voluteer, you're probably going to be passed around like a hot potato to complete necessary tasks. During the show myself and a few of my other volunteer friends were responsible for media personal admittance, which should have came with a caution: blisters may appear on the feet due to long hours standing. Thank god for my knee-length boots! I'm not sure I could have survived in my high-heels at that time (unfortunately). The advantage of this, of course, was that we could take a peak during the actual fashion show and see the VIP reception area first hand...that was pretty cool, I must admit. One of the shows incorporated celebrities as their models. Canadian stars such as 90210's Jessica Downes, olympic skaters, television talk show hosts, Keisha Chante (as seen in the picture above if you look closely), Hilda from Sabrina the Teenage Witch (remember that show?) and many more that I had no clue who they were.


So the next day I was pulled from my fashion environment hot potato duties and designated in the backstage area where I got to dress models for the runway! This is what you call fast-paced. If you think about it, there may be 20-ish models in the show while there are around 40-ish outfits. Getting everything right, right down to the belt buckle, to the accessory placement was key. The designers were very picky, and who can blame them really-they have a rep to uphold!  I dressed models for Coccolily, BASCH by Brandon, Lucian Matis(!!!), RUDSAK, David Dixon and Bustle. Probably my favourite part of my whole volunteering experience was seeing Fashion Television's Jeanne Becker in person! That was awesome.
Bustle marked the end of fashion week for this season, but I definitely look forward to September's show!









 

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Frugal Fashion Week's "Burlesque Baby" Event


March 25th marked this year's third event for Frugal Fashion Week. This month's event called "Burlesque Baby" featured sick burlesque performances by Aradia Fitness - North America's leading pole dancing and sensual fitness company- as well as three fashion shows that were all cabaret inspired.


Prior to the show, backstage was like a red bull infused oxygen tank since makeup artists, volunteers(myself included), models and photographers kept the energy alive. As you can plainly see from the picture to the right, makeup artist Tammy Wong and photographer Gwen Brydson rock peace signs and candid faces no doubt.

What better way to kick off an event with some pole dancing fun! Aradia's pole dancing instructors wowed the audience with their impressive pole skills, being the envy of everyone in the room-men included! I was lucky enough to watch the practice run before the event and was honestly amazed (and yep, jealous) of their ability to create such tranquil, muscle-enforced movements. They have to live at the gym to maintain that type of physical strength.

Vintage fashion inspired designers, Yvette Le Roy and Dia Kingly took to the catwalk as the DJ coincided with his vintage music tastes. To the right you'll see the beautiful models strike a pose in Yvette Le Roy's designs. Even though these designs are nice from a distance, up close you could actually see the seams falling apart. The dresses are nice as I said, but a far cry from "haute couture" or even basic retail sales. Oops, did I say that out loud? Sorry...

As dressers hustled to transform each model from Yvette Le Roy to Dia Kingly, the audience was entertained by yet another Aradia instructor- but this time they retired the pole and opted for a chair dance routine.

Dia Kingly's designs included a lot of animal print and black dresses, quite reminisant of the WhoWhatWhenWEARWhy designs. Below is an example, but the light has created an interesting sliver tint, differing from its actual appearance of black fabric.

                            
The best (in my opinion) was of course saved for last, Cabaret Vintage! High, high, high quality vintage clothing was rented from the Cabaret Vintage store located at 672 Queen Street West. Be sure to check out the link provided, there are some really great collections! From little black dress, to vintage RTW, to vintage glamour- the list goes on and on. FFW's main focus was placed on white dresses in particular, creating a classic and elegant feel as the night wore down.


Sadly, this was my last volunteer event with FFW (until August/September, anyway) since I'm moving elsewhere this summer :'( But be sure to check out Frugal's future events-remember, every last Thursday of the month!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Rising Canadian Designer, Angela DeMontigny

[My third article for SJFW - Check out the online article here!]


'SKINS & STONES adorn my bones and my style is what defines me' 


My third article for San Jose Fashion Week allowed me to get up close and personal with one of Canada's fastest rising designers. Inspired by native culture and women’s contemporary lifestyles, designer Angela DeMontigny is making a fundamental mark in the fashion industry. Almost 13 years ago, DeMontigny recognized the unmet potential for Aboriginal designs and went with it. Such an opportunity allowed her to not only incorporate the artistic traditions she had learned growing up, but to interpret these elements in a modern way.

Angela started sketching at the age of 12 and was engulfed in the fashion industry, whether it was through reading the latest fashion mag or creating her own designs- she loved every aspect. She feels that fashion is about personal expression, “[fashion is] a way of expressing the many aspects of an individual through clothing.” She also feels it is important to include a specific and effective message in each of her collections. “It changes from each collection,” she states, “but usually the message is that you can dress yourself as a strong, modern person in a way that fits your personality and lifestyle.”
Edginess and elegance intertwine with cultural Chippewa-Cree-Métis elements in all of DeMontigny’s intricate designs, while her trademark is hand painted symbols and beaded accents-an inherent skill that has been handed down from her native ancestors for hundreds of years. Only the finest leathers, suede and sheerings from Italy, Spain and France are used to develop the finished garment. Whether you are in the market for men or women’s clothing, DeMontigny got you covered, literally. Her latest collection incorporates her favorite trend of this season, rocker chic. Leather, lots of metal studs and hardware, fringe and various fur garments can be seen in her clothing line. The unique concept of Angela’s designs is that they are extremely wear-able. They have a slight ‘edge’ or sexiness to them but at the same time, they are appropriate for the office, comfortable and possess a certain je ne sais quoi that adds to the versatility of the clothing. What else could you ask for?

Angela’s success has flourished throughout the years, and her designs have gotten a lot of coverage already in 2010. Most recently at the Aboriginal Fashion Week, she produced and debuted her new collection in Vancouver, BC during the first week of the Olympic games. One of Angela’s proudest moments to date was when Canadian Native Olympian, Waneek Horn-Miller sported a diamond gorget created by DeMontigny. She believes, “the diamond piece will kick start a legacy fund for Aboriginal Youth in design."

Angela DeMontigny Clothing and Accessories can be found in boutiques in major city centers including Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary. Her designs are also sold internationally in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and in USA. She currently has two specialty boutiques in the US, one in Wyoming and Colorado, however she plans to expand in the near future.  


“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” This quote certainly relates to the success of Angela DeMontigny as she paves the road for aspiring Aboriginal designers everywhere.