Holiday Partying and Plaid

CREATED/ PURCHASED/ PRESS SAMPLE*/ LINKS

I went to two holiday parties this week, one for my gallery and the other the Two Point Oh! LA Snowball.
The Big Red Coat came out for a spin and garnered lots of praise at the Snowball.

*necklace c/o InPink, similar

To brag a little, I did a great job tailoring this coat. It has swagger and feels like a royal robe. (Severo said I looked like the Ghost of Christmas Past -- whatever). I designed, draped, and sewed it as one of my Senior projects at Otis in '87.
I'm glad I kept it!

The Snowball was a blast. Kelsi found a great venue and themed it Prom Twin Peaks.

Kelsi -- don't you love her plaid silk dupioni dress?
She designed it and Inka of ISM Mode made it.

Note the live band behind her:
Danny Memphis and the Extraordinaires.
They played lots of Elvis covers.

Emily in a dress with cutouts and Audrey in metallic lace

Erik won the most plaids in one outfit award:

I was mesmerized! I hope he didn't think I was stalking him, I took a lot of pictures.

I have much more to share on the Snowball -- the pinatas, my live sketches, wild dancing.
We'll have to wait -- I still have my Plaid ID post that I promised you!

I'm linking up with Sacramento's Share In Style Christmas and Patti's Visible Monday.

Also on the IFB Project #126, Celebration Style roll

Have you been to any fun Holiday parties this year? Did you wear plaid?
There's still time to join my plaid party! Any sort of plaid outfit is welcome.
Most images with a URL can be linked. Facebook (make your photo public!), Instagram (use Webstagram -- won't work directly from IG) Photobucket, maybe even Google+ (no).

Tie Dyed -- Zoe in ISM Mode

CREATED/ LINKS/

top here
skirt here

art print here

"Anne the SpyGirl" Shop on Society6

I've opened a shop exclusively for my fashion sketches on Society6

[earlier iteration of sketch]
ISM Mode F/W13 Plaid Top
direct link to sketch on Society6 

A widget is now stationed on the sidebar, for your shopping convenience.

For anyone curious about starting their own business selling digital prints, I'm really pleased with the quality and service of Society6. I set up my fine art prints shop there in 2010.

I like the fact that you can add what profit you'd like to make on your work for the prints on paper.

[now you know my markups]

They also offer pieces framed, which I haven't yet sampled. (Almost did for my upcoming show, but then decided I didn't like the framing options). They fulfill the order and payments are through PayPal.

Sizing is dependent upon the size of your original jpg. If you're particular about color matching and output dimensions, then this wouldn't be a good place to use as a service bureau. I've had some "interesting" size issues happen -- especially with a cupcake image that I had to shrink and reorder because the first version was scary big (cupcakes the size of cauliflower heads? No thank you).
Other drawbacks are: not knowing who buys your work, canvas print prices are not adjustable (this one really irks me), and the paper is super heavy and rolled (how it comes for the printing process) so it's impossible to "float" your image when framing.

They keep adding new substrates and products that they print -- the latest is pillows.
I just ordered an iPhone case and I'll tell you what I think when I get it (soon I hope).
The site also has a whole "social" aspect, with "Loves" and "Follows" and all that.

Note: I was not compensated by Society6 for this post.
But if you buy art from me over there, then I will certainly make some money!

EPIC LA Eco Fashion Show. part 2

Echo Park Independent Co-op [EPIC] hosted a fashion show on 3/14 featuring SOLDAT, ISM Mode, Hovey Lee and PERI. 
In Part 1, I was positioned along a display wall...

I was in the middle of drawing this girl in the crowd:

"Excuse me, but you're going to have to move. You're too colorful."

And so I was relocated from my excellent spot near the model platform to an area near some clothing racks where I could see the models for a minute or two as they posed. I was so rattled that I left my "camera" (phone) on a shelf and couldn't retrieve it until after the show. The sketching suffered. I did what I could [apologies to Hovey Lee -- I didn't realize what your segment was showcasing until after your scene was over]:

SOLDAT

ISM Mode

PERI

I could rant on and on, I'm still very annoyed. However, I will be gracious and act like a lady.
It was unfortunate, my creativity was hampered -- but the show wasn't "about" me, was it. I understand.
Next time, I will dress "more professionally" and wear Suzy Menkes Black.*
And if I'm STILL asked to move, I will know that it's for other, uglier reasons.

I'm linking up with Patti's Visible Monday -- she appreciates a stand out look.

*I'm referencing this post by Suzy Menkes, "The Circus of Fashion"

EPIC LA Eco Fashion Show. part 1

Echo Park Independent Co-op [EPIC] hosted a fashion show on 3/14 featuring SOLDAT, ISM Mode, Hovey Lee and PERI.
There was also a subsequent Trunk show to benefit Somaly Mam, which I was unable to stay for.

Ruth was my +1, and she was a most vivid vision!

Here she is with Renee Hall, of Cottontails Inc

Then she struck some poses with Janet Tracy Keijser, of Indie Star Style

The crowd gathered by the runway in anticipation of the show...

We interrupt our coverage of the event to take a deep breath and have a cup of c/o tea

siptea was included in our goodie bag. I got oolong, Ruth got jasmine.

The full array of goodies:
Rabbit graphic bag from EPIC
Beauty Minerals from Akua Auset
Wooden ring from Holland Design Studio
SAFE copper chain bracelet
"I am bio-degradable" tee from PERI
Luna bar
Shampoolio product (lip balm, I think)
EPIC lip balm
siptea oolong
Discount cards from Radiant, ISM Mode, and Hovey Lee
A big "thank you" to all the companies that gifted us. You are very generous.

More about the runway show after a brief interruption... make that tomorrow...
I need to chill more so that I don't rant!

Meanwhile...
Don't you love EPIC's rabbit graphic?

Owls are so 2010, foxes are so 2012...
I know it's The Year of the Snake, but I vote for the Rabbit as the next "It" animal!

Los Angeles Fashion Council Fall 2013 Collections Day One

I met up with Heather of The Style Confessions and Amy of A Sunny Day In LA outside of 838 So Los Angeles for the Los Angeles Fashion Collections shows, hosted by the Los Angeles Fashion Council. The venue, in downtown LA, was a beautiful space to view the collections of ISM Mode and Sarine Marie.

free lunch!

First sketch. That's Sarah of 365hangers on the right [but not in the sketch].
I don't know the name of the gal I sketched.

The ISM Mode presentation:

The "backstage" dressing room was upstairs.
The models sidled elegently down the staircase.

My favorite piece from ISM Mode: 1/2 dyed striped skirt

One of my ISM Mode sketches

Designer/owner Inka Sherman after taking her bow.

Between shows, we took a coffee break (no pix) next door in the Cooper Building.
Then, returning to 838...

Heather gave me some classic Style Confessions poses --
it took me a while to catch on to what exactly she was doing!

People watching...

Ms Sassy!

Cindy worked the room for 1st Class Fashion

The Sarine Marie presentation:
I stood and sketched almost every look.
[I'll do a recap of all my runway sketches in a separate post -- very happy with the results].

the ruffle sleeve sheath

Sarine Marie Berberian, designer/owner.

The shows over, I got this one last shot of some manly color blocking:

Thank you LAFC for a wonderful time!
I wish I could return today to see SOLDAT, 8000 Nerves, and Odylyne.
Alas, I already had a prior meet up scheduled at LACMA... but ya never know, plans could change!

"About Los Angeles Fashion Council:
Los Angeles Fashion Council was founded in 2011 by Kelsi Smith, to promote, educate and support Los Angeles fashion designers through shows, show rooms and other retail and promotional projects in Los Angeles, nationally and internationally.
Designers are selected by our team, and must be L.A based, in business for one year and have produced a minimum of two collections. There are no fees for designers and participation in any of our programming is either free or at cost price." [from LAFC press release]