So, on Sunday I had my first photo shoot for Ruby Charles! It was absolutely incredible and I felt like the luckiest girl alive. My great friend Heather Hawkins of Heather Hawkins Photographycame by and took some incredible behind the scenes photos. Take a look!
First Look: Ruby Charles Blue Label
Our accessories table.
The rack.
We stayed up all night getting the shot list in order and organizing the looks. I'm very grateful to my friends Fadzi Tawonezvi and Dorenda Johnson for helping me!
Fadzi, Dorenda, Toya, and I discussing the shoot while the girls were getting hair and make-up.
Hair artist Dee Dee Black working her magic on model Brianna Holt.
Model, Andrea Estrada, and natural hair artist, Elena Washington, having a laugh.
The amazing make-up artist Krystal King, CEO of Charm Make-up. She made my girls glow!
Me and the wizard, Marion Marshall. She was the coordinator on the shoot. I'm very lucky to have had a professional event planner and coordinator to organize everything.
Model, Andrea Estrada. She's incredible, and is actually a calligrapher.
Me and model, Khayshea. Also, very talented and gorgeous.
Andrea getting fixed up.
Dorenda fixing our bride's veil.
All of the girls together, that's the lovely Brianna on the far right.
Khayshea looking beautiful.
Khayshea in the Bardot gown.
Striking a pose.
Khayshea in the Beau top and the Bella skirt.
There was an amazing energy on the set. Everyone had a great time.
So, that's a sneek peek at the collection, I'll have the photos from the look book up by the end of the week. I hope for the next shoot I'm able to assemble an amazing team again! After Sunday's photo shoot I feel more confident than ever, and am looking forward to Swoon. Also, I just found out that Heather Hawkins photos are going to be featured on the The Bride's Cafeblog, it's our first press! Hopefully, there's more to come.
So, this week as I planned I met with Ellen, the woman who was going to connect me with her sewers. Before I got there I was under the impression that she ran a little factory or something, but she actually turned out to be a very skilled pattern maker, as well as a production coordinator/manager, and basically a connection to almost everyone in the Dallas apparel industry. Needless to say, I am beyond excited at all of the opportunities this presents; when the Ruby Charles line gains momentum and clients she can run my production and possibly take over patterns which would free up my time to focus on designing! Ellen is extremely knowledgeable and a total riot. What's even better is that she has introduced me to the woman who is currently producing the majority of my samples (I kept 3 to do myself, mostly because I didn't have them cut yet O_O), and she is beyond skilled! I dropped stuff off to her on Monday afternoon and when I went back Tuesday to drop off some elastic, she had finished 4 samples and handed them over to me to take back to the studio. Her name is Berta, she's fast AND her work is flawless.
A moment of pure bliss looking over my samples.
I spent hours slashing and spreading patterns and the clothes are nice and full, and moving just the way I wanted them to!
Ta-da! The "Beacon" top, I love it!
My photos this week are courtesy of the honorableMarion Marshall, or as I like to call her "The Wizard". She shared in my excitement and snapped some fun shots during my "moment of bliss". It's an amazing feeling to see the results of all the work I've been doing. I'm picking up the rest of the samples on Saturday or maybe even earlier at the rate that Berta is sewing, and then the photo shoot happens on Sunday! I'm pretty excited I've got a great photographer, professional hair and make-up artists, and some awesome volunteers! Oh, and I have a friend who's coming to do behind the scenes shots of the photo shoot so that will be really cool too.The only issue is that I've lost my 2nd model in a row. My first model got a part in a new Quentin Tarantino movie that's filming in Louisiana, and the 2nd is booked. So, I'm in a little bit of a scramble to find someone. I have a couple of prospects so I'm thinking it's going to work out! In the mean time I'm starting to sketch some new stuff, I'm hoping to have a summer capsule in at least 1 to 2 boutiques for the summer!
In The Mean Time: Edith Piaf
I've been listening to Edith Piaf all week, this is one of the only pictures of her I found where she was smiling.
Song of the Week: La foule by Edith Piaf
I'll be posting pictures of the photo shoot soon. In next few days I've got to finish getting my accessories together, as well as shoes,and pulling hair and make-up pictures. Then I've got to get my hang tags and labels ready, and then...tons more. I've also got a great friend who is going to help me with a couple of things for my booth at Swoon. I'm excited!!! Wish me luck!
So, this week I have purchased my fabric, my stamp and paper for my hang tags, and will finish cutting and deliver (if not all hopefully at least half depending on my $$$) to a sewing house for my very first Ruby Charles collection (the bridal line is Ruby Charles Blue Label by the way). I'm very excited and exhausted, but it ain't over til it's over, and I hope this will never be over. After the clothes are done I still have the photo shoot and Swoon, where I will hopefully pick up some clients! After that...let's just say there's A LOT more, it's exciting though. I have also started to receive some help in the marketing department so that is also really amazing and helpful, I'll be able to get the brand more exposure, and start participating in more events.
A beacon of light, Golden D'or Fabrics, they have nice stuff for good prices!
Endless....
Endless choices. It took me at least an hour and a half for each room and there a lot of rooms.
Did you know that you could sharpen your scissors by cutting layers of aluminum foil? It works!
Muhahahahaha! I was so happy when I got my stamp, I went a little crazy trying all of the different ink pads I got. I am very pleased. If you ever need a custom stamp made go to Acme Rubber Stamp . They're really sweet guys, and the prices are not bad at all.
Also, the play I've been doing costumes and props for, "Angela's Mixtape" is opening this week at the South Dallas Cultural Center. While it's been nice to work in theatre again, I'm happy it's winding down and that I can again put 150% of my focus back on Ruby Charles. Also, I have been working with a web designer to get the official website up, so that's another exciting something that's happening. Anyway, I must go to bed if I plan on being as productive as I would like tomorrow. Remember...
So it's getting closer to the time of my bridal line debut. I'm pretty excited about it, and am working hard to get everything together. I finally have a photo shoot organized with great people which is awesome, now all I need to do is finish the clothes!!! I've been searching for sample makers, and have an option that looks pretty good right now, but I shall continue to investigate. Tomorrow I'm going to get paper, and hopefully a stamp for my hang tags. I still have to make my labels. I found a very cool DIY way to do it on theFresh Vintageblog, so I'm very happy about that. In the mean time I'm also working on flats, marketing, and all of the other details that need to go into not only this upcoming show, but the building of my brand in general. It's rough, but the pay-off is a-gonna be gooood. I'll be posting pictures from the shoot soon! In the mean time here's my lullaby for the night and what I'm feeling for spring (it's getting warmer everyday!).
Love: A Good Maxi Skirt
Saw this on REFINERY 29, for me a maxi skirt and/or dress are staples. I've got a few for my Ruby Charles in the works.
Nails: Love Lavender
I'm definitely feeling lavender nails for spring. I grabbed this Essie version a few days ago.
Lullaby: Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight by The Spaniels
I'll keep you updated on my progress, and will be working hard until then. Let's hope and pray that I sell some dresses when this is all over. Buonanotte stelle!
Continuing Projects: The Bells Are Louder Than Ever.
So, since I've started working on my looks for the upcoming bridal show I've felt more inspired than ever! As I said before I hadn't really put serious thought in to doing bridal in a long time, and now that I'm doing it, it feels so good. I've of course looked around to see what some other bridal designers are up to and have fallen in love with the collection from French designer Delphine Manivet. All of her dresses are very whimsical, pretty, and chic. If I wasn't designing my own, I would definitely be buying hers.
In the mean time, I'm hard at work and very excited about what I'm doing at the studio. I've recently had some amazing conversations that were very encouraging and put some fears of mine about starting my own business at ease. So, with all of the continuing encouragement I'm getting, I'm feeling renewed and ready to keep moving forward, eyes to to skies *thanks guys* Also, the inspiration for my upcoming bridal capsule is sand dunes. Think about the line, volume, and movement and you'll see where I'm coming from.
Looking at these sand dunes reminds me of beautiful matte jersey billowing in the wind, dramatic, I am aware.
I would love to visit these some day.
I've been making several "to-do" lists, and am investigating getting a small spring/summer capsule in to a store...or 2. While I'm scheming and plotting I'll be listening to this...
So, in the past week aside from being hard at work on F/W 2012 patterns (I've finished quite a few!), I'm going to be showing a few pieces in an upcoming bridal show. I'm pretty excited about it, doing bridal has been a definite desire, and this show will give me an opportunity to explore that AND hopefully make a couple of pesos while I'm at it. Also, I've started freelancing with Elizabeth Anyaa and have met the crew for the play I'm working on- "Angela's Mixtape". Like I said before, things are looking up. Also, I'm going to be starting a campaign on Kickstarter soon so look out for that too!
Today after a bit of a break from working on my first collection for Fall/ Winter 2012 (and my blog obviously), I made a triumphant return to the workroom, and banged out a couple of patterns. I woke up at the crack of dawn (I have a new year's resolution to start maximizing my time) and headed over to the studio. I had a meeting this morning about doing some freelance work for an amazing textile designer, Elizabeth Anyaa. Which would be awesome, because I would still have time to work on my collection and earn a little extra $$$. I've also been recruited to design costumes for the Dallas Soul Children's Theatre, so things are looking up right now!
One must have all of the necessary supplies to be completely productive.
The mess of working.
And don't think I was completely unproductive during the holidays...I actually fit in a custom jacket for the lovely Victoria Meek, director of the South Dallas Cultural Center. She provided the gorgeous fabric that she bought in Senegal.
Did I mention that it's reversible?
I don't have much time left before my goal date for shooting the look book, so I'll be an early riser until it's done. Onward and upward!
