CRS 231 - Blog #9 - How Has The Housing Crisis Affected Home Fashion Retail?

How Has The Housing Crisis Affected Home Fashion Retail?

There has obviously been a decrease in people buying homes in 2008 and will probably continue into 2009. So where does this leave Home Fashions? I believe that people are starting to realize that if they are buying a new home, why buy new stuff? THey are narrowing down their priorities to the main needs in our human life. Eating, drinking, having a roof over our heads, and have a shirt on our back. Of course home fashions is something that we all hope will stay around and is part of the fashion industry but it has become apparent that it is a luxury to have and sometime luxuries must be the first to go.

CRS 231 - Blog #8: The Challenges of Apparel Retail

The Challenges of Apparel Retail

With the economy like it is, it is hard to say whether apparel will be the next market to fall. There are always challenges within each market in our world. The apparel market is one that features a good many. The main challenges are just getting people to get out there and buy clothes they love again. Of course people go out during the busy time such as Christmas and Back To School. But it is hard to get people to come back during the slower times. And the right promotion is really the key. Along with sales because everyone loves sales.

CRS 231 - Blog #7: Sweatshops

Sweatshops

Sweatshops have been around for a very long time. They are used by large companies such as Nike, to produce their goods for cheaper prices and the people that make the goods are put into horrible conditions and pay. There is a part of me that wishes we could just sweatshops all together. But then I realize that this is not about the people making the clothes to the companies. They want to find the cheapest possible way to make their apparel and goods. I know that it's about business not about life. Which should always come first. Especially when there are people are being put through horrible conditions and not get paid enough to feed their families. It is almost like these people are second class citizens to whoever they are working for. Their lives are not coming first and that should be the first thing.

CRS 231 - Blog #6: Milan Fashion Week / Art or Usability

Milan Fashion Week: Mixing Art & Usability

this Milan Fashion Week proved to be as excited, new, and innovative as the years past. what stuck out the most to me the most was seeing that the designers could create art but also make that art wearable. Versace had to be my favorite. Karl Lagerfield created hearts with zippers which is an ingenious idea (shown above). Fendi went very futuristic and technologic with their collection and Dolce & Gabbana turned what you sleep in to what you wear everyday. taking pajamas to a whole new level. I think that art is the main focus in any designers mind. the art always comes first when I think of new designs. then you modify the art to make it wearable. I think that is just the fact that people have different opinions on what is wearable and what is not. everyone has a limit to what they will and will not wear. Milan Fashion Week not only shows new and exciting clothes but a canvas that the designers have painted on that shows their creativity and style.

picture: http://www.style.com

CRS 231 - Blog #5: Inspiration

my inspiration

inspiration, for myself, has always come from things, ideas, music, movies, or anything else that intrigues me or keeps my attention. as of late, i have been very interested in what dress will look like in the future and have been making designs that i could see 10 years from now. a lot of old cartoons have been my inspiration for these sketches. especially "The Jetsons." it's a classic cartoon but the styles within the cartoon are still futuristic and new. I also get tons of inspiration from music. music is something i listen to everyday and am constantly looking for new music to listen. I can just picture the clothes in my head when listening to the music. I also love working with non-traditional materials. I first loved designing when I participated in a project runway type thing at Catawba College, where I transferred from, here are two of my favorite pieces that took much time to make but it was all worth it in the end...

CRS 231 - Blog #4: Ethnic Influences On Apparel Design

Picture Address: http://www.gwenstefani-fan.info/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/gwenharajukulover.bmp

CRS 231 - Blog #3: Main Trends Of The New York Fashion Week

New York Fashion week (Spring 09) proved to be very interesting this year. Many designers chose very different colors this year. Calvin Klein (shown above) went for some very geometrical designs this time around which I absolutly love. Other designers such as Donna Karan chose to show the woman as strong but still wearing more loose fitted fabrics. Overall New York Fashion week kept my attention fully and being able to see so many new and different styles and trends has made me so excited to start checking out Paris Fashion Week.

CRS 231 - Blog #2: Organic & Environmental Friendly Clothing

American Apparel

Many companies have started to become more environmentally friendly with their products. American Apparel is one of those companies. They have already started producing and selling their apparel in organic cotton for the same price as their regular cotton styles. This is a great start to a more healthy apparel industry. American Apparel (AA) is a fashion forward, trendy, young clothing store. It is very basic with very little graphics on shirts or hoodies. This also makes the company very unique. They sell everything from baby tees to gold lame jackets. Some of their apparel is purchased by other companies who monogram their shirts with graphics. AA is all produced in L.A. California. The dying, making, and selling of the apparel. AA wants to slowly keep adding organic cotton in other styles and colors. Why spend the same amount on a shirt that you can buy that is organic and not sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals. I think if other companies started this trend not only would the fashion industry be 'going green' but the whole earth would as well.

CRS 231 - Blog #1: My Favorite Designer

Miu Miu

My favorite designer would have to be Miuccia Prada. Specifically with her brand Miu Miu. I really love this brand because the styles are so creative, young, and almost couture like. But they also are very wear-able. The name ‘Miu Miu’ comes from the designers nick name. It is less expensive than its mother brand, Prada. But it does have meaning to Miuccia Prada. The line was inspired by her personal wardrobe of earthier, hippyish garments in natural fabrics and colors. There are Miu Miu boutiques all over the globe in New York, Paris, Milan, London, Tokyo, Florence, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Kobe, Hong Kong, Taipei, and Singapore; they also have plans for boutiques in Boston and Los Angeles in 2008. Miu Miu’s first menswear shop opened in 1998 in Los Angeles which was also their first boutique in North America.  In 2002, Fabio Zambernardi, who joined Prada in 1992, was appointed Design director for Miu Miu and Prada. In 1993 Miuccia won the Council of Fashion Designers of America International Award for the Prada brand. This was in part done by the clean, stylish designs, fine materials, and exquisite craftsmanship put into her Miu Miu line. She now shows Miu Miu and Prada twice a year in Milan.