Smashing Darling Blog

My favorite, Papierdoll, all this week is posting fashion predictions and recapping 2007 for us all. It is great, because they aren’t your run of the mill.  The first, expert papierdoll turned to is by Lauren Sherman, fashion writer for Forbes. Sherman’s predictions weigh heavy on the minds of the business intelligentsia as fashion investors might look to her crystal ball statements and double down on fashion companies she deems worthy.[...]So what does Sherman have to say?

Minimalism will be in, in a big way. She uses the example of:

“gray jeans with a lemon yellow belt or an oversize blazer with a sports watch”

The Second, Cathy Horyn’s predictions for 2008. Reading Horyn’s tea leaves is particularly hard since she rarely makes overt mentions or prognostications of what to look forward to in the seasons to come. What I did was take a snapshot of some of her blog quotes to get a read on what she believes will be runway-worthy next year. By no means are these official prognostications from Horyn, it’s a Tim Russert-like effort to use her statements as to what she would like to see in 2008:

In regards to a trip Horyn took to Berlin where she found that certain fashion stores along a street were devoid of advertising displays. December 24, 2007 Horyn says:

We discovered things in nearly every shop we went into, but I can’t remember a name of a single place. These were not big-name stores, anyway.[...]

Today’s Post is about Ten Disappointing Moments in 2007. This is what they are saying: 2007 was a year of change in fashion. Several designers shifted their employment from one house to another, several designers left the scene altogether, and an even larger batch decided to go out on their own. While we abhor top ten lists, we couldn’t resist creating our 10 disappointing fashion moments of 2007. Being the [...]

So keep checking in to see what the rest of the week will bring us from Papierdoll’s recaps and predictions.

This article is music to my ears. I have been an indie designer doing one-of-a-kinds and small runs of production for 15 years. It is about time that the media start to praise the fact that good things come to those who wait.

By Craig Wilson, USA TODAY

Every year around this time, prognosticators love to tell us what’s going to happen next year.

Not to disappoint, a trend-spotting group at JWT, one of America’s largest ad agencies, already has compiled its list of the 10 new trends it sees popping up in 2008. The growing power of women. Blue (think sky and sea) being the new green when it comes to the environment. Tequila replacing wine as a cheaper, trendier alternative. Just to name a few.

I’ll confess I’m not much good at trend-spotting. Blasphemous, I know, in this hip and happening world, but by the time I recognize a trend, it’s pretty much over. I’m not sure what I’m doing in the meantime, but give me a break. These things happen quickly.

My theory is this: Why get all worked up about something that will be history before my next haircut?

So I was pleased to see the JWT trendmeisters list one trend for the new year that I think might actually be worth investigating. They call it “Rethinking Instant Gratification.”

According to the experts, ” ‘Custom-made and one-of-a-kind’ will rise above the mass-produced din of ‘now.’ Marketers are asking for commitment from consumers who’ve become accustomed to flitting from one product to another for quick fixes.”

                                                                                                                                                         Read the rest of the article here.

First of all, I have to thank Lesley at Fashiontribes for posting and asking her fabulous community to vote for Smashing Darling in the Open Web Awards! With the help of her loyal fans and readers who voted for us, we finished in second place! Now I will give you a bit from Fashiontribes Best of 2007, you will have to pop over to the blog to read the rest of the scoop.

Bags, Bobs & Blogs: The Top 10 Best Fashion Moments (& Trends) of 2007

#1 THE BLOGGERS WEAR PRADA

After Time Magazine so famously proclaimed all of us the person of the year for 2006, it helped confer legitimacy on content created by blogs (at a fairly steady rate of 1.6 million fresh new posts daily, according to Technorati).

#2 PSST! GOSSIP GIRL

When Sex & the City ended, you feared the worst: that there might not be such fun & fab style like that again on the small screen. Until the surprise appearance of an unbelievably fashionable and addictive show, tailor-made for fashionistas - and incredibly trendsetting.

#3 MARC JACOBS STIRS IT UP AT HIS SPRING 2008 SHOW

From staging his fashion show in reverse, to the ultra-sheer garments, vintage-inspired bags with a roomy coin purse affixed to the outside, and those crazily reconfigured shoes, Marc Jacobs knows how to create a stir.

#4 REESE WITHERSPOON SHINES AT THE 2007 GOLDEN GLOBES Flaunting her newly single status in a cheery lemon yellow Nina Ricci frock and a chic new layered bob, Reese Witherspoon probably single-handedly helped spark the recent craze to crop.

#5 iPHONE RINGS
As the #1 googled term of the year, this tiny gadget created giant buzz.

#6 KATE MOSS ROCKS HIGH WAISTED JEANS
Although this photo was actually taken toward the end of 2006, the full impact became clear in 2007.

#7 POIRET: KING OF FASHION RULES AT THE MET COSTUME INSTITUTE
Attended by almost every fashion world A-lister, this Balenciaga-sponsored look at the man known for the iconic silhouette who liberated the ladies from restrictive corsets, created scandalous pantaloons.

#8 ZAC POSEN TOTES FOR TEACHERS For every one of these totes sold, DHL will donate 100% of the proceeds to Teachers Count, an organization dedicated to creating a permanent culture of teacher appreciation.

#9 SIENNA MILLER CLUBS SANDWICHES NOT SEALS
Instead of clubbing us over the head with her views (hello Pam Anderson), Miller makes it chic to care (and wear message hoodies)…because every Club Sandwiches Not Seals hoodie sold benefits the Humane Society and their efforts to end the seal hunt.

#10 CHRISTIAN DIOR SPRING 2007 COUTURE SHOW DAZZLES
One of the great joys on the fashion calender is John Galliano’s theatrical extravaganza for Christian Dior Couture. Although his collections have enjoyed an uneven reception over the years by critics and the fashion press, like the actual shows, they are extravagant, fabulously entertaining…and never boring. However this stunning collection of Madame Butterfly-influenced prints,…..read more about all of these stories here.

We do have the best community! We have to thank everyone that voted and passed it on! This is the first time Mashable is hosting the Open Web Awards and we were very excited that Smashing Darling was nominated. It has been a frenzied 8 days since this whole thing started for us.  Mashable had to email us to let us know because we didn’t even realize we had been nominated. With everyones support we made it to third place in the first round out of 10 websites. In this final round with a lot of competition we still made it to second place! So WOO HOO!

We hope you have a wonderful holiday,

whatever you may celebrate!

-The Darlings

links to start shopping:

1. Whosiepie, $25.00 (sample sale ending today at 3:46pm EST)

2. Lake, $135.00 

3. Wonderdog NYC, $34.00

4. Willow Tree Vintage, $245.00 

5. Anne De Pasquale,  $280.00

6. Catalina De La Torre Jewelry, $110.00 

Smashing Darling is in second place and still climbing in the Mashable Open Web Awards! Voting for Smashing Darling means voting for the whole indie design community. I want to say thank you our friends at DIYthing and Spork Fashion for helping us get the word out! So do your part, take 3 seconds out of your busy day to GO VOTE! Look for Category Social Shopping, Click on Smashing Darling, Cast Your Vote and you are done! Then help us get the word out anyway you can, blogging, texting, emailing, and chatting! Voting ends 9:00pm PST Thursday Dec. 20th.

Thanks to everyone that voted for us in the Mashable Open Web Awards. We Made it to the Final Round! So you know what this means don’t you? We need you to take 3 more seconds out of your day to GO VOTE again! We Promise this is the last time!

A VOTE for SmashingDarling in the Open Web Awards is a common vote for the entire Indie community online!

WHEN: NOW! Voting Ends Thursday December 20th, 9pm PST

WHY: Because the indie design community needs you to SHOUT IT OUT - SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT - PASS IT ON

HOW: Click Here. Scroll down, Look for Category: Social Shopping. Click the CIRCLE next to www.smashingdarling.com. Click Cast Your Vote

It is as easy as 1,2,3! Think about how much time you waste trying to remember what it was you were supposed to do. This is much quicker and I am telling you exactly how so you don’t have to remember! So GO VOTE now before you forget!

Just in case you aren’t familiar with the site and are wondering what it is all about we have a fabulous manifesto for you to read at your leisure. If you don’t have time for that, I have included a few words from some of our fans.

What they are saying:
click here for more!

“You won’t ever understand the allure of indie fashions until you buy and wear something distinct, fabulous and hard to find. Then and only then will you get why indie fashion rules the roost…they are on to something….
- Papierdoll
“Smashing Darling, my new favorite site to shop, drool, quiver etc over amazing indie fashion finds.”

- PR Couture

Your help in spreading The good word and blogging about this is SMASHING and most appreciated.

Todays interview is with the wonderful Andres, his store on Smashing Darling is called DRES. He sells his very cool injected rubber belts. We love him because of his absolute steadfast determination to stay true to himself by remaining an independent always different individual.

SD: When did you realize you wanted to be a fashion designer?

ATS: I grew up traveling. My parents were the jet set. My mom was a travel
agent and I her protégé. At age 7 my favorite TV program was
“Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”, and my magazine subscription was
to “Architectural Digest.” I wanted to design and create everything in
sight. I wanted the power of branding.

SD: What is your earliest fashion memory?

ATS: The day Mom let me shop at Cinderella’s. It was, in my head, the
trendiest store in Metro Manila, or the Philippines. Before then my
mother would buy all my clothes at the supermarket. My shirts smelled
like the meat department. You can imagine what they looked like.

SD: Where did you study? What was your major or specialization?

ATS: I went to Skidmore College to major in Business and minor in Studio
Art. I aced all my art courses and struggled through business, mainly
accounting. Advertising and marketing were fun. My art concentration
was in Graphic Design. My parents were always concerned about what I
would do after graduation. I made the transition from graphic to
fashion design at Polo/Ralph Lauren, my first job out of Skidmore.
Since then I have been taking classes and seminars at the Fashion
Institute of Technology.

SD: Where do you turn for inspiration for your designs?

ATS: I turn inside. My happiest dreams are of a fashion show. Images and
ideas flash rapidly before my eyes. It’s a type of meditation. Other
inspirations for me are nature and travel.

SD: On Smashing Darling, you sell primarily cool rubber belts, can you tell us a bit about how and where they are made?

ATS: My belt story can be classified as a horror and an adventure. My
brilliant idea was to work with a Chinese manufacturer from the start.
We met over the internet. Each rubber belt is injection molded. This
is a costly endeavor. However, the manufacturer said it could be done,
and I decided to trust him. I did not see a satisfactory sample until
two years later. I heard every excuse in the book, and I spent every
dollar I had. Luckily the manufacturer did take pity in the end, and
both of us are happy now.

SD: What would you say is the most frustrating part of your business?

ATS: Pitching my product. I consider myself an artist and an inventor, and
I have trouble removing myself from my work. I take criticism
personally. I shouldn’t. I thought a good product sells itself. It
doesn’t, at least not at the beginning. I am told with practice it
will get easier.

SD: What does your average day entail?

ATS: Whatever I want it to entail. There is no average day. Each day is
different. This is a good and a bad thing. Life is exciting.
However, I am a bit ADD and often end up on tangents. It’s hard to
stay focused when you’re doing you’re own thing.

SD : Describe your personal style?

ATS: Good question. It changes. I love planning a wardrobe with a
destination in mind. Every day is an adventure. A long trip is the
best. I love to anticipate. What I wear influences and helps me to
appreciate. I have a closet full of props, and I manipulate them to
communicate what I am feeling that day. Kind of intense. I do have
off days.

SD: Who are your fashion icons (past or present)? Do you think they influenced your personal style?

ATS: Charles James. I approach fashion with eyes of an inventor. My father
taught Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology. Charles James was an inventor. He aimed for the stars. I
just saw his swan dress in an exhibit at FIT. What I would pay to see
someone wear that across the dance floor. Nature is the most
spectacular inspiration.

SD: Do you have any current fashion obsessions?

ATS: Need I say it? Perforation. I am still enthralled, even after 5
years. Maybe it is because I was a graphic designer. I love how
perforations works with the organic and creates a kind of order. I
also love light and how perforations play with light. It looks like
water, my favorite element. I’m a Pieces.

SD: What advice would you give someone just starting in your field?

ATS: Have patience. Everything takes more time than you imagine. Enjoy the
ride. Life is a journey, and not a destination. Do it only from love,
and do it only for love.

SD: Do you have any events you are getting ready for in the near future?

ATS: The largest event for me is writing my business plan. I should have
done this years ago. The next event is to look for a partner. No more
fashion shows right now. They cost too much.

SD: Is there anyone in the Smashing Darling community you have a question or comment for?

ATS: My question is for the entire community. Why do so many people want to
look the same? My comment is I have spent my life proud to be
different.

I want to thank everyone who voted, forwarded an email, blogged about, posted myspace bulletin and just plain helped get the word out for Smashing Darling in the Mashable Open Web Awards! The site, up for Best Social Shopping Network, came in third place which made us eligible for the final round! The voting for this last round starts today so as soon as I have the info about how to vote I will let you know! Be prepared to cast another vote and to get all of your friends and loved ones to vote too!

Smashing Darling has the best community ever! We just found out 2 days ago that we were nominated for Best Social Shopping Site on Mashable for the Open Web Awards. In just 2 days the community has helped us become tied for 3rd place! We need to secure 3rd place to move on to the final round of voting. So keep checking in on the contest site to see our progress. Even if you have voted send it to a friend and ask them to vote and send it to one of their friends! If you haven’t voted yet what are you waiting for! GO VOTE! Voting closes Sunday, Dec.16 at 11:59 PST.