by Mo on April 1, 2011
Reminder! Comment to win a copy of Fashion Unraveled: In this book Jennifer shares lessons she has learned from good decisions and bad as she built her fashion brand. The chapters and worksheets in the book are short and sweet so you can attack them in small doses. Read more…
More darlings coming together to help designers…that always makes our hearts sing! There isn’t a website to link to yet, but we’ll let you know when there is. Guilded brought to you by STUDY NY and Bahar Shapar.
GUILDED is almost ready to launch with our series of classes and training in sustainable design and methods, workshops and master classes in artisan techniques and a platform for collaborative community. In the meantime, though, we’d like to celebrate the month of April (Earth Month) with a whole bunch of exciting events. (Email for more info: guildedstate@gmail.com)
Fabric & Trim Sale
Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10
Do you have extra fabric, notions, trims or accessories that you know you’ll never use just taking up space in your studio/home? If so, it’s time to get rid of it all. Purge, purge, purge! We’re going to do a major marketing push in the design schools (Pratt, Parsons, FIT, SVA) to offer students low-priced fabrics for their final projects and other designers new fabrics to use. This event is a way to dispose of excess without contributing to the waste stream, and a way to share sustainable and vintage fabrics with students and young designers. As with the sample sale we will offer master checkout, staffing and bags. However, since we imagine everyone has different quantities of stock, the fee will be 20% of sales instead of the flat rate we charge for sample sales.
Also for NY darlings: Artist & Fleas wants to help too, learn about In Good Company and BizLabs for mini-classes to help with some challenges you may face growing your business.
PR Couture: Tips from Crosby to help you create your digitally integrated holistic 360 plan of world domination… (we love it!)
Read: How to Write Fashion PR Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Tactics
by Mo on December 7, 2010
The Good News
We are happy to see more and more designers merging together their workroom and retail into one productive space; we don’t want you to miss stories of these inspiring entrpreneurs in Detroit and Seattle. Do you know designers sharing a workroom/retail space in your community? Please let us know! Or, if you would like to connect with designers in your area, pop us an email and we can see if we can help you make a connection!
New Features
We love watching that designer number click up on the homepage (728!) and seeing all of your gorgeous new uploads on the site! Since it makes us so giddy, we have been highlighting new items in the blog – take a peek!
Soon every item page on Smashing Darling will have it’s own Facebook Like button! Anyone shopping on the site will be able to quickly share your item on Facebook.
More new features to come in the new year darlings….and come February we turn 4! Oh, how time flies!
Curated Holiday Shopping
But regardless of who’s selling it, people want to buy something authentic, made by an individual with a great idea. (WSJ)
We hope you are having a successful season in all the places you sell your designs darlings! Thank you for being a part of our community, and for being on the front lines teaching the world to curate their shopping. Send us a heads up about your holiday events so we can shout them out in the Darling blog. Don’t forget people can also buy e-gift cards at Smashing Darling to shop your collections and over 700 others!
Business of Fashion:
Tips for Video promotion:
Event Inspiration from PR Couture:
Spread the word!
Become a Facebook fan and be entered to win a $50 Darling gift card *every month.
Always * Darling * Forever
by Mo on June 24, 2010
You can find Darling Stacie May’s designs on the runway in San Diego…
and for sale on Smashing Darling.
We seriously love that. It makes us wonder who else is out there supporting indie fashion designers in that community. Check out the Revel and Revive event Stacie is a part of this weekend, and be sure to click over and read about Art Meets Fashion.
We asked Stacie and the fab Crosby from PRCouture, for some indie shopping suggestions for all you darlings living out in San Diego. Here are a few to check out, more coming soon, and if you are in southern Cali, go show them some support! If you have favorites send them our way….pretty please, darlings.
Hunt & Gather
Mimi & Red
Pop! the Shop
by Mo on September 18, 2009
Darling Fashion Around the City
Uptown. Downtown. Brooklyn. From luxury pieces to ethical bits – we have been popping around oohing over Darling (and others like Bodkin, image right) Spring Collections. The Green Shows were especially inspiring, featuring a selection of eco-conscious fashion designers including Darling Lara Miller. We cannot wait to see her beautiful Spring line up on Smashing Darling. Bob Bland rocked her show at her very own venue The Arsenal, check out this Village Voice slideshow – sweet! We were thrilled to watch Minna K present at Nolcha, as well as meet some wonderful accessory designers in the Accessory Lounge…more recaps in the blog, coming soon.
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Bodkin at The Green Shows
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Brand Yourself Darlings!
This past Monday eve we got to see some of our favorite people-and meet some new faces- at the second IFB Dress Up Soiree, hosted by sweet Jennine from The Coveted. It was a packed house, and a great panel discussing the future of online fashion media. Stay tuned to the IFB blog and catch recaps.
We are so inspired by all the amazing bloggers out there able to use their voice to promote their own personal brand. Take some time to read this post by Crosby of PR Couture. Info about branding, how important good photos are, prioritizing as a small label and loads more. A must read.
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Passion, Process: Blog Away
Darlings, are you out there blogging about your brand, your inspiration, and the passion that keeps you going through the wonderful insanity that is life as an independent designer? We hope so. If you have a blog and we don’t know about it, or a favorite indie designer’s blog that you read, please let us know so we can link to it from the Smashing Blog. We want people to know all that you do to keep your designs out there. Read this Grechen’s Closet post/comments about supporting independent designers and see all those out there supporting your world.
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Things Not to be Missed
We The People opening boutique Spring 2010 NYC, looking for emerging designers to showcase. http://bit.ly/cgNYs
A call for emerging designers in and around Denver. Denver’s Fashion Week showcases independent fashion in the Rocky Mountain region Oct 8-11. Click here to find out how to get involved.
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by Mo on August 4, 2009
My craft is designing.
Anicca means “impermanence.”
In my eyes, Life is always in motion, which reminds me to follow my passion.
Remember to always follow your craft.
Darlings: How did you first get involved in fashion design or the fashion world in general?
Minna: I became involved in the fashion world when I was 19 years old. I switched my major from Advertising to Textiles and Apparel at UT Austin. I took it a step further by pursuing fashion in Paris and at Parsons School of Design in New York. After Paris, my entire perception of fashion changed. In Paris I was able to experience the world of couture and apprentice under some great designers.
Darlings: Tell us about your transition from bridal to eveningwear, and what direction your latest collection is headed.
Minna: Bridal remains, however additional pieces have been added for eveningwear. For my Fall collection, the eveningwear is made of silk charmeuse, taffeta, and duchess satin. Classic silhouettes with a modern edge.
Darlings: What is a day in the life of Minna K like?
Minna: I don’t even know how to describe it! Well, it’s busy, but great. Sometimes I’ll be sewing, making patterns, or working with sewers or pattern makers, or I’ll be sketching, sourcing fabrics, and finding inspiration. The top image shows the studio during a photo shoot of the dresses for Craft:by Anicca.
Darlings: What inspires your designs?
Minna: For this collection, movement vs. structure. My favorite designer is Vionnet, so my bridal collection predominately has fluid fabrics, some Grecian inspired.
Darlings: Are you getting ready for any upcoming events?
Minna: Yes, because of your invite to the Nolcha/PRCouture soiree, I met Tom McAlister from Brooklyn Fashion Festival, in turn he introduced me to Oriana, the market editor for Nolcha. I am doing the evening collective at Nolcha Fashion Week on Sept. 16th.
Darlings: What is the hardest obstacle you face as an independent designer? Where do you find the most support and resources?
Minna: Most difficult: Financing. Most support: New York. It’s just full of both support and resources.
by Mo on June 30, 2009
Oh New York, how we love you so…instead of writing an ode to The Big Apple, we just like to introduce you to all the great people we meet as we meander through the Darling world. We had the pleasure of both sponsoring a recent Girls in Tech event as well as meeting Erik Lautier of Edun, who then generously donated gift cards to our PRCouture/Nolcha soiree – thanks Erik! Indie designers, if you are on the hunt for an ethical t-shirt supplier, read on and get to know all about the company below.
Darlings: What is EDUN/EDUN LIVE and how to did the brand come to be?
EDUN: EDUN is a socially conscious clothing company launched in Spring 2005 by Ali Hewson and Bono. EDUN’s primary goals are to create beautiful clothes using ethical conditions and to help create long-term sustainable employment in the developing world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.
EDUN is a for-profit business – founded on the premise of Trade FOR Aid as a means of building sustainable communities. The company works on a micro-level to help build the skill sets of the people involved in making clothing. In addition, EDUN also continues to explore partnership opportunities at a macro-level to improve working conditions and build sustainable communities where it produces.
In 2007 EDUN launched the EDUN LIVE brand. The mission of EDUN LIVE is to help foster trade and increase long-term sustainable employment in Africa through high-volume sales of blank t-shirts. From the fields where the cotton is grown, to the spinning, knitting and finally the garment making, all EDUN LIVE products are 100% Made in Africa. As EDUN LIVE matures, it aims to grow its social commitment to these areas and local factory communities. With business from its customers, EDUN LIVE will continue to work with farmers and factories to improve conditions in areas of need.
Darlings: How is EDUN supporting sustainable socioeconomic development in Africa?
EDUN: Not only do EDUN and EDUN LIVE support its factories with business, the brands also support the local communities with social issues. For example, we funded the construction of a well at a local school in a community neighboring a factory. The well was built in June 2006, and children now no longer have to rely on rainwater collected in a barrel from the roof of their school. Additionally, via the ALAFA program, we educate the local factory workers on HIV/AIDS, as currently over 30% of the population is infected with the disease and have raised over $600k for the cause. The brands are also helping to raise funds to help train cotton farmers to transition from conventional (with pesticides) to organic farming via the Conservation Cotton Initiative in association with the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Darlings: What organizations are using EDUN LIVE T-shirts, and do you have any current projects running with partnering organizations?
EDUN: A broad spectrum of organizations — corporations, non-profits, schools, retailers, bands, etc. — have purchased our tees because of their high quality and the brand’s strong mission.
For example, the Signature Series t-shirt is sold in Hard Rock Cafe globally. These tees feature a design by Bono, and 15% of the gross proceeds of every tee sold go back to our Conservation Cotton Initiative fund. This fund (set up with the Wildlife Conservation Society) helps farmers learn organic cotton farming in Africa while preserving the natural landscape. We also have an upcoming project with www.yoox.com. Supermodel Angela Lindvall has done an exclusive design on EDUN LIVE tees which will be sold on YOOX beginning June 30th, with all proceeds going back to Green Cross International.
Darlings: What is AFRICASH, and can any blogger get involved?
EDUN: AFRICASH is EDUN LIVE’s referral program; you can earn points towards free t-shirts for doing something as simple as sending a friend of yours our way. There has always been a very strong and loyal community online supporting EDUN LIVE, and we wanted to recognize it and reward it. Not only can any blogger get involved, you can even get involved by mentioning us in an email to a friend, posting about us on your Facebook status, or even Tweeting about us (@edunlive is our account!). For more information, simply go to www.edun-live.com.
Darlings: Does EDUN hope to be a major supplier of sustainable piece goods for the fashion industry, or will all the sustainable fabric EDUN produces be kept in house?
EDUN: EDUN does not have plans to become a supplier to the industry. We will continue to produce ethical fashion to the consumer via our retailer partners. It is our intention to have our own retail stores in the near future as well as extend the brand into other categories such as accessories, shoes and bags. EDUN LIVE will continue to grow both its consumer and trade business by providing basic garments (such as tees and hoodies) made 100% in Africa.
