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trish

Darling Designer Profile: Chevonne Woodard, Designer Che Woo Designs

by trish on February 10, 2009

Darling Chevonne Woodard has got it going on. She definitely has a full plate, as all of us indies do. She has not one, but two Darling boutiques: Che Woo Design, and Che+Zie Studio. Che Woo Design, introduced in August 2006, is edgy, eastern, funky and global, designed for today’s fashion leader. Inspired by her love of music, life and graphic illustrations, Che Woo sees her designs worn by A-List Celebrities such as Eve, Lindsay Lohan, Avril Lavigne, Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, Chris Brown and Eva Mendes just to name a few. Chevonne and friends work from their design studio/store in Chicago one block from Harpo Studios, yeah that’s right, Oprah. We are hoping she can get us on the show! Read more about Chevonne below, and if you are in Chicago be sure to check out the great events she has coming down the line.

Darlings: How did you get into fashion?
Chevonne: I have always loved fashion and had come up with a plan to start a clothing line with some family members. That plan fell through and I moved to LA. While living there I meet Fashion Editor Veronica Sims, she made a statement that I would have to say pushed me to move forward with developing Che Woo Design: “Life is too short, so you should always do what is in your heart to do.”

Darlings: Where do you turn for inspiration for your designs?
Chevonne: I am a visual artist by trade so I look to all creative area as inspiration including things I’ve seen in my travel, music, photography, footwear, even furniture gives me ideas for designs, color combinations and textures. In everything I find some form of inspiration for new products.

Darlings: How do you market yourself and your label?
Chevonne: I use several forms of marketing for Che Woo Design. Since we don’t have a PR company helping us, I normally reach out to stylist and photographers for product placement opportunities, sending out pieces for wardrobe. Online Marketing: sending e-mails to our client list, as well as paying e-mail services to blast out info about our line. Event Marketing: we produce several events throughout the year, Out Da Trunk Show and starting April we will start a bi-weekly event called the WE Market, our events are open to indie designers to vend and promote their brands. We take part in street fairs and summer markets throughout the year. Blogging: I blog at http://outdatrunkshow.blogspot.com on new items, recaps on events and on any new Press on the line. Print Advertising: We run ads in local publications, we distribute promo fliers and plan to expand to outdoor ads this summer. Radio Ads: On-air ads are planned for Winter of 2009.

Darlings: What does your average day entail?
Chevonne: Well my day normally consist of making a list of things to do. That list includes website updates, designing new products and reviewing current products for revisions/new color ways for top sellers. Reviewing my company plan to see if we are on point and making revisions to keep us on track and setting a budget for our next big event. My day also includes doing work at Che+Zie Studio located in Chicago West Loop area, the home of Che Woo Design. I also look into organizations, events and media that we would like to work with.

Darlings: What are the pros and cons of designing from your home?
Chevonne: I was working for home, but really needed to expand out of my home, it just became too overwhelming. Now we have a great storefront space named Che+Zie Studio, which is open “by appointment only,” special events and some weekends are open to the public. We have pieces by local artists and designers on consignment. White floor and walls filled with colorful jewelry by Dragon’s Fire Creations, clothing and Zandustry knitted accessories. I love it!!!

Darlings: Do you find your community to be supportive of emerging designers?
Chevonne: There is a ton of things going on in Chicago for new design talent, but I am a believer in creating your own market! So, I have begun to build a wonderful community of supportive emerging indie designers through my events and extending wonderful product placement opportunities to my growing list of fashion industry professionals.

Darlings: Describe your personal style?
Chevonne: My style is simple and causal, I like to say I am the “Denim Queen!” If I am not wearing jeans than I have on a denim blazer or jacket! I love wearing flip-flop or comfy boots, leggings and tunics. I am really not one for long-sleeves and thick sweaters. To dress up I like to wear sundresses and blouses with ruffles or puff-sleeves.

Darlings: How do you see your company in the future?
Chevonne: The future of Che Woo Design is bright!!! I see us producing more one-of-a-kind pieces and releasing 6 new designs each year, adding more accessories to our product line that includes earrings, headbands, bracelets and graphic paper goods, as well as expanding into the world of children’s wear. Our events I plan to grow to 40 vendors as wells taking to additional cities in the next year or so.

Darlings: What are some of your interests and hobbies outside of fashion design?
Chevonne: I don’t consider myself a fashion designer, but an artist that uses different media to express myself creatively. When I am not checking what other designers are doing and watching the trends. I like to read books on history and philosophy. I also love to travel; I am looking into putting together a Midwest road-trip soon. The road is my oasis!!

Darlings: Do you have any events you are getting ready for in the near future?
Chevonne: We take part in a local monthly handmade market, but we have several events Che Woo Design will be hosting in the next few months: an Art Opening/ODTS Anniversary Party in March, our new WE (WeekEnd) Market event concept in April, as well as the next Out Da Trunk Show planned for June. If anyone is interested in taking part they can find information at www.outdatrunkshow.com or www.cheziestudio.com. For questions, contact us at info@chewoodesign.com.

Darlings: Tell us about something you LOVE that you want others to know about.
Chevonne: Wow! Something that I LOVE that I want people to know about, well I would have to say all the projects that I am working and above all Che Woo Design!!! I was working with a non-profit where I taught Fundamentals of Design to Inner-City Youth. I also love to write poetry and introduce people to new ideas!

Darlings: Is there anyone in the Smashing Darling community you have a question or comment for?
Chevonne: This question is for everyone at Smashing Darling. We are always looking for new events and we are willing to travel for a good show, so I would love to know if anyone has a local event that they take part in, that is super fun and totally worth it? I would also like to ask what they look for in an event that they take part in?

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trish

Darling Designer Profile: Amy Martin, Jewelry Designer for Esma Studios

by trish on February 3, 2009

Amy Martin designs organic and rustic jewelry for her darling boutique, Esma Studios, right from her home studio in Chambersburg, PA. Her pieces can be worn everyday, no matter what the occasion. While each piece is great on its own, she wants her jewelry to be layered and mixed together to create a completely individual look.

I love how fashion can be used to express who we are to the world. What we choose to wear gives others a glimpse into our psyche.

designer Amy Martin
Darling: How did get into jewelry design?
Amy: I love creating, so I’ve done everything from painting to aromatherapy to making handbags.  I guess it’s just natural that I would try jewelry, too. I started making beaded jewelry, but soon became really drawn to metalwork. I taught myself the techniques through lots of research and lots of trial and error. The learning is an ongoing process. I’m always thinking of new things I want to try, and I don’t think I’ll every stop trying to learn new techniques to incorporate into my designs.

Darling: When did you start your own line of jewelry?
Amy: I first started making jewelry about 4 years ago, and I opened my first online shop in January 2007.

Darling: What surprises you the most about having your own line?
Amy: When I first opened my online store, I was surprised that people from all over the country and the world were buying my jewelry! With so much jewelry out there, it’s still such an exciting feeling when someone chooses a piece from my collection. It motivates me to always be coming up with new designs, so I can keep things fresh for my customers.


Darling: What inspires your designs?
Amy: I think the thing that inspires me the most is daily life. I like to create pieces that are practical enough to wear everyday – for work, an evening out, hanging out with friends, etc – but also unique enough to feel special and add excitement to an outfit. My designs definitely reflect aspects of nature, but I also gain inspiration from urban life and rock ‘n’ roll style.

Darling: If you had the choice of any jewelry designer in the world to work with/for, who would that be?
Amy: I really admire Lulu Smith’s work. I love the way she uses resin and her color combinations are just marvelous. I have played around with resin in the past, but was never quite happy with my results so I sort of put it on the back burner. I think it would be great to learn from her to incorporate color into some of my more organic designs.

Darling: What fashion trends, if any, are influencing your jewelry?
Amy: I really don’t pay a lot of attention to upcoming trends. Generally when women buy a quality, handcrafted piece of jewelry, they want it to last them a long time and not feel dated in a few years. While there’s definitely room in a woman’s wardrobe for trendy pieces, my goal is to create designs that will still feel fresh and modern years from now. That said, in the future I may come out with seasonal collections, which would have a few trendier pieces.

Darling: How do you market yourself?
Amy: I’ve actually found word-of-mouth and great customer service to be the best form of marketing. I think good communication and nice packaging make the customer feel special, which encourages them to share their experience with their friends. I’ve also found that staying visible online through sites like Twitter , Flickr , and various forum groups helps get people interested in my work. Lately I’ve also been working on gaining more wholesale accounts, so I’ve joined several wholesale websites that market to retail shops.

Darling: What is the one item in your wardrobe you can’t live without?
Amy: My knee-high boots from Duoboots.com. I searched forever for boots to fit my skinny calves, but could never find any. Duo Boots makes boots according to your calf size. I have 2 pairs so far, and I love both of them! The quality is super and they have tons of great styles to choose from.

Darling: How would you describe your personal style? And who or what influences that style?
Amy: I’m sort of a mix between a fashionista and a comfortista (is that even a term?) I definitely like to have fun with my clothes and keep up with fashion, but I also need to be comfortable. I don’t like anything too girly or too fussy, and I don’t like anything to look too thought out, intentional, or too matchy-matchy. More often than not, I’m wearing jeans, and I love layering multiple tops. I only buy a few pieces each season, so I like to get things that are somewhat classic but have a unique aspect to them. I generally avoid anything too trendy, but may get a couple of trendy items here and there if it’s something I’m really drawn to.

Darling: What does your average day entail?
Amy: Well, I don’t really have an average day, it seems. I’m still working on phasing out my “day job”, but luckily it’s a job where I have a lot of freedom and time to work on my business. While there, I do things like update my website, edit photos, work on my accounting, etc. Then, in the evenings and on my days off from that job, I work on making new pieces, taking photos, packaging orders, and things like that. Weekends are pretty relaxed. My boyfriend lives and hour and a half away, so I usually spend time on the weekends with him.

Darling: Do you have a company mantra that helps you run your business?
Amy: I don’t necessarily have a mantra, I just try to always think about how I can best serve my customers by offering great designs and great service. I pay attention to companies that wow me and companies that turn me off, and use those situations to develop my own formula for creating a great customer experience.

Darling: Tell us about something you LOVE that you want others to know about.
Amy: I love Donna Hay cookbooks! Every dish is beautifully photographed, and the recipes are easy to follow. She calls for a lot of fresh ingredients, which is important to me, and the books are filled with useful tidbits in addition to the recipes. I highly recommend!

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