oops!

Communicating with the opposite side of the world certainly has it's downside.

Shiver me timbers

VESSEL VOYAGE:CMA CGM JAMAICA SG201E
ETD:3 JAN 2007
ETA:18 JAN 2007

Truth be told, I didn't actually go down to the port of seattle to get this shot however, if I had, this is exactly what my ship would have looked like. I love those red cranes. They look like giant robotic giraffes feeding on the ships. Customs was a breeze this time. I didn't even know that the freight was already through and the trucker called me to schedule a delivery. Only one more ship to go and I've got my stock for half the year!

Colour Forecast Winter 2007/08

According to one forecast company, here are the colours that we are supposed to wear next fall. I'm just wrapping up designing for the season and here are some of the colours that have caught my eye:

1. deep mulberry - fourth on the top row
2. national teal- first on the bottom row
3. dusty sage - last on the bottom row
4. cool clay-second to last in the bottom row
4. various combinations of cool-tone grays and blacks

I had originally been playing with the idea of only utilizing shades from the vast pastel palette but then thought the better of it. After all, what is the point of designing clothes that I don't want to wear? I rather like the idea of shedding off dark layers in the springtime and being reborn in lights and brights.

Next comes New York Fashion week slated for Friday, February 2, 2007 to Friday, February 9, 2007.
If you would like to see some fun and amazing 2007 couture a la "Memoirs of a Geisha", check out this link to Christian Dior's collection:
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/S2007CTR/complete/thumb/CDIOR


(Just to let you know, I've changed the settings so that you no longer need to be a blogger to leave a comment)

Spring photoshoot

Well, we received permission to shoot at the conservatory greenhouse after all. Many thanks to Ione Shepard, la super model extraordinaire! Here are a couple more of my favorite shots. You can see the whole lineup at suzabelle.com

Conservatory

Here's a new homepage that I created for spring. Ahh, blue.


The line will be shot at the Volunteer Park Conservatory, if Seattle Parks and Recreation allows us in, that is.


It's ALWAYS spring in here!

Spring is coming!

Monaco Tunic, 100% silk


Delphinium Wrap Skirt, stretch cotton with silk stripe trim



Back to work, once again. After taking such a generous holiday break, it feels a bit feigned, but not in a bad way. Currently I'm waiting for 2 shipments to arrive from overseas via those giant flat ocean liners that you can usually see hanging out around ports. They will contain a my spring 07 designs, two of which are shown above.

The Delphinium Skirt was inspired by Diane Von Furstenberg, a designer famous for making perfectly fitted wrap dresses. The Monaco tunic, one of my best selling items at the Atlanta tradeshow, is made with the most luxurious silk charmeuse- a fabric known for it's fluid draping and versatility.

I couldn't name just one thing that inspired me for this season, although I've always had a great affection for pinstripes and felt that as a forward thinking designer trying to stay on top of the trend game, I ought to get pinstripes out of my system once and for all. I love navy blue and feel that it is a colour that hasn't been in the spotlight for some time and most people look good in it... call it the new black. This was the first time I requested that the manufacturer dye the fabric to match a specific pantone; #2758U, the warmest, richest blue I could find.

You can see more of my designs for this season, as well as past seasons dating back to spring 2004 at http://suzabelle.com

Happy New Year!

I can remember sitting in Mr. Bando's grade four class, at Cataline Elementary, the day he asked us to figure out how old we would be and what our lives would look like in the year 2005. Naturally we assumed we would have flying cars and robot servants by then. Some of us would be doctors and lawyers and teachers. I clearly remember thinking that it wasn't realistic to think that I could know what I wanted to be "when I grew up" while still only at the tender age of ten. I did take the liberty of assuming though, that aside from my as yet unknown career, I would, of course, be married, have two children and a dog that could catch frisbees. I imagined that my life would be like a perfect synthesis of "Anne of Green Gables", " Little Women", "Little house on the Prairie", and a few distinct "Choose Your Own Adventure" selections.

In reality, 2005 was the year I officially started "Suzabelle", a Seattle-based clothing company. I proudly sold my home-made re-vamped vintage pieces at two small boutiques in Seattle. In the past two years, I've gone through some huge ups and downs and as a result have learned a lot about this business. It's not as pretty and glamorous as I originally thought- much of my time is now spent on studying the latest changes in import law and tariff codes. I love the unexpected things I've discovered along the way, both about the world and myself. Who knew I'd get such a kick out of financial projections and bookkeeping? And who knew that the scariest part of this business wouldn't be predicting trends, running production on the other side of the world, or even marketing but simply getting the damn product across the border? Not me!

I will use this journal to update my family and friends of the latest goings on in the workshop. Please feel free to comment, be it critique or compliment, as it is the people around me that inspire me the most.
I wish everyone all the best for 2007 and hope to hear from you often!
Love, Suzie Q