changes to spring 08 collection

The spring samples have arrived, been sorted, cancelled, replaced and redesigned.
Here are the changes so far:
1. Cancel previous sweater design and replace with a satin-lined sewn to shape sweater jacket. Tentative colours: dark heather grey, golden olive

2. change material and colour for coat dress from loop back jersey knit to woven stripe cotton, in dark grey (with white accents) and black (with dark grey accents)

3. Add a waterproofed cotton raincoat in the same woven-stripe cotton. One run in all black, the other dark grey with black trim. Both styles have a large silver clip buckle and silver buttons at hip pockets and cuffs. New favorite coat?

4. Change colour of jersey loop back knit coat (cancel melon and olive) to "putty" (think a warm grey with a touch of lilac added) and palest grey. Also added D-ring closure to belt and lining to upper body.

5. Add a dress in matching materials and colours to the above:

6. Change colours of kimono sleeve dress. Keep the olive with white trim, add dark grey heather with white trim. The manufacturer put these cute ornate buttons on the original sample (by accident?) which I really liked so the plain plastic ones will be replaced by the accidental cuter buttons.
7. And lastly, add a new dress. I wanted something simple for office to day to night. This one can do it all. It's made of the softest stretch rayon jersey and has a really flattering criss-crossed wrap around the waistline.

Spring 08 samples on the way

Here is an overview of the line currently in production for spring. The first samples should arrive by the end of the month at which time, I'll be making final decisions on colour and cut.

I decided not to do any separates for this season as it's been harder to convince boutiques to buy these pieces, especially when it means putting an outfit together for a customer. As a test run, I've decided to keep it simple and focus on outerwear and dresses. I'm in the process of designing 3 more dresses and a lightweight coat for summer/pre-fall 08.

Here are some designs I cut from Spring 08.
First, a cropped, ruffle-backed blouse with a skinny belt, double rounded collar and 3/4 french cuffs.


To go with the blouse, a high-waisted A-line skirt with a removable matching sash.


I originally had another coat, this one a waterproofed cotton raincoat.


It's hard to make these decisions. One always wonders, would they have done well. Did I make the right choice? It hurts a little to work so hard on a design that you sort of fall in love with it only to realize it could turn out to be the next dog and you're better off without it. I always hang on to the designs for a year or two, I suppose to break off the relationship gradually. I really do love what I do.

Spring 08 Runway

While I've been on the road, fashion week came and went in New York, London and Milan. Here are a few of my favorites:

Doo Ri



BCBG


BCBG


BCBG


Bottega Veneta


Proenza Schouler


This is a piece from my spring 2006 line. The colour (olive-gold) seemed to put people off back then but lately I've been getting a lot of requests for it (now that I've sold them all, of course) I'm doing a fine-knit drapey cardigan for spring in this colour and light grey heather.

i love san francisco

I had a feeling it would happen. Everyone told me I'd love it. I thought, sure, I probably will. I like bridges and redwoods and hippies well enough. But then I finally went and oh my... the victorian architecture, the shopping, the friendly people, the climate, the history....

We stayed next to union square, right on a cable car line.

I soon discovered that the area was packed with shops that I wanted to spend money in.

The coolest china town I have ever seen.

Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower.

The wild parrots of telegraph hill- I saw them!!

We had dinner, not breakfast, at a place famous for swedish pancakes started in 1938 by an ex-circus clown and his wife.

We bought organic concord grapes and enjoyed the ambiance of Haight street.

We sipped $7 lattes and watched the silicone parade in the lounge of the Clift hotel (which had a lot of strange chairs.)

And more shopping and/or drooling. This boutique is called Dish and is located in Hayes Valley.

All in all, a fabulous trip. Thread was a bit of a letdown in this city. Attendance was low, my booth was a mile from any changing rooms or mirrors and the customers seemed to be under the impression that this was an off-price show in the Central district, not the Marina district. I think I may have found a few new boutiques on my day off which makes up a bit for the lackluster show. Still, I can't wait to come back and am thinking up excuses to do so already. The Seattle Thread easily took the lead as the biggest and best in my books. I will be returning for the December show in addition to two other shows in November called UnZipped(17th/18th) and Crave(3rd and 4th).

Whirlwind tour!

I'm off to San Diego tomorrow for my first thread show.
Next week I go to Kamloops for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. Luckily my sweet pal Ali is going to run the Seattle thread show for me.
The following week, it's back down south for the San Francisco thread show.

As hard as it may be to believe, I've never been to San Fran before. I'm planning to do a lot of road repping while I'm in the south so there won't be a lot of time to sight see. If the shows are profitable, I may return in december for the next ones.
It's a thread whirlwind! http://www.threadshow.com
See ya when I get back-hopefully with my bags full of money- not clothes!

designing for spring '08

I'm procrastinating. I have about 24 hours to finish designing for spring and here I am writing a blog. I've decided to narrow my focus even more by doing only outerwear and dresses. I had designs for a high-waisted A-line skirt and a cute belted blouse but I've decided that separates are too much of a liability for my limited budget. Here are a couple of sketches of what I'm working on:



I'm going with a citrus- inspired palette:
olive green, cantaloupe and yellow ochre with cream and grey.
Here's a storyboard I put together this morning to get it into my head:



I should have samples in a couple of months. Can't wait!!

in the throes...

Wow. Has it really been only a month since that last post? It feels like every minute of my life has been so jam-packed with things to do, things that should've been done, and things that demand my immediate attention, it seems more like 3 months.
The shipment came in just fine. a few snags with customs as I was "randomly picked" for yet another intensive search. Getting the shipment into my place required some serious elbow grease. At one point, I actually thought I might die of overexertion. It took two full days afterwards to feel like I had the energy to lift a glass of water. And that was even after I tipped the truck driver a lot of money to help with half of it.
I've been busy rounding up new shops, tending to old accounts and changing the way I do business with others. to date I've shipped out 130 cardigans, 143 wool coats, 160 dresses.... and still so much more to go. I'm really building a relationship with the postal workers around here.
Speaking of shops, my line is now available online at http://www.petaline.net Be sure to also check out my sweet friend's handbag line, Sabrina Love, on Petaline. Sabrina makes the most gorgeous high-end bags you've ever seen.
Well, as predictable as this may sound, I'm tired and need to go to bed now.

I'm working on my spring 08 line and will post photos of samples as soon as I can.
Here are some shots from the 08 resort collections that caught my eye. Simple. Elegant, Feminine. Love it.