Milan Fashion Week, Somewhat Bellissima

I was a little disappointed in Milan fashion week I must say, I usually find a lot of design inspiration when looking at these shows because the Italian designers accessorize with acetate a lot, but this season didn't seem too acetate heavy.  Things were a little over the top, and yes, it's Milan, I shouldn't be that surprised, but I just wasn't feeling it.  (this was also when the internet went out though...)

These were some looks that stood out for me:

 Bottega Veneta is good for beautiful clothes and accessories, and they did have both.  The clothes had beautiful folds and textures to them, and the accessories were simple yet bold, which I try to stick to when designing.  I'm into the circles on the bib neck.

I loved the accessories at Giorgio Armani, those Murano beads are beautiful, would love to make some chunky tortoise beaded necks for spring.  I also loved the idea of the two models coming down the runway with two similar complimentary looks.

 I was disappointed mostly with the Marni show, because I usually love everything about the clothes and accessories, and the jewelry is always very inspiring.  I can't get behind the visors, they bother me so much, I can't take them seriously.  I do like the earrings though.

The Gucci show was full of art nouveau/disco prints, while not very realistic, you've got to love it.

Gotta love Missoni.  Their color combinations and prints never get old, and are always exciting to see, as are their use of acetate.

I'll end it with Etro, and this isn't about inspiration, this is about me loving everything on that runway, my fantasy wardrobe...

Week One

This was the first real week of being here at Lisa August Headquarters.  Everything has been such a blur this month, and this was the first week we would be here, no moving, no trade shows, just work.  By Monday, our power was on and we were able to chop, bend, polish and tumble downstairs, which was such a relief.  When I locked up with Lenore on Monday night and we checked on the downstairs, she said, "What's that noise!?"  I was like, the tumblers.  It was a happy noise (although on most days, kind of an annoying sound).  These days haven't been like most days though.
These are the tumblers (I know it's a little dark, the electricians are on it) on video:

So the guys are doing a great job downstairs, and upstairs we've got the ladies getting the job done.  We've been able to engrave, drill, assemble chain, dip (for shine) bead, etc.  Everyday we have a little more set up, and next week the electricians will be giving us more much needed outlets and lighting.  Once that's done, things will be a lot more organized.  We use things as we need them, and so far it has been working out pretty well.

Then you have Lenore and Claudia, our office mavens, keeping everything in order, shipping our orders, and what not.  Guess what?  Our ?@#*%&$&-ing internet went out on Thursday!  Guess what?  That was the night my web developer was coming to meet with me!  Guess what?  Everything we do is done on the internet!  Our banking, shipping, billing, etc...So here we are, still having trouble getting our orders out (thank goodness for understanding customers!) and still no retail/wholesale on our website (I swear it's coming).

That takes me to today, Saturday morning, a friend of a friend of my Dad's who works for Verizon is here with me now, hopefully fixing the problem.  So here I am, back at Woodside, it feels like I live here now.  My apartment is kind of a mess, my poor cat Miko has had no litter (that's been remedied) and I can't even stay awake when my friends come over to watch Newsroom at 8 o'clock at night.  And I'm not that notorious friend who falls asleep during movies, I'm the one complaining when people fall asleep.  So, owning a business has been interesting.  I know things will calm down in another week or two, and we need to settle more and get into a routine.  Just taking it one day at a time.

Me, Claudia and Lenore stayed late last night, did a little work, drank some wine and had good Thai food, things are shaping up, getting a little more organized each day.

This was a fortune I got this week, and I just thought it was HILARIOUS:)

So, I will leave here in a bit, get myself some toilet paper (Miko wasn't the only forgotten one) and have my friends over for dinner tonight, because I like to keep the pressure on myself! Have a great weekend all!

The Longest Day Yet (and maybe week...)

This past Monday was a doozy.  I came to Woodside at 8 or so, this was the first day all our co-workers were coming to see the place for the first time, and this was the first day I wouldn't be here alone dealing with things.  Time for Lisa to share-uh oh!  Everyone was impressed and excited and worked on their workspaces.  We organized and unpacked, and all that good stuff.  At about two o'clock, my brother showed up and we left to go to the Javits center to set up our booth at AccessoriesTheShow.  Yes, Lenore and I  decided to very last minute do the show.  SO, I left the new place to set up a show that would keep me away from the new place until Friday, I wasn't feeling so great about this.

I got to the show with my brother, Vin and when we got to our booth, another vendor had setup his booth in it.  I kind of just numbly stared at him.  With all this non-stop moving for the past few weeks, my mind really kind of just went numb, especially since part of me felt like we weren't really exhibiting at the show after such short notice.  We all went down to the show office, and the booth he had set-up in was ours (because he was told it was his), so the poor guy had to move out.  Other than that, my set-up went well, it was interesting to have my brother help me, and he really did help I must say.

So, Vin and I took the train back to Woodside, and the movers were bringing us the last of our things from the old factory.  Kind of intense to know that the factory was empty, and even more intense to see the state of Fabian's (our mover who felt more like a co-worker for two weeks) truck.  This last of our things was truly the last of our things: the dregs.  Mostly stuff we probably won't need: dusty, messy, unorganized, no room for it, not even sure what some of it was type stuff.  An ENTIRE truck's worth.  So, I jumped onto the truck and let them know: garbage, upstairs or downstairs.  We did this until about 8:30.  I was wondering why my feet hurt so much, and I remembered that whole setting up a show thing happened.  What a day!

At about 7:30, we had to stop to go onto our terrace to take a look at the sunset.  I kind of got a little sentimental, like the sun set on the old factory, but it felt good to be finishing the moving job on the new factory.

We said goodbye to the movers, and Vin and I took Lenore and Sal to Donovan's for some celebratory burgers and pints.  Donovan's is a famous Irish pub in Woodside that is famous for  their burgers, and very deservedly I might add.  For those of you in the area: their wings don't suck either. In fact, they are quite amazing, at least the batches we had.

All in all it was a very busy and long day.  The next morning, I woke up to my alarm at 7, and I wondered why I had set my alarm on a Saturday.  It took me a minute, and I realized my error.  In reality it was Tuesday, and I had a trade show to get to!  Pretty much sums up how things have been lately.  So here I am, it's Friday, my first day back to the new place, I'm very happy to be here, feels very new and strange but in a good way.  The show was decent, and now it's time to start!

The Booth after set-up. Sometimes, at a show we use caution tape to keep people out.  It's fool proof I tell you!

The Sunset on our Terrace

A little more set

Haha, I noticed this sign on the last day of the show.  Late Arrivals: Lisa August.  That's priceless, considering everything has been late with Lisa August, but I think things will finally take a turn in our favor!

Sorry no burger picture to post, I ate it without thinking!

My SP14 Fashion Week Faves

I'm not the most fashionably dressed person in the world, and I don't have the wallet for any of these clothes either, but I do like to judge, and fake pretend in my head which pieces I would wear if I were tall and svelte.  Also, it doesn't hurt my career to be a little in the know.  The following are the looks I either LOVED and wished I owned, or inspiration for my own line for next spring.  I'm a little surprised to still be seeing so much black and white, but tokyo tort and pops of color go great with black and white clothing, so Lisa August will be ok!

 The first two looks are Catherine Malandrino, and I want to be wearing this in the South of France!  Right now!!!

I loved all the clothes at the Nicole Miller show, I feel like everything was actually wearable for real life, and the clothes are just beautiful.  Love the little Gatsby/jazz flare the clothes have.

Anna Sui is always just straight up, I would wear this all in a heartbeat, period.

Carolina Herrera can do no wrong.  Every show is perfect.  Chic, elegant, timeless.  She makes clothes for the woman I wish I could be!  I also think a chunky tortoise necklace would compliment the last outfit...

 I really liked the Alice & Olivia show, I kind of like when designers choose this format over the catwalk, and the clothes were all: pretty!

I liked Christian Siriano's use of color, that yellow 'dress' is pretty badass.  I like his mix of pinks and reds, I saw that combination used a couple of other times, and I think I will be incorporating it into the line.

Diane Von Furstenberg, your dresses rock, and I will buy myself one one day!

Erin Fetherston: all I could think was, if I had a fashion show, this is what it would be, ha!

LOVE Mara Hoffman's use of prints and color, the white top and blue pants is the perfect outfit...

As always, beautiful dresses from Monique Lhuillier.  There's that red and pink again.

Tracy Reese is another favorite of mine, I just love how she plays with color and prints, this is such a cool outfit, you have to have a great eye to put something like this together and pull it off.

Lastly, Zach Posen.   His clothes are not my favorite, but this is just beautiful, and I'm looking to use some blush in the line.

And there you have it, me and my fashion week two cents.  I thought a lot of the clothes were really beautiful, so it was inspiring to 'watch' the shows.  What it should be doing is inspiring me to go swim some laps, because what's the deal with all the crop tops everyone showed??

Moving Day 5

So, things are slowly coming along.  I am typing this post at "Woodside" and not from the "factory".  Don't mind me, we've been trying to come up with a name for the building-very important.  So, I sit here at my work area which is one of the few areas that have been worked on upstairs so far.  Downstairs is shaping up, although the electricity and power seem to be an issue, and well, we need it to be up and running, don't we?  Today I have already seen the alarm guy, the gate guy, Verizon and our electricians, still waiting on the movers and it's only 11:30.  It's all hurly burly and exciting, but nerve wracking, and when this is all over, it will only be the beginning! 

Then of course, there's the "factory", and let me tell you, it does not look move out ready.  There's still a lot going on there, no matter how much we seem to sell, throw out or move here.  I'm happy that most of my stuff is out at least. 

THEN, there's the show that we just signed up for that I'll be doing NEXT WEEK!!!  Once we get our booth number, I will write about that, but we are now signed up to do Accessories the Show which runs concurrently with the Coterie show at the Javits, so come say hi!

Let me spruce this post up with some moving documentation below, sorry they are just iphone shots:

The Factory: yes, this is 4 days into the move...SO. Much. Stuff...

Woodside:  The racks that hold all of our plastic went up yesterday (yay!)

STUFF.  Actually in a lot better shape than a few days ago.

Our power presses, the machines that die cut all our pieces, very important!

My work space, right now...

My work space, loving it so far!

Yeah, the upstairs needs work!

So there you have it, this is Lisa August's world right now, it's been interesting/challenging/scary/exciting, just waiting to see what's next!