It feels like everyday I am going back and forth over whether or not I want to move to New York to pursue fashion design or if I want to stay in Chicago. There are pros and cons to both. Chicago is where I have so many friends and family all of whom I completely love and would miss if I left. However, New York would be an amazingly fun new adventure and any time I have taken a chance and just packed up and gone somewhere randomly, it has turned into a great experience.
So, the other day I had the opportunity to have lunch with my amazing boss at the Chicago Fashion Incubator: none other then Sustainable Knitwear Designer Lara Miller (her stuff is amazing: check it out at www.laramiller.com) At lunch we discussed what I wanted to do with my future, and I picked her brain about what she thought the best next move would be.
Our Solution and Plan of attack: Taking a year and traveling the country for three month increments and interning at various design companies. If definitely would not be easy, and probably put more of a strain on my bank account, but it would be an amazing experience (and hopefully lead to a job that I love) The cities that have made the top of the list are Portland, Seattle, and New York. I might throw in Philadelphia just because I have a few friend there and it seems like a fun city. It would be a year of waitressing, subletting, and sewing. Also, the experiences I have with the internships may help me decide what area of fashion design I would like to work in.
Thoughts anyone?
Fashionology
A Designer's View of the Fashion World
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Patterns are Like Puzzles
The other day I received my amazing garment rack in the mail. I was so excited to have the proper equipment to store my patterns and my designs. Little did I know at the mess I had in the corner where I had piled my patterns.
If you are in design school, take my advice, label your patterns very clearly with what the garment is, and what class it is for. I felt like I was doing multiple puzzles at once this morning while trying to organize the patterns and figure out what exactly they were from....I ended with a pile of patterns that I have absolutely no idea what they are!
Needless to say, my organized garment rack looks great, I feel like I am really putting together a little studio here in my apartment!
If you are in design school, take my advice, label your patterns very clearly with what the garment is, and what class it is for. I felt like I was doing multiple puzzles at once this morning while trying to organize the patterns and figure out what exactly they were from....I ended with a pile of patterns that I have absolutely no idea what they are!
Needless to say, my organized garment rack looks great, I feel like I am really putting together a little studio here in my apartment!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Life after Graduation
So graduation has come and gone, and now it is time to get a real job....oh and pay off those overwelming amounts of college loans.
Being the anal person that I am, making my portfolio and website is taking much longer then I would like. Partly because I am redoing all of my marker sketches in watercolor. But I did invest in an amazingly beautiful stainless steel portfolio case. I just want everything to be perfect so that a potential employer has no doubts about wanting to hire me! Below is just one of those redone watercolor sketches that will become part of my fashion show.
I do have a few side jobs that I am very excited about working on, and with share with you as I go through the process of making them. My friend is getting married this month, and one of the other wedding attendees has asked me to make her a dress to wear to the wedding. Well she has an amazingly perfect body to work with, and I am so excited about the design! Here are some hints about it: Gray, rouched, sheer......(one of my friends says that I am going through color fatigue from my senior thesis which is why I am moving into very neutral colors right now....I kind of agree with her)
Also, I am currently in a hand and lock competition based out of England that involves embroidery. I have some amazing fabric scraps from a friend that I will be using to create a beautiful beaded dress! I really can't wait to start.
Now I just have to find a job, so I can move to New York and start living the dream!
Being the anal person that I am, making my portfolio and website is taking much longer then I would like. Partly because I am redoing all of my marker sketches in watercolor. But I did invest in an amazingly beautiful stainless steel portfolio case. I just want everything to be perfect so that a potential employer has no doubts about wanting to hire me! Below is just one of those redone watercolor sketches that will become part of my fashion show.
I do have a few side jobs that I am very excited about working on, and with share with you as I go through the process of making them. My friend is getting married this month, and one of the other wedding attendees has asked me to make her a dress to wear to the wedding. Well she has an amazingly perfect body to work with, and I am so excited about the design! Here are some hints about it: Gray, rouched, sheer......(one of my friends says that I am going through color fatigue from my senior thesis which is why I am moving into very neutral colors right now....I kind of agree with her)
Also, I am currently in a hand and lock competition based out of England that involves embroidery. I have some amazing fabric scraps from a friend that I will be using to create a beautiful beaded dress! I really can't wait to start.
Now I just have to find a job, so I can move to New York and start living the dream!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Graduation
I am only a week away from graduating and completing my fashion degree. It is a bit surreal. I thought it was the perfect time to make my first blog posting. I have been so ready to start my career for so long, but at the same time I am completely terrified. What if I don't find a job, what if that job doesn't allow me to make enough money to pay off two degrees of school loans. Its a bit daunting.
How do I get all of those fashion companies out there to see how amazing I am?
I would really like to start a new adventure in the Big Apple or maybe Europe.
Anyways, since this is my first blog post maybe I should introduce myself. Hi! I am Julia. A fashion designer based in Chicago. I love everything that has to do with fashion. I am one of those nerds that reads all of the fashion designer biographies I can find. I figure that if I read how they made it big and do the same I will be set. Right?
I am hoping to use this blog to discuss my designs, others designs, and hopefully my journey to finding a career I love and moving to the big city.
A bit about my design aesthetic. I really like working in both women's wear and menswear, although I do think that you are able to more with women's wear. Men are a bit freaked out of change and don't go too far off of the three piece suit or polo and khakis. But none the less I love designer for both. Above is a little taste of my work. This dress was actually inspired by me, which honestly was a bit of a challenge. I am happy with the result (the skirt alone has 17 yards of hand dyed fabric in it!)
I also really like using fabric manipulation. I could be completely happy for hours with a bit of fabric and a dress form. Its amazing what you can design when you are allowed the time to play.
As soon as my website is done, I will share that with all of you. It is a bit frustrating at the moment, but then you can see what I am really about~
Signing off for now! Thanks for reading!
How do I get all of those fashion companies out there to see how amazing I am?
I would really like to start a new adventure in the Big Apple or maybe Europe.
Anyways, since this is my first blog post maybe I should introduce myself. Hi! I am Julia. A fashion designer based in Chicago. I love everything that has to do with fashion. I am one of those nerds that reads all of the fashion designer biographies I can find. I figure that if I read how they made it big and do the same I will be set. Right?
I am hoping to use this blog to discuss my designs, others designs, and hopefully my journey to finding a career I love and moving to the big city.
A bit about my design aesthetic. I really like working in both women's wear and menswear, although I do think that you are able to more with women's wear. Men are a bit freaked out of change and don't go too far off of the three piece suit or polo and khakis. But none the less I love designer for both. Above is a little taste of my work. This dress was actually inspired by me, which honestly was a bit of a challenge. I am happy with the result (the skirt alone has 17 yards of hand dyed fabric in it!)
I also really like using fabric manipulation. I could be completely happy for hours with a bit of fabric and a dress form. Its amazing what you can design when you are allowed the time to play.
As soon as my website is done, I will share that with all of you. It is a bit frustrating at the moment, but then you can see what I am really about~
Signing off for now! Thanks for reading!
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