I’m not a designer, never have been, and truth be told, have no ambition to be, but what I love about my job is the challenge of getting some developed and produced – the A to Z of the process, which has led to me write a book about the very same.

So, yesterday I was in the position of finishing one project and starting another – with a simple crossover of 3 hours to be exact. For this new project I do have a vague appreciation on the what, when and how but as the brand is technically a start-up ( albeit one with a ton of investment behind it) there are many aspects still to be confirmed, which should trouble me, but actually doesn’t (I think age is slowly removing the control freak in me) and I have to say that last night when I received the draft merchandise plan I actually felt quite calm about the task ahead.

I saw the range size, I saw the product groups and I saw the quantities, all that was missing were the sketches to match against the reference numbers on the sheet.

So – with a glass of wine to my left and a bowl of potato chips to my right, I clicked on the download button to open the sketch files. And then it happened…

My palms became moist, a knot formed in my stomach, my fingers twitched on the keypad and my heart raced, for there in front of me were the illustrated sketches from one of the worlds most famous designers. The enormity of the project hit me and in an instant I remembered why I love my job and why I love this industry. I work with insanely creative people and I help to realise their vision. I had an instant flashback to being 13 years old, tearing magazine pages of fashion shoots, longing to work in fashion in whatever guise that took.. And now, nearly 30 years later, I am privileged to work on a project which essentially takes ink on paper and turns it into a garment.

Holy shit I’m lucky!

…to be continued…..

A talented intern working for a large sportswear brand has just completed her fashion studies. As part of her final project she has decided to present a womens wear accessory concept and range.

Using the company where she interns for inspiration, she decides that another price level is needed, so one price point above the sportswear line, but lower than a catwalk line.

Her presentation looked amazing, it was clear, professional and precise so much so that the sportswear company discussed had considered using some of the aspects for their own research.

The college however, failed her, as they didn’t quite ‘get’ the concept.

anonymous fashion college, you are training people, not only to aspire to great levels of creativity and design but also to work professionally in the industry, to be commercial, to understand processes and to be market relevant. Maybe you should look outside the box a little and not just focus on the crazy avant guard.

Through posting a discussion on LinkedIn.com to gain insider perspectives on a fashion industry conundrum, I discovered not 1 but 2 design initiatives.

Origami necklace

Peonyrice is an accessory brand sourced and produced responsibly in Asia through local communities. The project, an initiative of Pauline Cheung founder of Industria Collective (boutique design agency based in Hong Kong and Shanghai), is a brand of delicate head and neckwear aiming to benefit local artisans and in turn their communities.

Headwear - Peonyrice

With large-scale manufacturing units playing the lead in fashion production, its somewhat refreshing to hear that local si thriving amongst the giants of the East. Embracing traditional techniques and dying methods, this collection of headpieces, origami silk neck wear , and soft folded belts is updated weekly and shipped internationally.

The book is a guide to how the industry works and is, or should be, a hands on, practical approach to creating a fashion collection.

All well and good I hear you say… well actually yes because the focus of this book is not to fund retirement in a dream house at Big Sur, spending my days making jam and walking the dog (although that WOULD be nice), more that it will enable me teach and pass on my knowledge to others who need a helping hand, who have the dream but not the knowledge. So please bear this in mind when you read the next ditty of the story….

I was on holiday in Texas over Christmas. It was my first time there and the primary reason was that of a family visit. One evening my boyfriend and I went for dinner with some friends and one of the other guests was a lady who works in water parks ( the giant water slide places that scare the s*it out of me but are loved by many). An Interesting lady, my age I think, maybe a tad younger but a serious career women with a strong voice.

We chatted about our jobs and careers and  it turned out she had just returned from Central America where she had met a small community of women who wanted to set up a business making handbags from locally sourced materials but they were missing a designer to lead them and also some production knowledge. They had the resources, the enthusiasm, the workforce but were missing the design and the production guidance.

Immediately this struck a chord with me – what can I do to help on this? I thought..

Before the words came out of my mouth she offered up that she already had a bag designer in Vancouver BC who was keen to pass on designs and creative know-how but that they were missing out of the process knowledge.

Now – how is it possible that a random meeting like this at a house in Austin TX can result in a possible connection such as this.?

This to me is a perfect example of random coincidence. How cool would it be to pass on from my side, basic information, to a group of women who are desperate to have a creative voice on the other side of the world.?

Nothing is in work yet but from my side the interest is there and I am pursuing it avidly.

Talk about championing the underdog…. I’ll keep you updated.