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Saturday, February 18, 2-5 pm $48
Showing posts with label apparel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apparel. Show all posts
Monday, February 6, 2012
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Fashion show boosts Portland fashion community, women's shelter
Everybody needs a sanctuary in these troubled times – a place of joy and hope for the future.
Saturday, April 16 brings such sanctuary to Portland in the form of a hopeful vision for the city’s fashion business.
On that day, Portland Sewing brings together eight emerging designers for a “Garden Party Fashion Event.”
“Part of our vision is to create a market center for the apparel industry here in Portland,” says Portland Sewing owner Sharon Blair, “We have so much talent here, why not?”
Portland Sewing, 2111 NE 43rd, is a prep and finishing school for those seeking jobs in fashion design and the apparel industry. It offers classes from beginning sewing to patternmaking, fashion design and apparel business – from how to start your own business to hiring sales representatives.
Many of Portland’s designers have studied with Blair, including those featured at the show. Two students, Gretchen Jones and Janeane Marie, have gone on to compete on Project Runway.
Designers featured at the garden party event are:
-- Bryce Black, Grey Gardens. StudioSKB is Sharon Blair’s line of clothing. This year she is turning it around and using the label to launch a designer a year. This year, the designer is Bryce Black. Black soon will graduate from Art Institute. His clothes have been featured in Portland Monthly. His Fall 2011 collection, Grey Gardens, set the tone for the garden party fashion event. It is inspired by the documentary and film about Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis’ relatives.
-- Alicia Wood, Ms. Wood. Wood studied at Parsons before coming to Portland and Portland Sewing. She combines draped kimono sleeves with fabrics such as silk, chiffon and leather. Her line includes obi belts, hats, bags, jewelry and handcrafted shoes. She was named Best Emerging Designer of 2010 at last year’s Portland Fashion Week.
-- Alyson Clair, Clair Vintage Inspired, aims to flatter all womanly figures. Her line ranges from XS to XL and is made primarily of knits. “I take a lot of pride in the fact that my entire line is designed and manufactured right here in Portland, Ore.,” she says.
-- Nyla Jano’s Torrain line of accessories was inspired by a trip to Cambodia. She recycles rice bags into purses, wallets, handbags and backpacks. She wants to encourage style mixed with a global conscience.
-- Robin Forsythe, Estate, sells her clothes at Portland boutiques Union Rose, Sofada and Tumbleweed. Estate upcycles fabrics to create apparel from existing fabrics, preferably made from natural fibers. She chooses subdued colors and textures.
-- Stephanie Dong, Stephanie D Couture. She uses her bachelors degree in apparel design to create ready-to-wear, bridal and custom-made garments. After five years in the business, she is in the process of opening her own boutique.
-- Tiffany Bean, Tiffany Bean. Owner for five years of Mabel and Zora, a boutique in Portland’s Pearl District, Bean is launching her eponymous line at the garden party event. She describes her line as “inspired by Doris Day and James Bond movies. My line has a 1960’s influence, bright colors, bold prints and flattering, feminine silhouettes.”
-- Vien To, Vien. Her well-constructed silhouettes are sold in boutiques in Salem, Ore., and will soon be sold in a boutique of her own. She earned her apparel degree in 2009.
The interior of the sewing school will be turned into an indoor garden featuring bird-friendly plants.
Proceeds go to Peace Garden at Coburn Place Safe Haven – a women’s shelter. Coburn gives women who have suffered from domestic violence and their children a sanctuary where they can start anew.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Doors open @ 7 pm; Show starts @ 8 pm
$10 in advance; $15 at the door
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
FREELANCE AND CONTRACTORS
TIMES ARE TOUGH. Folks can't find jobs. Apparel companies are laying off designers.
As a result, a few of my students are going freelance. But they are nervous about what to do and how to make sure they get paid. This is something most design schools don't seem to teach. So I thought I'd share with you what I've been telling them.
Have a written contract. My lawyer husband says there are 3 elements to make a contract. But Sam, one of my business teachers, hammered in my head the five C's of contracts. Here's how he defined them:
1) Consent. A mutual understanding of what the contract covers. E.g., we are talking about a dress.
2) Creation, or offer and acceptance. E.g., I am going to make this dress in this picture for this person. You are going to give me money.
3) Consideration, or an exchange of something of value. E.g., for delivering this dress on May 3, 2009, you are going to pay $1,000.
4) Completion. The dress is delivered on time and the check cleared the bank.
5) Competence. Basically, don't sign a contact with anyone younger than 18 or of doubtful reputation.
Now here are some details. Contracts can cover many subjects, but mine all have these things in common:
- The names and titles of the principals in the contract: The client and the contractor (you!).
- A specific description of the item/work to be done.
- The deliverables. E.g., illustrations could be hard copy on a specific paper, pdfs of a certain resolution and a disc of said pdfs in a specific format. Deliverables can come from the client as well as the contractor.
- Date when the deliverables are due. This should be done in increments at natural progress points, e.g., sketches, draft illustrations for approval, final illustrations.
- The payment. This often is done on the same dates that the deliverables are due with increments and totals given in $numbers and percentages. BTW, save your receipts and time logs!
- Signatures of the principals, along with the titles and date of signature.
You may also be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement. This just means you won't blab about your client's work. One page is enough. Go on the web to see what such agreements look like.
Bear in mind that most clients want to hear how much a project will cost in total. They don't want to hear a price/hour with the number of hours left open.
Creating such an estimate is tough at first. With luck, you've tracked your hours in doing similar projects for yourself or school.
Don't expect more than minimum wage ($8.40/hr in Oregon) if you don't have the tools or good skills. But if you are experienced, just new, charge $20/hr. Go up as your client list grows. If you can sew a custom-sized lined skirt with zipper, hem and waistband in two hours, you should charge at least $50/hr. Thus your bid for such a project would be $100 -- for the sewing only. Illustrating? Patterning? Consulting about designs and fabrics? Fitting the client once or twice in a muslin? Your price goes up depending on the number of hours you allot for these activities.
Oh, and BTW, if you get a client who says the project is very simple and straightforward but can't give details, don't do it. If s/he starts changing her/his mind, drop 'em. If it's a wedding dress and she starts bringing her bridezilla mom, drop her. If it's a friend/relative, set the stage, give a written estimate with options on the number of fittings/drafts and get money up front when you sign the contract. Then send invoices and exchange money at each deliverable point.
Be brave. Be professional. Believe that your time and skills are worth something.
I'd love to hear your experiences in freelance. Send them in! -- Sharon Blair, studioskb.com and portland sewing.com
NOTE: My friend, Laura, from Nike and I plan to offer apparel business classes Spring 2009. Stay tuned!
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