#TBT Rei Kawakubo at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Make room for new blessings! Clean out your purse, closet and hard drive, kids. Looking through my Google Drive I realized I never shared the photos from my visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. in 2017. The exhibit I saw was for designer Rei Kawakubo. Known for her abstract silhouettes and Parisian Couture Techniques.

I remember being captivated by the exhibit. I found the craftsmanship inspiring. Also, how does she see these shapes in her mind?! One must be completely removed  from reality to see these forms and perfect them in patterns. And yet she is grounded enough to  have a 40 year career!? Absolutely phenomenal!

 

What  do you think of her work? How does it inspire you in what you do?

 

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June 27, 2019June 27, 2019 by fashionweekordietrying Tags: #TBT, art, Deep Thoughts, museums, New York, Rei Kawakubo Leave a comment

Met Gala 2018 Stream of Consciousness

 

I’m working at lot nowadays. Three days jobs, transitioning into freelancing and the relaunch of my clothing company has me stretched very thin. But 2018 is about self care, after work 8 hours in an office  and 2 hours of Postmates I decided to take a little time to do what all good little fashion boys and girls do in spring. With Janelle Monae “Don’t Judge Me” playing in my earphones and the sun setting in the sky I browsed Vouge.com’s covering of this years Met Gala

 

I had no intention of posting on this, but as my Facebook comment grew in word count, it started to look more like a blog. Except it wasn’t all that … linear? Just bullet points and notes on my thoughts. So I’m just gonna Ctrl+V them on the blog. I’ll crop the photos later ( as if you didn’t know they were from vogue.com) Don’t like it? I don’t care. You get what you get, so don’t throw a fit.

 

-Janelle and Solange are my lock screen. Nuff said.

– I hate celebrities who don’t even attempt the theme. Why don’t the Kardashian just stay home?

-Lena Waithe basically said “fuck yo couch Charlie Murphy” to theme and is still on theme. How Sway?

-Zendaya serves for her generation. Consistently giving us looks!

– Rihanna told us long ago she was a savage. Why did I expect anything less?

– Donald Glover is a sneaky MF. I see what you did there.

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-Belcaliz Almanzar?! What gives you the right? Disrespectful.

– Speaking of it pleases me that Cardi’s fiance and his fam are wearing dreadlocks and Italian designers in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. What a time to be alive.

-SJP is an icon and dresses accordingly.

-SZA default is ethereal. Again sway, answers! You got all the answers, then HOW?!

-Honestly you had me at capes and head pieces, I’m easy to please.

-Ariana Grande is giving me opera ingenue.

-Nicki Minaj is giving too much Grammy performance circa 2009, in my opinion. I would have like to see her in a lighter color.

– Madonna came in like ” Catholic symbolism? Hold my beer!”

– I love that now Kerri Washington is an A-lister she wears her hair natural. She is all of us after the probationary period at our job.

-Pharell looks like a sexy pimp vampire and I’m pleased.

-Diddy is dressed like he dressed in 1997 and is still on theme. Hilarious!

 Honorable mention

May 8, 2018June 27, 2019 by fashionweekordietrying Tags: Cardi B, Deep Thoughts, Dreams, Inspiration, launch, Met Gala, motivation, New York, SELF CARE, Solange Leave a comment

#winning

 

Contrary to the title of this blog I feel like I’ve been losing lately. Over the course of the summer I was hit with harsh life situations that, in review, I did not handle well. Death of relatives and friends, money issues and the stress of filming and financing my first commercial all took a toll on me. I spent a lot of time feeling shitty about myself, and how I was handling life. I felt like I couldn’t roll with the punches and I was failing hard. I was ashamed of what my life looked like and anxious about paying my bills. I believed that I was trapped in a situation that I could work myself out of. Problem with that is, I was working but not getting anything done. My time wasn’t being spent well, so I was working hard, but working dumb.  Side hustling made me feel less anxious but I wasn’t really solving my money issues.
I got to the point that I couldn’t enjoy life. Summer is my favorite time of year. I feel like my city comes alive in the summer. Instead of going to rap concerts, hiking, hanging with friends I was working all the time. Despite the grind, the problems weren’t going away. My stress grew. My shame grew. My anger grew.
I was falling the fuck off.

 

I was scrolling through Facebook this week. I saw Issa Rae, Jackie Aina, Lena Waithe and started to feel bad. Jealous of their amazing growth and shine, my curated feed of black girl magic was killing me. I felt like trash. Not sure if I mentioned this, but I listen to a lot of podcasts. One of the many mentioned Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers and it sparked a memory. In the book, Gladwell introduces the concept of 10,000 hours. Basically, to become the master of a craft you must invest at least 10,000 hours in developing their skills. I started this business 3 years ago. 1 hour on average a day x 365 days a year x 3 years =1095 hours. I want the shine. I want accolades. I want sales. I want security based on my creative gifts, but the reality is I have work to do.  It’s okay to be sad, or anxious, but it’s not okay to quit. This is the life I chose for myself. As my mom says this it’s the price you pay for the life you lead.  Losing isn’t being broke. Losing isn’t messing up. Losing is quitting before you win.
I have a renewed energy. It’s not some infomercial scam where I sell you the secrets to my smile. My energy is rooted in the realization I have I work to do. It’s wrapped in the reality that some days I will be straight trash and fail at everything. I am energetic because I am accepting that my imperfections and passions live in the same heart.

November 5, 2017 by fashionweekordietrying Tags: Deep Thoughts, Dreams, grind, Inspiration, motivation, Small Victories, Start up Leave a comment

My “Fleek” Advice on Starting a Fashion/Beauty Business

Big ups to Kayla Newman on her new business venture! Oh wait you don’t know Kayla. Are you familiar with her nom de plume  Peaches Monroe? Nah? How about the “Eye Brows on Fleek” Girl?

Yes, the young Miss Newman is the visionary who introduced the world  to the term “ on  fleek.” Her new project is launching  a gofundme page to raise capital for a hair and makeup line. And I ain’t mad at her. I think it is important for youth of color to know that their creativity, genius and swagger is valuable. Why not profit off the slang, dances and style you invent with your friends? Kayla, I applaud you.

 

But I am unsure if she will be successful. After making a donation to her gofundme I reached out with well wishes and encouraged her to contact me for consulting advice.  I think she is making some critical mistakes that might hinder her. If you are wondering what advice I’d share, keep reading.

 

She doesn’t need $100k

 

Her funding goal is $100,000. While my expertise is in fashion, I have learned about a little something called minimum viable product. In short you don’t have to have all the bells and whistles. You can go to market with one dope product and grow from there. We are drooling over pallets by Anastasia Beverly Hills because she hooked with us by focusing on brows. You can be Gucci down to the socks, but that brand began with luggage in 1921. Start small with one stellar product; make it for as little as possible and invest in marketing it to the people. I believe she can get it poppin’ for $10k.

 

Switch majors

I love nurses. My sister-in-law is a nurse. God bless all the nurses, but if Kayla is gonna go  to college and start this business she is going to waste a lot of money. It would be better for her to study business, marketing, or focus on the beauty industry. She isn’t going to learn the skills that are going to help her launch her business and she will have to pay in employees and training to make up for those deficits.

 

Keep the squad small (for now)

She states in her Gofundme summary

“Just so everyone can know my plans, with this money I plan on starting a website, get this project on legal papers with a good team of lawyers, etc and making sure my dreams come true as far as this “Fleek” thing. “

I think creating the proper legal entity is a good idea, but she doesn’t need a team of lawyers. The company Stripe actually has a product that “  automates the complicated process of starting a company into a filling out a short web form” and  “takes care of incorporating a company in Delaware, setting up a US bank account with a tax ID number, and creating a Stripe account so they can accept payments.” Sites like Legalzoom also help you establish an LLC. Due to her age, gender and ethnicity she can reach out to government agencies and non-profits for assistance in establishing a business including legal support and mentorship. Remember how I said she doesn’t need $100,000 to start this business? Don’t spend money you don’t have to mimic a business model you don’t need.

In case you are thinking of establishing a beauty brand and need some guidance, feel free to reach out. I share with fashion and beauty entrepreneurs what I have learned to save them time and money. I hope that Kayla decides to contact me for more help so that she can be super successful. 

May 25, 2017June 27, 2019 by fashionweekordietrying Leave a comment

How to film a panic free commercial for your crowdfunding campaign

“Donatella Versace. Kimora Lee Simmons. Diane Von Furstenberg. Beyonce. Oprah, Oprah,Oprah.”

If you found yourself sitting to next to a black woman nervously chanting those names on the bus, I’d like to apologize for freaking you out. I was going through some things. I figured that in my anxiety I could evoke the energy of those women when I had to step in front of the camera. I mean the blog is called Fashion Week or Die Trying, not “hide in your closet, scared”.

 

Last week I filmed my first commercial. I am using the commercial to relaunch my collection p29:18 on Indiegogo this summer.  While I know that crowdfunding campaigns  are more successful when they have a video, I was scared to make that move. I am a behind the scenes person. Yes I’m vlogging, but I’m doing that reluctantly. I decided that since my passion is to grow this business I need to throw my fears in the garbage. I don’t have the luxury to hide in the shadows. I need to employ all tactics to make this  business a success.  So if you are freaking out about filming a commercial for Facebook or a crowdfunding video, explore these tips:

 

Work with professionals

I’m all about working with the homies, but professionals will ease your nerves. If you have been networking, you have probably added a few new associates that have the skills you need.  It was comforting to have friends on set, because I knew they had my best interest in mind. Additionally I could trust their artistry because this work pays their rent. I also hired a producer who used her network to round out the crew. You don’t have to be a Jack of all trades. You can hire people who know what to do  and learn form them.

 

Make a budget and write it down.

Money stresses me out. I’m learning to  have a more chill relationship with money, but I’m not Scrooge McDuck rich either. If you you are bootstrapping, don’t play yourself.  Create a realistic budget, discuss it with your team and pay people on time. It will help you focus on the important parts of the product.

 

Accept that your body is camera ready.

 Yo I was scared of them 4k cameras! They make everyone look crazy. Instead of being a 31 year business woman, preparing for a commercial I felt like 12 year old walking through a hallway full of bullies. I’m too damn old to be this self conscious and yet I was. I was so nervous that I couldn’t remember my lines, AND I WROTE THE SCRIPT! If  you have any insecurities know this: you are filming because you are a professional with a vision  to share with the world and you are good enough. If you hate your hair, eyes, weight, teeth, toes whatever you are good enough, do what you came to do. It is easy to  get wrapped up in this quest perfection.  Photoshop and Facetune have us  believing that only the flawless deserve to be seen. This is not true. A dope team and a smart budget can have you looking your best and you know what? Your best is good enough.

May 15, 2017May 18, 2017 by fashionweekordietrying Tags: Beyonce, business, commercial, crowdfunding campaign, entrepreneur, launch, Networking, Small Victories Leave a comment

So I’m Vlogging Now

 

So I’m vlogging now. I know, I know! Don’t clown me to hard. It’s a weird experience. My videos aren’t fancy and cool. I’m filming on my phone. The ultimate goal is to build up brand awareness for my relaunch of p29:18. I’m a baby vlogger for sure and have no idea what I’m doing. Check out what I’ve uploaded.

May 5, 2017 by fashionweekordietrying Leave a comment

I Ain’t Mad- Why I am giving Shea Moisture the benefit of the doubt

 

I’m a black woman with an internet connection so I heard about the Shea Moisture ad debacle. In case you haven’t heard, let me give you a brief synopsis. For black women hair is the biggest of deals. Mainly of us are pressured by our families, employers and romantic partners to straighten our hair. In the last decade with the help of online communities there has been a resurgence of black women backing away from dangerous chemicals and expensive weaves and embracing their natural hair.  During this movement Black owned  companies have emerged to support the unique needs of natural black hair. These companies have strong cult followings. One of those companies is Shea Moisture.

With their new campaign, many black women felt that Shea Moisture was trying to act brand new. No longer reppin’ the girls that helped them build their business, the new commercials featured 2 white women and light skin black woman with bouncy ringlets. All the women were beautiful,  no shade.  But this reminded me of those commercials from the 90’s that made  me ashamed of my tightly coiled hair. I didn’t look like the ethnically ambiguous girl in the Pantene commercial who proclaimed that her hair was so healthy it shined.

 

SheaMoisture is CANCELLED pic.twitter.com/T4Dru1JgAq

— NANA JIBRIL 🌙🏳️‍🌈 (@girlswithtoys) April 24, 2017

 

I’m grown now. I am confident and filled with self love.  I like my hair in twist, afros, weaves, braids and flat ironed to Michelle Obama perfection, but I get understand the sting. Many times black women feel like we get trends poppin’ but don’t reap the benefits. Creatives and capitalists use our support as fuel to fly far away and never return. It kind of looked like Shea Moisture was doing the same.

I believe something else though. As an black entrepreneur I want Shea Moisture to win BIG. I want them battle to Unilever and Procter & Gamble. Ten years from now I want them to be a titan that can invest in their customers as they develop new ideas. I want a black owned deodorant company and a black owned contact solution company and a black owned nail polish  all at Walgreen’s. We aren’t going to get there without companies like Shea Moisture. So after we snatching edges with shade on Twitter, let’s snatch some market share. I am excited to watch their beauty company grow. It helps me to my open my mind  on where my company can go.

 

April 25, 2017April 26, 2017 by fashionweekordietrying Tags: beauty, business, Dreams, entrepreneur, motivation Leave a comment

One pantsuit nation under a lot of stress

Originally posted 11/8/16

 

As an American, I have experienced an array of emotions during this last election. My friends abroad tell me that the entire world thinks the US has lost it’s mind and I won’t disagree. The news feels more like a reunion episode of Love and Hip Hop everyday. I am saddened as more of my peers, friends and family feel disengaged in the political process. I wish we were doing more listening and reasoning. I wish there was less violence.

The only high point is the movement around Pantsuits. I’m no Olivia Pope, but I look damn good in a blazer.

I have no idea what will happen in the next few hours but I hope to see more community. If I can’t find it I will remember my ancestors and make it.  I found a few awesome people expressing themselves today and will be going out to find more. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 23, 2017April 23, 2017 by fashionweekordietrying Leave a comment

Halloween is coming sooner every year

 Originally posted 11/13/17

Man! When I tell you that  Halloween snuck up on me this year, it sure did! I am pretty ruthless with people that are surprised by events that happen on the same day every year. Maybe this was my punishment, for my lack of empathy all those years ? Instead of the Prince costume that I was working on, I grabbed a red dress out of my closet and found some fake blood from the year before. All in all it was a chill Halloween. I went to  a friend’s show. Her Band Noody was opening for Adore Delano, of Rupal’s Drag Race Fame. 

It was was super cool and I saw some awesome costumes. Don’t call me old, because I was snug in bed at 1am. There are 52 weekends in a year. I have ample opportunity to turn up. I earned my turn in. 

What did you wear for Halloween?

April 21, 2017April 23, 2017 by fashionweekordietrying Tags: City Girl Life, halloween, SELF CARE, Street Fashion Leave a comment

K.I.S.S. – Love YSL Yves Saint Laurent at the Seattle Art Museum

 

Originally Posted 1/9/17

I finally got around to seeing the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. It was a very hot ticket. When I tried to go on the final free Thursday event of the exhibit’s run, there was a two hour wait. Instead I purchased a ticket for the following Saturday. Even then there were people lined up for up to 15 minutes prior to their ticket times. I found out once inside this was to control the number of people in the exhibit. It got very crowded and chatty at times, and I appreciate SAM’s efforts to curb that.

For me I usually like to quietly experience art. I look, and read and think about what I am viewing. In the case of fashion exhibits, I look closely at techniques and design for inspiration. While musems can be fun dates and hangouts, I have a great time on my own.

My main takeaway from the exhibit was simplicity. Remember the acronym K.I.S.S.? In case you aren’t familiar it stands for “keep it simple, stupid”. Well, I certainly felt YSL’s spirit giving me a big ole K.I.S.S. With solitary focuses and impeccable fitting, while he could do a lot, he usually choose not to. The exhibit showed sketches from his production process as well as finished garments, films and photography. As was evident from his childhood illustrations, YSL could draw, but his illustrations were very simple and over croquis that remained the same for decade long stretches of time. Still a little insecure from my days as a fashion student, I don’t draw a lot. I get frustrated that the image on the paper isn’t as beautiful as the image in my mind. It has be en a long time since I drew just to express my imagination. This maybe hindering me.

Half way through the exhibit, my phone went dead. Sorry. Even sadder it was in my favorite room of the exhibit. Piercing through the darkness was an elevated mannequin under a spotlight. The mannequin wore a black velvet dress with a brown fox draped over it’s shoulder. The fox wore a thin graphic gold muzzle connected to a gold chain that tethered it to the mannequin. They both were placed upon a case filled with  costume jewelry. A contemporary audience  would consider a lot of it garish, but I fell in love in that room. From the vibes of the treasure trove I saw the special pieces my grandmother saved for Sunday morning and the items my mother would defiantly wear on the number 2 bus. It was the type of bounty you’d expect in the closet of Elizabeth Taylor;  her brushing off your awe saying “ you mean this old thing?” Yves Saint Laurent encouraged his customer to dress head to toe in black, but to accessorize with passion. Why don’t we still dressed this way?!

In the following rooms I quickly sketched  a few  looks. I enjoyed not being concerned with the results. I definitely need to continue that spirit in my work. I can’t wait until the next fashion event the Seattle Art Museum.

 

 

Check out my photos from the exhibit.

 

April 21, 2017June 27, 2019 by fashionweekordietrying Tags: museums Leave a comment