advice

Edited 6/27/09. My main intention in this post was to inform and help others in similar situations.

To any young designer, or any person running their own business, make ABSOLUTE certain of one thing: At the end, know EXACTLY how much you will be making in the deal. Never assume. Never estimate. And don't be afraid to say NO early in the beginning. Don't be afraid of making others unhappy. Definitely, get everything in writing (as one commenter mentioned). Just make careful decisions.

People probably think that fashion designers make a ton of money. But in reality, for the majority of us, that couldn't be farther from the truth. (even if we're one of the lucky ones that "makes it" so to speak.) We spend more than we bring in. We're lucky when we break even. And we're one of the select few if and when we turn a profit. I'm still not there yet. 

Long Live Etsy: I'm a huge proponent of marketplaces where you can buy directly from the designer. It ensures the designer actually gets compensated for their work. I still realize I have so much to learn about this industry. And I'm learning, one mistake at a time.

summer

Ah, it's been such a busy past month, with no time to post! I've been hard at work on the Bluefly collection, which should be launching at the end of the month (fingers crossed that nothing else can go wrong and hold it up at this point). I think every possible production problem that could have happened has already, but every time I say that a new crisis or fabric shortage pops up. Yikes! 

It was my first hand at doing production, and it has been quite a valuable learning experience. Next time will go much more smoothly! Still, even with the frustrations, it's so nice to be able to hire someone else to make my clothes and to do it here domestically in New York so I can check up on everything and smooth out the kinks. It sure beats staying up all hours of the night trying to do everything myself!

Additionally, I have a few things currently on my Etsy page available and a dress on my website, with hopefully more to come soon! I'm ridding myself of some past samples on Etsy every now and then for ridiculously cheap, too.

Yesterday, marked one year from when I flew out to start filming the show. It's insane how fast this past year flew by! It seems like it was literally just weeks ago.

Photo by Nicholas LaClair (yes, that's Karalyn!)

Fall09

I spent the warmest day of the year so far editing photos and finally completing my lookbook for Fall. My computer is overheated, and so am I sitting in our toasty top-floor apartment, but I'm happy with how it turned out. 

Ahhhmazing!

I just received some of the photos from the shoot last Friday.  Caitlin Bellah, is so talented and a prodigy photographer and only twenty years old. I love the way she captures emotion in her photographs. Simply amazing beyond words. 

This was a shoot that I had not really planned too much for originally, but welcomed Caitlin to come and shoot around my studio while she was visiting from San Francisco.  She undoubtedly has such an incredibly bright future ahead of her. I look forward to seeing her work in Italian Vogue someday!

This is the short, eco-friendly wedding dress that I created recently.

Spring

It is finally here! Well, for at least the past couple of days. I think it will probably go away tomorrow. 

I had the great opportunity to work with the incredibly talented photographer, Caitlin Bellah, who hung out with me at my studio on Friday while I worked and finished up a dress. I will post a couple of the end-resulting photos as soon as I get them in. 

This was just one that I snapped with my phone. The day couldn't have been any nicer, and the sunset on the side of the building was breathtaking. Days like these make me really love New York. 

More pictures to come. I can hardly wait to see them myself!

bridal scan

I was invited to be part of a panel discussion on Green Weddings, which was last night.  I quickly whipped up a short green (hemp, organic cotton and silk) wedding dress to bring along. 

One of my goals for this year is to develop a line of mostly sustainable ready to wear bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses. Originally, I never really saw myself as a bridal designer, but lately I've been working on a lot of wedding gowns and it turns out, that it's something I really enjoy designing.  I'm creating a bridal section to my website, which will hopefully be up in the next day or so.

Today, while scanning some forms and documents, I got the idea to scan the dress I made. Still, no fancy, new camera (or fixed), but maybe I don't need one afterall. I love the effect, without any editing whatsoever. I think I'll scan more of my designs in the future!

On another note, the blossoms have FINALLY began to bloom in the trees outside the windows, providing for a great April-backdrop.

Update: I just put up a webpage: leannemarshall.com/bridal

Working

I've finally gotten myself a nice, bright and big workspace that I've been in for a couple of weeks, which has enabled me to be so much more productive than trying to work from the apartment. Mainly, it may be that my computer isn't there, and I'm not as distracted by emails and internet surfing. All I want to do is work when I'm there, and then I can call it a day and go home and leave my work behind. 

The space is great, and in an amazing location right on the water in DUMBO, but my view is of the building adjacent. The view from the other side (and bathroom as pictured) is AMAZING. Maybe after awhile, I'll promote myself and move to the other side and get that Manhattan skyline and river view. I must say, that river certainly stinks, though! Or maybe it's the nuclear energy plant that's across the street. I don't know what it is.  For now, I'm happy peeking into the windows of the people across the way, and catching a tiny glimpse of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges.

I've been hard at work on the Bluefly collection, and have been doing a gown here and there to satisfy my creative itches. I dropped a big box of pins yesterday, and kind of loved the pattern it made. I didn't even pick them up either. They always end up on the floor anyway!

 

Still no camera. I need to get it fixed. These were taken by my phone.