A Fashion Education

Normally my day consists of sifting through hundreds, and I'm sure probably thousands, of fashion images. This may seem a little obsessive, but I mean with sites like Pinterest, StyleSaint, style.com and everyone's favorite app... Instagram, it's not that hard to do. Nonetheless I look at it as a part of my job, at least part of what  will be my future career.

I want to be a fashion editor and writer. 

I'm currently a senior (yay!) English literature, which means I'm working on the writing aspect of my dream... but then there is the fashion editorial part. Well, I am blessed to say that I'm getting an education in that as well. I started the journey about six months ago with this lovely lady assisting with styling (steaming, organizing wardrobe/shoes, returns etc.) on some fabulous shoots. So today, I thought instead of sharing random images, I would share a few  I got to see take place first hand. Enjoy!

Aqua Parios by Mireya Acierto and MU/Styling by Diane Aiello 

Arizona Foothills Magazine 'A Fine Romance'

Arizona Foothills Magazine 'Fashion Fore-ay'

Fashion Gone Rogue 'Face The Light' by Matthew Priestley and Styling by Diane Aiello

Fashion Inspiration Illustration

I guess I have been feeling a bit artsy lately, maybe its my fanciful novels I read for school, or my favorite Facebook Notifications from Babe & Butter... either way I thought we should discover the world of Fashion Illustration (again that is, check out Tanina Jackson's art here). When I did go to fashion school, for that short time, the one class I fell in love with that I never expected to was Fashion Illustration and my professor actually told me with hard work and practice I was going to be great. One day I hope to pick up the charcoal again (my husband may not be too happy about that, talk about a mess!), but until then let us appreciate these beautiful pieces of art.

Gladys Perint Palmer is an internationally renowned fashion illustrator who has a resume that runs the gamut from Vogue to the Metropolitan Museum to her very own fashion illustration books

Illustrations by Gladys Perint Palmer via Fashion Illustration Gallery

Another favorite of Mine is Bil Donovan, Artist-in-Residence for Dior Beauty. 

Actually... let's promote him to my favorite. 

All Illustrations by Bil Donovan via The Well Life

Sophie  Griotto is a French girl after my own heart... I can't get enough.

All Illustrations by Sophie Griotto via Teenbookmag.com

Sophie Griotto

I think I may have inspired myself take that newsprint out from underneath the bed!

Do you have any favorite fashion illustrators? Please do share!

Fashion Circle a la Joe Zee

I've been enjoying my first few days of summer vacation (that is until summer classes start in 17 days) watching TV shows, documentaries, and movies on Netflix. Most of them have had some sort of fashion theme... Jane by Design - the whole first season, Love and Other Disasters, and my favorite thus far--All on the Line.  

photo: netflix.com

If you've never seen the show or heard of it, here is a little blurb from the show's website:

Creative Director of ELLE Joe Zee, who The New York Times deems, ‘Fashion’s approachable ambassador,’ will come to the rescue of designers in need of a makeover on their business, design or both in what The Huffington Post called a “must-see” show. 

The Huffington Post is not exaggerating, this is a must-see. Joe Zee doesn't just bring his 20+ years of expertise, but he brings his heart. A "fashion person" who really cares about the well-being & success of others is not always easy to come by in such a competitive industry--making Joe Zee and his fabulous show all the more special. 

photo: sundancechannel.com

This post is not just about the entertainment value that All on the Line has no doubt provided, but a particular episode "Gemma Kahng: I Want a Woman to Look a Little Mad Max and a Little Princess." The storyline revolves around the idea the Gemma needs to take a look at who she surrounds herself with and that her support circle may need some changing. Over and over again Joe Zee made the point that the people you surround yourself with are just as important as the business, the design process, and the product itself. 

My favorite fashion star Ronnie....admittedly I was so bored last week I didn't even watch the entire episode. 

I have been blessed to always have amazing supportive and creative people and mentors around me, but that sometimes takes knowing who to share your passions and ideas with (discretion is a must >> a lesson from mom), distancing myself from not so supportive others ....and also being willing to take constructive criticism and learn (= listen & practice)  from my mentors.

And so, just a reminder to never stop putting yourself out there and making new friends and relationships, but rather tread lightly and keep your passions close... and always be willing to learn!

Event: FGI AZ Trend Report

Last night I joined 80+ fashionistas at the the FGI Arizona Trend Report event at Saks Fifth Avenue at Biltmore Fashion Park. 

The evening started with delicious refreshments in the Saks Shoe department (it's kind of like heaven). As the ladies enjoyed their glasses of S. Pellegrino and hors d'oeuvres there was plenty of fashion talk happening with faces from just about every Arizona fashionable locale attending in support of the event, which helped raise money for the Fresh Start Women's Foundation:

Phoenix Fashion Week, Neiman Marcus, Phoenix Art Museum's Costume Institute, The Art Institute of Phoenix, just to name a few.

Attendees showed off their most fashion forward outfits... one of the season's hottest trends, bright pants was a favorite and of course you can never go wrong with animal print!

The cosmetic department was another hot destination.

A highlight of the evening was the opporutnity to hear Susan Berman, CEO of Fresh Start, share the mission of the foundation, which is dedicated to empowering women to transform their lives through engagement and education.

THE FASHION

The young and the stylish, that's what I like to call the students from the The Art Institute of Phoenix.

Among our favorites ( you all looked great!) was Esmirna (pictured above) who looked fab in sheer polka dots and beige pleats. Not to mention the chic Betseyville chain purse. 

The evening concluded with a brief talk from Silvia Bours, a Mexican born designer, who recently showed at Phoenix Fashion Week in October 2011. Her theatrical yet feminine masterpieces have garnered a loyal following and her most recent success includes having several of her designs featured and sold on zappos.com. 

Even with such great success, the 25-year-old designer is incredibly humble and approachable, encouraging others who are interested in the fashion industry to work hard to achieve their dreams. 

With Marie Antoinette-esque hair and fans in hand the models looked amazing in Bours' French inspired dresses. 

The evening concluded with the Trend Report film, which covered all of the hottest trends straight from the runways: emerald, the new three piece suit, jewels, capes and more!

Thank you to Tracy Rasinski, Regional Director and the FGI AZ team for putting together a great event!

For more information about FGI Arizona or to become a member please visit their website: http://arizona.fgi.org/

Don't forget to stop by Saks Fifth Avenue Biltmore for the best fashion has to offer!

Also visit  Heroine Chic for more coverage on this great event!

Phoenix Fashion Artist- Tanina Jackson

On Friday morning, I had the honor to meet and interview local Fashion Artist, Tanina Jackson. We started our morning chat with some coffee, {well I did...she favors a Vanilla Bean Frapp} and then got right to it! 


As I walked into her condo-turned-studio I was greeted by Tanina, dozens of paintings on walls and easels, and another young lady sitting at a desk working on a computer. I soon learned that there are currently three businesses being run out of the studio: Kid Kandy custom bead necklaces, life coaching {the young lady at the desk is Masha Tikhonova a life coach!}, and Babe & Butter which is Tanina's artwork. 

Before I continue, let me tell you how this whole meeting came about.... A friend of mine shared one of Tanina's pieces on her Facebook page and I was immediately a fan. After a few clicks I ended up on the Babe & Butter website and knew I had to meet the person behind these paintings {not to mention I NEEDED to get my hands on one of her cosmetic bags}. I sent Tanina an email about setting up an interview and she was kind of enough to let me ask all the questions I wanted {my recording alone was 40 minutes!}. 


Okay so back to Tanina, she grew up in Mesa and attended ASU where she earned a degree in Communications. After she graduated she attended fashion design school in Dubai for a few months. With a degree in communications and some fashion design experience under her belt, I had to ask, "Why art?" She tells me that she started to learn how to paint when she was 13 from two artists in Mesa, Lloyd and Tom, "I was the youngest person in the class. I was 13 and most of the people in class were 60, 70, 80." When she graduated from ASU it hit her that she had to decide what she was going to do and she did, "I"m going to be an artist."

Painting comes naturally to Tanina, {the picture above is her first painting...} and she began to sell her paintings almost immediately. Though she is not quite as convinced of her natural talent as I am, "I have painted a lot, I have painted hundreds of pictures--I don't know what determines skill and talent." Her humble attitude toward her talent, skill, and artwork, make me an even bigger fan. 

Why Fashion and Art? ... Fashion Art


"I fell in love with art first and then when I got a little bit older I fell in love  with fashion. My early years of school [high school] I would get Elle and Vogue and read every single word from front to back. I had notebooks and notebooks of pictures cut out.  And I just fell in love with it. I think it's one of our greatest forms of expression."


Tanina's art is unique, there is no question about that, but she sees what she does as another form of fashion just with a different result--a painting instead of a garment. "I don’t look at it as very separate. Well when I studied fashion design and we would come up with inspiration boards, and kind of work out the colors for that season and do our sketching… I kind of looked at it as a very similar thing."

Eventually Tanina does want to combine her two passions by collaborating with a high-end designer on handbags--she doing the artwork and they {read: Dior} doing the bag designs. Until that day {which I am 100% convinced will come soon} she is enjoying her life, "My life is pretty dreamy," she says of her days, which start at 2 or 3 in the afternoon returning emails, doing some work on Facebook, blogging {read the Babe & Butter blog here}, and then painting for 4 to 7 hours in the evening, sometimes till 8 o'clock in the morning. "I just like painting at night. For me, that's my ideal schedule."

Defining Her Work:
Tanina's artwork is painted entirely from oil paints and she almost only paints on canvas. All of her work is from photographs--she gets a vision and then actually makes it happen in a photograph before painting it. As far as what she classifies her artwork as, she says she really doesn't try to classify it beyond "Fashion Art." 


Babe&Butter reflects the progress women have made. "Admirable women today explore their interests wholeheartedly. They don't dress to impress, they dress to express and in many ways self-expression allows women to be who they are not what they are suppose to be" -Tanina Jackson

BLOGGER Q&A TIME...
Fave designer/brand? Dior “I love their colors and I think that they do some, they take a lot of risks in the stuff they put out.”


Favorite stores? Anthropologie, Urban, anywhere...“I really enjoy shopping. I think-- put me in a thrift store and I’ll have fun.”


Consider yourself a "blogger"? “Yeah I kind of, I wish I could blog more. I love having a blog, I think we are really lucky that we live in a society where we are able to express our ideas like that and share it with other people."


Why Babe & Butter? "The inspiration for the name of my studio actually came from a Lil Wayne song. I love hip hop and it is a huge influence influence on me.The song is a love song. The line goes 'I remember we would sit at home all day/you call me butter, I call you babe. I toyed around with Butter&Babe and Babe&Butter and decided to go with Babe&Butter.  No one expects that's where it came from, but it did, and I love it."


Greatest moment as an artist? When she found out she got the Kiosk {Tempe Market Place} & "I saw a bag at a club on a girl I didn’t know. That was special. It was a total different feeling I don’t even know how to describe it. Being recognized for my artwork from people I don’t know. When you make art it is revealing of your soul and to put it out and people like it... that’s awesome."

 To see and purchase her artwork, invite Tanina to paint live at an event, or just to tell her how awesome her work is please visit her at: 

Babe & Butter FB 

Babe & Butter Website

P.S. Thank you Tanina for the cosmetic bag! LOVE IT~~ 

Fashion School Or Internships

"Should I go to fashion school?" I'm almost positive that this is the most asked question among fashion industry hopefuls. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a clear-cut answer with industry professionals on both sides of the fence--while many require a degree of some sort others prefer that potential employees have first-hand experience. 

Having attended fashion school {for a short time} as well as participated in my fair share of interning, I decided to compile a list of pros and cons for each.

 Of course this is only intended to provided you with a bit more information...in the end only you can determine the best route for you.

Fashion School Pros

• Surrounded by like minded individuals who help feed your creative side and encourage you when things get tough.
• Taught by industry professionals {most professors are currently working in the field}.
• Networking potential among peers... you never know if your classmate is going to be the next fashion successes, plus professors may be able to provide you with insider opportunities.
• Career opportunities via the school career center or job fairs {of course the type and caliber of companies that show up depend on each school}.
• Like any other learning environment you have professionals to help you seemingly whenever you need it. This should be taken advantage of because you won't have someone there to guide you every step of the way once you graduate.

Fashion School Cons

• The price tag. Yes, fashion school can cost you up to $40,000 a year {the same as some four year private universities...also happens to be the reason I couldn't finish}.
• Many fashion schools only provide their students with an Associates Degree, but if the type of degree you get doesn't matter then this isn't such a big deal.
• Get ready to compete. You thought the fashion industry was competitive? Try competing with every other person in your class everyday on every project... You are not the only one trying to get a job after graduation.
• Say goodbye to your friends, family, and life for the next year or two. Fashion is fun, but it is also a lot of hard work. Most likely you'll  have to give up leisure activity and family time to finish school projects. I spent upwards of 4 hours a night working on fashion illustrations for one class.

Internship Experience Pros

•  You get to experience the industry first hand and if you are a "visual person," like I am, this is invaluable. 
• For the most part, industry professionals are at your disposal so ask as many questions as you can think of {of course make sure the timing is right... don't ask what their favorite lip gloss is in the middle of a staff meeting}.
• Networking with industry professionals, now is the time if ever to show off your skills and get to know some people.
• Sometimes you get paid and if not you get free stuff! :)
• Nothing looks better on a resume than "I worked for insert fashion company here." Or better yet a reference letter from Ms or Mr Fashion Boss.

Internship Experience Cons

• Getting your foot in the door can prove pretty difficult if you don't have prior experience or know someone who can get you in.
• For the most part you are either not going to get paid or if you do it will most likely require getting a second job.
• Long hours. There is no such things as 9 to 5 with an hour lunch break.
• Don't know the first thing about fabric, trims, buttons, zippers, Microsoft office, PR? If you are even lucky enough to get the position in the first place, there won't be any time to learn and your stress levels may just skyrocket.

One more note on fashion school, if you want to be a designer or do merchandising and you posses no experience or skill in either, then fashion school may be a good route for you.

Fashion School Websites:

www.fidm.com

www.fitnyc.edu

www.aau.edu

I know this isn't an exhaustive list so if you have any further questions please feel free to ask. If I don't have the answer I will do my best to find it for you!