Oh Barcelona…

My trip to Spain was a blast…We arrived on Wednesday October 19.  Shortly after our arrival, we were off to a fashion museum.  The Dressing the Body exhibition explored how garments have been used to accentuate different body parts over the centuries.  The exhibition incorporated garments dating back to the 1700’s.  It was amazing to see how women’s clothing has changed over the years, and the museum had a very impressive set up that allowed visitors to easily see the transformation.  The collection included Charles Fredrick Worth (the first haute couture designer) gowns, and it was so rewarding to see some of his designs!  After our trip to the museum, we explored various fashion retail locations—I was not overly impressed with the city’s “mall.”  After all of our touring and traveling, we were exhausted.  I went for a light and quick dinner and headed back to the hotel for some much needed sleep.  We started the next day by traveling to Mango’s headquarters and had a private tour of the design center.  The design center was huge, and I was amazed to see the different components that are needed for operation.  We were able to see different designers working, and the sewing rooms were intense.  Mango hires models for their design center that represent each size, and all of the clothes, shoes, accessories are tried on before they are sent off for mass production.  The environment is very artsy, a tactic used by the owner to encourage creativity.  The company is very team oriented, and if I thought I could happily live in Barcelona, I would consider applying for an internship.  After our tour, we were off to “study” the outlets.  I wasn’t impressed with the outlets, but the architecture was tastefully done.  We were also able to go to an arena that had been transformed into a shopping area which is definitely an interesting place to shop.  After all of our fashion research for the day was over, I decided to walk down to the Port of Barcelona and see Christopher Columbus and the Mediterranean.  It was a beautiful day with gorgeous blue skies (such a nice change).  Natalie and I had a photo shoot on a tour boat and then we walked back up Las Ramblas and discovered the food market.  The food market was amazing and it was interesting to see.  Our dinner consisted of way too many tapas, but we had so much fun with it.  The next morning, we went to the famous Sagrada Familia constructed by Guadi.  This church was by far the most remarkable church I have ever seen.  The architecture is brilliant and deviates from the typical structure of a church.  I enjoyed seeing how different this church is compared to all of the gothic style churches I have been in lately.  Later that day, we went to the chocolate museum and the Picasso museum. That night, we decided to go out after dinner and experience the night life.  The Spanish are intense partiers with clubs open until 6 am, no wonder they need siesta during the day.  Our last day, was spent shopping at the Ramblas and by the Mediterranean.  It was sad to leave such nice weather, but by the end of the trip, I was ready to come back to Paris.  As far as fashion, it is pretty non-existent.  Fashion didn’t seem to be a priority or even valued by most of the people.  Self expression was more prevalent.  Piercings, tattoos, graffiti, etc. seemed to be a predominate theme.  I am so glad that I was able to experience this city, but I doubt I will ever make it a vacation destination in the future.     

Since Fashion Week…

Fashion week ended with my last show, Arzu Karpol and an unexpected call from Ana Burke; she asked me to work an additional day with the accessories in the Rick Owens’ showroom—a nice surprise!  Arzu Kaprol’s work was stunning and looked gorgeous on the runway.  The designer used common styles and added her own twist to make a refreshing presentation for spring 2012.  My last look was a stunning evening gown, very fit for the Red Carpet.  Since Fashion Week, I have been attending classes, and doing a little shopping.  I have gotten into (an almost) daily routine of going to the Luxembourg Garden for a workout (3 or 4 miles worth)—something I hope to keep up when I move back home.  This week, I toured Notre Dame.  The cathedral is beautiful beyond words; the architecture is exquisite.  Too bad, I didn’t notice (until I was already there) that I left my memory card in my computer—so I couldn’t take pictures.  I will be going back for pictures before I leave.  Last night, I went to Moulin Rouge.  After dinner, we had a night tour of the city (Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle will never get old or any less exciting for me), and then we headed to the Red Light District for the show.  The couple sitting behind Ash and me was from Long Island, New York, and they were hilarious.  I felt like I had characters from the Sopranos giving a commentary the entire way (this only added to the experience).  Once we arrived, we had to wait in a forever long line, but the show was well worth the wait.  Moulin Rouge was a bit risqué but also sensational.  I enjoyed the dancing and music; the costumes were amazing!  I was also able to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower this week.  I loved seeing the city from this angle at night.  Words cannot describe the beautiful sights I have been able to see during this trip.  Tomorrow I will be touring museums all day and hopefully finding room to squeeze in a little shopping.  Next Wednesday, we are off to Barcelona to study Spanish fashion.  I am beyond excited and so ready for another adventure! 

P.S.  I added a few of the photos taken during the presentation I took part in last month.

Paris Fashion Week 2011

So much has happened since our little trip to London…Up until this week, we mainly had classes and toured Trend Union and other markets.  I was able to go to Monet’s garden and Versailles in my free time as well; both were gorgeous, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of the touring.  The past few days have been so exciting here; PARIS FASHION WEEK has been an exhausting BLAST!  Last Wednesday, I attended the Gareth Pugh fashion show.  Black and white stripes dominated the collection.  The show was very dramatic and included cages and stiff structured pieces; outfits very fitting for Lady Gaga.  On Thursday, I worked the Manish Arora and the Rick Owens’ fashion show.  Before the Manish Arora show started, I helped with some last minute touch ups of a garment, and dressed my model for the dress rehearsal.  I dressed a total of four looks which made the show such an intense experience.  Getting the model ready for the first look was without a doubt the easiest part, because I dressed her minutes before the show even started.  Once the show started, models were running back into the dressing room and clothes were flying everywhere.  I only had about a minute to get the model into her next outfit each time; it was stressful but such a rush.  Mixing metallics and neons made this collection fresh and sophisticated.  Arora’s collection included bird inspired looks, shiny metallics, sequins, and spikes.  The garments were very feminine and bright.  After the Arora show, we had to catch a train to our next show, Rick Owens.  The show was sensational.  The collection embraced the color white, and he used very advent-garde silhouettes.  I dressed my model, Olga in a long flowy dress paired with a crème striped jacket.  After the show, I was exhausted and headed home.  I dressed the Amaya Arzuaga show on Friday.  This was by far my favorite show judging by the location and the garments.  The designer used pastel colors and feminine silhouettes.  Transparency and fan like pleats were very popular among the designs.  I spent my weekend working at the Rick Owens’ showroom.  On Saturday, I worked from 8:00 until 8:30 in the accessories room.  I was responsible for guarding the merchandise and organizing the presentation of the accessories as each client came in to view the collection.  It was a long day on my feet, but I enjoyed every minute.  On Sunday, I worked backstage with the models.  I helped with presenting the garments and assisted dressing models.  It was another 12 hour day but totally worth it.  Working in the showroom was an eye opening experience.  Even though I was working crazy long hours doing less than glamorous (to say the least) work, it was a dream come true—and that is how I know I will be happy working in this industry.  Tomorrow concludes my involvement in Paris Fashion week; I will be working the Arzu Karpol show.

In London but “Where is Lord Cricket Ground?”

Our stay in London was AMAZING…in fact; it was so wonderful that I have decided London is my city!  Shortly after we arrived, we met up with Freelance Fashion Journalist, Wendy, for dinner.  Wendy was very insightful, and spending time with her for a few days really gave me a better understanding of British fashion.  On Thursday, we began touring the major fashion highlights of London; the Victoria and Albert Museum (The V and A) was our first stop.  We had an early morning tour at the “Power of Making” exhibition.  This exhibition showcased a large variety of individual skills; the collection on display explores craftsmen making “what they make.”  Walking through the exhibition was meant to inspire us, and I found one of the quotes particularly inspirational; “Making is the most powerful way that we solve problems, express ideas, and shape our world.  What we make defines who we are, and communicates who we want to be.”  I have no idea what the future holds, but I hope I am able to communicate the person I am in everything that I do.  All of the talent showcased in the V and A was educational and for the first time, I understood why designers come to museums to find their inspiration.  After our tours at the museum, we were on the way to Harrods department store.  Harrods was breathtaking; the enormity of the store surpassed what I had expected.  While outside of the building, we were asked to analyze the window displays which presently focus on the current trend, taxidermy—courtesy of Chanel.  We weren’t allowed to shop while “studying the store,” so I had to come back on Saturday to buy my mom her Christmas ornament.  For the remainder of the evening we explored British fashion stores, and after all of our “school work,” I went with my roommates to see Big Ben and to a British pub near our hotel.  Friday was equally as intense with tours, but at 3:00 we attended a Bernard Chandran Fashion Show!  Bernard Chandran graduated from the Paris American Academy, so Peter knows him very well!  He is known as the “King of Fashion” in Malaysia, and he has dressed Lady Gaga and Rihanna.  His Spring/Summer 2012 collection was inspired by his mother and her 1950’s fashion sense.  All of the garments in his collection had elements from the 1950’s but fit modern time; the pieces were very feminine and sophisticated.  I also noticed that many of his designs included a zipper extending past the length of the garment; a fashion statement that will become more popular next year.  When the show ended, Chandran took a picture with us, and then we were off to the British Museum.  On Saturday, we were free to explore the city and shop!!  After sightseeing and shopping around London all day, we journeyed to find the famous, Abbey Road.  We decided to take the bus because it was an impossible walk, and someone told us that Abbey Road was near Lord Cricket Ground (wherever that was).  Minutes into our bus ride, we weren’t sure we had taken the right bus or if Lord Cricket Ground even existed.  We were exhausted, couldn’t stop laughing, and we’re asking each other (in very British accents) “Where is Lord Cricket Ground” when the nice man sitting beside us announced we should get off now and then explained how to get to the road.  His directions were rather confusing and it ended up taking us too long to find, but we finally made it!  After an Abbey Road photo shoot, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for a nice dinner at a restaurant that was closed by the time we got there.  It was getting late and we had walked so much at this point that we decided to hop in a taxi, telling the driver to take us to the closest open restaurant (which happened to be French).  It was such a long day, but I had so much fun.  We spent Sunday morning at the Buckingham Palace, and then left for the train station.  I slept most of the way…I can’t remember my body ever feeling so entirely worn out but LONDON was absolutely FABULOUS!  In a city famous for street wear, I concluded that “Anything Goes.”  The fashion is unconventional which is why designers from all over come to London…“It’s FUN!”

DisneyLand Paris and such...

On Saturday morning, the girls and I took the RER to Disneyland Paris; we had a ton of fun and spent all day at the parks.  I have rode most of the roller coasters at Disney World, but a few of the rides seemed different…I don’t remember Tower of Terror being so intense back home, but I guess it has been awhile.  We somehow managed to miss my favorite part, the PARADE, but it was a great day; the weather was extremely nice!  On Sunday, after a failed attempt to make it to the American Church, (long story) it was time to do laundry for the first time.  This was the least thrilling thing I have done in the past few weeks; my roommates and I basically took over the Laundryomat on Rue Saint Jacques.  We used almost every machine and dryer at once—costing us around 40-50 Euros for two weeks of laundry.  Yesterday was a lot more exciting! I had to get up at 6:00 am and get ready for the design students’ showing.  I modeled two gorgeous special occasion dresses and a hand embroidered corset.  After the showing, we took a fashion forecasting “field trip” to an interior design mart for Paris Design Week 2011.  The showroom was amazing; all of the home furnishings for 2012-2013 were on display.  My assignment included identifying the major themes that are expected to be popular in 2012/2013.  Following the “Green Movement,” I identified a very “Natural-esque” feel to many of the designs.  A Sense of “Bringing Outside INdoors” appears to be the dominate theme.  From floral prints to tree stump decorative mirrors and grass centerpieces to tree shaped jewelry and coat racks---the “Nature” appeal is IN!  “Old Timey Elegance” will also be an important theme used in the home decorating industry next year.  Many of the decorative pieces included vintage antique looks and crystal glass pieces.  Fashion themes were much easier to identify when analyzing home furnishings when compared to the apparel marts, and I was thrilled to view all the vendors’ showrooms.  Today after an early morning stroll through the Luxembourg Garden, I attended classes and had dinner at Quick which is a nicer version of a McDonalds.  For the remainder of the evening, I will be packing for our 6 day excursion to London! Bonsoir!