Jayne Phidd - Fashion Design

A New Year, A New Begining, Break that old habbit!

2012-01-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Year 2012 is a new start for me to get myself together and break some old habits. I've made many mistakes in the past to learn what not to do in the future.

So far the Etsy and Misi online markets aren't as pro-active as I would like but I have had many viewings which is something not to turn my noise at. Though I haven't had the sales i'd like, i’ve seen that people are actually interested to even take the time to look at my work. All I have to do is get people to exchange their hard earned cash for my quality items. I'm working on that.........may have to come up with a strategy and switch something around!

ASOS is another online market I will be definitely placing some garments on this spring. I'm quite excited about that as they have rules to follow with the amount of garments and styles allowed. That makes it a challenge I want and need as I work easier with rules that aren't my own because making my own rules are just too easy to break.

I do wonder sometimes that if I had the privilege of bouncing ideas back and forth amongst someone else as a business partner, would I have been closer to an established business by now. Sadly I do think the answer to that is 'Yes'.
I know this is true because I have a problem with not knowing when to stop designing. I could design for England if asked. And when I do stop designing I have a hard time selecting the designs I want to make. Then after that when i've selected the ones I want I can’t help but try to redesign the ones i've chosen. This is so frustrating and a habit I want and need to break.
Then choosing fabric is just another long hauled issue I want and need to rid of. But then again choosing fabric is something I’ve never ever enjoyed.

With a partner, rules would be difficult to break as we would have to consider the impact it would have on each other as business partners, with personal life, working together and the future of the business. It wouldn't be as so easy to shut up and close shop when you liked as you can when working alone. Going solo can make you your own worst enemy!

But as i'm on my tod I have some habits to break if I want to move on. The problem with habits, be it smoking, drinking or whatever, it will hold you back from achieving better or improving your life because, habits best friend is denial. You see Denial crept in when my habits got me thinking that I really didn’t want this 'fashion business thing' enough because if I wanted it something would have changed by now.
But I do want it and yes old habits are hard to break but guess what, they are not unbreakable. I'm ready to break the habit!

First Online Sale!

2011-12-17T19:48:00.000-08:00

Yay! Today I made a sale! I sold one of my rope scarves on one of my online market shops.

It feels so encouraging when someone purchases the efforts of your hard work. I can't wait to sell more items. I'm hoping to sell some butterfly/dragonfly accessories that I recently made. Viewers have noticed them so, now I'm just waiting on a sale.

The wait is a very slow process, but I think it's going to be worth it!

The War of Man and Machine

2011-11-29T09:44:00.000-08:00

Typical! Time as flown by quicker than I wanted. But I have been busy some what getting angry with myself about man-made machinery and the inconvenience to valuable time it can make.
I did have plans to make some embroidered shirts and blouses and after some time of designing, experimenting and finally getting so close to the realisation of reaching my goal of the perfect design I wanted from my embroidery machine. It goes and dies on me!
So that threw me off course, as of cause my shirts were depending on this embroidery feature otherwise they just become basic tops. So I really wasn't happy when it all came crashing down so close to the end. I've had to scrap that project until I can afford to fix the machine.
I did try another alternative......inkjet printing on fabric, but I didn't really get the same buzz from it.

I've begun making a few accessories such as scarves. Yep, ive been knitting away! Mind you though, not machine knitting ( I wish I had a knitting machine) but finger knitting instead. I've just uploaded one on to Etsy.

While I think of my new 'none embellished' apparel project, I plan to make some small items to upload on Etsy or Misi.

Online Market Place

2011-10-02T05:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I added a couple of dresses on Etsy, after opening an account two weeks ago, then deactivating it and then reopening again.
I also opened an account with MISI, but I noticed many spelling mistakes on their site that just made me a bit concerned about there services. Though I have read good reviews on MISI im giving Etsy a first shot.

I have put 3 dresses in my Etsy shop. I do hope someone notices them and makes a purchase.

Dresses on Etsy.

How so Random

2011-09-18T04:55:00.000-07:00

I previously mentioned in my blog (About Me) that, in 2007 I started working as a Stylist and that also in Spring-time 2008 I attempted to start a womens-wear collection.

Well, I thought I'd entertain myself with uploading a few random images of my first collection which I had created in a haphazard style.

Yes, these are all but just a few pickings from the same one collection of 12 or more garments. It just doesn't make any sense, does it?

Seperated I like them all indivisually but, when put together collectively they make me want to look away. Yuk!

Well, it is now Winter 2011 and these said garments along with the rest, have lived in a wardrobe since 2008, just hogging up space. I know I have nothing to gain from keeping them but, I do now have a plan to sell them.

I have browsed the MISI website for months and now reckon I should give it a go. Well, what the heck! I possibly have more to gain in giving it a go. So lets see what happens.

Watch this space!

Put on Hold

2011-09-13T02:48:00.000-07:00

Yes it's been two weeks and in that time I could have completed my collection but, I have been very busy working away from home (Fashion Styling) for the past couple weeks and have so had to put on hold any form of sewing regarding my collection.

I got back extremely late and ridiculously tired on Friday night, but still could not start a thing on the following days, as my whole weekend was filled with Christenings to attend. Monday day was spent recovering and tying up odd ends.

Today I am back and ready to start. Actually whilst away I met an old friend that could possibly introduce me to a high street buyer in the fashion industry, which is very exciting even if it's just to gain some advice on my finished collection. Watch this space!

Moodboards Created

2011-08-26T04:39:00.000-07:00

I've created my boards from all the information I had collected previously in mind for a collection. One colour, one trend, one style and a customer profile. I'm happy with what i've done and it looks better than what I use to produce as a student.

Now I just have to organise my illustrations which wont take long and select which ones to put into my collection.
I usually lay them all out on the floor and choose half the amount and repeat the process until I get to an ideal number for my collection.
I may actually make a collection board at the end when i've finished all my toiles. Possibly when I find some spare time of an evening. I think i'll scan them into photoshop to manipulate them, well that's my usual way of doing it.

I have a few toiles made up from some of the drawings i have, but i'm not sure if i'll be using them, but then again that depends on if I select them in my line up of illustrations. I may start from scratch and make some new patterns.

Well, we'll see happens.

This is where I begin

2011-08-24T12:20:00.000-07:00

Luckly I wont have to start from scratch with creating and designing my collection. Whilst working as a Stylist my spare time was spent on sketching and tearing pages of images out of magazines and noting down fancy details i'd come across whilst styling the garments I worked with. Most times at home after work I would make patterns and actually make up some toiles. So to start, things are looking good.

Well first things first. I have my magazine tear sheets to create my customer, style, mood and colour palette. I won't bother with a design board as I will just keep my selected illustrations together once I choose them. I already know which three I would like to make.
My designs were focused on the 50's and minimalist look. I've also experimented on making flowers and embroidery too since I came across the Miu Miu A/W 2010 collection. They had a selection of garments made fron a heavy applique floral lace, which I haven't stopped thinking about since.

I know bold colours are the trend at the moment but it's winter and I have a whole load of black material which I purchased last year but just never got round to using for a previous collection I wanted to, but didn't start. Now I can put it to use. I have some colours too which will definately come in handy.

The plan is to make six to seven designs and to find a boutique to sell them through. I know six may sound like a graduate collection but i'm keeping it small because i'm making everything on my own and need to consider my turnover time.

Well lets see how it goes.