Study Hall was finally taken out into the real world today.

My amazingly talented interns presented their collections to Johnny and Virginia of International Playground for feedback, guidance and – yes – orders!  At first my sales reps extraordinaire asked questions about the process, how the interns enjoyed the program, what they found difficult about their work, etc… and then the presentations started.  Each collection was shown by its designer with details about their inspiration, their fabric choices and even costing.  By this point the meeting turned from student – teacher relationship to designer – buyer, and things got a little more serious.  In a good IP way, of course!  Johnny & Virginia gave their honest feedback, commented on pricing and how they felt about the styles. Each designer had about 20 minutes to show their collections, which is a lot of time considering they only had 4 styles a piece.

They are huge supporters of Study and love this project. I couldn’t have offered the kind of feedback or advice they gave to the interns today.  They offered a sales rep / store owner perspective which I find invaluable to my own work, so I can only imagine what the group must have thought.  At first I expected them to take the clothes for their own stores – IP in NY and LA – but as the meeting progressed today we started discussing other options.  Would the lines do well at D&A in September?  Who would love to see this collection and hear the back story?  We came up with a few options, I won’t say who just yet.

The whole process was very enlightening for me, more so because I was finally able to step back and see a sales meeting from a third party point of view, and listen to the constructive criticism with a less invested ear – because I’ve been trying to disconnect myself from the collections and see them with a more unbiased eye.

(One prevailing comment that did come up time and again throughout the meetings was the quality of the tailoring, for which we have Michelle to thank.  So a huge THANK YOU to Michelle, who will be getting flowers and chocolates very soon.)

This week’s highlighted store is Juno & Jove, which has two locations in Sarasota, Florida.  Some info on the store from their site:

In keeping with our commitment to social responsibility and sustainable business practices, a close eye was kept on the design and construction standards of our store. The majority of construction materials, fixturing, and finishes were sourced locally, here in Sarasota County, or within the United States. Where possible, salvaged fixtures, discontinued remnants, and recycled materials were selected. Local artisans and craftsmen were commissioned to minimize unnecessary travel. All paints and stains were selected for their low or no VOC (volatile organic compound) formulas; wood flooring and finish millwork were FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified. Lighting controls were installed to maximize energy efficiency during varied natural light conditions and calendar seasons. Our objective was to provide a flattering backdrop for our merchandise; one, which is equivalent to the high standards we expect from our designers and vendors themselves.

Quality craftsmanship with a sophisticated, comfortable and warm aesthetic reminiscent of home was our goal. The completed store exceeded our expectations, and we think it will exceed yours as well. We look forward to your visit.

This week they will be shipped the pleated hoodie, reversible scarf (perfect for early Fall), the hand-woven skirt, and pleated organic shirt dress, all pictured below.  So head over there soon to pick up these items before they disappear!

The interns labels have arrived, and they look great!  These will be placed above the Study NY label inside the garment.  They are working on the rest of their packaging now (hang tags, bags, etc…).

Producing in India

I have been working with the same factory in Bangalore, India for several years now.  I worked with them at a previous job and only recently started again with Study for the Spring 2011 collection.  The reason I approached them in the first place was because I was developing an ikat pattern raw silk in Bangalore, the same city where I had a good relationship with this factory.  So instead of shipping the fabric all the way to NY, I figured I’d develop the styles using that fabric in India as well.

I asked the factory for photos so I could post them on the blog. I have visited this factory several times before but have never taken photos myself.  I was always very impressed with the considerable lengths they took to improve their workers’ quality of life and I wanted to share their story with my followers (ie. my mom and brother, the only people who read this blog!).  I asked them to send me a few photos and a little resume about the factory.  This is what I got:

We would be happy to send you photos of the factory- the crèche, the gardens, the little doctor’s room that we have who would fall sick or need any medical attention. Will also take pictures of workers sewing your samples.

We are an International Standards Organization- ISO. We can provide you copies of the certification- that you also need.

We are also in the process of trying to make the factory more eco-friendly and are replacing diesel fire burners in the factory with alternate fire burners which use biomass briquette- mixture of peanut shells and wheat husk, etc. The residue of this can be used as manure for
gardening.

We also recycle all the used water in our factory using the ETP plant, and reuse this for gardening as well.

I’m really looking forward to visiting the factory again, hopefully in the Spring!

Learn Your Craft

This morning I took a table loom weaving class at Third Ward in Brooklyn.  It’s an incredible place, I can’t believe I’ve never been there before.  I’ve been wanting to learn how to weave on a loom (as opposed to my coffee table) for a long time, so I figured I might as well just take the class when I learned it was being offered.  And since becoming a mentor for Awamaki earlier this year, I think it’s important that I understand the craft I’m trying to preserve.  I’m not sure I’ll ever become a master weaver, there are way too many techniques I want to learn before attempting to focus on just one, but I do plan to explore this a little more and maybe incorporate some more hand woven pieces into my collection.  And this time poor Tim won’t have to suffer hunched over the panels taped to my table.

I think it’s important that designers know at least the basics of their craft.  Sewing, knitting, pattern-making, draping, printing.  If I’m going to incorporate these things into my collection, and ask someone else to execute them for me, I think I should at least know what I’m talking about, and how to make changes if necessary.  I meet a lot of students who are incredibly creative and inventive, but have no clue how to execute their ideas.  And if your design stays on paper, is it really worth the effort?

So laugh, if you want, at my feeble first attempt at weaving.  It isn’t pretty or very creative for that matter, but now at least I know what the weavers at Awamaki do on a daily basis (it’s still hard on the back, if you ask me!) and can understand a little better how to mentor the designers who will be working with them.  I do plan on taking the Intro to Weaving class at Brooklyn’s new Textile Arts Center this Fall so I can learn a little more about setting up a loom, and using more advanced weaving equipment.  So maybe I’ll end up with something a little more exciting than the 6″ x 18″ panel it took me 3 hours to make today, even though I’m actually pretty proud of it (but don’t tell anyone). It also makes a perfect little scarf for Boom Boom, who I’m watching this week.  But I’m not sure he likes it very much