Thursday, June 26, 2014

Nighttime

Always want to make art when I should be going to bed! Bah, what is it about nighttime that makes people creative? I know I'm not alone here.

Here are some pics of things I've painted at like 3am.








www.brandymars.com for more of my art

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Pattern Drafting Crotchless Panties in LA

One of the strangest jobs I was ever offered was pattern drafting crotchless lingerie in Los Angeles haha
I don't know how these things seem to continuously happen to me. But they do. Perhaps it is just the design field that attracts eccentric personalities. And then these eccentric people open companies. And then they all hire me lol actually the funniest part is that the woman who ran the company was pretty normal. She simply saw a niche market and capitalized on it. She was a smart lady. I have built "normal" products for people much more bizarre than she was.
Actually now that I think about it... I probably ended up with the crotchless underwear people because I did a buying internship at Kiki De Montparnasse in Soho New York. Some days I just put stickers on feather masks and whips all day long...yes now it makes more sense....haha
The fashion industry does amuse haha
I love Soho in New York so much.
Here is a pic of me when I was working in LA. The second and third pictures are from Kiki De Montparnasse in Soho. The crotchless underwear pics are too much. If you want to see some use google. You know how. :) 



Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Vancouver Fashion Week

How I ended up showing my clothing line twice in Vancouver Fashion Week:

When I was in grade 9 I was already an avid sewer. I spent prettymuch all my time in either the art room or the sewing room with my discman blaring(discman!? haha! is that like a record player? lol)
Anyways I designed clothes for a public fashion show when I was in high school. 
Fast forward 6 years or so:
I had just finished my degree at the Fashion Institute Of Design And Merchandising in Los Angeles and was looking for an opportunity to show some of my designs to the world. I googled "Vancouver Fashion Week" and emailed them. The event coordinator organized a time for the event manager to meet with me in downtown Vancouver. I brought my portfolio which back then was a huge black book and everything was hand sketched(haha remember those days?!)
The day we met it was raining and I wore a white eyelet skirt and my glitter ballet flats. I was 20 years old and at that time glitter flats seemed like a solid choice! lol As soon as he walked in I recognized the event manager! He had been the event manager at the fashion show I had shown my designs in when I was in grade 9!!! It was a wild moment! We had such a great time catching up and couldn't believe that life had connected us again! My clothing line was called Brandycandy and he stills refers to me as "His Little Brandycandy". Below is a photo of me sewing(I designed and sewed all the clothes myself). The second picture of the girls jumping is from my fashion show and we did the photoshoot in the historic Gastown. The hours before a fashion show happens are a pure adrenaline rush. A flurry of pins and pink lipstick! I remember being in absolute shock when I walked onto the runway after my second show. The end of the runway was solid cameras. I had only ever seen that in the movies! It was amazing.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Holt Renfrew *Hot Shop* (What's going on)

I get asked a lot about what is trending- colours, cuts, what's selling, what isn't, etc etc.
I started this entry last month and didn't get a chance to finish it until now. I feel everything is still valid though so I thought I would share it with you guys:)
I went shopping and made some notes about what is hot and retailing right now. I went to all the store levels. I always spend quite a long time in Holt Renfrew-my favourite stop. Every time I go in that store it reminds me about why I decided to design clothes- beautiful fabrics, perfect cuts, real passionate craftsmanship.
I took some photos(they gave me permission). I will attach them to this post:)
So here we go!Ready?! Weoooo! Please ignore my grammar haha it's all just in quick note form

HOT TRENDING BRANDS RIGHT NOW AT HOLT:
Pink Tartan- coral and white story and that fluorescent pink colour. They have a black and white story also. Grosgrain ribbon detailing on crisp white shirts. Also white tee with Boucle but it is a sweater. Black and white story has square perforated leather and black and white stripes. Scuba fabric high neck tee in white. Eyelet woven button up body with grosgrain ribbon. Pleated skirts, princess seam dress, rich navy and fluorescent yellow and green 
Other hot brands:
Tory Burch.
Nanette Lapore.
Alice and Olivia-daisy print sweater. Daisies are still trending hard. Most of the junior brands doing the daisy print.
Laser cut tees are trending. 
Rag And Bone-boot with high front guard thing(I will try to find a pic for you guys). 
Tweed tee body-everything in rag and bone is hot hot hot.
Everyone is using that blanket stitch.
Leather mini skirt still in
Paul And Joe-giraffe and deer prints.
Square laser cut out leather trims all over the place including Vince. Soft dressing pant with leather trim.
Zadig and Voltaire.
Woven top body suit with knit bottom- the top of the bodysuit looks like a dress shirt and bottom has crotch snaps.
Pencil skirts are in.
Everyone is doing the sweatshirt or tee body in texture/boucle fabrics. Akris Punto- perforated leather blazer- very nice.
Jewelry-Aztec pointy styles.
Styling-short leather skirt with sleeveless blouse tucked in. 
Heels with ankle straps(thick) are in. 
Pointy shiny toes still in. 
Leopard(tiny scale) still in.
The shoes with the curvy metal bar across the front are in.
Tape yarn at bcbg.
Leather jackets.
Jumpers are still in.

Phew! Ok, there ya go! I will try to get some pics up tomorrow:)
xo
Brandy