Behind the scenes @ ImaniLia Photo Shoot

Check out some of the behind the scenes pics from my shoot. Taken by my brother @therealdjscoop (follow him!!!)It was a long an early day from the start but we made it out. Official pics and website up date coming soon!!! Enjoy and comment away my loves....



Me flipping through the racks.



Behind the scenes video coming soon...




Models on set.



Checking out what we have so far.......



One of the models Shantel in Hair and Make-Up



Check Out my brother this is early in the day before we really got started with the day. I couldn't have done without him.



One side of the set it was sooo beautiful. This was shot 1st thing in the morning

Intern's view Working my 1st Photo Shoot

Hello everyone!
I have just started my year in no better way than interning for a very talented young designer by the name of ImaniLia. Determined to make it to my first assignment with Imani, the city traffic wasn't stopping me, and so I made it, besdies going down one ways and wrong turns. Imani gave me a very positive vibe when I first met her a couple of days before the shoot, so I set my mind on focus and went to the shoot ready to grind. lol. Ok, guys and dolls, this is how it went down in my own words...
It is 10:35am, and I have just arrived at the studio where Imani is having the shoot done for her 2010 collection. At the moment, the first model is getting her hair and make-up done and so far I've been introduced to the crew that are part of the magic and help make it all happen, on the set are...

ImaniLia: Fashion & accessory designer/ stylist
D.J scoop: Imani's brother/ co-owner of ImaniLia designs
Hairstylist: Corenza
Hair assistant: Silk Jones
Model #1: Laura
Model #2: Shantel
Male model: Stefan
Make-up artist: Rasheeda Maxine
Photographer: Sharon Schuster
Photographer assistant: Erica
Videographer: Nnamdi
Designer Intern: Giselle Cruz (myself)
All of these creative, young and artistic individuals were doing their thing and I was honored to just be able to speak with them of their work and observe everything. It felt like art in it's finest, because every single person that was there was artistic. I wasn't nervous, I was ready, a bit quiet but I came in with the "expect the unexpected" mind frame so nothing surprises me. I have been taught that interning and assisting is very hectic and you should be willing to do almost anything....I said almost! lol. Overall experience was amazing, I loved working with all of these amazing people, Imani especially, I learned alot from just my first time being their and just the whole vibe of the place and everyone was very welcoming, so it made me feel a sense of comfort and I just felt like I was exactly where I should be. I felt in my zone.
Thank you guys for reading, hope you enjoyed my experience as much as I did. I will keep it comin, so look out for me "the intern" Giselle, as I will be posting my errands and run-arounds in the city, with Imani, or wherever I am and a sneak-peak of her latest designs. You will soon be able to view her exciting new collection here at www.ImaniLia.com

ImaniLia 2010 Shoot / Models

So this past Monday I FINALLY shot my 2010 collection. I had everything set. Great photographer, hair, make up, the models I wanted that set the vision I was thinking in my head. It was great! I was both super excited and nervous.

Of course in fashion all cannot be that smooth though. Call time was 9am. I made sure all involved knew this. From 5:30am I woke up to phone calls of people saying they were going to be late. 1st it was my male model. Then my stylist is sick and says she can't come. Then I get an email from one of my models & now she's going to be late too!? WTF I was beyond pissed to say the least. I have a full set of people Including video and 1 model instead of 3! I was just trying to seem ok even though I wasn't. I mean there was nothing I could do about it. So I get on set ready to work. Breakfast for the crew in hand. As I'm waiting for everyone I get another email at 9:15am from the same model saying that she now can not make it. I panicked because I made sure everyone was informed and now this model is dropping on me after all ready being late! So after intinal anger I call every model I know and have the whole set do the same. I was looking for a certain type of girl tho. I started off with a vision when I 1st picked these girls. I needed a 5'8 dark skin African American Girl w/ a long weave that could be curled. My make-up artist called a model that we both knew and I had previously worked with. She honestly wasn't the complete look but at this point I was like who cares get another model on set! So she was called. Next thing you know the make-up artist comes to me & says & I quote "she said she's NOT coming because I should have picked her 1st and she wouldn't have pulled out on me, nor does she want to leave her bed!" to say I was shocked was an understatement. This was MY shoot for MY collection. I hired people to make me look good and sell MY vision. Honey this shoot isn't about you! Its about ME (ImaniLia)! Now don't get me wrong I appreciate all the people I work with & them helping me out but this is business; had I been hired by a model to style or provide clothing things would have been different.

Fashion is a cut throat business and there is no time at all for people to get in their feelings. If u weren't the 1st pick o well your wanted now so don't limit yourself over pettyness. It really made me look at that model in a new light that I'm not sure is the best.

Essentially we got another model sight unseen she took forever to get to set and then was so beyond bad on camera that we wrapped her after 2 looks and completed the shoot with one male model & 1 female model. At the end of day it was a fun shoot and we got amazing pics that will be on the web site very soon.

This was my 1st collection shoot in about a year but I had a good time. I still came out on top despite the stresses of the day including the model drama. I must say though yes models are needed by designers but stop taking things so personal! Everything isn't about you and there is always another opportunity. So take things as they come. Humble is always received better.

Love you all and thanks for sticking with me.

Fashionably Yours,

ImaniLia