All It Takes...

Last night I spent time updating blogs, checking my various email accounts, prepping for my upcoming photo shoot next weekend, going over budgets, paying bills etc.. and I got to thinking of what all this (owning, operating, & managing your own brand) takes & you know what......It's A LOT its no wonder as a One Woman Show I can't always get it all done but i'm going to keep trying until as they say the wheels fall off.

As an independent emerging designer with no trust fund or rich family members by my side this is a list of all I'm juggling daily. I used to have an assistant & a publicist but having that outside help costs money I could no longer afford so now it's all me. Here's a list of what I try to maintain daily... 

• 2 Twitter Accounts (1 personal, 1 business) 
• A Facebook Fan page 
• A personal Facebook page 
• A tumblr blog 
• This blog 
• A monthly newsletter 
• Birthday Incentives for Previous Clients 
• An Instagram Account
• Keep my website Updated 
• A Linked In Account 
• A Pinterest Account 
• Finding shows worth doing
• Finding interview opportunities & speaking engagements 
• Maintaining client work 
• Setting up promotional shoots, videos etc 
• Building new collections 
• Working with various Stylists 
• Maintaining an online Store & trying to get buyers 

This is a conservative list i'm sure i'm missing something(s) BUT I'm doing all this while working 40+ hours a week as a shoe designer. Attempting & failing miserably at being outgoing & social both personally & professionally, finding time & money in there somewhere to sleep, eat, meditate (HA I wish!), spend time with family blah blah bah.... 

Now don't get me wrong I'm not complaining this is just A LOT to maintain alone. Am I wrong? But I have passion & determination so I'll get it all done. I honestly can't afford much of a personal life because these things aren't free. Anyone who has a small business knows you put out a lot before you see any return & I'm ok with that. 

Everytime I reach a personal goal within ImaniLia Fashions it's all worth it. Like this rebranding process that is coming together. I will find an investor by 2014 or sooner!! (You have to speak these things into existence)

So thank you all for your continued support and listening ears. Your patience and understanding. Your kind words and warm hearts. Day by day all i'm trying to do is grow and serve you better.

ImaniLia :D

African American Designers Show up and Show Out at NYFW! A bit of a rant..

I was cleaning my inbox and I cam across this fantastic article. I am so proud of these designers mentioned in the attached article but I have some feelings about how we as a people are progressing in the industry. Read my rant below and click on the link at the end to get the info on some great designers that are right under your nose and they happen to be African American.

Do you agree with me? Did you enjoy the article?

This is how I felt after reading about these great people... Are we our own downfall? I sure do think so!

This is great that more African American designers are making themselves known at Fashion Week. The crazy thing is I know more than a couple of people on this list and it makes me think why not me??? I'm trying to patiently build, grow, and wait for my time to show the world how great I am.. 

I think the real problem in the African American design community is that no one wants to help each other.. When other designers ask me for advice I openly give it with out hesitation to the best of my ability. The advice doesn't always go both ways tho... I know I have asked other designers that are 1 or 2 steps ahead of me and the response is always.. "Girl i'm just grinding", "keep hustling" ummm thats not helping me... 

You want to see more African American Designers out there well then we need to help each other.. Stop walking past people like you have never met them, Never did a low budget show with them, never went to school with them, never had a conversation with them etc!!!

*End Rant!

Congrats to the people on this list!! And all the other designers I know that are doing their thing African American or not.

Click the link to see where this all stemmed from... It will all make sense.. I promise
African American Designers Shine Bright At Fashion Week

Model Behavior

Hey Fashion Lovers!! I'm sorry if you feel neglected but there's been soo much going on & I had a fashion show yesterday so the prep for that was crazy as you probably can imagine...

Anyway the producers of the show did the model casting and their are a few things I encountered that I didn't think we're very good 'model behavior' so listen up models & wanna be model casters: 

- Models no matter your size your body should be tight & toned!! There is a such thing as 'Skinny Fat' & Flab & cellulite does not discriminate by weight! So keep that stuff in check. 

- Don't tell designers what their runway size should be! It is always flattering when a model wants to wear your clothes but if she doesn't have your size say ok & move on. Telling them they need to make smaller or larger clothes for YOUR size is rude! I cannot say it enough fashion presentations are about the designers.

- I cannot say this one enough: THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU & WHAT YOU WANT. It's great if a designer has something specific you'd love to wear but only make your request ONCE if you must make it at all!! The designer & stylist of the show have a vision & it is NOT your job to re create it! 

- You are NOT a stylist! At least not today Hun. If you aspire to be a stylist or its one of your trades.. FANTASTIC but do what you were hired to do. Wear what is selected for you. Don't try to make up your own looks. 

-Take care of your skin! If you are a model you are selling your body essentially so you can enhance the beauty of what has been made for you!! If you have skin diseases, pimples, dark spots, blotchy ness, uneven areas try your hardest to keep them at bay. It's a harsh business & if there's something you can't control maybe this isn't the initiatory for you... 

-Be friendly, be professional, be fun & easy to work with but DON'T be over bearing!!! Everyone wants a great, calm, fun work environment but every designer doesn't want to be your best friend!! At least not right away. Gauge a persons reaction to you before you dive right in because things can quickly get ANNOYING!  

-Don't eat while wearing or around a designers clothes! Contrary to the saying we do want you to eat.. We'd prefer if you didn't pass out.. BUT to eat right next to someone's garments is just rude & disrespectful! God forbid you get something on the garment! You will be billed!! Just don't do it!  

 

- Last but not least: EVERYONE CANNOT BE THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE! You might have a unique look or walk, you might have a funky hairstyle or color, anything were all different but everybody might not like it want your different font be offended! Again this vision is not yours!! Just because a casting agent picks you doesn't mean a designer who makes the final cut wants you. Don't expect everyone to want to work around or with your 'DIFFERENT'

Now I know as a designer I'm on the small time side but I want my brand to be represented at its BEST everytime we are shown.... Even if its in a back alley! 

So take heed. Presentation is EVERYTHING & someone is ALWAYS watching!! 

I really am all about people looking good which is why I say these things to you all. I mean. I am in the business of making people look good!! 

Fashionably Yours, 

ImaniLia

Fashion Show Review: PARU PARU 2013 NY Charity Fashion Show

Wednesday Night I attended a pre fashion week show called PARU PARU. It was held at a BEAUTIFUL venue called We Work Lounge located at 154 Grand Street in China town. It was a charity fashion show put on by Dia Ates who  founded KALIBOTAN, a charitable foundation that aims to provide financial support to sustainable projects from other non-profits around the globe, as well as train students and young professionals in the process; while creating small manageable jobs in developing communities. The show was held to raise money for for the charity through fashion. Dia has a factory in the Philippines that produces her line as well as other budding designers in the industry. 

For me it sounded like a GREAT cause and a great place to meet new people as well as make connections for my own line. NO? 

Well it was a great cause BUT the production was a mess!! I was ready to leave as soon as I got there!! This is how you ruin a production: 

My guest & I got there about 8:10pmwhich was 10mins after the doors were supposed to open only to find out that they were not letting people in yet & that they were still running through the show!! A LIVE RUN THROUGH! No bueno!! I also found out that someone went out to buy a steamer at 7:45pm to steam the garments!! So my guest & I went across the street & had a drink to kill time.. 

Waiting for our drinks & Appitizers to kill      time. 

The house was FINALLY opened at 8:30 which was the original start of show time. Once we were let in there were seats avaiable but not to anyone that was there. The seats were ONLY for VIPs who arrived even later or some didn't arrive at all so we were all standing for an hour and 10 mins before the show began!! Yes you read that right.. The show began at 9:40pm I wis pissed!! & drinking up ALL the free wine I could until then!! 

 Free Drinks what EVERYONE LOVES!! 

Please leave the child wine tasting in the      privacy of your own home!! NOT CUTE!! 

On the sneak tip I found out from a server that we were waiting over an hr because they were backstage snapping pictures!! This is the dialogue transcript: 

Q: what exactly is going on behind the 

      black curtain? (@9:30pm) 

A: From Server- Their taking pics of the models in the clothes. 

I was appaled & offended!! Who does that? I feel like thats so unprofessional. Do you agree? 

So once the event finally started there was an intro video & then on to Fashion right!?.... Ummm NO The show organizer took the time to chat even more about the orgiznation & what not (because I honestly stopped listening).... I wouldn't have minded the added speech on top of the video if it wasn't 10pm... It's like I was supposed to be at my next event by this time!! During fashion week people don't wait around 2 hrs for anyone & no one would ask someone to. 

Once the fashion show finally started it was good. The 2 designers that presented before the organizer were good they had very wearable pieces. After the 1st 2 designers there was an intermission!! WTF!! After all the time I had to wait you want me to wait more? At this point I actually saw people leave... Which I totally understood!! When there are only 3 designers there should NEVER be an intermission for what!? So the show organizer who only designs for charity & gives everything a butterfly feel presented her beautiful gowns & the night was finally over!! I don't know how much they collected in donations for the event but it was about 11:30pm by the time all was said & done... I just wanted to get out of DODGE!! I will say that the MC Kevin Thomson was great!  Through all the waiting he kept everyone energized & laughing as well as the DJ that kept the tunes coming and people dancing in their place. 

See below for for pics of the designers pieces: 

Montego Travis Sylvester

www.iphoneogram.com/u/9183458

House of Rubi- Tenneh Wilkins

www.etsy.com/shop/HouseofRubi

www.HouseofRubi.com