Thursday, May 28, 2015

On The Town: WALK Fashion Back for Its 11th Show


If you need a fashion fix and you've been dying to explore Detroit's fashion scene, this is the weekend to do it. WALK Fashion Show, founded in 2009 by Daishawn and Crystal Bailey, is back from 3 to 10 p.m., Saturday, May 30 at the Garden Theatre, and it is a FULL DAY of fashionable fun. Also, a great excuse to dress in your chic-est outfit and show it off to the community, because if no one saw the outfit, it didn't happen. Am I right? 

The show begins with the Emerging Designer Showcase at 3 p.m. and will feature designers Noir Hart, Kamiki Ayo, GD Designs, Homage Holders, Heir Majesty, Max Marie and many more. Tickets for the general admission is $25, while VIP is $35 for the Emerging Designer Showcase. Following the first show is the Independent Designer Showcase featuring The Paper Dress Code by Matthew Richmond, Chasing Gold, Negash, Lady Liberty, Greg Gaten Taylor, Dana Keaton Collection and more. Tickets for this show range from $35 to $75, and doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the pre-show reception. Immediately following the last show is a Red Carpet Gala from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Garden Theatre.

If you’re interested in getting to know the WALK family and getting a head start on celebrating local fashion, head down to the Bosco Lounge in Ferndale for the pre-show party from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., Thursday, May 28. Throw back a few cocktails, network with other fashionistas and meet everyone involved in making WALK what it is. While you’re there, enter the raffle to win a pair of VIP Runway tickets to WALK Fashion Show this Saturday.


For more information about the show, visit www.walkfashionshow.com or call 313.799.2556. To purchase tickets, click over to Eventbrite

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Do It: This Weekend’s Fashion, Beauty and Style Events that Are Not To Be Missed

This weekend is chock-full of fun and fashionable things to do, so if you’re itching to hit the town, these events will keep you busy!



2015 Whitney Garden Parties | Thursday, May 28
The famous Whitney Restaurant will be hosting their 25-year tradition of Garden Parties starting this Thursday, lasting every Thursday until August 27. From 5 to 9 p.m., the Garden Parties will showcase some of the best bands, while sipping craft beer specials and snacking on delicious food. This Thursday’s season kick-off will feature Blaire Alise & The Bombshells, a pop/rock style band. Cover is $5, attendees must be at least 21 years of age to enter.

The Whitney Restaurant is located at 4421 Woodward Ave., in Detroit.

Joy Abendmode: Grand Opening | Friday, May 29
Joy Abendmode, an eveningwear shop, has set up shop in Royal Oak, and they are celebrating with a grand opening event from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. This is a full day of activities starting in the morning with 15% off the first 25 purchases of the day. The ribbon cutting ceremony is happening at 12 p.m., a store tour will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. and the fashion show will begin at 6 p.m.

Joy Abendmode is located at 506 S. Washington Ave., in Royal Oak.

Startup Weekend Detroit for Social Entrepreneurs Edition | Friday, May 29 to Sunday, May 31
Are you interested in launching your own product or starting a business? If so, this event is for you! The Mercado building is hosting a weekend for entrepreneurs to pitch an idea, form a team and launch a product. Ticket levels range from $75 to $100 and that will get you access to all three days of the event, seven meals and snacks throughout the weekend, time with seasoned entrepreneurs an plenty of SWAG. For more information and to register for the event, go to Eventbrite

Ford Resource and Engagement Center/Mexicantown Mercado is located at 2826 Bagley St., in Detroit.

WCCC Presents: Detroit Girls Can | Saturday, May 30
Wayne County Community College is hosting an empowerment event for young women between the ages of 14 and 18 years old. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., young ladies will learn to empower themselves by learning tools to manage money, getting on the right career pathway and to develop the power that comes from real confidence. The event is free, but registration is required. To learn more or to register for the event, visit at Detroit Girls Can.

Wayne County Community College is located at 5901 Conner, in Detroit.

Ferndale Pride 2015 | Saturday, May 30
Ferndale Pride attracts 10,00 to 15,000 per year, and it’s kicking off the summer season a bit early come 1 to 10 p.m. all around the streets of downtown Ferndale. The day will start with the 5k Rainbow Run and the 2k Fun Run at 8:30 a.m., and then attendees can head over to the main stage on the west side of downtown Ferndale for a party in the streets with dancing, shopping and so much more. Come let your hair down, and have a great time! More information can be found at Ferndale Pride

The Ferndale Pride will be held in downtown Ferndale (Woodward to Planavon).

Opening Reception Windows on Frida | Saturday, May 30
Café Con Leche is excited to display local art from the community for “Windows on Frida,” a visual artistic interpretation of Frida Kahlo’s artwork and life. This art installation will feature fashion, jewelry, paintings and ceramics in honor of the DIA’s special series on Friday Kahlo and Diego Rivera. From 5 to 9 p.m., come out for a special Opening Night Reception to celebrate Frida Kahlo, but also the artists who were inspired by her.

Café Con Leche Nord is located at 2990 W. Grand Blvd., in Detroit.

WALK Fashion Show | Saturday, May 30
WALK Fashion Show is putting on its 11th edition fashion show, with the first show starting at 3 p.m. and the next starting at 8 p.m. at Garden Theatre. The show will feature the local brands such as Dana Keaton Collection, Lady Liberty, Negash, LK Bennet and so many more. For more information and to purchase tickets, head over to WALK Fashion

Garden Theater is located at 3929 Woodward Ave., in Detroit.

MAJIK Fashion Show | Saturday, May 30
Designer Derrick Web has launched MAJIK Fashion show from 6 to 9 p.m. Check out the local talent and view Derrick Web’s Spring/Summer collection. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite

MAJIK will be held at 4731 Grand River Ave., in Detroit.

Bar Fight at Café 78 | Sunday, May 31
Are you known in your group of friends as the best cocktail mixer? Then come out to Café 78 and test yourself at Detroit’s Iron-Chef style competition. Mix up the best drinks for the judges, and show off your best mixing skills. Bar Fight starts at 7 p.m.


Café 87 is located at 4454 Woodward Ave., in Detroit.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Do It: Course Offered to Help Artists Grow Creative Businesses


Detroit Art & Business Institute has partnered with Access Growth to offer a business course crafted specifically for all makers. This detailed course is built to guide artists through the business steps needed to be accomplished to have be truly successful.

"Very excited to announce that my business course for the creative community is starting soon, and already accepting registrations," said Andrea Rosenfeld of DABI. Andrea, creator of the course, will instruct the course by understanding individual goals and challenges of the students participating. Makers will learn profitable pricing structures, marketing tools important to the creative community, finding ideal wholesale and retail customers, building realistic budget and sales goals, and more.


Classes will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays beginning June 9, at the Arab American Museum Annex in Dearborn. For more information or to register for the course, contact Hassan Bazzi, Growth Center Manager, at hbazzi@accesscommunity.org or 313.203.2677.

Friday, May 22, 2015

Industry Spotlight: Textile Consultant Talks Fabric and Everything You Need to Know About Getting It

Image from Michelle Roberts
Sourcing fabric for collections is a pain. The majority of fabric options in the metro-Detroit area are very limited in yardage (and maximized in price), and sourcing fabric outside of Michigan is a job within itself. Enter Michelle Roberts from Technical Textile Solutions. She is a local textile material consultant who loves to help local designers and brands, and it doesn't even matter the size of the company -- she does it all. Read on to learn all about fabric sourcing, and how Michelle could help you.

DGG: Tell us about yourself, Michelle.
Michelle Roberts: I am a mother, wife, daughter, and friend who loves helping people follow their dreams and achieve their goals in the fashion industry. I live in Grosse Pointe Park with my husband and two daughters. I like to snowboard in the winter, and play outside in the summer. I like music of all kinds, and smoking BBQ is my thing.  I am originally from North Carolina, but have lived in Michigan for 10 years, and I absolutely LOVE Detroit.

DGG: Tell us about Technical Textiles Solutions and what you do as a textile material consultant.
MR: Technical Textile Solutions is a textile and apparel consulting company. We specialize in helping entrepreneurs and brands develop, source, and test materials for their product lines. We have packages to fit any budget – from affordable packages that give our customers the knowledge and tools to do the work themselves, to completely done-for-them development and sourcing solutions that allow them to be creative while we take care of the behind-the-scenes sourcing. 

We provide communication templates for designers to use when communicating with suppliers so they get exactly what they need with less miscommunication.
The apparel industry is global. As designers and brands grow, they inevitably have to purchase more and more materials, and I am blessed to be able to help brands grow by helping them partner with the right global suppliers to ensure success. 

I also train clients to develop, source, and test material themselves from sources they never dreamed of working with before. I love teaching and sharing my knowledge and seeing designers' save money because they worked with me makes me feel great. Almost as great as when I had my two daughters… almost.


DGG: What’s the process of sourcing fabric?
MR: First, as the designer you have to know what your must-haves are. What are the hand-feel characteristics, the weight, the drape, and the aesthetics that you need for your garment? That drives everything else. Once you know that, you narrow down the construction, content, width, finishes, etc., that the fabric needs to have to support those aesthetic requirements.

This technical translation is where most designers could use some help; otherwise, they can waste a lot of money pursuing fabrics that won’t support the design vision. Material costs make up at least 50% of the cost of a garment, so a couple of lots of incorrect fabric can eat up a designers start up capital pretty quickly.

At this point, you need to create a target Fabric Data Sheet, or FDS, so you can communicate those aesthetic requirements in a more technical way. After you have those details nailed down, your search for fabrics begins. At this point, you need to have an understanding of your sales, targets or goals for the first six months to a year, so that you know how much fabric you can purchase. The number of units you can sell in the first six months to a year, coupled with knowing the number of yards needed per unit will give you a good estimate of how much fabric you need across all colorways.

Once you have communicated your fabric needs to your suppliers, samples start to come in. At this point, you’ll see a range of samples coming in at different price points, and from there you narrow down to a couple that you want to see in sample-yardage form. After three weeks to a month, those samples come in. From there, you choose your final fabric, negotiate prices, and start production. 
Once the fabric sourcing part is complete, you switch gears and begin color matching the fabric you chose by initiating lab dips to match your color standards.

DGG: What are your top tips for designers who are looking to source fabric for a collection?
MR:
     1)    Know the fabric characteristics that you can’t live without, and also know the characteristics that would be nice to have, but that aren’t absolutely necessary. That way, as fabrics come in, you are able to source the fabric and move on. If you don’t know when the fabric is right, you’ll fool yourself into thinking that the search for the perfect fabric is a necessity. And that ongoing search for the perfect fabric is the best way to waste thousands of dollars quick. 
    2)    Maximize base fabric use in your designs. Think about ways to use the same base fabric in different pieces within the collection so you can increase the amount of each fabric used. Using a higher volume of fewer fabrics will always make the most sense economically, and you can do it in a way that is not obvious, redundant, or uninspired.
     3)   Don’t be afraid to get help. Feeling comfortable with global sourcing will increase the odds of getting what you need at the right price, but we don’t come out of the womb knowing how to communicate with suppliers. Get training and education so you can feel as confident in communicating with fabric suppliers as you are in designing your collection.
    4)    Don’t be afraid to partner with other designers when you are starting out. Find a base fabric that several designers like, pool your volumes together to purchase the greige goods, and then each designer can color-match their quantity using their own signature colors, patterns, or finishes.  This way, you get the benefit of using a base fabric that you can purchase over and over again straight from the manufacturer, but each designer uses their own color standards or print patterns to really make that base fabric their own unique material

DGG: What is a fabric jobber? Are they necessary to have to get materials from textile companies?
MR: A fabric jobber now refers to a company that buys excess fabric from brands, suppliers, or vendors, and resells the fabric at a higher rate to the general public. Fabric minimums from a jobber are usually as low as one yard, but you usually cannot reorder the exact fabric again once it is gone. Even if you can reorder the fabric again, don’t expect the color to match from lot to lot.

A fabric jobber is good to use for small limited-edition collections where you don’t plan on running the same fabric for more than one order or run. You can also use a jobber to find a base fabric that you like, and then work to source a similar fabric direct with a manufacture. 

DGG: What tips do you have for designers who source fabric directly from a textile company?
MR: Give yourself plenty of time to develop, and over communicate what you need. Again, don’t be afraid to get training assistance to help you communicate the right things at the right time to help guarantee success.

DGG: What does your office look like?
MR: I have a home office with my client’s fabric in it, but since I do most of my work online, my office is really mobile. I have recently worked in Starbucks, airport bars in Thailand and Korea, and in a state park in Florida. All in a day’s work

DGG: Describe your style.
MR: As a mother, wife, and entrepreneur, I don’t have as much personal time as I used to, so my style reflects that. I need effortless pieces that are structured, yet comfortable, with interesting fabric texture and earthy tones. Think Elie Tahari. A DVF dress is always a choice that makes itself on most days, as far as I’m concerned. Throw in a few business attire staples from J. Crew, and I’m ready to go.

DGG: What is your favorite article of clothing and why?
MR: A wide black belt. Accentuating the waist is key, and always a good idea.

DGG: How do you take your coffee?
MR: Black, 99% of the time. I love the taste of coffee. If I want to put something in it, I’ll go for heavy cream, no sugar.

DGG: Silk or Satin?
MR: Silk, all day.

DGG: Donna Karan fabric or Marc Jacobs fabric?
MR: Donna Karan.