From My Baby to My Biz- Learnings from the Showroom

​Happy Monday! Sometimes the styles from the 80s still amaze me. I found this little number in my pile of photos before Paris' second lockdown.

What brand do you think designed this dress around 1984? They have these private showings of archived clothing in secret entrances in Paris and I got an appointment a couple years back. (leave a comment if you want to know more about this place) The dresses were in superb condition and led me on a path of remembering my first few pieces I actually made on my own. 

I was so set in making it perfectly....every dart, button, by the inch, by the book, crisp....the whole bit. I spent hours and hours on it. When it was time to sell the piece, the client actually had the nerve to ask for a...discount! I hope my mouth didnt stay gaped for that long. I really felt gaudged- like these pieces were like my babies! I spent time actually crafting, not sewing the piece. ​

Ok, sure, we could go down the path that artists aren't paid what their worth, etc but that's not the point. ​

The point I learned was to be creative and move on. That a creative expression is always there but that a piece or collection flows and ebbs in cycles. If you just want to be creative, be that, own it, make your stuff and be regale in its process.

But with that vision, don't open the atelier and 'pretend' to sell your pieces  like you actually want to have a biz. lol. You are just fooling yourself. Maybe its better in an atmosphere of a gallery or online space to simply share your talent. If it's a biz, make it a biz, not your baby. Woah...I think I needed to ear that lol.

Oh...and the designer is actually Chloe believe it or not. Karl Lagerfeld designed for the brand in the 80s and did other surrealism inspired pieces. This was a great time in fashion, hiring other designers to collaborate with the brand. 

Generally, we designer creatives work alone with 2-3 colleagues. I think by working with a team of support, that's different. Forming a team of mentors, friends, a stylist or a curator to give feedback, gives a feeling that the brand is a biz, not just a project...that we are open to changes, available for another pricing structure and stopping where maybe its not 100% perfect ...where you are not your biz.

#makeitpersonal but #notyourbaby #creativelearnings #designingideaswithtyese #designthinking #designingideas #designmentor #fashionmentor #makermentor #creativementor #creativeclass ​