Memoirs of Melissa Nepton – WMCFW S/S2014

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It’s fashion week season and last week it was finally Toronto’s turn. We were so happy to be invited to Melissa Nepton’s show and I couldn’t ask for a better viewing seat! Armed with our passes we were sat in our front row seats. At that point I realized that I’ve never been on that side of the curtain before. Yes, I’ve been to runway events before, but I’ve always participated either as a model or as an organizer. Throughout the event, I couldn’t help picturing myself walking the runway in Melissa’s outfits and I was submerged into the concept behind her collection. You see, a show is not just about the designs, it is about the designer’s choice in models, in make-up and styling, it is about the music and the lighting, as it all comes together in those minutes on the runway.

 

The first model walks out and Melissa just stole my heart. Inspired from the Japanese culture and Nipponic fashion trends, her pieces reminded me of Kirigami, the Japanese art of paper-cutting. Cut-out dresses and tops are made for the confident woman that has nothing to hide. I also noticed a lot of playful geometrical patterns that bring out the inner child in the beholder. The models wore Kabuki inspired make-up and shoes that brought a pop of colour to the runway. It seems that the black and white trend will continue into next year’s spring and summer seasons, but be generous when applying that blush ladies!

 

Melissa created the perfectly balanced collection. Her wearable pieces are both minimalistic and bold with clean-cut lines and découpes. A glimpse of the designer at the end of the show and months of hard work were over just like that, but I am happy to have participated at one of the best shows that Toronto Fashion Week offered.

Melissa Nepton is one of the most promising Canadian fashion talents and she has proven it by winning The Target Emerging Designer Award earlier this year. You can shop Melissa’s current collection in over 60 boutiques across Ontario and Quebec and also on her own online store at https://melissanepton.com.

 

We hope that you enjoy our pictures! Please note that these images are the property of  http://www.framestopper.com and you can’t use them without their permission.
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Bri Seeley

LA Fashion Week: Bri Seeley Raises Runway Pre-Orders

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After moving from Seattle to Los Angeles, fashion designer Bri Seeley knew that she had to do something different to make her brand stand out. And with that, an idea was born— give the fashion world’s loyal followers exactly what they want: the chance to own it first.

“It just makes sense. If someone sees something on the runway, they should be able to buy it immediately,” says Seeley. “Fashion weeks weren’t created for normal people, they were created for buyers. But nowadays, they’ve become a chic and hip thing for people to do.”

Harnessing the buzz from LA Fashion Week, Seeley will be teaming up with Luevo to launch a 30-day campaign to raise pre-orders for her spring/summer 2014 collection. During the runway show, photos of Seeley’s entire collection will be shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, with a direct link to purchase any item from the collection exclusively on Luevo.

While larger brands like Top Shop and BCBG have incorporated pre-ordering systems into their shows, Seeley is one of the few independent designers to do so. After launching a successful crowdfunding campaign last year for her Style Fashion Week show, she realized how effective it could be.

“Last time I raised more than I had anticipated. I was giving out handwritten thank you notes to anyone who gave me money. This time it’s better— they get product with it,” says Seeley. “If I could sell out my whole collection before I go onto manufacturing, that would be an ideal world.”

With her spring/summer “Silence Collection” ready to hit the runway during Phoenix Fashion Week on Oct. 4 and LA Fashion Week on Oct. 10, Seeley is preparing to unveil a new line up of covet-worthy pieces reflective of her modern feminine design aesthetic.

“I didn’t move to LA to be like every other fashion designer here,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of people come up to me say, ‘We don’t understand why we can’t buy your stuff as soon as you put it on the runway.’ This is a good way to give people that opportunity. It’s instant gratification.”

Bri Seeley

 Bri Seeley

Article written by Julia Eskins.

Julia Eskins is a Toronto-based writer and features editor at FAJO Magazine. You can follow her on Twitter at @juliaeskins


Montreal Fashion Week: Five Emerging Designers

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Montreal Fashion Week: Five Emerging Designers

Fresh off the four-day whirlwind of Montréal Fashion Week, it’s impossible to shake the anticipation for spring/summer 2014’s best pieces and trends. Even more so, it’s always exciting to see what Canada’s emerging designers have to offer – and what better launching pad than the MFW runway? From Sept. 3 to Sept. 6, over 20 designers unveiled their collections. We’ve picked five emerging designers that stood out among the rest this season.

Caroline Constas

Montréal-born, New York City-based designer Caroline Constas proves that a jet set lifestyle can be a major inspiration. After enrolling at Parsons The New School for Design and debuting her line in 2012, Constas experienced a meteoric rise to success. Her spring/summer 2014 collection is inspired by her travels to Greece and France. Using European fabrics and detailed finishes, Constas delivers impeccably tailored separates that beg to be worn on a Mediterranean jaunt.

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Pedram Karimi

Pedram Karimi first caught the fashion world’s attention when he won second place in Telio’s Breakthrough Designer Competition during Montréal Fashion Week in 2011. Fast forward two years later and you’ll find him still garnering praise for modern designs reflective of his diverse background. This season, Karimi opened Montréal Fashion Week with the launch of his fusion line, PEDRAM. Inspired by the playful characteristics of youth, the collection features Karimi’s talent for creating fluidity, movement and volume.

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Mélissa Nepton

Since being crowned the winner of the Target Emerging Designer Award in February, all eyes are on Mélissa Nepton’s next move. While her exclusive line for Target Quebec drew inspiration from the 1960’s, Nepton’s signature spring/summer 2014 collection turns the focus on Japanese culture. Exploring both traditional and contemporary elements of Tokyo, Nepton’s “Pikuseru” collection delivers pixelated prints and a playful approach to Japanese-inspired silhouettes.

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UNTTLD

Praised for bringing a modern twist to the femme fatal, Montréal -based designers Simon Bélanger and José Manuel St-Jacques can be counted on for daring dresses and structured staples. After interning and working with renowned Canadian designer Denis Gagnon, the duo went on to form their brand in 2011. This season, UNTTLD uses mesh, strategic draping and a black and white print that was created from blown-up images of cigarette butts.

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Martin Lim

Following the launch of their label in 2010 and Mercedes-Benz Start-up Competition win in 2011, design duo Danielle Martin and Pao Lim have continued to capture the hearts of strong striding city girls everywhere. The Central Saint Martins graduates refined their design skills while working with renowned international designers like Christian Lacroix. It’s no surprise that their latest spring/summer collection delivers the goods while blending seaside elegance with urban comfort.

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Article written by Julia Eskins.

Julia Eskins is a Toronto-based writer and features editor at FAJO Magazine. You can follow her on Twitter at @juliaeskins

Bri Seeley

Introducing Bri Seeley – L.A. Based Fashion Designer

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It is our pleasure to introduce to you Bri Seeley, independent fashion designer based in Los Angeles. Bri Seeley Designs brings you contemporary vintage fashion, modern apparel with a touch of classic and elegance. Bri started designing since she was in high school and she is formally trained in United States and in Italy, where she got her Master’s diploma in Fashion Design from the  renowned Accademia Italiana.

From Minnesota to Italy, from Seattle to Los Angeles, Bri Seeley is one emerging designer to follow! In 2012 she won Emerging Designer of the Year at Phoenix Fashion Week. This year, you can see Bri’s newest collection gracing the runways of Phoenix Fashion week and in Los Angeles – at her runway debut on October 10th. The runway event will  kick off a 30-day campaign to raise pre-orders for the entire collection exclusively on Luevo.

 

In our brief interview with Bri we asked her a couple of questions:

 

Luevo: What inspires you?

Bri: Femininity

 

Luevo: If you could go anywhere in the world,where would that be?

Bri: I would go to Bali.

 

Luevo: What is your personal style?

Bri:  My personal style is simple, feminine elegance.

 

Bri Seeley’s new “Silence collection” will soon be available for pre-ordering on Luevo. If you want to attend the fashion show on October 10th in Los Angeles please get your tickets here. If you can’t attend, don’t worry, you can still pre-order any product from her new collection, make sure you are signed up on Luevo.

Bri Seeley

Bri Seeley

Bri Seeley

Christopher Bates

Menswear designer Christopher Bates

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Toronto-based Christopher Bates is an intrepid designer achieving a meteoric rise in the fashion industry. The  designer trained in Milan at legendary Istituto Marangoni and he is already a favorite designer among celebrities.  The Christopher Bates line is the definition of clean lines, chic designs with a dash of 1950s styling. The line focuses on smart-casual wear, great for transitioning from day to night, or even work to wedding. With both ready-to-wear and bespoke are available, there is a piece for every stylish man to stand out in the crowd.

The garments were featured on the Globe & Mail for showcasing some of the boldest designs on the runway. Toronto Star writers admired the mixture of materials and bright colours and the Edito praised Christopher Bates for continuing their famous wow factor. Other editorials including Frank, Dress to Kill and Urbanebloc had raving reviews of the young designer and his collections.

You can find the Christopher Bates newest collection at Holt Renfrew and exclusive items on Luevo soon. Please sign up at www.luevo.com for early access!

 

Christopher Bates

Christopher Bates

Christopher Bates

NYFW Spring 2014

NYFW Spring 2014: Naeem Khan, Badgley Mischka, Jenny Packham, Alon Livne, Zang Toi

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NYFW Spring 2014 – Day 6 we were all back in the tent except for Melissa’s offsite jaunt to shoot ICB in the afternoon.  We covered lots of shows today for the trend report and  for media footage.  Maryna and Shalanda headed backstage at Badgley Mischka for behind-the-scenes footage and ran into John Legend and his girlfriend Chrissy Teigen.  Backstage at Alon Livne, Arielle interviewed the namesake, Israeli designer, who started designing when he was 17.  We covered backstage for Zang Toi, and wrapped up the evening attending the last show at 9pm by Fashion Shenzhen.

FIT/STYLE: A trend is a fad, a craze, the latest hotness, and a style that has been trending all week has been longer length in skirts in different fits: A-Line, Pencil, Drop-Waist, Assymetricals, and more!!  There was very little deviation from this trend on Day 6. Jenny Packham, Badgely Mischka, & Naeem Khan sent feminine silhouettes down the runway displaying the variety in skirt styles.  Alon Livne sent down warrior/Amazon princess inspired garments, that looked like each model was wearing an embellished breast plate and ready to go to battle! I loved it!

NYFW Spring 2014

Naeem Khan / Photographer Maryna Marston – www.squareearthstudio.com

NYFW Spring 2014

Alon Livne / Photographer Arielle Breedyk – www.ariellebreedyk.com

NYFW Spring 2014

Badgley Mischka / Photographer Maryna Marston – www.squareearthstudio.com

COLOR: As mentioned yesterday, more and more color is appearing, but the overall theme of whites, pastels, & other neutrals has still been the focus. Naeem Khan sent garments down the runway with a beige base, but colorful appliques:

NYFW Spring 2014

Naeem Khan / Photographer Maryna Marston – www.squareearthstudio.com

NYFW Spring 2014

Jenny Packham / Photographer Maryna Marston – www.squareearthstudio.com

PRINT/PATTERN: Mirror image prints were very popular on the Naeem Khan runway.  Popular plaid returns on the Jenny Packham Runway.

NYFW Spring 2014

Naeem Khan / Photographer Maryna Marston – www.squareearthstudio.com

NYFW Spring 2014

Jenny Packham / Photographer Maryna Marston – www.squareearthstudio.com

EVENING WEAR/OCCASION:  There was a prevalence of evening wear gowns showcased on Day 6 of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Almost every designer sent down a jaw-dropping stunner.  A lot of fluidity in the gowns, with lots of movement.  Long cape trains, and lots of fabric that billowed in the wind.

NYFW Spring 2014

Badgley Mischka / Photographer Maryna Marston – www.squareearthstudio.com

NYFW Spring 2014

Zang Toi / Photographer Arielle Breedyk – www.ariellebreedyk.com

 

Credit: Written by Shalanda Turner, FashionMingle.net Style Editor and Blogger at Live Life in Style

pre-ordering retail fashion for independent fashion designers

Crowdfunding and Crowdsourcing Fashion

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In one of our previous posts we highlighted some of the challenges that aspiring fashion designers encounter when starting up their businesses (you can find the full article here). To sum up, here are the top three problems:
INITIAL FUNDING – FORECASTING DEMAND – GETTING PRE-ORDERS

Let’s be honest, the fashion industry does not take full advantage of the advancements in IT, and the designers have to be very creative to overcome their challenges. Many resort to major online marketplaces to sell their creations. These work for designers offering custom made products – and they can sell one item at a time based on customer’s requirements. On the downside, the designers can’t source materials in large quantities because of the unpredictability in demand and they end up sourcing expensive supplies and pass that cost to the buyer. Furthermore, it is very difficult for the buyer to find a particular designer as these marketplaces become more like a universe of everything for everyone (For example, Etsy reportedly has over 800,000 active shops).

What we’ve recently noticed is that independent fashion designers are now appealing to the public to support their businesses and they do it on crowdfunding websites. Still, the fashion category on Kickstarter has the lowest success rate. We believe this is because the existing crowdfunding platforms don’t make for an elegant e-commerce solution. Consumers can’t really shop the designers’ products, but rather “donate” in return for different types of rewards. Crowdfunding works for fashion retailers that sell single products (such as the super-famous pebble watch); however, they don’t work as well for fashion designers that sell multiple products. crowdfunding fashion

Finally, a lot of new designers try crowdsourcing their designs, which takes care of the second obstacle they encounter – forecasting demand. By using a voting, liking and sharing system you can learn from your potential buyers more than if you were to investigate yourself. You can choose to produce only the most popular products or modify your collection based on consumer’s feedback. Still – desirability doesn’t necessarily translate into orders, as the potential buyers are not required to commit to a purchase.

At Luevo, we are working hard to develop a new kind of crowdfunding solution specifically targeted at aspiring and emerging independent fashion designers. We will use a combination of best practices from existing crowdfunding and crowdsourcing business models to create one solution to a designer’s top three challenges. We understand that as independent fashion designers you have certain production requirements. On our platform you will be able to obtain the pre-orders you need by crowdsourcing your demand.

You can find out more on how our fashion crowdfunding platform works here.

Challenges of an Aspiring Independent Fashion Designer

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As an aspiring fashion designer, creating patterns and designs is fun, creative and for some – a relatively easy process. But, consistency of sales and strong demand forecasts is the most difficult aspect of starting up a fashion business. Here are some obstacles that you will have to overcome in order to achieve a sustainable business model.

You will need an initial capital investment to produce your first collections. You will either outsource your production or open your own studio and you will require funding. But, the fashion industry is high-risk, capital intensive and highly seasonal. This is one of the main reasons why banks don’t easily hand out loans or lines of credits to support independent fashion start-ups. You will have to rely on your personal savings and assets or borrow money from friends and family.
Fashion business funding

Then, you need to decide on the production method that works best for you. If you are outsourcing, consider the shipping costs, lead times and the minimum requirements for each order. Unless you have paid in advance pre-orders that can secure a large production batch, it is best if you start with smaller quantities to avoid holding a large inventory. Also, the location of your manufacturing facility is important; closer to home means quality control trips are easier and more affordable.

Fashion design is fun and creative.

Forecasting your demand is a daunting task. Big retail chains and established fashion businesses can easily forecast their demand by using historical data and predictive algorithms. However, when you are just starting up in the industry, you don’t have the historical data you need to build such forecasts, nor do you have a known brand that will guarantee you the traction of sales. So, the biggest question remains: how do you know exactly which products are going to sell and in what variations (sizes, colors)?

woman shopping for fashion

There are several steps you can take at any stage of your business to better understand your demand. First, determine who your customers are and get to know them by asking questions. Go beyond your close friends and family, as you are most likely to get positive reinforcement anyway. Start with your professors, peers and go to local meet-up groups – you will receive criticism and unbiased opinions. Then, generate a conversation on forums and on your Twitter and Facebook pages. Grow a customer following that will provide you with real-time feedback.

independent fashion designer

In a way, you are “Crowd-sourcing” your designs, by learning what your ideal customer is most likely to buy. Always network with your peers, search for support from your local fashion incubator and don’t sign away rights over your designs. The fashion industry is not very regulated when it comes to design protection; you want to ensure that when selling on a third party’s website, you retain rights over your designs.

Our mission at Luevo is to change how aspiring independent fashion designers do business. We want to help independent fashion designers streamline their production processes, minimize financial risks and increase the success rate of fashion start-ups. Click here to learn how we plan on achieving this!