All of the Summer Pieces (I Didn't Write)

I realize that I haven't written a whole lot on summer style and, worse, that the last time I did I also confidently declared that I would publish at least one piece a week on topics ranging from summer skincare to style picks of mine to beach glamour and I let the ball drop. Well, no. I kicked the ball over the fence and pushed on.

While most people here spend several months a year griping about our winters, I can't stand our summers. For at least three weeks this year, my homegirl in Texas was experiencing cooler weather than I was. Texas. and, 75% of the time, when going outside didn't feel like stepping into a bowl of soup, it was raining. One of my best friends' status update once read: "Fantastic. I went outside and now I know what it feels like when fire farts on you."

It's tolerable when I have a car and/or I'm not working full-time because then I can and do get away as often as possible. This year, however, I spent most days waking up after a stiflingly hot night, showering, stepping out of the shower and sweating within moments, getting onto a crowded bus, then another bus, walking into a glass tower downtown, sitting in a windowless space and hiding in the air conditioning until five before getting back on two crowded buses and going home drained and feeling irritable and weak. This, folks, does not breed motivation, nor does it inspire.

Somehow, I actually sat down and designed a mini collection that I am days away from fitting onto a model so the summer was not a waste but, no, I did not feel up to the task of discussing style and fashion, when I felt gross and uncomfortable for most of the season.

That said, we are mere weeks away from boots, scarves, hats, suits, gorgeous foliage, autumns spices and being able to wear make-up without looking like The Joker within twenty minutes. This, in addition to the fact that I'm finally back to re-decorating my flat, that I have a few trips planned during the coming months and that I am finally designing again means I'll be posting more often. I do promise to be a better sport next summer, as I will have a car and will most certainly get to escape for some time.

Goddamn, I'm glad it's almost over.


photo source: photodeposit.com

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My Production Crew Karma Must Change (Or: Man, Do I Hope Things Work Out With This Pattern Maker)

I've already touched upon some f the following in my Roots series but I have had phenomenal bad luck when it comes to hiring pattern and sewing help in Montreal. Phenomenal. A part of me thinks that this may be due to some of the things that happened with me very first crew.

In 2003, when I was twenty-three, I created a cybergoth/rivethead line and I had a fantastic crew of three to help me make the patterns and assemble the clothing. at the time, I was still self-taught so they were actually more knowledgeable than I was and, because they believed in me and in what I was doing, they worked for free. I was able to give them each an envelope with some bonus money it in at one point but that was it. Despite several hiccups, I put on a fashion show at Foufs, in front of a packed house and most people loved it. I was young and the single mom of two babies at that point, though, and the reaction to the show made me panic. Instead of producing the clothing and moving forward, I hid and didn't design anything for a few years, dropping my crew on its collective head and feeling ashamed for quite some time.

I get it now but it was hard for me to swallow that failure for years afterward. Once in a while I tell myself that that move was what created the shit karma I have had when it comes to pattern makers.

1. The Story Teller and her friend

At the beginning of 2005, I hired someone who convinced me to hire her friend. I'd seen girl number one around at parties and the only thing I knew about her is that she was semi-stalking one of my friends. Desperate times, though. I hired her anyway.

To make a long story short, girl number one missed almost every meeting we had, coming up with a more outlandish story each time and then, when I passed by her place to pick up clothing for a shoot, I didn't take the time to check the quality of the garments before paying her. I got home and discovered that the most of the seams were crooked and non of it had been assembled with care. It was sloppy work and I was stuck with samples I would have to camouflage in the shoot and could most certainly not sell afterward.

Girl number two wanted work right away so I asked her to make a batch of ties while I finished up work with number one. She handed me a bag of twisted up bits of sewn fabric that looked like they might have been ties at some point in time and the proceeded to charge me for ten hours of work. I refused to pay her for the garbage I had been handed and she actually filed a complaint with the provincial labour board. Because she had never bothered to call me after tie number one to let me know that she couldn't handle making them, I ended up winning.

2. The Swimsuit Massacre

I studied fashion design at Collège Lasalle and then, a couple of years later, designed a few swimsuits and planned a shoot. I hired someone who was about ten years older than me, had tons of experience and was desperate for work. She had a cross stitch machine and showed me samples of her work so I didn't see a problem. Our meetings went well and communication was great, in general. She got a full-time job about a week before my shoot and tried to push back the deadline. I told her this was impossible and that the pieces had to be done on time. It was only three swimsuits, after all!

The night before the shoot, I cabbed out to a café on the Plateau, met with this woman, gave her an envelope of cash and left with a sports bag containing the samples and patterns for the three suits. I had yet to learn from my past mistakes and so I didn't even look at the work before leaving. I know, I know (now).

I went out for a drink with a friend, went home, woke up the next morning and started pulled the first piece out of the bag. I pulled the other two out. Then I sat down and cried.

Thankfully, I worked with a photographer and models who were very understanding. The crotch width of each piece was more suitable for a five-year-old girl's swimsuit than for a grown woman's and models kept having to stand in such a way that they could inconspicuously hold the bust in place. the last swimsuit we shot was a disaster. There were gaping holes where there should have been seams and the seams were very crooked. I was so lucky to work with a woman I had actually gone to school with and who convinced me that we could at least get a few promo shots with the shoot.

Here are two excessively camouflaged shots of the worst bathing suit in the line:

3. The Swimmer

Not long after the swimsuit fiasco, I hired someone to fix the mess the previous pattern maker had made. she was very young but had studied fashion design and, being a professional swimmer herself, was quite interested in the designs. She took my green leopard fabric, one of my patterns and disappeared.

4. Madame AWOL

I interviewed this woman in a Verdun café. She seemed together and excited about working with me so I hired her. I assigned two pairs of shorts and two blouses to her. She made the patterns, the  muslin samples. We had a fitting and everything went really well. I couldn't believe that I'd finally found someone with whom I could work. She insisted on a second fitting so I asked her to go ahead and make second muslin samples. She disappeared. This time, at least, she didn't have any of my patterns or fabric. Just more money down the drain.

5. Now

And this brings us to now. I hired a girl who really seems to know her shit and we have a lot of friends in common so I know she can't disappear (I can't believe that had to be a factor but it was!). Communication has been great and I'm meeting her tomorrow to pick up the first muslin samples. I have a fitting on Monday and my fingers are crossed! If this doesn't work, I'm not supporting local contractors anymore. I will outsource everything to NYC and finally see some finished products.

What helps is that, this time around, I'm busting my ass too so I'm guaranteed to have pieces for the shoot, whether or not things go well with this pattern maker. There is also the fact that I have finally learned from my lessons and will be double-checking the hell out of everything from now on!

Top photo source: 101fashiontoday,wordpress.com

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