FFWRD

FOR THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF CHANGE.

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Tusk

+ July 23rd, 2019 (#12)

Tusk is an Indian leather company based in New York City on 1133 Broadway, Suite 531. Its founder, Hiten Manseta, was born in Bombay. The company began in 1993 (“Story,” n.d.). Tusk values providing only the highest-quality of leather fabrics and goods for their customers. They also select specifically from tanneries with silver or gold ratings. The ratings are done by the Leather Working Group, a group that actually sets the environmental, sustainable, and ethical standards for the leather industry (“Our Craft,” n.d.). 

Also, Tusk takes their selection process even further by going in-person to judge for themselves the quality of their resources and their purchases. With Tusk, the customer has the complete knowledge that what they will be buying has been so thoughtfully crafted. They know that their purchase was sourced and created as ethically and as sustainably as possible (“Our Craft,” n.d.). 

Tusk did not reach its current success easily. In fact, the company first started out of a basement. However, their dedication and detail-oriented outlook was what saw them to success. Once the company was out of the basement and relocated to better vicinities, that was when Tusk also decided to manufacture their own leather goods and designs. Before this, they had just been providing leather fabrics and sourcing the best materials. With the sales of their original bags and leather goods however, the company soon learned that their particular eye and standards set their products apart from the others in the leather industry. Manseta, Tusk’s owner, partnered with a Japanese artist in order to design the brand’s iconic zippers as well as logo. Tusk started out as a family-run business, and it continues to be a family-run business to this day (“Story,” n.d.). 

Personally, I am a fan of their story and their products. I really like that they are providing only the best for their customers, and that they go to such a degree when purchasing their materials. While this leather might not be faux, I do like that they have ethics and sustainability on the forefront of their minds. I appreciate that Tusk cares about the impact that they are leaving on the world as a leather company. I definitely want to keep an eye out for this brand in the future! I am appreciative of their story and what they are thoughtfully contributing to the world and to the fashion industry.

Resources

Our Craft. (n.d.). Retrieved July 24, 2019, from https://tusk.com/pages/craft 

Story. (n.d.). Retrieved July 24, 2019, from https://tusk.com/pages/story 

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PREFACE NYC

+ July 18th, 2019 (#11)

PREFACE NYC was first created by Betsy Franjola and Kellyann Gerson. This week was the launch of their third PREFACE NYC show. We had the incredible fortune of attending the event and meeting fabric businesses from all over the world. It was truly an amazing experience. PREFACE NYC started out as an idea between friends Franjola and Gerson, and grew into a successful event. There are even plans to launch PREFACE NYC in Los Angeles this coming January. 

This particular PREFACE NYC show was small and specifically curated to showcase nine fabric mills and one garment manufacturer. All of the companies were personally picked to be a part of the event by Franjola and Gerson. Their goal was to create a venue where the vendors felt complimentary rather than competitive, and that they would all be able to individually shine. I liked that no two vendors were identical. I could always expect something new with each station and presenter. PREFACE NYC had also set up a trend forecasting section where they predicted the next trends for the 2020 autumn and winter season. It seemed like the chosen trends referenced quite a bit from the past and to heritage. There also seemed to be a major focus on comfort fabrics.

Betsy Franjola was actually kind enough to take us around to meet the many different vendors present at the event. In particular, I really enjoyed meeting the professionals behind Meho Silks and Vector Apparel. Meho Silks is a brand from a specific region outside of Shanghai in China. The same region that Meho Silks originates from is actually also where silkworm-produced silk first started. Their selection of silks was so beautiful, and its high-quality easily noticeable. I also liked meeting the creatives at Vector Apparel. They have a current project with American singer-songwriter Kehlani, so it was so inspiring and interesting to talk with them about the project and about their business.

I really enjoyed having the chance to speak to so many industry professionals. I feel like with these events it allows me to learn so much more about merchandising and about how the industry functions. I also especially enjoyed looking at their trend reports for next year, and I will definitely be taking that knowledge with me as I am creating my senior collection. 

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The MET (Camp: Notes on Fashion)

+ July 16th, 2019 (#10)

Unfortunately for this week I was feeling really unwell. I didn’t end up going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the rest of the class, but I still enjoyed talking about the visit with my peers and through research. The key exhibition at the MET this year is titled Camp: Notes on Fashion. The exhibition was inspired by Susan Sontag’s revolutionary essay “Notes on ‘Camp’” which had been written in 1964. The exhibition is a celebration of theater, humor, and irony. Camp is extravagant, exuberant, exaggerated, and above all, never lacking. Camp: Notes on Fashion houses more than 250 pieces, with some items dating back all the way to the seventeenth century (“Camp: Notes on Fashion,” n.d.). The galleries and the exhibition was set up in a way that one could traverse through the entire timeline of camp. 

The first gallery that visitors step into focuses on Antinous, the lover of famed Roman Emperor Hadrian. Antinous has been both a celebrated and coveted icon for the LGBTQIA+ community. The exhibition continues on like this, featuring prominent figures with deep ties to the LGBTQIA+ community, and showing their connections and contributions to camp. In the second part of the exhibition, the display switches over to focus more on fashion and the many aesthetics of camp. For example in her essay, Susan Sontag clearly distinguished between “naive camp” and “deliberate camp.” Deliberate camp was about being more obvert, more over the top, and more obvious than naive camp, which was more subtle (“Camp: Notes on Fashion,” n.d.). There have been and still are so many different versions of camp, yet it is possible to see where they all unite in their excess and unflinching boldness.

It is truly amazing the amount of thought, work, and research that went into organizing the camp exhibition at The MET. There was obviously a lot of dedication and love that went into this exhibition in order for it to have so fully encompassed camp’s current history and past. I really want to be able to see the exhibition in person now, and I think that it will be doubly meaningful after researching so much about it. I love how fun camp is! Camp has a history that is so rooted in the pain and the suffering of the LGBTQIA+ community, and yet it is so captivating and entertaining. It truly celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community’s history, perseverance, beauty, and courage. Furthermore, I am in awe of how the galleries were set up. I think that they are all really beautifully presented, and I honestly cannot wait until I get the chance to see it for myself in person!

References

Camp: Notes on Fashion. (n.d.). Retrieved July 17, 2019, from https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2019/camp-notes-on-fashion 

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Stoll Knitting

+ July 11th, 2019 (#9)

Stoll Knitting has truly become a leader in all things knitting and knitwear technology. The company was founded over 145 years ago, and has since then provided the newest knitwear technology and textiles. Our trip to Stoll Knitting was honestly one of the highlights of the class thus far. I felt like I learned so much about how to create knits, as well as about the different types of knits that were out there. We had such great opportunities to ask questions, try different knitting machinery, and just to touch and take photos of the different knits that we saw. The experience was incredibly interactive, and our tour guide was very entertaining as well as knowledgeable. 

For this particular season, it seemed that Stoll was emphasizing more on sustainability, and knitting with sustainable fibers and materials. It was so cool to see the new types of knitwear that they were creating. For example, one of their knitwear displays had a plastic thread that weaved throughout the entire garment. It gave a similar elasticity that any other stretchy material would, but it was a more sustainable option. It was so interesting to learn and to feel the different garments that were on display. With some of their athletic wear, I noticed how they chose to use different types of weaves for particular sections of the body. Along the garment’s sides, they might use a lighter and more breathable fabric and weave, while using a heavier and thicker material for the front and back portions. As a designer, it was very interesting to see how knitwear was being produced to help the wearer. It was cool to see what types of new knitwear was in production, and where the focus for knitwear was going to be next. 

I really liked our visit to Stoll Knitting. I learned a lot about how they might print a graphic onto some knitwear, and about the different machinery and knitting beds that Stoll operates. I was even able to chat with two of their technical designers, and created a friendly connection with one of the designers there. Everyone was very approachable and willing to answer questions. I could not have asked for a more informative and welcoming experience into the knitting world. I have always wanted to learn more about knitwear, but didn’t know how to approach it. After this trip, I want to continue to look into knitwear and to try and incorporate more of it into my senior collection if I can.

References

STOLL. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2019, from https://www.stoll.com/en/

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Mood Designer Fabrics

+ July 9th, 2019 (#8)

Mood Designer Fabrics first opened in 1991, under the helm of Jack Sauma. Sauma was a Lebanese-Swedish fashion designer who started selling fabrics from his collections. He found that they sold really well with wholesale customers. Mood Fabrics was originally a fabric wholesaler until 1993, which was when Sauma opened up his company to include retail sales. As for location, Mood Fabrics moved to its current venue in 2003, at 225 West 37th Street. Since then, the company has launched a sister store in Los Angeles, serving new patrons with more emphasis on film and Hollywood. Today, Sauma’s sons, Phillip and Eric Sauma, are the heads of Mood. Their goal is to keep expanding Mood Fabrics, as well as to continue to buy the most interesting, high-quality fabrics that they can for their customers. 

I truly believe that Philip and Eric Sauma have continued to honor their father’s legacy. I remember the first time that I entered Mood, and how utterly floored I was by their collection. There were rows and rows of the same type of fabric, and within that specific fabric type, twenty to thirty different and unique versions. The size of their collection was and is incredible. Furthermore, Mood has been really successful in their organization of the store. The way that they have organized by fabric type makes everything much more user friendly. Also, the workers at Mood are great and are always willing to help customers out. They take the time to explain how the store is set up to new customers, as well as how its system works. 

This time, going into Mood was a little different for me. I was able to focus a lot more this time around. The first time stepping into Mood, I was so overwhelmed. This time stepping into Mood, I was able to just appreciate everything better and much more precisely. I was able to notice where all the fabrics were set up, as well as where to find the notions and trims. I was also able to see Swatch for the first time! I didn’t see Swatch, who is Mood’s resident pet dog and mascot, the first time around when I had went to Mood. 

Project Runway had a huge impact on me as a kid, and knowing that I was shopping in the exact same place that I had seen used season after season, was incredible. It was really rewarding and surreal. It made me think about how far I had come as a designer and as a student in this field, as well as how my perspective of fashion has changed. I will definitely be going back to Mood before the summer’s over, to pick up swatches and fabrics for my BFA collection! 

References

About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2019, from https://www.moodfabrics.com/about-us/ 

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Cotton Incorporated

+ July 2nd, 2019 (#7)

Cotton Incorporated is a non-profit organization that promotes and educates on the use of cotton. Since they are a non-profit, they do not sell and/ or manufacture anything themselves. Rather, they are a free resource for individuals and businesses to receive accurate information on all the current and upcoming cotton-related trends. Lauren Williams has been with Cotton Incorporated for about ten years. Currently, she works as their trend forecaster, in which she researches the latest styles and fabrics while getting the chance to travel all over the globe. Williams might be taking a trip to shop locally and find out what people on the street are wearing, or she might be taking a trip to take in the art and culture. Many times, she will find herself giving presentations to both small and large audiences. Her presentation will consist of all of the findings that she and her team have found out about the latest cotton color or fashion trend. Cotton Incorporated is truly one of the only corporations that freely hands out such vital information that other trend forecasting companies would charge for.

Before Williams was a trend forecaster for Cotton Incorporated, she started out by working as their product and trend analyst intern. She was able to work her way up from that position. Since then, she has been with the company for about ten years. What kept on drawing her back to Cotton Incorporated was the message that they were projecting. She liked how mindful they were as a company. They were a non-profit organization that valued the importance of cotton. Furthermore, they took responsibility and continued research into growing more sustainably. Cotton Incorporated cared, and that was why Williams was so drawn to the organization. Cotton Incorporated has also given her so many chances to grow and develop. Williams really had difficulty that first year in her new role as a trend forecaster, but she settled into her role eventually. She spoke about how hard it was at first to know what she was doing or to learn all of the different types of fabrics. Even her public speaking skills had hugely improved with the position. 

I really liked learning about Cotton Incorporated. I especially enjoyed talking to Lauren Williams, and I valued what she had to say. I like to learn about the reasons as to why people might do the things that they do, or pursue the jobs that they want. It helps me to discover more about what I want to do in the future, and how I might navigate pursuing it. These field study trips have been really interesting and eye opening for me.

References

https://www.cottoninc.com/about-cotton/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lwilliams01/ 

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Hudson Yards (Neiman Marcus)

+ June 27th, 2019 (#6)

The first Neiman Marcus in New York City opened up at Hudson Yards. Neiman Marcus actually first began in Dallas, Texas in 1907. Their goal from the very beginning was to dress their community as fashionably as possible, as well as to provide the best customer service that they could give. Furthermore, they were cultivating a collection of both stylish and high quality items. The brand began with “...Herbert Marcus, Sr., his sister Carrie Marcus Neiman, and her husband A.L. Neiman” (”Our Story,” n.d.). Neiman Marcus didn’t really begin to take off until the 1930s, when their national campaign was found within magazines like Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. It was the first time that a non-New York based retailer had been featured in such prestigious magazines (”Our Story,” n.d.).

Neiman Marcus continues to be a leading retailer in all things higher classed and luxury. The Neiman Marcus at Hudson Yards has 3 floors total, and includes everything from furniture and interior design, to fashion and food. There are a few restaurants and cafes located within Neiman Marcus in which you can take in some beautiful sites of the city, as well as the Statue of Liberty. Neiman Marcus also has all of the current luxury brands, such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton. Even the setup of the store space was well thought-out. The setup of the store is done by using an open space and setting rather than sectioning spaces. Rather than sectioning off certain spaces of the store for particular brands, they leave it more open and thus easily changeable. A more open layout becomes more important as brands need more space some seasons rather than others (“Neiman Marcus NYC,” n.d.).

Hudson Yards was an incredible space in general. I really liked Neiman Marcus and how expansive it was, but I was doubly impressed by the vastness of the overall shopping center. Hudson Yards truly has a wide arrange of shops to choose from. They have all of the iconic luxury stores like Cartier, but also have more accessible stores like H&M and ZARA. There are so many restaurants, coffee shops, and dessert bars located in Hudson Yards as well. What is so great about the Hudson Yards location is that it is also next to one of the most interesting architectural sites in New York. “The Vessel” is located right outside one of the exits to Hudson Yards, and visitors can buy tickets to climb the Vessel and take in the New York sites from some great vantage points. I did not end up climbing the Vessel, but it is definitely something on my list that I will have to come back again to try! 

Hudson Yards was honestly a great example of how to continuously engage with the customer as well as to encourage them to keep buying. No matter where I was in the space, I always felt interested to continue to shop and check out more of the mall. I definitely believe that the open space of Hudson Yards, with its wide glass windows and huge walkways, help to provide a setting that people enjoy being in.

Whether I was hungry, in need of a particular item, or just wanted something new and different, Hudson Yards had something for me. Hudson Yards has really perfected the task of cultivating a space that does everything well.

References

Neiman Marcus NYC - Hudson Yards in Manhattan NY. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2019, from https://www.neimanmarcus.com/c/nm-neiman-marcus-new-york-hudson-yards-cat68850746 

Our Story - Int'l at Neiman Marcus. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2019, from https://www.neimanmarcus.com/c/nm-our-story-intl-cat50620743 

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Terra Inde

+ June 25th, 2019 (#5)

This past Tuesday we had the great pleasure of talking with Parson’s alumni Shilpa Bahtia, who has been running her creation, Terra Inde, for about two to three years. Terra Inde, officially began about mid-2016. This company was built out of Bahtia’s desire to share the beauty of Indian fashion. She also wanted to bridge the growing divide between first and second generation Indians, especially when it came to traditional Indian fashion. Bahtia realized how with second generations Indians, or those that were born in the United States, did not have a clear and/ or detailed knowledge of their heritage or traditional Indian garments. Bahtia took it upon herself to create a company that would bridge that divide, while simultaneously introducing the beauty of Indian fashion to the rest of the world. 

I really enjoyed hearing about Bahtia’s story. It was pretty relatable as well, since my goal one day is to open up my own brand. I liked how she shared about both Terra Inde’s good and bad days, and how she was so real and straight-forward with us. I appreciated her honesty when speaking about her company as well as with where she was currently at. The fact that she struggled at first to make ends meet, or the fact that she constantly continues to hustle in order to stay competitive, was all very interesting for me to learn. Her success has truly been a cumulation of hard work, perseverance, and failure. She has had to fail a lot in order to get better at what she does. She had to fail, shift her mentality and perspective, and then figure out how to rise above or move forward from a particular situation. I realized how integral the process of failing was if you wanted to be successful, as well as how inevitable it was.

Out of the many great stories that Bahtia told, I especially enjoyed the one where she spoke on how worried and stressed she was because her customers kept on using her as a convenience. Back when she first started, Bahtia used to do free measurements along with free try-ons. Her customers would then use Terra Inde as a convenient medium to be measured, as well as to try on different product. They would then just buy from the designer directly as it was a cheaper alternative. To top it off, these customers would post photos of Terra Inde or Terra Inde merchandise without tagging the Terra Inde Instagram. Bahtia was basically working for free at that point, and gaining nothing out of it. However, her intern gave her some great insight and assured her that any publicity was still good publicity. As long as people thought that Terra Inde was in on these untagged Instagram posts, then it was okay. People clearly didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes, so it didn’t matter whether Terra Inde was tagged or not. The company could still use these untagged posts as a way to own their brand, as well as to freely advertise and publicize themselves. Bahtia also stopped offering to measure people for free if they were not serious about her trying on and buying her merchandise.

Throughout the two or three years that she has been in business, Bahtia has learned a lot from her mistakes. In turn, I have learned a lot from her mistakes through her presentation. Personally, I really enjoyed the stories that started off discouraging for her, because it then showed me how she was able to move on from those situations and grow. I am thankful that she shared so many stories with us, and that her business continues to grow each year!

References

About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved June 29, 2019, from https://www.terrainde.com/pages/about-us

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FIT Museum

+ June 20th, 2019 (#4)

Today at the FIT Museum on 227 W 27th Street, Michelle McVicker, who is the museum’s Collections and Education Assistant, gave us an in-depth tour of some fashion through the decades. All of the pieces were a part of the museum’s collection, and there were examples starting from the 1890s. From Chanel to Dior, to even Balmain, the extent of FIT’s collection is incredible. FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology, actually started off as a design lab. Currently its museum has a permanent collection consisting of a total of 50,000 pieces. The items that McVicker was showing off today were labeled as “in-study” pieces, which meant that they were fine to touch and handle with her bare hands. With in-study pieces, one does not have to use as many precautions before handling the item. The items that are generally in-study are ones that have multiple versions or duplicates of themselves. The museum and its staff are then able to show off those duplicates to curious guests, customers, and even fashion students like ourselves. 

Starting from the 1890s, McVicker went through so much information about fashion through the decades. I honestly learned a lot during her hour and a half presentation, and I had so much fun while doing it. McVicker’s use of humor is what really engaged me with the material. As a fashion design major I have had to take the History of Costume course for graduation. As an honors student, I had to take the Honors section of the course which was much more complex. Learning the history of fashion is so interesting but all of the terminology can get easily lost on me. Therefore, I really enjoyed how McVicker was able to use her sense of humor and relatability to connect. She presented the information in a way that I was able to easily understand and grasp. 

While she may have apologized for “demystifying” fashion, I found that those were my favorite parts of her presentation. I always believed that Coco Chanel was a rebel from the start, and that she was like an outcast in women’s society. To learn that Chanel had also been a conformist like the rest of us was fascinating. Knowing this information about such a fashion legend allows me to humanize Chanel in a way in which I can see her as a person rather than an icon. It made me realize that famous fashion designers are not perfect nor larger than life, and that they are probably just like the rest of us. It’s reassuring!

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M&S Schmalberg

+ June 18th, 2019 (#3)

Nestled quietly on the seventh floor of 242 W 36th Street within the Garment District of New York City, this fabric flowers shop has been providing beautiful and innovative custom pieces for over one-hundred years. M&S Schmalberg, now run by its fourth generation of family, Warren and Adam Brand, continue on a legacy that combats our intensive technological age. From Beyonce to Anne Hathaway, their celebrity clientele list has been extensive. The family has been known to give tours to interested fashion students, and on our trip this past Tuesday, we were lucky enough to receive a tour from President Warren Brand’s son, Adam Brand (Kurutz, 2019).

Adam was really kind and friendly, and he spoke to us about his part in the company as well as anything about the business itself. After our question and answer session, he even gave us a guided tour and rundown on how M&S’s custom flowers were made. M&S Schmalberg are an entirely handmade and custom fabric flowers business. There are different machines to cut out the flowers as well as to emboss them, but there is still a necessity for a human-being to handle the machinery for the entire task at hand. Whether it is stamping a number of flowers out or embossing and creating the necessary texture and look of one of their flowers, there is a worker that completes and oversees that whole task. It is extremely impressive and rare. In our current day and age, we are so focused on profit and how to become more efficient that we lose a certain level of craftsmanship and attention to detail. M&S Schmalberg is really one of the last businesses in New York City to produce something entirely handmade as well as within domestic grounds (Kurutz, 2019).

Adam’s role in the company is as an unlabeled leader. Most of the workers at M&S Schmalberg remember him as a child, running around the shop creating flowers and being generally silly. He emphasizes that his role is to oversee and solve certain issues that the workers might run into, but he doesn’t like to be unapproachable and authoritarian. I admire Adam’s stance as an unofficial leader and boss. I like that he relies on others to get their work done and refuses to micromanage. 

The M&S Schmalberg shop itself was really beautiful. It was so overwhelming! Their backroom had rows and rows of flowers. I would love to try and incorporate something of theirs into my BFA collection for senior year. I will definitely have to make sure to stop by again before leaving in August!

References

Kurutz, S. (2019, May 08). These Flowers Have Been Growing for 103 Years. Retrieved June 20, 2019, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/08/style/fabric-flowers.html

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Nordstrom & HauteLook

+ June 13th, 2019 (#3)

Nordstrom is considered one of the largest leading retailers to date. The brand didn’t always start off as one, however. Nordstrom began in 1901 as a small Seattle-based shoe shop, spearheaded by shoemaker Carl F. Wallin and Swedish immigrant John W. Nordstrom. The company really started to see popularity in the 1960s, when it became the biggest independent shoe chain in America (”Nordstrom History,” n.d.). From that point on, the company continued to elevate itself towards global success. As co-presidents of the current Nordstrom, Pete and Erik Nordstrom continue on their family’s legacy and dedication to the customer. They continue to change and find ways to further innovate the brand, in order to continue the mission to provide their customers with the best possible shopping experience (”About Nordstrom,” n.d.).

An example of how Nordstrom continues to innovate its brand is with HauteLook, a business in which they acquired in 2011. HauteLook, originally a Los Angeles company, believed in the idea that affordability and style could easily coincide with one another (”HauteLook - About,” n.d.). The presentation that we attended today was actually based upon the HauteLook division of Nordstrom. Jamie Seiden, an FIT alumni, gave an introduction into the world of HauteLook as well as into her tasks as an assistant digital merchandiser. It was great to be able to learn more about the brand from an insider’s perspective. 

Jamie also gave some really great advice about entering the workforce. She reminded us to be open to new experiences and potential job openings even when it is something that we did not technically plan for. Jamie came from a buying background and had a lot to learn in order to become the digital merchandiser that she is today. She found that she was able to use her talents from her buying background to bring a new perspective to her job as a digital merchandiser. It was overall a great experience to learn more about her role at HauteLook and about her life in the industry thus far. 

References

About Nordstrom. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2019, from https://shop.nordstrom.com/content/about-us?cm_sp=corp-_-corp_AboutUs-_-globalfooternav_aboutus&origin=footer 

HauteLook - About. (n.d.). Retrieved June 17, 2019, from https://www.hautelook.com/about 

Nordstrom History. (n.d.). Retrieved June 15, 2019, from https://shop.nordstrom.com/content/company-history 

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M.M.LaFleur

+ June 11th, 2019 (#2)

“When women succeed in the workplace, the world becomes a better place (”Our Story,” n.d.).” This quote is the underlying basis behind the work and purpose of M.M.LaFleur, a professional styling company located in Lower Manhattan. M.M.LaFleur was founded by CEO Sarah LaFleur. During the morning’s presentation, in which we were so lucky to be able to attend and be a part of, M.M.LaFleur’s representatives were able to fill us in on the company’s history. M.M.LaFleur started out as an answer to a problem. LaFleur was noticing in her own closet and in the wardrobes of other professional women, that there were not many readily available, easily accessible, and inspired styles out in the market space.

In the creation of M.M.LaFleur, LaFleur saw an opportunity in the market to help these other working women. She believed that these incredible women were not attaining the most ideal closet that they deserved. LaFleur set out to create a business that would completely revamp the professional woman’s closet, as well as to create a styling service that would help to make the usual shopping experience infinitely easier.

The company’s everyday goal was to put together an incredibly versatile and well-curated closet for that powerhouse woman. The company truly believes in their clients. As a brand, M.M.LaFleur wanted to put it upon themselves to be the masters in styling and in fashion, and to lend a hand. The company really set out to help other women and to help build other women up. It was incredible to learn how the company even organized networking events where their clientele could meet one another and make important connections.

Being able to meet the staff behind such a brilliant idea was great! In my own destinations after graduation, I have always wanted to use fashion as a platform to help other people. To actually see that particular dream of mine play out in reality was truly inspiring. I loved learning how the brand was helping women to live out their best lives. Furthermore, M.M.LaFleur helps women easily attain a wardrobe that matches and elevates their everyday confidence. Knowing that such a company exists brings me a lot of joy and inspiration to do something that can help others out that much as well.

References

Our Story. (n.d.). Retrieved June 11, 2019, from https://mmlafleur.com/our-story

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FFANY

+ June 6th, 2019 (#1)

FFANY, also known as the Fashion Footwear Association of New York, is the organization behind FFANY market week as well as the New York Shoe Expo. The goal of this coordinated effort is to be able to showcase all of the best shoe brands and styles in one convenient location. Taking place at both 24 West 57th Street as well as the Warwick New York Hotel this year, the event makes it easy for members of the industry to come together, connect, partner, as well as see all of the latest trends. FFANY organizes this immense showcase four times each year. At this particular showing, which took place from June 3rd to June 7th, our group for Field Study Experience was able to meet and talk with representatives of different footwear brands from all over the world. From larger companies like Dansko and Birkenstock, to smaller brands like All Black or Musse & Cloud, the show truly had a wide outreach. 

John Heron, the executive director for FFANY, was kind enough to show us around as well as to introduce the class to the salespeople at both Dansko and Chooka. We were able to learn more about each brand as well as what they were presenting for the newest season. Afterwards, as our class broke up into smaller groups, I was able to speak with some other footwear brands. Some of these brands I had not known before the show, and others I had known from forever but still took away something new from. A memorable experience was being able to chat with the brand representative at Musse & Cloud. The president, Scott Home, was really friendly and talked about his own history in the shoe industry, as well as the history of Musse & Cloud. He partners with a family to develop the brand’s shoes, and many of the shoes were created using Spanish leather and goods. A few classmates and I were also able to pop in and take a look at the latest shoes from the Anthony Wang Collection, which I absolutely loved. Their style is very current and on-trend with the other chunky, sporty sneakers in the street style sector of the market. 

It was really incredible being able to attend this event! I was able to meet and talk to these big name shoe brands, introducing myself and others. I remember that we even met a brand whose creators were originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and we had the chance to bond over our home state. All of the vendors were really friendly and interested in our studies. I definitely learned a lot about how the process of buying and selling works in the industry. I come from a design background so I am not very familiar with any of the merchandising aspects of the industry. Thus I felt like I was truly learning a lot about the other side of the industry. Merchandising plays such a vital role in the business, and I am very interested to learn more about this side of fashion as this class continues!