Original Jewelry Designs

I have been interning at Fragments Design Workshop for several weeks now, and I am enjoying it and learning new things everyday. It has inspired me to create some of my own designs, which I have posted.

The Light at Ports 1961

This President’s Day weekend, my roommate was invited to a Ports 1961 party. It was the celebration of the one-year anniversary of the opening of their flagship shop in the Meatpacking district. So of course, I tagged along! The flagship shop at the west end near Chelsea, and the area has an air of an 18^th century colonial seaport; the name, Ports 1961, fit comfortably into the environment. I imagined myself walking along the cobblestone streets in the wintry night, yearning for a warm sanctuary. There it was, up ahead. The light from within was like a beacon guiding the way. Upon entering the shop, I noticed the tall glass windows and worn brick walls. Inside was lively, there were people mingling and chatting, sipping on champagne. The thirsty traveler that I was, I headed straight for the drinks tray. Scanning the room, drink in hand, I walked along the suspended racks of the new Spring line. The detail, tailoring and cut of the garments were beautiful. One piece in particular had paint-like brush strokes sewn into the fabric itself; it was a painted canvas that can be worn. Amazing. As for the partygoers, many were wearing the usual artist blacks. Ports employees promoted the new line by example: one wore a finely beaded white jacket; another wore a sleek black dress.

See the Spring collection here.

In the center of the shop displayed a lush bamboo and moss garden, surrounded by glass on all sides. It gave the shop a very calming, feng shui energy. The dressing area had long soft metallic curtains that reach the ceiling. The wooden floor was a dark cedar, contrasted with the cream walls. I took a deep breath, and set my empty glass down. Across the room, I spotted a woman wearing a statement around her neck. It had large teardrop yellow beads and smaller gold beads, strung on a gray piece fabric. The color popped against her black jersey dress. Next, an even bigger statement appeared: a young girl clad in a deep sunset coat with draping detail at the collar. It immediately caught my attention. To complement the cropped sleeves, she wore long, black leather gloves. Matched with dark wash skinny jeans, cuffed at the bottom, and black reptile heels and clutch, it was a complete statement. The look was sophisticated, unique, and lively; a ray of sunshine on a cold winter night. Perhaps, this was the light that led me inside all along.

Seven, Hold the Double 'O'

The Agent: ‘G’, Special Agent of Parsons F.M., Class ‘10

The City: New York, the fashion capital of the world, possessing many boutiques that showcase a plethora of designers.

The Mission: locate and infiltrate Seven, a boutique in Soho that features innovative and exciting fashions.

At exactly 1:12pm on Thursday, February 4, I embarked on my mission in search of innovation. I took the W train down to Prince St. Station, where I began my search on the streets on Soho. Taking a left turn, then another left, I walked down a small side street called Mercer. It was quaint, with high-end boutiques lining up and down each side. Looking ahead, I squinted at the store signs, but I could not see my target. Doubled back. Inconspicuously set, I finally spotted the charcoal sign with small white letters on the bottom, “Seven New York”. The windows were low and dark, and the boutique was located at basement level, hidden from passersby. Intrigued, I entered.

Descending the stairs, the lighting was dim, the interior charcoal gray with an industrial feel. Three shop assistants greeted me warmly, and I responded accordingly. Must stay incognito. I continued along the first row of garments hanging against the left wall, touching and feeling the fabric, inspecting the tags, looking interested. The music was at a medium low volume, playing a mix of modern alternative. I scanned the space for other customers; there were none. The staff was casually chatting loudly with each other.

Suddenly, one shop assistant approached me. “Do you need any help finding something?” he inquired.

Pulse quickened, hands clenched. “No thank you. I’m just looking around.” He smiled and walked on. Disaster averted.

Eleven minutes and thirty-eight seconds elapsed, I thanked the staff and left. Mission accomplished. The following is the full report:

The Brand

This is a high end, multi-label boutique, featuring Preen, Chris Habana, Bernard Willhelm, Haider Ackermann, Kenzo Minami, and other up-and-coming designers.

They sell men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, and consumer age ranging from 25-45 years.

The styles vary, although the consumer can feel a consistency. The color palette comprised dark shades, with several styles having pops of bright pinks and yellows. Among the women’s wear, prominent silhouettes were full and flowing tops, especially at the waist, and loose shoulders and sleeves. Much of the focus is on the middle of the body. The garments cinch at the waist, and relax on the arms and hips. There were also many butterfly and loose sleeves, matched with fitted, tight bottoms. Some tops had angular cuts and folds, resulting in interesting shapes and movements. A few pieces had stylized slashing.

Price ranges

Tops: $250-450

Bottoms: $300-500, a few reaching $900

Outerwear: $1,500-3,000

Shoes: $200-1,000

Materials

Most tops were made of ultra-soft cotton jersey, silk, linen, or viscose blend. Bottoms were cotton twill, rayon spandex blends, wool, and cotton polyester blends. Outerwear used cotton, wool, cashmere, and silk.

Note: The shop still had the winter line displayed, as the spring collection had not yet arrived. There was a 50% off sale on most items. Pictures follow.

Disclaimer: photos of garments sold at Seven are from the Seven New York website. The author does not claim ownership to these photos.

Photoshop (CAD)

I took a Photoshop course where I designed my own plaid patterns, floral patterns, colorways, and store layouts. Although I did not personally draw or design the clothing items shown, I did create original color concepts and floor plans.

Original Artwork

Spring 2010 Internship

Colette Malouf, New York, Spring 2010

Marketing and Sales Intern

· Participated in Coterie 2010 in New York, assisted the president and sales representative of the company in set up and sales procedures

· Record, check, and update current client list and contact information

· Merchandise Fall 2010 line and present products in a visually appealing manner

· Research potential clients and new global markets to enter

· Assist Marketing and Sales representative in daily tasks

Fall 2009 Internship

Donna Karen New York, New York, Fall 2009
Merchandising/Product Development Intern
• Process and record fabric samples, swatches, prototypes and new garment samples
• Assemble color cards to be used as company standard for future lines
• Cut and compile fabric swatch samples for merchandising team
• Liaison between merchandise and design relating to garment samples, fabrics, and line plans
• Assist merchandising team in line review prep and department meetings