smelling summer

Weather in Sydney today - Just gorgeous! One the one hand i cannot wait for summer because of my new range of dresses and pretty things, and on the other i want to plead with it to wait because I'm not ready!!

Why oh why am i not a millionaire with celebrity and media contacts as my bffs? And why oh why did i not study fashion 10 years ago so i could do everything the easy way!

My struggle this week has been money if you haven't already guessed, I did my pattern making, got the sampling done, then calculated how much it would cost me to get just 30 dresses out there and geeeez!

So now, its back to the drawing board -

Problem: I cant afford to do the full summer range as I'd dreamed it.

Options: Quit, Borrow money and spend it all or change something

Solution: I cant live with quitting or owing people money so its option 3. Adapt and change.

Outcome: TBC xxx

Can fashion help the poor?

I just read an article on the mamamia blog 'How to tell if your job adds value to the world or not:http://bit.ly/oXcLlY #mmia'

The article bought to my attention for the 100000th time since i started 'sticks' " why am i doing this" and " is it benefiting humanity in any way?"

I know as a stylist/designer/illustrator/film worker that doesn't seem like something I've ever worried about, but as Ive gotten older and news of the world and all the poverty and suffering seems to be getting worse and worse, and how can i, ethically and with integrity go about and design pretty little things while some woman my age is losing her youngest baby because she cant afford to feed it, while her elder children are working in some factory for pittance?

How can i change the world? better yet, how can what i do help change the world? Of course I'm not egotistical enough to think i alone can change the world but i believe that every little bit helps.

Maybe this will be my new mission - Instead of the leggings story, my new mission will be' how to help change the world with a fashion label?.

hmmm.... lets see.....

FABRICS FABRICS FABRICS!!!

For the last 2 days I've been to a hundred different meeting over 300 hundred cups of tea and looking at so many gorgeous fabrics it makes me weep with joy! My entire work table, coffee table and couch is covered with swatches of silks and cottons from all over the world. Lesson #5678 i've learnt as a self taught fashion designer - Its a good idea to have a look at fabrics first, fall in love and then sit and design! I designed first, only to find that not only could i not find the perfect fabric to use on my designs, I fell in love with fabrics that are now making me re think my whole collection for summer! Here is my mood board that has been getting me inspired. And Lesson #8767 - don't ever let obstacles get in your way. I live in a tiny apartment and for months have been moaning about lack of wall space to do my mood board on, and viola!, inspiration hit and now they are covering all of my husband's photographs in the kitchen! xxx