Image from Muse Magazine #22

Image from Muse Magazine #22

Image from Muse Magazine #22

Who do you think is the fairest of them all?

Image from Bazaar Turkey March 2010

Eeeek, there is so much to do!!  Summer is my sloooooooow time of year.  Every fall I used to tell myself that I should have prepared for the busy season more during the summer. However, I realized last year that there is no way to judge fall orders ahead of time or to deal with the massive amounts of business correspondence that happens from labor day until Christmas. Advertising, gift guides, customer inquires, wholesale and retail orders, etc cannot really be prepared for ahead of time if no one else is going to be working on them yet.  I set out this summer knowing and planning that I would have time on my hands.

This was awesome for a few reasons:

1. I was able to guilt free lounge around and relax when I wanted to.
2. I spent oodles of time with family and friends, so when they get upset with me in the fall and winter for being so busy, I can point out that they saw me all the time this summer.
3. I did the bulk of my re branding with Manic Trout.  I hired a PR/Marketing team to work with me daily for three months to help accomplish this.  Time I would not have to do so any other time of year. Time VERY well spent.
4. I redid the website…again…as I do every summer.

Now it is fall, I am relaxed (I also have started doing Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga twice a week!) and raring to go…the only problem is I’m all wimpy and out of work shape. My shoulders, hands and head are aching from hours at my jewelry desk this week…wahhhhh.

Besides throwing myself a pity party, I have been getting ready for a last minute show! This Saturday, I will be part of a pop up store in Millbrook for Community Day…if you’re local, stop on by…I will be in the corner (ex gallery) space across from the bank!

I love the fall, and I LOVE being busy…I am Happy, Happy, Happy right now! Ok…now back to work…I have to whip myself into shape!!

Image by Tim Walker for Vogue Italia, December 2005

I’ve become kind of obsessed with the distress American Apparel has been in recently…I started Manic Trout shortly after it began and those of us in the Indie world thought Dov was doing a pretty cool thing.  The company has made themselves the largest US manufacturer, refusing to go over seas and at the same time paying reasonable wages.  The clothes were cool, the ads were fresh and although the man is a perv, he was accomplishing something pretty rad.

In all of the articles I have recently read, this point had stuck out the most to me however….

American Apparel hit the big time in the early 2000s, ensnaring twenty-somethings with the very same edgy ads and louche tees. But those twenty-somethings are now pushing 40, and they’ve moved on from harem pants and unitards.

It really made me realize how true that statement is…I was in my early 20′s when American Apparel first hit the scenes and now in my early 30′s the brand and especially their ads, no longer appeal to me.  As I have been immersed in the re branding of Manic Trout this summer it made me think that as a designer:

A. You have to target an age group with all new members every few years
B. You have to evolve for your loyal customer base as they age
C. Create a mix to both bring in a new, younger audience and design styles to evolve with the current customer as they mature.

Obviously the answer is C. and this is exemplified with the old guard of fashion designers. The very young cannot afford couture, but if you make them love you young, by the time they reach maturity…they will be ready to buy.  You however cannot ignore those young lovelies…ready to wear and levels of brands under a designers name usually takes of that.  I think often about this concept and one day will have to separate the trout to design for a broader range of price points.

But for now… I have been setting out to design for those of my own age group and beyond…maturity is starting to show in the pieces I have been working on…and yet I still want to keep the whimsy that Manic Trout is known for. Ah, a tricky place that design world is…the young, the mature, the editorial…there are so many levels to create for!

This was by far the biggest step in the re-branding evolution process.  Meetings, conference calls, emails and lots of layers of decisions led to this moment.  I am very pleased with the final result and excited to start the next stage…designing new printed materials such as labels, business cards etc…woo hooo!!!!

Thank You!!

“[Fashion] is the only industry where you can be perceived to be successful and not make money because a lot of the success is because of the hype from the press.”

Speaking of designers from Seamless…

“I often wonder, sometimes I think the people who buy our clothes live in a parallel universe. Hell, we can’t even afford our clothes.”

- Fashion designer Lazaro Hernandez, of Proenza Schouler, points out that he and Jack McCollough cannot afford their own label’s high-end, pricey clothes.

Fashion.  Gotta love it…

Image from Vogue Nippon, June 2010

My sister Gillian has always gone to the movies by herself…not to say that she doesn’t go with friends as well, its simply that if she wants to see a movie and no ones around to join her, she just goes.  I have followed suit a few times and agree its a pretty great way to go…I get a cup of coffee, sit wherever I want, don’t have to deal with anyone trying to talk to me and just get lost in whatever I’m seeing.  Its been ages however since I’ve taken myself to a movie…since Where The Wild Things Are in fact.  I like matinees the best…there is something a bit decadent and naughty to run off by yourself to the movies in the middle of the day.

The question however is…what should I see???

I think that this particular dog has a similar look in the eyes to Faye…it actually is kind of a rounded version, almost the exact coloring…but not nearly as cute.  Anyway…my point is that I have no idea what breed this dog is and am rather curious to find out…anyone have an idea?

Image from Elle, March 2010

Having lived the life of an over achieving, type A, grab the bull by the horns, pack leader I started to think today if life would be easier/better/less stress filled if I was more of a back seat participant in life.  Don’t get me wrong, I know there is not a chance in hell that I can change the way I am, but sometimes on those days when I feel as though I am failing at everything I do, I wonder if I would be happier otherwise.   Would I be happier to not run my own show?  To just show up to a job everyday instead of living my job every moment of my day?  This little pity party usual lasts about 5 minutes as I realize how much I love my work…and that my happiest moments have been mostly work related, and 99% of those moments have been from running my own business.  Ok, so I guess I have also lived life as a major dork, but eh what can you do.

In the midst of my freaking out I jumped in my car to run an errand and ended up at my moms house.  I didn’t talk about my bad day, or my stress level, and I actually just realized I left without a hug (how did that happen??).  I just babbled on for with mom, chatted with my sister, step father and family friend who had all wandered into the kitchen then picked some basil and drove home.

By the time I walked in my door I felt a bit back to my normal self…perhaps it was being with family, perhaps it was literally being in the drivers seat for an hour…whatever the case I felt better.  I also realized that no matter what I hold tightly to my keys and even though I will often share the driving,  I have never seen the view from my own back seat.

Gamblin' Man Necklace

Monte Carlo Tumbling Dice Ring

Circus Circus Tumbling Dice Ring

Mirage Tumbling Dice Ring

Annie (Duke) Gamblin Man Necklace $60
Vintage Game Pieces & Chips in Assorted Colors and Materials*.
Gunmetal Aluminum Chain, Wire & Toggle Clasp.  19”/48cm
[Named for song: Gamblin Man by Woodie Guthrie]
Each Necklace is named for one of the Worlds Best Women Poker Players
*Other Colors Available

Monte Carlo Tumbling Dice Ring $30
Vintage Dice – White with Black Dots Wrapped with Silver toned wire*  5/8”/1.5cm
[Named for song: Tumbling Dice by Linda Ronstadt]
Each ring is named for a Casino
*Other Colors Available.  All colors available in all 3 wire tones

Circus Circus Tumbling Dice Ring $30
Vintage Dice – Red with White Dots Wrapped with Gold toned wire*  5/8”/1.5cm
[Named for song: Tumbling Dice by Linda Ronstadt]
Each ring is named for a Casino
*Other Colors Available.  All colors available in all 3 wire tones

Mirage Tumbling Dice Ring $30
Vintage Dice – Yellow with Black Dots Wrapped with Gunmetal toned wire*  5/8”/1.5cm
[Named for song: Tumbling Dice by Linda Ronstadt]
Each ring is named for a Casino
*Other Colors Available.  All colors available in all 3 wire tones

Game Night Collection available at www.manictrout.com August 16, 2010