2011: A year in review

When I look back on the year, I see this as a year of great opportunity and a testament to people’s appreciation of talent.  The year was quite unassuming and quiet filled only with deadlines and hard work.  The year began with a photo shoot for the Women of the Navajo Magazine for the Spring issue.  Putting together a mini collection to turn the Nizhoni Way models into “Women of the Navajo” models was quite a task.  The photo session was broken up into two groups and was not without its drama.  Models canceling and throwing fits before the first photos were snapped made the first session a relief to finish.

Spring brought even more show invites.  Shows sometimes a week apart proved to be a test of all our patience.  With model melt downs from former Nizhoni Way models, faux modeling agencies and spiteful wanna-be designers could not knock Nizhoni Way Apparel off its game.  I plowed through their adversity and managed to produce some pretty great turn outs for shows.

With my second year as Fashion show Coordinator for the 26^th Annual Central Navajo Nation Fair (CNF), I held my second model audition for my annual fashion show.  I managed to put together a great show and debuted “The Nizhoni Way Apparel 2012 Calendar featuring Nizhoni Way Models.”  We had great reception and I introduced a new marketing idea that quickly become the most copied idea by other Calendar organizations—The introduction of Model Merchandise and the branding of the “NWA” MODEL.

With great reception from the 26^th Annual CNF Fashion show, I was asked to showcase in the Annual Fashion show for The Navajo Arts And Crafts Enterprise (NACE).  It seemed only fitting considering that myself and Dineh Couture were the headliners of the first ever NACE Customer Appreciation Fashion Show. It began with us and we returned to headline again with our special guests Defy Mi and Martini Couture.  It was an amazing show!  Filled with high energy and amazing talents….it did not matter we had a show crasher to try and grab a little bit of our spot light! They know who they are.   Whatever crumbs we left, we were all more than gracious to allow them to have.  HAHA!!!

The last few months of the year were filled with so many options for me and the NWA models.  We had several amazing invites to showcase designs.  Dropping one show to do another was quite the norm for me throughout the year!  Shows in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Phoenix and Flagstaff made it difficult to plan out the remainder of the year.

With the close of the year, I was asked to contribute to an article on the whole Urban Outfitters controversy—which went national and lead to me being asked to showcase some designs in the Native Peoples Magazine which is set to come out March 2012.  I feel that I have a great head start on the New Year.

I look forward to what 2012 has planned for me and greet each blessing with grace and immense appreciation.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES!

I am soo happy right now.  I opened myself to the universe and I got the most amazing opportunity sent my way.  I am anxious to get started on the project.  Photographer is confirmed.  Waiting on jewelry pulls, hair and MUA’s.  But I am not afraid to take on the hair and make up.  Models are in place.  I feel like this opportunity has been a long time coming and the best thing about this opportunity is that you have to actually have talent and knowledge of your field.  You can’t fake your way through this.

I honestly feel that all those fakes out there are reaching the last tricks in their hats.  They have not been able to produce anything unique or original lately.  I feel that the time to”adapt or die” has come.  “Evolution” has weeded out the weak.  I am enjoying myself in this process and I am enjoying the creative process more.

It hit me that I do not want to give my energy or have my talents be used to propagate negative energy or be responsible for sending that out to the general public.  I have been fortunate that the universe has been blessing me with opportunities that have taken things to levels I could never have gotten to had I stuck with past organizations.

IDEAS…where art thou?

I am still trying to understand the concept of a blog. I know it sounds stupid to ask that but I personally felt like there is something more to this.  I am becoming more aware of intent and making sure that I move with good intentions.   I know that people may not get that but I am not going to concern myself with that.  I have been thinking of starting webisodes or a “classroom” on designing.   To me, if I decided to webisodes, it would have to be something of relevance.  I have been asked a lot about different fashion topics-everything from construction to modeling. Some really  great questions.

I always thought those questions would make for interesting blogs or “how to” vlogs. Since I have moved into hand knitted designs, people’s interests have been piqued.  I have moved past those who served to hold me back. I am enjoying the  praise of others and feel that working on my own is preparing me for something down the road.

Since last post,  I’ve put out a calendar, found new techniques in fashion design, and new ways of promotion.  It has been a fun year for me.  I’ve grown to realize that I do not need to work with others on any projects and that the work does speak for itself.  I need not worry about what the others are doing or if it will over shadow my efforts.  Lesson I learned from watching Oprah, you can’t worry about what others are doing because it knocks yourself off your game.  Also, another lesson I learned,  “Haters really don’t hate you, They hate themselves because you’re a reflection of what they wish to be.”  What I got from that was that in understanding the “haters” prospective,  I was able to better focus on what I want to do and what I want to accomplish.  It does take a lot out of you just dealing with your stuff but to pile others’ hang ups on your pile, it does take serve to hold you back.

I am still exploring the idea of “how to’s”  and figuring out how it would work into my already growing to do list.  I also have to figure out the what I want to do for the 2013 calendar.  I also have to get the designs together for that as well.  I really am hoping to get ideas and questions as it pertains to design construction to give an idea on what I would want to cover in “how to” videos.

BACK TO FASHION

It was my first day back to actual fashion design.  I pulled out all these fabrics that I had always wanted to work with in the past and never really knowing what I wanted to do with them.  They were mostly remnants from customer’s orders from the past couple of years.  They just got shoved in a box and put way with hopes of someday getting to them.  I sat there cutting and drafting out pattern pieces from these remnants to serve as accompanying pieces to the actual fashion pieces that I wanted to showcase.  As I was cutting I felt this synergy with the fabric that I never felt before. 

As I finished up cutting, I surveyed what I had cut and thought to myself, “that was too easy! I had to have done something wrong.”  I rechecked everything and everything checked out.  I was also looking over the patterns for the purse/handbag line and realized that there was a new design hiding in the existing patterns.

I really think that I am going to enjoy some sewing while I am off from school.  I was going to take summer classes but thought, “my brain needs a break and my wallet and bank account need some padding.”  I am going to start getting an inventory done while I’m on summer break.  Hope to have a sale by the end of June.

I’m your number one fan!

So what has been going on with Nizhoni Way Apparel and designer?  Well, I have two weeks of school left. It’s been a stressful one.  Getting homework done on time presented its challenges.  Meeting customer deadlines did not make it easier…not that I’m complaining.  I do thrive on stress!  I think that’s why I’m not an alcoholic or drug addict as some pathetic losers would have you believe.  I really haven’t been posting because I’ve been too busy and I know that certain people do read these posts thinking they are getting some incite as to what I am planning and plotting—not realizing that I am content in my life and that I am in a much better place than I have been since before leaving Los Angeles.

 I have several knitting projects in the works.  I’m basically concentrating on technique right know—learning different knitting styles and understanding knitting patterns.  I have written out my own knitting patterns but nothing as ambitious as taking an original design and meticulously measuring it out and gauging the stitches required to sculpt each row into a pattern shape to make a garment.  I think that finally learning to knit increases my skill level and expand on potential income.  I have yet to work with the high end yarns such as the angoras, wools/mohair, silk, and exotic alpaca.  I was surprised that I picked up the continental style of knitting.  It does produce a much more polished and well finished garment.  I decided that I would spend my entire summer knitting!  I do love knitting!  One thing—more like two, I would really love to work on?  Sweaters with Native Motifs and sweater dresses to emulate the Navajo Rug dress.

 People keep wondering when I will return to the fashion show arena.  I simply tell them when I have time to dedicate to such shows (when really) I have lost interest in doing shows.  The only shows that I have done in the past were really not shows but events to kill time.  They really did nothing in way of promotion or networking.  Take this however you want, but the shows I’ve done, who am I networking with?  I am more about the money rather than the adulation—something that the Native American Market is not quite clear on.  Most do shows because they want to be popular or just to kill time and have absolutely no business in mind when doing these shows.  Networking is fine if your networking with the right people who can get you shelf space in their store but networking to get a free photo shoot or just to meet new people to stroke your ego…kind of a waste, in my opinion.  I’d rather make sales rather than friends and my best of friends know why that is.

 With school and taking the classes I’ve taken, it really has taught me how to really value myself and what I do.  Real business is about saving time and money and in the past I was not doing that by working with some of the people I worked with.  I feel that my attentions are more concise and I know what I really need to do and where to go with what I do.  Ideas have been plenty!  I have been jotting notes left and right.  With the fact that I have not been designing, the itch has been there.  I am dying to sit down and put together some new designs.  My creativity has been stunted to such an extent that I feel the need to get back into the sewing room to begin creating.

 I don’t know when my next show is and I don’t know if I would have enough interest to be a part of that.  I do look forward to increasing sales.  I am excited about what’s next.

What it is so far

Well, where to start.  First, I did not expect school to take as much time as it has.  I recently had to pull out of the 4th Annual NALC Fashion show…which I was not happy about but with weekly quizes, case studies, and quarterly-reports for classes–It’s been next to impossible to do anykind of work to get a new collection done.  I would like to do nothing more than sit in front of a sewing machine all day and sew up new garments for shows.

One thing that I am excited about is the fact that I finally learned how to knit! I have been have so much fun with it! It is quite addictive.  I am attempting my first sweater.  I cannot wait to see what other things I can make.  Knitwear is something I have always wanted to incorporate in my collections from the time I walked into my first sewing class.

I will be starting a sewing class this summer.  Exclusive class for a select close group of people.  It should be fun.  I also hope to get an early jump on the Holiday season as well.  I was not prepared for last year’s big requests and lost out on some important sales.

School is great! I am learning a lot and cannot wait to see how what I’m learning manifests itself in my work.  Other than that, I am pretty content with sitting in front of the TV knitting some killer garments.

Reflections of 2009

The year began with me resting up after a long month of sewing, sales, and meeting new customers.  This year, I am resting up after a long couple of months on intense studying—whether it was for school or the various certifications I was working for.  Oh my gosh, THE DRIVING!  I even drove 100 miles in the snow—in one day, to get one part of that certification and to the Navajo Nation Library to get the much needed research materials for my research papers—OH, I did ace my law classes—big pats on my back…ha,ha.

The first half of the month was spent prepping for a show that never was but then I was called upon by the APS to be part of a Native Leadership Fashion show.  That was fun.  I did some of my more “fun” designing.  Much like Madonna’s last CD, it was a return to my night club days.  This brings me to another thing about 2009—something ugly and stupid.  Having to defend myself to some pathetic moron who went around telling people that I stole designs and was a drug addict and alcoholic.  Jealousy is a hateful thing and not defending myself against such attacks is just stupid.  So to those who don’t want to see me defending myself against personal attacks and seeing it as being hateful and childish—I will be the first on to remind you of you’re maturity when it happens to you.

Again, I will be getting things ready for the 4^th Annual NALC Native American Fashion Show.  With all the work I did last year, I feel that this collection will be a bit more couture.  Lots of hand sewing and tailoring. Last year was really a time of experimenting with the construction of garments.  Last year was a return to the kind of work I did when I was in design school.  I did a lot more model coaching, fashion show production and photo shoot directing.  It really inspired me to finally get back in school to finish what I started.

Returning to school was an adjustment.  I had to learn how to adapt to my new schedule.  I did pull back on some projects.  I had to cancel the World Aids Day Fashion Show.  I did have to pick and choose what projects would work for me in the long run.  It allowed me to really take a look at the kind of work I did in the past.  I think that a lot of the shows that I did in the past were a waste of time and the shows I choose for myself have to have purpose.  With school being a priority, I know in the new year, that fashion shows are not going to be on my event planner.  Between homework and custom orders, in the past six months, it was quite stressful worrying about the prospect of doing fashion shows.

With my law classes behind me, it really gave me a lot of foresight into whom I work with in the future.  I’ve found that working with people who lack the educational and professional background pointless.  I really want to concentrate on the Nizhoni Way Apparel brand.  I feel that Nizhoni Way Apparel is more of a lifestyle brand than a fashion brand.  I just don’t do fashion apparel but I also work on home décor.  Most of the orders I got last year were for bedding, window dressing, and accessories.

In 2010, I am continuing with school.  This time around, I am taking some classes that I can apply to my everyday business dealings.  The one thing that has changed is the drawing up of contracts in all business dealings.  I know that it will keep the questionable characters few to none.  With the self-imposed hiatus in effect until I finish with school, I’m sure that most will wonder what has happened to me.  I’m still working and designing.  I really want to work on stuff that I thoroughly enjoy working on and thoroughly find pride in showcasing.