Wine & Mid-Century Fashion Soiree

It was a seductive Friday night in downtown. The temperature was perfectly mild and people were ready to shake off the work week, get dressed up and go out.  The Los Angeles Athletic Club provided a delicious, historic backdrop for an evening of elegant vintage fashion. The wine flowed from Los Angeles Wine Tasting, a silent auction brought bids for rarely seen candid photos of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra from the Frank Worth Collection, and the crowded room was ready to be dazzled by mid-century offerings from Clever Vintage Clothing from the era when glamour was definitely IN.

I was honored to be asked to be one of the models working the nightclub’s catwalk. After several fittings, each dress more beautiful than the next, it was decided I would wear two classic 1950’s silhouettes. First: a floral-print wiggle dress with a copper sheen Second: a black brocade, wide-collar, full-skirted party dress that buttoned down the front with a pop of a purple petticoat underneath.

It was all kinds of girliness backstage as we prepped hair and makeup (we all did our own) and slipped into this gorgeous cocktail attire. Then there was the lineup for Dave and Sabino of Clever Vintage to assess every fit and color and order in which we would appear. We carried numbers so the audience members could easily remember which dress they would like to purchase for themselves.

What was great about this show was that all the models have been customers of Clever Vintage. We are all regular scenesters at vintage style events around town and we mostly all knew each other. We were real girls who live it and love it. Authentic pinups for sure and not a diva in the room, lots of girl bonding support in helping to fine-tune every detail.

Then it was time for our big moment. A walk through the room, a few spins, some poses for the cameras. Then a quick change to our second outfit to do it all over again. And the clothes were a hit! We all had a great time showing them off. Special thanks to Dave and Sabino for letting us all be supermodels for the night and to Jean-Baptiste Dhalluin of LA Wine Tasting for putting on this extraordinary event!

From the runway,
Kastle

Photos by Mr. Mojo Würkin (1,2,7)  Susan Londoner (3,4,5) and Clever Vintage (6)

When Fashion Meets Business: FAB Counsel Event

So you wanna be a fashion designer? You may have some great sketches and great ideas, but do you know how to balance your money records, do your taxes, register your company name and trademark your designs?

When you have a creative mind, turning that into a business can be tricky and challenging (and frankly, not nearly as much fun.) That’s why there are pros who can help you out.

This week, another FABulous fashion and business event took place with the FAB Counsel offering a panel discussion of business, marketing and finance needs when you’re thinking of starting a fashion business.

On the panel:

• Mary Vallarta, Founder of FAB Counsel speaking on marketing strategy
• Members of the Fashion Law Group – speaking on trademarks and intellectual property
• Alexandra Scoggin: VP of Business Development at Bibby Financial (and one ultra stylish lady in her own right!) speaking on getting business loans
• Members of PMA Accounting Services – speaking on financial record-keeping and taxes for small businesses

Every member of the panel may work in the not-so-glamorous tasks of dealing with financials and paperwork, but they all had a passion for fashion and helping start-up entrepreneurs.

Some notes I came away with:

– Before you start a business, do your research. Know the market and the demographics of your customers.

– Know your competition and learn from them.

– Don’t over-reach, go niche. Gain people’s attention and spread your voice.

– Law may not be the sexiest part of your business but it’s  something you need to know

– Don’t skimp on marketing. You have to get your name out there and do it well.

– Don’t be afraid to ask for help, there are professionals out there who know how to do what you don’t.

– Choosing a business entity is all about minimizing risk

– You have to understand your finances. You need to know how much it cosst to produce each item and what you can afford to sell it for.

– Keep a separate bank account just for your business. You’ll need a DBA fictitious business name to start a bank account under a business name.

– There has been a spike in sole proprietorship audits. Get a CPA  to help you with your financials, then you have the time to be the creative that you are.

And an extra bonus of the night was the location in Tarina Tarantino flagship boutique on Melrose, where it was eye-candy galore in this very pink and ultra girly store chock full of their signature chunky, playful, blingy jewelry and rhinestone encrusted cosmetics. As an extra bonus, we also heard some words of wisdom from Tarina Tarantino’s head of marketing.

So if you’re looking to set out on your own fashion biz, check out upcoming FAB Counsel events, they offer the knowledge you need!

Be FABulous,
Kastle