Sweatshops

Sweatshops are something that have been around for a while now. They are here in America but best known for existing in countries such as China, India, and Thailand. These are all countries that we export our goods to. It is beneficial for retailers to export their manufactuing to other countries just because it is so much cheaper. A manufacturer is considered a sweatshop (in America) when it violates two or more federal or state labor laws, occupational safety and health laws, workers' compensation or any other laws regulating the industry. They pay less than living wage and they typically unsafe and inhuman working conditions.

I believe that sweatshops are absolutely wrong. They are cruel and highly unfair. However, the reality of the matter is that they are kind of a necessary evil. In order to continue having the availibility of cheap goods right at pur hands there will always be a need for sweatshops. On the other hand, if we were to decide to keep manufacturing in America, strictly following the laws, then we would have to wait for our economy to become much stronger so that people could more easily afford what the clothing would cost.

Another point brought up in class was how the sweatshops, for most people in other countries, are their only way to make income besides prostitution. Therefore sometimes there are more benefits besides just selfish reasons. Even though I do not agree with the conditions of sweatshops I would outsource to the for most of the positive reasons.

Milan Fashion Week: Art vs. Usability

Milan fashion week has always been known for dislaying the more artsy side of fashion as opposed to the shows in New York and Paris. The Spring 2009 collection is more wearable than past collections but still shows that fashion is a form of art. They display this by using many colors, patterns, and textures and mixing them up to create more of an abstract look to each piece. Also, the designers used a lot of see-through materials under other pieces which created a nude look to some collections. The high heels in Milan fashion week were extremely high and detailed.

Most of the collections that you see during Milan fashion week are not typically something you would consider to be "reday-to-wear" as those of Paris and New York. Of course, anytime you are dealing with high fashion then niothing is going to be as usuable as just walking out of a department store but that just proves that there is an art in the fashion industry, especially the higher up the ladder you are. However, at the Milan fashion shows there are only a select few things that you would feel comfortable just wearing out and about.

I do feel that art is a huge part of fashion and though you still must considered usubility when designing, you also want to include a unique side to things. It is important to include a variety of colors and geometric figures in a collection when you are designing. I do not really have a preference. I am kind of the middle of the road when it comes to art versus usability. I believ that they both are necessities when designing and variety is a must. I think the Milan Spring 2009 collections portrayed that very well for the most part.

"I'm wearing Megan O'Neal"

My roommate is determined that I will design her wedding dress one day so when I found out our blog assignment for this week I decided to ask what she hopes her dress will look like. I did my best to apply everything she asked for to my design along with adding my own personal touches and ideas of what I believe would look best. She said on her wedding day when everyone says, "Where did you get your dress?" she will say, "I'm wearing Megan O'Neal haute couture." (I tought her what haute couture meant.)

For this design I was going for simple, sophisticated, and princess with a modern touch all in one. There of course is crinline under the skirt to help give it volume. The skirt of the gown is made of white charmeuse satin which gives it a smooth and shiny look. It is also bunched every four inches and accented with tiny rhinestones to catch the light when it moves. This skirt is a high waisted skirt so it comes to the ribs and is topped off with a pastel pink satin ribbon, which draws more attention to the chest and takes focus off the hips. I thought that it would be nice for the bride's bouquet to include some light pink roses with rhinestone accents to compliment the dress.

The pink satin ribbon falls just below the breast and is wide which creates a slimming allusion and brings more attention the to waist. It ties at the small of the back in a big hanging bow. Under the bow, is where you would attach the train. The train is nine feet long and is made with the same material of the dress. Running down the middle of the train is a lace overlay. I used the same lace that I will use on the front of the dress in the middle of the breast part to create the effect of a corset look. The back of the dress also looks like a corset because the waist of the skirt falls just above the hips. I have included pictures of the material I would use below.

The main material for the dress:
white charmeuse satin.

The white lace for the overlay on

the front and the train.

The pink satin for the ribbon.

Ethnic Influences On Apparel Design

There are many ethnic influences on apparel design such as: life style, geographic location, and values. We see examples of this in our everyday lives. Each culture, whether in the same country or not, has its very own style for fashion. When you look at different fashion shows from each country you can tell how it seems that there is always one country who is ahead of the others in the styles. You can see from season to season how one country may have had an influence on the others designs. This is an example of ethnic influence on apparel design. Another example is looking within your own area and seeing what people of other nationalities wear. Many times it may seem that they 'do not fit in' with those people of your culture. Some typical things that cross my mind are French people who wear barrets and German boys who wear capri pants. An example of how values play into apparel design is Muslim women who wear their whole body covered with the exception of their eyes because they believe its morally unacceptable.

Spring 2009 RTW at New York Fashion Week

The New York fashion week had twenty designers. They all had different ideas for the Spring 2009 ready-to-wear collection which made it more interesting to compare each designer. One of my personal favorites was Oscar de la Renta. I felt that in his Spring 2009 collection he is trying to bring back sophistication and beauty. His styles were those that you may see Audrey Hepburn or Jackie O. wear. They looked very business-casual like and brought back the ideas of the fifties and sixties upper class. The dresses that were in his show were also ones that you would definitely see at a high school prom but on the more classy girls. I agree with Rachel Zoe that Oscar de la Renta's designs are those that a mother and a daughter would both wear. They really just appeal to all ages.

More on the unique side of things was Marc Jacobs and Rodarte. Marc Jacobs' and Rodarte's designs are two that stuck out to me as not appearing as "ready-to-wear" as others. Marc Jacobs mixed a lot of patterns that normally would be considered 'mis-match'. Definitely not something you would pull out of your closet and say, "I think I am going to were my stripes, plaids, and floral print today." However, it was very inspiring to see the use of the different patterns and colors to create a high-fashion ready-to-wear look. Rodarte on the other hand was extremely different from anything I had ever seen. I would compare the outfits that were on their models to those you would see a gothic person walking around wearing. Inspired by Star Wars, this collection used a lot of skeletal structures such as hole and slits. It showed a lot of skin. I did fall in love with the shoes and the use of colors. The dresses that they brought out at the end were stunning.

The designs that we as everyday Americans would perceive as the most common form of ready-to-wear clothing were those of William Rast. This was the first show with the William Rast line in it because it is a brand new line created by Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala. The designs were the most casual. They used denim several times and created the more 'street clothes look'. Their goal was to portray a more "Americana" look and represent what they feel being American is about. I feel that they did this very well. The designs of William Rast were the most simple of all the other designer names. All in all, I highly enjoyed watchin the New York Fashion Week and I look forward to Paris in just a few more weeks.

Organic VS. Environmentally Friendly... Clothing.

Any material made from natural plant and animal skin is considered organic. On the other hand, environmentally friendly material is made from artificial fibers such as: acrylic, polyester, and spandex. In most cases, environmentally friendly clothing is what you find in department stores at reasonable prices. Top name designers use and produce more goods made with organic material. I have several ways at looking at this situation. I feel that the quality of organic clothing is better quality and will give you better wear and last longer. At the same time, I think our world needs to work to preserve our resources. The best way to do this is by being environmentally friendly and may be the better option.

Considering how cheap artificial fibers are to produce, we as consumers are able to get more for our money. Environmentally friendly clothing has become more common over the years. People have always been about 'more for the money'. Even though environmentally friendly clothes do not seem to hold up quite as long as clothes made with organic fibers, they are more afforable and easy to be replaced. Also, because you can get more for your money you are able to get more of a variety with environmentally friendly clothing. The most important part about environmentally friendly clothing that we should remember, is the fact that we are not using or harming our resources. Most of the artificial fibers that make up the material that is used are recycled matter and yet again, environmentally friendly.

Do not get me wrong I love animal fur and print just as much as the next person. A real fur coat would be nice to own someday, but at the same time I love my animals too. I do not believe in skinning them to wear them on our bodies even if they do keep us the most warm and make the best clothing. They deserve to live as much as we do. However, just as I said before, these days we are beginning to use more environmentally friendly clothing because we demand quick, easy, and affordable. We are finally starting to realize we need to make efforts to live differently if we plan on having an earth to live over the next several decades.

Favorite Fashion Designer

Vivienne Westwood

My most favorite designer of all time is Vivienne Westwood. I have found that she seems to always uphold the 'punk' image but at the same time always makes it very chic and most times very sophisticated. I have always been a huge fan of her unique style, however, what really made me come to love her as my favorite designer was the movie Sex and the City. I have always been a fan of the show and went to see the movie twice. In the movie Carrie and Big finally decide to 'tie the knot'. When Carrie gets offered the opportunity to model for a fashion magazine as the "last single woman" she models several designer gowns. The one gown that made it most realistic to her and was the most stunning to me was the Vivienne Westwood gown. Later that week, Carrie gets a special delivery from Vivienne Westwood; the gorgeous dress she had modeled and fell in love with. Even though the dress doesn't bring Carrie such good luck it is a dress to die for.

Vivienne's first collection was started in the 1970's in a shop in London. A lot of her work was inspired by Rock'N'Roll, which was becoming very popular at this time and with a particular band called the Sex Pistols. This line she had started was an instant hit alongside her seductive women's clothing and men's form fitting leather pants line. She knew exactly what the rebellious generation of the 70's was looking for and she handed it to them. She has kept the same genre up to par, year after year, and still manages to fit the mold of the ever-changng fashion world. All of her pieces are always eye-catching and head turning, using bright colors and variety, while some are edgier than others. Additionally, she occasionally offers pieces that have a more ready-to-wear look.

Vivienne Westwood is my favorite designer because I like anything that is unique and different and Vivienne Westwood certainly brings that to the table with each design she creates. Her ever-changing designs never seem to lose their luster thus her many fashion lines from past to present never seem to grow old. This vision for creativity is something one definitely must possess in order to survive in the fashion industry. Vivienne Westwood has certainly proven she is a force to be reckoned within the fashion world.