THE RESULT.

LaSalle Fashion Show 2010

oh your kidding me.... I love it!

take a looksy at what we found here..... http://www.richwoman.com/

Brilliant.

Barbara Amiel

add her too. Good reading on her too...

I want rich people to wear my clothes.

simple. I want my clothes to be worn by special members of an elite status. Could be career, could be mannerisms ( they just act that way ) or it could be social, or wealth. I want rich people to wear my clothes.

money money money

So I am reading this here blog a little school break and I wonder if I just have an obsession with rich people... gives me an idea for some names of my collection.

Is this materialistic or shallow tho? I dont want to be shallow. It is important for a person to be humble no matter what they have. Especially money. but now i ask myself why do I like rich people.

F*&^ ! why ask why, Nicole, why.

Collection Nicole Louise

Well here it is, I didnt have much luck at presenting all 8 peices in two color ways, however, the sample colors on the side represent the choices I will use. Pencil crayon renderings do not indicate my exact colors, but my mood board does with the midnight blue border around Coco Chanel, and the layer of smoky lavender that covers the board, the rest of the colors are indicated by the bows on the board.

Collection

design philosophy

Nicole was born and raised in Victoria , B.C., Canada.She grew up with artistic background in figureskating and dance, always inspired by music and costumes she decided to pursue a career in this direct field and began her studies of Fashion Design at LaSalle International Design School in Vancouver , B.C.

Her approach to design is to give women a clean, smooth silhouette using structural shapes and soft tailoring. Emphasis is made on collarbones and waistlines to enhance a woman's most feminine qualtities. Balancing a sophistication of elegance and femininity is done in a minimalistic and clean manner providing a professional woman with a versatile wardrobe to ease from day to night.

Attempt part 2

Still. Not enough. Getting there though.....

I dont want the lace anymore, I dont like the dress under the calla lily. This is more of a view of the inside of my mind. Its a mind board, new concept. Lets go with it.

Styles i like

I like the silhouette of this dress and the way it is tight at the waist, with a fitted skirt, not skin tight, but definetely  not "A" line. The minor details are attractive, like the sleeve shape and the buttons featured on the front. I am not crazy about the lapel collar either. The gloves and pointed little slingbacks add femininity to the ensemble. Undecided on the hat..

So I like the dress on the left, the buttons are perfect, not too large and they are not cluttering the front of the bodice. The skirt has details in the waist with pleating going in either direction from the middlle of the body, keeping the focus on the torso. The high collar elongates the neck and draws the eye lengthwise to create the representation of good posture.



This is a great cropped jacket, I would like it shorter to have the hemline at the waist. The buttons are good, but i would prefer to have a high collar or boatneck see the collar bone.



Eras I like

I have been looking at ALOT of pictures of clothing throughout the era's and come to conclusion. There are two times of history that I am really intrigued with the 1920's and the 1950's. Both times just happen to be close to war times, women gaining independence all around.

Now, I am not a feminist , but I do support an independent woman, a proud and dominant creature. I admire these characteristics because in the Victorian period ( especially pre 1870) a woman was a typical being that should stay home, sew, cook and raise the family. She had little or no say/influence on either her own or her families decisions while the man took the role of having a career, social status, and being the solitary item to provide for the family. She was living in her husbands shadow. So, the idea of woman gaining independence is gratifying for me. Ultimately women were gaining independence and taking more on of the "man" role such as having a career, attending social gatherings, dressing in looser , more masculine clothing.... acheiving balance physically and psychologically with men.

My other interest was of the fashion aspect. During the WW1, fashion was put on hold, as so was trade with Paris -the big fashion provider! So uniforms were a big influence as that was a main staple of clothing for the times. Easy fitted silhouettes, somewhat masculine, in terms of structure being loose and not tight and lifting like the Victorian corsette.

I think both of these issues pertain to my designs because I want to dress a woman who holds or wants to hold a strong status socially. Silhouettes are slim fitted (50's alternative dress), they have a feeling of masculinity (20's unisex) combined with a sincere touch of femininity by keeping a focus on collars, waist and breast. Done so in a minimalistic fashion with small unfrivelous details.

my contrived representation of the elite status

I speak alot of Elite status or High society because to me it reflects a certain feeling of being proper ( good ettiquette), graceful and elegant. I am intrigued by these groups of exclusivity because they arent trying to be better than anyone else in terms of economic status, they have just made themselves dominant for social situations and allow themselves to be thought upon as extremely dedicated to bettering themselves and being the best that they can.

the palette

The pallette is demure... romantic, elegant. Dark blue.... because its a power color... like a rich dark navy blue , it gives a feeling of dominance without being the expected black. My target is high in their career , if they dont already own their business. Greys all around, dark and light... mixed with feminine, light airy pastel notes of steely blues and purples, subtle pinks, ivory creams, and sometimes mossy greens and browns, even if they are in charge of their career, or weekend gatherings and groups, they still appreciate the fun feminine colors. The colors arent bright and in your face because my market is not wanting to be obnoxious about what colors or trends they may be following. They want a sophisticated color selection because they feel it portrays a professional essence.

The details.....

Price point will reflect quality and the desire to be a part of the feeling of elegance in an everyday world. My target market wont hesitate to purchase a jacket and spend $500 dollars because the are willing to pay for quality and style. Cashmere is luxury, but so is the need to be warm , so a $200 dollar cashmere scarf is not as much of a desire as it is a need. This market will purchase items that will be slightly more than average because they can afford it, and it interests them.The price point will be justified by rolled hems on chiffons and fine details like topstitching, pleating on tailored pants and linings in jackets and dresses.

shopping experience for my market

I imaging my target market to be shopping in a store that is private to the outside world but an amazing structure of beauty and elegance on the inside... Crystal glass, clean crisp lines and bright lights to represent cleanliness and sophistication through the mood of the store. They will enjoy this store because they want to be different than the rest of the world , they want to feel of extra importance.. like a diamond. They also want it to be private because not everyone can be like them. So the outside of the structure will be like coveting a secret of importance and high standards that not everyone will relate with. No windows, just a beautiful doorway to a secret area like a hidden garden...

The outside of the store will exume this feeling of a coveted entrance... like a secret.

These are three different pictures , i realize this, however I like individual aspects of each. The outer store will resemble the coveted entrance of a secret boutique, you are unsure of what to expect... but my market will know exactly what its about.

The inside of the store will resemble the second picture, of pristine excellence. Light, airy, crystal and clear. It will seem very elegant and concise, just what my customer will be used to. Glass, bright lights, sleek floors, but with an element of comfort, such as the chair in the bottom picture to keep the area welcoming to the market who will be comfortable shopping within this environment. I like the stairs as well , leaving the customer to explore yet another level of the experience. The clothes will be displayed like in the bottom picture, every peice being portrayed as important and not rammed all together on a rack like meaningless objects of clothing.

proper

The mood for the board is elegance, grace and a polished essence. Its displaying high society people that walk tall, wear chanel , and refine their taste to excellence in high quality fabrics, events and personal belongings.

The importance of being the best

"The twentieth century looms before us big with the fate of many nations,"  "If we stand idly by, if we seek merely swollen, slothful ease and ignoble peace, if we shrink from the hard contests where men must win at hazard of their lives and at the risk of all they hold dear, then the bolder and stronger peoples will pass us by, and will win for themselves the domination of the world." - Theodore Roosevelt, 10 April 1899.

if i could marry a shoe....

I like how this shoe reminds me of the early 1900's, but with a new school feel. The antiquity look of the leather. Even the color is reminiscent of that era.

again pearls...

beauty on a stick. It like a hot dog for the skinny.

prim and proper...ish

simple dress with a subtle detail on the neck line, great posture, ladylike pose, elegant pearls, such a proper looking woman,... the cigarette seems contradictory to me cause I imagine her leading ettiquette training at an elite academy.

music

This picture attracted me because I like the inward curving on the sides. The music it plays could be graceful. I hear smooth notes coming from this. You just focus in on it. The details are classic for the instrument but this view really makes you appreciate them.

My hood

Everyone in my neighbourhood has multiple vehicles, parked in the driveway of multimillion dollar homes in which you never see them come and go from. They seem to compete with each other to be the envy of their own society. Finely dressed, every thing looks prim and proper... always. Cars are washed, suits are drycleaned, and gardening is done, but by the gardener of course, cause my neighbours hands have never seen dirt in her whole life. does this paint a picture?

Setting the Mood....

So I have been instructed to write thoughts, post pictures, and basically jot down sparatic thoughts of my inspirations.... I think. So the next few bits may not make sense... but bare with me, I am exploring my brain. ( trust me this wont take long haha)

Still Harry

Dark brown details on wool jacket represent leather.

Leather shoulder details on cardigan, brown pants are suede. Black vest is topstitched with thin strips of leather.  

Grey suite is edged with leather piping as details around pocket and cuff plackets. Grey cotton twill trouser have leather belt loops and pocket edging.

Harry Rosen

My inspiration for my Harry Rosen collection was a picture of lady in leather shorts. This picture stuck out for me because I associate leather with Harley Davidson’s, and big burly men on motorcycles with bad attitudes as that is part of the typical fabric in a biker’s wardrobe.  Bikers wear leather for protective reasons, but it is commonly associated with a “tough guy” look as most times they are travelling in groups that have frequently been defined as “gangs” in modern culture. The leather shorts certainly give the outfit a sleek and suspiciously hardcore feel because she portrays a genuine ladylike appearance here, with black suede, intricately detailed stilettos featuring satin ribbons tied in bows.  She does not at all look like she just jumped off the back of a hog. To me, it represents a rebellion in her outfit. She is portraying an classy, elegant woman with details of femininity in her wardrobe such as her diamond earrings and the satin bows, but they are baffled by unexpected, boxy, heavy weight leather shorts.

In the next picture, I am supporting the leather theme, with a current part of the 2010 fall Hermes collection. This supports the need for a leather item to keep with current trends. The rugged simplistic style of each jacket, still speaks volumes about the personality that the designer is creating on the wearer. Even though the finished look on the model is elegant and charming the underlying basis was to give a “rock star” vibe to a contemporary outfit. Paired with a tailored pair of slacks that are lightweight and reminiscent of suiting or work attire, it gives the gentleman a harder edge to his look.

 

 

Here is another example of the leather trend in an act of persuading the cultivated industry look, this time to reproduce a feeling of military dominance. Burberry 2010 Fall collection, has the man looking equipped for the outdoors with his oversized double collared Sherpa lined jacket encasing his dress pant and fitted cardigan, and matching to his unrefined worn-in leather work boot. This picture is proving his want to feel in charge, like a commander in a military squadron. I feel all of the looks that I have described are professional with rebellious attitude.

I want to incorporate a structured detail into a mans wardrobe, for his day to day life. I want to emblify the rebellion of the “tough guy” or possible alter-ego of the 9-5 professional polished lifestyle he feels subject to abide by. He still needs to be taken seriously as he plays an acknowledged role in his lifestyle, but he feels the want to have a bit of a dangerous appeal. Leather details throughout his wardrobe will give the garments a bit of an edge, without making him feel too misplaced in his environment.

In support of my idea, I have done some research into the seasonal trends supporting that leather will be a forecasted trend for fall/winter 2010/2011. It’s reigning on the runways in the forms of button up shirts, leather leggings and fine thin leather in the form of a spring styled tank top. To keep with the sustainability practices today, leather manufacturers are being eco friendly and using all natural vegetable tanning products for the leather, that actually improve the leathers look as it ages. Companies such as Brave Leather have caught on to this trend, and it has improved their popularity as they are keeping in stride with economic values, which are greatly important to our consumers nowadays.

Harry Rosen by Nicole

Harry Rosen

Harry Rosen is a menswear store with a variety of brands that are all targeted towards a 38 year old man. Although many males between the ages of 15 to 95 have adopted the fashions in the store. The Harry Rosen man is a corporate gentleman who works in a business/office environment and wants his wardrobe to say "upscale menswear" because he needs to be taken seriously through his clothing as he could hold the job of a Lawyer, CEO or entrepneur. Those positions hold the need to demand respect, and this could be identified through clothing.

The Rosen client also requires other needs as a consumer. On the weekends he would be found at the yacht club or possibly tossing around the rugby ball with his old scholars from university. He enjoys outdoors and travelling in his spare time but wants keep his elegant and sophisticated appearance while dressing down. Collared rugby shirts and Polo's will still mimmick the office collar, khakis and fitted denims in slim or boot cut styles will maintain the polished look for his lifestyle.

His accesories include assorted ties for the office, scarves, tailored gloves, and assorted bags, including briefcases and fine travel luggage so that even in an airport he can be distinguished as a corporate man, because his outerwear is all reminiscint of the fine suits that he sports during the work week in his profession.

The classics....

Three's a crowd? Not today! We dont need to describe this as fashion, but it certainly is classic... I dont mean the T-shirt or the unfortunate case of shoes going on here, but i will refer to the best reason for the game of golf....

the Polo shirt. I have to admit, its possibly the only reason I would swing a golf club in soggy grass on a Sunday. Everyone loves a polo, it was in fashion ten years ago, it was in style yesterday, and it will be in tomorrow. And yes, as much as it hurts some of you, even in yellow.....

Riding on the back of Fashion

Hot on the street....  straight from the ranch? Nope! However, this svelte, city girl has an equestrian hint to her urban look. From the white tee and jeggings that resemble common riding gear to her oversize bag that compliments her matching faux riding boots. Mix it up with an animal print cashmere blend scarf and stylish blazer and you've got lasting style...

Fad.... not bad!

Keeping atop... but not for long!! This lovely belle from a West Vancouver neighbourhood is in harem pants, and leather cuff bracelets. Her one shoulder top and cute black flats, with little bows atop have worked the mall world for months.... Been there, done that, seen enough thanks! She's hoping for fab, but fallen in fad..... Like my mom says, good thing you've got a pretty smile sweetheart :)