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_xààxÜ yÜÉÅ exz|ÉÇtÄ W|ÜxvàÉÜ “Fashion Week Blues”
blues pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb) 1. A state of depression or melancholy. Often used with the. 2. a feeling of depression or deep unhappiness 3. (used with a sing. v.) a. a song of woe and yearning marked by persistent blue notes and structured in a 12-bar chorus with three-line stanzas of which the third line typically repeats the first. Yup, that is pretty much how I feel to be missing Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Again. Taking place as I type, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week lights up Lincoln Center and showrooms around New York City. As a Fashion-Week-Virgin I really don’t know what I’m missing, but I’m sure it’s even BETTER than what I have imagined over the years… The dimly lit rooms (formerly tents), the hustle and bustle backstage, the swarms of people entering, the gobs of people outside wishing they could sneak in… PURE HEAVEN! As a fashion show coordinator, I know that half the fun of these events is the planning itself. (Ok, who am I kidding… more than ½ the fun!) The months of planning, the staffing, lighting planning, sound track selection, crowds packing the house, the anxious feeling you get before a big show, and finally the overwhelming “calm” that you feel once the show begins… I can only imagine what show producers on this scale feel. I used to dream about going to NYC and working on shows like these. That seems like a lifetime ago. For years I dreamt about when I graduated college and moved to The Big Apple. Interestingly enough it took me a very short amount of time to realize that dream was probably similar to so many others. I happened upon some fantastic opportunities here in San Diego and have since built an incredible consulting business doing something similar, although it is on a much smaller scale. I can’t lie, that dream is still appealing, but it doesn’t interest me in the same way it once did. Perhaps it’s because of the great life I have built here. For those of you who are small business owners, you know what pride you feel when recognizing what all of your “blood, sweat, and tears” has created. Yes, I may have temporary blues about the “Bright lights in the Big City” and all that I seem to be missing out on by choosing to live in sleepy San Diego, but in reality I have a fantastic life and couldn’t be happier with the career path I’ve chosen. I think maybe it’s time to plan a trip out to Fashion Week so I can experience all the lights, the glam, the shows, etc. for myself! In the meantime, thank God for the internet! I can sneak in a show or two between meetings with clients…. ;) Fashionably Yours...
]âÄ|x YÉâz{à FGI San Diego Regional Director 2
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Letter from Regional Director…………………………………………………………………………………..2 Letter from Editor………………………………………………………………………………………………..3 Table of Contents………………………………………………………………………………………………..3 About FGI………………………………………………………………………………………………………...4 FGI’s Day at Polo…………………………………….……………..................……………………………....5 Coming Events…………………..…………………………………………..……………………………….…6 Blogging 101 Seminar Recap………………………………………………………………..…...……………7 Membership Has its Benefits……………………………………….……………………..…………………...8 Start Up Weekend San Diego Fashion Innovations……………...……….………………………………...9 Fashion Week San Diego....……………………………………………...…………………………………..10 Cover Credit……………..………………………………………………………..……………………………12 FGI Job Bank…………………………………………………………………………………………………..13 FGI San Diego Board Members…………………………………………………………………….………..14
_xààxÜ yÜÉÅ Xw|àÉÜ Hello FGI San Diego! For starters...Bonne Rentree!!! The French consider September as the “unofficial” start of the new year. It is when summer is technically over (even if the weather in San Diego says otherwise). Vacations are over. Kids are back at school. The Fashion Weeks begin. It is the beginning of the new season. This is my most favorite time of the year. A time for fresh starts. There’s so much less pressure than at New Year’s with its resolutions to lose weight, stop smoking and eat healthy. There’s no stigma attached to Bonne Rentree to get in the way of our goals. And that’s what Bonne Rentree is to me. It’s not about resolutions, it’s about goals. What do I want to accomplish in my work? What do I want to accomplish in my life? How do I want to go about creating a balance of these things in life? Because I don’t want to live to work. I want to work to live. Think on that and think about what your goals are this Bonne Rentree and make them great! Have a fashionabulous month!!! Until next time…
]xtÇxààx VÜâàv{y|xÄw FGI San Diego Board Member-Communications Chair/RD-Elect 3
WHO we are already…
WHAT we do in the present…
FGI Mission Statement…
The Fashion Group International is a global non-profit association with a network of over 5,000 dynamic professionals of achievement and influence from all areas of fashion and related industries including apparel, accessories, beauty, publishing, retailing and interior design.
The Fashion Group International works to promote the advancement of every member, while addressing issues that affect the entire industry. Our commitment to the industry is evident in our proactive approach to business. Our events provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information with industry leaders on a wide array of topics.
The FGI mission is to be the pre-eminent authority on the business of fashion and design and to help its members become more effective in their careers. To do this, FGI provides insights on major trends in person, online and in print; access to business professionals and a gateway to the influence fashion plays in the marketplace.
WHERE we are headed in the future…
The goals of the organization are…
Established in 1930, The Fashion Group International was founded on the idea that it takes an exceptional woman to flourish and succeed in the challenging world of fashion. That year, seventeen women gathered by Edna Woolman Chase, editor-in-chief of VOGUE, met for lunch in New York City. They had three things in common: each held a job of consequence in fashion, each respected every member of the group and each held a common belief.
Cognizant of the ever-changing nature of the industry, and the increasingly turbulent nature of business, the Fashion Group International addresses issues relevant to the future of the industry. Our events encourage thinking outside the box, both for members and non-members alike. As we begin the twenty-first century, the role of They agreed that fashion needed a our organization will be more forum for the expression and relevant than ever. Even conducting enhancement of the American fashion “business as usual” will require business and the increasingly foresight and knowledge of “big important role women played in the picture” issues that are the hallmark industry. Ever since, the organization of our events. has brought the best and the brightest in the industry together in unique Global communications and the New ways that provide an unrivaled Media revolution are an integral part support system, while facilitating the of our commitment to being at the exchange of ideas and resources. cutting edge. Fashion Group International’s online presence as Elizabeth Arden, Edith Head and well as localized blogs and social Eleanor Roosevelt were among the media is the industry’s number one founding members. Eight decades cyber-destination for a wealth of later, the names have changed, but information about fashion and the energy, talent and commitment fashion-related industries. Fashion remains the same. Group International’s web site is an ever-evolving resource for industry professionals.
To advance professionalism in fashion and its related lifestyle industries. To provide a public forum for examination of important, contemporary issues in the business of fashion. To present timely information regarding national and global trends that have an effect on the fashion industries. To provide activities and programs which enhance networking skills and encourage interpersonal contacts so as to further the professional, social and personal development of members.
For More Information on Fashion Group International, please visit our local web site: www.fgisandiego.org or our New York web site at: www.fginewyork.org
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Join FGI San Diego in the VIP tent at San Diego Polo Club for a LITTLE BLACK DRESS party, Sponsored by LITTLE BLACK DRESS VODKA! Sunday, September 22, 2013 12:30pm-7:00pm FGI members, $55 Non-FGI members, $70 Admission and reserved seating in the VIP tent, lunch, beverages, dessert, Little Black Dress Fashion Show and complementary Half-time Champagne divot stomp. Live music and dancing from 5-7pm. Polo is a fun way to spend your Sunday afternoon with friends! Seating is limited, and tickets must be purchased in advance.. PURCHASE POLO SEATS AND iPAD MINI OPPORTUNITY TICKETS: http://fgilittleblackdresspolo.eventbrite.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------Raffle Opportunitiy to WIN a brand new iPad mini with WiFi + 3G, 64G valued at $660 (winner need not be present) PURCHASE AN ENTRY FOR A CHANCE TO WIN! 1 Ticket for $25 or 5 Tickets for $100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information and to purchase tickets http://fgilittleblackdresspolo.eventbrite.com/ 5
Join FGI San Diego and FGI-partner, the Globe Guilders for a performance of “The Last Goodbye” at 8:00pm on Friday, October 11, 2013 AND an exclusive behind the scenes look into the costume department! FGI guests will be treated to an exclusive back-stage tour of the Costuming Department as well as hear from a Costume Designer from the show. This exciting opportunity is not available to the general public, but only to FGI Members and Guests. Date: 10/11/13 Time: 5:45pm (tour begins promptly at 6pm) Venue: Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, Old Globe Theater
EARLY BIRD PRICES: FGI Member Ticket Price: Pre-paid $65 Non-Member Price: Pre-paid $85 AFTER 9/20/13 PRICES: FGI Member Ticket Price: Pre-paid $75 Non-Member Price: Pre-paid $95 (Price includes a $99-value ticket to “The Last Goodbye” ) For more information and to order tickets: www.facebook.com/fgisandiego
FGI San Diego presents: Professional Development Day 2013 Date: Saturday, Oct. 19th, 2013 Time: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Location: G102, Mesa College FGI San Diego is happy to once again present the Professional Development Conference at San Diego Mesa College. After several years of successful “Career Days”, FGI San Diego and Mesa College decided to gear this growing conference towards professionals and students alike. Speakers will delight attendees with their career experiences, obstacles, and professional goals. Guests will be treated to an exclusive “sneek peek” into the lives of fashion professionals and gurus. Find out what your dream jobs are, or find out about a fashion career you may never have thought of. Get inspired by the stories of 5 inspirational speakers to be announced in the coming weeks. This “don’t miss” event is sure to provide everyone with inspiration and the drive necessary to succeed in the fast-paced fashion industry.
Cost: $10 (cost includes a light breakfast, entry to the seminar, and a fab goodie bag!) For more information and to purchase tickets: www.facebook.com/fgisandiego 6
Filling the San Diego Fashion Gap, According to Expert Fashion Bloggers By itsdanyo of www.getseamed.com Remember in college when you had to fill out those annoying SWOT charts in business and marketing class? You would analyze a business venture and evaluate its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and your instructor would stress the importance of such an exercise, but all you could think about was what you wanted to eat after class? If not, you should have paid more attention. A handful of very intelligent fashion bloggers have been capitalizing on the unmet needs, or gaps, of their readership and have built entire businesses around fulfilling these opportunities– aha! opportunities. Plain and simple, they are being inspired by their readers’ gripes about what is lacking in the fashion industry and producing content that would otherwise be left in a draft folder at glossy magazine publications. Gretchen Hackmann, a panelist at Fashion Group International’s Blogging 101 seminar, explained that these gaps inspire the content that is featured on their lifestyle blog Nubry. This prompted moderator Brian Hawkins (StyleSeek) to pose the question, “What is the San Diego gap?” The conference room at the San Diego History Center filled with chatter until the panelists interjected, “plus sizes and petites.” Undoubtedly, many factors contribute to what is known as the ‘San Diego fashion gap’ and the blogging seminar was one effort by FGI San Diego to shed light on opportunities for business growth in the region. Fashion Group International’s mission is to be the preeminent authority on the business of fashion and design, and to help its members become more effective in their careers. Incoming regional director of Fashion Group International San Diego, Jeanette Crutchfield, expressed her excitement with me about the potential for San Diego’s burgeoning fashion community. “I love that its relatively underground. It means that we have lots of opportunities, lots of room for growth and lots of fun ahead of us. There’s no stigma so-to-speak about fashion in San Diego like there is in cities with a more pronounced fashion influence. We’re not LA with its glitz and glam of Hollywood or its boho-chic. We’re not NYC with its corporate and high fashion influence. We are not labeled yet which means that we can create our own label and that excites me very much.” The panel of bloggers included Jennifer Rosson (Style Your Life), Nacole Gray (Rich Skinny Pretty), Britt Hackmann and Gretchen Hackmann (Nubry), and Jackie Thomas (Veteran Fashionista). Covering topics from time management, likes for likes, social media, inspiration, and affiliate marketing, the panel kept attendees thoroughly engaged. At times, a quarter of the room tried to be a part of the conversation at hand, which surprised FGI organizers. “It was such a huge success that we will definitely be having more blogging seminars in the future. The blogging industry is huge yet compared to other, more traditional avenues of marketing, it is a very young industry. So many professionals want to have a blog to help promote either their business or themselves but don’t know how. That’s what this seminar was designed to do is provide some basics of blogging,” Jeanette told me. The seminar, indeed, attracted emerging fashion bloggers and retailers aiming to tap into the mind and success of panelists like Nacole Gray of Rich Skinny Pretty. Nacole, who also dresses clients in LA as a stylist, is transitioning from her success of blogging to writing a book about her journey with chronic illness entitled Feeling Pretty and Healing. Jennifer Rosson and Jackie Thomas also balance their blogging with styling services and hope to further connect their styling brands with their blogs. All panelists have their plates full–Nubry is even revamping its website after fashion week–but Rosson explained the importance of shutting off the computer and getting inspired. “If you’re not paying me, I’m not looking at your outfit,” she bluntly said before an outburst of laughter. Hawkins acknowledged her sentiment, calling it “fashion fatigue.” (we know the feeling too well!) The conclusion of the seminar cued a frantic race to swap business cards and network with as many bloggers as possible. More likes and followers– the lifeblood of social media–were sure to be added to blogrolls and Facebooks of those people in attendance. 7
j{ç Ytá{|ÉÇ ZÜÉâÑ \ÇàxÜÇtà|ÉÇtÄR Membership Has It’s Benefits! “What do I get out of being a member of FGI?”
invaluable resource, which list the contact information for ALL FGI members around the WORLD!
“Why should I join FGI?” “I’ve paid my dues, now what do I get by being a member of FGI?” These are all very valid (and very popular) questions we receive from new members of FGI and it’s surprising how many veteran members of FGI can not answer them.
The Member’s Bulletin reports regularly on the latest trends and industry issues that help members market and manage their businesses white it updates readers on member-related news. The RTW Trend Report publishes twice yearly with straight from the runway commentary from some of the most prestigious people in the fashion industry.
For those of you who have been wondering, here’s some of the things your membership gets you: Didn’t get your Member Directory? Make sure we have your correct FGI is a GLOBAL organization. It mailing address. consists of people from ALL areas of the fashion and design-related Want to know where to view the industries such as apparel, Member’s Bulletin and RTW Trend accessories, beauty and home. There Reports? Go to are chapters all over the United www.sandiego.fgi.org and click on States in addition to countries such “FGI Bulletins and Trend Reports” as Columbia, Mexico, France, under “News and Features” on the Korea, Australia and Canada. left hand side. You will have to log in to be able to access that The mission of FGI is to help its information. Exclusivity after all! members become more effective in their professional lives. The The FGI website is actually a wealth organization offers insights on major of information and you are allowed trends in person (Trend Report to access any and ALL of the FGI presentations), online (FGI website) chapters web sites. Simply go to our and in print (RTW publications). page and at the top of the screen, We host programs and business click “Visit Another Region” and the symposiums and provide access to world is at your fingertips. These industry leaders and peers. websites include the entire FGI community and include Members get EXCLUSIVE access to comprehensive news, event various publications provided information (as a San Diego straight from the fashion capital of member, you are able to attend ALL the world, New York City. They FGI events around the world! You include the International just pay the event’s FGI member Membership Directory, an price.)
A huge perk for FGI members (and not many know this), is The Archives. For over 75 years, Fashion Group International has been archiving and chronicling the fashion shows from all over the world in slides, photographs, film, video, books and magazines. The Archives are located in New York, but are available to all visiting members to view. How’s that for an exclusive perk! FGI members also get to learn from contemporary trend and business information, industry sources and market data. Members get to increase their visibility in the competitive business environment and receive advantages for them and their employees. They also get to connect with fashion’s leaders and decision makers. The global talent pool of executives, entrepreneurs and professionals from every sector of the industry include your counterparts in design, marketing, finance, manufacturing, retail, media, education and consulting. To top it off...interested in getting a year of FGI membership for FREE? Refer 4 executive-level members to the San Diego chapter in one calendar year, and we will PAY your membership fees for the following year. It pays to share!
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Startup Weekend San Diego Fashion Innovations is a 54-hour, hands-on experience in which aspiring entrepreneurs will compete and find out if their startup company is viable. This event is focused on innovations within the fashion industry. Think inventions like Google Glass, LED wearable clothing, 3D printed acessories, costume design for video games, breakthroughs in textiles and manufacturing, mobile apps for e-commerce and beyond! Participants are encouraged to test the limits of the imaginations and disrupt the fashion market as much as possible. On average, half of Startup Weekend’s attendees have technical or design backgrounds and the other half have business backgrounds. Startup Weekend San Diego Fashion Innovations is San Diego's first fashion focused event and will be syncing with other Fashion Startup Weekends event taking place in Paris, Milan, London, and New York. Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over Saturday and Sunday teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing Lean Startup Methodologies and building a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening, teams demo their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts. 5 Startup Weekend San Diego Fashion Innovations Facts 1. Local tech and startup leaders participate in Startup Weekends as coaches and judges. Get some one-on-one time with the movers and shakers in your community. 2. Over 36% of Startup Weekend startups are still going strong after 3 months. Roughly 80% of participants plan on continuing working with their team or startup after the weekend. 3. Startup Weekends typically cost between $75 and $150 (less for students). Your ticket covers seven meals, snack, access to exclusive resources from our sponsors, and of course, all the coffee you can drink. 4. This isn’t just a happy-hour. Startup Weekend attracts your community’s best makers and do-ers. By spending a weekend working to build scalable companies that solve real-world problems, you will build long-lasting relationships and possibly walk away with a job or even an investor. 5. Join over 45,000 Startup Weekend alumni, all on a mission to change the world. FGI Members receive a $10 discount off the public ticket price ($99)! Prices include all the meals to keep people going through the weekend. To purchase tickets visit https://swsdfashion.eventbrite.com/ and use code: fgi 9
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Special thanks to our front cover feature: Gustavo Mayor (photographer), Jennifer Wade (model), Melissa Edwards (make(make-up/hair artist) Sara Boo (wardrobe)
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Ytá{|ÉÇ ZÜÉâÑ]Éu UtÇ~ Need some help around the office? Have a project coming up and need help? Have a position open in your company? Need interns? If you are a member of FGI San Diego, then you are able to advertise your job openings (paid or not) in the FGI newsletter for FREE!
FGI San Diego is currently looking for a few board positions for our 2014 year. The following positions are open: Secretary Treasurer-Elect (a training position for 2015) Membership If you are interested, please email fgisandiego@yahoo.com
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UÉtÜw `xÅuxÜá Regional Director…………………………………………………….Julie Fought Secretary…………………………...………………………………Jeanie Haddox Secretary-Elect……………………………………………….…...Currently Open Treasurer…………………………………………………………Sushmita Utpala Programs Co-Chair……………………………………………………Lena Evans Programs Co-Chair…………………………………………………Kit Kuriakose Programs Co-Chair………………………………………….……..Melissa Lewis Membership Co-Chair.……..…………………….………………Currently Open Membership Co-Chair…………………………….………………….Liza Pinard Public Relations Chair………………….…………………...……Currently Open Publicity Chair…………………………………………………..Kailynn Bowling Hospitality Chair……………………………………………………..Marie Green Sponsorship Chair…………………………………………..……….Paola Casale Communications Chair/RD-Elect……………………………Jeanette Crutchfield Communications-Elect…………………………………...…...…...Jeanie Haddox District Director……………………………………………………...Pam Iannota Interested in becoming a board member? You must serve on a committee before consideration. Contact FGISanDiego@yahoo.com for more information.
P.O. Box 86545 San Diego, CA 92138
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