They’re the must-have fashion design labels, the status brands that we just have to wear. But some labels and designers have become such a part of our fashion culture that it’s easy to forget that they weren’t always successful brands. At one point, the founders were fashion school students, stock boys or sales clerks. In fact, learning about how the designers got their start makes one admire them even more. Here, then, are some top fashion labels and the story of their humble beginnings.Marc Jacobs. One of today’s top design celebrities, Marc Jacobs’ first job in fashion was as a stock boy at Charavari, an avant-garde clothing boutique in Manhattan. After graduating from high school, he went to fashion college, where he launched a line of hand-knit sweaters. His first job out of fashion school was at Perry Ellis, but he designed a grunge collection there that led to his dismissal. In 1986, with the help of financial backers, he designed his first collection bearing the Marc Jacobs label.Kenneth Cole. Not many people realize that the full name of Kenneth Cole’s brand is “Kenneth Cole Productions.” Why is that? In 1982, the designer wanted to show his first line of shoes at Market Week at the New York Hilton, but couldn’t afford a hotel room or exhibit space. So instead, he parked a trailer two blocks from the hotel to sell his shoes. The only catch was that only production companies were granted permits to park trailers on the street. Not letting that stop him, he turned his shoe company into a film production company, shooting a documentary about his business and selling 40,000 pairs of shoes in the process.Juicy Couture. The label that popularized the velour track suit was founded by fashion school grad Pamela Skaist-Levy and and Gela Nash-Taylor, wife of Duran Duran’s John Taylor. Believe it or not, their first product was maternity pants. After changing the brand’s focus to active wear, the brand continued to struggle until they sent a free track suit to Madonna with “Madge” emblazoned on it. The superstar was photographed wearing it in public, and Juicy Couture was on the map.Vera Wang. She may be known for her elegant wedding gowns and costumes for figure skaters like Michelle Kwan, but Vera Wang actually started out as a figure skater as well. She competed at the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and was one of “Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd” that year. She failed to make the U.S. Olympic team and began a career in fashion journalism. She was a senior fashion editor for “Vogue” for 16 years, but left when she was turned down for the top job that Anna Wintour secured. She then became a design director at Ralph Lauren before striking out on her own.Anna Sui. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Anna Sui loved fashion as a little girl, clipping out fashion magazine pages for her scrapbook. After attending fashion college, she worked for various junior sportswear companies by day, and designing her own clothing by night, eventually launching her own label out of her tiny New York apartment.Ralph Lauren. Born Ralph Lifshitz, the designer’s first foray into fashion was selling neckties to his fellow classmates at his Talmudical academy. After serving in the U.S. Army, he worked for Brooks Brothers as a sales clerk. In 1967, he became an entrepreneur and opened a necktie store where he sold various labels, including his own, which he called “Polo.” He soon introduced men’s and women’s suits to his line, and eventually gained international recognition when he designed the clothes for the Robert Redford movie, “The Great Gatsby.”These brands may have started out small, but they became fashion giants. And that’s inspiration indeed for anyone wanting to break into fashion design.
Home Design Plans For A Small Home
If you want to build your own house, the first thing that you should come up with is the design plans. These plans will help you visualize what your house is going to look like when it is completed. Home design plans will determine whether your house will turn out just the way you want it to or, on the contrary, a disastrous mess. Therefore, you will need to familiarize yourself with the design plans and pay close attention to even the smallest details.The question is how to create a design plan for a small house? Most people are often frustrated when it comes to designing a house in a limited space. But coming up with a design plan for a limited space house is not a very difficult task to do. There are several things that you should keep in mind:First and foremost, you have to choose the appropriate colors to paint your house with. For a small house, it is recommended that you choose lighter tones with relatively minimal patterns. These will help create the illusion that your house is bigger than it actually is.Choose the appropriate locations for the kitchen, the living room, the bedrooms, and the bathrooms.The living room should go in between the kitchen and the bathroom. Most of the time, the kitchen and the bathroom are located at the ends of the house, thus the living room will certainly be located in the middle. By locating the rooms appropriately, your house will be well-organized and cozy.Use every available space wisely. If you are building a two story house, use the space beneath the staircase to put a drawer or a cupboard. Alternatively, you can also build a small storage room below the staircase. So if you run out of storage space elsewhere, you can easily keep your things in here.Last but not least, maximize the use of mirrors inside your house. It is a good idea to put a big mirror near the staircase, because it is the focal point of the house. Mirrors can also help create a spacious feel, making the house look and feel roomy.Hopefully, all the basic tips mentioned above will help you create the ideal design plan for a small yet comfortable home. If you are still in doubt, you can also consult an expert as they know what’s best for your house.
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off
Kit Home Designs – 10 Tips to Getting it Right
Many design features need to be taken into consideration when looking at home design. Kit homes make the process easier with layouts you can customise and advice to help you make informed decisions.Here are ten design tips that you can get started on when looking making decisions:1. Good Preparation Is The Key To Being SatisfiedThis is possibly the most important factor in any build. Doing your homework and really exploring all options is a key factor in a more relaxed and productive home build. Kit houses have a variety of options at your fingertips but you also have the opportunity to change the layout to suit the way your family functions.2. Think Ahead For Future NeedsTry to think ahead to how your needs might change in the future. Perhaps you could consider a two bedroom home that can be added to as the family grows. You might want o add on a decking area later for outdoor living, perhaps the kids will leave home and give you options with empty bedrooms. You may even have an elderly relative move in with you and need a granny flat space, or teenagers retreat.Whatever your needs, you can design things for the future and kit homes make that very easy to do.3. Which Rooms In Your Home Are Key Areas For Your FamilyThe way we use our indoor and outdoor space has changed a great deal as core family values change. Think about where you will spend the most time, where you’d like your relaxation place to be where the majority of entertaining will be done.4. List The ‘Deal Breakers’ You Can’t Live Without And Those You Just Won’t HaveEvery person has a list of things built over years of living in various homes that they can’t live without, and those they can’t live with. Work out your deal breakers and those of the other family members and see if you can get everyone happy on at least one area.5. Plan Outdoor Areas For Maximum AdvantageOutdoor entertaining is a major factor for most homes today. Outdoor areas can be an extension of indoor living and is often included in initial design. A nice outdoor area can be excellent for relaxation and just fun family BBQ dinners. If you can’t afford to add it right ways discuss provisions for adding it later when the budget allows.6. Consider Work Areas And LightingThis is not only practical but can save you energy. By using lighting to maximize work areas, places to read or do craft, computer activities and even highlight artwork you can really add a lot of character and user-friendly aspects to your home.7. How Can You Be More Energy Efficient And Go GreenerLook at ways that energy efficiency is worked into kit home designs and see where you can take that a step further. This not only helps to lower your carbon footprint but it will save you money on energy usage costs. Water saving is another area you can add in at design stage.8. Look For Clever Ways To Get More Storage AreasMake the most of clever storage places that can be worked into good design. There is no need to have wasted space in modern design. Kitchens can make use of hard to reach corners and high overhead cupboard space. Discuss these new design factors with your kit home company.9. The Changing Role Of Kitchens In The Family HomeKitchens are no longer a hidden room where Mum disappears for a few hours and then comes out offering edible delights for meals. Modern families spend a lot of time in the kitchen and it is the hub of the home in many cases thanks to open plan living. Think about how you use your kitchen space.10. Bathrooms That Just WorkThis could be the next important room of the house. As with kitchens think about how you use this room and design accordingly. Private bathrooms now give you the luxury of having your very own just the way you want it.
Posted in Uncategorized
Comments Off