Amazing art work <3

Taking a break on fashion posts for a second to show off an incredible artist!

I have been following Daydream Lily for a while and has become one of my favorite blogs! I check out her sister's blog (Bec Winnel) now and again, and fell in love with today's post! This is the most incredible drawing I have seen. She says it is still a work in progress, but this is just great!

So, I check out her Etsy Shop and it is full of some pretty amazing pieces.

I love it!

Bumblesea - Artist Interview

Today I have an artist interview for you! Bumblesea is a jewelry company and a bit of a fashion blog as well! The pieces are simple yet elegant, and can obviously be used to dress up or dress down easily. Now, let's find out from Jennifer some tidbits about the jewelry, her goals, and some advice for new designers!

What is Bumblesea, and what is the communication behind the line?
Bumblesea is an indie jewelry studio, and it's my main creative outlet. As for communication, there's no ultimate message I'm trying to get across through my work. It's just about creating beautiful, transient objects. The design for my next jewelry tag has the words "You can't take this where you're going" on the back. I'm not going to change your life, but I'd love to inspire you.

What inspires you to create your pieces?

I've never been good at answering this question. Dreams, plants, fashion editorials, songs in C# minor, whatever ideas the collective consciousness happens to be bombarding me with at the moment.

What was it like in the beginning to be a new jewelry designer and blogger? How has that changed from how it is now?

I started five years ago making shirts after school in a friend's basement. After making shirts for a year on my own I grew to despise the process. I am probably the most inept silkscreener on earth- I ruined so many shirts. So I started thinking about trying something else out. I have no idea why I picked jewelry, maybe I liked the idea of it being a kind of mini-sculpture. Over the years I've become more interested in the business side of Bumblesea. Now I try to make more intricate business plans, and I've shifted some energy toward maintaining the bumblesea DIY and design blog. The products are different, the style is different, but when I'm feeling uninspired I try to think about what my goals were when I first started all of this.

What do you do when you are not making jewelry?

I make lists, lists of lists, I keep myself up at night with my lists- usually about Bumblesea but sometimes I'll throw in a few chores. My boyfriend constantly asks me what I'm writing down, I yell "IDEAS!" and continue violently scribbling my chicken scratch down. I have tons of notebooks filled with to do lists I've never gotten through entirely. I wake up with ink on my face and sheets from me writing on my arms in bed the night before. There are sixteen lists on my desk right now. I'm never bored, my brain works faster than my body can keep up with.

What are the goals for Bumblesea?
Right now I need to release the more moderately priced acrylic jewelry line I've been promising everyone for months. I want to update my blog more often. In the future I hope to open a second boutique to carry other indie designers' products, and possibly start up an independent publication. It'll happen eventually, but I'm a perfectionist and these are massive projects.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting out?

Only take advice from people who are successful in your industry. Seek these people out and form meaningful, long term relationships with them, everything else should turn into white noise. On the other hand, try to keep your head out of your ass. Let me know how it works out for you. Seriously, email me.

Check out her website, her designs and more! I know we will see a lot more from Bumblesea, so watch out for her!

Feathered - Oh My

I was changing some things on the website today and looked at these again. I just love them. Blair, the designer behind Feathered, sent me one a while ago. I have worn it a few times, and I get MAJOR compliments every time I wear it. It is such a unique idea and something you don't see often (though the other day I did see cheap ones at Forever 21. They are so not the same though!)

These are all only $25, which is completely affordable!So check out the stock we have at aspiringcouture.com as we offer almost 20 different looks. Some prices and pictures were changed!

This is the piece she sent to me.I was even happier with it in person than I was with pictures. The quality is amazing, and it was made with such care!




Below is a picture of mine in my hair. This is so not a "good" picture of me, but you can see how awesome the piece looks in my hair!

Good Day!

Wedding Wednesday - Inspiration!

For Wedding Wednesday this week, I have put together some of my all time fave wedding ideas! A lot of these come from Etsy, or independent designers, so I thought it would be a great thing to share! The top one is more of ideas I am putting together for my (non-existent) wedding. The second are strictly Etsy finds.

And if someone wants to recommend a better inspiration board creator, please go right ahead! I am not all too happy with these, and another that I made won't save to the desktop.


Enjoy!

Links:

Sign
Feathered hair piece
Name tags
Earrings
Lights
Boutinerre
Invite
"I do" place holder

PS-Sorry about being MIA. I took a long weekend, and it has taken me a few days to get back into the groove!

Artist Interview - Kempt

Kempt, an emerging handbag company, is introducing the newest bag to their collection, the Kempt Pure Tote. I am very excited about this new bag as it is completely environmentally conscious, while maintaining an incredibly chic look. The quality is absolutely fabulous and the design is very clean.

Kempt offers almost 20 other styles along with the Pure Tote, all of which are different sizes, designs, and colors. Erin Voorhies, designer of these bags, definitely has a talent for timeless, clean designs.

I got in touch with Erin to find out a bit more about her brand, her goals, and herself! There is also talk of selling Kempt on Aspiring Couture! How great would that be? Stay tuned to find out more details on that soon! For now, read on to discover some great tidbits about the Kempt line!

Kempt - Interview of the artist

1. Where does your inspiration come from?
I find inspiration everywhere- old things, new things, art and design,
craft, film, music, the urban environment around me and the natural
world.

2. What makes your bags special and one of a kind?
Each and every bag is produced entirely by hand and in limited
quantities to insure that an unparalleled level of attention is paid
to all details.

3. What is your artistic communication which you convey through your
line of handbags?
I am interested in the creation of timeless style and unparalleled
craftsmanship. I am constantly inspired by artists and designers who
are able to seamlessly blend the old with the new. I aim to do this
with my handbags by combining classic and timeless silhouettes with
interesting colors, materials and craft techniques.

4. When you are not working, how do you spend your time?
When I'm not working on Kempt (which actually ends up consuming most
of my time) I like to work on various art projects - I am currently
taking a weekly pottery class where I'm attempting to master throwing
the perfect vase on the potters wheel. I also enjoy exploring
different neighborhoods in NYC - there's always something new to
discover, whether it's a fantastic restaurant, boutique or beautiful
tucked away street.

5. In terms of selling and marketing, how are you getting your name out there?
We are constantly in search of new outlets for increasing Kempt's
exposure whether it's through traditional media or interesting
boutiques that share a common perspective with Kempt. We constantly
send out press kits and develop relationships with people and educate
them about our brand.

6. What advice would you give to an aspiring designer that you found
to be extremely workable when growing your own company?
The best advice that I can give to an aspiring designer have a clear
and realistic goal in mind and a solid plan for how to reach that
goal. It's inspiring to find yourself getting closer every day to that
target.

7. What was it like when you first launched? And how has that differed
from how you operate now?
When I first started Kempt, the consumer culture was drastically
different from today. Women were much more comfortable investing in
their accessories and handbags. Now due to the current economic
climate, those same women might not be as comfortable spending as much
on a handbag or might limit themselves to buying only one great bag a
season. We have taken this price sensitivity into consideration and
developed Kempt's Pure Tote. The Pure Tote retails at $400 and
provides an entry level price point for the Kempt Collection. I am
currently working on developing additional styles for the Pure Series.
These bags maintain Kempt's impeccable craftsmanship and quality
materials but are simpler in construction and require less time to
make.

Thanks to Erin for taking the time to give us an inside look at Kempt! Stay tuned for details of the Pure Tote coming to Aspiring Couture!

Atelier Shoes!

I am so excited about this site, Atelier Shoes! And even more excited that we have added them to Aspiring Couture!

This website allows you to create your own custom-designed shoe at a lower cost than most designers. If you are going to spend the money, it might as well be one something that is exactly what you want, right? So check this out!

How Atelier Shoes Works

First, you start out picking the model of your shoe:

peep toe

pumps

strappy sandals

T-strap evening shoes

Then you pick from 72 different types of material including:

leathers

suedes

patents

metallics

faux furs

animal prints

These materials can be applied to the exterior upper, interior upper, foot bed, heel and sole of the shoes to truly make it unique. And that's only where the customization begins!

Once you've made your material selections, you can choose your heel!

natural wood wedge heel

wrapped wedge heel

stiletto heel

And finally, CUSTOMIZE! Select from various adornment options, including rhinestone, belts and buckles. If that is still not enough, you have the option to design a shoe completely from scratch so you get exactly what you are looking for!

Check out more on aspiringcouture.com under the section "Shoes"

MAKE SURE to type "Aspiring Couture" in the "How did you hear about us?" box at checkout

Wedding Wednesday - THE dress

I am so excited for today's Wedding Wednesday because I have an awesome guest blogger. Her wedding blog has quickly become one of my favorites! I think her and I have such similar style, so if you like my blog, I am sure you will like hers as well! You have to go check out Wedding Fresh!

She brings up a very interesting point on this post, that the dress is actually a focal point of the wedding. I don't know how many brides actually think that way, but it seems like the dress is one of the last things you get! Read on and see what I'm talking about.

Wedding Wednesday with Weddings Fresh

Hi! My name is Dani and I am from Weddings Fresh. When Allison asked me to come and talk weddings over here on Aspiring Couture I was so excited to share some chic wedding style alongside wedding fashion! I can't ever get enough of wedding gowns; in fact I have been tempted on numerous occasions to buy a couple of them at sample sales even though I am already married! Married girls, you hear me? :) It's dangerous to look at these things all day long, but I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!

As a wedding professional I strongly believe that two elements of a wedding must, absolutely, without a question fit together: a bride's wedding gown and her wedding site. Once she has nailed these two pieces down, there is a much easier transition into choosing the decor and creating wedding ambiance. The bride needs to choose these as a foundation for her own personal style--it is so important to know your style or your wedding can look disheveled and you may even as well! So today I have brought with me examples of these two elements coming together. I hope you enjoy, and thank you, thank you Allison for having me!!

#1-- zinke design blog, badgley mischka

#2--southern weddings, franc sarabia

#3--southern weddings, monique lhuillier

#4--style me pretty, christos

#5--style me pretty, vera wang

#6--project wedding, kenneth pool

#7--project wedding, monique lhuillier

#8--country living, oscar de la renta

#9--martha stewart,manuel mota

#10--coco & kelly, jorge terra


Thanks so much to Dani from Weddings Fresh for this inspirational post!

Quality versus Price. Which comes first?

Quality comes first right? Aspiring designers often have the challenge of how to price their pieces. Of course, they spend long hours in "creation-mode" coming up with some amazing designs, then even longer amounts of time sewing through the night watching their idea transform into a beautiful product. For the designers on the Aspiring Couture website, quality is of top importance!

Have you ever spent more than you wanted to on a piece you HAD to have? For me, I have done it a few times and each time I wear that thing more than anything else and it lasts what seems like forever. In the end, it's worth the price, right?

I thought it would be interesting to get their take on pricing versus quality and how they juggle that to come up with excellent exchange.

Alex Keller

My prices are determined by adding up materials and time. Some pieces are easy and come quickly, others the idea takes longer and/or the making takes a long time. I also factor in taxes.

Selah D'or

For me, this collection was all natural fibers like silk, and wool. all of this stuff is EXPENSIVE and imported from Italy and India. it's top knotch quality. The main problem a designer/manufacturer faces is finding someone who will sell a small amount for samples, then when it comes time to reproduce the design for a customer or boutique or whatever, that supplier needs to have that fabric available. This usually means the per yard price on a given fabric is marked up a lot...it's like paying for insurance.

If you look at the pieces, the tailoring is impeccable. It's all hand sewn by local seamstresses and mostly myself. It's something that you don't see a lot in woman's wear when you go to stores like H&M or Forever 21 or Express. Those places tend to ship stuff out to manufacturers. The turn around time is so fast because those factories cut a lot of corners and use really cheap inexpensive labor and materials. So in turn, the retail prices for the public are LOW, but the quality is poor. This is why clothes from these places fall apart so quickly....or fit so poorly.

If I were to include the time and energy it takes to construct just one dress, these prices would be close to $1,000. but due to our recent economic climate and the fact that I'm just starting out, I decided to not do that.

A lot of these pieces will end up being owned by anywhere from 1-100 people, depending on the piece, and will end up being limited edition pieces which is a bit more special.

The price on a piece reflects the time and quality of a piece and is there to ensure that business goes well for the designer and the buyer/venue/store. Otherwise we'd have to close our doors and that would be the end of some pretty fabulous stuff.

Jesica Milton

The really important thing for customers to know is that everything is more expensive for the designer when we produce in smaller quantities. Without economies of scale it's very difficult to get low prices on fabric or labor. Overhead is generally calculated as a percentage of the garment cost, so when designers produce something in small quantities it generally won't even cover their fixed costs.

What do you think about quality versus price? What is more important to you?

Thank You!

Writing is something I have recently become obsessed with. I love that I have a strong group of readers who really support me and my blog. The idea for Aspiring Couture is something I hadn't seen exist all that much, but I thought it was an important industry to promote, but it's great to see that so many agree with me and want to support aspiring designers as well!

If you are a blogger you know how great it is to hear from readers and to hear from anyone who is interested in working with you! I absolutely love it, and look forward to creating so many more of those relationships!

Today I want to take a moment to thank those blogs who have posted something about Aspiring Couture! You are all absolutely amazing and inspire me to keep doing what I am doing!

Today, Wedding Fresh, (one of my new fave wedding blogs) did a post about Aspiring Couture. Check it out!

Recommendations:

One of my top fave posts! This post by The Swelle Life explains my exact concept of Aspiring Couture in someone else's words! I thought that was amazing :)

Interview about Aspiring Couture. Find out some goodies about me!

Go ahead! Check them all out :)

• alex keller
• chicklitt
• couture carrie
• daisy loves.....
• daydream lily
• dedicated follower of fashion
• disco nap
• down the green aisle
• enve designs
• fashionable dreams
• invited
• jesica milton
• little designer book
• over the top aprons
• plusologie
• sui generis
• the swelle life
• the work at home women
• where the lovely things are

Aspiring Couture holds a Fashion Show

This is a bit pre-mature as I don't have the details set, but I want to give everyone a head's up! Aspirng Couture is going to be holding a fashion show!

I am not sure of the date just yet, but if you are interested in participating e-mail me at aspiringcouture@gmail.com

I am looking for more designers to showcase, but I will also need accessories, etc! This event will lead to sales of your work, and a lot of promotion of your collection as well! It will take place in the San Francisco Bay Area, so if you are local and would like to help with modeling, hair/make-up or lots of other things, you are welcome to e-mail me as well!

We will also need sponsors for the show, so contact me about that as well.

As I said this is in the beginning stages, but it would be great to line up the designers now. I have limited space and only have a few spots left, so make sure you contact me quick if you want a spot!

Will you be my bridesmaid?

Bridesmaids do so much for the bride. They are the support system and are constantly expected to lend support, help and ideas to the planning of the wedding. Sometimes the bridesmaids can feel un-appreciated, and sometimes the bride can feel misduplicated. Well, those things may be true.

The Bride knows how important it is to have those special people standing beside her and offering their constant support. So, let your favorite girls know how important they are to you with this cute idea!

"Will you be my bridesmaid?"

What a cute idea! This is one of those things that may seem so small, but it really shows the amount of care and love you have for a person to go and create on something like this!

Check out the blog of the designer of these cards for this and other ideas to make your wedding a little bit more special!

Welcoming Wise and Proper to Aspiring Couture

Recently Aspiring Couture did a giveaway with Wise and Proper. But today, we are welcoming Wise and Proper to our boutique!

Wise and Proper offers some simple and adorable pieces which are all made to accentuate a woman's figure. Each of these pieces could be used in many different outfit situations from dress up for a meeting, or just with jeans for a girl's night.

Wise and Proper also has two pieces of jewelry! These antique necklaces are completely original and no two will be made the same.

"Desperately needing a creative outlet with her degree in business, her background in graphic arts, and her experience in the fashion industry, launching a new line was the only natural progression. Creating designs that are playful and subtly alluring with hints of romanticism is her vision for the line." - Wise and Proper

Check out her work on Aspiring Couture including her jewelry pieces. Also find out more about her and her work on our website as well!

Happy Anniversary!

Today is my and Ian's 3 year anniversary of our first date.

He definitely does so much to make me happy and I appreciate him being in my life so much!

Tonight we are going to Napa (about 1.5 hour drive) to go to dinner at this amazing restaurant called "Brix". The restaurant looks over on this vineyard and there are benches all around so while you are waiting, you can go sit in the vineyards. We are going to go up on his motorcycle. I am super excited about it!

Happy Anniversary Honey! I love you :)

Wedding Obessed!

OK- I think after this I am not going to utter any words relating to marriage, weddings, or anything else. Ian (my boyfriend) may be getting really annoyed at me for my constant wedding obsessions. Who knows.

I thought of THE MOST INCREDIBLE way to propose, and I had to share! Honestly, if someone reads this and does it, I want to hear all about it because I think it is the greatest thing ever ever!

Ok, so I was looking at what was new on tiffanyco.com (a site a frequent. Don't worry honey, I don't expect a Tiffany ring) ok so they have this cute little ring.PS- I fully apologize for the picture quality. They have a flash site, so I can't just take it, and since it is Flash, I can't open it on my phone!

This is a $100 ring, and super cute. It says, "I love you" on it. But, I was looking and they have a custom engrave option. So, here's how it plays out. The guy has the engraving say "Will you Marry Me?" and then gives her the present for maybe an anniversary, birthday, Christmas, etc. (or just because??) Ok so she opens it and reads it and OH MY G! Oh and then he would obvi have to get on one knee and give the real ring to her. But, what a surprise right?! Oh and she can wear it all the time too, and people will think it is cute!

Now I thought of two things, 1 is that if you give her the Tiffany ring and then another ring from somewhere else is that tacky? I don't think so, but then she may be expecting a Tiffany.

There you go! I have about a million other scenarios by the way. All equally as creative and awesome. Too bad I can't be the proposer.