How The Fashion Industry has Suffered From the Housing Market

As the housing market remains weak in many parts of the country, home builders are looking for a light at the end of the tunnel. The latest statistics on housing starts gave them only the faintest glimmer of hope. While there are some pockets of strength, it’s too soon to know when the industry will hit bottom, homebuilders and economists say. This, in turn, has had a negative effect on the fashion industry and limited shopping sprees among millions of people to. With so many families focusing all the energy on selling or buying a new home the fashion industry has seen it's negative effect. Not only are people spending less and less money these days, they are also spending less time shopping and spending their money on frivalise things such as purses and designer shoes. The industry of accessories as declined as well for this very same reason. Families are not willing to spend their hard earned money on designer clothes and accessories when they have a mortgage to pay and a house to sell that just doesn't seem to attract buyers. When houses aren't selling, home owners result to lowering their price on homes and in turn wind up receiving less than the actual house is worth.

Presenter: Elyse Mullis

English being her major throughout her college career, she dint realize until her junior year at UNCG about the Consumer, Apperal, and Retail Studies program. Elyse Mullis became interested in the program and minored in the program. Once Elyse graduated from college she started an internship at Westminster Fabric company as an assistant of sorts. Even though there wasn't much to the job and she didn't get payed, she realized that she really liked this for a career and started to become interested in graphic design. Elyse decided to take graphic design classes at the coliseum and shortly there after was offered a permanent job at the company. If it weren't for her roommate in college she would have never have gotten the internship at all. Her roommates father was the head of the company and Elyse asked her to give him her address and the rest is history. Elyse Mullis gave us some very good advise today and that is that getting a job in the real world doesn't require a certain GPA or high grades, it requires connections in the fashion industry. It's all about networking and the people you meet in college that can help you get to where you want to be in the long run. Another helpful piece of advice that Elyse gave us was to take the opportunity to go on the Spring break, New York trip if we get a chance before we graduate from college. Because whenever she went her junior year she made out 20 resumes and passed them out all over New York City and actually got a call back from a major lingerie company. Even though she decided that her job at Westminster was more important and right for her at the time, if it weren't for the NY trip she would have never known that she was capable and living in the fashion capital of the world. That to me is a big deal and reason enough to get me excited to go on the trip myself and make the most of my time her at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

SWEATSHOPS

ANTI-SWEATSHOPS


A Sweatshop is a working facility with very difficult or dangerous conditions, usually where the workers have few rights or ways to address their absence of necessary rights. This can include exposure to harmful materials, hazardous situations, extreme temperatures, or sexual abuse from employers. Sweatshop employees are often forced to work long hours for little or no pay, regardless of any laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. Child labor laws may almost certainly be violated as well. Although sweatshops are knowledgeably illegal, the companies and people that support them and buy into them choose to turn their heads when asked about the touchy subject.
I choose to follow those who stand against this inhuman and criminal act in our society. Sweatshops are found in countries like China, India, and even here in the United States. If we don’t do something now our jobs and the lives of those who slave day in and day out in the sweatshops will most certainly be in danger. In the Fashion Industry, sweatshops are just apart of what you sign up for. Without the sweatshops, clothing companies such as Liz Claiborne and Nike would have to fork over more money to pay for labor here in the US. They would never do this because it means more money lost for the company and less profit for themselves. But if some how we all got on board and work together to but an end to the production of sweatshops we could change the world and the lives of those working in the sweatshops.
I believe that everyone, White, Black, Indian, Muslim, Chinese, or Asian should have the same opportunities as we do here in America. I think it is our duty as American citizens to help different countries better themselves, because whether our country is thriving or not, we are weak if we don’t do our part and help. These people that have to work in sweatshops to support their families should be payed properly, even if that means that clothing companies have to pay a little bit more money to have their clothing made legally. Not just because it's the right thing to do but because when we do this we are undoubtedly shaving thousands upon thousands of lives.

Milan fashion week

Spring 2009 Milan Fashion Week

In a time when our economy is a bad place right now, the fashion industry is at a bit of a transitional point right now. Usually when you think of Milan fashion week, above all you think of cutting edge looks and the highest of all the fashion weeks. But this year we saw a lot more usable clothing compared to past years. Due to the war going on in Iraq, our gas shortage, stock market crass, and the global warming crisis designers have I think realized that woman want durable, usable, and long lasting clothing that they can pull out of their closet year after year.
In Milan this year designers showed a lot of transparent pieces that appealed to the innocents and sensual side of woman that lets them have an escape from reality. Also the 20’s fringe was a big trend this year also, because again the designers strives to have classic pieces that women could wear over and over again. Instead of the typical space age collections that we usually see from the runways of Milan, we saw classic vintage 20’s, transparent fabric, and geometric shapes in their place.
Each year we expect to see artistic clothing that is cutting edge in the fashion industry and always ahead of the pact. But this year usable clothing was shown, for the most part, in Milan. Aside from the big height trend with extremely high platform heels and exaggerated geometric shapes, the collections this year in Milan were very usable instead of the more artistic look.

Trends of the paris Fashion Week

Trends of the Paris Fashion Week

Tribal Chic

Alexander McQueen and Louis Vuitton were both designers that brought a tribal element into their collections at Paris Fashion Week. Louis Vuitton’s collection brought an ethnic feel to his elaborate and big jewelry pieces. His shoes were a masterpiece in themselves, telling a story of a girl trapped in a luxurious African jungle. McQueen collection was a different tribal feel, in that it spoke more futuristically than traditional like Vuittons. He showed different and elaborate patterns on architecturally, eye-popping clothes. The visually stunning jewels and luxurious fabric brought a modern approach to these tribal inspired collections.

Feminine Elegance

Designers like Lanvin, John Galliano, and Chloe; all showed collections that were very feminine and flattering for all body types. Lanvin’s collection was monotone in color, but seemed to flow with ease off the body. It’s architecturally modern elements makes his piece modern. John Galliano’s collection was feminine, but with a very apparent inspiration from “little Bo Peep” and “Alice and Wonderland”. His pieces felt dreamlike and very fantasy inspired. Chloe’s collection, on the other hand was young and fresh. It was more addressed to a younger audience with soft pastel colors and elegant cuts on dresses and jumpsuits.

Inspiration and Design

Inspiration and Design

When I sit down and start sketching out a new design of mine for fun, I usually do so when the mood strikes me. This means when I'm outside and I see something in nature that I find beautiful and inspires me, I get my sketch pad and pencil and I start drawing. I find my inspiration in the flowers, leaves and simplicity of the trees. The simplest form of nature can capture your eye and make you think of a beautiful piece of clothing that can come from it. When I was walking through the woods with my sister and dog I got inspired by the way the autumn wind blow the leaves on the trees. So I immediately thought of a wide leg trouser pant that would emulate the length of the trees and a flowing Shaw wrap that resembles the tops of the trees. The argyle print tied the look together for this fall look. So whenever the mood strikes me to pick up a pencil and piece of paper I sketch exactly whats on my mind at the time and start drawing.

Ethnic Influences on Apparel Design

Ethnic Influences on Apparel Design

Alexander Wang's Retro Spring 2009 collection

Designers are constantly influenced by different things around them. cultures,
ethnic groups, and certainly location all play an important roll in the designs and
motifs behind the designer's collection that season. But with research on these things for their latest collections they don't always have to get their passport to find inspiration. For instance, Miami is a very important destination that hot, up and coming designers go to for inspiration.
Alexander Wang's spring 2009 ready-to-wear collection was inspired by the bright and vibrant city of Miami. Miami vice to be exact was his major source of influence and this was shown through the bright and sharp colors in his collection that exuded the 80's. These bright pastel colors infused with dark blacks were very much fashion forward and an interesting take on a 80's retro redo, if you will. His mix of bright and dark colors were appealing to the eye and you could have easily seen them on the streets of New York or LA today.
So location and ethnic influence most definitely make up a lot of the influence in a designers collection whether it be Milan, Italy, Brooklyn, or Japan the cultural background is apparent in the clothes we wear every day. In American most of the clothes that we were on a regular basis are a mixture of different cultures, country's, and ethnic backgrounds. But the sad part is that probably 90% of us don't even realize this because it never crosses our minds that we could be wearing the same thing that a girl in the 3rd world country of Ethiopia would wear. It just goes to show you that such great influence goes into the way we dress everyday.

2008 New York Fashion Week

Trends of 2008 New York Fashion Week

One of the more significant trends this year at New York fashion week is “Country Chic” dress. Things like plaid, tweed, and fur were shown on the runway by Alexander McQueen, Thakoon, Michael Kors, and Carolina Herrera. These designers have taking a whole new perspective on the country life. Revamping the typical plaid blouse with lace and frill that just screams feminine and sophistication. My absolute favorite though is Michael Kors’s fall collection. His mix classic tweed and luxurious furs exudes grace and richness. Kors’s collection is very much so the classic American standard and always catered to a classy yet sexy woman.

Simple, monotone fabrics were another trend seen for this fall. Geometrical and architecturally formed clothing was shown on the runway by many a designer at New York Fashion Week this year. Classic blacks, greys, and shades of white transcended a new age of simplicity for fall fashion. Pant suits, blouses, jackets, and dress were all one note colors. Designers such as Jill Sander, Calvin Klein, and Yves Saint Laurent were supporting this new age philosophy.

My Most favorite trend shown this year has to be the superhero inspired trend. Graphic and bold prints mixed with jarred clothing made for a great comic book illustration. This futuristic, fashion forward trend can only led to better things to come. Empowering women to dress like “Super” women gives me every more reason to follow the path of designers like Balenciaga and Fendi. Their collections inspire me to lay on the dark eyeshadow, dress in my sexiest back trench coat with heels and strut down the city of New York, quietly fighting crime while doing so.

Works Cited

• http://www.style.com/trendsshopping/trendreport/072808/tendency

• http://www.style.com/trendsshopping/trendreport/072808/countrylife