by | Apr 27, 2014 | Fashion |
Hi Elegant Readers,
I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with fashion designer Camilla Olson. She allowed me to sample one of her luxurious pieces and to write a review of it (click HERE for the review). I also had a chance to ask her questions about her designs and her company. She is an inspiration for women at any age. If you really want to achieve your dreams, you have to go out and just do it.
Camilla Olson via plum alley
1. With a BA in Microbiology and an MBA in Marketing, what made you pursue a career in Fashion? As a graduate of the Academy of Art, describe the experience of showing your designs at the 2011 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week? Were you nervous, excited?
I had careers in science and business that utilized my training.
Later in life ….
My family was not wealthy and my mother sewed most of my clothes. I also sewed, but I never liked the design or skill that I produced. There is a side story about my daughter wanting to be a designer, and I fought her. Wanting to convince her that it was a bad move, I took her to a local school for an open house. To make a long story short, I enrolled at 53 years old and she studied finance! MBFW was the thrill of a lifetime, but I was exhausted, and backstage, I didn’t see it live. I also bought new heels and my feet were killing me. Still I was 10 feet high. I don’t think nerves were a part of that day, because there were so many days of nerves before getting there. By time we got there, I knew I belonged, there was just a lot of work and I had to be very focused.
2. How did you go from your MFA degree in Fashion Design to being able to have a business with staff?
I’ve started 5 other companies; so I knew some of the things to do. To fully answer this is an mba in itself. the first thing is to get a product, find some where to make it, find the materials, get some customers, and hope to get some money. All those things fell into place for me. I’ve also been blessed with wonderful people to work with. We have a wonderful team.
3. What advice would you give a person who has a passion for fashion and would like to get in to the design fashion industry?
Please work with someone who knows what they are doing; then partner with a businesses person. I’ve started 5 companies in biotech and I thought that would help me, but it was only a small help. No one would hire me at my age so I had no choice, but it was difficult and expensive to learn. Also, the important thing is to make sure you have a clear vision and a differentiated voice. There are so many designers out there, how are you going to stand out? You have to have a clear answer to that. [it took me 3 years to figure that one out.]
4. Your designs are beautiful. What inspires you? Motivates you? What inspired your 2014 Spring Collection?
I’m in a moment of transition. I was working with the fashion calendar using literary, geographic references in my fashion. But I realized that so many designers are working for those 29% of women who are passionate about fashion. What about the other 71%? Now I’m working through how to reach her. So I’m less interested in the inspiration than into how to reach her, how to talk with her. Once I see how to dialog with this woman then I will see what inspirations she wants. As for 2014 spring, it was mostly from our Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) collection. I focused on shirts that haven’t gotten much attention in the recent past. But I think the shirt is the “business end of women” as they sit at a table or desk.
5. Describe the woman who buys and is wearing your designs? What is her lifestyle?
Why would she pick your designs over another designer? See answer to question number four.
6. Describe your design principle of how nine pieces can make 30 outfits?
This is a styling question. I am working on a design principle, but more detail will remain proprietary for the moment. [your questions are pretty good! Are you looking for a job? ]
7. What is the process for choosing fabric choices for your current designs?
Very simple. MUST BE soft and feel good. And be washable.
8. What was the experience like designing an Oscar dress for Betsy Franco (mother of James Franco) for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards? How did that change your business?
Link to San Francisco Gate article here.
9. How did actress, Tanna Frederick, become the face of your brand?
My pr agent found her. Tanna and I had an instant connection and there was no question that we should work together. So far, it has been a remarkable time together. It is truly a win-win. She is just releasing her new film The M Word about menopause. It is really funny.
Tanna Frederick for Camilla Olson
Your short film, “Identity” is so cool and retro chic. What was your inspiration for this film? Do you have plans to do more short films for your line? We filmed it at a Frank Lloyd Wright designed Civic Center in Marin County. There is an extraordinary 2nd floor with escalators, sky light and windows that you can see in the windows. It show so well with our caging. Our art director and film team conceived the film and executed it flawlessly. I’m thrilled with it.
Tanna and I just finished 4 films. We are just finishing the music for them. They are artistic and realistic in a fun way. I cannot wait for you to see them. Two are two additional collections of 9 making 30+ looks. We filmed Tanna in all 30+ looks in one take; dressing and undressing in front of the camera. The result is gorgeous. We did that for two complete sets of 9 in one day. It was exhausting. The third film is Tanna as 5 “different” women wearing the same shirt. And the last is called Muse; it will be a surprise.
10. What’s a typical day in the life of designer Camilla Olson?
Each day is a surprise. It is usually quiet until 10 am and I can get some work done. Then I am busy responding to other people until about 5 pm. At this point my husband comes home and I try to get back to getting “my” work done. All the work changes day to day and week to week depending on where we are in the calendar.
11. Aside from the Fashion Industry, what do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?
I try to sleep when I can, but I am lucky when I get enough. I love catching up with my son and daughter and spend time with my husband. Fortunately, I have a lot of girlfriends and often walk the neighborhood or hills with them. We love our dog, Licky, travelling and film.
Camille’s dog Licky
Next week I’ll be at the DGA in LA for the Am Film Inst showcase for women directors. I work with one of the directors (dressing her for this and other events) and am costume director on one of her feature films. It is the most exciting thing on my plate right now.
Ms. Olson thank you for taking time out of your full schedule to answer my questions, it has been a pleasure working with you and your company.
by | Apr 25, 2014 | Accessories, Fashion |
If you have not been to the optometrist for a few years, you might not be aware of the health of your eyes. For many people, it is a job that they know needs to be done, but it just gets pushed back in the place of other daily life occurrences and tasks that take priority. It’s a common trend, so you aren’t alone if this rings true with you!
However it can really be in your best interests to go to the opticians – an appointment will usually take less than 30 minutes and in that time your eyes will get properly assessed by a trained professional.
Not only that, but other illnesses can sometimes be identified through an eye test, meaning there are wider health benefits too. Of course, if you find out that you need a form of vision aid, you will need to pick between glasses or contact lenses, otherwise your eyes could suffer in the long term.
This blog post should go some way to helping you decide what is right for your needs…
Thinking about glasses?
There are plenty of terms used when it comes to glasses: frames, lenses, bifocals, reading, VDU and specs are just some of them. It can be a bit confusing when you get your first ever pair of glasses, so it is important to seek clarification from your optician if you have questions about when and where you are supposed to wear them.
Despite many people complaining about wearing glasses, the right frames can actually look incredibly flattering. It is all about choosing the right style and shape to suit your face; there are resources online perfect for this. However, glasses won’t appeal to everyone; they are known to be quite restrictive during the participation of certain sports and activities. For that reason, contact lenses can often provide a suitable alternative.
Thinking about contact lenses?
At many free eye tests you can speak to an optician about your suitability for contact lenses. Many people choose to wear these hidden optical aids, especially if they take part in sports such as tennis or running. The main reason for this is because they stay put on your face, unlike many fragile frames.
Other people pick them for fashion and style reasons, believing that they are more versatile than glasses. Yet the cost of buying contact lenses can be greater than the price of a pair of glasses, so this is also worth taking into consideration.
Thinking about ignoring your prescription?
Some people choose to avoid wearing any lenses altogether, even when they are told they have a prescription. It’s easy to understand why this could be a tempting option – it seems less hassle and expense – but ultimately it can create further problems. Firstly you must be able to easily read a car license plate to do your driving test, and you could be breaking the law if you drive with poor eyesight that is not corrected with suitable aids such as glasses or contact lenses. You may also suffer from headaches if you are straining your eyes to see a screen or to focus on something in particular.
Remember, you only get one pair of eyes, and therefore looking after them is absolutely vital.
* promotional content *
by | Apr 19, 2014 | Fashion |
Hello Bubbly Readers,
It’s Holy Week and Easter (Resurrection Sunday). It is time for me to take a moment to meditate on what Jesus did for me and the world.
The Camilla Olson team recently contacted me about collaborating on a product review one of the items from the designer’s current collection. After looking through the assortment of wardrobe-building pieces, I selected the Bubble dress to sample and to write a honest review.
Camilla’s Designs:
Fashion for Busy Women | 30 Looks from 9 Washable Pieces
“While I love to look at the latest fashion designs and styling tips, I never thought they spoke to me, and my life. We are designing for busy women, who understand the need to dress well, effortlessly, and whom fashion designers and retailers generally ignore. Our designs are appropriate for both work and social situations. Pieces are easy to care for and can be grouped so 9 pieces will give 30 looks. Rather than providing basics, we focus on luscious fabrics, flattering design, and interesting details. All our work is sewn in California using both domestic and imported fabrics.” Camilla Olson on www.CamillaOlson.com
Camilla is a graduate of the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I have also taken few classes from the Academy in the Fashion Merchandising program. Camilla graduated with a MFA in Fashion and Textile Design. Her designs have been shown at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. She started her own company in 2011 and has not looked back. She is a very talented lady.
The bubble dress that I sampled is 65% Rayon, 23% Polyester and 12% Spandex. The pointe dress has 3/4′ length sleeves, perfect for showing off bracelets.
The Care for the dress is Machine wash cold. Lay flat to dry.
The dress is made in America! Gotta love that!
JT styling the dress with her potay necklace
The dress has a bubble hem. The structure and detail of the dress flatters my figure very well. The fabric of the dress is a substantial weight. However, I prefer wearing a slip shaper underneath for a smooth line.
The dress would be a work horse in your closet and a chameleon because it can be worn with so many different pieces.
In the picture below, I have styled the dress with my own ivory leather jacket and pink boucle jacket. I could wear these looks to church, the office or to a special event. The options are mine.
The Bubble dress styled with a leather jacket (left) and a Boucle jacket (right).
Wearing the dress alone is a treat as well. Here is another picture of how I styled the dress with my potay necklace and Coach magenta purse.
Effortless and easy going dressing for a night out with the hubby.
The Bubble Dress retails for $155.00. I know at that price point that it would be an investment purchase for many people. However, Camilla is giving my readers a 20% discount.
When placing your order on Camilla Olson’s website, please include this promo code: <BLOGGERLOVE> to receive your discount.
I received this dress as a sample. After I styled it and finished this review, I mailed it back to Camilla Olson.
Stay tuned for a post about the Designer, Camilla Olson. I think you enjoy learning more about her.
I have to share a couple cute pics of my doggies. They are always on the photo shoot with me.
Gio and Vinny on the set
Post linked to
Not Dead Yet Style
by | Apr 18, 2014 | Fitness |
Military fitness trainer and inventor of Strength Stack 52 fitness cards, Sergeant Michael Volkin, has only three main rules for staying in shape. He refers to all three of these rules as the DCNs of fitness. “If you use my rules of DCN, you will have a killer body and be healthier than ever” he claims. So what is DCN? We wanted to know too, so we asked Sergeant Volkin.
Question: Sergeant Volkin, you have said the DCNs of fitness encompass everything you need to get and stay in shape, can you tell us what DCN stands for and why it’s so important?
Sergeant Volkin: DCN is an acronym that stands for diversity, consistency and nutrition.
Diversity is important because your body has an amazing ability to adapt to exercises. But people don’t realize that. I see the same people in the gym month after month doing the same exercises. I call those “zombie workouts”. They are just going through the motions. What they don’t realize is after a while (about 4-6 weeks typically) your workouts start to become less and less effective. If you spend about 15 minutes a day planning to make your workout the following day a bit different, the difference it would make in your workout is enormous. Major changes aren’t needed, you could plan to do a new exercise or even change the speed at which you perform your normal routine. That’s one of the biggest benefits to Strength Stack 52. These fitness cards allow you to constantly introduce new exercises into your routine.
The C in DCN is the hardest for most people to accomplish. This stands for consistency. You must exercise consistently to get the results you want. Too many people get motivated sign-up for a gym membership then stop after about a month. Have you ever been to a gym in January? It’s a zoo! New people flood the gym every year because of new year’s resolutions, but by February the newbie’s are nowhere to be found. The best way to exercise consistently is to plan time for your workouts. If you block off an hour a day 7 days a week to work out, you are much more likely to complete your workout. Yes, you should plan for 7 days a week because a couple days out of your week something is going to cause you to cancel your workout. If you plan for 7 and do 5 workouts, that would a fantastic accomplishment. It’s important that you do whatever you can to not schedule anything over your workout time.
The N stands for nutrition. Yes, working out alone could make you fit, but proper nutrition only accelerates that process. I could write a book about how to supplement an exercise program with nutrition, in fact, I have a product soon to be launched called Weight Loss Stack 52 that does just that. But my advice to you is stop with the fad diets. You don’t need to starve yourself to lose weight, you don’t need to avoid all carbs or go on celebrity diets, simply make smart eating decisions. If you’re hungry, eat something, just instead of eating a bagel; eat something healthier, like a piece of fruit.
Combining those three elements, diversity, consistency and nutrition, you will become as healthy as you want to be. Most importantly, accomplishing these three elements won’t change your life. With a little bit of preparation and smart decision making you could make incredible health improvements.
* promotional content *
by | Apr 12, 2014 | Blogging / Technology, Fashion |
Hi Elegant Readers,
On Thursday evening, I went to an exclusive St. Louis Fashion Week VIP Blogger Lounge at the Scape Restaurant in the Central West End. My hubby, co-contributor, Jay really did not know what to expect because this was our first time being at a local blogger event. 15 vendors and 50 bloggers were invited to attend this exclusive event. This was a chance for hubby and I to get to know some of the brands in our local community and get a feel for how they envision their business by collaborating with bloggers.
At events like this I always make sure I have plenty of business cards and press kits handy.
Doors opened at 6pm. Jay and I were a little early so we checked in. I had time to take a picture of this awesome Chihuly artwork that was located in the lobby of the restaurant. We then walked around for a little bit and then we went back upstairs to attend the event.
Bellestyle
The first vendor that we talked to was Heather Krako of Bellestyle. Heather is a jewelry designer who has designed jewelry for Los Angeles fashion week, St. Louis Fashion Week, Good Morning America, Glamour and many more. She beautiful pieces are in high demand. She was very informative about her inspirations and how it truly is a joy for her to create because she is a talented artist. Please look at her jewelry pieces on www.bellestyle.com.
She was so kind that she gave each blogger a free bracelet and a 40% discount on a purchase of any of her items. I chose this one that has a crown charm as my free bracelet.
I purchase a Arizona Turquoise and silver necklace that is beautiful and elegant, but oh so chic.
Dimvaloo
Next we talked with Kate Duryea, the owner of the newly opened Dimvaloo Active Living. In her store, she exclusively carries Australia’s Premier Activewear label. I was able to talk to her about the creator of the activewear Lorna Jane and how the fabric doesn’t pill, durable and last for years.
Dimvaloo top and pants to my left
I will definitely look into this line because its a plus to find activewear that is good quality and sustainable. She was very kind and informative and I am interested in trying out the active wear.
Dimvaloo.com
Soft Surroundings
We stopped at the Soft Surroundings booth and was given coupons and a sample of the Aya Blu fragrance.
I had a my iPad with me so I could show them how I styled a recent post with two skirts from Soft Surroundings. Thank the Lord for having a hotspot it helped so much with showing my blog. They didn’t have any of their clothes at the event, however the latest catalog was available for the taking.
Soft Surroundings ayablu
Triflare
This company has the American dream written all over it. Andrea Robertson, CEO of Triflare created a company that designs active wear for Triathletes. She recently landed a contract to design the swimsuits for the synchronized swimmers at the 2016 Olympic Games. She was award a $50,000 arch grant to start up her company and Alive magazine wrote an article about her and her company. She was so informative about her line and that the company is eighteen months old, so everything write now is so exciting.
Her designs are so cool. When my hubby and I talked with her, she discussed how she works with another designer that use to work at Boeing and specialized in mapping . Her expertise balances out the designs in a swimsuit. This important part of Triflare can make you look slimmer or give you curves, if you need them, it’s all in mapping. This designer tidbit works across the board to give the illusion of looking slimmer of adding curves if you need them.
Triflare suits
I work out and would love to get one of this suit. Robertson is working on moving her business to St. Louis and I can’t wait. I know she is designing mainly for triathletes; but I can see a work out collection in the horizon.
She gave me and the other bloggers who stopped by her display a great bag with a bold pattern, just like her suits.
This post will be in two parts, so stay tuned.
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