The other side of the Industry: A visit to In

High school was when I took my first fashion class at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.  We learned about the In’s and outs of fashion merchandising.  While I was there, I would see displays of incredibly unique and innovative ideas by the design students who were given themed assignments to design,  and were displayed in the main entrance of the school.  Since I was there for the month of May, around graduation time, I was able to see a fashion show that our professor had recorded from graduation, and for the first time see a collection of these talented students. 

         Today we visited the Instituto Secoli, a fashion school in Milan that has been in existence since 1934.  The Instituto Secoli is primarily for design and very similar to F.I.T.   On our visit here  we met the president of the school, Stefano Secoli, viewed the  collections of the students that just graduated, and had a tour of the school.  

Stefano Secoli

       In fashion, there are two categories that a garment is distinguished in, Altelier and  prêt-a-porter.  Stefano Secoli talked to us about the process of creating prêt-a-porter (ready to wear), explaining that it is the want to produce something unique.  However, prêt-a-porter is what is considered the industry side of fashion, where it is mass marketed, and is not made to measure.  Haute Couture, which is referred to as Atelier is made to measure, and is the second part of this industry.  Secoli explained that when something is Haute Couture it is “handmade and made to measure”.  Being a fashion student for the business side of this industry, my expertise are not focused on design and the production side of fashion.  

      I know the steps and process of making a garment, and putting together a fashion show, but unlike the students at these two design schools that I admire so much, I have not experienced it first hand.  On our tour of the school after watching the fashion show, I saw the difference between classes and the atmosphere of a classroom for a fashion deign student, in comparison to the business of fashion classes that I am use to.

A fashion show begins from an idea or inspiration (which is the collection),  design, product development, patents, samples (which are created for the fashion show), orders (from the buyers), and the production (of the orders).

     Fashion today can easily be recreated and that garment can instantly lose its uniqueness.  “A key point of a fashion show is to make it impossible to copy”, says Stefano Secoli.   This industry is so broad, that you can learn something new about it almost everyday.  Although one may have the title of a fashion major, their studies can be very different, i.e the design students at colleges such as the Instituto Secoli, F.I.T, Parons or L.I.M, may see the more creative side of fashion, compared to a Johnson and Wales fashion student, who understands the business perspective of the fashion industry.  This was a great visit to see the difference in a design student’s education, especially in Milan, the fashion capital of the world.   But one thing that all fashion students have a common ground in, is the ability to know what to look for in fashion; quality, uniqueness, fit and design detail.

Reuniting with White Sposa

          Last week during fashion week we were all introduced to Simona Polli, the editor of White Sposa magazine.  Our first time meeting her, she introduced us to the designers of the wedding gowns that will be in the September issue of White Sposa, which we were all fortunate enough to preview before the magazine is released.  Considering there were wedding gowns everywhere, our emotions were occupied on the “fairy tale” atmosphere.  Today, the atmosphere was a little different when we visited the office of White Sposa, where we were introduced to everyone that is part of the publishing house, and got to understand the process in creating a magazine from start ton finish. 

Elena Todros  shooting for an Editorial

    Simona Polli, the editor of White Sposa graciously welcomed us and introduced us to Elena Todos, the fashion editor who manages the working team, and assesses strategies and methods to perfect the editorials in the magazine. 

   Before we got to talk with Elena and Simona about their involvement in the magazine, we were able to see each different area of the office.  Rita Vossi, who is the originator of White Sposa and is the editor in chief, was fortunately in her office while we were there, and we were lucky enough to meet her.  Rita Vossi is also Simona Polli’s mother.  Her idea in creating this wedding magazine was simply because Italy had no magazines for a bride, so she started her own.

       There are 10 roles and skills that are part of the publishing house that make this magazine successful, which include the publisher, editor, art director, graphic design, editorial staff, journalist, fashion editor, print production, accounting office and sales.  The philosophy at White Sposa magazine is all about Team Work.  As a team, each of the offices that present the roles and skills above, work together to produce an excellent issue, that takes 1 month to create.  

    The process for the duration of this month consists of ideas, proposals, and feedback that coincide with their budget. Once these are all in order, then the production team can work to create the issue.  There are 3 issues that are created each yea, December, May and September.  

  As we have been told various times throughout this trip, to be in this industry there is no better key to success than passion. For every question that was asked, Elena explained with passion.  She not only demonstrated passion through her experience in this industry, but talking about each particular editorial, such as the photographer, the idea of the photograph, the location etc.  She had a story about each, and it truly showed that she does more than complete her job.  She gets to know the people that she works with and has  first hand experience and control of what is going in White Sposa.  She is an admirable person with her active involvement in the industry working for White Sposa, and being a milliner, and free lance writer 

       

  

           

  White Sposa magazine separates themselves from the competition, through quality, reaching to the bridal markets outside of Italy of 31 other countries, and they keep the layout of the magazine  “sophisticated and elegant” (Elena Todros) such as their editorials being strictly full pictures, eliminating collages.   The final product of this magazine reaches a select amount of news stands and popular book stores. 

    It was interesting to see how all areas of this industry work together in production of one magazine.  

Art vs Fashion: Bob Krieger

Bob Krieger is an Italian photographer, who has been recognized worldwide, for his work in fashion and portraiture.  Krieger exudes his passion for neoclassical art, which is the classical revival in European art, architecture, and interior design, through his work. His work is exhibited at the Museo Palazzo Reale in Milan, which is where I visited today.  
Below is a painting of one of his works that was part of this exhibit, and a similar work of art through fashion.  

                           A R T                                             vs                       F A S H I O N    

Looking past the color similarities and more towards the element of texture and shape, the Triton skirt from the Sao Paulo runway for Spring/Summer 2012, and the art work of Krieger, both have a two tone color and demonstrate similar textures between the hair in the eyebrow and the feathers on the skirt.  There are faded and blurred lines of the persons skin and of gold that create a focus to the eye.  It noticed that for the skirt the same idea is captured in the lines on the white fabric.  The comparison of Krieger's art and Tritions fashion focus on the similar textures of the eyebrow and feather as well as the accents to the main attention grabbers in each works, which are the gold line and the lines around the skirt.  

Art History: Neoclassicism: (1750 - 1830)

http://wwar.com/masters/movements/neoclassicism.html

Milan Today.  "Bob Krieger, in mostra al Palazzo Reale".

http://www.milanotoday.it/eventi/mostre/mostra-bob-krieger-palazzo-reale-milano.html

"Photography in Milan with the Hotel St. George and Bob Krieger

http://www.hotelstgeorge-milan.com/2011/06/photography-in-milan-with-the-hotel-st-george-and-bob-krieger/

Cultural Adventure: Mission Accomplished

 For our last cultural mission, we were sent to find four different stores. These stores were not on the main streets and instead were down the side streets in little holes. 

1.) The first store Angela Caputi Giuggiu had hand made jewelry from Florence. The store also had  
handbags and hats all made of natural materials. The jewelry was big and chunky with bright colors.

             

                                                                                       2.) The second store was Venini; here we found hand made glass furnishings that were all made in Veroni. Even with the stores long history and tradition, the pieces were all very unique and modern. The   colors were bright and shined with the artistic and innovative designs.

                           

3.) The third store was the Lisa Corti textile store. The store had fabrics that were hand crafted in India and then designed and turned into clothing, bedding, bags, and accessories in Italy. In the back of the store there was a design studio and sewing machines. The store was very bright with all of the different patterns and the hand-painted floors were just as unique as the merchandise.

4.) The last store was Bellora, a bed and bath store. The color theme was pastels and the key furniture  
pieces were painted white. All of the products are made from an Italian company, however the classic pieces are produced in Turkey. The main material being used throughout the store was wood and cotton.

    As a group we discussed why we would be sent to these very different stores. We saw a couple major themes as we moved from each store. The colors were captivating and the quality was always top notch. The atmosphere of each store was fun and inviting while also having a homey feel. Although not all of the products were made in Italy, the stores still had the complete pride in their handcrafted pieces that Italian merchants have always had.

        As we enter the industry, these stores reminded us of the two main factors that impact the fashion industry. Quality and uniqueness are what helps products stand out against the standard designer labels. As we have learned in classes, this industry is very competitive. These stores all have specialized products and in order to be as successful they have to be different in the experience that they give their customer along with the product. This allows the stores to be distinct in their categories within the industry. From this we can take the same mentality and make ourselves stand out against our competition as we grow in our chosen fields.

      If any of these stores were to come to the United States, they would be successful. They offer the customer quality and style that Americans are looking for. As some of these stores are small, they would present their customers exclusivity within the American market. We are glad we got to see these four hole in the wall stores and grow from the experience.

Art vs Fashion: Museum of "Contemporary" Art

                                        

                             

       

    Achille Fontanelli (Modena 1775 - Milan 1838)                                                              Alexander McQueen

             Italian Nationalist                                                                                                               Cruise/ Resort 2012

Silhouette and embroidery are the two focal points of comparison between the painting of Achille Fontanelli, by artist Andrea Appiani, and the garment from the 2012 Cruise/ Resort collection by designer Alexander McQueen.  Looking at these creations side by side, I first noticed the shape of the collar, the curve and cut of the fabric and  and the emphasis to the waist line.  It is obvious that the Alexander McQueen design emphasizes the body of the model more than the painting, considering it is a modernized creation.  Achille Fontanellis 18th century garment in the painting is more layered and seems it is a heavy fabric, which was common during that period, signifying wealth and status.  


There is detail along the collar of the Andrea Appiani painting, that continues along the trim of the cape.  The embroidered detail is threading of an almost leaf like motif.  The motif in the garment is very similar to the embroidery of bronze thread and gemstones that is on the shoulder and skirt part of the back of this McQueen gown.  


Browsing through images of current women's couture fashion from 2012, to 18th century fashion of a man, demonstrates that fashion is repetitive in all elements, but to make a contrast for uniqueness is knowing how to modernize the garment and make it fit to the body, like the Alexander McQueen design is above.   


Last year in my Apparel Quality analysis, we constructed a garment from the Marie Antoinette period, using patterns from a silhouette of that style, but our own fabric and design.  It was not an easy task to create a corset and correctly fit it to the body.  During the Marie Antoinette period, there were layers under the garment that we are not use to wearing in modern fashion, such as the layers of fabric that Fontanelli wears in the painting above.  Having the experience of creating a garment of an unfamiliar shape and adding our own design allowed me to be creative and understand the relation of art vs fashion and how designers interpret art in a modernized fashion. 

Sleeping late in Milan means until 9 am

         Today for the first time in a long time our schedule was empty.  We were free to do what we pleased and did not have to visit a museum ( not that I mind them at all ), but shopping is always a lot more appealing than a museum; I am sure any fashion major would attest to that.  My day of shopping started  in Porta Venezia, where we stopped when we went to see the vendors and buyers for White Sposa.  I really enjoyed the Armani Bookstore right off of the Metro stop Montenapoleone.  The selection of books in this store were perfect for a fashion major.  They had books on various designers, Italian textiles and construction garments etc.  It was a great book store, that I plan on returning to before I leave.

  After the book store we shop we walked around the area to explore more shops.  It is funny what you can find on the little sidewalks of Italy.  Walking around I noticed a beautiful dress in a small boutique window.  It turned out to be a dress worn by Kate Middleton.  The rest of the day consisted of more cardio while shopping and exploring new places in Milan, and a low key night of a new place we discovered for aperitivo and some homework. It was overall and enjoyable and relaxing day off.

Culture Group: Via Della Moda Pitti Market

While at Pitti market, our culture group saw many different trends. Some of the trends we saw of the people walking around were suits, vests, lightweight sweaters, rolled pants, and bright colored sneakers. For trends from the vendors we saw, Hawaiian theme shirts, eco-friendly materials, straw hats, scarves, derby and top hats, wood watches, art work printed t-shirts, converse shaped shoes, and loafers.

As a group, we have a couple different self-inflicted prejudices while seeing what the vendors at Pitti market had to offer the buyers. We see scarves on men in the winter seasons for warmth, but not on men during the spring and summer months as a simple trend. As a group, we thought it would be hard to buy scarves for men in our stores even though it is becoming a major trend here in Italy.

Another prejudice we had was towards the trend of the different types of hats that the vendors were showing. The hats they had were top, derby and fedoras. As we are from America, we are used to the sports logos and baseball hats. The more formal hats are not seen that often and a prejudice has been formed against them.

The last prejudice we had was towards the Hawaiian shirts and floral prints. As young adults, we see a Hawaiian shirt and think of an old man who is retired. If we were buyers in a younger, hipper store the Hawaiian shirts would be hard to buy for the company with our preconceived notion.

We believe we have these prejudices because of our demographic. We are not used to seeing the European trends and the backgrounds we have create these. In industry we will have to look past this and really understand the market we are trying to reach in our stores and our customer wants and needs in order to cater to them. If we are able to get past these prejudices, we will be successful in the industry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjYH6hE6FwQ

"You can't drink wine with a plastic glass" . . . Meeting Orietta, a Fashion Forecaster

Having past experiences of creating several trend boards of trends that have already been forecasted for the season ahead, i always wondered what the life of a trend forecaster is like.  From my own experience and comprehension of forecasting a trend, I know that attention to detail and ability to observe and see the art in all aspect and dimensions is crucial.
   Today I was able to understand the foundation of trend forecasting and the process in depth.  A fashion forecaster uses all senses to observe a forecast.  Orietta is a trend forecaster who spoke to us today , explaining her experiences of what it is like to be a forecaster in terms of art, travel, business, and journalism.  Orietta observes what happens in fashion by observing people and everything that gets her attention.
    Fashion is forecasting first and business second.  Oriettas career as a fashion forecaster had taken her to all different parts of the world, to observe the creativity, business and social interaction of their culture.  She visits many different art fairs such as the Basel Art Fair in Switzerland, and the Miami Art Fair. Orietta also travels to present the latest trends of Italian shoes.  Orietta does not work alone, she works with a group of people that focus in a particular segment of fashion (i.e menswear, accessories).  When creating a trend and a personal style, it is not about fashion logos and wearing and flaunting them, it is about representing yourself in the way you dress.  The places where people live can influence a style, particularly because of their cultural difference and beliefs.  This may not only influence the style but their shopping habits as well.  For example, department stores in Italy is not popular like it is in the U.S. People in Italy want only a few options and to know it is unique.
     The general message that I have learned from Orietta about trend forecasting is that in order to create a trend that will be accepted and market successful, a forecaster must be open minded to all surrounding, culture, people style... Everything

Drum Roll Please: Vladimiro Gioa and JWU Wed Reality Party

The night we have all been anxious for, the night that has been creating such build up especially after meeting Vladimiro and being filmed by FashionTimes on every trip we took.  Last night was when the winner was announced.   Since we left the country, we all knew that there would be a life changing opportunity up for grabs, to a student that showed passion, exuded knowledge of this industry and that would dedicate their time to live in Italy for 6 months, where that person would work for Vladimiro Gioia and Maria Chiara. 

  The night began when we got to Lotvs which is a restaurant and lounge located in Corso Como.  This cocktail party was in honor of Vladimiro Gioia and to all of the JWU Wed Reality students.  There was a VIP section reserved for all of us where we toasted to the success of this trip, reflected back on our experiences, took tons of pictures, and all in all enjoyed each others company.  There was very delicious food at this cocktail party and by far the best potatoes I have ever eaten in my life.  After we enjoyed some food and champagne, Professor St. Jean and Professor Caloura presented Maria, Fulvio and Elise with the journals we had all written our thank you’s in the night before, followed by Maria showing her appreciation for all of us by giving us certificates as a thank you for our participation with the projects we created for Vladimiro Gioia. 

Finally!  The winner was announced.  And the winner is . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Annie Rustekia! 
(Congratulations!!)

After we celebrated and cheered to success and luck, we left Lotvs to stroll around Curso Como before "zee club", Club Old Fashioned (In Milan, 11:00 is early to go to a club).  When we got to the club it was quite overwhelming and a different atmosphere than I would expect in America.  I was taken by surprise of how big this outside club was, and how it was packed with people.  It was clearly a popular place, and a place to go to to have a memorable night; and so we did.  I noticed when I got there, there people smoking on the dance floor, definitely not something that is common in the U.S, but this is Europe and there are not as many NO SMOKING signs as there are back at home.  I did enjoy that there was a mix of Italian music and American music, so that there were songs I could dance to and songs that I enjoyed hearing for the first time.  After several hours of dancing,  I finally heard my pillow calling my name.  The night was an incredible night, where we were all able to spend together as a group and have a good time.  It was nice that as a group, we were able to celebrate this night with Maria, Fulvio, Elise and Elenora and let loose of the tiring and hectic past few days.  I am so glad that we were able to have had a night like this, it was unforgettable.  

Milan Mens Fashion Week Continued: Gazzarrini and Enrico Coveri

As I have experienced while on this trip, one thing that is consistent in this industry is change.    Besides the obvious change of this industry, which is the fashion (trends fade and new styles develop), schedules are also part of this change. Things do not always go as planned for good or bad, and even though you plan your entire day, it is not always promised  that it will go that way, and it is never written in stone.  For me and the rest of the 21 students and professors, our plans changed for the better.  Instead of visiting a museum and having class time, we were invited last minute to attend 2 other fashion shows; Gazzarrini and Enrico Coveri.  Two very different designers in terms of style and aesthetic, but very similar designers when it comes to wowing the audience and producing an amazing collection.    

 After yesterday, I knew to have my camera ready outside and expect to snap some interesting photos at both of these shows of the unique and elaborate attire I expected to see.  Pictured below are just a few photos of outfits that I was able to snap pictures of:

Gazzarrini was the first show for the day that we attended. The collection was a contemporary recreation of the 1940s era, with  brown plaid, higher waisted pants, a soft scarf tucked into the shirt, and an overall palette of duller colors such as navy blue and camel color beige (which was seen on the linen pants and a color for some of the blazers).  The contemporary recreation was incorporated through the subtle splashes of color which were different shades of mint green (as pants, blazer and socks, and shades of a vibrant red).  Geometric patterns such as the one pictured below was another accent that made this a modernized 1940’s look .  In this collection there was also windbreaker jackets that were synched at the waist and had many pockets that exuded a modern look. 

With very little time in between shows, we hustled over to the Enrico Coveri show.  Of the three shows, all of which I enjoyed and was amazed by, the Enrico Coveri show was my favorite.  Besides the fact the designer  is a color genius, the atmosphere, pace and liveliness of the show immediately grabbed my attention and made me extra enthused about the collection.  Before the show started, I made conversation with a man from South Africa named Niel, who worked for MensHealth South Africa.  He was telling me all of the shows he attended while at men’s fashion week in Milan.  Unlike myself, this was not his first time at an Enrico Coveri show.  He explained that Enrico Coveri designs are always very colorful and that the shows are always upbeat and fun.  The second the show started and the first model walked down the runway, I knew he was a trustworthy man.  There were 5 colors that I noticed as a part of his collection, purple, pink (hot pink), green, turquoise and yellow, and ended the show with black.  The show began with funky, retro patterns with purple as the dominant color and touches of pink, on the women dresses, mens blazer and swimsuits.  The patterns were geometric and very 60’s inspired, it reminded me very much of an Emilio Pucci print, who happens to be my favorite designer.  There was jewelry that was paired with the purple pieces from the collection, of big plastic circle shapes, giving an extra flair to the retro style and worn as a statement piece. Plaid was also seen a lot in this collection, primarily in the menswear like a blazer and pant.  After the funky retro patterns and pastel color plaid, I noticed there was a lot of sequins incorporated in the collection, for the women designs, in hot pink and in all of the colors that were in the fashion show.  I thought the evening wear of sequin gowns with the all white tuxedos (with a splash of color on the lapel and bow tie), was the perfect way to end a fashion show because of its obvious wow factor.