Allgemein, Daring fashion, Fashion, Fashion history, Social Commentary

Daring to be YOU

“What it means to wear whatever you want and everyone’s reaction to it.”

All my life I have been on the quest to be authentically and unapologetically myself and not care if I am completely mainstream or so far off of sanity island that a straight jacket is waiting for me.

But actually, not caring is hard y’all!

It’s a long road of self doubt and even self hatred at times. Every little thing I was insecure about, especially with my clothing, was on full display when I threw caution to the wind.

So why did I put myself through that? Why have a neon sign over my head that said “COME JUDGE ME!”?

Because once all of the insecurities lifted, I felt invincible. Even side glances and snarky remarks rolled off of me. My own reassurance was enough to make me happy and confident. When people started to notice my changed attitude the compliments came tumbling in. As if all of the doubt was a test to see if I could stand my ground and having now earned the compliment they were withholding for so long.

I’m going to be honest, the road to not giving a F**k is going to be long and rough, but it is worth every second of suffering. At the end of that sometimes seemingly endless tunnel is a beautiful view of yourself, unfiltered by the hate of the own body.

Loving yourself means being your very own drill sergeant, pushing and pulling to make you better and booty camp ain’t glamorous. It is necessary for the road of self discovery and advancing within ourselves.

Dare to be yourself, not a copy of another image. The You who is bold, the You who is shy, the You who is scared, and the You who is taking the world by storm.

And you never know maybe that You will inspire someone else to become their own version.

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Allgemein

Good Morning Insults

Sometimes I wonder if people realize how their actions and words actually come across to others. Sure you can have a rough day but do you really need to yell at the barista because they’re out of soy milk? It is probably unnecessary to make everyone else as miserable as possible because the coffee shop ran out of blueberry muffins and it really tickled your fancy to have one. We all have bad days and we are allowed to complain, just don’t be the human equivalent of a trash can.

This morning I witnessed a rather, shall we say interesting encounter. Here I was minding my own business, enjoying a hot cup of joe while getting some reading done, when a woman across from me started clucking. I’ll say it again because I couldn’t believe what I was hearing: she was clucking. I looked up thinking she addressed it to me, even though I don’t know why anyone would deserve such attention. Her object of frustration was sitting across the little isle of the train. A young woman with an absent look on her face, filing her nails. I stared for a couple of seconds trying to decipher what the issue was, but averted my gaze when I realized that staring myself wouldn’t help the situation.

My book grabbed my attention once more, until seconds later the clucking began again. This time I knew to ignore it, when it happened a third time the young woman looked up and made eye contact with the insistent clucker.

“Can I help you?” she asked. It was polite enough, yet an edge was to be detected that clearly stated ‘it’s too early for this’.

“Well,” the clucker replied with an audible sigh as if exasperated that her point of discomfort wasn’t obvious. “I don’t think that is an appropriate thing to do on the train.”

My eyes remained firmly on my book but I realized that I’d have to reread this section later. I couldn’t remember a word I had read.

“It doesn’t really matter to me what you find appropriate behavior.” the younger one snapped, clearly already losing her patience. But if I had hoped for a rational response from a persistent hen, I didn’t get what I wanted.

“Next time you could also brush your teeth on the train, since you don’t care.”

The absurdity of that statement made me look up. Really? That’s your best argument? Sometimes I cry for the ineptitude of a wordless population. The young woman stared for a moment, she might even have the same thought process as I had. Sadly she was not much better with her come back.

“Maybe I will.”

So many choices and the infantile ‘maybe I will’ was chosen as the best option. I was kind of disappointed, up to this point I was rooting for her.

With one more cluck the offended turned away with a scoff and looked as if she might burst, while the young woman turned back to filing her nails. For the rest of the journey they kept throwing metaphorical daggers at each other, with me awkwardly sitting in the crossfire.

I was glad to be able to exit the train soon after. Although I kept wondering did they find some sort of common ground? Did they throw more quips at each other, this time a bit more creative?

My questions would never be answered, but one thing I learned that day.

Well maybe two.

The first: Public grooming is frowned upon.

The second: Try to find a better response to shut down an attacker than ‘Maybe I will’.

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Allgemein, Fashion, Fashion history

Raffia Fibers in Fashion

This is an article I wrote for work a couple of months ago about a product we used in the new Collection and how to inform the other stylists about the history and origin.

Raffia Town – where is the inspiration drawn

During the British Era of 1903 in Nigeria Raffia City was a popular post for its location near the coast. Later on during its independence it formed itself into the capitol for its political and cultural progress.

How does that tie into our collection?

The towns cultural nature has a high market for its Raffia Fiber which is won from the Raffia Palm Trees of its region. The fibers are largely used around the world since it is durable and strong, yet still holds a soft ad pliable nature and is easy to dye as well as being biodegradable making it an excellent material for weaving (hats, baskets, as well as textile) the fibers of the leaf of raffia palms are wove by archaic technique of vertical or oblique loom. These types of production looms are indicative to the Asian market since its inception.

When covered with a fine layer of polyethelene it is water and stain resistant enough to be used daily. Many designers have turned to the fibers in the trends in the past several years as basketweave handbags and hats have come back into style. As an example stands out Helen Kaminski’s designs in New York who was a front line pusher for the trend in 2016/17, while using natural Raffia fibers to give it an authentic and durable feel. Quickly adding on others who have joined the trend in 2017 with no price range left out of the trend. Christian Siriano used in his Spring/Summer Collection floral French knots over Chiffon Dresses that were inspired by theRaffia Trend and Dolce and Gabbana and Yves Saint Laurent used Raffia in their Collections Basket Handbags, as an homage to the small town feel of its origin. As well as Scotch&Soda who has had straw hats for the past several Spring/Summer collections including the clutch in the authentic holiday summer look in 2018 (style # 143909) which was woven in the Coil Pattern Weave with a braided surface to give it its signature look.

The rustic and holiday feel is of course not a nw concept, yet the importance here lies in the fibers and the production. As already stated the plant is mostly at home in Africa and Madagascar, as well as Central and South America. Tropical climates are the best condition for the Raffia Palm to thrive and so it is no surprise that it would soon be used as a natural product not just for everyday use but luxury items as well. Through its natural properties it is able to hold onto dye very well and is therefore a favorite of high end brands.

How to broach the Topic with Customers

The topic of inspiration for our products and collections is something that we as a Brand praise ourselves for, so use it when romancing a particular product in our Raffia Town collection. Explain the inspiration of a cultural style and feel, the traveled look of the Uniform pieces we try to bring into the homeland and the excitement of new discoveries.

When asked about the name think of the Where, Why and How to convey what Raffia Town means and explore within a group in Store how to best bring forth this new information to paint a bigger picture for the customer as well as the Team.

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Allgemein, Fashion, Social Commentary

“Florals for spring? Groundbreaking.”

How the media shapes and influences the fashion industry

We all know the famous quote by Miranda Priestly in the Devil wears Prada but its not just a fun gimmick made up for a perfectly quotable movie. It goes much deeper than that, so much so that movies like that have not only become a fun recreational activity but influence the people who are being targeted by the Fashion Industry, the Consumer. Wether its Chers’ amazing plaid two piece from Clueless or Andreas Chanel Boots in the Devil wears Prada, movies and the media shape the collective mind of a generation of consumers. 

In the last ten years it even extended into the social media sites where Ootds’ are posted in fabulous locations, instagrams influencers being marketed as ambassadors to brands to reach the new customer wave. The glitz and glam of the Fashion industry has become both more accessible and more out of reach than ever before. Since these influencers are paid to make it look like they are out in their own element and portraying their every day lives. A super saturated version of their everyday lives.  Nonetheless it is infectious to believe in the smoke screen of these fabulous clothes and events, in the make believe that we too could wear that and have amazing adventures if we only buy those just dropped Balenciaga shoes.  

As consumers we buy as much the illusion as the item of our dreams, and in a sense that has always been the truth about fashion. We clothe ourselves in exquisite fabrics to dream and to interpret an artists vision. Clothes are only a small fragment of the actual fashion industry, the Art behind it all is the actual selling point. What makes a designer a success is the whimsical way they create their unique illusions and make us as consumers want to take part in their Dreams.

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Allgemein, Social Commentary

Exit Signs and Identity Crisis

Are we looking for our next exit out of an uncomfortable situation? I think the question should be: When are we not?

For most of us Life has a way of making good choices nearly impossible. We plan to clean our apartments. We plan to get the groceries. We plan to work in the field we’ve studied. But mostly there is a hurdle in the way to everyday life, and that hurdle is our own minds.

Okay. So maybe our minds aren’t stopping us from getting groceries (although I’ve definitely been too lazy to go, even though I had no food in the house) but isn’t it the underlying factor to every decision we make where we choose the safe route. That we stick it out a bit longer until we go for that other job, since the tips at the restaurant are really good right now. We block the success we could have because we are afraid to be left with even less than before. So how do we get out of this cycle of broken dreams and coffee stained blouses from another shift at the local Coffee Shop?

The answer to that is next to impossible to pin down. Whereas some people are born risk takers and have no shame in asking for financial support, I am of a different breed. Rather eating cream cheese out of a carton than ask for help from parents or friends, is probably not the best way to go about in life. Yet here I am struggling with multiple jobs as if I was trying to collect shells on the beach, each one serving a specific purpose. Can I learn to let go and fill my life not only with the worry of failure and go on to live life to its full potential?

The answer to that should be yes, but every time I have to submit an article or read an essay aloud in class, I am terrified of what people may think of me. Because the writing is not just a part of me, it is me. Fully and completely inhabiting me; using me as a vessel to get the story out.

So as I sit at a coffee shop editing, or on my bed writing something completely new, there are always thoughts of insecurity. The only difference to my younger self is that I have learned to acknowledge it and then throw it out the metaphorical window. Even though the doubts and fear are ever present I have not stopped writing. Bravery doesn’t come from the absence of fear, it is our choice to be brave.

So be brave and believe in who you are.

Life may be blocking some roads for you and if your mind gangs up with it, remind it who’s the boss. Don’t let your insecurities stop you from accomplishing your goals, there are always people who will do that for you.

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Allgemein, Fashion

Ageless Fashion

When have we grown too old to be ourselves? That question came to the forefront of my mind as I was assisting a woman in her mid 40s. She looked incredible in a vibrant and colorful dress that hugged her body just right, her eyes shining with the knowledge of her beauty. Then she turned to me and said: “It’s beautiful, but I’m too old for that.” With a resigned smile she turned back into the dressing room and left me at a loss for words. I didn’t know what to say to someone who looked happy and beautiful in an outfit, but ultimately thought about societies view on what women are supposed to wear past their 20s.

Even after she had left her comment still made me think on the unrealistic way we, as a society, pressure women to dress past a certain age. We all go through transformations, that is a part in growing and reaching new things, but to strip an integral part of ourselves away out of fear of ridicule or humiliation is ludicrous. Our tastes evolve over time and our choices morph into its next level but what is irrevocably our own is our style. Because style isn’t necessarily ‘fashion’ it is our unique flavor of self-expression, the flair and confidence we bring to an outfit. Style cannot be trained or bought, it is inherent and part of our minds and our bodies. While trends come and go, style sticks with everyone individually. So we experiment with trends and ‘fashion’ but our style shines through and makes it unique to us.

So to tell a woman to change her style because of her age, ethnicity, body type, hair color, etc. is telling her that her soul and mind need to change. But how can we change the fact that a lot of our current society is narrow minded in the way of personal self expression? We need to challenge them head on and invoke the curiosity of others by being unapologetically ourselves and express our style within ourselves and our appearance.

Become ageless in fashion and maybe we’ll be able to change at least one part of the bigger picture and pave the way to acceptance, so that we can break down dozens of walls more heavily secured by intolerance. A droplet of water onto a still lake will still push ripples, it just needs to let go first.

Chantal Eisinger

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Fashion

Where to find Fashion?

We have all heard the phrase ‘dress to impress’ but what does that even mean? Is it the Power Suit of the 80s ready to walk into the Boardroom? Or is it the perfect Black Dress on the first date? Or maybe its even the most outrages pattern mixing outfit inspired by the latest runways to get the job at a fashion magazine?

To make the answer simple, yes all of these and more.

Okay so that’s not simple at all in the manner of figuring out where and what to wear at all times, but it shows that there is not one right way to do ‘fashion’.

Because fashion is more than just pretty dresses and snobby stylists who seem to have all the answers. It is about inspiring and being inspired by others, by the environment and even the culture that surrounds us. It is not superficial and brainless, it has a big impact on how we perceive the world and it can provoke social change even on a political level. To have the creative outlet to put a visual to verbal commentary is a powerful tool that designers use to portray their view and their message.

So how can that help you find your personal ‘fashion moments’? Here it is on you to be bold and brave to embrace your truest self and get yourself out of your comfort zone. Try out every style and trend that speaks to you, if it doesn’t work then it will retire and make room for the next big thing. Get inspiration from others and put your own unique handprint on it, not to copy but to help and inspire your own choice. See if there are things from past decades that you tend to gravitate towards and emulate that in your modern, everyday style. There are so many ways for everyone to live their truest self and to feel amazing expressing themselves through fashion.

So ‘dress to impress’ yourself, by doing that you will impress the skeptics and anyone you might encounter. Wether that’s the Power Suit, the Black Dress, or the Fashion forward moment, express yourself and the message you want to convey.

So stay in Search of Fashion gorgeous!

C. Eisinger

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