Update, Sketches & Costume Venture...

Hello all!!!

Just wanted to check in with you guys to give you all an update! Ive been a little busy lately with my freelance sketching clients...right now Im working on sketches for jewelry line by celeb MUA Toni Acey!! Very exciting pieces..be on the look out for that! I am continuing to try to work on the new collection as often as i can...so I'm doing little by little (with inspiration from the TCM Italian movie still)...

But what I really wanted to let you in on is....I had the pleasure of making costumes for the Miss Black Universe Drag Show!!! The inspiration was "African/War Dancers" Making costumes for the guys was very exciting..even though my room was filled with feathers, thread and pins...lol... But I do have a sneak peak of a couple dancers before they performed...more pics coming soon I promise!!

Kim

OLD GLAMOUR never goes out of STYLE...

Today was my day for research...
I have been going nonstop trying to make sure my portfolio looks professional and amazing, as far as the layout, colors and the pictures I choose. So I decided in addition to my new jewelry and shoe designs, I wanted to get into another clothing collection. But the focus has to be something that I love to find research and has lots of detail. When I was a little girl, I wasnt your a normal girl watching only cartoons, I would watch 1930s Turner Classic Films with Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Susan Hayward...the list goes on. So I decided to rekindle the research and get inspired!
I found this gorgeous picture of a 1930s Italian film: Venera Alexandrescu in Resurrectio, Alessandro Blasetti, 1931... lets see what my creative juices can create from this photo!!!!!

SHOWCASE!!

On Tuesday, I received a call from one of my old teachers from SCAD...they were asking to borrow one of my dresses for a showcase that was that night...the artist's name was Sky, from MTV Sweet 16....I was excited for someone to want to wear one of my pieces! So I talked to Sky's hair stylist named Samuel, from Paul Mitchell, and he really wanted me to come and see Sky's performance in my dress! So I went to the event and she looked amazing!!! And she can SANG!!! lol! I met lots of people from Mercedes Benz, Upscale magazine, new talent and even Sky's mom (she was really sweet!). I had so much fun!
*and it was the first time I had my own business cards that I designed and bought...People would ask if I had business cards and I never had the money to get some made...I was proud of myself :-)
When I get the pics from the photographer, I will post them asap! But this is the dress she wore!

More Naja Conrad-Hansen Drawings!!!

Illustrations...

I found more illustrations!!! I promise I have hidden art in my closet and on my computer...but anywho I love to share this with you... These are more sketches inspired by Naja Conrad-Hansen! (Notice the little monkey guy lol...)

ME_Movement

Its been a minute since Ive updated but I havent forgotten about you guys. Before sketching and fashion design I was a painter...and still am. Ive painted murals on many walls and faces. This time I got to do full body paint! How exciting!!!!!!! I was asked by Ebonne Holyfield to be apart of her ME Movement, which is an organization to help people learn that its ok to be yourself! AMAZING! I was given a word: Innovation...and had to do body paint showing the word... So I thought long and hard and something that kept sticking in my head was a robot...a robot...a robot. So I had to find a way to incorporate a robot into the word INNOVATION. As everyone knows Innovation means something fresh; new ideas. I found a quote by CoCo Chanel:

"Innovation! One cannot be forever innovating. I want to create classics."

Then I got an idea to do half of the body as a robot and the other half as patchwork. Which symbolized 'robot' sticking to what everyone else does, while the 'patchwork' symbolized puting new ideas together...
Ill update you guys on the whole idea of Ebonne's ME Movement once I get the professional photos, but it is a great organization! Look out for it!!!! *my behind the scenes pics with the good ole' camera phone:-)*

AMAZING!!!!

Ok, so I just got back from 'The September Issue' movie...and I have one word... Amazing! Being an alumni of Savannah College of Art and Design and getting a chance to meet and introduce myself to Andre' Leon Talley, this movie felt close to me... It saddens me that some people think Fashion can be a joke or just done for play, but Fashion is a way of life for me... I enjoy learning and studying and researching all types and levels of fashion...I mean that is why I majored in it for my college career. Anna Wintour is the type of woman I look up to as a strong woman. And the way she took Thakoon Panichgul was amazing to me. Sometimes we think (I do) that people that high up in the world and with that much power, seem like they can be a bit stern. But they have to be... this showed a different side to her that if she believes in someone, they can go really far in their craft. This brought along a thought that keeps coming up in my mind... I, more than ever, want to be a great designer. Sometimes I ask people for their help and they end up not helping me, and at that point I do it myself. And this lets me know that I couldve done it myslef from the beginning. Dont get me wrong its great to have great connects but when people arent there for you sometimes you have to do it and get where you want to be on your own. I dont want to be another local designer... I want to be great. It will be very hard work but it will pay off in the end.

If you go for something make sure its something you love...

My next Goal...

There have been many things going thru my mind lately... Do I want to stay in GA and continue there or do I want to try LA or NY... So Ive just decided to go and try for it all and just take it day by day...
Ive traveled to Memphis for a couple weeks to relax and focus on getting my portfolio together, work on my jewelry line/research, as well as my business card...
My journey begins....