DC STYLE EVENT: TIM GUNN IS COMING TO TOWN!

LIZ CLAIBORNE INC. CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER TIM GUNN SHOWS GUESTS HOW TO MAKE IT WORK AT WESTFIELD ANNAPOLIS MALL

Tim Gunn Hosts Live Runway Show and open forum Q & A. Offers a chance for fans to be a runway model in the live Lucky Brand Runway Show and to Meet-and-Greet the Style Expert

WHO

Tim Gunn is a dynamic force in the fashion world. He currently serves as co-host and mentor of the Lifetime television program, six-time Emmy-nominated Project Runway, a reality-based show in which aspiring fashion designers compete for a runway debut at New York’s Fashion Week. Gunn’s latest book, Gunn’s Golden

Rules, was released in September 2010 and rose to #5 on the New York Times bestseller list. He is also the Chief Creative Officer of Liz Claiborne Inc.

WHAT

Lucky Brand will host the ‘Lucky You Runway Contest’ at Westfield Annapolis Mall where both new and existing Lucky Brand customers will be invited to the Lucky Brand store for their chance walk the runway during a live runway show hosted by Tim Gunn. Candidates will work with sales associates on a designated

casting day to find their perfect fit and be photographed for consideration. Men and women of all shapes and sizes will be considered.

“It’s our mission to find exceptional men and women to help us represent Lucky Brand during our event. There is no set formula regarding skin tone, hair color, height and/ or weight, this is the real world! We are looking for someone with confidence, character and personality; it’s as simple as that! Nothing makes me happier than working with real people in the real world."
Tim Gunn (2011)

Then, Tim Gunn will share his expertise as he hosts a Fall 2011 fashion show launching the latest collection from Lucky Brand later on in the week. Mr. Gunn will also speak to guests about the importance of style, proportion and fit. After the fashion show, guests are treated to an open forum Q & A where Gunn will

take questions from the audience. There is no need to RSVP, seating is open but limited.

Plus, with any qualifying purchase of $100 or more guests will be professionally photographed with Tim Gunn and will receive a personalized, signed copy of his NY Times best selling book Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making It Work!*

WHEN & WHERE

RUNWAY SHOW CASTING

NOVEMBER 3, 2011

LUCKY BRAND SHOP

WESTFIELD ANNAPOLIS MALL

4:00PM – 8:00PM

RUNWAY SHOW

NOVEMBER 5, 2011

WESTFIELD ANNAPOLIS MALL

(2002 ANNAPOLIS MALL, ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401)

NORDSTROM COURT

1:00PM

CASTING CALL: Project Runway Season 9 Wants You!!!!

Fashion Designers, here's your chance. Project Runway launched the career of local fav Christian Siriano. You could be next!!! Visit Bunim-Murray for all of the deets.

FASHION GRAFFITI: My Open Letter to Tim Gunn

Yesterday, WWD sent out a newsflash about the sad and increasingly dismal state of Liz Claiborne, Inc. It made my stomach churn. It is so sad to see such an iconic label take such a downward spiral so quickly. I had all of the hope in the world that Tim Gunn and Isaac Mizrahi were going to be able to turn it around. But I am not sure this will happen.

So I am writing this open letter to Tim Gunn to ask him not to abandon ship at Liz Claiborne (although it may be inevitable) but to consider a new opportunity. As a D.C. native, Tim, we could really use you here on our fashion scene. You are major (in the words of Victoria Beckham). Your beloved Corcoran is, in my honest opinion, in desperate need of a Fashion School. Who better to be in charge? You have the street creds and your impeccable and undeniable fashion creds. You are beloved and your word has quickly become the gospel, thanks to Project Runway.

I am a D.C. native too! I am also determined and focused every single day to do what I have to do to ensure that folks know that D.C. has a fashion scene, it is growing and we will eventually be known as one of the places to be in fashion. Mark my word. But it would sure help to have someone of your caliber back home to help us push this movement forward.

So if you could just give my request a little consideration, I would be thankful. If you haven't figured it out by now, I adore you. I was so sorry to have missed the opportunity at Teen Design DC to meet you and to tell you this in person. But D.C. needs you. The fashion scene here needs you. The Corcoran (I know that I am speaking on their behalf but they may not know what is best for them... LOL) needs you. We need a real honest to goodness fashion program at one of the most esteemed design schools in the country. Don't you agree?

Thanks for listening.

Yours truly,

Janice
Editor, The Capitol Fashionista

DC DESIGN EVENT: DC Teen Design Fair Recap

Last Tuesday I attended the Teen Design Event hosted by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum over at the Renwick Museum. All of the designers worked in various fields ranging from architecture, fashion, product and graphic design. In all, there were about 43 designers and Tim Gunn was the Keynote speaker. I must say, each of the designers I came in contact with were all very sincere and more than willing to share their career experiences.The room was set up to where each designer had his/her own table with 5 empty seats at it so that students may rotate from table to table asking questions or sitting in on conversations. What I appreciated most is that the designers where very candid in their approach with the students. Many of their background stories to how they started in the industry are fascinating

Most of all I was excited that I even managed to grab a quick interview with Jenna Lyons the Creative Director and now President of J. Crew.

What do you think has been the key to your success and longevity at J. Crew?

Team work has definitely played a role. I think learning how to cooperate successfully and being able to work with others in this type environment has laid the groundwork for where I am at now. It takes way more than me to make this happen. It’s not about me it’s about the people you work with. And I work with some amazing people.

Who is J. Crew’s target audience and how does the brand continue to have such a strong appeal to the mid market consumer?

Everyone! That’s the great thing about J. Crew. There is no one select person that we market to. My friend wears J. Crew, college students wear J. Crew, and my mother, a piano teacher wears J. Crew. And that’s what I think makes it different- is that it makes fashion approachable for everyone. Everyone feels like they can be a part of it.

I worked for Donna Karen the first 8 months of my career and one of the things I felt that was most difficult about it was that none of my friends or family could afford the clothes. And that was hard for me- I didn’t feel connected. People like to open up a catalog and feel like they can actually buy something; that’s part of the experience.

Where do you see J. Crew headed in the future?

We are looking for elevated progress. To do things that really nurtures and cultivates the brand. That will create great longevity if we continue doing that.

Both of the founders of Smart Design Tom Dair and Dan Formosa were in attendance. They spoke on the early beginnings of their company and why they decided to go the entrepreneurial route and found their own company straight out of undergrad. They focused on the importance of how important it is to always creatively sell your ideas to your market to influence them to buy what you are selling.

Cooper- Hewitt company was represented by Bill Moggeridge; the first man to create and design a laptop in 1980. He is also the co-found of IDEO. Mr. Moggeridge described his main passion being to help raise money to create more funds for schools t invest in technology innovation programs and training for children.

World renowned interior decorator William Sofield showed off his designs from the first Gucci and Ralph Lauren stores he designed. He recalled when he first started working with Gucci and they were known more as “the sexy brand” they were young and didn’t take themselves quite as serious as they do now. However, it was always fun when he go to work on one of their stores because it allowed his creativity full reign. While his specialty are retail boutiques he is also known to use his modernism approach on state-of-the-art gyms and investment firm that he has designed all over the world.

The last 30 minutes of the event were reserved for Q&A time with Tim Gunn. Tim stressed the important of going to a school dedicated to fashion and design because there you will make the contacts you need to network your way into more opportunities. He emphasized that if a student has any doubt between majoring in fashion/ design or [insert another major] then do the other major! He made sure to repeat the point that “There should be no hesitation when one chooses fashion as a major. Either you love it or you don’t.” One of the students asked about the lack of financial aid and scholarships at design schools. Tim replied “Fashion is one of those industries that you really have to love what you do and you must sacrifice to pay your dues. And that’s why I stress the point of having no hesitation when you decide for it to be your career.”

The event was absolutely fabulous! Most importantly different teens from different background were exposed to seasoned people from all areas of the design industry. I believe the event served its purpose possibly above and beyond what the First Lady sought out for it to do!

DC FASHION/DESIGN EVENT: DC Teen Design Fair

WASHINGTON DC TEEN DESIGN FAIR

Washington DC teens are invited to learn about careers from the National Design Awards winner, finalists and jurors. These professionals are working in the fields of fashion, industrial design, architecture, multimedia, and graphic design. Meet Tim Gunn & top designers from all fields.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010
8:30 - 11:00 am

Grand Salon
Renwick Gallery
1661 Pennsylvania Ave NW, at 17th Street
Washington, DC 20006

Keynote Speaker - Tim Gunn

Tim Gunn is the Chief Creative Officer at Liz Claiborne Inc. For more than two decades he has served as Dean, Director of Admissions, and Chair of the Department of Fashion Design at Parsons The New School for Design. He is the co-host of Lifetime TV's Project Runway and the author of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style.


Registration - This Event is FREE!

PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION AND PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIRED

Individual Registration for students in two easy steps:

1.Click here to register online now!

2.Complete and return Parental/Legal Guardian consent form


Group Registration for guardians bringing more than 10 students:

1.Register each student online - Click here to register online

2.Required for each participant: Parental/Legal Guardian consent form

3.Complete Group Registration cover page

4.Fax the group registration cover page along with each students completed Parental/Guardian consent form no later than Friday, July 16, 2010 to: 212.849.8401 or email completed forms to cheducation@si.edu.


The National Design Awards are made possible in part by Bloomberg and Procter & Gamble.

Media sponsorship provided by: Fast Company and New York Magazine


National Design Week is made possible in part by the generous sponsorship of Target