Fashion-Incubator

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Fashion is a stepchild... Museums relegate fashion picture shows to their basements. Art galleries disdain fashion photographs as work for hire. Auction houses have historically tended to accord fashion images second-class status, sneaking a few first-rate fashion pictures into sales of photography’s certified masters.

Fashion is a step child in most respects, most notably among manufacturers as a class of business activity. ~sigh~
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Asperger's Syndrome gets a very public face via fashion model Heather Kuzmich, joining other public figures such as Steven Spielberg, Daryl Hannah, Dan Akroyd and Nobel Laureate Vernon Smith known to have it.

She is one of 13 young women selected by the supermodel Tyra Banks to compete on the popular reality television show “America’s Next Top Model.” The addition of Heather Kuzmich to an otherwise superficial show has given millions of viewers an unusual and compelling glimpse into the little-understood world of Asperger’s.

The disorder, considered a form of autism, is characterized by unusual social interaction and communication skills. Aspies, as people with the condition like to call themselves, often have normal or above-average intelligence, but they have trouble making friends and lack the intuitive ability to gauge social situations. They fail to make eye contact and often exhibit a single-minded fixation that can be both bizarre and brilliant.

Geek credentials intact, Heather is majoring in electronic game design. Heh. I've often pondered the models I've met...some are decidedly on the spectrum. I wonder if it has something to do with the autie tendency of objectifying one's body (and self).
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Speaking of geekness, Carol Kimball (who knows I love origami) sends a link to folding the MIT logo in three easy steps.
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One of our members, Julia Plume, recently won the 2007 Search for Texas' Next Top Designer competition. Yeah Julia!
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Jasmin Wilkins sends a link to 'Brandism' hurts small labels. Apparently, start up designers in fashion meccas like Italy, have problems finding fabrics and factories too. Who knew?
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From the never good news department (via NPR) Reading Study Shows Remarkable Decline in U.S. The average US citizen read only four books last year, with 25% reading no books at all. Overall, women read more books than men but men read more non-fiction.
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The Garment Worker's Center in Los Angeles is soliciting tax deductible donations to support their mission. To date:

We've reclaimed 3.5 million dollars in unpaid wages for Los Angeles garment workers to this date, but our work is not just about numbers. Instead, we're taking a holistic approach in empowering low wage workers - an approach that includes yoga and self esteem classes for our workers, health and safety workshops and of course countless wage claims. All these pieces are part of a bigger struggle for social, economic and environmental justice.

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There's a new trade publication on the map from India, Attire World. Their site isn't live yet but you can download the latest issue in pdf.
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Some youtube videos:

• A twenty-something tours her grandmother's sewing room. Cute. If you're feeling stash-guilt, this will let you off the hook.


• The Secret World of Haute Couture in six parts (BBC) which focuses on "the club" haute couture customers -who only number 200 in the world. Money alone won't get you in; customers are selected. Philanthropists are favored. Each part picks up exactly where the previous leaves off. Part two features workrooms (lesage embroidery) and designer interviews (Karl Lagerfeld, watch him sketch) describing changes in their industry over the past twenty years. Also see parts three, four, five and six.
• La Haute Couture Mise en Equations: Making Of

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Andrea Baker is excited to announce her fashion business incubator program has been accepted into the Ink People Center for the Arts (Humboldt county CA). Andrea will be fundraising to get it off the ground, the project should officially launch September 2008.
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Vesta sends a link from Springwise:

Couture gets personal with StyleShake—a new online venture that lets creative customers design their own duds, picking from a selection of quality fabrics and putting together dresses from virtual pattern pieces to create truly personal pieces that can be delivered to their doors (in Europe or the United States) in as little as 10 days, with prices starting at GBP 139. What's more, the garments are produced in London, so customers need not worry about sweatshop labour.

I found it interesting to browse the gallery to see what the average designer comes up with. Nothing is unique, owing to the template nature of the design process; one selects from palettes of design features, bringing new meaning to the term point and click design.
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Via Marginal Revolution:

• How Yale professors lose weight. Clue: they're econ profs, it's all about incentives. Eric bests their strategy saying one is better off pledging to an organization one doesn't like, rather than a friend or charity.
• It takes a village. Female leaders invest more in public goods such as schools, roads and water projects but their ratings are lower than men who do far less. Figures.

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Somebody was asking for 3X green back oak tag pattern paper. Material Concepts has it. MC also has the flat oak tag sheets I was looking for but it's very pricey ($200 for 65 sheets!).
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Nadine and Clarisse mention an article comparing two cashmere sweaters. One cost $100; the other $1,000 -was the price difference worth it? If it matters to you, my opinion is here.
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I'm sure I mentioned this before but news spreads slowly I suppose. The second Pattern Magic book is out. Several people (/anne, Massa, Jason at last count) sent word (thanks everyone!). I note that Amazon Japan is now offering free shipping on sales of more than 1500 yen ($13.50). What a deal! This book is about $15. Clementine's shoes has posted photos from the text. Wow. If you like innovative and creative pattern design, this is a must have item. It's also available on eBay at twice the price. Don't assume an eBay price is the best deal.
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There's been a spate of interesting posts to Leonie's blog:

• India's laws silence criticism of the garment industry; activists exposing worker's rights abuses are threatened with arrest.
• The British Textile Conservation Centre will be closing in 2009 unless more funding is found. Petition.
• Luxury labels fail sustainability audit
• Welcome news that changes in older consumers apparel purchasing habits are coming.

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The previously mentioned Top 50 Software Scorecard from Apparel is available for download (registration required).

This free report features the best software vendors serving the apparel marketplace, based on ratings from their customers. It includes 15 charts showcasing vendors in classifications ranging from "Best All-Around" to "Best in ROI" to best in specific software categories, such as retail, PLM/product development, supply chain management/sourcing and more.

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Too trippy, a furniture sketching video. Wow

The Swedish design group FRONT has been working in Japan since September. During this time they have developed and explored the technique they used in the making of Sketch Furniture which they showed in Art Basel Miami / Design 05 with Barry Friedman Gallery Ltd ( New York ). Front make design as a performance. During Tokyo Design week they will show the process of making Sketch Furniture and the final pieces of furniture at Tokyo Wonder Site 31 October – 5 November.

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Last but not least, Art for Progress, a 501(c)3 arts nonprofit based in NYC announces their second annual "Clash of the Artists" competition. Their first one was a rousing success. To be considered for this year's competition, see the guidelines to submit an application.
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A final reminder about the gift buying guide which I plan to post this weekend. If interested in having your products featured, send me a short paragraph describing your products, web address, phone number (in case I need to contact you quickly) and a jpeg of a featured item or your logo. I can't resize your logo so please make it tastefully sized. Also, mention if you're offering a discount to F-I visitors (not required).

If I missed your news piece, please resend it (nobody ever does) with "News From You" in the subject line. As ever, I will print your commercial news posted such as openings, launches, new websites, news and press pieces if you're one of my designers or allied member of the community; we're thrilled to see your progress. All other commercial parties should review submission guidelines. I regret the limitation but if I didn't, then NFY would be dominated by PR fluff, jewelery and handbag designers with no ties to the community looking for free advertising. Send your submissions to News From You.

As I've failed to mention it already, Happy Hanukkah!