Here is our last of a series of videos from the SIFE Ryerson Fashion Show “White Noise”.

This interview is with the organizers Robyn and Diana who worked till 3am this morning to get this thing going. Good work girls!

Yo guy, fashion fans. This is MoVernie! How’s it going yo? Did you enjoy my first ever fashion video blog with designer Meghan Erin? If you like what you are seeing, keep on following. This week, we are showcasing our second episode of our fashion video blog with designer/singer-songwriter, Jay Manara and along with his crew at the Ryerson Fashion Show.

During the show, Jay got to get up the stage to share his stories to his success as a designer/singer, sharing his experiences with other up and coming designers who are chasing their dreams and goals. It was a very inspirational and motivational speech. He placed emphasis on being creative, continue to believe and chasing the dreams but at the same time, being able and willing to listen to feedback and constructive criticism to get better with the work and be able to listen and improve on the collection. Being able to balance the financial budget while carrying the passion for designing clothes are key. Designing is an important element but also being able to run the business with profit and being able to bring food to the table are also important in a day-to-day operation.

During the show, Jay also showcased his collection. In his collection, you will see a heavy influence of tattoo art and rock music culture. The brand is owned, operated and run by people who have lived and breathed the tattoo and rock music lifestyle for many years.
Rock Parlor believes in the individuality of people and design, and strives to deliver unique pieces that will make you want to rock (and I truly believe his collection is definitely make you rock!)

Until next time, MoVernie is outta here! Stay tuned for more fashion video blogs and be sure to check out FashionStyleBlog.com often.

Meghan Erin Interview: Ryerson Fashion Student

MoVernie and D’Crew attended the SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise) Ryerson Fashion Show at Ryerson University. The theme of the evening is called “The White Noise”, encouraging the attendees to dress up in style with white colour all over. As I interviewed the project managers in one of the interviews, they said “White” reminds them the beginning of the winter, with white snow as the theme of the show. As you know, MoVernie is always dressed in style and love various themes, so I wore a nice white suit, followed with a sharp, hot-pink scarf along with my signature white patterned fedora.

In this fashion show, we got to see the various clothing collection designed by the Ryerson Fashion students, showcasing their creative minds and their artistic skills. I got to interview and mingle with the project managers of the show, the designers, the models, entrepreurs and much much more.

All the interviews will be shown here at the FashionStyleBlog in different episodes, so be sure to check back often to check out my interviews with the designers’ collection and check out the latest fashion trend for 2011.

First off, check out this video of MoVernie interviewing fashion designer Meaghan Erin, who talks about the inspiration of her clothing line, the use of fabric and material and her upcoming projects design. Stay tuned and MoVernie is outta here!

This week in Industry Insider I’ll show you how I did one of my photoshoots from last year.

Here are the steps:

1. Come up with a big concept/theme
2. Select the models
3. Select the make up team
4. Select the styling team
5. Select the outfits – diagram each outfit
6. Choose and book the location
7. Take some practice shots to get the look you want
8. Set up the call time
9. Choose the best photographer for your fit

If you have any other suggestions, post below.

It’s not everyday that you meet someone with a PhD in the fashion industry. So it comes as no surprise that I was immediately intrigued when I came across personal wardrobe stylist Anna Akbari of Closet Catharsis, who holds one in visual sociology from the New School. Last week, I managed to catch up with Anna in NYC’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood to learn more about her.

With an educational background in religious and Middle Eastern studies from New York University, Anna doesn’t seem to be your likely candidate for a fashion stylist. But her story brings us back to summers spent in Nantucket in which she worked in sales at the local boutique. It was there that she noticed her gift in matching and pairing pieces for her customers, as well as mindfully kept observations of how customers interacted with her depending on what she wore. And with experience, her sales position led her to other opportunities encompassing more responsibilities, such as working in showrooms and presenting to buyers for well-known department stores.

Where the role of personal wardrobe stylist truly flourished was when Anna had begun wardrobe consultations for friends, and then moving onto several clients. There, it has since grown from a side-gig to an established company, Closet Catharsis, with services at affordable rates.

Notably, the story of hard work isn’t one with which we are unfamiliar. What truly makes Anna special is her understanding and application of her studies in self-presentation and interaction. Catering to clients of all backgrounds, Anna listens specifically to each of their needs, whether it is to function as a personal shopping aide for an afternoon or assist in a cathartic experience of clearing the closet of mal-fitting pieces.

And while each shopping experience is different, Anna notes that not everyone is looking for a wardrobe of the latest arrivals. She recalls two of her clients; one of which only makes trips with Anna to Century 21 to spot hot deals, and another who only hits the department stores with Anna when the sales are the talk of Refinery29.

With all that said, Anna does have her own particular picks for stores that she enjoys frequenting and styles that she admires. Here are just a couple of her suggestions for those needing inspiration:

• Billy Reid (54 Bond St, New York, NY 10012, http://www.billyreid.com)
• JF&Son (19 Kenmare St, New York, NY 10012, http://jfandson.com/)
• In God We Trust (265 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012, http://ingodwetrustnyc.com/)
• Old Hollywood (110 Mesrole Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222, http://oldhollywoodmoxie.com/)
• Wool & The Gang (http://www.woolandthegang.com)
• Rogan (330 Bowery Ave, New York, NY 10003, http://www.rogannyc.com)

For more information on either Anna or Closet Catharsis, visit http://www.closetcatharsis.com or follow her on Twitter for daily deals via AnnaAkbari

Many wouldn’t consider leaving their jobs during a recession, but brothers Mike and Dave Radparvar did, and then student, Fabian Pfortmueller, contributed time to the building of a company that sought to do more than just sell clothing. With consumer, producer, and Earth in mind, Holstee delivers socially conscious designs to the public, as well as donates 10% of all revenue to empower third world entrepreneurs through micro lending.

I caught up with Dave at the Holstee office to get an exclusive on the company and its endeavors. Check out the video below:

For more information, be sure to visit http://www.holstee.com

Most people believe that a real fashion photo shoot requires tonnes of equipment, an amazing camera and lots of money. Lee Morris, from F Stoppers proves that you can do just as much with something as simple as an iPhone 3G.

If you have an iPhone, your true dreams of becoming a professional photographer are now so much closer. All you need now is $20,000 worth of lighting and a sexy model…

Ever wonder what makes someone tick? Or how they got their inspiration? What about what they’re up to when they’re launching their line into a brand new market? Each week we’ll bring you one step closer to understanding the fashion industry with our one-on-one interviews. Last week, I managed to catch up with Noelle Reno, of Z by Zandra Rhodes, as she was beginning her expansion into the US market.

No stranger to the fashion industry, Noelle has been a part of the business since the age of thirteen when she began modeling for Elite.  Fast forward on through to the new millennium, though, we find Noelle, not only in the UK, but also embarking on a new adventure – the founding of luxury cashmere line Degrees of Freedom, which garnered a strong celebrity following, including the likes of Paris Hilton and Victoria Beckham. However, in late 2008, Noelle announced her departure from the brand.

Through a mutual friend on the British Fashion Council, Noelle met with Zandra Rhodes, Britain’s most celebrated designer. The duo, after discussion, set out to launch a new line entitled Z by Zandra Rhodes, which not only highlights Zandra’s taste for prints, but also Noelle’s eye for young and fashion-driven shapes. Met with great reception last month at its launch in the UK, Noelle’s already busy at work expanding into the US market. Should you find yourself at Harvey Nichols, be sure to head up to the third floor where you will find yourselves in for a surprise. For the get-in-get-out consumer, the Z Machine offers a fast and easy way to shop. With the swipe of a credit card and the scrolling through of a touch screen, the product will be brought to you in its very own Z bag.

So when I met up with Noelle in the East Village in NYC, she was on already her third day of meetings with magazines and stores (let’s cross our fingers that the US buyers pick up the line!). For anyone that has hopped off any plane ride lasting more than six hours, you’ll be just as impressed as I was (trust me, you think you would get used to it, but you never really do – you’re always tired out much more than you’d expect). “I’m not much of a print person, but Zandra is, so you can definitely see her in the designs,” says Noelle, “but see the closer fitting silhouettes? That’s me. It’s about working together to find something that matches both our personalities, and we make a great duo.” Moving forward, Noelle seeks to infuse more knit and luxury cashmere-cotton clothing into the line so as to provide selection and luxury.

For those wondering what gets put into the Z Machine and what gets simply placed on the floor, well, that’s up to both the buyers and Noelle. “The decision for what you can purchase via the machine depends on what the buyers feel would work best on the floor and in the machine; I also offer my input on what has worked best for me in certain markets too,” explains Noelle.

And in spite of her wide array of experiences, the now 27-year-old Noelle admits to only now better understanding the benefits of social media marketing, which has boomed within recent years. With so many of her friends advising her on such, Noelle chuckled and vowed to get a Twitter account going once she got hold of her computer in the UK. What’s lovable about the young entrepreneur is her down-to-earth personality and willingness to try out new things. I mean, how many people think about something like the Z Machine in the store? Tons. But how many actually push for it and succeed? Check out your local boutiques and department stores and you’ll find the answer to be “zilch,” unless of course you head on over to Harvey Nichols.

Z by Zandra Rhodes is currently sold at Harvey Nichols and Matches in the UK. The price point of the pieces average 70£ to 90£.

For more information on the line and Noelle be sure to visit the website http://www.zbyzandrarhodes.com/

Images courtesy of Z by Zandra Rhodes