The Fashion Diaries; Operation Chengdu...
There
isn’t a designer out there that doesn’t want a full-fledged runway show, unless
of course they are not telling the truth.
It is a milestone in the life of a designer/brand. So, keeping this in mind, imagine what
happens when you are invited as the headlining fashion designer/brand and all
expenses are paid for by the event organizers!
The catch here is that you have less than 2 weeks to get it all
organized, pack it up and fly most of the way around the world to Chengdu
Fashion Week.
The
following is the accounting of that time period as told by half of the design
team of Seven Loy and Franck Ford; the brand is Uniform Union. The result of
the scenario is fascinating, amusing, enlightening, educational and amazingly
successful… read it and let’s hear what you think. .. In the words of Franck
Ford, here is a quick journal of a whirlwind trip….……
Almost thinking there is a
free week to be at the pool looking into the aqua blue sparking water, the “new
mail” sound “noir" goes on and yes the aqua blue sparking lace dress will
be the opening piece for the Chengdu Fashion Week runway show
The first thing
I do is changing the new mail sound to “news flash “. That is the China sound
and news is needed at UU.
After the fall delivery and a pre spring production running we had that week planned out in our Palm Springs home to draw Spring 14 finals.
UU founded in 2012
and all goes so well at Maxfield, Montaigne Market and a handful more! ...... But
does it really go so well!?
It is a new brand and
a new loving passion of 2 designers who had great success before but not the press.
LOYANDFORD sold so well one point they could have bought the press but did not
go that road or the other was we kiss a lot of you know what!
So why not do the show in China? 6 DAYS to make 30 looks and 3 days dim sum and maybe press!
DAY 1
… first look...
A hand beaded leather jacket with feather sleeves and black pearl strings, underneath
a blush striped beaded lace tunica, pleaded charmeuse skirt. The first China
look is born. Next 5 " vacation days " are pattern, sewing, draping,
shaping, beading and speeding to get 30 looks ....but not in a rush!!!!
Let’s rush to China.
Maserati out of the garage, dogs a kiss, PALM SPRINGS - LAX, checking in, wardrobe
fine, denim and a white tee and a tea in Chengdu 18 hours later.
A new metropolis with
35 million people, glasshouse bathtub and so tired. WHAT A RUSH TO GET HERE!!
Looking from the 19th
floor over the city and all what’s in mind is “UNPACK THEM NOW “by 10 pm
the racks are full and the hotel suite does not look any different that any
other day in our design studio
Day 2
8 - 9 eat and meet
crew
9 -12 meetings
12 -3 pm hair and make-up
test
3 - 4 pm
meeting
5 till 9 pm fitting
9 till 10 pm no food
- a cake on floor 4
DAY 3
Where, what, when,
who, why?
No music no shoes ...
it was not in the contact but there was a minute of thinking about it a
week ago in Palm Springs.
No YouTube? we want
aphex twins ' WINDOWLICKER " , kraftwerk TRANS EUROPE EXPRESS ... sound
lap and of course " OVERPOWERED " BY roisin murphy ... we need
20 minutes sound
Calling William in London
and Elizabeth in New York
Dropbox me
a.s.a.p..... 2 hours later all done and yes we love our friends
9am meeting Mr. Yang. Buying uniform union. Opening store, were what, where, when, who, why? Great meeting done and NO we can’t deliver in 2 weeks but let’s email after China
11.30 Loy is at the
noodle stand outside and I am looking in the mirror and think… “So far so good.
It is really beautiful where we are and it’s a short trip and that the dresses
will be even shorter on the runway tonight.”
12.30 At the event, 30
helpers and we feel like we are in a mall… It is a mall. A luxury mall and
runway next to Dior and Vuitton store and our logo in neon blue. Not that we
care but there is no forever 21 and no free tooth bleaching booth… So it’s chic.
Later we learn that’s where it’s all happening. Behind walls in malls!
1pm till 3.30 test run.
We really need 20 more models and better shoes. No way but we work it.
3.30 till 6pm hair and
make-up....a wet Elvis Presley beehive and 3 lashes on top of each other.
Please keep it simple. Just a wet Asian Elvis to the '”windowlicker"
track
7.30 stand by
8. pm show
Loy and Ford doing
there little runway walk like its nr 1000... (Its nr 1). A few interviews and
they like our name UNIFORM UNION. We love it too
Day 4
7 am Air China - Palm
Springs. Kissing the dogs at the pool
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