scenario 2

hi, fellas. if you read my last blog, you'll know about how i tried to show you how life is for a fashion designer's kid. well, here is another scene that happens quite often.
i come home from school, and walk into my front door, having forgotten once again to open it. after an appropriate amount of staggering, i open the door and walk in. mom's on the sewing room, and innumerable siblings are crowding in behind me, not one remembering to climb the stairs on their feet, not their faces. i saunter into the dining room, get a snack, blah blah blah. after an hour or so, i decide to stop doing my chores, just for the heck of it, and go see what new dress/leggings/shorts my mom is making. i swagger up to the sewing room door, knowing how manly and strong i look (a whole eighty pounds, at just twelve years old!) and launch "the question."
"so, mom, can i come in and trash... er, i mean look at your new designs?"
i know that she cannot resist. she must let me enter.
"nah. too crowded."
honestly?  a whole room to herself, and she won't let me in because of space? she is rattling around in there like a bean in a dried up riverbed.
so, i try the magic words.
"OPEN SESAME!"
no effect.
"well, then, i'll leave you too your work."
you don't mess with people who can withstand the magic words.

I'm home!

Hey, there. peter again. for all you adoring followers out there, thanks for reading this. now, try to picture this:
me: (walking in the door) hi, mom!
mom: (in her sewing room) hi! i'll be there in a sec.
15 minutes later
me: (in my mom's sewing room) hey, mom, are you all right?
mom: (happily) yes, i'm fine. how as your day?
2 hours later
mom: (emerging from sewing room) hi, everybody! welcome home from school!

see what i mean?
i guess i should be happy that she's happy. you know the saying: nobody's happy if mom's not happy. truer words have never been spoken.

hi again, dudes. peter here again. of course i didn't REALLY want to do this, but once again, money calls.
so, let's talk about my mom. recently, she got a shipment of clothes that didn't look like they were supposed to. so, instead of paying for return shipping, she sits in her "sewing room" (see some previous blog, i can't remember which) , and sews and sews and sews, trying to fix them. i must say, even a critic like me says that she is doing a pretty good job, and if she keeps it up, she'll eventually do it. what she will do then, i don't know. probably ''girl stuff.'' what that might be, go figure.

Meet Alida and Mom

Hello! My name is Alida Wilson. I am seven years old. My mom is a fashion designer. I think she does it very well. I enjoy trying on clothes for her, but sometimes they are sewed wrong. But usually they aren't. I enjoy being the daughter of a fashion designer. See you later!

sisters' opinions

peter (me) here again. after that last blog i kind of ran out of ideas. so i had to ask my mom (ouch)! i mean, what teenager wants to write about fashion anyway, much less ask their mom! however, here i am, and here you are (hopefully), so i might as well get started.

so, my mom said that one thing to do was ask my sisters about what they think about her clothes. having nothing better to do, i agreed. so here are my results (wow, i feel professional):

alida, age 7: dresses, because you can twirl (seriously?).

grace, age 5: some dress that she was wearing, because it had a cute jaguar on it (oh, help).

madeline, age 2: mama clothes (i don't think she got the point).

so, there you have it! the whole list of my sisters' opinions!

the sewing room

hi. peter here again. i'm on spring break, so i get to stay home and experience my mom's sewing better than ever. now, i'm not the kind of person who gets outside a lot, so i get to stay inside all day and read/nap to the sound of my mom's sewing machine going full tilt. this was until we got a basketball hoop the other day, but that's not what i'm supposed to be writing about. anyway, she has an embroidery machine, the kind that will keep embroidering whether you're in the room or not. this gives her the ability to keep it making that annoying rattling no matter what. for example, i just got a video camera, and when i use it, one of the most prominent sounds in the video is the noise of her sewing machine. on the plus side, i am now effectively able to block out any annoying sounds whatsoever, thanks to interminable practice. oh, well, i suppose i'll just have to live with it (sigh). see you!

futile efforts

hi again. this would be peter, of course. my mom quit. strange, isn't it, how five minutes ago i was sitting in this same place, complaining to the world about how i never wanted to blog, but my mom bribed me into it, and now here i am again, drawn by the irresistible pull of another dollar to my name. anyway, i was thinking about how my mom tries to sell us on the idea that designing toddlers clothes was "cool." you should hear her at dinner. "so, who wants to see my new dress design?" (utter silence) "hey, i think i'll show you my new dress design." (groans) "hey, guys..." and so on. what this goes to show, i can't figure out, so i'll think about it and write again later...

maybe sometime in the next century, if you're lucky. - P.W.

taking over

hi. peter wilson here. recently, my mom told me that she was too lazy to run a blog, and i could take over if i wanted. so, i'll give it a try. now, of course she wants me to write something real deep about the trauma of being the kid of a fashion designer. yeah, right. half the time, i barely know what's going on in that mysterious "sewing room" of hers. anyway, i decided to take the job, though without the generous offer of a buck per blog, it probably wouldn't have happened. scratch that. it definitely wouldn't have happened. but, here i am, so i might as well resign myself to the inevitable.

Announcing our new websites!

OK, I know it's been awhile. Blogging has taken second... third... well, not first place for awhile. I've been up to creating a new brand for tweens, and a new website to go with it: southstreetclothing.com.

We've also moved pixyworld to .com as well. And we're working on getting our supply chain and our sales chain running more smoothly. It's a lot for a brand-new brand, so be patient with us! :)

A Hybrid Model for Garment Production

The traditional model seems so wasteful: make $20,000 worth of samples which you will distribute to your showrooms, ALL of which cost 3X the standard garment production cost, FEW to NONE of which will ever be sold to recoup any of the money.

In launching Pixyworld, we just couldn't do it. Why not do a real production run right off the bat, with reasonable production costs, and sell direct to the retail customer, at a reasonable retail price?

Well, this approach turned out not to be the whole solution either. Selling to the retail customer, "cold," without brand recognition, turned out to be unworkably slow. We realized that retailers and showrooms do provide a valuable service to the designer, especially the new designer.

So we have begun giving samples to showrooms and taking wholesale orders. Mind you, the samples we are giving them cost a fraction of the typical sample cost. Also, we believe we are giving retailers a much-needed option: to buy small quantities for immediate shipment, rather than ordering large quantites 6 months in advance. In today's retail climate, retailers need this kind of flexibility.

But there are still two down sides to this approach: First, it limits our sales potential to what we actually have in stock. Our fabrics, to date, are non-reorderable; so we have no way of taking orders for more garments than we had made initially. Second, we are finding that many retailers, used to the season-ahead ordering system, simply don't have money to spend on orders for immediate shipment; they have already spend this season's money, last season.

So our idea is to move toward a hybrid approach: make a moderate-sized first production run, rather than making samples. Make these garments available for immediate sale. But design the garments so that they are also re-orderable. This way, we can also be taking orders to be filled at the beginning of the next season.

This approach can only work if our collections are extremely versatile, season-wise. Also, it will only work while we are small enough to avoid the stigma attached to "last season's" designs. But those are exactly our strengths. Perhaps this can be a way forward for today's new boutique line.

Dressed 2009: Pixyworld on the Runway

I'm really not an "event" person. So it was out of my comfort zone to organize 12 mini-models, with male relatives as their escorts, for the fashion show in our area last weekend.

But I have to admit it was kind of fun, when it actually happened. The little girls were thrilled have their moment in the limelight, and I guess I was too!

It was even fun for my two boys, who can't model for Pixyworld, but enjoyed attending their first runway show. They got to come backstage, and were proud of their designing Mama.

My fashion mentor, Mary Gelhar (The Fashion Designer Survival Guide) questions the payoff of participating in runway shows. I have to agree with her there. The exposure gained is still so limited compared with the time, effort, and expense of participating in a show.

But interacting with models and other designers can stimulating and energizing. I'd say that it's worth doing, if a designer keeps in mind why she's doing it.

Also posted at Pixyworld Blog

The Princess Phenomenon

Disney Princesses have caused parents of little girls everywhere to stand up and take notice. The sheer volume of Princess products insures that even the most oblivious parent will have heard of them.

And, as with any big money-maker, the Princess movement has many enemies. Bloggers cite racism, traditional gender roles, and unrealistic expectations as some of their reasons for hating Disney Princesses.

Interestingly, I recently heard a different spin on the Princess Phenomenon. In a thoughtful sermon on the dignity of being human, my pastor pointed out that the connection between a little girl and a fairy-tale princess is instant, instinctive, and strong. Perhaps, he said, little girls are metaphorically glimpsing their true identity and destiny.

As a child of God, he said, every little girl is made to be a princess. And somewhere deep down, she knows it.

If this is the case, then I have my own beef with Disney. It seems to me they may be thoughtlessly exploiting is something that is tender and deeply human in the little girls they cater to. Is it OK to make money by producing princess products? I would say yes, but it has to be done with... well, love.

I myself am a designer of little girls' products. In all my designing, I need to think not just about our profit margins, but about the girls themselves. The litmus test has to be: Are our products supporting their dignity as true human Princesses? Or, to make it personal, is this a product that I want to give my own daughters, to help them learn who they truly are?

Also posted at Pixyworld Blog

Wholesale for a "Continuous" Line

When Pixyworld hired our first sales rep at Lace and Denim, Terrie asked me whether our line was "seasonal" or "continuous." It was a surprise (and a comfort) to me that a showroom would have a name for what we do. Rather than making $20,000 worth of samples a season ahead, then taking orders, and then manufacturing the product, we just make each collection once. We sell what we have, both retail and wholesale, and when it's gone, it's gone. Meanwhile, we are always working on new collections, to replace those that sell out.

The advantages of this are overwhelming from a manufacturing point of view. The fabrics we use are mainly non-reorderable: either we have them printed ourselves, or we buy yardage that is in very limited supply. And, as far as making samples a season ahead... adding an extra $20,000 to a season's bill does tend to drive product prices up!

So when we were contacted by Summer Place II, a showroom in the Southwest, we had hope that they would be able to accommodate continuous manufacturing. Although this wasn't the way they were accustomed to selling, they were willing to work with us. Gail, my contact there, said, "Typically our buyers spend budgets a season in advance, however, I think the need is growing for "pay as you go" ordering, so to speak. I have been seeing some success with my lines that carry inventory and are flexible with opening orders and reorders."

So Pixyworld Wholesale is now "good to go" with Summer Place II, thanks to her flexibility!

ALWAYS Get Counter-Samples

My overseas production manager has proved herself responsible. After sending her a physical sample, graded patterns, and finished product measurements for my new Pixyworld collection, and after being hit with high FedEx bills in the past, I figured it would be unnecessary to have her send me finished counter-samples. Photos would be fine.

But she was concerned enough to do it anyway, at her own expense. And, sure enough, we had narrowly averted disaster. She had made the dress bodice out of jersey knit, whereas I had designed the pattern for a stretchy rib knit. The dress would not even come close to going over my toddler's head!

There are some absolutes in life, and one is toddler head size (see KidsGrowth.com.) A detail like this can make or break a design. And how many other details that seem obvious to the designer can be miscommunicated to a factory?

So have I learned my lesson? Well, when next season comes around, we'll see!

Also Posted at Pixyworld Blog

Giving Birth to a Brand

Like many first-time parents, my husband and I had no idea what we were signing up for, when we decided to create our own children's clothing label. He had grown an online watch business, from startup to profitability, in less than a year. "Piece of cake," we thought.

But building a new brand from scratch is a whole different ballgame. Like giving birth to a child, it is a long process, during which there are times when it seems nothing is happening and nothing ever will!

There are the months of waiting for the first production run to be finished. The months of waiting for a website to appear on google. And the long, slow process of building a customer base.

When a child is born, we celebrate a job well done! But of course the job is really barely started. The child is utterly dependent, taking constant care and devoted attention, and, at first, unable to give back even a smile.

When a new brand is finally launched, the situation is similar. The clothes came out well -- good! Showrooms and retailers are signing on -- great! But profitability is still a long way off.

Production quantities need to be gradually increased, until a sell-able wholesale price is actually twice the production price. And this has to be done without spending so much on advertising that the business' debt swallows up its future!

We have hopes that one day our brand will grow to maturity. Maybe (like a good child) it will even take care of us in our retirement! But for now, we have only the satisfaction of doing our best day after day, waiting, and hoping.

Profile of a Designer-Entrepreneur

I'm sure everyone has a different opinion about what it takes to be an independent designer-entrepreneur. We designer-entrepreneurs probably all think, "you have to be like me!"

I know I started out feeling extremely under-qualified. With no current connections in the industry and no fashion education, where was I to start?

At that time I failed to recognize the strengths I had inherited from my family. Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, who can never be happy in an ordinary job. They are always starting something. Since they are both in the non-profit world, I didn't make the connection at first between their careers and what I was trying to do.

But there are very close connections in what was needed: extreme persistence, a mysteriously unshakable confidence in their eventual success, problem-solving skills, and an inabililty to stop thinking of new ideas!

I also didn't put two and two together, at first, about the previous generation. My paternal grandfather was a knitter in New York City, who owned a factory and designed his own sweater line. My maternal grandmother was a dressmaker out of her home. Why was I so surprised to discover, at age 30, that I had a passion for design and a need to sew my designs into existence??

And then there's my situation in life. At first glance, being a middle-class stay-at-home mom doesn't seem ideal for starting a new career in fashion design. But there were some hidden strengths there as well. I found I had married (surprise, surprise!) an entrepreneurial husband, who enjoys taking risks and thrives on new business ideas. And I found myself in the position of not needing a salary to support myself right away. That has given me the time to get started, without the financial pressure of mounting debt.

These may not be the characteristics you would list if asked to describe a well-qualified designer-entrepreneur. But I think there's one universal qualification we can all agree on -- slight to moderate insanity. :)

Also posted at Pixyworld Blog

Why Wovens but Not Knits??

It's a little puzzling, given the immense popularity of knit fabrics in fashion today, why knit prints are relatively hard to find. Premier fabric designers like Robert Kauffman (pictured), Amy Butler, and Michael Miller all seem to design prints produced exclusively as woven fabrics.

Is this because their target market is primarily quilters? Today, with the emergence of so much patchwork in boutique apparel, there would seem to be a growing market for designer knit prints.

At this point, Pixyworld is relying on the mercy of fabric printers who bring their minimums WAY down for us (in return for extra compensation, of course.) If there were wholesale knit prints available with the kind of thoughtful and artistic design of today's quilting fabrics, what heaven for a designer like me!

But then again, where would be the challenge in that?

Hiring a Sales Rep: A Big Decision

So, Pixyworld is taking the plunge. In a certain way it feels like we're signing away our freedom. But, all things considered, I think signing on with Lace and Denim for the Southeast US region is the best next step for us in building our line.

When we first considered a different showroom in 2008, we were scared off big-time. In fact, it was that experience that inspired us to start selling to the retail customer through our own website! It was my husband Jon who spoke with the first showroom, and he came away feeling belittled, bullied, and thoroughly discouraged.

But now that we have our line manufactured, photographed, and selling, we are in much stronger position. We began selling wholesale ourselves in early 2009, and were contacted recently by Lace and Denim. We were leery at first: Would they complain about our online retail sales? Would they exercise too much price control? Would we be paying high sales commissions and showroom fees? Would we have to furnish expensive look books and brochures?

Well, to work with Lace and Denim, we do have to have our retail prices at a certain level in all of our online sales venues. Retail stores can't be put in the position of feeling undercut by an online outlet. But we found Terrie to be a very reasonable person, who understood the financial pressure we are under at this stage in growing our line. Or production volumes are barely high enough to break even on wholesale pricing, and we don't have much extra room for sales commissions.

But to increase production, we need to increase sales. And to increase sales, a good sales rep will certainly be a help. She gave us an introductory discount on her fees, so that we can have a little extra room the first year, to get our volumes up and our production prices down.

It will be an interesting year. We'd be glad to have it lead to showrooms or reps in other regions, but for now it's nice to be starting down this road gradually, with our own sales venue well established.

The Princess and the Pea

How could I have understood, before giving birth to a Princess, the humor of The Princess and the Pea?

It can get to you, if you lose your sense of humor about it. Some little girls are simply born with an acute sensitivity to anything -- ANYTHING -- that rubs them the wrong way.

I suppose I was this way myself as a girl; perhaps that is why I find myself designing little girls' clothing.

My little princess had issues with jeans. She simply would not wear them. Denim was just not soft enough to be in contact with Her Royal Person. Then I started meeting other moms with the exact same problem!

My Pixyworld jeans are one attempt at pleasing the exacting little mistress. They worked for mine. The baby-rib-covered elastic waist was what she needed. Now she wears them almost daily.

I think I will also buy her this book. Perhaps she will have a flash of self-recognition?? In living with a Princess, that can make all the difference.

Flattering Lines for Little Girls

My favorite fashion & style book has to be Does This Make Me Look Fat? by Leah Feldon. The title is perhaps somewhat misleading, in that it is not a strictly thinness-oriented book. It gives some very helpful tips on looking chic and having an artistically well-proportioned ensemble.

This, more than any other style handbook, has helped me in designing toddler girls' clothing. For a toddler, looking "fat" is not the issue. The shape and proportions of a toddler's body are so unlike an adult woman's, that many of the principles for adults simply cannot be applied here.

But principles of style and proportion are still important to understand. They must either be adapted for the very young girl, or deliberately ignored because the desired effect is something distinctly toddleresque!

My favorite example is the 1/3, 2/3 rule. An ensemble gains beauty and harmony by dividing the figure vertically into thirds, rather than chopping it in half. A shrug that ends mid-torso can accomplish this; so can as a dress/jeans combination.

Dressing primarily in dark neutrals is an example of a rule that I deliberately ignore for little girls. A healthy baby girl has a distinctive comeliness of form, whether she's rounded or slender. And, baby girl, you know you've got it, so flaunt it!!