FGI Back to Black ~ A Networking Soiree

Summer is over, it’s time to get “Back in Black” with FGI San Diego’s “Back in Black Networking Soiree”.

Enjoy cocktails, light bites, opportunity drawing prizes and networking with other San Diego fashion industry professionals.

Dress in your best fashionably black outfit and bring lots of business cards.

Tickets are $20 per person in advance.
$40 at the door.

Are you an FGI member? Then you get in for FREE! You still have to register in advance though!

And feel free to invite your friends and colleagues. This networking event is open to the public.

Click HERE to register

FGI San Diego-Under New Management!

 

Fashion Group International San Diego is very excited to announce that IT’S BACK!  And under NEW management!

We want to introduce everyone to the utterly fashionable new Regional Director, Mary De.

Mary De

Mary has almost three decades of experience in all of the fashion industry, including designing, manufacturing, management, wardrobe consultation, personal and professional image consultations, as well as the preparation of future fashion professionals through her on-going work as a college professor.

Mary began as a fashion designer in Europe and then created her own activewear manufacturing and retailing enterprise, supplying upscale retailers throughout the continent.  She’s worked as a custom tailor/personal image consultant in Europe and has continued working as an image consultant and fashion stylist in Chicago and now in San Diego.

As an image consultant and fashion stylist, her mission is to use her expertise to empower people to feel confident and pursue their dreams.  She feels this way about her styling business, where she helps clients embrace their distinct personality, appearance, lifestyle and aspirations, and she feels the same can be done with FGI San Diego and the diverse group of fashion professionals and fashion businesses here.

Mary has some great things planned for FGI San Diego during her term and hopes to see many past and future members at the upcoming events.  Stay tuned to hear more about the events!

 

 

All That Glitters is Gold! Gold Tats That Is!

For anyone who’s been basking away on a tropical island all summer without WIFI, the newest craze is metallic temporary tattoos.

Of course, the queen B herself, Beyonce has been sporting them.  But when conservative Katie Holmes sports one at a New York Fashion Week party, you know thisis big!

The idea of temporarily inking your body with metallics is not new.  The earliest known information on the trend dates back to Japan in 2006.  Nobuhiko Akatsuko started inking with pure gold and it was extremely popular but the trend didn’t leave the island until Arnaud Flambeau visited.

Flambeau saw the exquisite designs that Akatsuko was doing and immediately thought of the henna tattoos popular in the Middle East.  The idea to merge the two…the asthetics of the henna tattoos but the gildedness of the gold would prove much success for him.

He opened up his first boutique at the Burj Al Arab, a 5 star hotel in United Arab Emirates.  Brides-to-be and the wives of wealthy businessmen soon flocked to him to get adorned.  He used 24 carat gold as well as platinum making the decorations a status symbol.  Very small pieces started at $50, but the prices soon rose as the market prices for gold and platinum rose as well.

Prices too steep for you but still want in on the trend?  Gold Tats offers metallic temporary tattoos at http://www.goldtats.com.  Applied like traditional temporary tattoos, even children are in on the trend.  Lasting 2-6 days allows you to change your look as often as you change your mind without killing your checkbook!

So, get in on the trend.  Place them wherever your heart desires.  The possibilities are endless!

EMBRACE Experimentation; PLAY with Fashion

“EMBRACE experimentation; PLAY with fashion.”

These are words that every fashionista lives by.  What’s really cool though is that there is a girls’ fashion line that teaches this!

Fiveloaves Twofish is a San Diego based fashion company that creates the most amazing (not to mention coveted) girls clothes around.  How amazing are they?  You can purchase their clothes at a little store called Nordstroms.  Perhaps you’ve heard of it?

Fiveloaves Twofish is a fashion-driven lifestyle brand for girls, tweens and young contemporaries.  Each collection is an all encompassing look, attitude and way of life allowing girls to explore fashion as they are caught between “little girlhood” and “juniors”.

Their Fall 2014 collection definitely embodies these principles of Fiveloaves Twofish.  Titled “Fall Into Parisian Style”, their dresses have a grown up flair but are still very much age-appropriate.  Beautifully full skirts have girls twirling in the streets.  They just can’t help themselves!  And the prints…let’s just say that they make you wish that you were a little girl again just so you could wear them!  (Although they do have sizes up to girls 16!)

One of the really great things about Fiveloaves Twofish though is their business ethics.  They encourage clients to know what they buy and to read labels.  They encourage clients to buy from companies that treat workers, animals and the environment with respect and that’s exactly how they operate themselves.

All of their processes are done right here in sunny San Diego-from designing, patterns, samples to manufacturing.  They pride themselves on their work to help sustain the economy of San Diego.  They even source 50% of their materials locally!

Want to learn more about Fiveloaves Twofish and meet the head of their creative team, Heather Haas?  Then attend FGI San Diego’s  MAKING FASHION: Going from Design to Manufacturing event.

Click HERE for more information on the event and to purchase tickets.

(And here’s a little hint…at checkout, enter MEETFGI and receive 50% off of a non-member ticket!  Shhhhh…it’s just between us!!!)

Old School Glam Made in San Diego

“I personally design each Fables suit with these beliefs in mind:

-Old school glam belongs to all ladies in all their glorious forms.

-Trying on Fables suits should lead to joy and smiles instead of tears.

-By creating a line of killer bikini tops and smoking bikini bottoms just right for mixing and matching.  Our lady customers will have the freedom to create their own unique look that suits them best.”

That has got to be one of the best mission statements for a swimsuit line EVER!!!  And Fables by Barrie doesn’t just ‘walk the walk’, they ‘talk the talk’ as well.

In business since 2007, Fables is a successful San Diego based swimsuit company.  How successful you ask?  They’ve sold swimsuits on every continent except Antartica!

Fables has that totally cool and attainable fun vibe of vintage pin-up.  What that also means is that their suits are not just super flattering, but uber-flattering! 

High waisted bikini bottoms tame tummies.  Ruching in all the right places tones love handles.  Piping gives every gal a slim hourglass appearance.  And wider straps going around the neck not only provide support but lift the “girls” for beautifully curved cleavage.

And with their styling,  what’s not to love!  Fun nautical themes, flirty ruffles and more variety of Americana that you’ve ever seen.

And did I mention their one-pieces?  They let you feel chic and adorable instead of aging and boring.

But the best thing I think about Fables by Barrie is that they are designed, developed and MANUFACTURED in good ole San Diego!

Fables believes in working with a good mixture of kindness and elbow grease and where other than San Diego can you find these traits!

Want to meet Barrie and learn how she started manufacturing her swimsuits in San Diego?  Attend FGI San Diego’s MAKING FASHION-Going From Design to Manufacturing and learn how!

Click HERE for more information and to purchase tickets.

(Hint…enter MEETFGI at check out for half off the non – member price!)