Selective portfolios: DNR's Fashion Institute of Technology interview

Notebook Date: 2005
Project: Selective portfolio
Title: DNR Daily News Record Interview
In a celebration of 60 years of American fashion school FIT ( Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York. I was selected as one of the alumni being interviewed as a designer at Perry Ellis America. Some of the other notable graduate including David Chu of Nautica, John Bartlett and Jhane Barnes. Gosh I was still young and energetic at the time !

All photos by Jordan K
all right reserved studiolifequartet 2010

Selective portfolios: Perry Ellis Menswear Fall 2005

Project: Selective portfolio
Title: Perry Ellis America
I am sharing with you a selective works of my time working as a designer for notable American brand such as Perry Ellis America. It was a casual all American men's brand that target age 21-40 years old young adult. The brand was an extension of Perry Ellis menswear with a casual touch.

American Denim inspire collection

America dressing concept

America theme board: Pastoral 1

America Theme board: Pastoral 2

America product board: Woven

America product board: Knits

America product board: Sweaters

America product board: Outerwear

America product board: Bottoms

All photos by Jordan K All right reserved studiolifequartet 2010

西門町 light

What: a street that is quiet and desserted, contrast to the street in the next blocks where lots of traffics all day

Where: 西門町 area, right behind 85C cafe
when: around 5pm

西門町 building

What: There are lots of these apartments with interesting window sizes around Taipei.
Where: 西門町 area, right behind 85C cafe
when: around 5pm

costume design: 300 video journal

In continuing search for warrior inspiration, this video outline some really spectacular warrior costumes. The video journal documents some of the process and inspiration of designer Michael Wilkinson. There are 60 people in the studio in making all these props and costumes. got to love Hollywood budget !

SLQ mobile office everywhere..

Inspiration don't just come in office, sometimes garment factory, sample rooms and fabric stores became my office. Check out some of the places where shapes, colors and materials are formed....

laying out all the fabric swatches..

jumping in for a pattern making session

sketching shapes and patterns..

deciding on what materials go together..

finding fabrics.

and finally, a place to rest is almost as crucial...this is where I put all ideas into rest..:)

Steve Jobs 3 stories...Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.

Once a while, there are times that creative people need to listen or read something inspire perhaps from another creative professional to fuel their passion. Steve jobs, one of the most successful CEO in an American brand, Apple computer, not only innovative and visionary, he also lead an interesting personal life story that can certainly inspire all of us, see why...

3 stories of Steve Jobs's life:
1) Connecting the dots.
You can't connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backward. You have to trust the dots somehow will connect you to something, it will only give you confidence to follow the path.
2) Love and lost
Sometimes life is going to hit you like a head with a brick, don't lose faith. Love what you do, you got to find what you love, do what you believe is great work. It is true for works as it is for lovers, keep looking and don't settle.
3) Live as it is your last day.
Remember that you are going to die ! You already naked, there is no reason not to follow your heart. Death is the best single invention of life. Your time is limited, so don't bewaste it living somebody else's live, don't be trapped by dogma, have a encourage to follow your heart and intuition, everything else is secondary.

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish...

Naked Thoughts 40210

cover: remind myself what this journal/notebook is about..

Brainstorming for branding consultancy project

Inspiration sketches for PONYTAIL

backstage at HORSE dance performance, all I am thinking about is movement.

sketches for BULA's new work

Journaling is an art.

Every artist, designer, choreographer, business executive or student has some sort of ways to record their diaries, meetings, agenda, or even personal information that is very dear to them. It is very often not just a book simply act as a reminder, but also an outlet for any immediate thoughts or brainstormed ideas. It documents your thought process so that later on can be retrieved for usage. There are so many different ways of doing it and it's completely free style. Looking at these books can easily understand the creative process and others can get a better picture of your creative DNA and what inspire you.

As an artist, designer, dancer and yoga teacher myself, I have over the years used many books of various forms and shapes. ( I have boxes just to store these sketch book/journals) Some of it just personal diaries journaling my life while majority are sketch books that store countless drawings of fashion sketches, patterns, and sometimes tear sheet from magazines. In my most recent collection, I also have calender, yoga class sequences, dance combination, scribble, rants and so forth, I shall share with you much more as I unveil this journal art project at Studio LQ. It's PERSONAL and it's NAKED and it's quite an ART.....Let's share with me what you think and perhaps show me yours..

All photos by Jordan K
all right reserved studiolifequartet 2010

Malaysia proposal: New Brand Creation

Notes on complete analysis of Miss A's company's business model

In a recent trip to Malaysia, I had a chance to sit down with a friend who recently started his own wholesale/retail fashion business with a partner. We worked briefly to talk about what kind of consultation help I can do for him and possibly bringing me on board to expand the business in the future. I have written down the following as a case study and proposal in order for potential client to understand the services Studio LQ can provide here.

Notebook Date: 12.27.2009
Project: fashion consultant
Project type: Wholesale/Retail women's fashion

Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Client: confidential

Synopsis:

A one-year old start up company who sell missy contemporary fashion to local Malaysian market. Current company has a showroom of about 600square feet to include offices. The company initially established with owner ( Miss A) travel back and forth the Seoul, Korea hand carrying women's clothing to wholesale for a local boutique near Damansara, Kuala Lumpur. It eventually extended to privately selling to her own clientele which mostly are the riches' wife and mistresses. The business slowly take off with expansion to its own rented showroom. The showroom became a shopping destination for Miss A's client. The company also partner up with a boutique owner who apparently never attend to her own businesses. The sell through is steady but at times unable to properly track the right reason for the good selling merchandise. There are some merchandise unable to sell and some of them overbought. The owner has very little knowledge about fashion and most of the actions taken are predominantly random and unplanned. The following is a proposal that we put together base on evaluating Miss A's company's current scenario.

Studio LifeQuartet Consultation Proposal:

Phase 1: New Brand Creation (NBC)

Since the business has proportionately increase, in order to build loyal and repeat customers, a brand must be created to strengthen the core of the business. By integrating brand strategy into the company, eventually lead to long term profitability. In NBC, we must identify the following:

A) Brand Objective

B) Target Market

C) Competition

D) Strategy

Phase 2: Brand Architecture (BA)

After NBC, we can then establish the primary architecture of the brand. What is the main concept ? Lifestyle positioning ? Demographics ? Packaging design ? what is the Unique Selling Proposition? channel of distribution ? etc. These exercise only needs to be done once and thereafter, everything else follow the architecture of the brand.

Phase 3: Brand Development (BD)

After established the concept of the brands, it's time to develop it seasonally. Base of the information gathered during NBC and BA, we can identify several different methods in developing the brand. For example; Are you going to continue to buy directly from Korean wholesaler and put your brand on the products, or you have design it on your own and have the Korean factory to make for you ? For each season, the following is needed:

A) Developing a seasonal calender as to when to buy.

B) Developing a buying strategy as to what to buy.

C) Developing a pricing strategy as to what to buy at different prices.

E) Developing a trend board as to what are the hottest items for the upcoming season

F) Developing a merchandising plan for retail boutique and showroom clients.

E) many more...

Additional package: Brand Buying Strategy

A) Product Distribution Matrix ( colors, silhouette, size, quality ) etc.

B) Additional Products and services and market research.

All photos by Jordan K
all right reserved studiolifequartet 2010