Going with the flow

 Photo by Hillary McCormack || Location: Bellwether 

Oh hello, I have not written a peep since November,  but I certainly have not been asleep!
Since then, I have said good bye to one part time job and hello to a new, much better suited one. I now work 2 days a week at Bellwether, a vintage consignment boutique, downtown Fredericton. I worked at a vintage consignment shop for almost 5 years before I stepped foot into the beauty industry, so working there really just feels so natural to me, I love it, and it compliments my short work week at the salon very well. The rest of my spare time, when not spending it with my husband and a select few friends, is spent working on my clothing collection.

 I started developing this line of clothing pretty much right after the college fashion show in April last year. Trouble shooting patterns and such, taking my time with it, letting it all come naturally in a way. Discovering what I do and do not want to make. I am proud of my self that I accomplished every last thing I set out to get done before I went away to Disney World for a wonderful week in December. I told myself to worry about everything else after Xmas, and I was so happy I was successfully able to take that (almost) month long break from design after months of slow fashion development.

 I pretty much got back on the productivity horse right after Xmas, but mental health demons got in the way on and off for a few weeks, as well as a few times this month as well. That aside though, this has been an extremely productive start to the year for Lunar Offerings. I have finished all of my patterns, have them labeled and organized, complete with a garment diary. I am now in the middle of sizing several patterns and mocking them up, which is taking some time, so I am glad my time management has been so good to accommodate things that take more time than expected. I will start the production of garments the first week of February and I can't be more excited!

 Also, I hired my awesome friend Tairie to redesign the Lunar Offerings logo for me, and she did not disappoint! I feel so happy that my logo translates exactly the way I want it to now. Feels good to be doubt free about it! It is so perfect and I am over the moon! ;)

I keep thinking about making a blog post, but it never ranks high priority on the to do list, but this one just came naturally, as everything else lately seems to be. I am starting to trust things to "come" to me more often. Trust my process. There is so much work behind the scenes to building a brand, and time can go by so fast, that I start feeling like I have nothing to show for myself in the moment, but really I am developing the back bone of my business, and I don't have to constantly feel pressured to have it happen a certain way, there is no laid out deadline, and it is not a race, so I am just going to continue to go with the flow.

Kayleigh

Brand Re-launch

Photo: Hillary McCormack // Model: Emily Dickinson // Dress: Lunar Offerings

 

November 4, 2016, I got in a car accident for my first time. I came away from it just fine, a bit of whiplash, but also with a new perspective on what I really want from this short time on this planet. As the car ahead crashed into us, and everything went briefly slo-mo as I saw it coming, I thought, "I hope I am remembered for my art." It sounds kind of cheesy, but because it was the first thing to cross my mind, it made me realize again just how important my creativity is to me. This is the moment I realized  I should focus more on my design work, not just as an art form, but as a serious brand. It was time to start working on making Lunar Offerings memorable.

I am surprised I haven't gone into too much detail about this yet. It took a couple more months after that to really realize exactly what I wanted to do: create a permanent "basics" collection for my brand. And by basics, I obviously mean in a gothy/witchy nature. Stuff I would want to wear every day, personally. Things that you think would be simple enough to find in local shops, but are not. I am also trying to design in a sustainable way, making it so (almost) anything I make falls under an affordable price range. I like to use thrifted, donated, vintage, discounted, and scrap fabrics. This helps me not charge a fortune for my pieces, and helps keep things unique and one of a kind. I also want to try my hardest to do ZERO outsourcing outside of Canada. This might get tricky, but so far, so good!

So I originally launched Lunar Offerings in the Summer of 2011, but because I am me and always have a hundred things on the go, I didn't put my all into it right away. Instead, I put my all in to someone else's business, which was my first big mistake right after school. I would create a handful of looks every other year after graduating for the college's yearly runway show, and if they sold, bonus! I only viewed it as an art form rather than a business. So, I decided a few months back that I wanted to relaunch the whole thing. I started researching, troubleshooting ideas, creating a real logo, etc.  A big part of it is creating a sample line so I can finally start applying for fashion shows that aren't just through the craft college. I want to have a sample line ready and waiting in my design closet at any given time, so I can take part at events on the fly, instant of fretting if I will have enough, scrambling to create looks last minute. A big goal is applying for Atlantic Fashion Week in Fall 2018.

So I am aiming to relaunch Lunar Offerings in Spring 2018. The NBCCD fashion show is April 14th, and I would like to send 8-10 looks down the runway instead of my standard 5, and I hope to have multiple of each item available for purchase immediately after, including different size options. I have been working hard on this line with all the spare time I have since April 2017, and I think this is a perfect deadline to aim for, as it is the 20th anniversary fashion show. No better time to pull out the big guns! I really can't wait for you all to truly see how hard I have been working on creating something that will hopefully live on long after I am gone from this world.


Kayleigh

Transition // Created Here: the fashion issue

 Photo: Holly Bear Photography // Model: Laura Englehart // Clothing: Lunar Offerings

"Transition" was a fashion show held a couple weeks ago at the Picaroons Roundhouse, a beautiful brew-tique located on north side Fredericton. All of the proceeds were given to Women's Transition House and the show went without a hitch!

 Back in the Spring, Dee Wilkie, local textiles designer, said that she was going to have a fashion show in the Fall. I have to applaud her for her networking skills with talents of every kind. This event went so smoothly and stress free, and it was a sold out show at that! A very high level of professionalism went into organizing this event.

I showcased a preview of my line I am hoping to launch in April 2018, 4 looks put together of pieces that will be found in my permanent collection. Robes, harnesses, collars, tshirt dresses, maxi skirts, as well as my version of a bathing suit. I can not wait to share more but I think my teaser was nicely put together. I sent the models down the runway to The Wizard by Black Sabbath. A perfectly bad ass song for the 70s witch vibe I was laying down.

 Photo Courtesy of Jordan Profit // Clothing by Lunar Offerings

 

 I feel this was a very successful night of exposure for my brand. I also had 2 caftans I had made from Dee's silk walk in her runway show, and not only did one of them sell that night, but the other got such a glowing review from a local blogger! I couldn't help but screenshot the love. <3

 

 So this past June, I was asked by Marie-Helene Morell, creator of local artisan magazine Created Here, to participate in a photo shoot for the fashion themed fall issue. The shoot was held at Tin Can Beach in St.John. So my model Laura and I took a road trip to St. John to participate! I wanted to go for a gothic beach babe look, and the atmosphere worked so well with the fog.

 It was announced there that the fashion show (Transition) was also going to double up as the launch for the fashion issue of the local magazine! I can't gush enough about what an amazing collaboration this was. Also, it was an added bonus to see my caftan on the back cover of the magazine, which I didn't even know it was happening until I was meeting the photographer (Stephanie Lane) and she had a copy in her hands, it was a nice surprise to both of us!

The magazine features a wide array of local fashion designers and it just turned out so beautiful! So thankful I got to be a part of it. Copies should be available at Reads Newstand in Fredericton soon! There will be a little launch party and pop up shop at Exchange on Germain in St. John on November 16th, I highly recommend popping in if you are in the area! Heres a little peek at the magazine below.

 

Cover Photo LK Blakney // Back Cover Stephanie Lane Photography

 

 

Photography by LK Blakney

Both magazine and fashion show were great exposure for my brand, and I really can't wait for more collaborations like this in the new year!


Kayleigh

Fashionable Outcast

 Photo: Hillary McCormack // Model, Clothing, Accessories: Lunar Offerings

Fashion is my art form. It is totally okay that not everyone gets what I am doing.  I treat runway shows like a curated gallery of my work. Not everyone is going to understand my references or inspirations. Selling stuff I make has always been like an extra bonus at the end, especially while I wasn't treating fashion design like its a job.

Building a niche brand, by myself, with no real dedicated finances or experience building a fashion brand in the past, makes for a really slow climb. It's hard, and lonely in a way, especially when a lot of your peers in the industry don't seem to get what you are doing, making it feel even more like I am off in my own little world. I feel like the people in the background of my life are just humoring me, or just not taking me seriously. And I am sure most of that is in my head but either way it's stressful.
I have a vision though, and its crystal clear, whether its visible to others just yet or not.

I know its not easy for anyone out there who has built or is building a fashion brand, but some people definitely make it seem easier than others, making it easy to get insecure and compare myself. You have to remind yourself a lot that there is no real deadline, it isn't a race and you can go your own speed. I second guess every decision, probably because the final decision is mine to make, and its easy to get caught up in the little stuff. (like the way people see my logo, har har)

As slow as the climb can be though, I am happy with my progress and I think within the next year I am finally going to have it all the way I want!

Kayleigh 

The part time designer grind

 

Model: Trish Knox // Photo: Scott Saad // Robe: Lunar Offerings

As many know, but I am sure plenty don't, I graduated from a fashion design program in 2011, and the same year I created my low key, independent brand, Lunar Offerings.  I say low key and independent because most fashion brands you hear of are well known and have a team of people that make it all happen. I am still just a baby in the fashion world 6 years later, as I am just a team of one. 1 person trouble shooting, 1 person doing the pattern drafting, sewing, branding, every last detail, did I mention trouble shooting? That's a huge part, trial and error, to get everything off the ground the way you want it! Add in a full time job, and down time to spend with my partner and friends, it makes for slow progress.

As a team of one, a person that didn't have ANY sewing machine experience before 8 years ago, its still an on going learning experience, and that makes it seem like so much time is passing in a blink of an eye with what can feel like nothing to show for myself, even though I have done quite a bit when I stop and look back over the past couple years. I have created mini lines of clothing every other year since graduation, just to take advantage of keeping my skills up and utilizing the school runway shows as my exposure.

Everything takes way more time to develop than I ever think it will, though. I create what I can when I can, learning new techniques as I go, and it's nice that I will successfully sell things I make, but every time I do it's pretty much back to the drawing board immediately after. Constantly editing, trying to make things better, brainstorming with myself. Finances and resources come into play as well, being able to only afford to make certain types of things with what I have to work with.

Now that I am 100% self employed and have more free time to dedicate to it, I am getting very serious about my brand for 2018. That means applying myself and working harder at it than ever in the past. It means working harder to get people to take me serious as a designer, and to take me developing a brand seriously. Instead of just making one off pieces for fun and skill development, I am trying to create staple pieces for my brand that I can offer in different colors and sizes.

 The fact that I am even trying to do any of this on top of an already full life seems crazy, but it is my art form, my passion, and hoping some day in the not so distant future, a well oiled, fully functioning independent brand.

Kayleigh

Life Development

Whoops, It has been since November 2015 since I have written anything.There was a time in my life I couldn't go a day without sharing my words, and now I just don't seem to care. I used to write in a time when everything wasn't just all about the aesthetic and formulated blog posts. Now when I think, I should write about that, the pressure for it to look good is on. I have to let go of the fear of what it looks like and just let it take its course, and maybe it will develop itself into something more appealing over time.

So, I can pick up right where I left off, really. My 2 year anniversary for being my own boss is in a couple weeks. I can't say I am not right where I want to be. My "plan" is working. What is that you ask? Well, I went back to school for aesthetics, because I was looking for a trade that could be my bread and butter, so I could find the time and money to invest in my first trade, which is fashion design.
Fashion design isn't something I could jump into full time like aesthetics. Fashion design as a team of one in a small town would be damn near impossible to do full time right away, relying on my creative brain 24/7 would be extremely difficult. So I decided I would do aesthetics as my full time job 4 days of the week, and I work on my designs at my own leisure with the 3 other days of the week, and NOT guilt myself with how much I relax within those 3 days, as that seems to be the key to filling the creative well.

I realized last year that I just can not do every little thing. So I started to take things off my plate.
First, I retired Kiwi the Faerie to just agreed upon family/friend events only, I love my faerie persona, but she is well built up, and I can easily keep it on the back burner and bring it out when needed. But this sort of work on top of everything else is just way too much of my energy I just don't have.

Next was the realization that the Fredericton Fashion Council just isn't something that is necessary at this time. I watch our members and other local designers thrive every day, networking and collaborating, creating events, etc, without the help of a middle man. FFC had wonderful events while it was alive, but it was a ton of energy on my behalf I just don't have to dedicate anymore after doing so for 3 years. Most exec members last year stepped down because of already having too much on their personal plate to be there for the council, and I really don't blame them and quite related. The FFC blog/social media will be renamed (hopefully I will get to this soon) to the Maritime Fashion Network and will be there for everyone to share all fashion content that is submitted! I think this will be the ultimate way to help local designers network without needing a membership.

So to finish this off, I am developing. I am fine tuning. I am narrowing down where I focus energy. I am on the path I want to be on, and though sometimes it feels a bit slow, I know its going at the pace it needs.
Right now I am working on getting really serious about my fashion brand Lunar Offerings. I am working on a staple collection with multiple size options, I am redesigning my logo, getting labels made, troubleshooting troubleshooting troubleshooting. etc. It is SO much work and I will elaborate on all that in my next blog post.

Kayleigh

Shaping space

I am not so sure how to follow up such a mouth full of a blog post, and I also can't believe its almost been a full month since I wrote it! I promised myself I would make an update once a week so I have some catching up to do.

I started to make a post on Halloween, but for some reason the draft wouldn't save and the pictures wouldn't work updating from my phone! So I sort of gave up and forgot to try again until now! Here are a few detail pics of my mermaid costume I made. Took 3 tries with the fin but I am glad I didn't give up and had extra fabrics! lol

My first month working for myself was excellent. I had more clients in the first month then I did the whole 4 months I was at my last place of employment, so I am definitely no longer fearful of my choice to move ahead and work for myself! I book at least 1 appointment ahead of time per day, and I think for being relatively new to the esthetics industry, I am doing very well! 

My To Do List is getting checked off at a nice, steady pace! I am quite nice and settled at Avenue Eighty-Five now, but I have also gotten more stuff organized at home and in my design space as well! Actually I don't think I have every seen that room so organized! I want to live in there now. Here is a little tour!

I have decided against doing Red dress again until next year, but have made the decision to show a small line of clothing this Spring at the NBCCD annual fashion show. Not sure exactly what yet, I have a rough idea, so I can't wait to get designing for it! :)

As for news of Fredericton Fashion Council, I am still currently looking for help, and I am finally getting around to building the blog and hope to get some extra hands to help run that! I think it could turn into something really cool!
As I mentioned before, we are turning the front porch into a boutique area for local designers to sell their wares. We should be able to have a soft launch early January, to celebrate the official home of the FFC!
We just need to winterize it (new door, fireplace, plastic on windows, curtains) but the space in general is coming along nicely! We have also talked to a few artists/photographers about filling our wall space with their art for sale!

So besides getting boring personal stuff out of the way, getting settled at work and pondering ideas for FFC and my designs, thats about it for news for now. I helped with make up/styling a friends shoot a few weeks ago, and I hope to share a few of those photos soon because they are super cute!

I will try harder to steadily update here! 

Butterfly kisses,

Kayleigh