I was at the CALA show today in San Francisco, looking at a few lines for summer, and finishing up summer and early fall orders. My take away from the show was this: There are a lot of things out there that are shiny, pretty and new….but I’m SO OVER the flings with the handsome and flashy. I am so much happier having a deeper love affair….yet you sure get tempted at the apparel markets. There are loads of pretty things, but you peel back the layers of the onion and not everything has layers you can stand.
First, I will note that walking down the aisles lined with booths….you see rep, after rep, AFTER rep, buried in their phones. Totally bored, totally not engaged. Part of that is because it was still boring (early and not a lot of people yet), and part of it is just the culture we are in—phone obsessed. It’s the perfect distraction/prop to not engage (even in eye contact).
There are career reps, that have been in the industry a long time, and then there the sea of youngin’s in their early 20’s, who are LA or NY’ites, who want into the fashion business for all kinds of reasons. They tend to showroom hop and come and go often. Their goal, most of the time, is to pimp out whatever line they happen to have in whatever showroom they work for, and get their commission…and they say things like, “this will sell all day long.” Sometimes you find one that believes in their line for the right reasons (or at least one right reason), but in my experience a great number of them don’t really give a hoot. Who would at 22?? It’s a tall order in a very fast pace, transient industry.
Then you have some reps, the ones on my speed dial and short list for everything clothes related (they seem to know everything), who have been in the business a long time. They have some wrinkles and some experience. They know, at the end of the day, clothes are wonderful, but it’s about SO MUCH more than just the clothes. They look for the full package in their designers. The balance of consciousness, humanity, organization/responsibility, and ethics…and of course, the necessary style and quality. It’s not easy to find at the end of the day, which is why I’m happy if I come away from a show with one or two new lines that I really believe in, that I think will be the full package. It’s easy to get lured into a pretty line with only a pretty face—and no substance.
The industry isn’t very loyal on one level, and then you dig deeper and there are reps who are very loyal, and very committed to their work. Designers come and go. Reps come and go. It’s a demanding business, that’s fickle in nature. So the only way to get joy out of it is to care about something more than just the clothes. To care about how what you are doing affects the world.
So today, I was so very grateful for my reps that I work with, and have for so many years, who value more than just clothes (but are so good at what they do they find the best clothes WITH the best of everything else too). The are super intelligent women, who care about what they are doing not just so that they can make money, or dress well...they care about empowering women and empowering themselves by contributing good. They work with companies and designers that make a difference in a positive way. They put their heart and soul behind them, and then educate their buyers on WHY they should also put their heart and soul behind them.
You make choices about where to spend your money. I know how proud I am to contribute to how our designers make their money, and I hope everyone who shops at Melange also feels proud to contribute to that circle. Where you spend your money matters. It’s that simple. As I get older, I realize that more and more. If you value certain things, you have to put your commitment in that direction. If you contribute to a certain kind of industry or mentality (disposable clothes industry for example) then you have to know that you are doing it and what that means.) My point is that being conscious of where your money goes, your time and your contribution is so important, and it can either be a joy spreader, or not.
The designer I met today from Joah Brown, LOVES what he does. They started in his garage designing clothes. They built it from the ground up, thru good old sweat and tears, and they believe passionately in what they do. He’s personally there at the show, explaining why he designed details the way they were designed and how he sourced fabric and seamstresses here in the U.S. He was proud of his story, and I in turn
can feel happy to contribute to that dream by buying the line. It’s great, can’t wait (but we’ll have to wait for these two sweatshirts until July….simple, but wonderful feeling, with little details that make them special...like the raw edge hem on this one to the right.)
So that’s it. That was my day. I will part with two things. One, one of my favorite reps (Prairie Underground rep, her name is Tracey) said her most recent resolution to herself was to “take a moment before she reacted and to try and let things go.” (she included a great hand gesture, which depicted letting it float off into the heavens) Thought that was really great advice. Take moment, and let it go a bit before you do anything. Don’t respond immediately, take a second to put it in perspective and think it thru. It’s like a twist on the dig deep, and it has a more ethereal, lofty feel to it.
My very last confession. I never turned off my phone today. Sorry, I failed our joy task for the day, but I’ll make up for it tomorrow. My reasoning? I guess I blamed it on being “available” for work or family calls since I was out of town. Really, I might just have been using that as excuse.
Friday’s joy contribution is to give a hug…I’ll give 10 to make up for Thursday’s cell debacle, and I’ll try to turn off my phone for TWO hours today. I’m going big.
Signed, ME {lv}
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