I love love love the style of illustrator Eva Hjelte! Her style is simple and her use of mild colors are fantastic! I find her pieces to be quite beautiful as well as whimsical & I wish I had that “mmm macarons” print!
Fashion Illustrator Aasha Ramdeen sketches out some beautiful renderings of style. i like her use of soft/sorbet colors in the prints below. The compositions are quite lovely!
The illustrations of Artist Lovisa Burfitt are so inspiring. I really like the “sketchy” feel that her pieces have. After seeing her wall paintings she did for the H&M Store I am convinced that I will sketch up some fashion inspired illustrations for my future closet in my future house(hopefully it will be a walk in)! I love the hangers that are painted on the wall and the flower outline is really nice too! Wouldn’t you just love to adorn your closet with not only pretty clothes but pretty illustrations! I love it!
I just love color, and when it is fused together with an array of chic prints, it just makes the colors pop right out at you. Belguim DesignerDries Van Notens Summer line does just that. These pieces reminds me of Monet paintings but with a bold and bright palette. The color palette of fashion can lend itself quite well to that of decor, so I thought it would be fun to start doing some color inspiration by picking out some of the major colors that designers use within their collections. Hope it inspires, and who knows you might just fall in love with a color combo that you have never thought of before!
Top image via Vogue Living, Runway images via driesvannoten.com
When it comes to fashion I love collections that are filled with color, simple lines, and a bold mix of patterns. Then sometimes I like simple blocks of classic colors flowing along crisp clean lines. The fashion illustrations of David Downton reminds me of the latter. I love his illustrations and his use of neutral tones and watercolor & gouache. I commend those who use gouache to it fullest. I was first introduced to the medium in Color Theory class at SCAD…tricky little paint it can be!
I have always had a love for illustration, especially when it comes to interior renderings…oh my! A lovely rendered room in watercolors and markers equals a wonderful piece of art in my mind. Who are your favorite illustrators? You can read more about David by reading this wonderful interview on his website. My favorite piece is entitled “Valli”. The simple use of yellow is fantastic!
One of the best in the industry, Adriana Barra is one of my absolute favorite Fashion Designers. I am not quite sure what the best words are to describe her style, but the closest thing that I can think of is Tropical-Gypsy-Bohemian. I know I know, but those are the words that come to mind when I gaze at the tropical patterns and textile designs that she uses for her long bohemian sun-dresses and “dashiki” inspired blouses. her use of pattern is incredible and the color is so rich and vibrant. I would love to be able to visit her stores in Sao Paulo & Rio De Janeiro Brazil, which is decorated quite lovely and seems to change with each year. You should definitely take a tour of her website, because it is filled with lovely imagery and gorgeous pattern, as well as a lot of hidden treasure links to click around on! Who are some of your favorite fashion designers?
If you like pretty dresses that are great for wearing to that picnic on the beach or at the park, or pretty tops that would go well with a glass of homemade lemonade, or maybe comfy jeans that you love to wear as you create something new, then Salt Water is the boutique for you. Based out of London & Cornwall, I would compare some of their pieces to that of Anthropologie, only Salt Water’s pieces flow a bit lighter in cut and color. Perfect fashion for lazy Sundays.
From now on I will be making posts entitled “Road Trips”, in which I will take you along with me on my imaginary road trips and travel ventures around the world. I will pick some of my favorite wardrobe selections to fit the locations as well as beauty products, and lots of other things as well. So come along with me as we travel the world in style!
As a young girl Rochelle Rodriguez spent her younger years infatuated with all things fashion. From playing dress up in her grandmothers closet to her intense studying of Vogue and “Style with Elsa Clinch” on CNN on Saturday mornings Rochelle made sure to surround herself with fashion inspiration. Her inspiration paid off and she later found herself graduating from one of the top Fashion Institutes on the map, FIDM(Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising). Now Rochelle is amongst the best of the best in fashion.
Her pieces have been featured on celebrities such as Kat Sadler of E! The Daily 10, actress Erin Cummings, and on the hit show “So You Think You can Dance”. Her pieces can be found all over the country and you may find her in rotation in the display windows of Kitson, one of L.A’s hottest fashion spots. I particularly like her use of pattern, color, and flirty cuts; and the fact that her pieces appeals to real women with real curves makes it all the better! Rochelle takes out a bit of her time to chat with us about her fashion inspiration.
JuBella: What is your design process like & how do you gain creative inspiration for your collections?
Rochelle: In a perfect world, once every couple of months I would take off for some place exotic and listen to the rustle of the trees to move me a direction for the next season. Until that day, I retreat to my local coffee shop, Aroma Café, with my design book, pencil, ipod, and usually dozens of scrap pieces of paper with messy drawings on them from prior weeks creative moments. It’s basically like a puzzle and I just try and put the pieces together to make a collection that is interesting, unique and most of all wearable. I pull a lot of inspiration from the 30’s-late 60’s. However, it is subtle, whether I am using a style of a sleeve or idea of a neckline, I try to take bits and pieces and then add my own flare.
JuBella: Favorite magazines/ books / resources that provide you fashion inspiration?
Rochelle: Vogue, by far. I have 2 subscriptions. One so I can tear out pages and 1 to collect. In 50 years from now my dark wood library will be a library of Vogues. Also, any coffee table books focusing on women throughout the 20th century.
JuBella: What do you love most about what you do?
Rochelle: “I feel like a million bucks in this dress!” That phrase is the reason I am in this business. Whether it is a friend, a stranger, or even myself, I love being able to design something that makes a woman feel good in what she is wearing. Empowerment is an idea that can change a person to the very core. If a woman feels empowered, even for the short time she is wearing a great dress, then, chances are she will continue to do things that empower her. It is a cycle, if you think you look good, you suddenly start to feel good, you start to feel like you can do anything, you start to live life a little more, and before you know it, you are this bundle of happy walking around helping other people feel happy. Then one day you look up, and right before your eyes there is peace on earth. Perhaps, it’s silly to think a dress could change the world, but it could.
JuBella: How would you describe your style and the style of your line?
Rochelle: I design for me, and all the different personalities that make up Rochelle Rodriguez. I am not trying to reinvent the wheel. I am simply designing wearable dresses for the modern woman. The style is chic and sexy. There are dresses for those days when you feel flirty and carefree, for days when you need to make a good impression, for first dates, for the first time you’ve seen “him” since he broke up with you, for going to weddings and parties, and even for those “fat” days.
JuBella: Products, accessories, gadgets, & things you never leave home without?
Rochelle: My phone-Tmobile Dash, my brand new oversized Gucci shades, The Secret, and my credit cards.
JuBella: What are some of your biggest challenges when it comes to being a fashion designer?
Rochelle: Somewhere between finishing the design/concept and actually getting paid would be the biggest challenge. Designing is the best part, it is the most effortless part of this business for me. Unfortunately, that is only about 25% of the time. Sourcing materials was the most challenging task for me at the beginning. Challenges appeared as I started to look for fabric, then I would find the perfect type, only to find out I had to order 1000 yards. By now, I’m starting to get the hang of it. Just in time for a new set of challenges…payment. I have been fortunate enough to have one of the best sales people in the industry on my team, Kristen Aguilera at the Park Showroom. She has taken me from nothing to over 40 accounts in 4 months time. The challenge here is fine tuning which stores are worth moving forward. Most people don’t think about what happens after a designer has been given 50 new orders for 50 new stores. Over half those stores will have some sort of credit problem. Challenge.
JuBella: Goals you would like to achieve in the future with your line?
Rochelle: I would like to be the Target guest designer in 5 years. I would like to have 4 “Rochelle Rodriguez” boutiques in various cities across the US. Most importantly, I want my line to help women of all shapes and sizes to learn to love what they have. I want my line to have a positive influence on the way women feel about their bodies. I have drop dead gorgeous friends that can walk by the mirror and frown as if they are looking into one of those crazy mirrors at the circus. It is a rather large task I know, what with stick thin “celebutants” and models, but I hope to make some sort of impact on the world that if you can just “Love the body your in” you may actually find that you are already perfect.
JuBella: Favorite shops for fashion?
Rochelle: I love Intermix at North Park and Joile at Victory Park in Dallas, TX. I love Neiman Marcus and Barney’s, it is where I would like to die and go to heaven. I love Rumor in Sherman Oaks, CA, it is two levels of fun filled fashion. Online you can find lots of goodies at JoiaStyleStudio.com and HotterThaHollywood.com
JuBella: Favorite music/bands/albums for your fashion shows?
Rochelle: I have a great set of musicians in my close circle of friends. The hot new band Vintage (Vintage Band) and sultry sounds of Jenny Franklin of Some Strange are sure to be heard at my shows.
She’s So “Supa”: Supayana is a clothing line run by Designer Yana Gorbulsky. Her pieces incorporate some of the most amazing cuts, and embellishments such as vintage buttons and lace details that make you feel both feminine and like you are wearing a pretty piece of art that fits your creative taste oh so well! Born in Moscow, Yana first found her passion for sewing as a little girl, sewing dresses for her dolls and stuffed animals. Yana finds inspiration from both runway ready-to-wear and street fashion; both vintage and modern trends; and most importantly, the maniacal desire to transfigure everything she touches into something cute. We took five with this “Supa” lady to get a sneak peek into her creative inspiration
JuBella: Tell us about your creative process…do you keep lots of sketchbooks/journals when creating your pieces, etc. & how do you express your creativity outside of fashion?
Yana: I rarely ever sketch anything. I usually just have a basic idea of what I want the garment to look like, and then I just start cutting the fabric and sew it together. I’ll look at mainstream fashion mags like Lucky or Glamour when I am in a real creative slump. Otherwise, I’ll look at magazines like Bust or Venus. When I’m broke, I look at fashion blogs online. I also paint and draw occasionally. I used to play the piano & I make really weird purple cakes!
JuBella: How would you describe your personal style & the style of your designs?
Yana: I wear a lot of vintage clothing and a lot of my own designs. So it varies from being really girly to really basic and pretty.
JuBella: What are some of the most challenging thing about what you do and how do you overcome them?
Yana: The most challenging thing about what I do is coming up with an effective schedule and sticking to it (because nobody else will tell me to stick to it). I guess another challenging thing is answering emails on time.
JuBella: Something new you would like to learn?
Yana: I’d like to learn more about patternmaking, and sewing with denim. I’d also like to learn how to make toys! I don’t know if your question was specific to fashion. If not, I’d like to learn French and how to do a cartwheel.
JuBella: What are 5 things,places, or people that you think is “Supa”?
Yana: Montreal, animals, yoga, my family, and my boyfriend.
I love when I come across little treasures on the web that are filled with rich colors, textiles, whimsical charm and amazing creativity. I get quite excited when I find such a site and this is how I felt when I discovered the designs of Fashion Designer Maya Prass. Her use of color is superb and her culturally inspired pieces are exactly my type of style. This is a must see site for anyone that is inspired by pure fashion goodness!
