Show What You Can't Say!

StylePortfolios.com is a website that allows you to build an online presence, as well as look for job opportunities. The cost to build a portfolio ranges from FREE on up...

Even if you aren't ready to build a portfolio yet, you will be able to view portfolios from other young designers, allowing you to scope out the competition!

Q: How will an online portfolio help my job search?
An online portfolio with StylePortfolios.com will allow you to communicate your talent in a quick, cost effective manner. With the click of a mouse, potential employers will be able to see your designs and learn about about the skills that make you unique.
Consider this: If two different designers send their resume to the same recruiter at the same time AND one of those resumes reads: "portfolio available upon request" and the other has a hyperlink to an online portfolio (styleportfolios.com/yourname.htm). Which designer has the advantage?

Amanda Vick - Ai Grad - Handbag Designer. In her own words...

Amanda Clevenger-Vick is a Fashion (Handbag) Designer who graduated in September 2008.
She currently works at a small company called Trenditions. Recently, she and her manager from Trenditions visited our Design Portfolio Show looking for possible New-Recruits (you see -this is why Portfolio Shows are a great place to network...).

Here's what Amanda has to say about her job:

"Since I work for a small company, my day is jammed packed with stuff to do other then just designing. I am in charge of specification sheets, the photography for our catalogs and splitting the design work with our other designer. We have four brands: Way West, Western Trenditions, Wrangler and Cowgirl Up. We are currently working on designs for Fall 2010. This season, I took 2 brands and the other designer took 2 brands. So my brands for Fall 2010 are Way West and Cowgirl Up. I would like to say that I have a regular day and do the same thing over and over - but that just isn't the case. If we are designing for new collections, then a regular day includes going through my library of swatches, looking for inspiration and then actually trying to design a collection. I start with one silhouette and I just go from there. A collection for us is about 3 bags(different shapes) and a wallet. If we are preparing for the catalog, then a regular day includes all day photo shoots.

The biggest challenge in my job is probably the photography. I came into it not knowing a whole lot about photography. That is something I wish I took in school for sure. Then i get the photography for the catalog handed to me. It took me awhile to get the hang of it, and I feel like I am constantly learning something new in that area. But when our Spring 2010 catalog came out a few weeks ago, I was very proud of my work.

My Greatest accomplishment is probably all the experience I have gained just working in the industry for a year. Although I do have to admit that it is a pretty awesome feeling seeing an idea that you had in your head go from just a design to a sample then to production and now actually selling."

We will be featuring photos of Amanda's recent designs, as well as more info on Trenditions in future blog entries, so keep reading! Below is a photo of Amanda with one of the Trendition handbags she designed:

Fur Free Fashion Competition!

Students and independent designers are invited to submit a photo of one of their fully constructed fur-free fashions for a chance for their design to be featured in a full page “fffashion” ad that will appear in E magazine’s September/October issue. Other prizes include cash awards and gifts from Urban Decay cosmetics.

Click the flyer below for more details, and PARTICIPATE!

Here's some fun info about the 2nd annual fur free fashion competition “fffashion," a project by Born Free USA and E Magazine and sponsored by Urban Decay cosmetics.

Winners and Losers

US News and World Report listed retail's biggest winners and losers based on profit/loss in December 2009. Analysts predicted some of these wins/losses, and they were happily surprised that some of the gains were larger and some of the losses were smaller than expected. For a full report on the performance of these retailers, check out the report HERE.

Winners!
TJX Companies (TJ Maxx, Marshall's, AJ Wright, and Home Goods)
Ross Stores
Aeropostale
Sakes
Costco
JW Nordstrom

Losers...
JC Penney
Wet Seal
American Apparel
Dillard's
Hot Topic
Abercrombie