Twice a Day Mo'bettah

I used to have a Honolulu Advertiser bumper sticker in my locker at school that said "Twice a Day Mo'Bettah." It was sort of a tongue in cheek saying that made you think of other pleasant things you'd like to do twice a day, but it was really about wanting to receive your paper twice a day. In any case, it was just too cool of a phrase not to flaunt. Today, it's my motto, just as I venture off on my two week, much-needed vacation back home to Hawaii. I'm dreaming of surfing twice a day. Whether it'll actually happen is another issue. When you have two kids under 5, there's little "me" time. But hopefully with hubbie in tow and a built-in-babysitter, Tutu and Grandfather Johnson, I may actually be able to sneak away for a few waves. It's been a pathetic surfless-year for me since the kids and my biz have been keeping me busy. But now with 16 days ahead of me with no other obligation but to chill with my family, I'm praying for surf. My favorite 9' long board is just waiting for me to wax it down and take on the gentle waves of Queens and Canoes in Waikiki. Out on the water, I can have my mind at ease and envision Spring 2010. And as I glide in for what seems like a 1/4 mile like Duke Kahanamoku, I will release all my year's tensions.

I'll be out of the loop for a bit, but will be back I'm sure with chock full of inspiration for Spring 2010. Who wouldn't be inspired by the world's most beautiful sunsets and tropical surroundings? And hopefully it'll be 'twice a day mo'bettah' surfing for yours truly.

A Designer's Quest - The Boyfriend Jean

I've been on a mission lately and with no success so far. I would think it'd be a fairly simple search for the perfect "it" jean of the moment - The Boyfriend Jean. It's in all the magazines and celebrities have been ditching their skinnies for their broken-down ex-boyfriend's jeans. With a wod of cash ready to burn, I set out to two Santa Monica shopping locales - the mainstream Third Street Promenade with it's chock-full-of-chains and the chic little Malibu Country Mart.

First stop, Madison Malibu. I've always had good success with my jeans here, purchasing my first post-baby sexy jeans from AG (Angel style) and most recently my fabulous Anlo wide leg jeans. But I was sort of bummed to find that my only jean shape options were bootcut and skinny. And this is a store known for showcasing trends before they're trends. On a lonely rack I did find two pairs of the of-the-moment denim maker, Current Elliot. But I was not impressed. For one thing, I'm not looking for a pair of cropped boyfriend jeans because I want to roll them up myself à la Katie Holmes. And I would like distressed, but please no holes in the knees (been there done that.) On top of that, per usual, the customer service was non-existent to say the least. Customer service is only for the Brittany Spears of the world I guess.

Second stop, Planet Blue Malibu. I'm a big fan of the one-stop-shop were you can even find yours truly, Stacia. They have the largest wall of denim in Malibu for sure, but still no luck. Bootcut, skinny, bootcut, skinny, bootcut...was pretty much my only options once again. What's up? Did I just miss this trend? Retail is in an all time slump so why wouldn't stores jump on the trend that's in all the mags and even in the mainstream J.Crew catalog? Oh, yeah, that's right. I forgot, when it's a down economy, buyers play it safe. Meaning it's the same old crap that has proven to sell, rather than diving into a new, unknown trend - the boyfriend jean.

Yes, even J.Crew has gone out on a limb and styled their entire catalog pretty much with the same distressed, cowboy wash, boyfriendy-looking jean that I've been craving. But low and behold, no luck at their retail post at the Third Street Promenade. Once again, it was the Matchstick and the Bootcut option, but at least they had grasped the wide leg trend with my new favorite jean, the High Heel jean. I asked the salesguy, what's up, where's the jean that's all over their catalog? He said they were sold out. Yeah, right. Every display was clearly all about the Matchstick - in skinny corduroy, dark denim, white denim...but no slouchy, distressed jean in site. Oh well, back to the streets...

Next stop, American Eagle. I know I feel a bit old when I go in there, but at least it's not as bad as the loud, thumping techno music at Abercrombie where I REALLY feel old. But American Eagle is the affordable choice for teens looking for trends on a budget, and denim is supposeably their forte. I was pleasantly surprised and giddy to find they actually had a "boyfriend jean" in their style range. Whoopie! I grabbed a few washes and ran to the dressing room rather hopeful. When I envisioned the boyfriend fit, it was to be a slouchy, sort of "I've lost some weight!" feeling when you slide into them. But at AA, it's more like, "I'm a teenager and need to show my butt crack even in my boyfriend's jeans." Yes, the leg was an easy fit and I could roll up the cuffs just so, but the cut of the waist was way too low and fitted for a real boyfriend jean. Believe me, I did not feel like I was sporting Tom Cruise's Prps jeans, but rather Hilary Duff's. Strike out once again...

Last and final "I give up" stop, Levis. The original denim maker of the classic 501's. Why didn't I think of this earlier? Brilliant! Buy a pair of old-school 501's in a light wash, wear them to death to beat them up, and roll 'em up with some bronze flats. I'd surely feel like Katie Holmes wearing Tom's jeans! Boy, has the world have Levis changed since 1988, the last time I wore my 501's. It's skinny again! Everywhere. There was one display of the look I wanted, and yes, it was the women's version of the 501. But, they did not have any in the store! Hello Levis! Wake up, you need to keep your classic 501's in stock. They did have the men's 501's which I tried on, but then I remembered why I finally ditched my 501's in 1995. I felt like I was missing "my package" in the front and there was just toooo much fabric at my pelvis. Not a good look. Yeah, if my husband had an ass the size of my thigh, I could look cute in his jeans like Katie Holmes wearing Tom's, but that's just not going to happen. My husband is actually built like a man and I would be swimming in his jeans.

So I'm sad to say, I left with a wod of cash and empty-handed once again. Sort of bummed since I was dreaming of wearing my slouchy, cuffed boyfriend jeans on the plane tomorrow with a Sharon Segal tee, my new favorite bamboo Stacia scarf, and my bronze flats. I would have been soo chic and comfortable too! I guess the search goes on...will keep you posted if I succeed. But by that time, I believe the trend will be over or at least I'll have moved on in search of something else I must-have...

Back to the Drawing Board

Just when one season is put to bed, there's another one right around the corner. With the February Coterie trade show looming ahead, I've had to get a jump start on Fall 2009. People always ask me how the design process works - is it the chicken or the egg that comes first? For me it's always the fabric and then the design. Almost always, something in nature inspires me, whether it's a trip to Central California or the color range of a starfish. I almost never start with a sketch, but rather build a story around color and texture first. Then, I figure out what I would want to wear in this color or fabric. Maybe it's because I feel every shape or design has pretty much been done before and I'm not exactly doing couture here or trying to reinvent the wheel. So for me, it's all in customizing my fabrics, patterns, and color palettes that make my designs Me.

The design process can be rather grueling, even for someone who works alone (maybe that's why!) But for a good month, my head is spinning and the wheels are turning in my head. I'm pretty much designing in my head constantly. Even at the dinner table, I'll be zoned out and my husband will ask me "where are you? what are you thinking about?" I'm designing of course. Fabrics, colors, silhouettes brewing in my head. Until I can "work it out" in my head, the world is not at ease.

Once I've chosen my palette, yarn qualities, and have laid down the designs on paper, it's 'specing' time. Specing is a short form for "specification" sheets or measurements for each garment so the factory can execute the pattern on the knitting machine. This can take some time since usually I'm just pulling these numbers out of my ass. Finally when the first samples come in, I can see the results and make modifications accordingly to get the fit and look I want.

Thankfully, I have just completed this cycle of design with all my "specs" turned in to the factory, all of my colors and qualities determined for Fall 2009. And my body is showing it. After a month of designing, specing, and stressing about what Fall will be, the body gets neglected and abused. I always forget to eat, bathe, and exercise during this time and after wards its all about playing catch up and getting the body and brain back in sync. As my husband would tell you, I've been known to consume a bottle of ketchup (with fries of course) after a big fashion show or after a design milestone! This time, I opted for a massage at Willow Spa to get me back to my game.

So now I just sit back and wait...for my precious designs to arrive in first sample form. Luckily, I'll already be off to Hawaii for my 2 week vacation to re-coop and get ready for the next round of collections. See above a few key elements for one of my Fall 2009 designs - inspiration "Monterey", space-dyed color "Spy Glass", and a loose sketch of what I would want to wear in this fabulous bamboo yarn (a ribbed henley with a detachable skinny scarf.)

Upsize Accessories in a Downsize Economy

When we're all pinching our pennies, it takes a lot of creativity and effort to look the part in the world of fashion, yet save your wallet. I've always been a big fan of over-sized watches since my days of buying faux Rolex President watches undercover down on Canal Street. Even though I actually own a real Rolex (got it when I was 13 in Hong Kong and my best investment to date), I still covet cool watches, especially large scale ones.

On my recent outings to Vegas and NYC for work, I noticed a lot of fashionista's were sporting their own status watches and not necessarily break-the-bank ones either. My two Westcoast reps were both wearing the new gold "full-blooded" Swatch watch in Vegas. I immediately thought "I have to have one!!" I grew up with Swatch back in the early 80's and remember scoring big time on a trip to Geneva and coming back with several Swatches. But those days of plastic, pop-art, clear-strapped days are over for me. I'm not 16 anymore and have a higher aesthetic now I would hope. So big and gold or chic and platinum is more my game now. And this new Full-Blooded Swatch edition is right up my alley.

There's just a tad of bling on the dial, and just a hint of clear plastic casing around the face, but this puppy is all metallic and actually has a nice weight to it (crucial when you're used to the expensive weight of a Rolex.) Not the easiest watch to find since it's sold out in a lot of places (I guess everybody else has the same idea of down-sizing the wallet, but upsizing their accessories) and Swatch stores are almost non-existent these days. But Nordy's still has a few, so it looks like I may be stretching my pennies soon and getting one of these Full-blooded watches for myself. It'll have to do until the economy is on an upswing again and I can upgrade my old Rolex for a gold President!

In Print - Stacia Baby in OK Magazine

Got a call from Kitson the other day letting me know they just got Stacia Baby in OK Magazine - too cool! This has been my first season selling to Kitson Kids and so far so good. According to the Kitson Kids buyer, Genesa, Stacia Baby is selling out and the local celebs are liking it. Check out this past week's issue in the Kids Go Green section about celebrity tot's sporting eco-friendly fashions. I had recently sent Jessica Alba a spacedye ensemble for her new baby Honor Marie, so it's great to know she likes the line enough to pay retail! She bought her baby Honor our fave new bamboo dress from the Fall Mission collection, the Juniper swing dress. We still have some left in Mesa (a pretty plum hued spacedye) so snag one for your kid while they're hot at www.shopstacia.com!

The Evolution of the Katie Holmes' Jean

I've always been a fan of Katie even pre-TomKat when we were doing sun salutations side by side at Yoga Works on Montana. With her cropped do and chic Mom-style, she even made the cut in my Style Icons posts. And now she's been all over the news this Summer and Fall thanks to her every changing jeans style. Her choice (whether it was engineered by a stylist or not) to one day pull on her hubbie's slouchy jeans and roll 'em up circa 1989-style and don Sigerson-esque flats, she has single-handedly jump started the boyfriend jean revolution. Goodbye skinny, hello comfy jeans (thank god, right?)! Oh, to only be the designer of Current Elliot or Prps right now. Nothing like being plucked from obscurity by Miss Katie!

I'm actually excited about mixing up my own denim wardrobe a bit and adding the new boyfriend jean to the mix. Even if it totally reminds me of my denim days as a freshmen in college (pegging your slouchy jeans by pleating the sides before rolling them up for the ultimate peg.) Been there done that. But this time around, pairing them with metallic flats or gladiator sandals is so much cooler than with slouchy socks by the Limited and Keds (did I just date myself or what?!)

But boyfriend jeans aside, Katie's denim taste is ever evolving. I'm also loving her high waisted vintage-inspired jeans (I swear I bought a pair of these at the Salvation Army back in 1995 for inspiration when I was a denim designer at the Limited) and the chic wide-leg jeans that she's been sporting. And even in the predictable skinny jean, she makes it new with a Vivienne Westwood-esque plaid shirt. It's refreshing to see a wide variety of jean silhouettes after a year or two of just skinny jeans. I swear every 6th grade skater in Santa Monica is reason enough to ditch the skinny jean and give the Ramones' look a rest.

I've never been a super fan of J.Crew jeans (they're great for everything else) but I did get lucky on a recent purchase of their "high-heel jean." With its slightly high waisted fit and perfect wide leg, I feel oh so chic. Although I'm not actually wearing them with high heels, but rather with flats which creates the perfect break in the pant.

So my next purchase will surely be the boyfriend jean thanks to Katie Holmes. But this time around I will be pairing them rolled up with my London Sole bronze flats, a slim-fitting Stacia knit top and long skinny scarf, and thankfully not with my 1989 Keds and oversized Limited T-shirt. It's good to evolve in fashion!

Iz ~ Hokule'a Star of Gladness

Fashion Will Prevail

Well, the roller coaster is definitely heading downhill. Fashion has always been cyclical and the business side is certainly a roller coaster ride. I've been in business 10 years now and have ridden the ride - the 1998 dot com uphill bubble to the 2001 post-911 downhill to the 2005 spend-happy years uphill and now the 2008 stock market burnout downhill. It's been a crazy ride for sure and you just have to hang tough. Stacia will prevail! And yes, so will the world of fashion. In all the years I've been doing this (even during my early years at Calvin and J.Crew) I've seen times when fashion was full of risks and exciting when the economy was booming to years of bland, "safe" fashion when the economy was tittering. And even before my time, fashion has always been effected by the economy - the short skirt revolution was essentially a way to save on fabric in tough economic times!

It's certainly depressing and tiring to hear all the doom and gloom in the news over and over. But in business and especially in fashion, where you design a year in advance, you still have to keep moving along and project a positive attitude. I'm currently working on Fall 2009 and it's definitely been a delicate balance of supplying new exciting designs, yet a salable, somber palette that reflects the times. Yes, fashion is frivolous, but isn't that what we need in a depressing economic climate? Fashion should make you happy and take your mind off high gas prices, falling stocks, and failing banks. The best investment could very well be in your closet!

As Bruddah Iz says "starting all over again, it's going to be rough...but we're gonna make it..." It's actually my family's mantra when things just aren't going right. My husband and I always quote the iconic Hawaiian singer, Iz, and suddenly we have a smile on our face and we can face the future. So too in fashion, I'll be putting a smile on my face, humming to some Iz, and drawing up the future of fashion for Fall '09, and hoping for the best!

HOPE - Helping Other People Everywhere

I was recently introduced to a fabulous new organization called HOPE artists, which stands for Helping Other People Everywhere - sounds cool, right? I was blown away by the creative and empowering couple, who recently got married at Lake Shrine (one of my fave serenity places on the Westside,) and have both pioneered this enormous project to do just as they say, helping other people everywhere. Hope artists is an energy conscious humanitarian organization focused on supporting existing social projects that promote education and growth. By enlisting local artists, creating special events, and combining music, art, and technology, they help connect people for a joint cause to make a difference in the world.

I was educated on their latest effort, Darfur, one evening last week at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. This high-profile shindig featured a DJ (yes, they even have their own album), a streaming video of the couple's adventure in Darfur (helping the locals set up a t-shirt printing business and means of self-sufficiency), a powerful art auction featuring the same three Sudanese boys interpreted by various artist and their chosen medium, and a hands-on t-shirt printing lab where you could create your own custom logo HOPE t-shirt on organic bamboo/cotton blanks. They even had this cool pitched tent in the parking lot that was made of painter's canvas and lit up from the inside so anyone could paint on the blank canvas. The final art instillation will be on exhibit in D.C. showing support for Darfur and the beauty of bringing art and education together to create awareness for social issues everywhere. Check out their web site, www.hopeartists.org, and learn more about this inspiring organization and find out how you can get involved.