Hey hey party people,

This is going to be a flurry of links to accompany my last video, “How to Start a Fashion Line with No Experience”. In that video, I discussed reading industry news, especially concentrated on your product category, to keep abreast of business trends, new technologies, all the good things. Here’s my link round-up to help you get started. This is a mix of free and paid subscription sites.

WWD: the standard, WWD stands for Women’s Wear Daily

Vogue Business: fewer pics, more business news than Vogue (you can read the article I was interviewed for here)

Fashion Network: click on the drop down menu on the upper left hand corner to check out regional news also

FashionUnited

FashionDive

Just Style: a misnomer, as they cover way more than style

Drapers: focuses on retail

The Brand Hopper: does deep dives on the marketing practices of brands, includes many fashion and beauty brands

The Fashion Law: covers all the lawsuits zinging around the industry, often copyright suits

Copyright Alliance: more information on copyright (also features an interview with yours truly)

Footwear News: WWD’s sister publication focusing on footwear

NowFashion: free, but watermarked, runway photos

High Snobiety: they have a blog/online mag section with articles

CPP Luxury: covers news in the luxury world, not fashion only

Heddels: more informational blog than news, but covers denim and menswear

Alternatively, you can follow your favorite fashion journalists on social media. Robin Givhan is a personal favorite.

P.S. Did you buy my book(s)? Did you love it? Will you leave me a rating/review wherever you bought it from? Even a short one helps! Thank you!

Sourcing has been a popular topic on the channel lately. I’m back from the Functional Fabric Fair and I have a video full of supplier interviews, resources, and my commentary on sourcing, networking, and the tariffs here. (Key note: it’s really about networking. But also sourcing. But also the importance of networking.)

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I’ve been negotiating a lot of deals lately for projects I don’t do often or haven’t done in ages or even have never done in a specific format before. Negotiating fees can be daunting but I promise it gets easier…with practice. (Yes, I’m a broken record with the P word.)

You don’t need to become a shark overnight and you don’t need a 300 page self help book. Start small and ask for something with every single contract you sign, whether it’s a freelance gig or a full time job. Every single time, ask for something. Start by asking for a couple of extra vacation days, more work from home days, or a small salary bump. Ask if you can get free product, if you really like what the company sells. One of the things I negotiated in my book contract was double the number of free books I would receive from the publisher. (Most book contracts include a number of free copies of your own book.)

Ask for a little more, a higher percentage each time. Know your worth. Don’t work for free. Have the confidence of a mediocre white man. I’m married to a (not mediocre) white man. I ask him what I should charge and he usually quotes me something absurd from his mountain of white male privilege and we typically (lovingly) squabble about my worth, and I do end up quoting something more than I would have. I’m no shark but I’m getting there!

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Looking for community?

Conscious Fashion Collective is for fashion peeps who are devoted to sustainable fashion and looking to learn more. (I recently did a Q&A session with their group.)

The Draw a Dot Patreon Community is for fashion illustrators looks for job opportunities, educational content, general networking. (I used to be a member back when I had a bit more time in my schedule.) You can see my interview with DAT founder Marcus Kan here.

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Anyway, those are just some thoughts that have been rambling in my head a lot lately.

OH! Last bit of news!

I just signed the lease on an apartment in Los Angeles! Husband and I are moving! We hope to be situated by early June. I am so excited! I might do an LA meetup/networking event/book signing this summer to celebrate! Want to come?

FASHION WORD OF THE WEEK: Underlining

Underlinings are not the same as linings.

Underlinings are cut out of the same pattern as the outside (shell) fabric, stitched together, and the two stitched together function as one piece. For example, a lace sleeve might be cut with a cotton blouse material like batiste. The two layers of each pattern piece get sewn around the edges, about 1/8”/3mm away from the edge. This stitching must stay inside the seam allowance so it is unseen. Then the two-layer fabric piece is sewn up to create the sleeve. The cotton here would be the underlining.

Because the underlining and shell fabric become one, the drapability and stiffness of the fabric changes drastically. You may underline a lace if you want that extra structure. You could use an even stiffer fabric like broadcloth or taffeta to add even more structure. You could use a contrast underlining for extra colors/textures.

You can also do a lining on the same lace sleeve. The lining pattern would be drafted differently than the lace pattern. The lace and the cotton batiste would sit apart from each other. You could potentially cut the pattern so the lining is fitted around the arm and the lace is poufy. This is often done to save on fabric costs.

In this case, the lining would not add more structure or thickness to the lace. The lining here would function as a way to cover up the sheerness of the lace and to add a little bit of warmth. You would use a lining if you want to keep the floaty softness of the lace draping loosely over the lining.

Lining is also the route to choose if you want a garment to only be partially lined. Maybe you want more of a slip dress lining over a full sleeved lace dress.

P.S. My video on how to design with lace is here.

P.P.S. Did you buy my book? Did you like it? Will you please rate it at whatever site you purchased it from?

I had the privilege of enjoying the incredible Stephen Jones exhibit at the Palais Galliera in Paris last month. The exhibit displayed many hats Stephen Jones created throughout his lifetime as a student, as a young man starting out, as a veteran in the industry, and full outfits with the hats he designed in collaboration with brands like Dior and Thom Browne.

My favorite section of the exhibit was the room that showed Jones’s design process. These window boxes held such fun, illuminating collages! I wanted to share them with you and I hope you learn a thing or two!

All the event details are here! March 12, 5-8pm. Right next to the Fox Theater, across the street from 19th Street BART.

We’ll have raffle prizes, including a free 30 minute zoom consult with me! We’ll have an open Q&A session before the book signing portion. Books will be on sale on premises but you can bring your copy from home also.

I hope you will RSVP so we can plan space/drinks accordingly.

Also thinking about doing book events in LA and/or NYC. Thoughts?