this is a tad old (and i am hopelessly behind), but i have to pass it on anyway: threadbanger met up with bonnie simmons of simplicity pattern company, who gives viewers (i.e., you and me!) a lesson on how to make croqius/fashion sketches (those oh so important precursors to making your own designs). she makes it look easy, eh? speaking from experience with this sort of thing (i drew such things until my hands nearly fell off whilst a student at parsons back in '05-'06!), practice makes perfect. not suggesting you have to pull all day long drawings sessions like i had to...but if you keep up at it, you can get fairly good. give it a try!
as a related aside, two books that i found invaluable on this subject of making fashion illustrations (should you be interested) are 9 heads by nancy riegelman, and fashion sketchbook by bina abling. any of you designers out there have any alternative suggestions for fashion drawing/illustrating tomes? chime in!
mrs. jones & oxfam = DIY & restyle
a couple months back, the british charity/aid organization oxfam teamed up with "stylist to the stars" mrs. jones (who, according to their website, has dressed the likes of the killers, kylie, scissor sisters and goldfrapp) for a PR campaign that includes a spate of fun DIY how-to's (which include instructions on making a skirt from a pair of old jeans, turning a tee into hammer pants, and spiffing up a pair of shoes). they also have a very cool collection of refashioned clothing designed by mrs. jones available for sale on their site (which is just plain fun to peruse) and a gallery of styled up discards that look anything but (see bottom photos above, and/or scroll down to the bottom here). good ideas abound, for mere pennies and the cost of your time and effort!
handmade is the {new new} black
love, love, love the sentiment on this lightweight tote bag i got at the renegade craft fair in brooklyn last weekend. nice, eh?
'tis made by these folks: the {new new} ny, a new-york-city-based collective whose manifesto is as follows (quoted from their site):
"...an eclectic group of independent artists in the Metro New York area devoted to fostering a creative and supportive environment among its members. The group encourages a spirit of camaraderie through craftsmanship and strives to help its members achieve success on both a personal and professional level. Members come from many different backgrounds and produce fine, handcrafted goods including clothing, home décor, jewelry, accessories, paper goods, bath and body products, toys, and baked goods. Everything is designed and produced locally by the talented artists of The {NewNew}."
visit their website for more information!