san andres milano

San Andres Milano

by Anna Tomita

It has been about 3 weeks since I have started my internship in Milan, Italy, with San Andres Milano. Everyday has been busy a busy day for everyone in the studio, and my 8-hour work days come and go like it was nothing. The summer months, May, June, July, and August are one of the busiest times for fashion designers. Not only the production of Fall/Winter 2010 are in full throttle, but while the production is taking place, the designers themselves must start designing the Spring/Summer 2011 collection and have it ready for presentation by September 2010 for the Women's Fashion Week. In a bigger company, the designer would delegate the work load, with the production team and the design team working simultaneously, but in a smaller company like San Andres Milano, everyone must do everything all at the same time.

            While Andres is sewing the coats, I am under stitching the other garments or putting on buttons or hook and eyes on them. While that is taking place, another person is cutting the fabric for the next look, and someone else is staining a sleeve on the ironing board because sometimes simple technology like an iron fails. It is chaotic to say the least, and having Madonna's album set on repeat somehow increases our work performance. Some days I would be sent out to 20 different shops to take photos of current trends and colors, and the next day I would be expected to have a clean presentation of my findings. The following days, the design team would sit all day and just sketch. A collection consists of 30 different looks, half of them being daywear and the other half eveningwear. We produce different sketches of certain silhouettes that was decided, and at the end, we would have around 80 sketches. From there, Andres would take time off from the production team to choose and express his opinions on certain looks. After that, some of us would keep sketching, and the others would start on making the prototype, or a sample of the outfit using a cheaper material. From there, we make the adjustments on the pattern to make it fit right.  For the 30 different looks, there will be about 20 prototypes to make and perfect.

            Needless to say, one must love fashion to be able to do this season after season. The product must be a perfect union between creativity and demand, and must be worth the money. Just like everything else in life, a garment must have balance in all the aspects of design. Over designing something will take more time in production, or will not be wearable for some clients. Under designing something will make the garment look like everything else on the market. The perfect balance between everything is the key to a successful collection. 

Fwd: milano part 2

Milano part 2

            Fashion week in Milan attracts many important figures in fashion and in the commercial industry from all over the world.  Some include world famous photographers, models, editors, and buyers. Although their schedules are packed with activities, from fashion shows to invitational parties down to every second, some take time to grace the devout fashion followers with appearances open to the public. One was Ivan Rodic, A.K.A "Facehunter" (facehunter.blogspot.com). His first book, self titled, "Facehunter" by publisher Thames & Hudson, just launched all over Europe, not long after another street photography book by the Sartorialist (sartorialist.blogspot.com). Ivan is a street fashion photographer who travels all over the world, gaining a reputation to have an eye for stylish-everyday-people. He focuses on style of people in different countries, who are neither editors, models, nor designers. The result is a collection of stylish, innovative, and creatively dressed people from all over the globe, who are just like ourselves.

            At Ivan's book signing, all of us Hawaii girls were graced with his genuine interest of fashion in Hawaii. Unlike many industry people who seem to think of barefooted locals and palm trees and huts, Ivan was curious about the fashion in Hawaii. To that question, my friends and I (whom are all affiliated with the study of fashion in Hawaii) came up with the answer that the inaccessibility of the industry and the inspiration encourages all of us to try harder. We must strive and dedicate more time and energy to research, and innovation with everything in our lives. Some of my classmates know the most cultish and interesting websites and magazines dedicated to fashion, and have the keenest eyes when it comes to style, dressing, and designing. The inaccessibility taunts us. It makes us work harder to know, to experience, and to live the life that we all imagine and wish to live. And of course, a relaxing and calm beach house is the perfect location of sewing and designing for long hours.

            All in all, Milan fashion week was the dream of the dreamers. The busy days went past us so fast, and after a weekend, we all returned home to Florence with a suitcase full of goodies and memories and magazines and stolen past invitation cards to fashion shows. I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone. Italy is a friendly place full of passionate people, and we just have to remember that even Anna Wintour and Alexander Wang and Marc Jacobs and Tim Gunn was in our shoes before, dreaming the same dream and obsessing over a similar pair of Prada heels, their faces smudged against the glass window display.

Photo Credit: Ivan Rodic group photo (Tori Nyberg)

Photo credit: Signed book (Anna Tomita)

you and me

Here is the sound that photographs make
When I see them
When I hear them
I see regions of sharp precision
Over abundance
Over indulgence
Tied together with rope and twine
Stuck together with paste and glue
Two old planks of knotty pine
A couple of nails that poke right through. 

-"knotty pine" by the Dirty Projectors

milano part 1

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anna Tomita <annaiscereal@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Apr 22, 2010 at 2:13 AM
Subject: milano part 1
To: paularath@aol.com

Milan Fashion Week: Part one 

By: Anna Tomita

            Milan fashion week was simply the best fashion experience for someone who lacks the accessibility to high fashion. Everywhere you go, you see editors, models, and press dressed in amazing clothes that you see in magazines and blogs. Unlike NY fashion week, the crowd is very limited and events are less publicized and the paparazzi minimal. It is really to tend to a limited group of buyers, editors, and bloggers who are already well involved in the fashion cult community of Italy.

            My friends and I arrived in Milan, and received show schedules from one of the girl's aunt who is a buyer in Boston. From there, we found the areas and just made an appearance before the given show started. The venue would be packed with fashionistas and recognizable faces from magazines and websites, just lounging and chatting, taking photos and jotting notes down in their moleskins. A world that seemed so far away, tucked between the glossy pages were suddenly right in front of our eyes.  Compared to places like NYC, Milan seemed to lack the amateur followers of fashion, hence, we were mostly the only ones without privileges who was just there for the experience.

            I was fortunate to have been invited by my possible internship label, San Andres Milano (www.sanandresmilano.com) to attend their fall winter 2010 presentation that took place in the Mercedes Benz Fashion Center. Right as I arrived, I was bombarded by people taking photos of me by the entrance. It was a strange feeling, because I was a nobody, but the fact is that in the industry, anyone could be anyone. Especially today, where a 13-year old blogger occupies the front row of a Dior Haute Couture show, it is hard to tell who's who and who's what in the industry. Once inside the building, different vendors or magazines, modeling agencies, and companies engaged the crowd on the bottom floor, along with a photo exhibition by Cannon. I was then lead to a private room on the same floor which housed San Andres Milano's newest line, with live models and refreshments. I met the designer, the bag technician, and the publicity manager while the Max Mara show was going on right above my head, on the second floor which of course needs an invitation card to enter. The overall experience was quite overwhelming. Fashion was all over me, even in the air that was quite hard to breathe. Scent of various perfumes, the flashing lights, and the constant glances of people who are wondering or even trying to figure out who you are near by.

            The rest of our visit was even more filled with excitement and constant inspirational moments. We were able to enter the Max Mara stage after the show, and actually walk the runway and look at the construction of the show. We repeated that at a later Icerberg show.

…to be continued… 

oh NO oh NO my first MILAN SHOW!

can you believe this? because I can't!

Firenze in B&W

my first few compiled prints from the first 3 rolls of film.

Thank you Honolulu Advertiser...

I hope to use this to my advantage and for the best of everyone's hopes.

I'm from Hawaii, you Milanians(?)!!!!