Crazytown

It's where I live lately.

Things are nuts in this neck of the woods. I wanted to be a fashion designer. I didn't realize it would require as much work as it does...

My lovely co-designer and I decided to take matters into our own hands with regards deadlines for the Spring 2010 line, which is a pretty good sized line. There we were, happily jogging along at a nice pace, getting things done, working happily together on our own little time line on our own big wedding line.

When suddenly...

Things came to a screeching, grinding halt.

The samples from Fall 2009 came in and it was disastrous. I don't know what happened. One sample seemed as though they simply didn't read the notes, just looked at the picture. Another sample, the opposite, only read notes, but didn't look at the pictures. And some came in just fine. Obviously, more than one group of people does the patterning for the samples. The fabrics were wrong, the sleeves were wrong, trims were misinterpreted. What do we do? Photo shoot for the catalogue is coming soon!!!!!!

Fortunately, we had gotten things to the factory early enough that we (and by we, I mostly mean me) would be able to make corrections to the samples without to much trauma.

But then, it happened.

The Big Boss Man got it into his head that we should meet with a designer who works directly with our factory on the their own line. Get some tips from her on how to communicate. (I don't speak Chinese, nor does my co, nor does Big Boss Man. Said designer does. Seeing as how she is Chinese, that is to be expected.)

Now, here is the thing. Big Boss Man was right, meeting with Chinese Designer was a good move. We learned a lot about what information the Factory needs. Coincidentally enough, the information they need turns out to be the same information in the same format that I originally wanted to send them when I started working there a year ago. But Big Boss Man didn't think it was appropriate and wanted our stuff to look more "professional". Which it does. Look more professional, however, does not necessarily translate into is more professional. Because it isn't.

I have lots of experience making patterns. As a matter of fact, it is my specialty. I love it. Having done it for a number of years, and having worked with others who have done it for a number of years, I am pretty well versed in "what kind of information and in what format your average pattern maker needs." I mean I was one! That should qualify for something right? WRONG!!!!!

Big Boss Man is all about appearances, and to him, the format looks sloppy. I can understand. It kind of does. But, really, in the grand scheme of things, is that what matters? I mean, if you want to be serious about appearances, I think that having samples come back looking right is far more important than having info "looking" right. Especially when certain persons don't actually know what "right" is, having never done it themselves.

But, I digress.

So, the meeting with Chinese Designer was very useful, if only for the fact that she, being a real designer (as opposed to the fake kind, like me) made the same points I did, and Big Boss Man agreed with her. No, I did not bring up to him that I had already made those suggestions and gotten vetoed. It would have served no purpose. I know I was right, that is what matters. He is worse than I am about being convinced he was wrong.

But, that said, the meeting with Chinese Designer was very UNuseful because it meant I couldn't start on corrections on the samples until after we met with her, because Big Boss Man wanted her to see what a disaster they were.

So, meeting over, Co-designer and I start on the corrections. Mowing through them as fast as we can. My lovely mother is also doing a lot of them, as there is no way on this green earth I could finish them all. There are...I don't know...like 50 dresses? Co, though she is a super fab designer, is not a super fab stitcher and therefore was relegated to rebeading one dress while I dealt with the rest. That is right folks, I am that good.

In the meantime, due to the disaster that was Fall '09, Big Boss Man demanded that we put Spring '10 on hold for now so he (and we) could concentrate on getting Fall '09 ready for the shoot. I disagreed. The sketches were due and he had some decisions to make. Until those decisions were made, we couldn't go forward on the line. He didn't want to focus on that, he wanted Fall '09 taken care of. So...I caved.

BAD IDEA !


Let me reiterate.

HORRIBLY BAD IDEA!!!!!!!!

Want to know why?

Of course you do!

Photo shoot for Fall '09 is Tuesday and Wednesday. We will make the deadline by the skin of our teeth.
I just got an email today informing me that Spring '10 is due to China on Tuesday. That's right kids, the very same Tuesday as photo shoot.
I think my blood pressure went way up today.