Joining Technorati

Hi Everyone!

I am currently working on getting my blog published on Technorati; part of that is to verify I'm a real person by publishing a post with a code they give me.

Here's my code: HDNNU823MFCU

Now they know I'm real - and, hopefully, so do you!

Aysha

I will call it Scarlett

Hi Everyone!

Attending star-studded opening nights is not a normal thing to do for me, so when a good friend asked me to attend the opening night of Scarlett Johansson’s Broadway debut in Arthur Miller’s The View From The Bridge, I was thrilled (to put it modestly). I’m a huge fan of Scarlett…I mean, who isn’t? To me, she represents classic Hollywood glamour in the 21^st century.

I was fortunate in that I had a full week to prepare myself for, you know, the usual necessities and concerns: getting my dress ready, picking which shoes to wear, deciding on a hair style, selecting jewelry, etc. One thing I did not prepare myself for was how to behave in front of celebrities and press...but more on that later.

Thanks to my hard-working team, my purple, silk-draped dress was ready literally three hours before the curtains rose. Talk about a close call. I strapped on my 6” metallic python Gucci heels, let down my wavy hair, and off I went! Oh, did I mention that since my dress had bias draping in the front, with a side slit, I had to practice at home how to sit down, walk with small steps, and get in and out of a car properly? Yes, this dress may have looked simple, but way too much construction and engineering took place that was not visible to the eye. 

Predictably, in front of the Court Theater, pandemonium broke out. Town cars were bumper to bumper, horns blaring, and photographers were jumping in front of moving cars and people to catch candid shots of the celebs being ushered in.  Of the faces I recognized, I saw Hugh Jackman, Zachary Quinto (that guy from Heroes), Ellen Barkin, and Naomi Watts...and I’m sure there were more, but I guess I just don’t have an eye for spotting celebrities.

Once we made our way through the crowd, I loved our seats.  Front row mezzanine – a completely unobstructed aerial view of the stage.  I took a quick glace at the crowd below and around us to check out the womens’ fashions….unfortunately, I found it quite toned-down and unimpressive.  I guess Broadway calls for dowdy looks?  Well, not I!

Scarlett’s performance alongside Liev Schreiber was superb. They both gave their all and the audience responded with a standing ovation that lasted over 5 minutes.

Our next stop was the much-awaited afterparty at Espace, on all the way on the Westside.  Well, when you have car and driver at your beck and call, east side, west side, it doesn’t matter much (I was having such a blast!).  At the party, fashion and faces were on full display, and, again, while the dress code was pretty unimpressive, I must say that, intellectually speaking, the crowd was quite impressive.  We sat at play-director Gregory Mosher’s table, and chatted with Gillian Sorensen, Assistant Secretary General at the United Nations - and right next to her was her husband, Ted Sorensen, legendary advisor and speech writer to President Kennedy (some say he even writes Obama’s speeches).  Both were very interesting to talk to, but how much politics can people discuss without reaching a point of disagreement…not much, I discovered.  So I quickly turned the conversation to how amazing Scarlett’s performance was, which we all agreed upon.        

A funny thing happened, which I am still thinking about: out of nowhere, a camera crew turns to me and asked if I could say few words about the opening night performance.  Well, I was caught off-guard and kind of gestured that I did not want to speak on camera, but the interviewer insisted I speak for just a few minutes, so I reluctantly did. Honestly, I have no idea what I blurted, but I have the feeling that nothing super-intelligent came out, since I truly was caught off-guard and everyone was staring at me. Once the interview was over, I was glad to move out of the spotlight, and did not even catch which TV station they were from; however, I did keep thinking all night how silly I must have sounded. 

This got me thinking: I am really not used to being in the spotlight. This evening would have been a perfect opportunity to network and “work the room”, as some would say.  After all, I am looking to grow my brand, and what better way than to mingle with celebrities and the like? But, I’ll have you know, I did none of this, and I now sincerely regret it. It is just not like me to put myself so out there, and I’m afraid this could be a short-coming on my part...entrepreneurs must always be ready to sell themselves and their products, as one never knows when an opportunity might present itself. I made the mistake of not being prepared to brand myself to all these glamorous figures, and so I missed out on what could have been some really useful contacts. Oh well, I will call this night my rehearsal night, and the next time I attend an event like this (or any event, really), I will be sure to bring my PR hat. I’m learning the hard way that it’s a hat I must always keep with me, even if I don’t always need to wear it.

Back to that night...out of nowhere, Scarlett unassumingly whisked into the afterparty - all heads turned.  I was standing close enough to see her flawless porcelain skin. Wow, how beautiful she looked with her freshly made-up face, her long-sleeve printed Dolce & Gabbana dress cinched at the waist showing off her characteristic Scarlett curves....

As I watched her greet all her well-wishers, it dawned on me: the purple dress I was wearing would look amazing on her.  So, I immediately sent a text to my assistant asking to have another purple dress made, which I will send to Scarlett with a congratulatory note on her amazing performance. And, in my collection, I will name this purple dress Scarlett.

Aysha
   

If You Don't Believe Me...Try It!

Hey Everyone,

Once a week, I try to have lunch with a client or a friend, because it’s a great way to break the monotony of the work week. When it’s with a friend that you enjoy spending time with, lunch becomes even more interesting and, actually, quite fun. That was the case last Thursday afternoon, when I had lunch with Michael Fuchs. Those of you who may not know who Mr. Fuchs is, many call him Mr. HBO - and rightfully so. After joining HBO in 1976, he became the company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1984. Effectively, he built and ran HBO, making it into the huge success that it is today. As if that wasn’t enough, he then took over as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Warner Music Group in 1996. Although these days Michael is watching media world from the sidelines, he is still highly regarded in the industry.  I have no doubt he will dabble in it again - how could he not?

I like Michael because I think he is one of the funniest and smartest people I know – he’s always the life of the party. Our two-hour lunch was one big comedy festival. I wanted to ask Michael his advice on some PR ideas I had come up with, but found it difficult to get around to talking about anything relevant because I was laughing too hard.  Fortunately, I did run my ideas by him, but unfortunately, Michael did not think they would yield the results I had in mind. He made some good points, which I will definitely take into account, but I am not sure I agree 100% with his views, and odds are I will end up following my instincts. I mean, after all, do you know how many people told me I would never make it as designer because I did not have proper schooling or experience?  And yet, look at me now.  

People may not always agree with my views/ideas, but I don’t let these thoughts discourage me.  However, I always try to run my thoughts by individuals who I respect, and who have experience in a given field and/or are exceptionally intelligent and well-rounded people.  I must have at least a dozen friends like this (strangely, enough all men).  I have always said, and will continue to say, I could not do what I do if it was not for these friends.  They are there for me when I need a little pep talk to get me through a difficult day, they are there attending my events to lend support, and they are there to simply meet me for lunch and make me laugh. For anyone looking to start a business, let me say this: before you write a business plan, first surround yourself with well-accomplished people, regardless of age, sector, or geography.  Remember, success breeds success. 

I know the burning question on everyone’s mind is what I wore to my lunch with Michael.  Or, maybe nobody cares (including Michael), but to me, what to wear is almost as important (if not more so) as the restaurant, or, sometimes even the company (I am, after all, a fashion designer). Well, for those of you who do care, I wore a black sleeveless dress from my Holiday 2008 Collection (picture below). Yes, I wore a holiday dress to lunch, but please take note: it was a simple black dress that can easily go from the day into an evening look…I think that this is the hallmark of my design sensibility. I added a shot of color, as I laced up ruby red velvet YSL heels with suede ankle strings. Did I look good?  Well, when you enter a restaurant and three men do an obvious head turn to check you out, I think it is safe to say that you look fine. Don’t get me wrong, I am not seeking such attention to boost my fragile ego but rather to confirm once again my point: when women wear my dresses, heads do turn. 

If you don’t believe me…..try it J   

Aysha

Get Out of the Office and Be Seen!

Hey Everyone,

Another one of my New Years Resolutions was to get my social life back on track.  One very common trap many entrepreneurs fall into is that they let their business run their social life…that is, if they had one to begin with.  I am no different.  For me large part of 2009 was all work and little play; it started off very rocky - not only did I have to deal with the economic turmoil, I had also just fired my director of sales (she was lousy) and had to hire new sales team.  Plus, I had to revamp the company strategy to incorporate all these changes, so without realizing it, my work become so all-consuming that I found myself with little time to play.  As much I love being in my office with my staff, or draping in the studio, after a while it all can be so isolating.  Just last month I came to the realization that I live and work in one of the most exciting cities in the world, and yet I am not fully enjoying it.  So, I have forced myself to set new goals for 2010. 

One of these goals is to leave my studio at least 2 nights a week at decent hour… meaning by 6:30. I will use this time away from the office to catch up with my friends.  Well, last week I put this into effect.  I must say, at first I felt a bit apprehensive and guilty to think I could leave work at 6:30.  I foolishly felt I was abandoning my commitment to my business.  I met a few friends for drinks at one my favorite local hangouts, The Monkey Bar at Elysee Hotel in midtown.  I like the Monkey Bar because it is relatively close to my office and caters to “grown-ups”…as I like to phrase it, haha.  The staff is always courteous and the newly renovated décor is fabulous - the wall murals of monkeys monkeying around will remind you of the old days of New York glamour.  

My feelings of guilt went away very quickly, as I realized these outings can be an extension of my work.  I was wearing my own designs (as I always do when I go out), which was perfect for a night like this.  It was a fitted dress with black and nude lace print…a hint of flirtyness, yet sophisticated, paired with Gucci 5 ½” heals and classic black  Chanel bag.  You need not worry: a 1” portion of the heel was platform.  I must have gotten half a dozen compliments from women and well as men, and the usual exchange of business cards took place once they realized the designs were mine.  So, in summary, I got out of my office, caught up with friends and, in a subtle way, promoted my brand – all while having a great time! 

So, my advice to all hopeful entrepreneurs ….get out of the office and be seen.  You know what they say: more deals are made on the golf course than in boardrooms.  So with this in mind, I am making my going-out nights a regular thing.  Like anything that is important, I will plan these nights in advance and pencil them in my calendar so there will be no excuses.   

Stay tuned for future outing escapades…. 

Aysha   

Fall 2010 Collection...Coming Soon!

Hey Everyone,

I'm losing sleep over finishing up my Fall 2010 Collection; it has to be completed by January 30^th since it is getting photographed during the first week of February.  All the fabrics from Europe are here, all the sketches are completed, all the patterns are in the works, all the seamstresses are working overtime…yet I am still so nervous about the “what ifs”.  I know it may sound dramatic, but it almost feels like I’ll be giving birth soon. I mean, it does take at least 8 months to complete a collection, from the concepts in my mind to the actual garments being photographed.  The process is exciting, but totally all-consuming.  I think, sleep, and dream of the collection until it is fully completed, and once it is done, it is such a relief! I plan on giving myself few days off before I start working on the next season…..my work truly is labor of love.

Take a look at a few of my sketches of what will hopefully be cut, stitched, and ready next month!

Aysha

Happy 2010!

Hey Everyone!

First off, Happy New Years! I hope all of you had an amazing 2009 (I know I did), and here’s to a fantastic 2010! I’m expecting an amazing one, though I’m a little overwhelmed by all that lies ahead.

Last week, I met with my publicist, Ernabel Demillo, to figure out my strategy for 2010. There’s so much exciting stuff that’s going to happen this year! We’re going to increase the number of TV appearances I make; we already have some show appearances in the works in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, but I don’t want to jinx anything by giving them away, so keep your ears peeled and I’ll let you know when they are finalized. I’m also planning on throwing more events this year - parties, fashion shows, etc. I don’t have too many details about exactly what events we’ll be throwing yet, but I do know that we’ve slated my 3^rd Fashion for Charity fashion show and dinner for June. Since the last two that I held in 2009 were huge successes, this one will need to be bigger and better, which is a little stressful for me. I’m not losing sleep over it yet, though, and my anxiety is tempered with excitement. If I pull it off the way I’m hoping to, it should be an amazing event!

I’m also very very excited about a coffee table book I have in the works. I’ve always wanted to tell the story of how I created my fashion brand, and what better way to do it than through beautiful, glossy photos? My friends have been pushing me to do it for a long time, but my New Years Resolution this year is to actually make it happen. Wish me luck!

Once again, here’s to an amazing 2010!

Aysha