The Signature Pattern

 

I recently designed a signature textile design for a fashion jewelry company.  They wanted a branded pattern that would communicate the company's trademark and aesthetic.  The pattern was used on a reusable tote bag I designed, a cosmetic case, and an umbrella.  The bold black and white patterning contrasts nicely with the pop of neon color.  I loved working on this project and am now so pleased to see it these items in Bloomingdale's, Belk, The Bay, Dillards, and Macy's.  

Simply Inspirational Gowns

 

Christian Dior - Gown - love the angle on this skirt!

 

Emilio Pucci - Gown - this one sleeved dress would make a great bridal gown!

 

Valentino - Gown - this dress is stunning with its menswear details

 

Badgley Mischka - Shoes

I hope everyone is staying warm during this very cold winter week.  Here's some designer inspiration to help get your mind off of snow.  These are some of my favorite designs out there right now.  I love very romantic designs with unique details.  Will post some new Rice Raffety Couture Accessories pieces soon!

Make Thanksgiving a Part of Every Day

Happy Thanksgiving from Rice Rafferty!  I have so many things to be thankful for this year.  We hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday. This four day weekend was action packed.  I cooked the Thanksgiving dinner for five people and I went with an organic, free range turkey (mmm mmm worth every dollar).  The more I make Thanksgiving dinner the easier it gets. 

Throughout Thanksgiving day I switched between making dinner and creating more accessories!  We're getting ready for our holiday sale at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA.  Dec 4 - Woodland Road, Mellon building 1st floor, between 1-4pm.  Pittsburgh is our hometown so we always enjoy going back for a visit.  We have designed new handmade headbands, bib necklaces, and earrings.  The bib necklaces now come on a board for easy hanging or wear if you dare.  WARNING:  When you wear a Rice Rafferty accessory you will get noticed. 

Our accessories are completely one of a kind - made from up cycled materials, hand dyed, and designed for you with love.  Hope to see you there!  If you can't make it you can contact us directly or visit the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts or Burchfield Penney Museum gift shop.

www.ricerafferty.com

Mood Fabrics from Project Runway

Mood Fabrics was so inspirational!  As many of you may know Mood Fabrics is the fabric shop on the hit television show Project Runway.  Mood is located in Manhattan, fashion district.  The store is two floors full of luxurious fabrics and trims.  I felt like a kid in a candy store.  My favorite part was meeting Denise, a worker there, who was also a textile design major at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology).

We discussed our education, backgrounds, and interests.  Denise told me about her experience working as a temp at Express.  She felt it was a little too corporate for her.  I appreciated her honesty.  One of the most important things when beginning your career is to know about YOURSELF and what kind of environment you can really thrive in.

She told me about Amy Butler textiles which I love!  Amy Butler's designs are Midwest Chic.  She uses a beautiful color palette and exquisite designs full of rich hand painted textures.  If you live in Buffalo, NY you can purchase the fabrics on Elmwood Ave at Elmwood Village Fabrics (which was featured at the Mass Appeal Fashion Show 2010 in the wearable art segment).  Elmwood Village Fabrics is a great place to go for inspiration if you're feeling stuck on your next project. http://www.elmwoodvillagefabrics.com/home.html


Visiting Mood Fabrics reminded me of my old days at the University at Buffalo hanging out in the costume/theater closets drawing shoes, hats, and accessories.  I found such peace surrounded by these fashion items.  Do you ever have those aha! moments (as Oprah calls them)?  Those moments when everything in the world starts to make sense?  That's how I feel when my graphic design, marketing, and fashion background all come together.  Every little experience adds to where you will go and what you will be.

In our studio
Right now at Rice Rafferty we're preparing items for our holiday sale at Chatham University (Chatham College) in Pittsburgh, PA.  We're also getting ready for an upcoming fashion photo shoot - more details soon.  I'm also planning a trip to Toronto soon to investigate their fashion district and report back.  Does anyone have recommendations on where to go?  I also want to check out their shoe museum!

And Yes, the above textile is designed by me.  I hand painted flower motifs and created a repeat pattern.   You can also learn how to do this by taking a textile design class at Buffalo State College, which is one of the best in the United States for fashion.  The class is taught by the head of the fashion department Professor Elaine Polvinen.

The FIT Museum Luxury Collection

What is luxury to you?  Egyptian cotton sheets?  A manicure?  A $400 pair of shoes?  A couture gown?  Luxury changes with the eye of the beholder and with the times.  Above are some of my picks of Etsy luxury for 2011 from www.etsy.com.  The items range in price from $90 -340.  The shops are Ouma, Myrakim, Gimmenicole, and Ashesandempires.

Since I was a young girl I would dream of visiting the FIT campus and years later I finally got to see it.  I remember reading an article about the Fashion Merchandiser for the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer back in 1998 which lead to my research of FIT.  I thought wow what a cool job!  I want to do something like that!  The FIT Museum is a fascinating place to visit.  Everyone from fashionistas to historians will enjoy it.  I love seeing the evolution of fashion throughout the years.

The collection we went to see was about Luxury.  Coco Chanel once said simplicity does not mean poverty.  Her goal was to bring high fashion to every woman's life.  Coco saw the value in the less is more philosophy.  She placed emphasis on luxury and minimalism.   There are many degrees of luxury.  Lavish fabrics, trimmings and embroidery.  It is thought we live by and for luxury.  Luxury tends to show class distinctions. 

Fashion, like most things tends to repeat itself and go through cycles.  Fashion is influenced by the economy, politics, technology, and environmental concerns.  The collection at the FIT Museum emphasized that luxurious things can often be the most simple.  This was my first time seeing the authentic dresses and women's dress suits by Coco Chanel.  Some of the items I remember most were the Chanel dresses and flapper 1920s dresses.

The Donegar Group

The next stop on our fashion trip was The Donegar Group, a fashion trend company founded in 1946.  The environment was pristine, very corporate and professional.  Our fashions today are a mix of yesterday and today.  To prove this point.  Check out the list of trends from Autumn 2008 and how relevant these trends still are today.  It takes awhile for trends to reach the general public - it's a trickle down process.  At first glance we typically reject trends, but the more we see the trends we begin to accept them.  For example, I was always anti UGG boots and after 6 years of seeing these boots EVERYWHERE I began to wonder - how great are these boots?  Two weeks ago i tried on a pair of Uggs for the first time and damn, they're pretty comfortable!

Womens trends - striped blazer, cargo pants, striped top, double breasted jacket, bubble skirt, navy blue, piping or banding on skirt, knit tops, turtlenecks knit tops. 

Mens trends - more polished and dressed up. V-neck argyle sweater, Mr. Rogers sweater (this is fun because i'm from Pittsburgh, the home of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood), peace scarves, military pins

Childrenswear trends - Catholic school look - tie backwards, shirt out - rebellious catholic school look (Gossip Girl totally worked this look)

Color - lots of black & gray, red added to basic black outfit, bat wings, red pants, navy and black combination, eyelet, rich jewel tones - amethyst/purple, rich colors - magenta, fuchsia with black, brights and neutral.  Greens against bronws - green leather. (i see this as an influence on the peacock trend now)

Issues and Objects & Desires
texture, long furs, feathers savage chic
new fabrics - plastic resin
luxe pink - pyrania studs on jeans, belts, earrings (now it's zippers on purses, wallets, belts, etc)
metal objects - metallic
Art Deco & Bauhaus - drop waist, color blocking
Art Deco accessories - hats, jewels
lumberjack plaids
denim - wide and skinny
white - all year
ankle zips, twisted seams
layering - adjusting to weather
cap sleeves, salt and pepper jacket
menswear trend - boyfriend cardigan, boyfriend pant
celebrating in style - pleats and ruffles, tuxedo jackets and shirts
the 70s - Farrah Fawcett hair flip, t shirts, bow blouses
kids - hippie style

Statement Makers
sleevless/short cut sleeves with gloves, driving gloves, berets, satin footwear, clutches are larger. Feminized oxford shoes, scarves go much larger

The biggest trend since the economy tanked is investment dressing - reinvested classics.

New retailers - Luella, Twenty&Twelve, Jack Wills University Outfitters, fabulously British clothing (new competition for Abercrombie because it's more polished and sophisticated.  I really dig it!) http://www.jackwills.com

http://www.doneger.com/
www.ricerafferty.com

For Your Baby, Trust Fund Baby

Have you ever heard of Trust Fund Baby?  The hip, little shop opened in 2004.  Trust Fund Baby specializes in childrenswear.  Many celebrities buy clothing from Trust Fund Baby for their little ones.  The store is decorated like a really cool apartment.  Very homey.

Trust Fund Baby designs and manufactures.  Items are manufactured in Hong Kong, Turkey, and Italy.  They have shop locations in NYC (239 Elizabeth St. NYC 10012) and Atlantic City (The Pier at Caesars).  No advertising.  They rely on word of mouth.

The owner's background is in wholesales, sourcing, and merchandising for Armani.  She dropped out of school after 6 months.  She started off faxing for people, buying them coffee, and worked her way up.

The owner said when she interviews people she asks about their culture and family.  Interesting approach, right?  Like her clothes, her business is about the people and it makes sense to create a team of like minded employees who have similar values in family and the celebration of our differences and similaries.

KEY TO SUCCESS FROM TRUST FUND BABY OWNER - Work back.  See where you want to be, then see what you need to work there.

The Concrete Jungle

In Autumn 2008, I took a jetblue flight to NYC with fellow Buffalo State College fashion students.  We toured the hottest fashion companies and museums in Manhattan - Trust Fund Baby, The Donegar Group, The Color Association of the US, The FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) Museum, Mood Fabric, WWD, Vivienne Tam, Design Tex, Target, and Diane Von Furstenberg.

We ran around Manhattan 3 days straight up early and to bed late.  It was a really interesting experience being able to see inside the companies, behind the scenes at their store fronts, touring fashion museums, and running around the fashion district.  Any time a rack of clothes was sitting nearby my heart would skip a beat.  We saw everything from the hottest most expensive trends to the clothing vendors down on the streets and in vans selling a knock off Prada for $20. 


Some highlights:
-When we were visiting WWD, Ricky Lizalde, Project Runway Season 4 contestant, happened to be there so he came in to talk to our group. He was dropping off some dresses.
- While drooling over the fabric at Mood I was talking with a worker there, also a fashion student, about how much i love textiles.  She recommended Amy Butler and Ms. Butler's designs have been my favorite ever since.

My fascination at the time was textile design...little did I know I'd be working at a fashion trend book company, art directing photo shoots at a kitchen appliance company, and starting my own cottage industry, rice rafferty couture accessories.  The more we go out there in the world and try various jobs, and meet people we learn where we fit.  Every experience is valuable whether we see it or not.

I'll be posting a separate post about each company I visited soon, so I can give you a more in depth description of each experience.  I loved going to each place and observing the vibe - like when you go on interviews and you think "I can see myself here." It's funny how the congestion on the streets of Manhattan, aka the concrete jungle, give me flashbacks of the tall towering trees from Lake Tahoe.  Both are completely different - one serene, one hectic, but both give a similar vibe.  :)

www.ricerafferty.com

Mass Appeal; An Elmwood Village Fashion Phenomenon

It's that time of year again, YES!  the Mass Appeal Fashion Show is this friday in Buffalo, NY.  Mass Appeal is the place to see and be seen.  I've been going the past two years and I always look forward to the next fashion show.  Mass Appeal is a high quality fashion show, very hip, like something you would expect in New York City, but with real people as models.  Mass Appeal is hosted by the talented Erin Habes, a Buffalo State graduate.

In May I was part of Runway 3.0 for Carol Ann Rice Rafferty's beautiful ultra feminine warrior collection www.ricerafferty.com, but it's seriously just as fun watching from the audience.  Dare I say it's a magical experience.  The DJ's Shock & Awe play only the newest music and keep a great energy throughout the entire show.  The clothing is mostly from the boutiques on Elmwood Avenue as well as designs made by local designers.

This year I heard there's a wearable art segment which should be interesting since I've been creating a lot of wearable art.  Ahem, where was my call to be in the show?  haha  but seriously it's a really fun time!  I'm going to check out the show for makeup, accessory, and hair ideas for upcoming rice rafferty photo shoots.  So come one, come all to the Mass Appeal fashion.  You'll love it whether you're a model, actress, fashionista, artist, or someone looking for a fun friday night out on the town.  Dress to impress! 

	Friday, November 5 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location	Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church 875 Elmwood Avenue Buffalo, NY $30 a ticket

It's Cold, So Lets Get Cooking!

It's Autumn now and all the kiddos are back in school.  The end of summer is always bittersweet.  I feel the crispness in the air and the leaves are beginning to change.  I can taste fresh apple cider and a slice of pumpkin pie. 

I've been making homemade granola bars (perfect for the colder weather).  My friend Nikki Dinki, an actress and chef in NYC, has this fab cooking show online.  She has inspired me to get cooking after work lately.  Yes, she made some granola bars as well as sushi, sloppy joes, marshmallow bars, quiches, and hummus.  Watch for Nikki Dinki!  I'm sure she'll be on the Food Network very soon. 

Check out Nikki Dinki cooking  www.facebook.com/pages/Nikki-Dinki-Cooking/155018194509269

Granola Bar Recipe:
Recipe from Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 8 ounces old-fashioned rolled oats, approximately 2 cups
• 1 1/2 ounces raw sunflower seeds, approximately 1/2 cup
• 3 ounces sliced almonds, approximately 1 cup
• 1 1/2 ounces wheat germ, approximately 1/2 cup
• 6 ounces honey, approximately 1/2 cup
• 1 3/4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/4 cup packed
• 1-ounce unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 1/2 ounces chopped dried fruit, any combination of apricots, cherries or blueberries

Directions

Butter a 9 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ onto a half-sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook until the brown sugar has completely dissolved.

Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Immediately add the oat mixture to the liquid mixture, add the dried fruit, and stir to combine. Turn mixture out into the prepared baking dish and press down, evenly distributing the mixture in the dish and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Every Girl Needs a Tutu

 

When I was a little girl you couldn't get me out of my tutu.  I remember twirling and dancing around the house.  I quit my dance lessons (sorry mom), but that didn't stop me from dressing up and dancing free style.  I felt so elegant and grown up.  The revival of the 80s dance wear as street wear is very exciting to me.  

The above picture is showing our Ultra Feminine Warrior tutu, made from layers of white tulle embedded with strands of silk and upcycled silk flowers with bead stitching and fiber optic lights. $80 www.ricerafferty.com

www.ricerafferty.etsy.com

When I was in college my art building was shared with the dancer/theater majors so I was heavily influenced by exposure to dancer clothing.  Even though my hands were full of art books, sketch pads, and paint brushes I'd wear leg warmers and leggings and my hair up in a messy bun several days a week.  Gee!  No wonder my favorite painters were Renoir and James Tissot!  I'm not a dancer, but drawing/painting ballerinas and wearing dancer clothing made me feel like one.  Wearing dancer clothes also puts me in the mood to work out, stretch, maybe do a little ballet workout (check out the NYC Ballet Workout - really great for your posture and makes you feel very graceful).

DANCER LOOK

Wear the tutu with black leotard or leggings and a tank top if you plan on dancing. 

 TRENDY LOOK

If you're a tad more daring with fashion, like Carrie Bradshaw, pair the tutu with a short skirt and blouse/tank (maybe a blazer if it's chilly) with a few strands of pearls and stiletto heals. 

RICE RAFFERTY LOOK

Pair it with our Ultra Feminine Warrior silk one shoulder turquoise tunic and bib or statement necklace.

NIGHT TIME LOOK

Simply flip a switch and turn on the fiber optic lights if you plan on going dancing!  

My favorite dance movie is Center Stage (Special Edition)

I seriously can't get enough of this movie.  I've watched it at least a hundred times.

Runway 3.0 Fashion Show

Runway 3.0 Fashion Show - Buffalo, NY - May 1, 2010

Carol Ann Rice Rafferty, a Buffalo State alumni and Adjunct Lecturer is opening the show with her line of couture clothing - Ultra Feminine Warrior - collection of wearable art includes; garments, wearable art objects and accessories inspired from military armor such as gorgets, ...gauntlets and gaiters illuminated with fiber optic lights.

Garments and accessories include hand dyed silk. For more information about these one of kind items from our cottage industry see - www.ricerafferty.etsy.com

A Struggle that Inspires

Whenever I watch a movie I love to do some research after (or sometimes during). I enjoy reading the writer/director's biography, film locations, and info about the cast.

Recently, I watched the movie The Last Seduction. The main character is a femme fatale who steals from her husband, runs from NYC, finds a guy outside Buffalo, NY who she attempts to seduce into killing her husband. The movie was very dated in a good way(80s/90s) - old answering machines, women wore short skirts with long jackets, women curled their hair on the bottom. I first heard about this movie because it was mentioned on the pilot episode of Sex and the City. Samantha adores the femme fetal Last Seduction character for having sex like a man. What I found even more interesting than the movie itself was Steve Barancik's honest biography. It's so rare to hear honesty these days.

http://www.best-childrens-books.com/steve-barancik.html

In the above link he writes about his failures and success - dead end jobs, working as an adjunct professor, trying to make writing a career, writing a screenplay, writing children's books and pizza delivering. There's nothing I enjoy more than a story about a person struggling, overcoming circumstances and making something of himself. It's a story all artists, writers, musicians, etc can relate to. Thank you Steve!

Scarves Scarves Scarves

Our luxurious fabric shimmers and shines in every type of lighting. Each hand dyed velvet devore scarf is burned out with a unique pattern design. Our devore scarves are one of a kind wearable art.

Each scarf is made from individually designed motifs, burnt out by hand and hand dyed. The scarves look like luscious pieces of candy when finished, coming in an a glorious array of colors - blues, purples, oranges, yellows, greens, reds. NOTE: These scarves are not your typical commercial scarves; they're better!

Devore is french for devour. It occurs when sodium bisulphate is applied to the cloth, dried, then heated. The heat process causes the sodium bisulphate to eat away at the fabric, leaving the treated area transparent.

In the areas where the devore is burnt out the material is transparent. These scarves really play with lighting through its shimmery fabric and shear sexiness. Our scarves are currently sold online and in museum shops.

Visit our shoppe: http://ricerafferty.etsy.com

Notes from Heaven Hair Adornment

I've been getting into hair accessory design. Objects in stores are very commercial and I usually enjoy trying to find things that are unique. I'm now making the items I wish were out there. The above picture shows a new design with silk screened handwriting, silk, vintage jewelry and stitching. The item has a hair comb on the back and a pin. The inspiration for the piece was vintage hollywood. You can wear the adornment in different ways depending on the occasion and your mood. Please contact me if you're interested in having some made for your bridal party. They can be custom made with different colors, materials, etc. Our items are unique, one of a kind wearable art.


http://ricerafferty.etsy.com

Elmwood Ave Trends

The fashion show Friday night was amazing. All of the models really shined in their Elmwood Clothing Trends. There were twice as many people as last year, so the popularity has really picked up. Janet Snyder even made an appearance. Now lets talk clothes...my favorite trends were the glamorous dresses depicted above. The gray dress on the left has a classic look with a modern twist because of the unique way the dress is bunched on the bottom. I believe these dresses were from Half & Half on Elmwood Ave in Buffalo, NY. There was an array of clothing this year from super glam to punker rock styles. Everyone at the show shined and they got our imaginations going on how to be creative with accessories this winter. Don't Forget: Shop Local.

Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer...

Since the summer isn't getting super hot I'm finding other ways to make the summer entertaining. Attending local festivals, fruit picking weekend getaways around New York State, music events, museums, and of course making more artwork and designs! Rain or shine make it a priority to make this summer a special one. Call up an old friend, make a new one, or just sit and enjoy a sunset.

Video - Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer - Nat King Cole http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj76br_aLdQ

Trend Book Designs

Attached are some pieces from a trend book I designed while working for a fashion publication company. I color corrected hundreds of photographs from New York, London, Milan, and Paris fashion shows. The above image shows the variety of ways to enjoy plaid through skirts, blazers and even scarves.