Conversational

I do not follow trends but I find them interesting and even more interesting how I subscribe to them subconsciously (although you could say that by reading them I am conscious of them). Either way, I find how they reflect economic situations, how they merge and develop and how they are adopted by people, fascinating. I also like to see if my gut/instinct towards shapes and colours is right. Often I feel a connection towards a colour and there it is, in the prediction. For all these reasons I enjoy reading them.

Colours: I do not see much change from winter 2008 and summer 2008/09 (for South Africa, that is now). The colours only seem to get a little bit darker and perhaps even dusty. For example, the deep but rich turquoise of summer 2008/09 seems to transcend into a deep and darker emerald for winter 2009. My only observation that sparks up some interest is the disappearance of orange. Walk through the shops now and you are surrounded by cool orange tones. In winter and summer 08/09 the trend sites could not stress the importance of ‘flaming orange’ and ‘utility orange’ … but I do not see it in these (the winter 09/10) palettes. They have become burnt sienna, ochre and naartjie.

Fabrics: Sensual is the word that comes to my mind when I see the chosen fabrics: silk for it’s matt shine, wool for it’s lightweight body (but in contrast there are heavy tweeds), sequenced chiffon, crepe, creased linen and satin.

Prints: Urban graphics, modern art, graffiti, hand-crafted techniques, high-tech surface finished …. ohlala … what a combination. This imagery together with the above mentioned fabrics creates an ultramodern performance (with a human touch). I find this extremely interesting and I would say - just go for it because it seems that as long as it is unexpected and full of interest, you are ‘IN’.

In conclusion I would say: The colours and fabrics are inspired by nature and the prints are the technological inspiration. Together it is a juxtaposition that makes a composition (if that even makes sense…but then again, is sense what we are looking for?).

Please note that this post is my thoughts on the trends reported on Infomat.com and Trendstop.com. They should not be taken as definite trends or as any researched matter. They are purely subjective and reflective.

For those of you who have not followed my post on my sewing machine experience(s) I decided to ask etsy (see forum) what sewing machine they use and to share their experiences with it. I did not expect the overwhelming response it got: over 100 people applied to the thread giving their recommendations of what they thought of their sewing machines. I have taken all of these and tallied up a list, in order of excellence, of the different sewing machine brands.

Interestingly more than half the positive ratings were for OLD machines (older than 6 years) so if you can, hang onto your family heirloom sewing machine … it seems the old (and heavy) sewing machines were far better made.

OLD MACHINES:

Singer (21)
Pfaff (13)
Benina (10)
Kenmore (8)
Brother (7)
Husqvarna Viking (5)
Janome (4)
Juki and Necchi Mira (both got 2)
Veritas (1)

NEW MACHINES:

Husqvarna Viking (14)
Bernina (8)
Brother (1 negative / 8 positive)
Pfaff (5)
Bablylock (1 negative / 5 positive)
Janome (5)
Kenmore (both 4)
Elna (4)
Singer (3 negative / 3 positive)
Juki (1)

In conclusion, Pfaff is the most consistent brand, Singer is by far the most popular old-school brand and Husqvarna Viking is the highest rated brand of new sewing machines. Anybody know where I can get one in Cape Town???

Mondedesigns (forum pg 8) spoke about Singer, Pfaff and Viking combining to create one company.  I did some research becuase if this were true - WOW …and as far as I can work out, it is true but a bit more complicated. There is an umbrella company to these three brand names and it is called the SVP Group (this is the ‘new’ company). They manufacture all three brands. I’m hoping the brands decide to collaborate and develop ONE ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT sewing machine!

As many of you know, I sadly said goodbye to my mom’s 20 year old Elna sewing machine about a month ago after it was badly serviced by Elna. My new machine is good but it is taking some time to trust and love and events have not helped: my first machine stopped working every time I got home so two days later it was exchanged for another new machine. Last week (exactly a month later) this sewing machine (the second one) went phoOF-bAng-grRRrr and stopped. The belt had come off becuase the screws had not been tightened properly when the machine was assembled. They also discovered several other ‘niggly’ faults which got ‘fixed’. Now I think it sounds funny but I also think that might be in my head.

I have discovered the hard way that the brands you trusted becuase of years of sewing happily with them are not always the best anymore. This brings me to my mission: To find out what the BEST NEW sewing machine is to buy. I know the old machines are still BEST (kind of like the classic VW Beatle) but if you have to trade-up or need a new one, what is the BEST make to buy?

I asked the Etsy forums and got some great feedback. Click here to read the discussion and to add your comment/recomend a brand/share your sewing story.

There is a definite positive trend for young people (aged 20-35) to learn the more classical and traditional female skills such as garment making (not just sewing), cooking, jam making, appliqué, embroidery, flower-arranging, jewelry making … the list can go on an on with all the skills that sound lovely but feel as though they have missed a generation.

This is in fact the case: In an article in Mail Online this is explained by looking at how the role of women in the last few decades has changed. Women decided to become ‘business women’ in the 80’s and traditional skills like sewing became ‘uncool’ (buying clothes and spending (ie consumerism) was more cool) so many never bothered to learn. Now there is a whole generation of women who have never learnt to knit and ’schools’ are bringing back domestic science. Companies/organizations, such as the Make Lounge, are also offering courses on ‘how to’ and it is hard to miss, but Etsy after all is built on this ethos.

There are a few things I find interesting about all of this:

• In a recession we all turn to ‘making it’ rather than ‘buying it’. So is this a trend becuase it skipped a generation or is it a trend becuase we are in a time when we need to be able to do it for ourselves?
• Are we wanting to learn becuase it is novel or genuinely to learn the skill to use it? Is it not just another thing that women have to do/be to be ’superwomen’?
• Is this a new trend or just an extension/development of the individuality trend? We all realize that usually consumerism = mass production and unless you can afford to buy bespoke pieces you will not get something unique or original in the shops/conventional shopping spaces. To be able to make it ourselves gives us not only the satisfaction of personal achievement/accomplishment but also a completely unique and perfect for you item.

I think this is encouraging and exciting. I am young and being able to sew has never been on the top 10 things that I tell people. It has always been met with a “oh!?!” and I know they are quietly working out if I am cool or not. Perhaps becuase I went to design school and was on the same floor as the Fashion Design students that I know a lot of young people who are proud they sew for their living but I would agree that the ‘taboo’ around knowing these skills is evaporating.

I once read that when times are tough women buy lipstick. It is a small item that (usually) costs next to nothing and can make the world of difference to how you look and subsequently how you feel.

My favourite example is during the war (both WWI and WWII) and money was short: Women replaced their stocking/pantyhose with eyeliner lines drawn down the back of their legs and wore lipstick to feel feminine, desirable and poised- both affordable make-up items. The same happened after the wars (especially after WWII) when the men returned and were unable to find jobs and again, budgets were tight: Christian Dior’s “New Look” (see images below) was introduced and bright red lipstick became the popular accessory owned by most women. I love how fashion is a mirror image of society and social economics.

Here are a few other things to do and buy that can make you feel like a million dollars for under very little:

1. Underwear. It does not have to be fancy, just new.
2. Bring ‘n Braai. Rather than throw a dinner party, ask your guests to all bring something.
3. A nice soap or bath salts. There is nothing nicer than relaxing in a bath of luxury.
4. Going to the movies on half price night. In all transparency, it is simple escapism and for one hour you can forget about your worries and for the small price, it is worth it.
5. A new pair of earrings. A little bit of bling goes a long way.
6. Buying a new nail polish (but again this is a cosmetic). It is cheaper (and more fun) to spoil yourself by asking you sister, daughter or best friend to give you a manicure with your new nail polish (and the deal usually means you have to do it back so you both feel great).
7. Go for out for an ice-cream instead of a supper. The funny thing is, I have even done this unconsciously in the last two weeks. This could also be related us getting some summer weather finally though …. um
8. An interesting one is getting your car cleaned. I had this discussion with a friend a few days ago and we concluded that whether it is a luxury is decided by your gender. He argued that he enjoys washing his car becuase he is proud of it, whereas if I had the extra money, I would (without a doubt) pay for somebody to clean my car. To me getting it cleaned is a luxury but to him, not.
9. Buy a single rose instead of a bunch. …I’m going to head out and buy one right now becuase just the idea makes me smile and feel special…

‘Taking the plunge’ and starting by yourself is really hard. Sure, there are some definite benefits such as owning your own time but there are also definitely disadvantages and challenges. Here are my two biggest ones:

1. Cashflow: This is the most difficult thing. Whatever I get in goes straight back into Wren. As it grows so the costs grow. It is also hard because I want to start achieving/attaining my personal goals (not just Wren goals) but without the financial stability I cannot. Wren comes first before me.

2. Staying motivated: There are some days when I wonder (rather seriously) whether it would be easier to just get a ‘normal’ job, move out and deal with having an all-day unenjoyable job. However, I did not find that fulfilling and I have to keep reminding myself to persevere. Wren has grown fast and that is terrific. The challenge is to always focus on the positives and the possibilities. It helps having such wonderful readers of my blog - thank you.

It is almost impossible to not realise that the method and process of designing has grown in importance over the last few years. We all want to know the ‘story’ about a design and how it came to be etc.

I love stories: love telling them and reading them. To me, they are part of the design, part of the product BUT there is an interesting flip-side to this coin and Jessica Helfand (editor and author of the blog Design Observer) made me realise it and notice it.

At young design institutes the danger of this empahsis of ‘the process’ or ’story’ is very clear. The designer’s name might as well be written in black marker all over his/her work because his/her life experiences are highly reflective in his/her work. The process of design has been glorified and proclaimed as ‘the design’. This is no longer objective and yet it is presented as such. Jessica Helfand puts it very well: “The design student, after considering so deeply the intangible forces framing the interpretation of visual form, comes to believe that the very act of interpretation is itself form”. She asks “…when did the mirror of autobiography become our canvas, our public lens to the world?”.

I agree with Jessica Helfand. The method of design, the process and the story is important, but it is not more important than the design and should not be misunderstood to be the design. The design should speak and be able to stand alone. The process or story is simply the designer’s journey and yes, the trend is to know the ‘story’ behind the design, but it is only after the world has noticed the design do they start asking and inquiring about you, your story and your design process.

So understanding this, I will continue to tell my story, the story of a product and show the process of the design because I think it is important and interesting. However, the intention is not to make the process the design but to rather offer insight into it. The process is the shadow to the design and not the design itself.

There is a new Wren bag in the pipeline and for it I needed more knowledge and skills than I had. So, I joint up with a talented a fashion design student to help develop the pattern and make the sample.

The bag design is relatively simple and the only reason I outsourced it is becuase it will take 10 times longer for me to do, by watching a ‘professional’ I thought I could learn a few tricks (as I am a self-taught pattern maker) and I had no idea how to sew the pattern pieces together once they were made (I needed to be shown). Sadly, the quality of the sample bag is not up to scratch and after a month and a half of waiting for the sample to be complete, I have decided to just accept the poorly made bag and do it myself - properly. This is not the first time I have been disappointed by quality.

As I understand and see it, if you are rendering a service of any kind you do it as best you can. If you do it well, by word of mouth I guarantee that you will get business and ultimately, make more money. It is sad that this is not understood as common sense.

Quality makes a huge difference and I feel that in a world where we have so much stuff, and so much junk, we need to value quality and offer quality. Wouldn’t it be great if we all respected materials (and I do not just mean fabric) enough to make it become the best product it could be. It boils down to respecting nature, yourself and having pride in what you do.

I always find names interesting. People’s names, names of places, business names, brands, logo’s…..they are, in one way, a sum-up of something in a few syllables. Take for example my name, Wendren. It is highly unusual, quite unique and is elect. It is has grown on me and in a way, I think I’ve become my name. How many of you feel this way? That without your name you might not be the same person?

An interesting story about names is by danah michele boyd. Born: ‘Danah Michele Mattas’ she wanted to change it. For various reasons that if you would like to know, read her article but what I found most interesting was her deliberate exclusion of capitals. She has chosen to not use capitals in her name becuase it looks visually more balanced (danah instead of Danah) and because she did not want to be self-righteous which is is really what capitals do - emphasize the importance of a word. This led her to ask “why do we not capitalize ‘we’ or ‘they’ but ‘I’?”. Strangely enough, ‘I’ is not meant to be capitalized at all! How this happened was that over the years we started writing more about ‘ourselves’ and starting more and more sentences with ‘i’ and so referring to yourself with a capital ‘I’ stuck.

What is most interesting about danah’s story is how she has made her name her brand not only verbally but visually. It is what frames her and is this not what a company’s name or brand image is about?

This quest to find out what’s in a name led me to a really interesting blog post by David Donde called ‘Choosing a name for a company’. He argues that what a name or brand stands for often does not last as long as the name does. The NAME is what you remember, not what it means.

Take for example Vida e’ Cafe. It means ‘Life & Coffee’. I did not know this. I only know ‘Vida’. It is interesting how we shorten the name down to it’s very core and forget or discard it’s link or meaning. This kind of trend/movement is important to note if you are in the process of naming.

Often I am asked about my name and my story is short: both my parents are teachers, they taught a girl name Wendren and liked it, so I got it. Ironically enough I now live in the same city as that Wendren and by pure coincidence, go to the same hairdresser - but I have never met her in person. It is great to have such a unique name but using it to leave a message for somebody is a pain. I hate shortening it as it is not who I am or know myself as but in these circumstances, I do.

So, what’s the story with Wren? It hardly has anything to do with my name: Wendren although the link is hard to miss. I first drew a little bird (the Wren Avatar) and wanted a name for my business and brand. Going through small bird names Jeremy suggested the little Wren bird. ‘Wren’ felt so fitting and it was decided in an instant. My name (Wendren) did not come before Wren as any inspiration. It was simply a perfect fit.

So…in conculsion I think there is a lot to a name and you have to decide what all that name is going to be, for the right reasons and be aware of what it means to who. If you are naming a company now, know that only a word or two will stick and a full sentence is possibly waste of time and adds to your billboard printing cost…but then again, perhaps in 5 years time this will all change…and in that case, make sure your name is flexbile or adaptable. Names are important and can be everything!

Did you know that Chappies Bubblegum is South African? I did not and am beaming with pride at this latest discovery.

For those of you who have no idea what Chappies bubblegum is, let me explain why they are special. Chappies are plain old bubble gums (that were, and still are, very cheap ). What made them different was that ‘Did you know?’ facts were printed on the reverse side of the wrappers. It was full of quirky information.

An especially fond Chappies memory of mine is going on long family car trips, stopping at a cafe and buying a handful of Chappies. One by one we each unwrapped our Chappie and read out our ’Did you know’s?’.

Oneundonly wrote an interesting post on Chappies earlier this week and asked if Chappies were not our form of internet back then? Today our ‘Did you know?’ is Google. It is also better becuase you can find out what you most want to know. It is specific and tailored for you. Chappies was simple fun : Google is now a simple necessity. We Google what we want to know and more than often, do not read anything that is not directly linked to what we are either interested in or want to know. We do not have time to read just anything these days.

I think this is sad - where did the simple pleasures of reading and knowing odd things go? Do not get me wrong, we know a lot today but is it still fun knowing? Chappies made the process of learning fun. It made having a Chappies bubblegum an experience that is treasured. This is innovative and clever marketing that worked and one of the few scenarios where both the brand/company and buyer benefited.