Marymount University’s Portfolio In Motion 2013: Cosmic Dreaming

When I was a child I wanted to be the first female African American president, but, I didn’t have the grades. I then wanted to be a ballerina, but I stopped dancing. I wanted to be a singer but, I stopped following that dream as well, and the one dream that stuck like glue was being a fashion designer. I have been waiting for a moment like this all my life and here it is… a fashion show where two of my own original designs will be featured. All of the blood and the frustration has been worth it, and to see my designs being shown in front of our designer of the year, Todashi Shoji, makes this opportunity even more amazing!

If you are interested in coming to the show here is the information and the links for more information!

Marymount University’s Portfolio in Motion 2013: Cosmic Dreaming

May 3rd and 4th 2013

8pm

Click the link here to buy tickets: Tickets for Friday and Saturday

International Scarves in Solidarity Day: April 11, 2013

It is sad that it is 2013 and the way POC ( People of color) and women are treated are still not where they need to be. This world is ever changing for the better yet, a woman can’t go out without being harassed and POC can’t go out without being stereotyped by someone either of another race or other POC.

As a woman of color I see this first hand. When I go out by myself I have to put on what my friends and I call a “bitch face”, yes the name is counter-proactive for me to say as a feminist  but that’s the point. If a woman is thought  by a male as a “bitch” then she won’t be messed with.   So whenever I put on this face that screams “PLEASE DO NOT MESS WITH ME I WILL CUT YOUR DICK OFF!” I hardly ever… scratch that… I still get harassed by men on the street. I have to cross the road if I see a group of men walking down the side walk and I have to walk very fast at night. Why? Why is it in 2013 as a woman I can’t go outside without the threat of rape following me like a shadow? Why is it that my best friend here at school says that we can’t wear tight dresses and heels on the metro at night in D.C. without asking to be harassed? Why is she right? As a woman who is pretty independent and will go out by herself I am constantly talked to in a degrading manner… I can’t live my life like this forever and something must change.

On this subject my Muslim sisters who choose to wear their Hijabs get the harassment even worse. This must stop! They are judge because of their religion and the very ignorant white washed and Americanized concept that all Muslims are terrorists and they are judged by other women who think they are “giving in” to the Islamic male idea of how women should be covered in public. Both are wrong and harmful to the future of this world!

We must do better and that is why tomorrow ( my University’s wear a Hijab day) I will be wearing a Hijab to show my support and love for all women and all of their decisions to live the life they choose to live! On April 11 you can do so too on International Scarves in Solidarity Day!

Garance Dore New Segment: This Is Trending!

Thank you Garance for being my favorite person on the internet at this moment! I want to meet you so bad and discuss life over tea… I feel as though we would be the best of franz!

Okay, enough of my creepy internet love for Garance ( that shines bright like a fucking diamond!) She has brought a new love into my life that is her new Youtube segment called This Is Trending! Cute right! I’m enjoying it myself along with all of her other videos! Garance please come to Washington D.C and make my dreams come true!

xox,

Maya

P.S.- I will be posting more and more and I am so damn busy this semester! Bare with me followers!

The Washingtonian Bride and Groom Expo Fashion Show

Sunday I worked the Washingtonian Bride and Groom Expo fashion show. I love doing this event because we get to work with stunning gowns, dream about getting married, and they feed us. Not to mention that last year we got to meet Reem Acra! Here are some photos from the event, Enjoy!

xo,

Maya 

An Oldie But, Goodie

Some times it feels good to know that you can always go to a certain thing and know exactly how it’s going to make you feel: the steam from a bowl of Pho, the fresh leather of new shoes, the soft skin of a baby: certain things just bring pure happiness and genuine joy. Grance Dore has the most amazing youtube channel and I wish she updated it more often. Her sexy and sweet French personality comes across as if she is your best friend of 10+ years! She has the most amazing guest and keeps her videos fresh and feminine! I love her “Pardon My French: Women” episode because of all the fun she and her friends are having. The glow on these ladies is hard to come by in a world of all work and no play!

Real Talk Vol. 10: A Non-professional In The Fashion World

I know that by the age of 22 (one year after I graduate) I will be a successful person in the fashion industry. You know why? (caution bragging coming through!) I have done so many things in my two years of college that most people who say they work in the fashion world haven’t even thought of doing.

I chose this topic because I am home in the good ‘ol RVA and I was catching up with my best friend on what our lives have been this semester. She was doing a big pageant and I was doing the usual. She said to me that she knows that I do the coolest things in my life but, secretly. I told her that people who feel the need to boast the experiences they have had or the people they have met are not doing it for themselves they are doing it for others to see, I do everything for myself and my resume.

Its not just me though, the girls I work with do it for themselves too and they will put everything on hold to do an event because that one event could make or break your resume! Our school’s fashion club is filled with some of the most hard working people who will be the future of the fashion industry. The ones who do events all the time and love what they do will be running the events one day.

My experiences with brands, PR reps and actual designers have helped me grow and learn what type of boss I want to be. It has also helped me branch out from just wanting to design clothes but to also tap into PR for brands and design houses.

If you want to work events and meet fashion professionals here are some tips from working backstage at fashion shows, check in desks and networking:

1. Have Fun: This sounds so lame but, honestly if I wasn’t getting a rush from dressing a model in a Reem Acra wedding dress with the actual Reem Acra breathing down my neck and helping me I wouldn’t do it! Life is too short to do something that isn’t fulfilling!

2. Don’t Be Scared: This is very important! Do not be scared to talk to the designer when you see they are free. Of course you shouldn’t bother them but, polity introduce yourself, why you are there and how much you appreciate working for them! Who knows that might be the sound of your foot in the door.

3. BE FAST: Like not just fast but, FASSSSSSST! Dressing models during a fashion show is fucking hard! Everything is so fast you literally get your model dressed in seconds. At the Valentino event a week ago one model had a “quick change” but it was no quick change we had ever seen before they put her right after the person right after her creating absolute mayhem. Now that wasn’t our girls fault that was bad organisation of the models by the backstage team but, hey what can you do get her dressed NOW! ( This may include getting hit in the face!)

4. Stand Your Ground Against Models: The models aren’t shit! I’m sorry. Some of them are very sweet and appreciate you helping them and they take note of that but, others are just jerks! Don’t let a model tell you off, tell her back! I mean professionally please not cat fights.

5.  Don’t Try To Be Perfect: When you are working with a design houses PR team or a PR company don’t try and be overly professional! If they crack a joke laugh, joke back! Compliment them on their banging ass Kirkwoods, tell them they have gorgeous earrings on, laugh about a tv show and just don’t be the girl that blends into the wallpaper! Now, you shouldn’t over do it, don’t be super loud and always talking, know when to stop and to quiet down.

6. Two Deep Breaths and GO!: When I am trying to network my nerves get all worked up and it takes me a while to relax. So before I go to talk with someone I stand in my place, discreetly take a few deep breaths and I go for it!

7. Dealing With Angry VIPers: I hate doing check in’s. You have to be OVERLY nice to people so that they can be kinda nice to you. When dealing with mean people always keep a smile on your face but a strong tone of voice so that they know you are not faded by them and you can easily call security if they have an issue.

8. Getting What You Want: If there is a model you want to work with or a job you know you want at the event, speak on it. When the coordinator ask who will do what job and assigns them you need to actually talk and make eye contact not just raise your hand. This always works for me, I stand in the front, smile while they talk, make eye contact and say ” I’ll do it” and I get the job! Use your words and don’t be scared… they can smell fear.

9. After The Event?: If this was an event you loved to work meaning you loved the PR agency that ran it and the event as a whole met your standards Google it, find out how to contact them and let them know you had a great time! Ask them if they have any career opportunities and get the wheels in motion!

10. Put It On Your Resume!: Do not forget this is the most important part! Even if the event went bad and you embarrassed yourself and fucked everything up, put it on your resume! Your future employer will know nothing about the event and will be impressed that you even did it and how many you have done!

I wish all of you future fashion world runners the best of luck and I hope my advice is helpful (um, that is if you even need it…) or at least entertaining to read!

Photo: Jakandjil

Real Talk Vol. 9: Finals

Yes it is the dreaded end of the first semester where teachers give us a shit load of test, papers and projects that count for the majority of the grade in that class. This is the ultimate trial to see which students will crack under the pressure and which students will rise to the top and claim their spot on the deans list.

This semester has been extremely hard on me between projects and school in general to the death of a very close family member that I still can’t believe is gone to my phone and my laptop breaking at the same damn time ( I am currently writing from a computer in our library since I hope Santa will bring me a new one in 2 weeks) and through good times and hard times I believe that I have proven to myself and to my family that I will not crack and that getting this education means more to me than anything … but, not as much and the Valentino show I just worked (pictures up soon!)

As I sit here typing away listing to Phoenix Pandora station and pretending like I’m actually doing work I am observing the other students typing their lives away (or their futures into place?) I notice one woman with ear plugs, everyone else is listening to music or feels comforted with the bit of chatter of the sound of typing… 3 students have their hands on their chins and have their faces extremely close to the computer… either they are really reading that e-textbook or their game of snake just got real. I observe these students in the hope that someone is observing me not doing my work and posting the post but, not to worry I have studding of my own to dive into.

And on that note, I bid farewell and good luck to all the students out there grinding out A’s and reaping the rewards!

Xox,

Maya

Photo: Jak & Jil

Over 100 Followers!

Vision Venom has been alive and well for 1 year and in 1 year of randomly finding things on the internet and sharing my life I gained more than 100 of you fellow internet people to read what I post!

Thank you for reading and I hope you stick with me for more years to come and more followers as well!

 

-Maya

Real Talk Vol. 8: Get Your Life Together Woman.

Now I may just be a sophomore in college but, I see it forming in the women I am surrounded by daily (because I go to a small ass school). Even the ladies from back home, on Tumblr, on fashion blogs and on Twitter are growing this tumor, this itch to find a rich man.

I saw an Instagrandpa (Instagram duh) post from a girl that I follow who owns pretty much the best of the best designer pieces. She doesn’t own these things because her dad or her “man” bought them all for her but, because she works a full time job, saves up her money and buys them for herself… anyways the posts said and I quote “Broke girls are played out!” I thought to myself that, that seems like a legit statement. If you are a female today living in a middle to upper class lifestyle and you are between the ages of 17 and Ancient and you aren’t making your own money and saving for your future you are out of it.

Here is a bit of information about myself (I’m sure you don’t care but, it needs to be stated.) I am a full time student working 2 jobs (soon to be 3), dean’s list, I work an internship and I am helping with the production of a fashion show and a fall/winter 2013 collection and I am doing it on my own. I won’t lie though, I have a supportive family that gives words of advice and love and sends money out of the kindness of their hearts, but I make it clear to them that I don’t need it and that I can make it on my own.

With all of this said it saddens me to see young women in today’s economy that would rather rely on their spouse, partner, or parents to supply them with the things they need or want. We see these shows on TV (that I have been guilty of watching but, had to stop because of the ignorance that is glamorized) and we think that if we marry a basketball player and have some children that we will get our own TV show. We see this behavior everywhere and we see it so much that some young women think that it is the norm and some young men are just waiting to take advantage of the situation.

It is not cute to not have something of your own, something that you didn’t work for and nothing to look forward to because everything has been given to you. Young women today must find the balance in their life to be able to juggle  all the things that are thrown at them because it won’t get any easier we will just be older and wiser. Also, it just feels good to not have to rely on anyone to get the things you need and to have pride that comes from within knowing that you worked your ass off for something and sadly some women in our generation will never know how that feels but, soon that silver platter will rust.

Photo: Jak&Jil

 

Jacqui Getty and Her Perfect Bathroom and Her Perfect Life.

If you aren’t reading Into The Gloss something is fucking wrong with you. Either you don’t hang with me (obvi) or you aren’t a cool kid and I only hang with the cooliez. Anyways Into The Gloss has these amazing posts where they interview people who work in fashion, entertainment, cosmetics, and anything dealing with the industry and go into their home or bathroom or vanity! They ask about their beauty regimen and what they like and their life and the interviewie tells the story: no question answer shit just a straight answer… in story form. Its amazing.

Jacqui Getty is a stylist who has worked with many musicians and then went to magazine work. Her bathroom, y’all, is flawless. A timeless mix of old and new, young, fresh, grandma, plain, simple, chic… amazing. Her display of photographs mixed with random art structures and perfume bottles strikes my fancy. She has such a beautiful space and I’m so happy she shared for me to cry over wishing this is what I could turn my dorm into.

Photos and story at Into The Gloss