Taryn's Design Diary

Thank you, Emma of Bella’s Closet, for hosting the CSN Stores giveaway. I was thrilled about winning the gift card! Of course I headed straight for the handbags and shoes section, found a bit of a scarcity in the handbags department, and so went for the shoes.

My line of work demands for corporate conservative, so that typically sways me toward closed-toe pumps, but I did sneak a few peep-toes into the mix as I deliberated what to get with the gift card.

Hubby, of course, pointed out that I already have too many shoes, and that we ought to “get something practical” instead. I had e-mailed him and my two fashionista sisters for a consultation. The e-mail exchange that ensued was quite cute, and a great representation of the family dynamics. I thought I’d share.

“That’s not how you calculate cost and value.” =) Classic Hubby-speak.

I would have proceeded to order shoes anyway, except every style I liked was out of size 6.5. Thus I deferred to Hubby.

We–or should I say he–got luggage, a set of matching roller thingies, whatever you call them. It’s for the two of us when we travel, because you know, there’s nothing cheesy at all about couples with matching luggage.

Now wait, back to the “grandma-ish style” comment from my 20-something year old sister. Grandma-ish!

Sigh. She’s right. Gone are the days of wearing Bebe and Forever 21. That is the greatest tragedy of growing up, exacerbated by my decision to pursue a career in law–I’ll never again try on different personalities with my clothes, won’t go rocker glam one day, punk another, or hip hop the next. Herehence and hereinafter, I won’t dare put on clear glass platform high heels and dye my hair bright pink. Doh! Forget the pink hair!– I now say things like “herehence and hereinafter”! Old, stuffy, and boring. I won a gift card and what do I buy? A luggage set. In gray. Seriously you don’t get more boring than that.

The more I looked at the original design for the Tycooness doctor style satchel, the more the handles bothered me. I changed it slightly and I believe that change saves the bag. In fact, I can’t even look at the original design now without shuddering a bit. Ew. What was I thinking?

The new handles give the bag a cleaner feel. Stitched on and with metal reinforcement studs, these handles are going to be super sturdy. I’ve also updated blurbs for each piece in the debut collection on the regular website, here (click link).

Funny thing is the revision in the Tycooness bag happened contemporaneously with a revision I made in a short story I’ve been working on. (For those who don’t know, prior to starting Taryn Zhang, I was an aspiring fiction writer. Lawyer by day, fiction writer by night. Now I’m a lawyer by day, handbags designer by night, and fiction writer when I can get it in.) Like the handle attachments, a minor edit in that short story changed it entirely. I had been feeling bleh about the piece,  and that minor edit was what made me go from liking it to loving it.

The contemporaneous revisions got me thinking again about how gosh darn similar creative writing and fashion design are. First and most frustrating are the tropes. Almost any narrative arc you can think of has been done before and will be done many a more times after yours. What sets one story about girl coming-of-age from another story about girl coming-of-age are the details. Likewise, an established fashion designer once told me to rest assured that whatever I come up with will be old news. Somebody else will have come up with it already, and that silhouette or arrangement of zippers or what-not will show up again after mine. It’s something every designer has to learn to get over.

I’ve also learned that after completion of the first draft (of a short story or chapter of a novel) or preliminary sketch (of a handbag), I have to set it aside for a while. When I look at it again with a fresh pair of eyes, awkward sentences, grave omissions of plot, or unsettling proportions and incompatible styling immediately leap out at me. This is because right after the first draft is done, I think, “hey, that’s pretty good, that’s all right stuff.” But then when I review it again in a few, I realize, “wow, this is junk, I’ll be lucky if I can salvage half of it!”

Without any intent of making the design of my bags autobiographical or reflective of my personal aesthetic preferences, Taryn Zhang handbags nonetheless represent my view of the world, specifically women. Same with creative writing. Even when we write a novel that we’d argue tooth and nail “is not autobiographical at all,” it still ends up one way or another an extension of who we are and what we’ve gone through in life.

Then of course, the main theme of this post, revisions. Revision, revision, revision. Edit, edit, edit. These are mantras repeated in both arts. Creative writing students will be instructed by their professors to revise and edit, and then revise and edit again. There’s no such thing as a final draft. How many times do MFA candidates hear that! Similarly, on Project Runway Tim Gunn is constantly telling the contestants to edit their pieces, edit their collections, that the most important aspect to design is editing. It’s kind of uncanny how Tim Gunn could probably teach a writing workshop and Lan Samantha Chang could teach fashion design. They’d be dishing the same set of advice to their students.

Finally, perhaps the most difficult, is finding your voice, and maintaining a consistency in style. Young writers tend to sound like the big-name authors they revere. It takes them a while to find their own voice, and then once they do, it takes them a while longer to learn how to maintain it and be consistent. Turns out fashion design isn’t all that different. To start, whether we’re conscious of it or not, our designs are frighteningly similar to the designers we love. We need to, well first, become conscious of it, and then second, develop our own distinct aesthetic point of view. If that isn’t difficult enough to handle, we then need to learn how to be consistent, just like in writing. Each collection needs to be cohesive. Easier said than done, for sure.

At present, I’m scrutinizing the pieces for cohesiveness, and trying to reconcile that with what I foresee to be saleable bags. For example, I don’t think the Jetsetter is consistent in design with the Catalyst and Workaholic. But Hubby is insistent that I keep the Jetsetter as part of the collection because he believes it will sell better than the Catalyst and Workaholic. He’s got a knack for marketability and all things money or sales related, so I’m inclined to listen to him, even though the artist part of me thinks it’s an aesthetic thorn in the collection. Hence, putting together a solid line feels like one of the hardest tests on my decision-making capabilities I’ve ever encountered. Sigh. We’ll see what happens.

The question I’m left to ponder is this: which am I worse at, novel writing or designing handbags? Oh dear. Hmm….

All illustrations above were rendered in MS Paint and/or Jasc Paint Shop Pro.

First off, that is not the “Vegas-y outfit” I referenced in a previous post, which I said I intended to wear. I ended up not even packing it because I chickened out. “I can’t honestly wear that in public! I’m not 21 anymore!” When Hubby saw what I ended up wearing, he was like, that’s not “Vegas,” honey, that’s “country club.” What’s more, I wasn’t going to let the singular fact that the evening clutch/handbag totally did not match the floral blue dress stop me from using the handbag that I spent all last weekend working on! And so there it is. What you see above. Nonsense fashion.

And what about some no-nonsense fashion? See below. You ready for it?

I… love… this dress. I didn’t even see the sign above the store yet and knew exactly who designed this. Carolina Herrera. It’s still elegant and classic-Herrera, but so relevant in the context of my generation and the climate of today’s fashion sensibilities. With that said, not just anybody could pull off this dress. It’s so intense  that it would wear most of its wearers. Pretty much, it looks better on the mannequin than it would on any normal everyday woman. It’s an Excalibur of a dress, so after taking the photo, I humbly went on my way. Can’t wait to see which celebrity does end up wearing it on the red carpet.

Anyway, for 24 hours this past weekend, Hubby and I ate. The Buffet of Buffets. Such gluttons. People go to Vegas to gamble, to watch the shows, to let loose and check out the vibrant night scene. Hubby and me? We… we go to eat. And eat. And eat. We were scarfing down fruit tarts, flan, ice cream, and cheesecakes at Planet Hollywood when Spain won the World Cup.

There’s a happy Hubby.

And there’s a happy me (albeit a happy me in dire need of a tan).

As for my tote, it’s Franco Sarto, known more for shoes, but the handbags are great too. The style is cheerful and upbeat. The above is the Vandalay A-line shopper tote. Impeccable detailing; loving the gazillion and one zip pockets; synthetic leather so no animals killed, and yet the material is soft, plush, and gorgeous; and best of all, it fits everything a packrat like me brings on a weekend getaway. Bought it a while ago though, so it’s kind of old and beat-up now.

Photo from the plane over Burbank, California.

We kept away from Internet all weekend. Monday morning I signed on and found out that two of the fabric sources I wanted for my collection were a no. And, folks, it’s back to reality. Sigh. I cried a little river, then got over it and pursued alternative fabric sources. C’est la vie.

I did try to keep the designing wheels greased, so to speak, on the flights to and from. There’s always a sketchbook in my purse. The page on the left is a doodle of an attache I won’t ever be producing. I don’t like it. Don’t even know why I drew it. The page on the right is the Tycooness doctor bag that’ll be in the debut collection. The Tycooness comes with 2 small zip pouches for makeup and things. The legal pad behind it on the left is from work. I can’t for the life of me remember why there’s the word “wheat” scribbled there! My line of work has nothing nothing to do with wheat. Weird. Very weird.

Sydney Dong, the designer of SD Marvel, is brilliant. Hand-woven detailing, 100% hand-stitched, and made with fine quality lambskin, cow leather or nylon, his collection exemplifies luxury. Every one of the SDM bags will resonate with the uptown girl.

I went ahead and took the liberty to post photos of my favorite SDM bags. The Purple Black Twist is a signature design with a fashion-forward je ne sais quoi to it. It’s so chic and refined. I was one click away from getting the Green Water Weave–and still have my eyes fixed on it!–except I don’t carry leather goods. =*( That’s just a personal thing though, a little private pact between my four-legged friends and me. Nevertheless, for those of you who are totally cool with genuine leather, the structured Green Water Weave would be a fantastic office tote. The two Sasa Totes above to the right are elegant and classy. The Sasa Four Star has a vintage vibe to it and the pink Sasa signature reminds me of those beloved ”ladies who lunch.” I definitely picture it on the arms of a woman with expensive taste. What a stunning, stunning bag!

SDM is based in Hong Kong, carried in Sabatina boutiques across the province, but via e-commerce, the company ships everywhere. That’s good news for those of us here in the U.S.!

Says Sydney: “I can totally tell you that I really, really, love handbags, probably even more than my wife and my mom, because I must be the first one in front of the window of the fashion shop to see if there are any new, special handbags.”

Now that’s what we call a passion and zeal for one’s profession. And once you’ve gotten your hands on an SD Marvel handbag, you’ll have a passion and zeal for Sydney!

I sat down with him (virtually, that is) for an interview on the SDM line.

Interview with Sydney Dong, of SD Marvel

Sunny: How would you describe the “SD Marvel” brand?

Sydney: I spend much time on developing a unique copyright-protected weave pattern to stand for SD Marvel. When you see this pattern, you will immediately recognize it as SD Marvel. The weave pattern is representative of the mother’s handstitched clothes to her child and the warmth of wearing handstitched clothes that a mother has made specially for her child. One of a kind, made from the heart, and invaluable. Hence, the elements comprising any SD Marvel bag is the unique woven pattern and the special feeling of warmth emanating from every bag, because every bag is painstakingly hand-crafted and custom-made per order. They’re truly a luxurious addition to any wardrobe.

Sunny: How would you describe the quintessential “SD Marvel” woman?

Sydney: The SD Marvel woman is an inspiration to others, a woman with discerning taste who won’t simply accept trends as they come, but will set them herself. She’s a leader, not a follower. She’s young or young at heart, a cosmopolitan woman with an eagerness to travel the world or experience new and different adventures. The quintessential SD Marvel woman is refined, graceful, and always kind. She has a free and gentle spirit, but she also knows exactly what she wants and that is to be unique, to stand out and to be noticed.

Sunny: Currently, which bags are your bestsellers?

Sydney: Our bestsellers right now are the Canfield Soho, the Mini-Hotdog Romance and Simpatico Classic Hobo.

Sunny: SD Marvel was at New York Fashion Week this year. Please tell us: what was your experience like?

Sydney: I was not able to make it to New York for the show, unfortunately, due to other business engagements in Hong Kong. My associates took care of the entire project for me, which went splendid. The whole experience, though, taught me a lot more about the great amount of preparation that goes into a fashion show. Hopefully I can be in personal attendance at the next SD Marvel show!

Sunny: Who are some of the designers you admire, and why do you admire them?

Sydney: Bottega Veneta & Christian Dior. These designers each have such a distinctive, special character to their work.

Sunny: What advice would you give to a woman on the hunt for her “investment handbag” or that one great goes-with-almost-everything bag?

Sydney: Materials, design, and details are personal considerations that will of course vary from woman to woman based on her style and tastes. The most important factor in deciding on your “it bag” is how it makes you feel. It’s a lot like choosing a lover. You may not be able to articulate why you love that person, but there is no denying the passion and feeling.

Finally, I’d like to add that price is not a good determining factor. An inexpensive bag from a designer you’ve never heard of might make you feel like a million bucks, so why not get it? A bag that costs thousands of dollars might utterly lack compatibility with you, so why get it just because it’s by a highly-demanded designer? You want to get a bag that will make you more confident to be who you are.
 
Sunny: What advice would you give to an aspiring fashion designer?

Sydney: Perservere–I think everybody will find success eventually, whether as an aspiring fashion designer, driver or even lawyer, as long as you keep your faith and stay focused on your interest. However, you must have confidence and believe in yourself, especially when nobody else seems to. Don’t give up too easily.

Of course, there’s also the technical aspects of any field, and you need to devote time to learn the skills of the trade. Also, find mentors. Get in touch with people who can help you achieve your goals faster. If you’re just starting off, then you’re a student, and you need to find your teachers. A mentor isn’t the only help you’ll need either. You’ll need assistants and sponsors, just like any President or CEO of any company needs a good secretary, and every budding singer needs a sponsor. So don’t ever be afraid to ask for help.

An Inspiration

Sydney has been a wonderful inspiration and mentor to me and I hope you will all support his line. SD Marvel bags look three times more expensive than they actually are. Everybody these days is throwing around the term “affordable luxury” or “artisan quality and craftsmanship for bargain prices,” but few brands live up to the promise like SD Marvel. As I mentioned earlier, his particular style is very uptown. If that describes your style too, you’re going to really appreciate Sydney’s aesthetic point of view.

SDM Links and References:

• SD Marvel | Browse the e-catalog for SDM’s full collection.
• SD Marvel Facebook Page | Add to your FB MyPages today!
• SDM Flickr Album | Luxury, luxury, luxury. Everything about SD Marvel epitomizes luxury. These photos are worth a thousand repetitions of “wow.”
• Video Footage of the SD Marvel fashion show at NYC Fashion Week 2010 | The models should have directed more attention at the handbags, since they are the feature of the show, and outfits could have been styled better to complement the bags, but the sum of the parts was still exciting.

Next weekend Hubby and I are going to Vegas, and I need an evening bag to match some of the Vegas-y outfits I plan to wear. I could have purchased a similar bag at the neighborhood mall, and for less than 30 bucks, saving myself the whole day of time that it took me to make this bag, but now where would the fun be in that?

I strongly recommend to anyone who is really into handbags to try making one. Most of us don’t work with our hands enough. We sit in an office in front of a computer 9 to 5 and believe that using our cognitive abilities, applying our college degrees in American letters or some-other-study-ology is the only worthwhile intellectual excursion. But there is an inimatable happiness in making something from scratch, especially something practical that you’ll be using yourself. And if you’re a handbags freak like me, start with handbags. One ought to have some basic understanding of how our favorite possessions are made.

For beginners, a clutch would be easiest, like the one I’ve made here. The materials cost about $12 buying from Joann Fabrics, though that is not a place I recommend buying from. I am not a fan of that store, but it’s the closest one to home, sadly, so there it is.

I knew what kind of fabric I wanted going into the store–something very shiny and louder than the usual me, but still “me.” Something that expressed Vegas. There was also a particular dress I had in mind that this clutch/evening bag would be paired with.

If you’ve never made your own handbag but want to, first conceive your design, then in your mind, deconstruct it into its basic shapes. These will become your pattern. Cut the pattern out of cardboard and trace it onto the material for your bag, and then onto a second material that will be the interior lining. See the above photos of the patterns I cut out and started sewing together.  Note: A ruler and calculator may be handy.

There are tons of how-tos online, but there’s really no need for them. Just stop and use your brain a bit. You’ll figure it out.

Also, I’m not a fan of homemade knock-offs. It’s…just don’t do it. Instead, actually design your own. This is not to say you can’t design a bag inspired by one of your favorite brands. Rather than outright copy a Betsey Johnson clutch just because you like the big bows, for example, take the big bow concept to create a design that is uniquely yours. 

Your first design need not be all a la Versace or Alexander McQueenish. Heck, I love simple. A big ole rectangle and zipper is just perfect. Add beadwork, interwoven ribbons, a little silver-tone or gold-tone hardware, or a braided handle for details and suddenly your big ole rectangle bag may look quite couture. 

The Vegas evening bag took me a whole day because my sewing machine decided to crap out. Then while I stitched by hand, the cat thought the needle and thread were his toys, and kept trying to bite off my thread. And yeah, that’s an old episode of Drop Dead Diva that I’m watching on my laptop while I sew. What a great chick-flick show that cutely distorts the practice of law! Love it.

After finishing the base of the bag, I started getting fancy and contemplated the big rose look, which seems to be popular right now, cover the entire front of the bag with roses for a very textured design, or the other extreme– total simplicity with only a pin from my jewelry box. I decided neither idea worked for the dress I wanted to pair this bag with.

Generally, sew the bag together inside out so that the seams don’t show. I used a red cotton fabric that cost $0.99 for my interior lining. I don’t need pockets in the lining because I always carry around a purse organizer, so the purse organizer would keep my things in place.

Plus, this is a one-weekend-use evening bag…for Vegas. As long as it fit Hubby’s cigarettes, lighter, a slim wallet, my phone, and tube of lipstick, I’d be good to go.

I wanted the bag to take on some semblance of independent shape, so I lined it with cardboard batting, which was just an old folder and layers of magazine pages I cut up. Reuse and recycle!

Note in the right photo above that the side edge puckered a bit. That freaked me out at first and I thought, oh no, I’m going to have to cut all those seams and redo it. Miraculously, ironing it out a bit took care of the problem. Plus, this bag isn’t for anybody else but me, so I accepted the imperfection and moved on.

As I sewed it together (inside out), I kept wondering how I’d turn it back out again with all that cardboard and magazine-page batting. Inside out, it’s a very punk-rocker-chic bag (see above left), and I’m about as far from punk-rocker-chic as one could get, so what in the heck would I do with the punk-rocker-chic bag in the event I couldn’t turn the bag out again? Don’t get me wrong, by the way, I love punk-rocker-chic on other people; I just can’t pull it off myself. In any case, I was able to turn it back out. Phew!

The clutch is 11 in. x 5.5 in., a good size, with a 7 in. handle drop. Zipper top with a magnetic snap closure on the flap, and a 35-inch silver-tone chain that I doubled up for a shorter handle, since I thought the double chain had a niftier look to it. Works as a clutch, or I can use it with the double chain handle. Fits all my essentials and then some for our Vegas trip next weekend. Yay!

The photographs make the material look like black with white polka dots. No, no. This thing is ultra-sparkly, catching and refracting light in a totally Vegas way!  I have this extravagant and detailed pin made of Swarovski crystals that I might attach to that flap, but don’t know yet. I kind of like it simple the way it is.

I hope this post demonstrates the ease and feasibility of making your own handbag, especially an evening clutch. As white collar paper-pushing professionals, we rarely get to see the fruits of our labor. Our job is little more than air-conditioned, well-dressed assembly line monotony. Working with your hands to sew every stitch, using pliers to put on a magnetic snap button and cutting chains is truly a catharsis of all the tensions and pressure that builds up from the 9 to 5. Way better and way more satisfying than happy hour. It’s Shop Class as Soulcraft for the fashionista! =)