SK WiLBUR Pre-Season Sale Announcement

SK WiLBUR Pre-Season Sale Announcement

Blogging for my Life

Nicole Z. during the fitting with George

The past three months have been beyond hectic and jam-packed with fashion related activity.  Finally, I realized that I just didn't have the time to dedicate to blogging.  But I am back now and ready to share some of my adventures with you.  I listened with envy as many of my friends shared their stories about summer vacations while I was busy with my nose to the grindstone.  But I'm not mad because all my work seems to finally be paying off.

If you've been keeping track of me, you know that I reached a career high when I was featured in the August 8/15 issue of JET magazine.  It prompted fashionable women across America to reach out to me on facebook, twitter, and through e-mail to find out how they could get their hands on SK WiLBUR dresses.  It was a validating moment and I still find myself basking in the afterglow.  My business partners and I are looking to use the new demand for my aesthetic as leverage when we approach stores in the coming months.  I am now very excited about what the future holds for Sorta Kinda Enterprises.

Nicole Z. wears the finished look for the show

The fashion reality show that I shot over the summer has already started getting some mentions in the press.  Although I am still bound by reality show secrecy, I want you to be on the lookout for a new show that will be airing on Lifetime in the near future.  Stay tuned because you will definitely find me on one of those episodes.

As NY Fashion Week was drawing nearer, I was preparing for my first plus size runway show on September 13.  Although I had a deficit of $5000 to contend with, I was confident that the universe was supporting my efforts.  After all, I had just gotten national press and taped a reality show.  While I continued fittings with my seamstresses and tailors, I remained faithful that the money would come through.  Foregoing paying my personal bills, I poured every dime I had into the completion of my collection.  It was not only important, but necessary, for me to continue the momentum that began with the JET article.  I implemented an initiative to raise the money through kickstarter.com.  With kickstarter, you must raise the full amount to get the money.  If you don't, you get nothing.  Since I only received pledges from 5 people totaling $335, it was an idea that crashed and burned.  My diva friend, Josette Robinbson, who is in public relations, my boyfriend, one of my dear friends whom I met  a few years ago during my commute into Manhattan, and my great Aunt Edie all made donations to my cause.  But I was still short.  In the eleventh hour, the day before the show, it was my sister and business partner who was able secure the last $4000 through a personal loan.  My faithfulness paid off.  I still get choked up about it.

Edward Wilkerson & me during FNO

Days before my big runway show, Josette convinced me to come out for Fashion's Night Out.  I didn't want to do it because I still had plenty of work to do.  I had decided to gift the guests of my runway presentation with mini SK WiLBUR tote bags.  I couldn't afford to order them, so I decided to make them.  What a daunting task!  But back to my story, for Fashion's Night Out, Josette and I met at Lord & Taylor where I introduced her to my friend from several years ago Edward Wilkerson, the designer of the fabulously chic and affordable line Lafayette 148.  It had been years since I'd seen him and he is just as funny and lovely as I remembered.  From there, Josette and I moved on to the BCBG store where we might have been too early for the party.  But then we separated and I headed off to Lane Bryant on Fulton Street in Brooklyn where I was surrounded by plus size lovelies and the cast of the reality show Big Sexy.  Although I was exhausted, it was important for me to make an appearance so the ladies knew that I still had nothing but love for them.  But by 9:00 p.m. I was on my train headed home.

I was super excited about the show.  Women's Wear Daily had already confirmed that they would be in attendance.  Afterwards, writer Marc Karimzadeh from the trade newspaper interviewed me.  It was all too surreal.  The next day, my friend Albert who lives in Paris sent me a note on facebook with a link to the article.  Yippee!  Another validating moment for my career.  NY Fashion Week is not just for the rail thin models anymore.  It's time for the curvy woman to be represented.   And I am doing my best to be one of the proponents of that.

Peace & Fashion!

Whirlwind

I have been so busy, I can barely keep up with myself.  Last week, I shot a new reality show that will be airing soon on Lifetime.  Afterwards, I hit the ground running as I coordinated three fittings in as many days.  On Sunday, as the rain was pouring down monsoon-style, I was making my way to Jersey City, NJ to have one of my tailors, Mr. B, work his magic on two of my models.  What is normally a one hour and twenty-five minute trip from my home in Queens took me nearly four hours.  I was begging for Noah and his ark!  That trek wasn't much fun.  But in the name of fashion, I will cross rivers and climb mountains.  Now that is dedication!

I am still receiving notes from women all over the country who have seen the JET article who want to thank me, encourage me, and praise me.  I grin each time I read one of those comments.  My strength is renewed and I feel energized to work harder as I make moves to get my aesthetic out there for curvy women to purchase.  I choose to focus on that instead of worrying about where the money to finish paying for all my samples for the collection is going to come from.  I am connected to the universe which is providing for me.  Besides, all evidence points to this moment that I've been working towards for the last 13 years.

In the meantime, Ashanti and I have been contacting media to see if they will attend my runway show on September 13.  I am going to continue to do everything in my power to extend my whirlwind moment.  In the eye of this storm is where I feel I belong and I am lovin' it!


Peace & Fashion!

I'm Ready!

Yesterday I signed the confidentiality agreement for the reality show that I will be competing on.  That means I cannot talk or write about it.  But I will confess that I am a little nervous about it.  And I think that is healthy and to be expected.  I have decided to focus more on doing well and enjoying the experience instead of winning.  After seven years of auditioning for different reality shows, I am finally getting my big break.  So I already consider myself a winner.  But being crowned king of the competition would be nice, too.

The JET magazine article has brought me a lot of attention from my darker hued sisters around the country.  The number of people who "like" my company facebook page has increased by 125 in the last week.  I have received tons of accolades from several women who have thanked me for "caring about them."  Those comments made me smile, but brought tears to my eyes because they really validated my journey.  We have also received a dozen or more emails asking about the availability of the line and how to buy the dresses.  I've had to explain that retail has not caught up to me yet, but I believe that I can use this demand as leverage with store buyers.  Let the negotiations begin!

In the meantime, I am still running around pulling together all the elements for the runway show on September 13.  I am tired, but there is much work to do.  The moment I've been praying for for the last 13 years is finally here.  And I am so ready.

Peace & Fashion!

My Dreams Are Now REALITY

It's late and I'm just finishing up on constructing my last bag for my handbag line.  It was an unbelievably busy day as I dashed from Wall Street to the Garment District for appointments and a fitting.  Wheeww!  Just thinking about it makes me exhausted.  I am about to go to bed so that I can be refreshed for the plantation early tomorrow morning, but I did want to share a couple of pieces of very exciting news.

First, the JET magazine issue that features a profile of yours truly has hit newsstands.  It's been very exciting as I have gotten thoughtful messages on facebook from curvy women all over the U.S. praising my designs and inquiring about how they can pick up one of my dresses.  It is unfortunate that I am not yet carried in any retail stores, but I think this overwhelming response may change the tide of NOs into a chorus of YESes from store buyers.  I remain optimistic.

My other piece of news is that on this Friday evening past, I received word that I was chosen for the as-yet-untitled reality show that will be airing on Lifetime!  I am SO excited.  And nervous.  I don't know what I will be required to do.  I don't know when it will air.  I don't even know where it will be taped, but shooting is to begin next week.  YAY!

I feel like my season of reward has finally come and I can barely contain myself.  Everybody loves a winner and I felt like a loser for so long.  It's really gratifying to see my trajectory turn around after thirteen years of struggles.  Thank you, GOD.

Peace & Fashion!

More FASHION!

A necklace from Lee Angel

Preparing my collection for a show takes a lot more than just designing the looks.  It is of equal importance to hire skilled samplemakers who will flawlessly construct each design so that the translation from sketch to actual garment is seamless.  I must also cast the models who will bring just the right amount of sashay to my runway.  And then there are the extraneous details like shoes, makeup, hair, and jewelry.  A moment that lasts a little less than 10 minutes takes months and months of meticulous preparation.

Michelle Pfeiffer & Al Pacino in a scene from Scarface

This week I began to actively search out those extraneous details.  I landed at Lee Angel, the company known for its chic, yet affordable fashion jewelry.  Ms. Pema, my guide through the company's archives, showed me fabulous piece after fabulous piece of necklaces and bracelets.  I am so pleased and excited to have them as my jewelry sponsor.

Next, I was onto hair.  My inspiration for this season is Michelle Pfeiffer's character in the Brian DePalma film Scarface.  She was just so elegant and sexy and sophisticated.  A real foil to Al Pacino's crass drug lord.

I have also begun approaching several shoe companies about supplying the footwear for my models.  A few have turned me down.  I am not sure why as my approach has been extremely professional, highlighting the public relations benefit of being part of a NY Fashion Week runway show.  Undaunted, however, I continue with my quest.  A barefoot woman on my runway is SO unstylish.

I remain in the trenches as I battle it out to have the most polished catwalk possible.  As I get closer to my September 13 show date, I am sure that there will be more drama, more obstacles, and more fashion.

Peace & Fashion!

Ending The Week With A BANG

Emily M.

Today I met with Emily M., a fabulous plus-sized model, who will be wearing one of the pieces for my runway show on September 13.  The dress needed to be tailored just a little more to accentuate her glorious curves.  Once my tailor, Carl, had pinned the dress in all the pertinent places, I could visualize Emily setting my runway on fire.  It's a shame that there are not many opportunities for curvy models to parade the catwalk.  Luckily, Emily has a career doing hair and makeup on television shows like Royal Pains on USA and The Good Wife on CBS.  The woman is multi-talented and I am very fortunate to have found an ally in her.

This afternoon I received a call from Matilda from the production company that is working on the as-yet-untitled reality show for the Lifetime network.  She left a message on my voicemail while I was at the plantation congratulating me on getting to the next step in the process to being chosen for the show.  YAY!  When I called Matilda back she was eager to conduct a telephone interview with me.  "Are you available at four o'clock today, Wilbur?" she asked in her proper British lilt.  "It will take about forty-five minutes," she advised.  "That would be great, Matilda," I answered.  At almost 4:15, Matilda and I were deep into my interrogation, I mean, interview.  I felt good afterwards when Matilda informed me that she would be sending an email with a release for my photographers to sign off the use of their images.  She also told me that the powers-that-be would be making their final decision soon, as the series is set to begin shooting on August 9.

As I get close to the end of this reality show process, I cannot help believing that my chances are really good and this time I will finally make the cut.  Persistence, I guess, really does pay off.

Peace & Fashion!