The Birth of Fashion Style Lounge

I can't take all the credit for the success of Fashion Style Lounge; however I will take credit for the birth of it. It all started when I had the opportunity to preview my hat line in Beverly Hills. The event was Hollywood Style Lounge and you guessed it....celebrities, fashion writers, stylists, models in lingerie, and the best part to me "Spinderella" (remember Spinderella - the mix master from the 80's female rap group Salt n Pepa.) After a day of meeting and greeting and sore feet, I came back home and thought to myself; we definitely need an event like this in Fresno!

Launching your own fashion line is not easy….NOT EASY!!! Talk to any emerging designer who has a great idea for a line but needs help with other areas like money, business, marketing, web design, and so on. This is the case with many designers starting out because designers are very passionate but need help in other areas. I have experienced this first hand.

My idea for FSL was to help other indie designers by networking together and giving them a venue to showcase and sell their product. I have hosted four FSL events and they all took place in a 2200 sq. ft. stylish office space that was transformed into a fashion hot spot after 6pm. You have to see it to believe it. It’s a fashion show without runways. It’s all about passionate designers and the guests who love their designs. Pair that with a glass of champagne, a DJ, a photographer, and beautiful people and that’s Fashion Style Lounge.

The historical Tower District is an alternative to old strip malls and multi-use super centers that are all so common in Fresno. It’s the closest neighborhood scene the resembles a San Francisco feel. You will find a bit of theater, the best Italian sandwiches, Chinese food and Thai food, nightclubs, gay bars, tea shops, smoke shops, taqueria, tattoo shops, boutiques, salons, and a couple of old school restaurants. It’s truly the city’s gem and I love it!!!

The FSL designer community has enable designers to meet each other and share experiences. Some designers are truly break out designers with a new line to test the market. Other designers have establish lines and distribution channels like www.etsy.com, websites, boutiques, and department stores. All the designers are able to share stories about which trade shows and events to attend or which suppliers to check out, etc. It’s not about competition, but collaboration.

This year, I have some great ideas I am going to introduce to take FSL to the next level. In addition, I am exploring opportunities to host Fashion Style Lounge in other cities with the goal to help other up and coming independent fashion and accessory designers. I have also been approached about featuring Fashion Style Lounge Designers at California Market Center. Yep, exciting stuff happening this year. I’ll keep you posted!