Tag: fashion

July 26 2018

What’s Next For Skylar Yoo? (Hint: Colors! Lots of Colors!)

So lately I’ve been asking myself the question, “What’s next for Skylar Yoo?” Over the last 8 months or so, our customers have resoundingly favored our feminist graphic tees. Aside from “Grit” which has that cool retro vibe, “Girls to the Front,” “Yes, She Can,” and “Fearless Girl,” have been our top selling tees. I don’t want to pigeonhole us to be just a “feminist” t-shirt company, I have bigger dreams!

So what’s my two year plan? Well, right now I’m taking inspiration from the designer Missoni who created this stunning rainbow fringe dress that Mandy Moore recently wore for her guest appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. (You know I have this thing for rainbows right?! I’m like a five-year-old girl, I know.)

In line with Skylar Yoo’s motto, which is “Be Bold,” I want to create colorful, ultra-stylish clothes that make your heard turn…at affordable prices. Though I love what companies like Everlane and DSTLD are doing with their paired down basics, my heart skips a beat when I see anything in bold colors, color blocked, or in rainbow. If these Gucci sneakers weren’t $980 and this Burberry rainbow puffer jacket wasn’t $1350, I’d snatch them up in a second! Ok, and how pretty is this Oscar de la Renta rainbow choker? I bought this Mara Hoffman rainbow swimsuit last year but my butt is so big I can’t wear it. (Motivation to work out! Goooo Peloton!) Oh, and who can forget Cate Blanchett’s ombre Givenchy gown? I die! I’ve been eyeing these Vans rainbow checkerboard sneakers for myself but they’re sold out everywhere. (Next best thing? I got a pair for Logan.)

My goal? To launch the raddest line of bold, colorful clothes, shoes and accessories on Skylar Yoo. More to come…

Art & Design

June 23 2017

The “Secret” Magazine That I Really Love

Let it be known that I subscribe to A LOT of magazines. I remember my older sister, Grace, had a countless number of magazine subscriptions when she was a high schooler. Since we’re four years apart, that would mean I was 10 when I first got exposed to these “glossies.” I experienced the rise of grunge, hello Kate Moss, goodbye Cindy Crawford. One of my fondest memories would be running towards the mailbox to try and get my hands on one of her magazines before she could. I loved the feeling of holding a crisp version of Vogue, Elle, and Allure. Oh and those Fall tomes! The September issue would be the best – picture after picture of gorgeous models wearing outrageously expensive outfits. I wasn’t materialistic, it was about the art of the clothes, the fashion photography, and even, sometimes the articles.

Fast forward a few decades, (ok, three), and now I get these delivered to my door: Vogue, Elle, Allure (ah, still love these three), InStyle, Oprah, StyleWatch, Bazaar, W, Time, Bloomberg Business, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Wired and Inc. It’s a weird mix between fashion and business. My recent purchase is also my favorite….get ready for it: Teen Vogue.

{Awkward Pause} “You know you’re like 40, right?! (That’s my head talking..or maybe you. Stay with me.)

Not sure if you’re aware of this but Teen Vogue has gotten really political and its articles are captivating.

Per The Atlantic:
“In May, 29-year-old Elaine Welteroth took over as editor from Amy Astley, who helped found the magazine in 2003. Welteroth, the digital editorial director Phillip Picardi, and the creative director Marie Suter have moved the magazine more aggressively into covering politics, feminism, identity, and activism. Together, the three have shepherded a range of timely, newsy stories, including an interview exploring what it’s like to be a Muslim woman facing a Trump presidency, a list of reasons why Mike Pence’s record on women’s rights and LGBTQ rights should trouble readers, and a video in which two Native American teenagers from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe discuss the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.”

It feels like Teen Vogue is on the pulse of what’s cool but not in a “trying-too-hard” kind of way. Outside of politics, it also shares some interesting articles like Solange’s letter to her teenage self. I was taken aback by her beauty, her boldness, and her creativity!

Read the whole thing here.

My favorite phrases:

“there will be fear. a lot of it. there will be triumph. a lot of it. there will be constellations you want to reach for but can’t put your finger on. you will trace them like the scars on your body you got from trouble and the times of your life. you will take the long way to get to these Orions. the long way will become a theme in your life, but a journey you learn to love.”

“because you have your mama’s blood, you are fiercely independent and outgoing. you’ve been starting petitions, building tree houses, and starting clubs since as long as you can remember. sometimes in the midst of juggling all this, you put a lot of pressure on yourself and often crash and burn. you shut down. you go into your room, lock the door, put on music, and you do not move for 8 hours straight. it will feel like the heaviest and bleakest darkness you can possibly feel, and when you ask everyone to leave you alone and let you be, what you really want to say is ‘i want you here’ and ‘i need help.’ sometimes it is ok to say just that. it won’t make you less strong or less powerful. no one you love will criticize you or blame you; in fact, they will lift you up.”

Now I want to cry.

Photo: Julia Noni for Bazaar

Style

June 15 2017

Predicting the Future of Fashion

Staff writer for Fast Company, Liz Segran, met with graduate students at the Fashion Institute of Technology to ask them what they think is going to happen to retail stores. In the beginning, Skylar Yoo will be strictly an online store but I plan on selling the shirts to big department stores as well as (possibly) on Amazon. In the future future, I’d love to have brick-and-morter stores but ones that are totally unconventional. I want people to come to the stores to see incredible, cutting-edge art on the walls, I want one-of-a-kind art installations where people can interact with art, and I want a DJ to be playing some jammin tunes. In this day and age, don’t we or shouldn’t we expect more from a retail store?

Here’s what the graduate students said:
“Department stores must think of themselves as entertainment centers: In Korea, some malls are more like amusement parks, complete with rides and art installations. Some brands should become landlords, leasing out part of their space to smaller startups, which will give customers a reason to stop by the store to see what’s new. For other brands, turning unproductive retail spaces into local distribution centers might be a good idea, since it might allow them to get products to customers within hours at lower shipping costs.”

Will the industry adapt and change? All I know for sure is that we’re living in a fascinating time for fashion.

Style

April 10 2017

12 Fun Festival Season Outfits

Can you believe that Coachella is this Friday? Festival season is here! I went to Coachella a few years ago and it was amazing. I won’t be attending this year but I will be checking out all of the fun fashion from those attending on Instagram. After reading the NY Times article about how stores create “festival season” attire, I thought I would round up 12 outfits I think are “Coachella”-worthy.

“It’s become the new cruise,” said Marybeth Schmitt, the H & M communications director for North America about festival wear. “It sets up a fantasy, a younger person’s vision of a holiday that’s set not in the tropics but the desert.”

Net-A-Porter has a “go boho” page where they show embroidery, tassels, and artful prints.

Here are some of my favorite outfits.

Above: Saylor has created an embroidered maxi dress with beautiful colors on top and an ivory colored skirt on bottom. It’s so pretty!

This kimono from Mes Demoiselles has a really interesting print. It’s definitely a statement piece that can be worn over a simple white-t and paired with classic jean shorts.

H&M paired a silver top with a long flowing pink skirt. You can see shorts underneath. With sneakers this outfit screams cool.

This off the shoulder, ruffles ensemble by, Philosophy Di Lorenzo Serafini, looks effortless.

This crinkled silk-chiffon dress, by Zimmermann, will blend in perfectly with the desert. It’s just the right amount of boho and pretty.

This embroidered jacket, by Parker, is ornate and colorful.

The color and pattern of this off the shoulder dress makes it look like a classic. It’s by one of my favorite designers, Parker.

How pretty is this lace kimono by En Créme? You can wear it with practically anything like a short dress or just jeans and a t-shirt.

If you have a nice waist why not show it off with this crop top shirt by Faithfull the Brand? Love the red detail on the sleeves.

Love this white and red wrap-front blouse by the Jetset Diaries. Pair it with jeans for a clean bohemian look.

Zara is selling this beautiful black and white off the shoulder dress.

Those with a killer bod could rock this tasseled crochet dress found at Forever 21.

Don’t forget to check out ASOS for some festival fashion inspiration.

Style

March 23 2017

Fun Prints and Bright Colors by Mara Hoffman

I’m loving these bright and playful clothes by Mara Hoffman. The designer, who graduated from New York’s Parsons The New School for Design, started her own label in 2000.

As her website states: “Historically known for her signature prints and silhouettes, Hoffman’s compass today points toward simpler, textural pieces that accentuate the human form, highlighting powerful feminine aesthetics. Hoffman, both the company’s President and Creative Director, is a true, living embodiment of her designs, taking inspiration from her own travels around the world as well as the beauty in everyday experiences. Headquartered in New York City with her close-knit team, Hoffman strongly believes in mindful and conscious practices, which are at the crux of the company’s ethos.”

These clothes are from her Spring 2017 collection. The clothes are noticeably softer-looking than the vibrant prints and body conscious dresses she’s known for. As she told Vogue, “The root of the collection is still there. It’s still about celebrating joy and happiness and color, but it’s just reinterpreted and a little more refined.”

Vogue’s website

Style

March 8 2017

Sneak Peek: Four Fashion Trends You’ll See in Spring/Summer ’18

Though on this blog we usually write about art, design or photography, there are times when we cover fashion. There’s definitely an artistic element to it. Above all creative disciplines, fashion trends change the quickest so it’s fun being a trendspotter, one that has their own imaginary crystal ball they can look into to decipher what everyone will be wearing tomorrow.

At this year’s LA Textile show, one of the seminars was called Women’s and Young Contemporary Trend Stories for Spring/Summer 2018. Presented by Melissa Moylan from Fashion Snoops, it showed four seasonal narratives that they predict will happen next year. Fashion Snoops is a creative platform that, for a membership fee of $1,250 per month, gives users access to their editor’s inspiration boards, trend webcasts, personal report feeds and trend alerts among other benefits.

This year, they talked about the trends we’re seeing right now: the deconstructed blouse, ruffles, fringe, and embroidery.

Next year you’re going to see four distinct looks. As a sneak peek, you can see them in visual form here. Do they resonate with you? Are you excited about any of them?

If you’re looking into going into the fashion industry, a trade show like LA Textile Show is a good place to start. They had three days of back to back seminars on everything from spotting trends to starting up your own business. You can also walk the showroom floor to see and feel the latest fabrics. If you want to go big, MAGIC in Las Vegas is one of the top trade shows in the world. It takes place two times a year, once in February and once in August.

Permission of images granted by Fashion Snoops.

Art & Design

March 3 2017

The Dream of Launching a Fashion Brand

What a crazy and fun-filled three days. Sam and I went to downtown LA on Sunday night to attend three days of seminars at the LA Textile Show. I went into the conference thinking of making just one really kick-ass piece of clothing but came away from it with a whole new approach. At the end of the session Need for Speed – Keeping up with Production Cycles in an Evolving Retail Landscape, we met up with the speaker Syama Meagher at Scaling Retail. She told me something that just blew me away. She said, “Don’t just create one thing. Dream big! Create a brand.”

At first, I was taken aback but then I remembered how I studied Marketing when I was getting my MBA and how much I loved it. I thought about my experience in social media and blogging from the last seven years I ran My Modern Met. Could all of my past experiences lead me to this defining moment?

Yes!

Suddenly, I felt both extremely excited and unbelievably afraid. What? Me? Start a fashion company? Just two or three weeks ago I would only wear black leggings and a baggy sweater. Sure, I may have mad respect for designers like Alexander McQueen (may he rest in peace) and Karl Lagerfeld but how would that translate? But then, something clicked. I was in the session Women’s and Young Contemporary Trend Stories for Spring/Summer 18 and during that presentation they showed these really engaging videos. What inspires the designers to come up with their latest pieces? Art! Architecture! Design! Photography! Precisely what I had been curating and writing about for seven years. In fact, I had written over 6,000 posts on creativity or the art that surrounds us.

So now I’m on a new journey. For about a year and a half I thought I wanted to become a photographer but now my heart is set on creating a fashion brand. At first, I thought fashion was superficial but then I realized that it’s also a form of art. It’s a way to express yourself. My first line will be inspired by my favorite artist, Yayoi Kusama and her installation Infinity Room. Think lots of color. (Here’s the article where I wrote about Infinity Room on Gizmodo, over 51,000 people read it.) My brand name will be called Skylar Yoo. Skylar is the name I would have given to my daughter if I had had one. My slogan will be simple: Be Bold. Finally, my logo will be white angel wings, symbolizing freedom.

Though some of this may change, it’s my starting point. I’m diving head first into fashion.

One last thing I forgot to add: A part of all sales will go to organizations about Mindfulness and Mental Health. As you may or may not know, I’m bipolar so this cause is near and dear to my heart.

Style

February 24 2017

Fun Links of the Week

So it’s really happening! I’m attending the LA Textile Show next week to cover the latest trends in fashion. Also, I’ll be looking to find some inspiration in creating my own clothing line. I already have an idea of what particular piece I’m going to try to master, first, but we’ll see if life takes me elsewhere.

Since I’ve been looking for fashion and business inspiration, this week’s Fun Links of the Week will be devoted to those topics. (Plus, I’ll throw in some art.) I’ll see you on Thursday! Will try and keep you updated via Instagram.

This video on Refinery29 made me realize how pivotal some moments in your life can be.

Inspirational podcasts for business geeks. (I could listen to all of them.)

Metallic blue and red pom shoe? Let me give you my money. (Ahh! Sold out.)

There’s a 1,000-person waitlist for these sneakers.

Roy Choi is my hero! To restart your career at 38?! Nuts.

I think I need this chic mirror. (It’s affordable!)

Chriselle Lim can do no wrong. Check out those metallic boots.

Topshop sells this item every ten seconds.

The negative space mani? How interesting.

These lace-up leggings are cool/different.

I don’t think I can pull off the bomber jacket look, but if I could I’d sport this one. (Simple and pretty.)

Pink is in and so are ruffles. If I had all the money in the world I’d live in this.

W Magazine predicted the fashion trends that will be on display at the Oscars. Emma Stone in Chanel? Yes, please.

I’d love to have one of these ceramic succulents on my desk.

Pic: I want to peep my head into this. Photo by Tyrone Turner for the NY Times.

Style

February 22 2017

My New Foray into Fashion

Lately, you’ve been seeing a lot of style posts from me. I can’t say I’ve always been into fashion. It was only, just recently, that I found the whole fashion industry interesting. I love spotting trends and I love the artistic element in it like the stunning sparkly dresses we saw at Chanel or the beautiful flower embroidery at Gucci.

A few months ago, I had this idea to start a clothing line based on one item of clothing. I started spotting it everywhere. I own 20 pairs of it yet I don’t love any of them. I researched it and found out that the market for it is booming. Now, I’ll leave you in suspense. What fun would that be if I told you the whole story?

Not sure what to do next, yesterday, during lunch, I asked my mother-in-law and father-in-law for their advice. They said to check out a trade show. I hurried back to my desk and looked up fashion trade shows. It just so happens that one of the top shows is going on right now in Las Vegas.

So where am I going to tonight? MAGIC in Vegas! Let’s pursue this dream. Let’s see where it goes. Will I meet the right people? Can a girl with an far-fetched dream turn it into a reality? Who knows! Wish me luck.

Style

December 27 2016

Fashion Trend I Love: Color Blocking

There’s some trends that go in and out and others that stand the test of time. I love that a lot of the brands I buy from are making clothes that are color blocked. Here’s the general definition of it: “Color blocking is a current fashion trend that combines/features contrasting colors on a garment in bold blocks. Using color theory, when color blocking, you can combine complimentary colors in a garment that normally would have been worn with basic black or a neutral.”

This easy style is as simple as strategically wearing contrasting, but still complementary, bold and bright colors together in an outfit.The easy way to see this is by this graphic.

You make a triangle on the color wheel and choose two of the three colors that the corners touch. These colors supposedly harmonize well.

For years, I’d just wear black and white. Through color blocking, I’m discovering my love for colors. The clothes look fresh, modern and fashion forward. More than just buying one piece off the rack, like a dress or a sweater, I love how a lot of women are embracing this trend by wearing their own purposefully arranged outfits. It take a lot of creativity and courage!

Here are 20 of my favorite examples.