IFD Insiders receive 25% off. Sign up today to become and Insider and take advantage of this special offer Join this unique masterclass to learn all the tools and strategies for designing a zero-waste collection using textile waste created by fast fashion. Learn about the overwhelming fast fashion waste problem and how to overcome it. In this intensive session, you will learn how to source deadstock fabrics and how to use them to design collections for a contemporary audience. In session 1 we will teach you how to work with design and technical constraints that come up when working with deadstock fabrics. We will cover trend methodology, guide you on how to overcome quality issues and how to create zero waste patterns and specs. If you want to have a real impact in fashion and change how people look at fashion, this is the session for you. In session 2 all attendees will receive free access to the design open house where designers can share their zero-waste design ideas with a panel of industry mentors for one-on-one feedback.

IFD Insiders receive 25% off. Sign up today to become and Insider and take advantage of this special offer S ign up for a 60 minute one on one consultation with Sonica who is a fashion sustainability expert with over two decades of ethical design, sourcing and production experience in the global fashion industry. She is recognised as the founder of one the ten most sustainable fashion companies world wide ( *Common Objective leadership awards 2019)

IFD Insiders receive 25% off. Sign up today to become and Insider and take advantage of this special offer I f you want to develop ethical and long-term artisan partnerships that have a positive impact and enrich your design process, learn from Sonica Sarna who has been partnering with over 40 artisan communities for more than a decade. In session 1 you will learn about, * The social, environmental, and cultural impact of artisan partnership. * Gain a foundational understanding of various types of artisan techniques. * How to develop respectful and mutually beneficial relationships with communities. * Overcoming challenges faced in the design and production process, understanding minimums, lead times, and payment terms. * How to protect your designs and cultural intellectual rights of the artisan. * Tools for ethical storytelling Session 2: Date to be announced. In session 2 meet artisan communities, ask questions, and grow your network. Begin the process of building meaningful artisan partnerships. Receive a list of highly recommended artisan communities selected by Sonica.

IFD Insiders receive 25% off. Sign up today to become and Insider and take advantage of this special offer Are you looking for a responsible and ethical production partner for your brand but are overwhelmed by a lack of transparency, conflicting terminology or simply don’t know how to approach this critical business decision? Then join Sonica Sarna as she demystifies the ethical production process for you. In session 1 we will cover, The various kinds of production setups such as factories, workshops, worker co-ops, and how they all compare. * A review of industry certifications and terminology as well as worker rights and environmental laws applicable to manufacturing setups. * Are you factory-ready? Tech-packs, spec sheets, and other details to be ready before you begin work with your production partner. * Standard payment terms, MOUs, and Contracts. * How to navigate costing, Sampling, and production minimums and timelines. In session 2 meet ethical production facilities, ask questions, and grow your network. Receive a dossier of highly recommended and responsible production partners.

IFD Insiders receive 25% off. Sign up today to become and Insider and take advantage of this special offer Join Sonica Carna in this unique master class on how to create natural dyed fabrics in partnership with heritage artisan communities. Sonica partners with handloom organization Blue Lotus to bring you the first of its kind practical and demonstrative course for designers, brands and craft enthusiasts who will learn both how to design artisans natural dyed textiles and also the technical aspect of handloom weaving from fibre to fabric directly from the artisans themselves What you will learn In this unique information packed masterclass taught by Sonica and Blue Lotus , the participants will learn from a photo rich journey of the process of designing and producing natural dyed handloom fabrics from yarn to fabric. You will learn the basics of natural dyes- its process and constraints. We will share the process and technical aspects of creating your own textile designs of the desired weight and drape. We will help attendees have a detailed understanding of the handloom production process supported by rich imagery and video demonstrations. Designers and craft enthusiasts will also learn how to work respectfully with artisans, the basics of fair wages and representation.Production specific topics like pricing, production lead times and MOQs will also be covered in detail. Meet our partner educators This first of a kind masterclass will be taught by Sonica Sarna in partnership with Blue Lotus handloom weavers. Sonica Sarna Sonica Sarna brings over two decades of expertise in apparel design and production, artisan partnerships and sustainability to this course that she has designed to help designers to create collections in partnership with traditional Indian artisan communities for the global marketplace. She is a bridge between traditional knowledge and the contemporary fashion industry. Blue Lotus Blue Lotus are an innovative craft enterprise focussed on creating economic opportunities for traditional handloom weavers and natural dyers based in Kamalapur village in Telangana. Attendees will learn about the technical aspects of working with contemporary craft organisations like Blue Lotus to create beautiful and sustainable products.

May 2020 Happy Friday Everyone- Here at IFD we are thinking of you during this unprecedented and unpredictable time. Todays read is about Voor, a virtual showroom created prior to Covid-19, but now even more relevant as a method to show product. This is a good tool for brands to share their product, and a good article for learning about what the future of fashion looks like. Thank you to Tracy Wong and her team for sharing their work. As the pandemic brings traveling to a halt and decimated engagement between business partners around the world, Voor is launching their virtual reality merchandising showroom solution, in its first beta. The solution has been developed to help fashion designers and brands in reducing the time and costs involved, as well as alleviating some of the highly damaging impact the industry has on the world, in a true and meaningful way. The beta version of Voor’s VR showroom launched April 2020 via Voor’s mobile app, however the platform will eventually be offered across multiple platforms that will include a web-app and Oculus. This launch will be particularly beneficial to fashion businesses around the world facing current challenges and its ensuing dynamics, as the industry will be altered forever in the wake of this pandemic. Any fashion reformists, fashion environmentalists, or anyone simply waddling out of this crisis, hoping to come out with a more agile business, head over to voor3d.com. To keep pace with modern advancements, to calibrate with the environment, and to restart after this global pause, the age-old fashion system is ripe for disruption. Prior to the pandemic, fashion was already at the critical moment of its transformation, signalled by rising production costs and consumers’ preference reaching critical mass for social and environmental values. The word “digitization” was at the forefront of fashion executive’s minds since at least 2018. Unfortunately, fashion’s complex nexus of stakeholders across its value chain, with its tight revolving deadlines, has been a major barrier to implementing digital strategies. But with the global pandemic’s shutdown of in-person interactions, the time to transcend to a digital first mind-set is now. According to The State of Fashion by McKinsey & Company, consumers, especially younger cohorts in particular, are willing to pay more for products that have less negative impact, with a third of Generation Z in the US saying they will pay for sustainability compared to around one in 10 baby boomers. It’s no secret anymore that the industry is the second most environmentally damaging in the world, accounting for over 10% of the world’s carbon emissions, was the second-largest consumer of water, and regularly pollutes the oceans with microplastics. Although the recent rise in using eco-friendly and recycled materials are helping to improve the industry, but no materials are truly sustainable as the procurement of such still generate carbon footprints. Speaking ahead of the beta launch, Voor founder Tracy Wong added, “No actions are truly sustainable unless they’re carbon neutral or negative. So for businesses, any output that will eventually become wastes is no true sustainability. Businesses should prioritize eliminating waste whenever possible and streamlining processes, for both their bottom line and the sake of the environment. ” Leveraging on virtual reality, Voor’s digital showroom facilitate visual communication and integration along the value chain by delivering virtual showrooms with merchandising capabilities pushed through Voor’s mobile app. The traditional process is linear, inefficient, and wasteful: With Voor, the process is synchronous, agile, and sustainable: The beta version features basic merchandising capabilities that allow viewers to instantly visualize colors, patterns, textures, and other design variations in full 3D. Users will be able to pick from pre-set showrooms to present their designs in. In the eventual full rollout, users will be able to fully customize showrooms that would unleash their brand identities. For any brands and designers interested in trying Voor showrooms, more information can be found at voor3d.com. Voor is also currently open to partnerships with manufacturers and on-location showrooms. About Voor 3D Based in New York City, Voor3D set out to remodel the fashion business model to be efficient, cost effective, and truly sustainable. Founded by Tracy Wong, a 10+ years fashion professional, and joined by a founding team of seasoned garment professionals, game enthusiasts, and techies, Voor3D offers VR merchandising showrooms for the garment industry to digitize processes downstream to design. Thank you for reading today! Be safe, stay strong- peace and blessings@

We caught up with Camila Castillo, a FashioNXT UpNXT Emerging Designer- Here we capture her backstage before her collection hits the runway and chatted with her for an in-depth look at her journey from New York, to Venezuela, to Oregon. Every piece she creates is a work of art, meticulously done by hand. Read on to hear what drives her and how her parents influence helped her define her brand today. Camila, tell us about your upbringing and how this influences your work: My upbringing with my creative parents was such an influence in all my interest for the arts. Everything I learned I would do so by sitting around when my parents and their artist guests where having conversations. I would absorb everything like a sponge! I learned about many art techniques and artists and as I grew I became more curious about it and then started investigating on my own. When you see from such a young age how art is about questioning and provoking and creating a reaction in the public, fashion was for me quite an obvious choice because I could show my artistic abilities but also provoke and create reactions to all the female empowerment issues my mother had instilled in me since for as long as I can remember! How did you learn design? I never really had any formal education in fashion design. I did however get a very rigorous training when I studied graphic design. I learned about the bauhaus techniques and a way of approaching design in which they believed there are no wrong or right materials, only badly used materials. Whichever material they give you , you must let the material speak to you and you must work with that. Later my father told me, if you want to create two dimensional designs, sketch, but if you want to create on a three dimensional body, then you should drape on a three- dimensional mannequin. He gave me my size 6 dress form as a gift which I use to this day and even has her own name: Wolfi! My technique then developed quite organically, and now I feel I am nothing if I don’t have a piece of fabric in my hand! This allows me to explore the materials possibilities and I play with it till a pattern or shapes emerge and I go with that. Its very intuitive and also impossible for the final design to look like what you imagined in your mind. There’s always error, so you go with the error, you follow it to see where it takes you and what comes out is usually something as cool or cooler than you’re original idea was. Tell us about your Lost Generation Collection: As I started working on this specific collection, the weaving and folding and stark black and white leather and use of acrylic all gave the garments a very tribal feeling to them, which also maintained the urban modernist feeling my work is known for. Model: Valeria Isidoro. Makeup: Jesus Palencia, Photographer: Rafael Franceschi Now having created a very urban tribe feeling, these pieces became my trademark. They have a very strong feminine sensuality to them, and with the tribal theme I think they convey a strong woman who is confident in her beliefs and her sexuality. Unfortunately, upon doing research about urban tribes of this era, I came upon a specific tribe name in South Africa which is known as “THE LOST GENERATION”, referring to the latest generation of South African youth, who are at disadvantage with their international peers educationally. It is an extremely dysfunctional educational system. This reminded me, having also strong Latina roots, how unfortunate it is that some youth have an advantage over others because of opportunities based on their upbringing, geographical or gender origin as well as some females having more of an advantage than others. We must all fight to overcome adversities and to shine in life and become whatever it is we want- so I gave this collection it’s name. Coming from a long period of living abroad in places where there were not many materials to choose from, I have learned to see what is available and work with that, give it value through the workmanship I use. "My father always said: limitations are the basis of design, and he was right because the more limited you find yourself, the more you use your creativity to create something unique." Model: Andrea Vásquez, Styling: Abner Gil, Photographer: Anibal Mestre You learn to work with what is at hand and the material sparks to you, there are things you can or cannot do with specific materials so you learn to get the most out of every material you encounter and make something extraordinary out if something that could before seemingly look like a something ordinary. How did you end up in Portland? I came to Portland with my child trying to find a better place for my son to grow up in as Los Angeles was quite dangerous and I liked the feeling of living in a safer friendlier place. I am surprised at how nice people are here- I mean I was born in New York and you just automatically create this tough “city “ persona. You become street smart but I have been able to let my guard down a bit! I started designing 6 years ago , showed a collection at Los Angeles Concept Fashion Week and have not stopped since. What has changed though is how I was located in Latin America most of the year and then some months ago I came to the US. Creating a business in the chaos of a country that is also in political unrest is impossible and am very excited about the new possibilities now,, being located here where it is more plausible to run a small business! Tell us about your Brand: Even though it is very very time consuming and you must believe in your vision no matter what when you are starting out. After coming here it is like a new beginning, but of course you produce, sell, work on your internet exposure. Everything is done by me and has of course, my signature. Even the photographs I post of myself wearing a certain piece, have an intent and are not an accident. I am my brand and everything about how I behave, what I produce, how I feel women should react or not to specific situations, all are what I am trying to convey. What are you trying to achieve through your designs? It is not that fashion is a piece of fabric sewn in a specific way, no, my brand and fashion in general reflects a lifestyle, a specific stance of the creator on how he or she wants the people that wear his or her work to be perceived. It is to be respected, to feel empowered, to feel worthy and strong and beautiful and capable , that’s what I want to convey. And yes it is very very challenging being and independent designer, especially to make ends meet financially at first and to keep your vision clean and be loyal to your beliefs. It may take you a bit longer to achieve financial success and you truly need to understand that. Designer Thierry Mugler used to say , you are giving woman a service: they believe in your work because they want to look the way you have envisioned the women in your brand look and how they are seen and thought of. Going for financial success can get in the way of that vision when you need to pay the bills. It’s a fine line- remaining true to yourself and the woman you want to be your clients but also being able to create something that will allow you to function in this fiscal society we live in. What Inspires you? Whenever I get asked that question; what my inspiration was for a determined collection, I find it very hard to be specific. I always have the idea in my mind of dressing women to feel the most powerful and capable and sensual they can, while also making pieces that have an incredible amount of elaborate workmanship behind them (my art background is always there, art is always there) but the spirit of the collection may vary depending on what I am doing routinely most of the time during the creation of a specific collection. Model: Valeria Isidoro. Makeup: Jesus Palencia, Photographer: Rafael Francesch For example , in my first collection , which I called "Alien". I was living in Latin America in a very unequal relationship, to describe it in some way, and was almost as if I couldn't have my own voice. I felt not unlike a robot controlled by someone else, an alien in a world of other women I perceived as in control of their lives, so that made an impression. Or the last collection this past March , also at Vanfashionweek. In these 2 collections I was actually breaking free as was the country I was living in so it was not unlike the chaos that surround child birth ... and all that was reflected on the collection. On one hand you have the noise and the rhythm and pace of the whole situation I was in and then you have the looks and the actual pieces which were much more free and colorful than my previous work. I was finally freeing myself from oppression, so to speak. Then I come here and I start watching a lot of American internet and tv and see for example the series ”Euphoria“ where you see all this struggle that youth have here with their self worth. That is something you don’t even think of back in Venezuela because everyone is so busy just trying to freaking survive these problems that affect you. American people and youth just felt very new to me. So I just started having this fascination with an innocence I had not felt before, and fabrics that were very feminine and girly. Looking back, I feel that the zone I am strongest in is the women empowered, the sexually free women, and I feel those are still my strongest looks this time. The more feminine almost girly shapes do not come naturally to me, so I feel I still am exploring and trying to find my footing and my voice now that I am safe and in this country. I am still finding myself. Tell us about your involvement with FashioNXT's UpNXT competition: The people at UpNxt had nothing but the best intentions and really wanted to help us learn the business side of the design process and the sustainability. This is, by the way, something very close to my heart because the rain forests in Venezuela are being torn apart for monetary profit. I really feel this is terrible issue, but I also think that one of the most obvious solutions that come to mind is to simple STOP the frenetic pace the fashion industry and social media want us to live in, which is NOT NATURAL! We don’t need 10 collections a year by any means. There is too much stuff already out there and it also is very taxing on us as creators. We have to live for our work, that is why so many designers leave the game so fast because it is almost unbearable. Camila backstage at FashioNXT At FashioNXT, they really went out of there way to help us sort out how we could help solve these issues. It was a very taxing experience time wise but I would do it again because I learned so much and learning, like growing , always implies some pain in it. A huge effort , but it was worth it, even if I feel I made mistakes or I didn’t feel comfortable because I feel I have yet to find my voice in this new situation life has put me in. Who I am now, to be able to know what I want to portray, but that is a totally personal experience that has only to do with me and my surroundings and my journey- no one else's. Photo by Tom Lupton at FashioNXT What advice would you give new designers? I would tell new designers to always always be true to their vision, if they feel they do not have one. If they do not have anything specific they want to say or convey, then maybe fashion or art are not a good fit for them. But if you want to do it, work hard, be true to what you do and this is very very important: Never let anyones opinion of your work get to you! They are not you! They have not been through your journey so what they may think can be completely something they are seeing out of context, you are the best judge of your own capabilities and you can see for yourself what you could or could not have done better and be humble enough to learn when you make a mistakes. It is ok to fail, we all have. Most successful stories are many failures and the resilience to keep on despite or because of them. What is not acceptable is to not learn from your mistakes and also to just relax, learn you can say no and it’s ok. Don’t let the industry bully you. Grow at your own pace and try to remember to stop and smell the flowers! You worked hard! You deserve it! Model: Marceline Sanguine, Styling : Marshall Heritage, Photographer: Yvette Tang Success or failures , doesn’t matter , you deserve to feel good after you worked so hard! LETS ALL BE THE BEST WE CAN BE! Camila Castillo Camila, Thank you for sharing your journey, your insights and advice! IFD wishes you the best of luck for the future- keep working hard and following your vision! Interested in learning more about FashioNXT? Find out more here

Dear Friends, I hope you are staying healthy as Covid-19 is sweeping the world. We've been quarantined for 3 weeks now and I am amazed and how the days are feeling like a "daze"....one day blurring into the other...are you feeling the same? Are you living in your PJ's like me? I am a glass-half-full kinda gal and am using this time to cherish being with my kids, doing things like cooking, playing lots of board games and figuring out online school! There is the challenge of maintaining emotional and mental health and I was happy today to hear that the term "social distancing" is being changed to "physical distancing"...YES! It's so important to stay in touch socially, while keeping our distance physically so that we can support each other in this challenging time. SO,LETS SHARE FEEL GOOD STORIES! Thats what I am to do here at IFD & I am excited to share this story as I too, am a NDSU graduate. This is the about a young gal, who grew up in small town ND, went after her goals and won the Innovation Challenge with her invention of a new fabric, and now is working in London- Please meet Mariah Belladeau!! To begin- Tell us about where you grew up and your educational path- why NDSU? I grew up on a farm and went to school in Parshall, ND -- it’s a small town located on the Fort Berthold Native American Reservation. (The Fort Berthold Indian Reservation is a U.S. Indian reservation in western North Dakota that is home for the federally recognized Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes. The reservation includes lands on both sides of the Missouri River). (Wikipedia). When I was in high school I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. I explored options and looked at what kind of career I could pursue with it. It wasn’t until a Geologist came and spoke to our class on what she does for a career, which sparked a career interest for me. When I first came to NDSU I was majoring in Geology but after one semester I knew it wasn’t for me. I decided to pursue, and graduated with a dual B.S.degree in Apparel, Retail Merchandising & Design, and International Studies. One of the requirements is to work or study abroad for 10 consecutive weeks before your final semester. I chose to work for a sustainable fashion brand in Australia to fulfill this requirement, and to also have my first experience living abroad in a country that at least speaks the same language as me; I wanted to ease into the living-abroad life and not be so overwhelmed right away with language barriers. What were some of your most impactful learning experiences along the way? I would say my top three are: joining and being involved in Kappa Delta Sorority, studying abroad to the United Arab Emirates, and participating in NDSU’s Innovation Challenge of 2019. All of these experiences have been life changing. When I joined Kappa Delta Sorority (KD) I felt like it was a home filled with girls of all different background stories that you could really learn from. Being apart of KD has challenged me to push myself to become the best version of myself as possible. This was the first big experience I had in university that I wouldn’t change for anything. My second big experience was when I studied abroad in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and got the chance to explore Al Ain, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. This is the first time I left the country without my parents and it was in a country completely different from the U.S. This experience was the reason that I wanted to travel, live, and experience more of the world to learn about other cultures to better understand them. I went on this study abroad experience through NDSU’s International Office but it was a KD sorority sister that suggested the option and encouraged stepping out into the “unknown”. The third experience that really changed my university experience was when I participated in NDSU’s Innovation Challenge of 2019. I researched, designed, and created my innovation that eliminates microplastics from textiles while still having the benefits from synthetic textiles called ECOTEX. I never expected such a positive outcome but I could not be more grateful for the experience as well as the encouragement I received from mentors and peers. I’ve had an amazing NDSU experience and some honorable mentions would be: when I did an exchange to University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA), also because a KD sorority sister encouraged it, when I lived and worked in Sydney with a sustainable fashion brand, and for studying Apparel, Retail Merchandising, Design (ARMD) at NDSU, which had the most amazing staff who truly cared about you and your potential. Tell us about the NDSU tech competition and how you came up with your idea NDSU’s Innovation Challenge is a campus-wide competition where students of any major can be part of a team or individually compete to create a product or service that solves a community or global problem. I have many friends who are engineering, pharmacy, or biology majors that have participated in the Innovation Challenge over the years so I found out about it when I was in my second year at university but I was never serious about participating until my last semester. During my last semester my thought was that this is the last chance I have to compete in the Innovation Challenge. I always wanted to compete and create an innovative fashion or fashion service but I couldn’t think of anything that wasn’t already a business. It wasn’t until I lived in Australia where a group of friends and I visited the Great Barrier Reef and we went to the Daintree Rainforest where this shaman medicine man talked about how the inginous people survived in an extreme climate region. He talked about all the different remedies that were found in the forest that could replace some of today’s products. This sparked up ideas for a new textile about how we can use resources from nature with natural textiles to create a new innovative textile for outdoor recreational purposes. I would research new resources all the time and make notes for how they react and respond to becoming a new textile so I had plenty of ideas and plenty of failures. When I finally found a resource that worked I knew that I had to take that leap of faith and enter into the Innovation Challenge, mainly to educate people about the harmful effects done by the fashion industry. I never expected the outcome from the Innovation Challenge when all I wanted to do was showcase my area of interest and passions in a competition that was primarily Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) majors. I felt that everyone in the competition had so much more experience than me and had four or more years of knowledge. I was self-taught in areas of material engineering, physics, and chemistry to create my innovation, which goes to show that if you have a passion for something then you are capable of excelling at it. how did you develop your go about developing your idea? I always had a desire to learn more about sustainable fashion and more ways to improve it but it wasn’t until I lived and worked in Australia when I got my idea. I started to research and experiment when I got back home. I started thinking of this idea earlier so I was able to spend more time on other parts of the Innovation Challenge (i.e. posters, displays, a dress made of plastic, proposal essays, ect.). I almost didn’t submit my proposal essay for the Innovation Challenge because I didn’t think it was “innovative enough” for the competition with participating STEM majors. Even though I felt unqualified, I still took that leap of faith and participated in the competition with full dedication. I participated as an individual rather than a team because I honestly didn’t know of any other person who was interested in textile engineering. I researched a variety of possible solutions to combine with natural textiles to create a new, innovative one -- my Excel sheet and charts were endless it felt like! What was most challenging about your project? The most challenging part about my project was the balance I had to find between work, classes, and a social life. I’m a very social person who believes that education is most important and needs to pay for said education. I can confidently say that I survived managing all these areas of life but I definitely did not manage my sleep schedule very well. I found working on my projects to be fun because you get the freedom to express your creativity and you get to come across those challenges that help you grow as a person. What is the status of EcoTex material? Currently I am looking for a facility that can weave the materials- I have been able to make samples through the college, but I am researching a fabric mill that can produce this textile in larger quantities so I can make it available to the public. How did you land the internship in London? I was applying to various companies throughout London in hopes of one to take a chance on an American but I was turned down a lot due to them not being able to sponsor a visa for me. I went through a program that has connections with companies looking for interns who can also sponsor a visa for me. The working visa process is a very complicated one so some advice would be to go through a quality program (e.g. Global Experiences) to help you finalize a work placement. After graduation, you returned to London to work for a fashion brand. What are some of your main responsibilities? I work for a small fashion brand; my duties vary and every day looks different. My main duties are researching different materials and how to care for them, checking over inventory for our stores, working with global clientele on sales and taxes, and reporting praise and faults of the products to the executive designers. Can you give us an inside peek on what your job? A typical day looks like a 9 or 10 hour day of various duties. Some weeks I do pure quality check with the executive designers as we are a luxury fashion brand so every item has to be checked for its quality. Some weeks I’m working on the visual displays of the stores to be aesthetically pleasing. The best part about working for a small brand is that you get to see the business operations from all different sides so you are always learning. Also every week is different working in the fashion industry with a small brand. One week you will be meeting with wholesale clientele, and another week you will be sorting and shipping hundreds of units of stock to those clients. During the holiday season you spend a lot of time with the stores and preparing for the sales. As a growing fashion brand we are also redoing our e-commerce page so there’s days you prepare the products for the photoshoots and work on descriptions for the webpage. My days are completely different from the next so there’s no true “typical work day” for me. What is your favorite part of the job? My favorite part of the job is meeting clientele from all over the world. I honestly feel like I have met at least one person from every country because of living here in London. Also, I love all my colleagues so I have been fortunate enough to build great friendships within the workplace. Least favorite part? My least favorite part of the job is probably the days I have angry clientele and it feels that nothing will please them. In a previous answer I said I win others over (WOO) so when I work with clientele that cannot be pleased it can be so draining. How do you see the future of fashion design, based on the changing climate of sustainability & innovation? I see the fashion industry changing for the better with demands for sustainability from consumers. Even today we see huge fast fashion franchises going out-of-business because consumers are becoming more cautious of what they buy. We also see other huge fast franchises change their ways to becoming more sustainable to avoid going out-of-business. This is all great that businesses are hearing our demands for more sustainability and they are supplying to those demands, however, some companies are still sneaky and greedy to where they market themselves as a “good, sustainable company” but they are still cutting corners (e.g. single use plastic packaging, unlivable wages, zero waste management, ect.). I feel as time goes on we will see a lot more sustainable fashion brands but from those, I believe there will be some that are only marketing themselves as sustainable when in reality they [the fashion companies] are actually just as harmful as the fast fashion companies. W hat are some top skills that have helped you? Some of the top skills you need for this position are: energy, positivity, adaptability, creativity, and a good memory. Most of my days I am working 9-10 or more hours so energy and positivity play key roles, especially when things start going wrong in the first few hours and you still have the entire day to go. The days vary so I need to be able to adapt based off of the day; I’m also living in a foreign country so I need to be able to adapt even when I’m not at work. In the fashion industry you need to be creative even if you are mainly focused on the business operations side. I have so many clientele who will bring up a conversation we had two months ago and when you can remember that one conversation with that one person months prior they [the clientele] become very impressed and it leaves a great impression that you care to remember them. When you are in a small business your clientele and customers need to be treated as if they are family. I’ve always been community-influenced -- NDSU felt like a family to me and now the company I work for feels like a little family to me. I believe this is the best way to build strong relationships with clientele. I think my strongest skills are: my positive attitude, intercultural communication, being inclusive, ability to win others over (WOO), and my strong self-assurance/confidence levels. A way to excel at some of these skills is to: Enter a situation or problem with the mentality that this is good because you get to learn and grow from it Start conversations with everyone, especially to those who are new or alone, by having a curious mindset to what they do or are passionate about so you can learn something new and/or make a new connection/friend When you speak about others, or yourself especially, talk in an uplifting way to build confidence or spend time with uplifting/encouraging people because friends like that can really influence you in a positive way. Any advice for students & young professionals? My biggest advice to is network by being involved on and off campus. The majority of my friend circle are people not in my field. I feel like I learn the most from people who have different career paths and passions from my own. I learn more about myself and my career because of people who are different from me in every way. "A way to be creative is to listen about possibilities from another perspective. A way to be adaptable is to have a friend group from all different backgrounds. You are who you are because of the people you choose to influence your life. In university I chose to surround myself with strong women and men who had a positive mindset and an adventurous soul. Every single one of my friends has encouraged this challenging journey of moving by myself to a country, where I knew no one, to start a new adventure -- these are the types of people you need in your life." Just for fun, do you have a favorite book-podcast you can share with us?? My favorite podcasts would be “On Purpose” with Jay Shetty and “Open Your Mind and Move the World” with Prince Ea. These two wisdom gurus are absolutely inspirational and I would also recommend following them on Instagram or Facebook. Also, “Nas Daily” has great content on Facebook about wisdom and worldly travels. Thank you so much Mariah for sharing your story, your efforts for the environment and iinnovations in the fashion industry. Wishing you the best of luck for your future....and we will check back in with you a year from now to see where you are! Images from Mariahs Innovation Challenge Presentation *To reach Mariah for inquiries, you may contact her at: mariah.billadeau@gmail.com

Several years ago I started a new ritual to greet each new year. Instead of setting New Year's resolutions that quickly fade away, I chose to pick a one-word "intention." I keep it simple enough that I will easily remember and continue to refer back to it throughout the year. The only rule that applies to the intention is that it must be ONE WORD. Yep, that's right, just ONE WORD that will be my focus. The WORD OF THE YEAR or, as I call it, my intention, sets the tone for the year ahead. My passion is to learn—to study, research, travel and take in everything I can that the world around me has to offer. By continually exploring, I grow in both my personal and my professional life. I want to fill my year with new explorations. I want to unearth fresh knowledge of myself and tap into new skills. Through exploring, I will expand my world more than ever before—stretching beyond my comfort zone, learning exciting new skills, and welcoming new people, hobbies, passions, and even dislikes into my life. And with Inside Fashion Design, I will be able to carry back so many of these treasured new discoveries to share them with you, dear reader! Definition of explore Explore is a verb that means "to travel in or through." You might explore an island, a European city, or the rooms of an unfamiliar house. The Latin root of explore is explorare, meaning "investigate or search out." When you explore a new place, you want to see interesting things and get to know its people. Whenever you delve into something, or investigate it, you explore it. You can even explore an interest, like when you explore African art, or explore an idea or tendency in order to understand it — you can explore your fear of snakes to try to get over it. What will be your ONE WORD for the year? Need some help finding your one word? Here is a great article from The Petite Planner to help you pick! There is even a free download of printable worksheets to help get your creative juices flowing. From The Petite Planner Need some more help? Google the word you are thinking of, + quotes, ie; Explore + Quotes. See what comes up for your word! This is what I found for Explore: THE BEST SHORT EXPLORE QUOTES 1) “BE FEARLESS IN THE PURSUIT OF WHAT SETS YOUR SOUL ON FIRE.” – JENNIFER LEE 2) “NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST.” – J.R.R. TOLKIEN 3) “THE JOURNEY NOT THE ARRIVAL MATTERS.” – T.S. ELIOT 4) “OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO.” – DR. SEUSS 5) “JOBS FILL YOUR POCKETS, BUT ADVENTURES FILL YOUR SOUL.” – JAIME LYN BEATTY 6) “I HAVEN’T BEEN EVERYWHERE, BUT IT’S ON MY LIST.”- SUSAN SONTAG 7) “OF ALL THE BOOKS IN THE WORLD, THE BEST STORIES ARE FOUND BETWEEN THE PAGES OF A PASSPORT” – UNKNOWN 8) “TRAVEL IS THE ONLY THING YOU BUY THAT MAKES YOU RICHER.” – ANONYMOUS 9) “TRAVEL FAR ENOUGH, YOU MEET YOURSELF.” – DAVID MITCHELL 10) “TO TRAVEL IS TO LIVE.” – HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN More Ideas to get you going! I would love to hear what you all come up with for your Word of the Year! Send a note to Design@insidefashiondesign.net Follow us along in 2020 to see how we continue to EXPLORE and what new things we learn that we can share with you! And I leave you with one more quote: “Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny.” Ghandi Now go and find your word! Already well into the year? No worries...this works anytime!! Peace, Love and Blessings! Britta

Crafted in the USA, in small batches, these bespoke clothing, hats, and millinery are finely constructed as statement pieces or classic designs to last you years. Choose from styles online or have a bespoke made item which expresses your personal style. Locally handmade in Portland OR, USA. “To create is a gift, I am glad I found mine.” In my work, Sustainability is foremost. I use high quality natural fibers such as wool, bamboo, linen, silk, and cotton. Since the 1980’s my work has germinated and been 100% locally produced in the green culture of Portland, Oregon. Not only have I predated the sustainable movement but this approach also means my hats and bags display an array of texture, color and sustainable fabrics when possible. My line resonates with contemporary style and a hint of vintage sass. Clothing and accessories are designed with an urban attitude that is street smart and unisex, using natural fibers such as wool, linen, silk, cotton and hemp”. Elizabeth Roloff In addition to making hats, Elizabeth offers custom clothing and restyling. “Your clothing, aka your style, says something about you and people notice. so think about what you want to project” “With over 30 years of clothing design and construction, I have a wealth of knowledge making clothing. I can assist you in with your personal style and discuss fabrics for long wearability. This is a collaboration of self-expression and what works for you. Custom clothing can lend a spark to your lifestyle with the proper fit and look. In addition, I have expert guides and sources to help you choose a style that fits your body and shape, whether it’s a trend or not.” Elizabeth says: “As consumers we are constantly being marketed to for the fresh and new; while our closet fills up with more items than we could possibly wear in a month. Do we really want more articles of clothing or simply more ways to wear what we have and already love ? Adding more to our closet will only add more exhaustion. I want to help simplify your closet and your clothing choices. Do you have garments you turn to consistently? If so, there’s a reason why; those clothes make us feel confident when we wear them. You may need some help assessing what doesn’t work and why ; this is where I come in. From years of Tailoring, and Designing, my eye has been keenly developed to see what clothes work for a particular body shape and what doesn’t.” I help you find the Fit ! To contact Eilzabeth for wardrobe consultations, reach out to her here Support our local designers! Shop Elizabeth Roloff at www.elizabethroloff.com To learn more about Elizabeths designs and services, visit: www.elizabethroloff.com Elizabeth is one of our many featured vendors at IFD’s Ethical Fashion Festival. Learn more about Ethical Makers and brands by joining us virtually or in person. 🔦🛍 Our designer showcase and virtual marketplace will kick off online Sunday, December 5 with an 8-day series showcasing the amazing vendors, ambassadors and partners helping us celebrate ethical fashion this holiday season. 🍿 Later in the month, we’ll hear directly from makers, social enterprises and ethical fashion powerhouses through a docu-style video series. 🥳 Finally, we’ll open up the Holiday Pop-Up shop in Portland @katandmaouche December 14-19 with giveaways, more stories from partners, designer meet & greets, good vibes and a toast to this amazing community! Join us for some or all of these free happenings taking place this month. Tell your friends, turn on our IG post notifications and buckle up for a holiday festival like no other ☺️ To see all the happenings, join us at the #EthicalFashionFestival follow us on IG: insidefashiondesign to catch all the live streaming & on Facebook: @InsideFashionDesign and don’t forget to RSVP to get extra bonuses here! Festival is free and open to everyone! RSVP to receive event announcements, learn more about ethically made products and brands and get special discounts-just in time for the holidays!

Meet an IFD Favorite Brand Handful®!! A portland based, women owned company, Handful® is designed in Portland and manufactured at an women owned factory. Always striving to support women of all shapes and sizes, including styles made for great cancer survivors. All products are designed with sustainability, fair wages and supporting women at the forefront of their efforts. Read on to learn more! Founder and CEO Jennifer Ferguson who grabbed necessity by the horns and didn’t let the ups and downs of starting a business buck her off until she gave birth to the Original Handful Bra in 2006. Jennifer was already a mother of two and a fulltime fitness instructor, but she couldn’t find a bra that could keep up with her always on, ever moving, places to be but still look good from wake up to worn out, active lifestyle. Handful is and always will be her beloved third child. Jennifer even named it after herself(her father would always tell people, “She’s a handful.”) We believe there is great healing to be found at the intersection of cancer and fitness and encourage every woman who has faced breast cancer to take advantage of our program, which is focused on gearing you up to get out and grab life with confidence. In support of breast cancer survivors, Handful® gives 12.5% of revenue from their Battle Cry Pink bras year round to YSC® (Young Survival Coalition) in recognition of the 1 in 8 women (12.5%) who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. In addition, breast cancer survivors are eligible fora lifetime 30% discount on all bras and activewear through their Breast Friends program. They also provide FREE pad sets that can be stacked and used as prosthetics in any pocketed Handful® bra Shop Handful.com today and throughout the year to support our women-led business. Find other fierce female brands below or at @womenledwednesday.⁠ Thank you Handful team for all you do to support women, women owned businesses and ethical practices! Shop Handful at: www.handful.com

Body positivity has come a long way in recent years, especially during the pandemic, when folks were consuming more information and having to be in public far less. Candace Molatore, self-love advocate, has been a steady and powerful force in the movement. From community building moments across social media to incredible brand partnerships, she takes branding to a whole new level. Her partnerships are with incredible brands, ranging from massive footwear apparel brands like Adidas and Dr. Martens to housewares superpowers like West Elm and Target. But she doesn’t stop there- she also partners with brands who are supporting the same communities she is, like Tradlands, Venus Summerwear and Aerie. We’re overjoyed to have Candace as an ambassador for us, as we believe ethical fashion has a strong responsibility in the body positivity movement.