Fun Fact Friday - The thought and work behind the style-out

As touched upon a few weeks back.  The style out is the next step in the section process.

The style-out is a universally used meeting structure where buyers review their entire assortment of shower curtains (or their product categories) and make determinations on pattern that need to be discontinued, best performers to be expanded to a larger number of stores, and the space they have remaining to add new patterns. 

Having been a former buyer at Bed Bath and Beyond, I will tell you this a serious process and takes weeks of very hard work to put together and analyze.,  There is a tremendous amount of thought that goes in to this meeting and its outcome. 

In the next few weeks m.style will be part of this process.  

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

trash to treasure

 Up at the cabin we don't have curbside trash collection.  You take your trash and garbage to the local dump.  A few weeks back I noticed, what looked like a small thrift store next to the recycling collection area.  I asked about it and learned that it was a "free store".  A place where folks can bring things they no longer need and others can take for free.  I like free, so I took a look inside.  Upon my first visit, nothing struck me...but I thought I'd give it a try from time to time.  

I am sure glad I did!

 
Found this shabby little number outside store.  I think the local stray cat was using it as a sun perch.  I asked if it was part of the "store" and the dump-man said yes.  With a big grin on my face, I loaded it in to the  Subaru and took it home.

First I removed the top and took it outside for a good cleaning.  I used a stiff brush and gave it a good sweeping in all direction.  then whacked it a few times like you would an old rug.  Lets just say there was some dreep down dust in this little thing.

 

Next I checked out the wooden frame.  It was in good shape, but had a lot of mold.  

So, I put on my gloves and dust mask...then sprayed it with a little bleach/water combo.  

I cleaned it with an old toothbrush (BTW, don't throw then out, they are very handy for cleaning and crafts) 

after scrubbing, I sprayed the area with clean water and wiped it all down with an old rag.  I left it to dry, and stopped for lunch and to watch Downton Abbey on the Ipad. 

after my "Abbey" fix, about 1 hour. I started to oil the wood.  I like Old English dark polish.  I just used a rag and did several light coats so the oil could really soak in.

Then I went to my fabric bin.  Found this cabin'esk fabric and went to laying it out.  

Got the proper fabric placement, flipped, and started using my new electric nail gun (its so much nicer than a manual gun!!).

I folded the ends like a gift and wallah!  

 ...and now I have a nifty place to rest my feet in the living room.

    

Misses tell us as much as hits!

 



This Market was my best Market yet.  That doesn't mean that all of my offerings were hits.  

This season, one of my color options/combinations was "berry".  "Think of a glass of wine. 

Well, I should have kept the wine in the glass! 






 


 







I learned that the melot inspired tones were better served up with spice tones.  Like those found in Ottoman Blossom spice. 

It was a good lesson.





 

Fun Fact Friday - I'm Back from Market!!!

This was my best market yet.  I found a renewed sense of excitement from my customers and looking forward to the future.

Colors and trends for me:

I think in uncertain times we naturally look to nature and familiar things to bring to their home.  Colors of the earth like minerals, spices, and plants.

The hits for me came from my 2 favorite primary colors, Red & Blue.

Red, like the shiny red apple you gave to your favorite teacher, and what girls doesn’t enjoy a new shade of red lipstick.  It just looks good on’ya! 

Blue, like the bright open sky, and the cool tranquil sea.  Perfect for the bath!

Red becomes tangerine and terracotta

Blue becomes indigo, teal and aqua.

And then they marry well in to eggplant.

Marissa tangerine

Poppies tangerine (this summer)

 

Tessa teal (this summer)

Avery eggplant

Fun Fact Friday: NY Home Fashions Market

As the name suggests, the "market" is located in New York City.  The Garment District to exact.

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

The Garment District, also known as the Garment Center, or Fashion District, is the neighborhood that lies between Fifth Ave. and  Ninth Ave., from 34^th to 42^nd Street.  

This area has been known since the early 20th century as the center for textile manufacturing and design. In fact, in 1910, 70% of the nation's women's clothing and 40% of the men's were produced in this neighborhood.

Less than one square mile in area, the neighborhood is home to the majority of New York’s showrooms and to numerous major fashion labels.  

Encompassing all aspects of the fashion process – from design and production to wholesale selling.  

m.style showroom 2012

Twice a year (March and September) I have the opportunity to meet with new and existing customers “buyers” from all over the US, Canada and South America. 

m.style will be one of more than 400 “vendors” showing at this show. 

For new customers, this is a time to get to know each other, explain the brand and design philosophy, and see the “line” or product up close.  For existing customers, we discuss our current business together, any special projects or needs they many have, and I share all of the new patterns, color and trends for the upcoming season. 

At the conclusion of the meetings, the buyer will make a commitment to a pattern(s) for production or will ask for samples to be sent to their office for a larger review meeting called a “style out”.   I will touch upon the style out process in next weeks post.


Till then, keep style'n

m.style in the news 2-25-2013

m.style moves into another new category

Home Textiles Today Magazine: 2/25/2013

New York - m.style is introducing window panels at next month's New York Home Fashions Market, along with an expanded assortment of shower curtains and duvet covers.
Founded in 2009 by former Bed Bath & Beyond assistant buyer Monika Murray, m.style specializes in what she calls "fast and fearless decorating," with colorful, spirited prints. Starting with shower curtains (she did a term at Blonder Home Fashions after leaving BBB), Murray has carefully built out her assortment.
"I equate the time at Bed Bath & Beyond as college," she said. "I learned the jargon. I learned the expectations. I learned the challenges. It's a fantastic company, but I realized I was not as suited to be a buyer as I was a product developer."
With a big push from her husband - "He literally kicked my behind and said go and do this" - she got underway.
Shower curtains are custom-colored to match the best-selling towel shades of the moment, she said. The duvet covers, which debuted late last year, all feature concealed zippers and retail from $79.00 to $89.99.
"I always want my product to be better than you expected," said Murray.
m.style is now moving into to window treatments as a decorating solution. "What shower curtains do for the bathroom, window curtains do for other rooms," she said.
The company will offer four base cloths as well as grommets and tab tops. Curtains will be packaged as a pair of panels with an average retail target of $39.99, "if not less," said Murray.

m.style out and about 2/22/2013

You just never know where you'll find m.style!

 

This weeks sighting comes from Scott Shafranek.  While looking for homes in his area of Charlotte NC, he spotted the Full Bloom pattern in this video for "2023 Bay Street in Chantilly".


Thanks for your great eye Scott!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPCAnSzhx7M&feature=player_embedded (check out 1:07 of the video)


A special thanks to Savvy + Co Real Estate for the great video