So Long 2011, Hello 2012!

We wish everyone a great last day of 2011 as we look forward to an exciting new year.  Here's your second peek into our start of 2012...

We wish you and your loved ones a healthy and happy 2012.

-All of us at Vintage Couture

Spring 2012 SNEAK PEEK

Here you have it!!!  A first look at what the Vintage Couture Spring 2012 line will be based on...

I see some new and awesome exclusive Vintage Couture prints, how about you?! :-) Word on the street is that you'll get to steal some sneak peeks at actual designs before the launch of Spring, so be sure to be socially connected to us everyday!

There have been some BIG things brewing here at Vintage Couture... I'm super excited too, even though I already know what these things are!  I just can't wait to share it all with you.  :-D

 Get excited.  Spring is coming.  

Make sure Christmas arrives on time!

Get in touch with your Fashion Stylist or Shop Now!

Tis the season!

Dallas Market Center/World Trade Center

Texas is finally starting to kick into winter with cold weather!  It's actually starting to feel like the holly jolly holiday season that it is. :)

As someone who is very new to the industry, I was super excited today to go to the World Trade Center in Dallas.  It was a little overwhelming with all of its fabulous merchandise inside, but I somehow managed to leave without anything for myself. :) I did however leave with some fabulous ribbon swatches for our adorable bows!

I'm about to start a fun project for our corporate office and can't wait to share the progress with you. Maybe you will even have better ideas for me as I begin creating it!  Take a good look at it and let your imagination take control!  It's a great Do It Yourself project! :)

Your Junior Designer -
Monica

Making the Spring 2012 Catalog

Yes, it's the time of year when Vintage Couture designers finalize the Spring 2012 line. (That means making final adjustments to the production samples for the next season.) The Corporate Office team meets with potential models, checking fit of the garments and confirming availability with the photo shoot schedule. Marketing finalizes the catalog layout and meets with the photographer and his team, while Design makes last-minute alterations to make sure everything fits the models perfectly.

Everyone anxiously watches the 10-day weather forecast because we will be shooting on location in mid-November. In Texas that could mean anything from warm and sunny, to thunderstorms to cold and windy. If you've ever been to Texas, you'd know the weather is completely unpredictable. A few years ago, in Austin, we had a beautiful 80-degree day that ended in snow!

We have four days to capture the essence of the Spring 2012 line and we don't want to miss this opportunity! So, Monday when rain is predicted we reschedule everything and plan to shoot our studio shots the first day. If you noticed, I mentioned shooting on location and in studio. We've never shot models in a studio setting, so this will be a new look for us. We want to feature the intricate details that make Vintage Couture clothing so unique and studio lighting allows us to do just that. It actually doesn't rain Monday, but you guessed it -- now Tuesday's forecast is full of thunderstorms! (It ended up being the most beautiful day.) On Wednesday, the Cold Front arrives! Yes, we capitalize that because it's always a news event. The wind picks up as the temperatures drop. We run for blankets to shield our little models who are waiting patiently in Spring designs while the photographers adjust for the changing light. By Thursday afternoon, we are already done with the shoot. We load all of the props, accessories and clothing in our cars and head back to the office. It's been a great week!

At this point, I can't tell you too much about the line, (a good designer does not reveal anything until the launch) but I can tell you this -- there are so many new designs and fabrics and details to be excited about. The Spring catalog will be something to look forward to! There might be other new and big additions to look forward to as well... :)

Here's a little look into our week:

The Soft Stylists iron, steam and artfully arrange the products on boards before they go to the photographer for product detail shots!

Photo shoot producer, Bryan, and VC Marketing head, Sandra, review and revise the schedule for the week.

Model, Caydie, gets her hair and makeup done!

Props props props!

Finishing touches on model Abby. Camera-ready!

Model, Nicki, waits for hair and makeup. 

A prop waits between shoots. 

Ava models her Trista Sutter My Fair Lady dress for Vintage Couture before modeling new Spring 2012 garments!!

Jessica stands by as photographer makes sure he has the best shot

Moms keep the babies wrapped in blankets while photo team preps the next shot.

Addison models her beautiful Spring 2012 headband with her layers of blankets!

World Diabetes Day

As most of you know, Vintage Couture is a proud advocate of diabetes - juvenile diabetes in particular.  Every November 14th, over 160 countries and territories celebrate World Diabetes Day!

Help us celebrate it by familiarizing yourself with the signs of diabetes here:
http://www.idf.org/warning-signs-diabetes

Did you know that Type 1 Diabetes cannot be prevented, while Type 2 Diabetes can be prevented with maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise? (http://www.idf.org/prevention)

Today the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Dallas Chapter hosted a live webcast with the President and CEO of JDRF.  They discussed current research topics dealing with curing, treating, and preventing Type 1 Diabetes.  They also talked about the exciting findings from just the last few weeks on artificial pancreas research!    Read more here.

Have you heard of an OmniPod?  It's a small, wireless insulin pump!  It sure changed a young boys life, and he would like to share that story with you.  Read about Noah and think of him today as he celebrates BIG time in NYC with a blood glucose reading flash mob in Time Square while the Koda Jumbotron features photos sent in by those touched by diabetes around the country!!
http://www.myomnipod.com/customer-stories/noah-brokmeier/

Our Chief Designer, Jessica Wiswall's three children and husband all have Type 1 diabetes.  She had her family show off their personal OmniPods for our blog! Now if you see one, you'll know what it is!  But remember, it can be placed in different areas!

Spread the word, spread the love, and you could just help someone out.


From all of us at Vintage Couture

Spring Preparations

We've had a lot of visitors this last week as we held model casting calls for our Spring catalog.  It was exciting and busy with children and their parents all around the office.  But what got us most excited?! Seeing all of the great Vintage Couture outfits running around!!  We even saw some great throw backs to My Vintage Baby!!

Thanks to everyone who came by!!  We enjoyed meeting you all and seeing your smiling faces!! Congrats to those who will be featured in our Spring Catalog!!

To see our current styles, visit www.VintageCoutureInc.com

Boo to you from our crew!

Happy Halloween from Vintage Couture!! 

We hope that all of our boootiful customers and fans have an exciting and safe Halloween. May our best witches go with you. :)

Brinda, QC

Yvette, Designer

Monica, Junior Designer

Lisa, Manager of Field Relations

Meet the Staff: Lisa Welsh

Had a bad day at the office?  Well, I hope you have a Lisa there.  Every day starts out with sunshine radiating off of her, and its not from her beautiful blonde hair!  Lisa has that bubbly easy-to-talk-to personality.  To top it off, she starts most mornings off with giving everyone a hug!  She walks about the office telling everyone good morning and seeing how they are.  It's the most uplifting early morning hello, a if working for the coolest company on the face of the planet isn't enough! :)

Lisa is our Manager of Field Relations, and if you are a Fashion Stylist, you mostly likely know this better than I do!  Lisa spends her day communicating with the Vintage Couture Fashion Stylists and those interested in becoming one.  Lisa loves her job.  "I get to be involved with and touch peoples lives because I talk to the sales force.  I solve their issues and make an impact." I asked for some examples of what people call her for, and she said that the concerns are limitless.  Examples may be to ask for trunk show ideas, helping with recruiting, or just needing a little advice.  People also call to tell her of their achievements because they're so excited!

Lisa helped founder Jessica Wiswall start this company.  They met 11 years ago at a Gymboree play and music class when their two oldest boys were little.  "We just hit it off and were inseparable," Lisa recalls.  She thinks back and says "Jessica is creative.  She had an itch to start a vintage line.  We were together every day, and she needed help.  I helped her start the company and became her business partner.  I was always the people person.  I was Customer Service!  The warehouse was in my garage!"

Lisa has two boys, ages 12 to 9.  She's been married for 16 years and her life revolves around her family.  She's very active at her church and volunteers.  Outside of Vintage Couture, she's running between her boys' baseball and football games, or guitar lessons and drum lessons!  After the birth of her first son, she left elementary education to become a stay-at-home mother.  She says, "And I thought I would be a stay-at-home mom forever! ...Little did I know!"

Supporting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Vintage Couture, Inc. helped raise money and awareness for the JDRF in their Walk to Cure Diabetes event on Saturday, September 24.  In this extended portion of a Texas summer, we were lucky to arrive bright and early to a beautiful morning with a cool breeze.  It was a perfect day for a 5K!!

Hundreds of people showed up to participate and enjoy the weather.  Music was blasting while people danced in the midst of vendors, games, bounce houses and train rides.  When the time came, a horn was blown and the masses took off at an explosive and exciting pace.  Many took their time, chatting and laughing along the way.  T-shirts showed off members of groups created in support for specific diabetic children and friends.  We, of course, wore our Vintage Couture shirts proudly!!

Head designer Jessica Wiswall, her three diabetic children and diabetic husband, Vintage Couture Operations Manager Karen Landis and her two daughters, Designer and Production Manager Yvette Day, and Junior Designer Monica Li met at Granite Park in Frisco, Texas.  Together team Vintage Couture raised $1,425.00!

Thanks to those who helped and supported us.  Now it’s back to work to ensure great designs for 2012!!

If you have exciting VC related news to share with us, or maybe you just want to show off your adorable kids in Vintage Couture, send me info and pictures at monica@vintagecoutureinc.com.

More from Round Top and Warrenton TX

Our Round Top/Warrenton trip has ended and we came home with lots of inspirational design goodies! See my last blog for a first look at the trip.

Sadly I can't show you anything we got, but I hope you enjoy these photos of things I found interesting along the way!  Return to a nostalgic time of no cellphones and no internet through these pictures.  That's what it felt like since we had no service. :)

Keep up the VC love,

Monica

This was a creative side to a tent!  It was so windy that dust was blowing all over things.  Definitely a smart move. :)



An Old Neiman Marcus Sign!

A see-saw!

If there are any saltines left, I'm guessing they're stale... :)



You know we like the leopard... :)

I thought this was so funny!  It looks like a tornado hit Seaseme Street!  Letters are all over the place!!

Awesome inspiration for a home project, don't you think?!

I think Miranda had these people help her with the wedding decorations.

Round Top and Warrenton, Texas = Vintage Fun!

Hi VC fans!  This is VC Junior Designer, Monica, reporting to you all from Round Top, Texas!!  Designer Yvette and I are here searching through thousands of vendors for vintage fabrics and props.  The Texas heat tried to keep us from reaching our goals with highs of 106 and 104 degrees (as the vendors’ thermometers showed!).  However, we trekked on and took only the best of the vintage prints!  We can’t wait to go back to corporate to show Jessica what we’ve found!

Round Top and Warrenton are two neighboring towns between Austin and Houston.  It is very close to Bastrop, TX, where the wild fires took hundreds of homes.  It’s incredibly hot here and Yvette and I were saddened at seeing the cattle eat something unseen, and hopefully green, in the field of dirt.  Though this area looks starved for water, the people and buzz around here reflect nothing but excitement for this week-long extravaganza!  There are SO many vintage items here -- all with their own histories and memories attached.  It’s incredibly inspirational!

If you love all things vintage and experiencing nostalgia, you need to come to one of these events!!

On a happy note, there are little showers and storms going on right now.  Though not much, the area is rejoicing due to the much-needed rain, and the relief from the baking sun.

Enjoy my pictures from the day and catch up with me tomorrow for more fun vintage inspiration!

Spread the VC Love,

Monica




If you have exciting VC related news to share with us, or maybe you just want to show off your adorable kids in Vintage Couture, send me info and pictures at monica@vintagecoutureinc.com.