Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birthday dear Fashion-Incubator, happy birthday to us.
Yep, we’ve started our third year as of February 12th. Out of infancy and the terrible twos, we’re looking forward to leaving our pull-ups behind and moving into potty-training. Officially, the site was inaugurated with a test entry with a photo of my cat Colita. Cat photos are obligatory on a blog, don’t you agree? As a matter of fact, here’s a graph (larger view) that proves –proves, mind you- that it’s cat pictures and not porn that are holding up over half the sky on the internet (construct graphs to support your own flimsy, baseless arguments) :
My we’ve grown in the past two years, how has your life changed since we got to know each other? I got married and moved, how about you? I don’t have access to my site stats since the last site move (long story, that) but we’re getting between four and five thousand unique visitors a day. Average time spent on site is about five minutes (compare to the internet average of less than 30 seconds) with over 20 percent of you wasting an hour or more on site daily. Thanks to you, F-I has become a property, ranking in the top 1% of internet web sites (I really should take advertising).
If you’d like to review the entries from the official Fashion-Incubator archives -some of the earliest entries are my favorites- these are by year:
Entries from February 12-23, 2005:
that jpeg is colita btw
What are the core skills of sewing?
Core sewing skills
Sewing anxiety, avoidance and fears
The cognitive dissonance of experts
Thrift store shopping
reading
nothing pithy here
nothing pithy here either
Entries from February 12-23, 2006:
First Anniversary!
Ergonomics in apparel manufacturing
Reverse engineering standard work pt.1
Color psychology
Reverse engineering standard work pt.2
Reverse engineering standard work pt.3
Pattern puzzle: Vionnet
Beau Ties Ltd. of Vermont
Paranoid and peremptory
Profits aren’t cash
Grading machines and rulers
Reviewing pattern scissors
Reverse engineering standard work pt.4
Definitely off topic
Comments on all entries are open so have at it. Also, if you care to share, tell everyone how you’ve grown since we’ve come to know each other.
Happy birthday!! I found your site not long after it began when I was studying fashion in college. Since then, I’ve graduated, moved across the country with the best boyfriend anyone could ask for, worked for two DEs with completely different philosophies on how to run a business, learned an immense amount about everything fashion-related and life-related too. Oh, I’ve also aquired a dog and two cats. Thanks for the blog Kathleen, it’s so great.
Congratulations! Feels like you’ve been here forever :-)
You really should take advertising! Really. You should.
First of all Happy Birthday! I found your blog a couple of days ago and I can barely keep myself from crying of happiness! My sister and I have an infant clothing and accessories business and have been in a total rut for a while now. You and this blog are exactly what we needed (my positive mantras are paying off!). I am going to run out and buy your book when my son wakes from his nap – thank you for all you do for us!
I found this site in November of 2005 when I was looking for line sheet info because I was presenting my line to a consultant. Even though I had purchased your book 4-1/2 years ago, I have learned so much more from this blog. The biggest change for me is the confidence I feel now when I talk about the industry and my business. I don’t feel like such a newbie anymore.
Enjoy your anniversary gift. (reminder to other DEs out there: KF has an Amazon wish list).
Happy anniversary F-I and Kathleen. I’ve been reading for a little over a year now, I think I bought the book the December before last and was reading since Oct 05. Lots has changed in that time in fashion blogland – where F-I is a very important part, for me. (ps You are my largest referrer after Google which I find an honor, thank you.)
So here’s to the continued success of Fashion-Incubator and all the cool people and opportunities we share when we come here. Thanks everyone I’ve learned so much and enjoyed meeting friends and colleagues!
Happy, happy anniversary! This site (and, of course, your book) has helped me progress from total nimkompoop to newbie with a sensible plan and the guts to carry on. Thank you!
dittos of Darby!
Thank you so much, Kathleen! I’m learning so much from you. It’s great to hear about your ratings- although totally embarrassing -how many people must have read my very very newbie questions. (I still think your blog needs a entry called “what is a designer entrepreneur and what does a designer do?” It took me loooong to time figure that one out when I started visiting here. Although, your book helped!
When I first came here, I was a “one account wonder” and now I’m really overwhelmed with work, (but still have no idea where I’m going some days!)
Thank you! Thank you!
Happy Birthday to ya! Happy Birthday to ya! (in my best Stevie Wonder impression) Anyway, I found your blog and book in July 2006 and practically read every archive to date and most of the discussion forum (have had difficulty getting in there since I changed my email address, but oh well). I was assisting a friend who has started, or rather wants to start, an “athleasure” line for men and women. He is short on the huge cash flow needed to go into production, but hoping that his graphic design work and GOAT/WOAT stuff will help fund it. I liked your no-nonsense style of writing (both in the book and on the blog), so I continue to read just for the wonderful educational information and because I feel I have come to know you very well. Yours is one of about 3 or 4 blogs I read daily (yeah, real work takes a back seat to reading your blog). And yes, you REALLY, REALLY should take advertising.
Congratulations! FI is one of my must reads every time I get online. Your book has really helped us move from not knowing what we’re doing, to having an inkling of what we’re doing.
Thanks again Kathleen!
Yay, happy birthday!
Ironically, since I first became addicted to F-I in Spring 2005, I’ve decided I’m NOT ready to start a line, after all, and I’ve started taking classes in patternmaking, etc. at a local community college & gone back to working part-time outside the home so that I can restrict my custom work to things I design (no alterations or commercial patterns). In so many ways, this sounds like moving backwards, but I feel like I’m moving forwards–becoming more confident in my abilities and goals RE: the fashion world.
In the meantime, I’m also growing my first child (who is currently occupying an enoumous gall on my abdomen)
Thanks, Kathleen, for all the great info & support, and to all the other denizens of F-I for being so interesting & inspiring!