This new series seems to be of interest so here’s the second edition. If you have news, links, information or announcements of interest to the community, let me know. If you’re an outside party, read the submission guidelines for possible inclusion. Also, please state whether you wish to be linked to and include your contact information in such cases as appropriate.

I heard back from Amy Downs, hat designer extraordinaire (some of you have probably heard of her sister, the singer Lila Downs). I wrote about Amy before. She’s been traveling a lot and says she had a great time but she’s really poor now so if you want to buy her hats, they’re available in NY at Yu, 151 Ludlow Street and at The Hat Shop in Soho, 151 Thompson Street. She says she’s looking for new stores in Chicago, Portland and Seattle. She’s says you can call her too, 360-330-2922. She says she’s going to send me pictures.
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Susie Pusch of Bungalow 360 (who I interviewed at the Magic Show) says:

I just had to email you this link. This all broke loose a few days ago. A junior company knocked off a artist. That happens often but the unique thing that happened is that the cartoonist community have banned together and are going after him in a unique way.. Blogging. Now all theses artist are coming out of the woodwork who are finding out they have also been knocked off† and it is having a direct affect on the company and person that knocked off the artist.

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Sandra sends:

I thought you may be interested in this company called Sling Fings, which has based a successful business on environmental principles. They are based in Byron Bay, an area of Australia that has become synonymous with “eco” “alternative” and “hippie” and yet is also achingly cool.

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Kysha Mitchell (Yahzi Rose) has several pieces of news. First, she’s launched her website. Second, she’s gotten some exposure in the Oakland Tribune and was interviewed for Kids Style Source (a brand new children’s fashion B2B website; maybe they’ll give James Girone a run for his money). Third, she is launching her line at the Los Angeles Baby Celebration April 28 and 29.

Yahzi Rose is excited to announce its official launch at the premiere showcase for hip moms & their trendy tots, Baby Celebration LA! This event will bring together 400 unique exhibits, wondrous entertainment, expert speakers and up to 25,000 guests. We would love to meet you & your little ones in person. Come enjoy this unique showcase of focused fun! Retailers are welcome at Baby Celebration , come place your Fall ’07 orders. See you there!
Location: Los Angeles Convention Center. Date: Saturday April 28 and Sunday, April 29, 2007
Booth: # 731

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Jason Yang of PinkGray sends word of his new interactive virtual showroom. He mentions it is affordable and the price is based on number of items you have in your showroom. The commission is 3%.

After years of experience in the fashion business, I’ve created a cutting-edge fashion website that is truly changing the way new designers and buyers do business. PinkGray.com has developed a unique online designer showroom specifically for new designers to show their collections to the world with ease and efficiency. International emerging designers can be found with the click of a mouse by wholesale buyers and editors looking for the next hot designer.

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Howard Gabe (626-376-8664) announces that the second Global Eco Trade and Fashion Show will take place August 26th-29th, 2007. If you’re interested in exhibiting, call him or visit Global EcoShow.
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Not to be confused with Howard’s gig is a press release from the Pool Trade show management for the same time slot.

This August 27-29th in Las Vegas, Pool Tradeshow will launch a new area entitled s(eco)nd that will focus on the new breed of environmentally & socially conscious organizations that are emerging world-wide. s(eco)nd will take place in conjunction with Pool in Las Vegas .

Pool, the incubator of new & emerging lifestyle fashion, began as a non-traditional forum to fulfill a need for the specialty market. For the last 6 years, Pool has been a place where key retailers connect with innovative apparel & lifestyle designers. Now, Pool is introducing a new branch that will fulfill a need in the industry for the new generation of consciousness. s(eco)nd will showcase the best new talents who are also making a positive impact on our world.

s(eco)nd will carefully hand-select each of its launch brands. For media inquires and more information on how you can become involved with Pool or s(eco)nd, please contact:
Kimberly Goodnight
PUREconsulting
(323) 664-0003

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Congratulations go out to Jinjer who announces:

In case you haven’t heard, my baby girl has been born! Amelia Presley Martin was born on Friday the 13th. She weighed 7 lb. 2 oz. & measured in at 19.5 inches. She has long feet with practically prehensile toes and is beautiful in every way. I’ve posted some photos on my Flickr site. I’m recovering well & she’s eating a ton!

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If you can provide any assistance, Siva writes:

I have read your books and have great respect for the knowledge you have of machinery used in the sewing process. I have a factory in India and specialize in garments that need hand crafted work or other special work. I am looking for your help in deciding on machinery to buy that will help us to have the out seams of a pant to be felded . It is a pant that has different prints on both sides and the pant can be worn inside out i.e a reversible pant. Could you tell us the machine that we need to have to the outseams of the pant felded.

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Time’s Summer Design issue is out, entitled DESIGN 100, The People and Ideas Behind Today’s Most Influential Design.

TIME Style & Design editor Kate Betts writes that this list of the “Design 100” endeavors to identify “the designers and impresarios who are creating useful and beautiful products, furniture, objects, buildings, houses, fabrics, even kitchen utensils.” “These days, design touches almost every part of our lives, thanks to mass-market manufacturers and retailers.” TIME Style & Design differentiated “between good and great design” to put together a list of the 100 “standouts.”

Some features:

• Textiles: From cashmere to carpets to felt, a look at the latest in fabrics (Loro Piana), rugs (Neisha Crosland) and wallpaper.
• Shopping: Selling wares like shoes (Roger Vivier, Manolo Blahnik), sapphires (Van Cleef & Arpels), and sweaters (Paul Smith), these retails meccas represent the latest antidote to the mall: an intimately designed space.
• Packaging: Eye-popping logos (Saks Fifth Avenue). Plantable packaging (Pangea Organics). Flasks of designer water (SEI Water). Boxes, bags and bottles are more creative than ever.
• Fashion: Old standbys like the T shirt (Splendid) and the stiletto (Cole Haan) get a decidedly technological redesign in the hands of true innovators.
• Gear: The people and products making it possible to walk (Nike Air Force 1 shoes), talk (Fuseproject to Nokia), cruise (Fearless Yachts) and stroll (Bugaboo) in style.
• Green: Big corporations such as Chevrolet, Esque Studio’s glassblowers and illustrator Chris Haughton encourage recycling, practice fair trade and cut waste – all with great style.

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Carol Pulitzer shares a recent disappointing experience:

I’ve just had the most upsetting morning. I got “fired” from my dye house. I don’t expect you to read the email correspondence below but it’s there is you’re interested. Do you have a suggestion of where I can go to get a full listing of houses that dye garments or do you have any you’d recommend?

She was sufficiently inspired to do the research and came up with two directory resources for dye houses, one general and one list for California. Files are here.
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Speaking of textiles, Karen Clark (Bella Sofia) writes

When I was down in LA I talked with some designers who had purchased their own prints, at $500 a pop, to do their own textiles. This is something I’ve always wanted to do, but thought it was reserved for the “big dogs” so to speak. Any chance you can do a posting on the whole process of textile printing? thanks, doll.

Miracle will be writing an entry on custom textile design. We’ve penciled in an interview with Harmony Susalla of Harmony Art Textiles to discuss the specifics of textile design and production. Harmony gets lots of love from any of her customers that I’ve spoken to.
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Speaking of love, Steve cc’d me on this message he sent to Leah and Reg, the sales reps I met at Magic.

Hi Leah and Reg,

Today I can say that the money I spent on the hour consultation wasn’t what I expected—it was MORE!! You see Leah what I received from you on April 13, 2007 was truth, compassion, acceptance and direction. The truth about how my priorities were wrong…compassion for not kicking me out of your showroom after viewing my ameturish marketing plan…the acceptance and direction to sit down next to me human-to-human and say, “ok, here it is Steve,” as you set aside the pages of words and confusion I had so proudly brought and wittle the importance of what I should do NOW to one sentence!

“WHO IS MY CUSTOMER” from A-Z

After I left your office Leah I experienced feelings of relief and heavy-ness being lifted from my shoulders. I felt I had a new direction, since of renewal on this project and more importantly someone who was in my corner 100%. And yes I felt a bit emotional and I am not quite sure why I felt this but it was a good to go with it and not question it or stuff it down.

So, thank you and I hope myself and the other girl you are working with are the only few who really see past the money amount of your lessons and understand the many other lessons we will receive!!

Reminder, if you purchased The Entrepreneur’s Guide, Leah and Reg will consult with you for a reduced rate, only $75 an hour.
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Ali commented on last week’s News From You entry saying

Kathleen, for next week/month’s News from You (me) ;) Vera Wang just did a new website with HP that talks about the fabrics she used for her Fall/Winter 07 line. It talks about the Russian inspiration, but shows the fabrics in a way I haven’t seen online before. Kind of interesting. Here’s the site. I guess we’ll know if you like it soon enough!

I thought the site was well designed. A flash site no less. It’s basically an HP commercial but it was well done. I typically dislike side to side scroll but the navigation properties of this one were great.
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Sharon Rowe of ECOBAGS® says

As we all know business is booming and the go-green message is really out. Well tomorrow we’re all getting another boost. ECOBAGS® and a number of other green companies will be on the OPRAH show. TiVo, DVR or watch it if you can…

Going Green 101

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Alice Wu sends word of Feral Childe’s second season’s launch and several new accounts. They also got some coverage but didn’t include direct links to sources. Congrats!

• Habit 1951 W. Division Chicago, IL 60622 tel 773-342-0093
• Neda 302 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 tel 718-965-0990
• Ai Ai Gasa 274 Fifth Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11215 tel 718-369-4272
• Lingo 257 West 19th Street New York, NY 10011 tel 212-929-4676
• Sodafine 119 Grand Street betw Berry & Wythe Brooklyn, NY 11217 tel
  718-230-3060

• haNNa 6-9-16 Ginza Chuo-ku Tokyo, Japan 104-0061
• Cinders Gallery 103 Havemeyer Street betw Hope & Grand Brooklyn, NY
  11211 tel 718-388-2311

• Lola y Maria 175 Rivington Street between Clinton & Attorney New
  York, NY 10003 tel 646-319-2220

• Utowa 17 W 18th St New York, NY 10011 tel 212-929-4800
• Treehouse 430 Graham Avenue between Frost & Withers Brooklyn, NY
  11217 tel 718-482-TREE

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No other posting today friends, too many things to do…have a great weekend.