Giving thanks andd giving back

Hi everyone,

I have been a bad bad girl this last few weeks for not blogging. I am pretty sure I am on Santa's Naughty list. Xmas is coming up so let me try to get out of it by giving thanks, giving back and letting you know about some pretty great deals I know about.

Everyone loves a great bargain during the holidays. I am always thankful for a great sale myself. It brings me such joy and great gifts.

I want to start off by being thankful for having my business still in this economy. It has not been easy this year but I am here to stay and "making it work". I want to thank everyone that have been shopping with Lot 8 boutique for the last 10 years. Wow! It has been that long. I feel old. I was 29 or almost 30 when I opened Lot 8. Time does fly, have mercy!!

You all have my gratitude for all those years. If you are in the Rice Village for this week only, mention this blog and get a free Lot 8 T shirts. I will sign it if you like. Thank you for all those years and many more together. I feel slightly a bit like Oprah, giving away free stuff.


I want to also thank everyone for making my laptop accessories line with Nuo successful. I still can not believe it is in 1,200 Staples stores nation wide. It is also on Dell.com, OfficeMax.com and Ebag.com. Unbelievable!

Here is my giving back, take 50% off all my DaoChloeDao for Nuo at Lot 8 boutique for this week.

If you are not in Houston. Nuo technology is based in Austin. They are opening a Holiday “Pop Up Shop” located in the new RunTex store opening tomorrow on Far West Blvd @ Hart Lane in NW Austin. The best part is there will also be a dedicated SAMPLE SALE RACK of laptop bags starting as low as $5 for iPad/Netbook Sleeves up to $20 for Totes and Messengers! I might do a special meet and greet there. Will keep you posted.

Well, I hope Santa read this blog and put me back on the Nice list. If not I might have to join the Bad Girls Club. Oh my gosh! I hope y'all know I am joking. My silly humor.

Happy Holidays.

Chloe (Oprah) Dao

Can not sleep.

Good early morning,

Its around 3:58 a. m. I kind of just woke up out of no where. I am tired but can not sleep bc my head is overloading with problems to solves, designing some new pieces for the Holiday, fitting that needs to be schedule, dresses that need to be in production, special orders.
That is just the design and production end for my line for the store.

There is still marketing and so many other things I need to work on.

Part of me feels like the Holiday is coming and I want a mini vacation. But the fashion business does not work that way. I need to have Fall 2011 be finished by mid Feb.

How do I split my time btw design, production, and marketing? That is always a dilemma. I am smart enough to know I need help.

I am trying to be smart. Am I being smart? Am I making good decision. Why do I have to make all this decisions?

Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much?

Why am I writing this blog in the early morning?

Why am I questioning if I can do all this when I have been doing it for the last ten years? Maybe I guess bc I feel like it is a new ballgame out there.

Maybe this is just me pmsing....?.

Maybe I need to tried to get some sleep. Or just get up and start work so I can feel some kind of control and accomplishment.

Am I letting you know too much? TMI?

Am I watching too much Oprah's and I want to share my uncertainties and doubts.


I should go back to sleep and try to have dream about relaxing on the beach.

Wish me luck and sweet dreams.

Chloe

Spring 2011 Video, Thank You Mr. Anthony Dowd

Hola,

So as promised, here are some pictures from the filming of my spring 2011 fashion story. This spring I was feeling happy and free- like a bird. The fashion story is the embodiment of the spring 2011 girl. She is the 3 F's: flirty, fun, and pure fashion. The story begins with a girl who is about to start the best day of her life. She wakes up, hops on her Vespa, buys herself some flowers, goes shopping, eats ice cream, plays at the park, and finds love. I wish I could always have days like that. Here's the link to the video, enjoy!

Unfortunately, the swing didn't make it into the video.


I want to thank everyone who came out to support my collection on Wed. at the first ever Houston fashion week. My team and I were super proud of the collection. It turned out more beautiful than we imagined. Some of even got emotional, lol. You know it's good fashion when you make someone cry.
But most of all, I want to thank Anthony Dowd for his hard work on the video. Without him there would be no video. It was his baby, his vision, and he was the art director and the producer for the whole shoot. He did an amazing job with such short notice. He's my 411. I'm so sorry that I forgot to acknowledge you on the program.

Other shout outs:
Thank you so much, Phil for allowing us to borrow your vintage Vespa. I wanted to drive away with it.

Thanks to Michael and Rich for letting us shoot in your fabulous townhomes!

Michael Frankel and Sean Elder and the Art Institute team for videotaping and editing.

I really enjoyed working with my two models/actress/actor Bridget and Don. Bridget, you looked a-ma-zing in the clothes! You looked modelicious!

Love life,

Love fashion,

Love Chloe Dao

HFW and Spring 2011 Collection

HI Everyone,
I finally have a moment to breathe and update my blog. Lots of stuff has been going on, mostly I've been working really hard on the Spring 2011 collection for Houston Fashion Week! I am super excited and super exhausted, but I gotta make it work and carry on. My show is on Oct. 13th, so be sure to come and see what I've been busting my butt for. You can buy tickets here; 1 ticket will get you into all of the shows for that day. Divisi Strings will be providing the runway music for my show. If you went to my Spring 2010 show, you know that they rock the house.

The inspiration for the collection comes from the color and print of the Think Pink scarf that I designed for this year.

Here is the inspiration board and a couple of sketches from the collection. The birds represent to me the freedom and the exuberance of the 1920's. The collection mixes elements of the birds, laser cut outs, and my love of color-blocking. We have up to 20 pieces already, but I feel that I need to add a couple more evening dresses. I'm hoping that the collection comes together the way I imagined it.

Also last weekend, we've been filming a fashion story that we will be playing in the background as my collection walks the runway. Thanks to the team at Art Institute for doing the filming, and thanks to my models Bridget and Don for making my clothes "modelicious". Don't we all wish we could be modelicious, lol. I'll post up pictures for the filming in my next blog.


Love life,
Love fashion,
Love Chloe

Sept. 6th

Hi everyone,

Its Friday night around 9:30 pm. I had a fabulous time last night at my party at my Lot 8 boutique. It was pretty fun to kind of kick start Audi Fashion Houston coming up on Oct 11-15.
I will be showing my collection for Spring 2011 on Oct .13th. It will be me, Toni Whitaker, Irina Shabayeva. I love it. It is an all ladies show. Tickets are available online at www.fashionhouston.com . I am just now starting on the collection. I have 5 weeks to pull this together.

I usually wouldn't stressed about it but I am leaving this Sunday for Philly and NYC. I will be gone for a whole week. I know my team will be working on the direction and ideas I have given them. The truth is I am still at the experimental stage of the collection. It is still trial and errors right now. Pray for me! I will need it. This is truly a very tight schedule.

Even though, I am nervous about my new collection. I am very anxious to do my QVC shows coming up Monday. Here is my schedule for Sept 6th , Eastern time,
I have a 6 am-7am, 1pm-3pm, and 2 styles for PM style with Lisa Robertson starting at 7pm.

That is a lot of shows but I have not been back to QVC since my July show.

Ladies, I have great reorders in new colors. You all have been asking for my stitch cardigan (A84524) to be made in new colors. I brought it back in rich, creamy , luxurious ivory and sophisticated, bold, royal deep purple. Look out for it with Lisa Robertson.

You know I have worked on some of these designs months and months before it gets on air. Sometime, some of my favorites do not survive the process and I am so sadden when that happens. There are many reasons why we can not make certain things. The biggest is we just can not afford it or we do not meet the fabric minimum order. My dream like every other designers out there is to make clothes without a budget restriction. How wonderful would that be? Do not get me started.


Well with that said, I think I did a pretty good job with the new designs I am showing Monday. Here are some pics. Tell me if you like it. If you are watching and buying something please try and call me on air. My favorite part of the show is talking to you my ladies. Without y'all, there is no me.

Miss Jessica wearing....

Ivory Cardigan (A84524), Printed Knit Top with Cowl Neck (A209804)

Charmeuse Blouse with Georgette Trim (A209797)

Houndstooth Crop Swing Jacket( A90946) , Striped Knit Top with Bow Detail(A209795)

Faux Wrap Ponte Skirt (A89823) My favorite skirt!

Double Breasted Trench Coat(A209793), Printed Poncho Blouse with Elastic Waist(A209802)

Cardigan with Button Back Scarf(A209801)
Stretch Knit Stirrup Legging(A84543)

The Trend of the Season

Faux Leopard Print Jacket w/Funnel Neck (A203260)
Stretch Knit Stirrup Legging(A84543)



On a side note, most of the time, I am always just jumping from one project to another and not taking the time to really feel blessed. I do not know what happened today, but suddenly, it hit me. I am a very lucky girl to be able to just create thing and have an audience for it. Thank you everyone who appreciate my work,sincerely.

I am being mushy. I do not know why? I am a girl. What more can I say.


I hope you will be watching.....

Chloe

Austin Fashion Week

Hi everyone,

It is Wednesday, 2:36pm. Its have been a few days since Austin Fashion Week and I am very happy the show went super well.

I know I said that I will tell you all about my drama. But after calming down and I realized it is not worth my time or energy to focus on the negative, especially now that it is the past. If I talk about it now I am just giving more attention then it deserve.

But I will talk about the positive. In the chaos of the situation, my team really shine. We feel felt the frustration together, best of all we made it worked together.

Some how the Fashion Gods saw my misery and everything fell into place. The hair and makeup team was so supportive and amazing. The models rocked it. Thank you Monica and Bridget, my angel models for coming to my rescued. They made a huge difference.

One of my motto in life is that "Good things happen to good people." It is so wonderful when that does come true. Everything was not perfect in this show but that is life, I compromised and moved on.

As Michael Kors said, "It just Fashion, People!"

Here are some pics: Enjoy!

The Models and the amazing Hair and Make up crews! Without them, I just have dresses. With them, it is a vision.

Brigette, Monica, Pamela, me, Clarrisa

The Verizon bar! We are gorgeous bars. I speak only the truth.

Brigette, Monica, Rebekah

Chloe's Angel ( Silly me, but I like!)

Brigette, Can I please be you?

Monica, such elegance. Can I be you too?

Love Life,
Love Fashion,
Love,
Chloe

Austin Fashion Week

Hi everyone,

Its 8:34 pm and I am starting to write this blog. I did not go to sleep last night until 2 a.m. Crazy right b/c the night before I got up at 4:30 a.m. I do not know how I look so good!

Just kidding...

Tomorrow I am going to Austin for its fashion week. I truly love Austin. Its the combination of the city landscape, attitude and weather. Make me "weird" any day.


This will be my first time being a part of Austin Fashion Week. I always look
forward to seeing other designers works. B/c some time, its help you realized how
good you are or not! Fashion is not a sport but we are constantly critiquing and the
dreadful word- Judging- each other.

I am very supportive of other designers but you can't help but compare your work to
other. I just trying to be "real".


I am hoping to see a design that is inspirational and make me push myself further.

In 8 weeks is the first ever Houston Fashion week. I have nothing yet. I have NOTHING....., did I tell you, I have nothing.

Am I nervous? Yes and no b/c I think I am a sick person b/c I work well under pressure and I like it. Give me too much time and I am all over the place. I have to many ideas and it is hard to edit. Limited time work best for me.

I will keep you updated on this collection to be. This baby needs to pop out of me by Oct 11. Spring 2011 please come to me in my sleep tonight.

I think lack of sleep is making sound crazy in this blog. Hopefully, I do not.



Well, here are some pictures of the my mini collection for Sat. If you are in Austin this weekend. Come check out the show. here is the link: http://www.fashionweekaustin.com/.

I love this group b/c it is a continuation of my Fall 2009 collection. She is tough, cool, and sexy. Work it and Bring it!

I sound silly. Enjoy the pics before I write myself into a silly mess. Need sleep.....

The sketches! Thanks to Sasha. I am so jealous of her illustration skills.

Courtney gown. Making it work!

Love me this back. Freaking couture.

Erica's skin looks ridiculous here. Flawless. No photoshoot here. Lenox looks amazing on her.

My height is btw Erica's boob's and knee. The dress I am wearing is like my homey muumuu dress. It feels like air. Do not judge me please!



This is a peek at the collection. I will update on the next blog from Austin.

Sweet dreams, my friends.

Chloe

Go Orange/ Nuo Bag.

Hi Everyone,

Its 10:31 pm. on Wednesday night. I have been up since 4:30 a.m. working on finishing my mini collection for Austin Fashion Week this weekend.

But I want to talk about what I did this weekend. This past Sat., I finally did my photo shoot for Go Orange Campaign.

What is Go Orange?

Here is the press release.


Stitching for a Cause

To kick-off Fashion Week, Moves magazine is partnering with Food Bank
For New York City to raise money to combat hunger with a unique celebrity
design challenge, matching creativity with a good cause.
In this unique event, Project Runway participants are to design original handbags
in Food Bank’s signature orange color to be donated to a charity auction
in the fall. The press opp includes the design of the bag (design details
below) and an invitation to attend the red carpet event hosted by our cover
girl before New York City Fashion Week on September 8, where the unique
bag designs will be unveiled for the first time. All bags will be donated to the
charity for auction with all proceeds going to Food Bank. Pre and post design
press will continue in support of Food Bank’s “Go Orange” Campaign,

Luckily, I will be in NYC for this event. It will be really fun to meet other PR designers I haven't met.

The bag I designed is from my classic satchel bag for Nuo. The print is my brand new abstract flower. This print is not out in store or online yet so you are getting a private glimpse of it. This color story was specifically designed for Go Orange only. But I love it! So you never know. So in a few months this color story might be hitting stores soon.

Here is a few pictures from my shoot. Kris Mcmanus did the shoot and my make up. She is a triple threat. She is an amazing makeup artist, a graphic designer thus a great photographer. Check her website out..

http://www.kristinamcmanus.com/

Let's me know what you think of the bag. Thanks Kris for making look so good.

Love Life,
Love Fashion,
Love,
Chloe

New York! New York!

Hi everyone,

I apologized for not writing more but I needed a break. I am rested and more focus now.

Today was the last day for my assistant Ben. He started as an intern about 1 year or so. A few months ago I hired him on. Now, he is leaving for the Big Apple. Ben will be attending my old school, F.I.T., I am very excited for him. He is not even 21 yet.

His journey brings back memory for me. I was 20 year old when I first came to NYC. I went there with a girl name Linh, I really did not know her that well. It was supposed to be a weekend trip, just to check out if I like the city. I ended up staying for 8 years.

What a crazy weekend that was! We stayed with Linda, a friend of Linh whom I just met on the plane. Linda grew up in NYC. My first night was at Linda’s mom apartment in Queens. The apartment was broken into the night or week before we came. There was no lock on the door. We had to use a chair to block the door. I was so scared to death. That was my first night.

I would never forget my second night. We went to a house party in Queens. It was a drinking party. Here is a little back-story on me. I was 20 years old and a goody two shoe. I never had a drink in my life until I was officially 21. I am still a lightweight to these days.

As the night progress, everyone was getting so wasted. I refused to drink. People was drinking whole bottle of hard liquors. At one point, I saw a girl passed out. I knew something was wrong b/c she woke up and started throwing up green bile, alcohol poisoning. She was falling asleep again. The next thing I remembered we grabbed her and dragged her into the shower. She was fighting us but she needed to stay awake. That was my second night in NYC. Fun!

There I was first time in NYC, with really total complete strangers. They were nice people but completely different from what I have know my whole life. But it was so new, exciting, and liberating.

When the weekend ended. I called my mother and told her I was not going home.

That is how I ended up in NYC. I am nostalgic for me and hopeful and excited for Ben. He will have many stories himself soon.

I will always be grateful to NYC. The city made me the woman I love being. I always like myself but after living in NYC for 8 years, through tough jobs, interesting romances and an amazing group of friends, I found me. The me that stronger, more resilient, and more confident then I thought I would ever be.

I didn’t have to be nice all the time and I did not have to have everyone like me. I still love people but it was ok for everyone not to like me. Who cares!

Ben! I drink to your future and adventure. Salud!

Love Life,

Love Fashion,

Love,

Chloe

Hola,

I have been burning the midnight oil like I'm back in school because I'm really excited about showcasing my prefall line this Thursday, August the 5th. It's opened to the public and I'm not only showing my prefall line but also giving styling tips on what to where and how to wear it but most importantly what will work work best on your body type. So ladies who have these issues and you know we do come on by and enjoy free cocktails and a free mini makeover by Luminess Air and hair styling tips from the Lot 8 Salon. Here's a preview of what you'll see tomorrow:

Love fashion,
Love life,
love,
chloe

Bushkills Fall

Hi everyone,

My workload was so much I did not have time to write until now. I am actually in Bushkills Fall, Pa writing this blog. I did a QVC show on Monday morning so that is the reason I am in PA. I have another show on July 30th at 8pm eastern time. Please tune in! It is all new designs. I am very proud and excited to show them off.

But this time, I am traveling with my sister and her 2 daughters and my co worker Adam. I am taking a mini vacation. Yeah!!!

Bushkills Fall was so beautiful. We hiked for almost 4 hours at the falls and it was so worth it. Boy, was I out of shape! I got really dizzy when we had to hike uphill. Pathetic!

This place was truly inspiring. I was walking the trail and thinking how I could bring some of this natural elements into my collection.

I have to start on Spring 2011 collection soon and still really at a lost on the direction and theme. Maybe I have found something....

What do you think? Are these pics inspirational and worthy of a whole collection?

I do not know why some of these pics are not rotated correctly. It is in Photobucket. Confuse?

Resting a little bit,

Chloe

My Birthday

Hola,

Today is my birthday!!! So far it has been a wonderful day. Lots of presents and birthday wishes from my new FB friends and my old friends. I feel the love.

On my birthday, I want to wish everyone lots of laughter and most of all lots
of friends and family who will always be there for you. Find your peace, joy, and happiness. Get inspire and be silly.



Love Life,
Love Fashion,
Love,
Chloe Dao

Hola,

I am turning 39 this Tuesday. Can you believe it? I can't! I have been in serious denial. I actually have a 20 year high school reunion coming up. Have Mercy!

But the time has come and I've got to accept the blinding truth. So I decided to celebrate early last Saturday. If you can't fight it mind as well as celebrate it. I had a karaoke party and sang my heart out. I am as asian as you can get here! It was so much fun to just let loose and be silly. I can not believe I am almost freaking turning 40. I seriously do not feel or behave my age, I hope I never do.

Let's move onto the fitting I had last week. I designed 4 new pieces and the fitting went really well. Here is a pic of one of the new dress's:

I did sleeves! But of course, it's still got a very cool back.

You like? I am still undecided what fabric I should use.

The printed dress below is named Kim bc my sister Kim helped me designed this dress.

Look's great right? But technically speaking this dress has been a nightmare! I have fit Kim 4 times already but I love this dress and will not give up on it! I did make this for the store a few months ago but after hearing some comments I decided to work on perfecting the fit.

So I redesigned the pleating on the skirt. Hopefully, this will be the last time. Wish me luck.

I am also giving myself a challenge to used up all my current fabrics before buying new ones. In this economy us artists need to find ways to be frugal and creative at the same time. Believe me, it's not as easy as it sounds!




Love fashion,
Love life,
Love,
Chloe

Hola,

Update on the chicken. It was ok… not great but not too bad for my first time trying to season like my mother who is my Iron Chef. She is an amazing cook. She can whip up a seven-course meal in one hour. The other Iron Chefs has nothing on her.

Yesterday, my scarf design for Think Pink, a breast cancer non-profit organization was approved. They loved it. I have been designing scarves for them for the last 3 years all for charity. It does take a lot of time from my other work but it is always great to be able to give back and be creative at the same time.

Usually Think Pink always has a theme and I never go by it and I do my own thing. But this year, I thought, “ Ok, I will be a team player and work within the theme.” This year it was “Passport to a Cure”.

I was a little stumped for a few minutes and then I was rumbling through ideas like: passport stamps with such words as strength, survivor, old envelope graphic, the word “cure” itself.

So I came up with this scarf, on the left. They did not like it. The funny part was that they did not want me to go by the theme. How ironic is that? This design took almost a week and half to finish. Honestly, I did not love this design b/c I felt something was not right but I was working on it for so long, I needed to just submit it and see where it went from there. Good thing they did not like it also.

Now that I did not have to follow the theme, I was free as a bird, literally to do what I wanted.

Not many people know I have this thing for birds. I love them, especially bird illustrations by Charley Harper. It is retro and modern. I love that combination. They make me happy.

People are always asking me how I come up with my inspirations. I do not know. But I really felt like doing birds and the shape of a heart, created by the birds. I was a little fearful it might be tacky b/c it can be. I thought all the birds overlapping might look like barbwire but after many designs and changes, it was awesome!! It works and it is cool, very me, and new at the same time. I love it. And guess what? Think Pink love it too. Thank god, they hated the first design.

I have to say thanks to my team for making it happened b/c I came up with this idea and was kind of thinking it wouldn’t work but they pushed me to just do it.

Believe in your ideas, sometime it is horrible but when it works, life is good.

Tomorrow, we are fitting some new designs for August. I will be posting pictures of my fitting and you can see the beginning to end on some of this design. Wish me luck; I will hopefully like some of these designs on the model.

Until next time my friends,

Chloe

Hi everyone,

I apologized for not keeping up on this blog. From now on I will post every Wednesday and Sunday.

Sometimes there is so much going on in my head and real projects, I feel like I have a million things to write about and to tell y’all but lack of time and those projects always pull me away from writing.

But I guess what is great about this that I always wanted to keep a journal of what I have done, but either I have been lazy or my thoughts are too chaotic for me to focus and write.

But this will help me kind of just sit down twice a week and kind've relax a little and enjoy the moment instead of figuring out want is next.

I get a lots of questions about aren’t you proud of what I did and achieved. Honestly, I never think about it until I am asked b/c I am always on the next projects. It is time to smell the roses a little.

Like today, its Sunday, July 11. I went to the movie with my family. I haven’t done that in years b/c normally I would work half day on Sunday preparing for Monday's work week. I am really trying to balance work and my life. That has always been my biggest challenge. That is the problem when you really do love what you do. But they're times when you need to step away from it. I am learning… I am writing this blog now, and its Sunday.

So what did I do this week, that I should be proud of?

I did the Bridal Extravaganza Expo this Sat and introduced my first ever-Bridal Collection. It was part of my Spring “Lightness” collection. I was a bit nervous b/c I was afraid my designs might not be “ Bridal” enough if there is such a thing. As you can see, I do not really do the big, puffy princess gowns. But after walking the show, I realized, it is good to be different. Beside, the styles and cuts being different, my fabrications are very unique and modern for brides and their bridesmaid. I really loved my bridesmaid dresses b/c it is so different from the classic, boring shape and poly fabric that has been around forever. It is really surprising for me how little has changed for bridesmaid dresses.

I am very proud of this collection. Before this expo, I actually loved my Fall 2009 collection more but now I am really loving and appreciating this collection. I have been a bad mother to my designs, having favorites are not good or nice.

Well, I am going to end this blog b/c I have to have dinner with my very supportive boyfriend, who is grilling the chicken I seasoned last night. Let’s hope it taste good. I will let you know on Wednesday. Balancing…..

Big hug,

Chloe