Italian Expo

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to update you all on my crazy schedule. Today I'm working on my mini Resort collection for the Italian Expo that is this weekend June 3-5. It is going to be a tour of Italy from food, wine, fashion, design, tourism, art, and entertainment. Tickets are available online for $10 and at the door for $15 we also have coupons for $2 off at Lot 8 so stop by and grab one!

Sunday is when the fashion design competition will take place. I will be on a panel where we will be judging 9 designers that will be competing to win a trip to Italy for fashion week in February. I will be closing the show with my collection.

Here is a sneak peak of the line up and what we have been working on.

Here is the link to the Italian Expo, hope to see everyone there!
http://italianexpo.us/

Mommie Series Houston

Hi everyone,

I was having dinner with my girlfriends last night and we were talking about all the pressure of the modern woman to have it all. For me, my group of close friends are in their late 30 's to early 40's. If you read this blog frequently, you know my big 40 is coming my way. Some of my friends are career women and are mothers, some are a lot like me, very career driven hoping to be mother one day. But I think we all have questions internally asking if we can do it all and have it all. I always struggle to see how I can carry on with my very busy schedule and having a a child. How do some of this women you read about do it all? How the hell do they lose all those weight when I have been trying to lose 10 lbs for 5 years and failing. I am graduating to a one piece swimsuit this year for the first time in my life. Notice, I said, " "Graduate" Positive spin for own personal ego.


I watched the Bravo show, " Pregnant in Heels" and love Rosie Pope b/c she has to deal with some very eccentric Mommie. I wish I could have some of this lady lifestyles but what if you don't.
What if you do not have the funds for a extra help? What if you don't want help and want to spend the time one on one time with your baby. What if you are like every women out there trying to juggle all this tasks just being without a kid and now you have a kid/s and feel so much more overwhelmed now. I am overwhelmed and a little tired thinking about it and writing this blog.

So many questions right, scary bc I am not even a mom yet. I think this what my boyfriends tell me not to do. I always drive myself to certain level of anxiety when all I do is think about all this things I have to accomplish and finish before I feel happy or in control but the the sad part is the " to do list' never ends.


Well, thank god, I am hosting a an event on Wednesday at Lot 8 called the Mommie Series. It is an educational event about family, health, finance and most importantly fashion baby!! It is about helping all moms in every which way possible but I think most of all it is about us, women, helping our self to be better women for our family and most of all our self. I really do not think this event is only for mothers. I am not a mom yet and I am curious to learn more how to take better care of my finance and personal growth . The clothes part I think I kind of got the hang of it. Actually, I am the speaker for the Fashion section, so that add to my "to do list" this week.

But in all seriousness, this is going to be a great event bc you will learn about how to handle all the things in life that comes at you and look fabulous doing it. Also, I heard the swag bags is pretty awesome.

Here is the link to the event if you are interested in attending.

http://www.mististyle.com/events

Here is the facebook link for more info on it.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=209042429135669


I hope to see you there. Please leave me comment so I can feel like someone is reading my blog.

Love Life,
Love Fashion,
Love,
Chloe Dao

2011 Think Pink Scarf

Good afternoon everyone,

Just wanted to give you all a sneak peak at the new 2011 Think Pink scarf. Please let me know what you think!

Love life, love fashion,

Love,

Chloe

Think Pink scarf

Good Morning!

Every year I design an original print for the Think Pink organization which benefits breast cancer research, victims, and their families. I've been thinking about ideas all weekend, so today I decided I better start putting them down on paper. This year is more pressure then ever because last year I loved the print so much I designed my sp2011 collection around it! It's kind of sad that once you do something you are so proud of you become your own worst enemy and critic. You have to come up with something even better then the last.

I have been mentally blocked because I feel the pressure and am a little scare to start. I'm really not inspired by anything yet. I am so bombarded with other thoughts.

But I can't stall anymore, I have to get this print done by end of May or it will not make the production deadline. I have no choice but to start today and give some idea to my design assistant or I will be screwed.

Maybe writing this blog will help me get motivated!

I am getting into my design mood. Which is listening to classical music and just letting myself relax. Hopefully the pressure of pleasing people will float away and I can just do something I am proud of and most of all love. I guess at the end of the day, I want to love it and push myself too. Designing prints is something I just starting doing 4 years ago. It is very freeing because there is no physical body to fit, it is limitless.

Well, wish me luck!!!

HCC Fashion Show

Hi,


MY OH MY! How time flies! I recently went to the Houston Community College annual student fashion show. I remember when I was there, it was 1992!! I took my first fashion classes there before going to FIT in NYC. Have Mercy! I was 20 years old, that is literally 19 years ago. I feel old typing this blog, no wonder my fingers hurt.

OK, no more whining about my age, I'm celebrating the amazing designers of this class. They are so very talented. I am very impressed with their work. Talent is found everywhere not just in the big design schools. I truly believe in this day and age, you can hone in on your skill anywhere. It is about putting in the hours to learn your craft. But I do believe, more opportunities are available in the bigger fashion capitols, but honestly opportunities are all around you. You just have to seek them out and be prepared. I do not believe in luck, I believe in being ready and prepared for the right opportunities.

Enough of the lecture.

Here are some pictures of the amazing work from the HCC Fashion Design Class of 2011.

Please post comments so I can figure out what else you like me to post.

Love Life,
Love Fashion,

Love,
Chloe

Product Runway

Hola,

There is one thing most people don't know about me, I love interior design. I think it is so hard because it is a serious commitment. You have to commit to the floor once you put it down, while with clothes you can just take them off if you don't like it. I have been decorating my house now for like 3 years and I'm still not finish. Probably because I still can't commit to certain pieces and I'm afraid to make a mistake. While again with clothes I know what to wear and design but with furniture and accessories, I am a little lost. Now, I know what my customer's feel like when they're not sure if a dress is right for them or not.

Well, enough about me. This blog is really about the amazing group of interior designers, IIDA, International Interior Design Association. A shout out has to be given to Stacy Dobb and Jeannie Wu for putting the event together, a ridiculously impressive show to raised money for the Houston Furniture Bank. This was the third Product Runway I have had the opportunity to judge. I love this contest because I think every fashion designer wants to be an interior designer and vice verse. 17 different design firms had to create an original garment from soft and hard goods donated and designated from vendors. The garment had to work with a certain musical genre also. It was a challenge and plus the firm had to choose from within their team a model. There were some brave and very generous souls to work and model on the runway. I did that once for Project Runway and believe me I thought I looked like a munchkin on the runway seeming myself on TV. I never realized how bow-legging I was until then. No good at all....

Well enough about me again. Am I vain? Me? I think not.

Here are some pictures from the show. Enjoy the creativity. I think I need to be scare of them because they were pretty amazing!!

Me, Myself, and I

Hello Everyone!

You know what's funny about being on TV?.. Once you are on it everyone thinks all of a sudden you live this fabulous life where you have a team of people doing everything for you.

I think it is really funny how I get asked if I have my own hair and makeup people. Yes, of course, I do and she travels with me every where. She is me, myself and I.

When I used to do QVC a lot Adam, my coworker would put on my fake lashes and glue on fake nails but that was the extend of a team. I used to get my make up done by the salon at QVC and a few times I have had a professional makeup artist do it for special occasions. I stop when I started looking like an Asian drag queen or madame. From then on I decided to do my own makeup.

Here is a little behind the scene of me trying to get it together on the morning of The Royal Wedding. I was up at 4:30 a.m. working on a wedding dress and turn on the television and realized the big wedding was on.

That morning, I had to film for a few television news stations about the wedding and also do a fitting for my bride.

Mercy!! Here is a touch of my real down home glamorous life. My sister is going to kill me when she sees what I cut my bangs with in this video. I almost poked my eye out with them. Please do not try what I did. Enjoy!!

Miss Hazel's grommet demo

Hola,

This VB is about how to do grommets and introduce to you my new old dress Hazel. I made this dress many years ago and have worn it to death. I am not embarrassed to admit I have worn it a few days in a row before, different city, different people lol. Here's some pictures of me through the years wearing it. This dress hides all my "yummy for my tummy" issues I have. I guess that's why I wear it so much!!!

Also, if you ever want to see how grommets are set in, I am showing you on Miss Hazel because she is all about her grommets.

Enjoy!

Kai Scissors

Good day everyone,

I finally have a new blog, hopefully this is a start to more postings. I am finally getting a system down.
I get asked a lot about my favorite things or just what is the best sewing machine, scissors, and so on. Well here is the best shear on the market in my opinion, Kai scissors made in Japan. They are my favorite shears in the world!!! I really love them, they cut like butter and last forever!

I know in this video I said "Gingham" instead of "Gingher". Honey, I never said English was my strong point. Atleast I was still thinking Faaasshiiiiooooonnnnnn! Serious.

OK, this is what happens when you write a blog early in the morning. I digress. I forgot to mention the prices in the VB, the 5000 series is around $14-$32, the pro 7000 series is $60-$130. I am not getting paid to write about this. I just really love these products!

I hope you do too! Here is the website, www.kaiscissors.com