Dancesport Design - BE FAMOUS

After a few months of uninterrupted planning, I've finally got my head around my dancesport range.

Although I love my Ralph Lauren & Chanel, sometimes branded items can be a bit tacky. I want my customers to know that Camelia Carlton is the label of the clothes, but that doesn't mean that I need my name written all over the garments. 

I thought about what I wanted from the range. I want it to be fabulous and feminine. I want to use only the most expensive and most luxurious fabrications and embellishments, because I truly believe in quality and care. I want my customers to feel amazing when they put my clothes and accessories on. I want them to feel empowered, to feel like they can conquer the world one sequin at a time. I want them to look, feel and be FAMOUS. 

FAMOUS - this is the Camelia Carlton catchy cry that represents my brand, my audience, and most importantly, me. I want FAMOUS emblazoned on my clothes, like a boxer's robe has their name in big lettering across the back. The FAMOUS logo has to be BIG, BOLD and BLINGY. I've started designing a robe just like a boxer's one (but a feminine one), with my custom fabric lined on the inside. Do you know how hard it is to find a black silky robe? I do!

Toni-Maree and I have looked into Swarovski crystals and are totally impressed. We can get the FAMOUS logo in different sizes and fonts, even have graduating crystal sizes. Amazing! I've also found decal paper that you can buy online to do mockups. You print your design on it and stick it on to your shirt, pants or bag (whatever you want to test the design out on). Then you can wear it around and see if you like the design/size/colour. I've done this for all of my FAMOUS catch cry sizing and placements on my clothes so they are tried and tested when they reach you.

So this is the catch cry that represented my brand, audience and more importantly, represents me - FAMOUS. 

Hopes & Dreams for 2011

While I'm in the blogging groove, I thought I'd share my goals for 2011!

Keep Designing

Transform my Camelia Carlton for Dancesport activewear range in to the NEXT BIG THING. I'm thinking department stores, international orders, the whole lot. If you can't dream big, why dream at all?

Keep Trying

To do everything I attempt to the best of my ability, from helping Mr. X at work to my own personal goals for my Camelia Carlton range. Last year I let too many excuses get in my way, but this year will be different - I can feel it!

Keep Up My Fitness

This is a bit of a cliche, but I really want to absorb myself in sport and healthy eating. All this talk of Dancesport has me craving a bit of dance!

Until next time,

CC xo

Where Have I Been?

Firstly, happy birthday to me! I celebrated my birthday on the 1st January (yes, a New Years baby - that must be why I'm so fascinated with glitzy/shiny things) and had an amazing break with my boyfriend and family in Noosa.

In other news, how wild is this weather!? The recent floods in Brisbane have put a serious dampener (excuse the pun!) on my Dancesport range. elaundry HQ in Stone's Corner was closed to flooding, so the range has been put on hold for a few weeks.

I'm still sketching, brainstorming and researching. I've come up with some totally amazing ideas while away and can't wait to share them with you! In the meantime, Toni-Maree's PA Brigita has been out and about in my screenprinted t-shirts getting my name out there. Thank you Brigita!

Until next time,

CC xo

Brainstorming My Range

In amongst preparing for the annual Christmas party at work, and thinking about Dancesport, I've had little time for myself!

I've been madly researching what's out there activewear-wise, brainstorming what I think should be out there, and putting pen to paper and sketching. Right now, my sketches resemble something of a 5-year-old (I'm no Picasso!), so I'm a bit apprehensive about sharing them with you! 

Researching

In the beginning, I went to Lorna Jane and the big department stores to see what activewear was about and was shocked at my findings - it's all very masculine, form-fitting and basically, dull. I want to design for real women - those with hips, those who want something more feminine to set them apart from the men in the gym, those who want COLOUR!

Ideas

My first idea for the range is a white cotton jacket with silver sequins lining the hood, maybe silver fabric on the cuffs or on the zip with my logo emblazoned on the back. I want something fabulous that I can throw on and wear to the gym, or just down the road to get a juice. Casual design that is fabulous all at once.

I'm also thinking about pants to match the tracksuit top. When I'm exercising, there's nothing worse than tracksuit pants that get stuck in your sandshoes. If you're going to buy $300 personalised Nike's (like me!) then you want them to stand out! I desperately want pants that are knee-length, but not daggy. I'm thinking a pair of grey marle pants that are elasticised at the knee, yet comfortable around the waist. None of this skin-tight legging stuff! I'm not quite sure how it will work, so need to get Clint's advice asap.

Fabrications

And the most important thing - fabrications and embellishments. I've been browsing fabric stores and scouring the Web for the BEST of the BEST. But first I ask Toni-Maree if they are cleanable, washable and will stand the test of time. There's no point buying activewear - clothes to wear day in, day out - if they are just going to fall apart. 

Until next time,

CC xo

Camelia Carlton for DANCESPORT!

A LOT has changed in the last week! Soon after my last blog entry I contacted Toni-Maree, sat her down, and told her my idea to create a range of glam activewear for Dancesport. The good news: Toni-Maree is as excited as me! And she has already actioned a lot within elaundry to get the ball rolling. Think spec sheets and costing sheets, enquiries into custom fabric design and fabric testing.

In other news, Toni-Maree applied to purchase from Swarovski Crystal months ago, and has been approved! This is good news for the Dancesport sportswear range we have in the planning process. And it just goes to show, I could never do this alone. Toni-Maree has all the contacts and the business-mind to make everything happen. I just have good taste!

So, onto my custom fabric. If we are to design a Dancesport range, it needs to be feminine and fabulous with my signature touch. I took the camelia design in my logo, and made a great pattern out of it...

I'm thinking a black background with a white outline of the flowers in a gorgeous silky fabric. From here, I need to start thinking about WHAT I want in my Camelia Carlton for Dancesport range. 

Until next time,

CC xo