Mixing & Matching

The one thing most people are afraid of when it comes to denim is pairing them together. It is very tough to find the exact denim jeans to match with a denim jacket or vest because most likely, the wash never matches. My solution to matching is to NOT match! Pairing light denim with dark will actually add an interesting contrast which gives an interesting look. In this outfit, I paired my new, free pair of Wrangler jeans with a vintage vest. Not only can you play with the wash but it's age as well; new vs. old.

I received a free pair of Wrangler denim thanks to VF employee store. This is my first time owning a pair of "Cowgirl Riding Jeans". The fit is great and the quality is top notch. I was a little hesitant at first because I do not ride horses nor do I consider myself a cowgirl but after second thoughts, I wouldn't mind wearing it. As long as the fit is great, I think anything goes!

Also, reserve your pair of my new SA designs denim launching this Fall! Be the first to find out when the jeans go on sale!

http://www.nextblue.com/reserve-your-pair/

"Train" Of Thought

Today I met with Wrangler to see the men's prototype for my design on a model for the first time. The outcome was a little different than I had expected. So we've made some changes and I think the choices made will only benefit the look in the end. I've learned that as a designer, sometimes the design that we put on paper does not translate on a sample 100%. Also, I've learned that you cannot design what you want for one gender and expect it to look right, with a similar design, on another. So let this lesson be learned and I shall be a better designer from it! I'm so glad to have the opportunity to work with menswear because I am clueless when it comes to fit for a male's design. Once again, thank you to all of my supporters and don't worry, I won't disappoint you! You will have a pair of jeans that you will be happy with!

For those of you who haven't been following me and are a bit lost, you can read this previous post for a better understanding.

Double Standard

Wrangler featured me on their Next Blue blog. I'll share some here with you but you can also visit the direct link to their blog for more. ENJOY!

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Q&A WITH WINNER SONG ANH NGUYEN

Thu, 05/05/2011 - 16:36

Chosen by you, the fans, as having the winning design, Song Anh Nguyen was recently crowned the winner of the Next Blue design competition. The production process is now getting underway, and we can’t wait for her design – in both a women’s and a men’s jean – to be sold exclusively on Wrangler.com this fall.

Nguyen, who is currently studying Apparel Product Design at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, drew the inspiration for her winning design from nature, incorporating blues and browns to give her jeans a vintage flair. We thought you might want to know a little more about Song – especially her opinions about fashion – so we recently caught up with her to discuss fashion trends, her winning design, and much more.

Take a look at our Q&A below, and remember to keep checking back here often for some exciting guest bloggers, as well as updates on the progress on the production of Song’s design!

Q Next Blue: Why is fashion important to you?

A Song Nguyen: Fashion allows me to express my individual style through my clothing choices—my clothing choices reflect my personality, style, mood or a specific trend such as distressed denim. In my mind, I believe fashion is not solely defined by our clothing choices; but is conveyed through our views of the world. It is a combination of self-expression, ideas, and current events. That is why when I design, I observe not just the current trends but what is happening in the world around me.

Q Next Blue: Do you predict any new trends for denim in the coming season?

A Song Nguyen: For 2011, I predict a cleaner wash with significantly less distressing. Although distressed jeans may be more exciting, I don’t think we will be seeing a lot of heavy distressing this year. Another trend I see coming back is from the 70’s, specifically the bell-bottom jean–yes, bell-bottoms will be coming back believe it or not!

Q Next Blue: What is most important to you when picking out your perfect jeans?

A Song Nguyen: Comfort is key! Let’s face it, even the most expensive, fashion-forward pair of jeans will look unflattering if you are uncomfortable wearing them. Another factor to keep in mind when choosing jeans is the fit and wash; for example you might wear a pair of dark, trouser jeans to the office or on a night out on the town while a looser fitted, distressed jean is more suited for a causal weekend brunch.

Q Next Blue: What is the best feature of your Next Blue jeans?

A Song Nguyen: The best feature of my Next Blue design is a combination of fit, style, and comfort. Remember, comfort is key! So, in order for a pair of jeans to be comfortable, the fit and cut of the jean has to be appropriate for your specific body type. The key feature about my jean design is that they are made of a lightweight fabric that is flexible, comfortable and appeals to a variety of body shapes with an added sophistication allowing the wearer to take it from day to night.

Q Next Blue: Do you have any tips for up and coming designers?

A Song Nguyen: I always tell myself that in order to achieve, I must believe. So if you don’t believe in yourself and your work, no one else will. To show others that you have what it takes, you must first believe in what you do. Once you believe in yourself, others will too. Stick with what you believe in and what you want to do; don’t let others discourage you especially in this industry, because of how competitive everyone is, so continue to strive for what you want. This does not just apply to becoming a designer; it also applies to life in general.

Prototypes At The Speed Of Light

Yesterday, I met up with Wrangler's male & female designers to prepare prototypes for my blue jean designs. The meeting took up to about 2 hours and 30 minutes. What an experience! Being able to work one on one with designers and pattern-makers is just incredible. Those ladies are filled with incredible knowledge and knows what designs works best and understand their consumers thoroughly. I feel so privileged to learn so much and be able to work with this talented team! I can't wait to see what the prototypes will look like. Hopefully, everything will work out perfectly and we won't have to make any changes! *crosses fingers*

Also, here are just some images of last weekend.

Lastly, this is an animation project I worked on for my Design II project called "Self-Confidence".

Self-confidence is a video-editing clip focusing on dress and the way it plays a role in our daily lives. In my design class, we were told to think of the things we do in our daily life. Every day, we all wake up to get dressed. In my Social Psychology of Dress class, I've learned that dress is not based solely on clothes but brushing our hair, washing our face, and applying makeup can be a form of dress as well. I also learned that dress can mean a lot of things to an individual; it can represent who they are, their religion and views of the world. Therefore, I chose this topic as it closely relates to me and how the way we dress can bring self-pride and gives us self-confidence.

Wrangler "Next Blue" Design Winner

Hello fellow bloggers & friends! I have great news. My design is the winning design for Vanity Fair's Wrangler "Next Blue" Design Competition! I am so grateful for this opportunity and I could not have done it without all of the support. All of the contestants did a tremendous job and I was very fortunate to compete with such talented designers, a "butt therapist" & a jean specialist. I am incredibly excited and cannot begin to imagine the many possibilities that is ahead of me. Thank you so much to everyone who've supported & helped me spread the throughout this competition. We did it! My family members are so proud of me and I think that's what makes me happiest. I feel so thankful to have such great family, friends & friends of friends. Thank you all! I will try to continue to keep you updated on this wonderful journey with Wrangler. It's time for the jeans to go through production! So look out for SA jeans to go out in stores and wrangler.com this Fall! For now, here are some updates on some local interviews and news I've been invited to be in these past 2 days: This is a newspaper article I did an interview with the Greensboro News & Record Here is another online article they've posted on their site. You can click here to read more. This is from Fox 8 News. We actually did an on-camera interview but because of the terrible storm that occurred yesterday, most local news were not shown. So they've posted a quick summary here. (Error: I will be applying for an internship, so for now, I am not interning for Wrangler yet) Hopefully, they will air it later on today! I will update you if that happens! That's all for now! I am actually getting ready now to do an interview with with News 14! So excited! Will keep you all updated so be sure to check back! Have a wonderful day everyone!

An Experience Of A Lifetime

I apologize for the slow update but these several days have been quite chaotic. So these pictures are from a week or so ago when a couple of friends and I went to the NC Art Museum It was quite a site! They had some wonderful pieces but I was so drawn to the African collection. I saw some of the neatest accessories from rings to necklaces.

So on Thursday and Friday, the other four finalists from the Next Blue competition and I visited Wrangler's headquarter here in Greensboro, NC. It was definitely an eye opening experience for me. We got to tour the entire facility and learned everything that takes place in the production of making a pair of jean from fiber to finish. We were prohibited from taking pictures during our tour so I apologize for the lack of photos. I wish I can share more with you all because the entire process from spinning the cotton into yarn, to dying those yarns with indigo dyes, to the wash of the jeans, were all just an eye opening experience! I am truly glad to have had such a wonderful opportunity. I cannot thank Wrangler enough for treating us all so well. The 5 finalists got to stay at the Proximity Hotel, ate at the finest restaurant there, Print Works Bistro, and was provided with everything needed. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.

So throughout this entire experience, the film crew were able to record almost everything that we did within the two days. Those clips of each finalists will be presented on April 19th for voting. The finalist with the most votes will win the competition and have the phenomenal opportunity to have the next blue jean design produced nation wide. So please remember to vote for me on Tuesday, April 19th. Thank you all very much!

The Beauty of Abandoned Things

Yesterday was so much fun! A few of my girl friends, little sister, and I came across a local Indie market, First Friday Indie Market and saw so many neat treasures. I ended up purchasing a pair of vintage earrings. I'll have to wear it out and snap a photo to share with you all because it is the neatest pair of earrings I've ever seen! But Wow! I was in love with so many things there. Next time! When I carry more cash with me!

I'm so happy to tell you all that with everyone's help and support, I am one of the 5 finalists to select Wrangler's Next Blue designer. I am so appreciative of this opportunity and cannot wait to share my experience with you all! All of the 5 finalists will meet on April 14-16 to pitch our ideas and present our design. After that, there will be a final voting in which the public will decide who the final winner will be. The date for that will start on the 19th and voting ends on the 26th. I will update you all on what's to come. This is very exciting for me and I can't thank everyone who've supported me enough. Thank you all!

Yesterday, I received all of the information and materials in a messenger bag that Wrangler have provided to help us in creating our designs. I was super excited to find all of these useful materials because everything was what I was looking for and was planning on going out to purchase them if it wasn't provided. How great is that!