Monday, April 30, 2007

As a magazine editor I could never understand how people could let magazine issues pile up unread. As a former magazine editor I find myself doing the exact same thing as it has fallen down a few rungs on my ladder of priorities. Over the weekend I finally had the chance to read Womens Wear Daily's special accessories issue for the Spring 2007 season. While it was interesting what I considered to be a good compilation of what we will see at retail for this season, there was a section that I found particularly interesting.
I am currently writing an article to be emailed to my subscriber list about how much of an impact fine artworks have had on embroidery and still continue to influence it.
Coincidentally there was an article starting on page 102 called "Visual Arts- Spring's accessories take inspiration from major art movements".
This article illustrate how art movements from the impressionists to pop art are clearly influencing accessory design for the current season. The article is not available online unless you are a paid subscriber (www.wwd.com) but if you can locate an issue it is a very interesting read.

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Thursday, April 26, 2007


After I finished posting yesterday I remembered another influence for the Summer 2008 season and that was Op Art. i'm sure you remember this art movement that used color combinations and geometic shapes to create tension and optical illusions.
On another subject, I found a picture yesterday which reminded me of a visit to an embroidery museum called the Ferenczy Museum in the town of Szentendre jusy outside of Budabest while on vacation about ten years ago.
I stumbled upon it purely by accident as a matter of fact my wife nd I had just purchased some embroidered napkins the day before while touring Budapest. After doing a little bit of research I found out that the embroidery tradition in Hungry is very young at only about 150 or 200 years so it'd very interesting that it is so prevelent and even has at least one museum devoted to it. I have enclosed a picture of a typical embroidery design.

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Wednesday, April 25, 2007

As I mentioned I attended the Direction Show yesterday. There were about 78 vendors and they reprented fashion forcasters and textile designers from Europe, Great Britain and the US. While some specialized in Children's, women's and men's others specialized in home decor. Colors, subject matter, and styles ran the gamut from nostalgic to abstract. The most prevalent influences for Summer 2008 that I took away from the show were from the late 60's and early 70's. Prints reminiscent of Pucci were everywhere. Also purvading the displays were Peter Max inspired prints. The pallette of the 60's which I wasn't even a fan of in the 60's was also a big part of the look of fashion to come. Browns, oranges, yellows and greens put together in abstract florals were also common. I am anxious to see how designers put togther this jumble and transform it into something fresh for the 2008 season.

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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

My post is going to be a little short today as I am off to the Direction Show. I am very excited to see what is being forcasted for the upcoming 2008 Summer season. This show is focussed on textiles and surface decoration so I am anxious to see how the experts think embroidery is going to fit into the design scenerio.
When we think about fashion forcasting we have to understand all of the many different factors that go into this very difficult process. Past seasons, what is going on in society, new fabrics and treatments, popular silouettes, available decorating resources, movies, and many many more all meld together to create a new look season after season.
See you tomorrow.

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Monday, April 23, 2007

The weather is incredible in NY today, they say it might go up to 82 degrees. This is a welcome change from the brutally cold and rainy weather we have experienced this Spring. Tomorrow is the Direction Show in Manhattan at the Penn Convention Center. I am looking forward to attending it even though I was counting on getting a booth there. Maybe next year. KPD had a very positive week saleswise based largely upon a sales package of designs. It seems the word is finally getting out and the excitement about both Compositions software and my designs is catching on. Don't forget our webinar will be coming up in the coming weeks so keep checking www.kenparsonsdesigns.com for more info. We've decided to do it in 3 parts each will be about an hour and they are free. So if you have been struggling with creating designs for fashion or home decor, or just want to know more this is a must attend event for you.

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Friday, April 20, 2007

I just got back from the CEC show in Vegas, and I was a little bit disapointed. While the attendence was pretty much 100% embroiderers I was expecting more of them. While I was away we had a nor'easter here on Long Island and my town was hit pretty hard. My basement was flooded and as a matter of fact so was my entire block. I live between two canals and the tide got so high that the two canals met now that the waters have subsided they left my yard littered with a pretty good assortment of debris.
Next week is the Direction show in Manhattan, I applied for booth space but unfortunately I was not invited to show. I plan on attending anyway. This show is a great source of ideas as it show cases what trends in textile design willl be shown for the next fashion season.
if you are a fashion or home decor embroidery designer I would strongly reccomend that you attend this show if it is at all possible.
to find out more go to their website at http://www.directionshow.com/content.htm

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Friday, April 13, 2007



I'm sorry that missed posting yesterday the day just got away from me. I was working on a webinar we will be presenting in the near future. I hope that all of you will be able to attend. It will be free and I will keep you posted on the details. I leave for the CEC show on Sunday morning and will try to post from the show to keep those of you not attending updated on what you are missing. I am going to keep this post short today because I am way behind schedule and have lots to do before Sunday. Have a great weekend for those of you attending the show see you in Vegas and don't bring too much cash.

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Wednesday, April 11, 2007



I am attending a webinar today at 1PM EDT. It's all about how to host a webinar, which I plan to do in the near future, I will keep you posted with the details. If you wish to learn about webinars the class is free and you can sign up at https://www.gotomeeting.com/s/mProf/040307 remember it is today so if you have an interest do it now!
I have some exciting news (to me at least) the new Vista compaatable version of my software Compositions is now available for download from www.annethegran.com To get it just click on the button that says download your free copy of Compositions. It will write over your current version and you then need only to put in your serial number again and you are ready to go.
There is another change in the software. (see picture above) It reminds you with a pop-up message to either choose a location or to create a location. I have adde this because this is a function many people forget to do and therefore have problems. There is however a check box on the bottom which will allow you to turn this feature off once you are comfortable that you can remember to perform this step.
The other change is that your project files will now be placed in the folder My Documents/KPCompositions/Projects this as neccessary to function within Vista.

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Tuesday, April 10, 2007


The last example was worn by Halle Berry when she accepted the award for Best Actress at the 74th Academy Awards in '02. It was designed by Elie Saab. This of course is the most recent example I am citing but it is just as important and effective as the other two. Again in this example the embroidery makes the dress.
Embroidery when used properly can become the most important design element in the creation of a garment. When we design with embroidery instead of adding it as an afterthought it will always be more important and effective.

Another very famous as well as effective use of embroidery was in this dress from the origial version of the movie "Sabrina" which was designed by Givenchy. Again in this example the embroidery is integral to the design of the garment.

There have been many very impressive uses of embroidery not only used to augment fashion designs but actually used as an integral part of the overall design. I have chosen three. The first is an Elsa Scapparelli design illustrated above. As you can see this very effective use of this surrealistic design enables the design to make a statement. Without the embroidery this would just be like any other evening coat.
There have been many other examples over the years. Fashion often is used to mirror what is going on in the art world.

Monday, April 09, 2007


I have visited the Metropolitan Museum on many occasions to visit new exhibits from all over the world and to re-visit the permanent collections over and over again. Each new person that I join in viewing the exhibits, helps me get more out of the works myself.
I have been aware of the Antonio Ratti Textile Collection and I have used their research center to explore many diffent aspects of embroidery. http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_Of_Art/introduction.asp?dep=20
What I just recently learned is that the The costume center is a separate collection and just as rich.
The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art houses a collection of more than 30,000 costumes and accessories spanning five continents and as many centuries. Arguably the preeminent institution of its kind in the world, the matrix of The Costume Institute collection was the Museum of Costume Art, an independent entity formed in 1937. Led by Neighborhood Playhouse founder Irene Lewisohn, the Museum of Costume Art benefited from gifts from Irene Lewisohn and her sister Alice Lewisohn Crowley, as well as from theatrical designers Aline Bernstein and Lee Simonson, among many others. In 1946, with the financial support of the fashion industry, the Museum of Costume Art merged with The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Costume Institute became a department in its own right in 1959. The legendary fashion arbiter Diana Vreeland, who served as special consultant from 1972 until her death in 1989, created a spectacular suite of costume exhibitions, including “The World of Balenciaga” (1973), “Hollywood Design” (1974), “The Glory of Russian Costume” (1976), and “Vanity Fair” (1977), galvanizing audiences and setting the international standard for the opulent exhibition of costume, chiefly based on loan items.

Today, The Costume Institute's 5,000-square-feet galleries, which were refurbished in 1992, house two special exhibitions a year based on The Costume Institute's peerless collection. These exhibitions have achieved the defining stature of the earlier Vreeland exhibitions by developing a critical discourse of fashion. Exhibitions in the last decade have included "Infra-Apparel" (1993), which examined the role of undergarments and clothing’s propensity to disclose its underlying structure; "Orientalism: Visions of the East in Western Dress" (1994); “Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years” (2001), guest-curated by Hamish Bowles, European editor-at-large of Vogue; and “Extreme Beauty: The Body Transformed” (2002), the debut exhibition by Harold Koda, current Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute. More recently, Mr. Koda offered “Goddess” (2003), an exploration of classicism in dress; and “Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the Eighteenth Century” (2004), which was presented in The Wrightsman Galleries. Monographic exhibitions have included "Madame Grès" (1994); "Christian Dior” (1996); "Gianni Versace" (1997); and “Chanel” (2005). Since his arrival to the Museum, Associate Curator Andrew Bolton has presented three exhibitions: “Blithe Spirit: The Windsor Set” (2003); “Bravehearts: Men in Skirts” (2003); and “WILD: Fashion Untamed” (2004), an exploration of animal materials and symbolism in fashion.

No other insitution in the world has as ambitious a suite of exhibitions on fashion as The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Between exhibitions, The Costume Institute offers a docent-led tour, as well as “The Art of Dress,” a Family Guide that discusses fashion history within the context of the Museum’s vast permanent collection of paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, armor, and textiles.

Possessing the greatest collection of costume in the world requires significant dedication to its exhibition, acquisition, interpretation, conservation, research, and education. A state-of-the-art costume conservation laboratory is adjacent to the collection, and study-storage facilities housing the collection are accessible, by appointment, to designers, design students, and qualified researchers.

The department’s Irene Lewisohn Costume Reference Library is one of the world’s foremost fashion libraries. Its collection includes approximately 30,000 non-circulating monographs, rare books, and periodicals, as well as design archives, sketchbooks, photographs, drawings, prints, and extensive files of clippings pertaining to the history and study of the arts of adornment throughout the world. The library maintains 50 current fashion periodical subscriptions, including a wide range of international magazines and scholarly journals.

In the fall of 2002, the Museum established the Friends of the Costume Institute, a group that supports the department’s exhibition, acquisition, conservation, and publication programs. Just as it would be impossible to imagine art in 21st-century New York without The Metropolitan Museum of Art, contemporary American and international fashion have come to rely on The Costume Institute’s touchstone sensibility toward costume exhibition and research.

Please note that the permanent collection of The Costume Institute is not on public view. See the online calendar for a schedule of upcoming special exhibitions and tours.
http://www.metmuseum.org/Works_Of_Art/department.asp?dep=8

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Friday, April 06, 2007

Although it was announced in Feruary I just found out that the EMB Honors is now a part of the IMPRESSIONS Awards, says Richard Lebovitz, editor-in-chief of Embroidery/Monogram Business, the long-time sponsor of the prestigious embroidery competition.
This is what he had to say.
"The same forces driving the industry today also are driving the direction of our publications, Web sites and contests," he says. "Marcia Derryberry, editor-in-chief of IMPRESSIONS, and I have been discussing this possible merger of contests for the past two years and agreed that the time is right for consolidation.

"We apologize for leaving the followers of the EMB Honors in the dark for so long while this decision was being made, but we now have the opportunity to enhance the embroidery section of the IMPRESSIONS Awards, which has focused on showcasing the work of screen printers, with the award-winning embroidery work we see year after year in the EMB Honors.

"In addition, with diversification such an over-riding theme in today's marketplace, we expect to be able to expand the multimedia category of the competition."

Because the IMPRESSIONS Awards are held at ISS Fort Worth in October, embroiderers will have several more months to prepare their entries for this competition.
IMPRESSIONS will post a revised entry form for the contest, including new the embroidery categories and deadline, next month at its Web site www.IMPRESSIONSmag.com.
So those of you who want to participate in the contest will have until September 14, 2007 to get your entries together.

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Thursday, April 05, 2007


As many of you might already know I was the editor of Stitches Magazine from April 12,1998 until April 21,2006 and I really enjoyed those years. But everyone knows that when you get to a point when it is no longer a challenge it is time to move on. It was a great feeling to create something new and different every month. In many months it was two issues and the many newsletters we also produced. My favorite part was every other month when we produced Stitches World which was an electronic magazine or E-zine. You can see some of the back issues at www.StitchesWorld.com While this was a short lived publication I think it was a huge success in accomplishing it's goal however briefly. That goal was to expose the entire world to embroidery trends which could be translated into effective techniques and markets that could easily be transfered or added to their own current offerings and customer bases.
Since Stitches has changed hands and is now being published by ASI many changes have been implemented. The paper upon which it is printed is thicker, the pages are up to about 80 from 60 which means they are putting money into the publication. they have gone back to the old logo and have added some new departments. They are also offering more ad specialty articles which is of course to be expected. I still subscribe to the magazine and still find it interesting to read even though I have shifted my focus to the home embroidery industry. You can view stitches Magazine at www.stitches.com Have a look at it and if you like it you can subscribe right there on the home page.

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Wednesday, April 04, 2007


I finally finished my article it wasn't that it took so much time to finish, it was just that I had to fit it in between trade shows and everything else that needs to get done planned or unplanned.
For example my tade show display was damaged on the way to the Cleveland show and I maged to get it to work for the show but today I had to go to the hardware store and find matching screws to replace the broken and stripped ones in the pull up display anf then fix it which I did. I ten had to fillout and fax all of the many forms for furniture and electricity for the upcoming CEC show and then I had to go to the box store to get replacement boxes to pack my show stuff up for Vegas and that was just this morning so far. Now I have to redo my hadout for the class as it is a half hour longer that the ones I have been doing and make about 30 copies.
On top of everything it is pouring down rain , 38 degrees and I am soaked and freezing.
Life is incredibly glamorous.
Above is a picture of the final product that was the subject of my how to article . It explained how and why I designed it and walks thorought the design process step by step using my software which is called Compositions. To download your own free copy to use for 30 days just go to www.kenparsonsdesigns.com
Talk to you soon.
Ken

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Tuesday, April 03, 2007

I had the pleasure of viewing and voting for the winning entry last year at the IMB show in Cologne Germany. This is a truely inspirational contest and showcases new and very creative techniques. It is almost impossible to leave the show without being inspired to try something new.
However it is even more enjoyable if you are a part of it. You only have about 28 days until the deadline so the time to start is now.
The contest gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills show your creativity and it could also act as a good marketing tool for your business. Previous winners mention their success in the contest on their Web-sites or business cards. You too can send in a special embroidery and have a chance of winning one of the wonderful prizes.

A panel of three professionals in the embroidery field will judge all entries If you would like to participate, you must make sure your entry reaches Eurostitch magazine by 1 May 2007.
More information about the contest can be found in Eurostitch magazine of January 2007 or go to http://www.eurostitch.com

Entry Deadline: May 1, 2007

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Monday, April 02, 2007

I just returned from the OSQE in Cleveland and it was a pretty good show. It was heavy on the quilt side, but there were still a good number of embroiderers there. My booth was placed next to an embroidery machine company so I did a lot of screaming to make myself heard over the machine noise and am still a little horse. It was a good place to be though as it attracted the present embroiderers and also those people looking to get into it.
It seems as though I am always talking about the same thing but I guess that is because I always do the the same things.
I'm changing the booth around a little bit for the next show in Vegas I am having a new banner made explaining why my stuff is so great and another header which better explains the fact that I sell designs too. I hope these will help to make my booth a little more self explanatory.
Everybody at the show has been very helpful and it is great to be able to bounce ideas off them.
If you get a chance go to www.sewingevents.com and take a look at the upcoming show (April 16,17,18 2007) if you can make it take your family and make a mini-vacation out of it, there is a lot to see.

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