Behind the Scenes With…
Helen Chi, the ‘Lady in Charge’ of Lady Leisure

by Bridget Eldridge

Helen Chi calls 2005 “the year that everything happened.” When she began selling wholesale jewelry outside the eco-eatery Habana Outpost in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood in the summer of ’05, Helen had no idea that she had a knack for jewelry design. As the summer wore on, Helen began customizing the wholesale pieces, which spurred her own line of original designs that began with her signature Sneaker Chain, a delicate open-chain necklace that ties in front.

We spotted her groovy tie necklaces the one and only day-it must be fate-she sold her jewelry outside of Habana Outpost this past summer and we fell in love instantly.

Peep Lady Leisure’s website and you’ll read, “Lady Leisure is about being independent, believing in one’s self. Our accessories are for the ladies who don’t need to be matchy-matchy, and are free with expressing themselves. Helen brings Lady Leisure for the ladies wanting more options, something different, independent, made with soul, made out of enjoyment.”

This furniture designer turned graphic designer turned jewelry designer is out to prove she can do it all. Helen loves owning her own business and as The Lady in Charge, she not only designs and makes jewelry, but also designs her website and all the print materials for Lady Leisure. Whew. And if that wasn’t enough-we swear this lady has super powers-Helen has a full-time graphic design job and takes jewelry design classes like soldering, wax carving and silversmithing at F.I.T. Oh yeah, and she’s designed the perfect tote for the on-the-go city girl. We sat down with the Lady herself to talk about what inspires her as a designer and a small business owner.

The Vitals:

Birthdate: December 11, 1978
Sign: Sagittarius
Current Digs: Jersey City, New Jersey, which she says is “The perfect blend, it has the brownstones like Brooklyn, but it’s a much easier commute to Manhattan and I can get in my car and go anywhere. But people will debate me on that.”

BB: You grew up in Queens and graduated from Parsons School of Design in 2002. Did you always know that you wanted to be a jewelry designer?

HC: No, but I’ve always wanted to do something creative and I’ve always been very good with my hands. At Parsons I started off in furniture design, but switched to graphic design. Actually, the year I switched, a chair I designed with another student was featured in the magazines Wallpaper and Blueprint.

BB: Wow, we weren’t expecting you to say that! So how did you get into jewelry design?

HC: I wanted to create my own business, so I started selling jewelry at Habana Outpost last summer. Originally, I planned to sell mass-produced pieces that I bought wholesale. But I started customizing the jewelry and I discovered that I really liked making it. I said to myself: I’m a designer, I should just sell my own pieces and get rid of this wholesale stuff! This summer I was nervous to go back to Habana Outpost since I was selling only my own designs, the prices were more expensive and I was worried that people who knew me from the year before wouldn’t be happy. But it was very well received.

BB: Where did the name Lady Leisure come from?

HC: I was visiting a friend after I just graduated from Parsons in 2002. I hadn’t found a job yet and she said to me “Well haven’t you become the lady of leisure?” I dropped the “of’” and the name just stuck with me. I loved the attitude “Lady Leisure” evoked. I held onto the name until I could think of what to do with it. It all came together in 2005.

BB: The “I Heart Ice Cream” necklace caught our eye at Habana Outpost, but we heart all your thrown chain necklaces. Where did such a unique design come from?

HC: The sneaker chain is my signature chain, the very first piece I designed. I was influence by my surroundings-sneakers thrown over telephone wire. I heard it could symbolize so many different things, so I looked it up and there are so many definitions. It could be a gang sign or a death or someone gets a new pair of shoes and that’s how they get rid of the old pair. My boyfriend told me that kids at his school would throw shoes over a telephone wire at the end of the year. I started with the sneaker charms and the open chain that ties around the neck gives the necklace the look I was going for.

BB: Your brass line boasts gorgeous jade stones in beautiful colors of guava, turquoise and lemondrop that really pop and are a completely different feel from your gold and silver chains.

HC: With the brass line I wanted to create something more feminine, colorful and pretty with the jade stones. The Brooklyn Earrings are my favorite; they look like door-knockers. Those were also one of my original designs, I guess I’m attached to my early stuff.

BB: You also have a line of super cute tote bags that are über-functional for, as you say, “the woman doing her thing.”

HC: The measurements had to be just right, deep enough to fit manila folders and magazines, but also wide enough for sneakers. And since it’s a tote bag the placement of the pockets was really important; they had to be higher up, so the city girl looking for her MetroCard could reach in and grab it without taking the straps off her shoulders. I still get compliments on that bag. It was a real learning experience.

BB: We love that your business card reads “Helen Chi, The Lady in Charge.”

HC: When I was looking for internships while I was at Parsons, it was trendy to work for the small fashion houses and independent music labels. In my search, I noticed that most of the small, independent fashion houses were owned by men and that didn’t appeal to me. Women buy everything. It made me want to own my own business.

BB: So how do you like being The Lady in Charge?

HC: Saying that I own my own business and seeing myself grow in such a short period has been so rewarding. I’m doing things I never thought I would, like pay sales tax! Owning my own business has strengthened my confidence, I’ve developed contacts in the fashion world and I feel like I’m part of a design community, collaborating with other artists or designing photo shoots with stylists. It’s much more friendly than I thought it would be.

BB: Growing up in New York City, you must have been influenced by designers your whole life. Who inspires you today?

HC: I’m influenced by the industrial designer Tobias Wong, who designs furniture, jewelry and graphic pieces; jewelry designer Alexis Bittar for his hustler’s spirit; and, clothing designer Wendy Mullin of Built by Wendy for her success as a small business owner. She has published a book (called “Sew U” that came out in September), expanded her store to three store locations (in Mahanattan, Brooklyn and Los Angeles) and has a strong following. I really admire her growth in this business without losing her brand, you know? She started so small in the beginning.

BB: You seem to enjoy not only the creative aspect of Lady Leisure, but also the business side. What has been the biggest surprise of life as a business owner?

HC: When you own your own company, you have to do everything yourself. It’s not just designing the samples and making the jewelry, but you also have to market your product, design your own print materials and keep the books. It’s my pet project, I have to nurture it to help it grow. I’m enjoying the process; it’s very loose. I have a full-time job so I can take my time and make jewelry out of enjoyment, not stress and worry.

As a business owner, I also had the opportunity to sponsor B-Girl Be, an all female hip-hop event with a fashion show, film festival and visual art exhibit, in Minneapolis, Minnesota by donating some of my bags. That was pretty cool.

BB: Any embarrassing fashion mistakes as a kid that you’d like to fess up to?

HC: Do you remember jams? The long colorful OP shorts. I’m sure people would wear them now. I would also pull tube socks up to my knees because my dad did it.

BB: Wait, you took fashion cues from your dad?

HC: Laughs. Yeah, but I don’t any more.

BB: That’s a relief. What should we look out for from Lady Leisure in the future?

HC: Down the line, I want to do a kids line-there’s a huge market for it. Mothers are always asking me when I am going to come out with one.

I’m launching a unisex line for Spring 2007 — actually designers are always a season ahead, so I guess it will be the Fall 2007 line.

Well, no matter what the Lady in Charge will call it, BussBuss is eagerly awaiting the arrival of her new line. Check out Helen’s tie chain necklaces, bright jade stones and super-cute functional totes right here at Lady Leisure.

Behind the Scenes With…
Shecky’s Girls Night Out president, Claudia Chan

by Bridget Eldridge

Imagine shopping nirvana: four ballrooms lined with booths of up-and-coming designers selling their unique clothing, accessories and more at sample sale prices, a night out with girlfriends, a five-hour open bar and goodie bags brimming over with free stuff. That’s the exact concept behind Shecky’s Girls Night Out, the much buzzed about shopping parties held in the hautest cities around the country.

We headed to the Puck Building in SoHo to check out the latest New York edition of Shecky’s Girls Night Out to find out more.

BussBuss caught up with Claudia Chan, president and co-owner of Shecky’s, who brought her event and marketing expertise to the company in 2002. Read on for the lowdown on Shecky’s Girls Night Out.

BB: Girls Night Out is not just a fun evening with girlfriends, but a shopping extravaganza with bargains, cocktails, goodie bags and even chocolate fondue. What more could a girl want?

CC: GNO celebrates all the things that girls love. It’s not just a shopping party — we run it as a special event with an open bar for five hours, passed hors d’oeuvres and goodie bags. There are also sponsored booths where women can sample products or enjoy mini-massages from local spas. Women are so busy and GNO is a great way to set aside some time to get together with girlfriends.

BB: Has the word spread about the GNO events? Do they attract women who have to travel to attend the events?

CC: The New York City GNO is very established and women from Long Island and Connecticut come in for the event. There was a busload of 40 women dropped off at the New York GNO this fall. We’re even tapping into an older demographic as women start bringing their moms.

BB: What’s the background on Shecky’s?

CC: Shecky’s was founded 10 years ago as a nightlife guide with bar, club and lounge reviews and ratings for New Yorkers in their mid to late 20s. Today, Shecky’s is the go-to local guide for where to party, how to enjoy the city and how to look good doing it.

BB: When did Shecky’s begin hosting GNO?

CC: The Girls Guide to Nightlife was published late in 2001 when Sex and the City was gaining popularity. The first Girls Night Out was held just after September 11 — it was good to give women in the city something positive.

GNO is the go-to event for savvy, sophisticated, stylish 21 to 35-year-old women who want to be on top of the fashion pulse. You can go to your local Neiman Marcus for the same contemporary brands, but GNO keeps you in the know on lesser-known and unknown designers.

BB: GNO launched in several cities this year, how have the events changed and do you plan to expand into more markets?

CC: The events have grown dramatically since 2001. At the next New York, we expect over 10,000 women to attend the five-night event. We’re adding six markets this year: Miami, Dallas, Philly, DC, the Hamptons and possibly Minneapolis.

BB: Walking through Girls Night Out was like a dream! So many designers, we just wish we had more money to spend! How many designers participate in the event?

CC: About 50-150 designers, depending on the city, participate in GNO. It’s a great marketing and business opportunity for young designers to showcase their goods for consumers who don’t know about them. And it gives the shoppers a chance to meet the designers and maybe ask what inspired a piece, which makes the shopping experience unique.

BB: Do designers from across the country attend the events or do they mainly showcase local designers?

CC: Designers from all over the country fly in for the events. We try to do them in fun cities that people will want to visit.

To see if there’s a Girls Night Out in your city, visit Shecky’s here.

Behind the Scenes With…
Grace Wang and Alishia Frey

by bridget eldridge

The Vitals

Occupation:
co-owners, Unsung Designers

Sign:

Alishia: Scorpio
Grace: Pisces

Hometown:
Alishia: Dallas, TX
Grace: Washington D.C.

Current Digs:
Alishia: Washington D.C., where she manages the Unsung showroom
Grace: New York, NY, where she maintains close relationships with Unsung’s New York designers

Background:
Alishia: Art History and Business
Grace: Communications

The 411:
Browse through the online indie boutique Unsungdesigners.com and you’ll find digs that’ll guarantee the ultimate compliment from girlfriends: “Where did you get that?” And while we all like to one-up our girlfriends with our latest fashion finds, we also can’t keep a juicy secret to ourselves: clothing, jewelry, handbags, accessories, custom-made designs — and soon even menswear — from more than 60 independent designers on one website and in Unsung’s Washington D.C. showroom every Saturday.

Before the Unsung Designers website debuted last July, indie fashion finds usually involved a trip to New York for craft fairs and young designers markets. But thanks to co-founders Alishia Frey and Grace Wang, who met while working for a non-profit organization in Washington D.C. and quit their jobs in 2005 to launch the website, hauties all over the world are reaping the benefits at the click of a mouse.

In addition to their growing online following, Unsung is also drawing crowds to their Washington D.C. showroom, which is now open every Saturday from 12-6 pm. In April, Grace and Alishia hosted their first trunk show with local designers Barefoot Czarina and Oovoo.
The ladies recently sat down with us in New York to discuss fashion, indie culture, “Project Runway,” Washington D.C. and their fight against “Generica America.”

Unsung Designers has had such tremendous success in only a year, how did you come up with the idea?

Alishia: We would take trips to New York and shop at places like The Market and people on the Metro would stop us and ask, “Where did you get that?”

Grace: We had been customers of many of our designers for years and years, and had developed personal relationships with them. So when we began our research, we asked them, “What do you need? Where have you been burned?” Some said they were too shy; others hated talking about themselves; and some just hated selling.

Unsungdesigners.com is like an online version of New York’s designer fairs-which we love-and that’s really exciting for your customers and designers.

Grace: Our customers are essentially getting couture, beautiful handmade garments that are affordable.

Alishia: Trunk shows are a lot of fun; they’re like the opening of a fine artist’s exhibit at an art gallery where designers and customers can meet. But it can be really de-motivating for designers to sit at a fair all day when they would rather be at home sewing. So we handle all the tedious retail stuff.

We’re so excited that your showroom in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington D.C. is now open EVERY Saturday. Did you always plan on opening a showroom in D.C.?

Grace: We always thought that we’d open a store years down the road. We found a space to be an office and hold inventory, but it’s also become a store. One girl told us that she came by on a weekday with her mother and nothing was going on…we’re located in an alley…she was calling us the “Mythical Store in the Alley.”

Alishia: When we started we thought it was going to be purely online, but people were banging on the steel door even though they couldn’t see inside. It’s fun.

Alishia has experience managing an art gallery. How have you brought that sensibility into Unsung?

Grace: The objective is to promote indie and young designers. We are heavily invested in our designers as artists and have a close sharing relationship with all of them.

Alishia: Some Web sites and boutiques will carry the designers one season and drop them the next if their stuff doesn’t do well. But we don’t think of our designers as some kind of commodity. They are artists and we want to help them grow-build their brand identity and build their following.

Tell us about fashion in D.C.

Alishia: D.C. is very a transient city. There are a lot of Euros-a lot of really cool French women-that are here because of the state department and the World Bank. We also get a lot of people that lived in New York and have cycled back to D.C.

Grace: D.C. is a very transient, political, white-collar city, but it also has a great indie music scene. Early punk grew out of here in the 70s and early 80s. Growing up I would go to shows at the 9:30 Club. There’s a big underground culture here that’s not seen that much because it’s such a driving city. Our customers are everyone from the pierced and tattooed to the corporate lawyers.

Alishia: They’re mothers, grandmothers, rockers and preppies, but they’re all about individuality.

So how do you choose your designers?

Alishia: When we see a designer we want to know three things: Are the garments well made? What’s the designer’s point of view; is there a story throughout their designs? And we also want a mix of different styles, so we don’t want anything that’s too similar to something we already carry.

Buying gifts for guys can be really tough, so we’re really excited that we will soon be able to turn to Unsung since you’re launching a menswear section on the Web site soon. How did that come about?

Grace: There are always guys sitting on the pink Victorian couch in our showroom. When dcist wrote about our first trunk show in April, we got all these e-mails from guys telling us to carry mens stuff. One even said, “I have to shop at JC Penney! I’m not going to go until you start carrying mens clothes!”

Alishia: A lot of our designers make guys stuff. So one Saturday we set up a table in the corner with t-shirts and told all the boyfriends that came in to check out the guys section in the corner.

Grace: They’re so easy to sell to! They all know their size: “I’m a Large, I’ll take it!”

For those of us that don’t know a lot about indie culture and fashion, why shop indie? What’s the draw?

Alishia: In D.C., rising rent is driving small businesses and individuality out; mom and pop stores are becoming obsolete. Every big city is turning into “Generica America,” it’s like a mall on the street. It upsets me personally. The clothes are all the same, made in sweatshops and are overpriced. People don’t know there are other options. We’re going back to the basics-like organic food. A hundred years ago, everyone ate organic food. But you can buy quality, support artists and be unique.

Grace: You can be trendy or tattooed and you can still find something at Unsung. These designers are craftsmen and know the newest and latest trends-upcoming colors, patterns and textures. They’re not a corporation that did a research study. They know fashion at a personal level.

Just when we thought the interview was over, Grace asked us if we liked “Project Runway” (love!) and if we had we been to EMc2, Emmett McCarthy’s NoLita boutique, which was right around the corner. And that’s when we remembered that Unsung listed another season two alum among their designers: Kara Janx. While she may have already emerged onto the fashion scene, is she still working with Unsung?

Grace: Right now, she’s backordered something like 200 dresses, but hopefully in the future. It was interesting, last year we got an email from her saying that she was going to go away for awhile and then she turned up on “Project Runway.”

Obviously, these ladies know fashion. Check out their latest finds from young and independent designers at Unsungdesigners.com and every Saturday from 12 pm- 6 pm, look for pink Rear Door A in the alley at 2412 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 2009.

Total Hautie: E! Entertainment’s ‘Party Girl’ Lara Morgenson

Partying with Hollywood’s A-list is a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. And that somebody is E!-lister Lara Morgenson, a.k.a eonline.com’s ‘Hollywood Party Girl’ columnist. She parties with the crème de la crème of the Hollywood who’s-hot (think Paris, Lindsay and Leonardo just to name-drop a few) and then dishes all the dirt and details (like what the celebs are doing and wearing) in her juicy weekly column ‘Hollywood Party Girl’ which you can read here.

BussBuss chatted up Ms. Fabulous herself and found out what’s really going down in Ho’wood and how we, too, can look Party Girl-fabulous at all times.

Head to iTunes and search for ‘Hollywood Party Girl’ under Podcasts to get up-to-the-minute celebrity dish straight from the parties!

Tell us a lil about yourself

Birthday: Sept 23rd, send me presents please!

Educational and Professional Background: I’m a good Midwestern girl who attended Kansas State University and got my Masters from Emerson College. I worked for a few years at Simon & Schuster before heading to L.A. where I landed a job as an assistant at E! Online and never looked back.

How did you land a gig where you get paid to party with the A-list, or should we say the E!-list? It was all about being in the right place at the right time. I’d been reporting on the party scene for Ted Casablanca’s column “The Awful Truth.” I pitched the idea to our brilliant Editor-in-Chief and she loved it! And it’s been one big party ever since.

Party Perks

Fave party ever and why? Last summer’s Juicy Couture Swim Party. It was poolside at an amazing Beverly Hills Mansion (it was where they shot Christina’s birthday party in Mommy Dearest). It was completely star-studded party and at the same time completely laidback. I wore the perfect green and white strapless summer dress, hung out with the Kates…Beckinsale and Bosworth. My second favorite was the T-Mobile Sidekick Summer Bash with an intoxicating performance by the Black-Eyed Peas. Paris, Lindsay, Nicole and all the party girls were in rare form and I had so much fun.

We can only imagine that you get some pretty swell swag in your line of “work” — tell us about your fave scores! Swag is definitely one of the best perks of my job. I do share a lot of it with my friends and family but when I got an light blue Escada bag there was no way I was giving it away! Otherwise, I get tons of beauty products, which I love. I always have a new face cream (guaranteed to make me look 10 years younger) or shampoo to test.

Celeb Lowdown

Fave celeb and why? I love Kristin Davis, not only because she has great style and I’m always drooling over her outfits, but she always remembers me which is pretty cool. The first time I met her she told me I was “so Charlotte” because I had on a vintage sundress with a full skirt.

Most loathsome celeb and why? C’mon, you can tell us! I’m not a big Adrien Brody fan…he’s never been particularly pleasant to interview, in my experience. Plus, I don’t get his style–that hip-hop sweatsuit thing. It’s so Ashton Kutcher.

Ever dish something unflattering about a celeb and have them call you on it? Sharon Stone. In the first column I ever wrote I called her the middle-aged version of Paris Hilton because she’d been attending so many events. Later when I wanted to speak to her at an event, I was told no way. Oops!

Most appalling celeb moment/encounter? Too many to count! I’m pretty clumsy so making a fool of myself is pretty common. I tried to flirt with Julian McMahon and when I tried to toss my hair and look alluring, I fell off the wheeled ottoman I was perched on. He laughed, I pretended like I meant to do that.

Tips + Advice

Any tips on what makes a great party? I think it’s all about having great music, plenty of drinks (both alcoholic and non), delicious hors d’oeuvres (who wants to be hungry?) and an eclectic and outgoing mix of guests. I like to invite my best buddies, some cool co-workers (the ones who don’t talk only about work) and then that couple you met a few weeks ago, and so on. And encourage people to bring friends!

Fave LA hot spots? The “in” club in L.A. comes and goes as quickly as Paris Hilton’s boyfriends so I’m a fan of the solids like Sky Bar and Nacional. Right now the hot places to be seen are Guys, Mood and anything Brent Bolthouse’s puts together–right now he’s hosting a list-only night at Lucky Strike Lanes. Last time I went I bowled next to Ashley Olsen.

Any tips for regular girls with lofty ambitions to get on the A or E!-list? It’s all who you know, so if this way of life really appeals to you then you might want to think about a career in publicity or, obviously, be an actor! If not, then become best friends with the well-connected types, publicists, managers, agents. Or better yet, become a freelance reporter like I did!

Advice for girls wanting a dream job like yours? How can one prepare — join a sorority? I think the most important thing to realize is that having a job like mine means that your job is to go out and party–whether you feel like it or not. I’m not sure there’s any one predestined path that can prepare you for a job like mine. But yup, you guessed it, I was a sorority girl! Hey, you gotta learn how to do kegstands somehow.

Must-have qualities for those looking to succeed in your line of work? You can’t be a wild ‘n’ crazy partier downing shots at the bar, you have to be able to remember every last detail from the night! So my days of dancing on tables are in the past, now I leave those kind of scene-stealing moves to Lindsay Lohan!

Are there any downsides to what seems like the world’s best job? Sometimes it’s like being in high school. You’re popular enough to get invited to the cool parties, but once you’re there, the cool kids don’t want to hang out with you. And let’s face it, Monique Lhuiller, Dior and Dolce & Gabbana are not dressing me for these events! [Editor's Note: Not yet, Party Girl!]

Party Girl Style

What do you wear to these faboo parties and is it all expensable? Unfortunately, I haven’t sold my accountant (or E!) on expensing all of my outfits. L.A. is a jeans town so I wear jeans most of the time. I do throw on the occasional black dress, I just bought a strappy Saint Grace black dress that I love.

Any Party Girl must-haves and products you can recommend to keep us looking Party Girl-ready and in tip-top glam shape at all times? I love Lola cosmetic’s mini-gloss set. The mini-lipsticks are perfect for tucking into a clutch or even your pocket if it’s a hands-free (like when you go dancing) night. And I’m a huge proponent of Tylenol PM after a late-night with too much champagne. It’s the perfect remedy for helping you sleep through the hangover. If that doesn’t do it, Alka-Seltzer might. Otherwise, sleep, sleep, sleep. Oh–and I love DuWop I Gels for when my eyes are puffy.

Fave shops, online and offline? Online I love www.shopbop.com and I just found this cute new site that is all skirts called www.BoutiqueOohlala.com. In Los Angeles, I shop everywhere from Forever 21 and Intuition to Banana Republic and Nordstrom to Fred Segal and Lisa Kline.

Fave celeb style? Lately I’ve been loving Nicole Richie’s style. Of course, she has the best stylist in the biz working with her, Rachel Zoe Rosenzweig so that’s probably a big part of it.

Fave things you can’t live without:

1. My three amigos: my cell phone, Ipod and Dell laptop

2. Denims: my Juicy and James Jeans

3. My new C-Label “Cinnamon Girl” blue wedge sandals

4. Clarins self-tanning cream

5. Being a natural blonde, I would die without Liz, who waxes and dyes my eyebrows at Lukaro Salon
6. TIVO. With my lifestyle I’d never get to see America’s Next Top Model and Lost!
7. Cosabella lingerie
8. T-shirts by Saint Grace and Cherry Tees

9. Lancome thick lash mascara

Closing Credits

Where can we find you in 10 years (please tell us there’s a book and/or a show in your future!)? That’s the plan! I like to believe that 10 years from now I will have hung up my party shoes and am instead writing books based upon my Hollywood experiences. Maybe I’ll even have my own show…

Behind the Scenes With…
iHotto creator, Devon Dorfer

by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Inventor, iHotto.com

Birthdate/Sign: February 2, 1977/Aquarius

Current Digs: Chelsea, New York City

The 411:
Self-described “inventor,” Devon Dorfer, and her partner in crime, and boyfriend, Peter Finn, ditched their 9-5 lives on the West Coast to pursue a life more fun in New York City — one filled with pink cupcakes and dripping ice cream cones and where the mistress of the universe is Hello Kitty. Well, we think that’s just super duper sweet, so we decided to poke, prod and ask this yumtastic designer what inspires her sugary, sometimes sarcastic, designs. Grab a cupcake and read on.

All Up In Your Business

We love how your sweet designs are both nostalgic and irreverent. What inspires you when you’re creating? Is it safe to assume you’re a child of the ’80s?

Yeah, I’m a child of the late ’80s/early ’90s. Yo MTV Raps, and all that. I’ve also always been super obsessed with Hello Kitty. What other girl do you know that never grows up. That’s what inspires me most.

We think it’s pretty snazzy that you and your partner in crime, Peter, decided to up and leave your West Coast 9-to-5 lives for a life more fun. What prompted that decision and would you recommend that others follow your lead?

The whole 9-5 thing was cool for a bit, but we wanted a little adventure. I might be a little poorer now, but I’m definitely having a lot more fun. It’s all about checking out life.

Give us the lowdown on your background: where you grew up, where you went to school, your heart’s deepest desires.

I grew up in Palm Springs, California. The desert was a great place to grow up, being so close to LA there were lots of creative folks around, especially in my family. But my real California home is San Francisco, where I went to the school of hard knocks. Just kidding, there were no hard knocks, just lots of fun.

You’re making your dreams come true in big, bad, beautiful NYC. How do you like it so far, and what city’s next on your conquering-of-the-world agenda?

New York City is crazy intense and super competitive. Everyone I know is doing something creative or making something cool. It’s great cuz you’re constantly challenged and pushed to remember who you are and what you’re all about. As for what’s next, we’re thinking London, Paris, and on a more for real tip, Laguna Beach. Sun and sand sounds pretty good every time chilly December rolls around.

Do you have an art or design background or are you self-taught?

Well, I don’t really consider myself a designer so much as I think of myself as an inventor. I have been inventing since I can remember. My first fashion shoot was at age eight. I played the stylist/photographer for Ayers. Did I mention, Ayers is my fave dog of all time? The best model I ever worked with!

Like you, I’m all for prolonging adulthood. How long do you think we can all keep up the charade?

Actually, charades is my favorite game. Forever!

Can you give us a hint of what’s next in IHottoland?

I don’t know yet, I haven’t got the memo. Actually, I just want to keep having fun and making people laugh, or think twice about what they just saw. And while I’m at it, make enough money so I can eat as many pink cupcakes as I want, and one day have a farm with mini horses, and tons of dogs, and a room that is a candy store. Pink of course.

We see that you sell some of your fab wares at fredflare.com, and we’re huge fans of the fred guys! Can you tell us how that all came about and what it’s been like working with such a cool team?

We love the boys at FF. I don’t know, I think they saw us in a magazine or something. We have been going on double dates ever since. They’re geniuses.

I love your “Almost Doesn’t Count Tee.” It reminds me of my own saying: “Tried is just another word for failed.” Muhahahahahhaa. But seriously, where do these ideas and images come from, the undeniable mix of bitter and sweet?

Everywhere. From something a nun at Catholic school used to say 20 years ago (“almost doesn’t count”)to my favorite eats, like cupcakes and ice cream. I’m really obsessed with Hello Kitty and cute stuff from Japan. My childhood, and of course my crazy family, are always an inspiration. We like to think of ourselves as creating our own little world. The world of iHotto is fun, sassy, over the top, and sometimes crazy with a lot of sweet.

What’s mom think about your “1 Nite Stan” pack that includes a breath mint, a condom, candy cigs, Aleve, and an ‘I’ll Call You” button?

Don’t know if Mom gets everything we do, but that’s probably a good thing. Right? She’s known I’m nuts for years. I guess it’s expected. All I can say is she is super, super supportive. We call her “Mama iHotto.”

What’s been your biggest struggle so far in running iHotto?

Not sure what the biggest struggle is, but I certainly know my favorite part of running iHotto. It’s hiring cute boys (like my boyfriend) and bossing him around.

Biggest success to date?

Our biggest success is just having fun with what we’re doing. Sounds cheesy, but it’s for reals. It’s also cool paying the rent while we’re at it.

How do you and Peter enjoy working together?

We leave each other for three hours at a time, and come back apologizing. Rally though, it’s super awesome. We make a good team. GO TEAM.

Where can we buy your yummy iHotto goods?

iHotto was just born at the end of last year, so for now we sell directly from our site, through the geniuses at fredflare.com (we love those guys!), and through about 15 boutiques throughout the states. And, oh yeah, we sell the goods out of the airports in Atlanta, San Francisco, and LA. How funny is that?

Where would you like to be in 10 years and 4 months?

As long as I’m still playing charades, I’ll be all right.

Stylin’ and Profilin’

Describe your personal style.

Tacky meets classy. Out of control meets conformed. Rules without a rule.

What people in the fashion/design industry do you look up to?

Well, actually, my only fashion idol is Hello Kitty. She’s cute, she’s happy, and she never grows up. That’s what iHotto is all about.

Playing Favorites

Favorite NYC haunts?

Snacky’s for noodles and sake, Bar & Books where bad habits are still legal, and of course my corner store where I can get it all.

Fave shops, online and off?

Mini Mini Market, fredflare.com, Paper Boy, Tiffany’s, & Target.

Favorite way to procrastinate?

One Life to Live and Starting Over.

Favorite magazine?

Giant Robot and a little US Weekly can make a girl smile.

Fave city?

Tokyo for sure, but Hong Kong ain’t bad.

Fave food?

Sushi, curly fries, and my Mom’s cupcakes.

Fave word?

Duh!

Fave color?

Pink, of course.

Fave flick?

King of Bluegrass.

In the spirit of Inside the Actors Studio, your favorite curse word?

Why, I Aattaaa….

More importantly, Seth or Ryan?

No Clue. I guess Ryan because my cousin’s name is Rosie. I love her and so I love the letter R.

Anything else we should know?

Pink is best, and lavender is the new pink. People just don’t know it yet.

Please turn the tables and ask us a question!

Here at iHotto, we’re super into making-out. Besides lip-gloss, Big Red gum, a heart-shaped mirror, and a “Kiss Me” button, our Make-Out Session pack includes a “Kissing Tips” card. You got any pointers on what makes a good smooch? Or even better, any funny stories about a really bad make-out session? If that’s too up-close-and-personal for ya, we also would love to know if you think unicorns are for real? Oh yeah, and another thing, do you think Santa buys his own toys or does he still have the elves do all the work?

Well, Big Red and lip gloss are faboo of course, but all I need is a cupcake and an appletini and I’m ready to roll. Just kidding, Ma! Unicorns are absolutely real and anyone who begs to differ just has to talk to my herd of 12 or so, and then they’ll be believers, too. Don’t be hatin’ the magical flying horse! Regarding the jolly ol’ guy in the sky, I hate to say it, but he’s working those darlin’ lil elves to the bone. Not to worry though, there’s chatter that the elves are unionizing (shhhhh!), so be prepared for a strike come Christmas time (sorry kiddies, a.k.a. chumps!). Which is when it really will come in handy that you’re an inventor — can’t rely on Santa or those rascally elves, you gotta rely on yourself. Ho, ho, ho!

Behind the Scenes With…
Pamela Barsky
by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: designer/manufacturer/
writer/juggler

Birthdate/Sign: December 12/Sagittarius

Born:
Chicago

Current Digs: LA

The 411:
Pamela Barsky has overcome store-shattering earthquakes, among other disasters, to finally end up as the design world’s “It” girl. Her vintage-inspired journals and home goods have been featured everywhere from In Style to Lucky and have wound up in the hands of too many celebrities to list. With the creation of her website and her invaluable blog this past year, she’s gaining even more momentum, if possible. Below, the former ad copywriter shares her movie-like struggles and tells us why she can never take Martha Stewart seriously again.

School Me

I’ve recently read that you’re a former ski bum, originally from Detroit, which is where I currently live. What part of Motown are you from, and do you ever come back to visit?

I grew up in Birmingham, which I didn’t appreciate
until I moved to a place where people live in their
garages and think lawns are perfectly fine places to
park. I don’t get back to Michigan often, but I do
miss Lelli’s minestrone soup, Sanders vanilla ice
cream, and Cranbrook.

Any recommendations on places I should check out here, because I’m at a loss?

I’m a big believer in the Franklin Cider Mill.

I’ve also read that you sold your mother’s engagement ring to open your first shop in LA, which tragically was destroyed by an earthquake. Let’s just say, “Holy cow!” Tell us all about it. What prompted the move to LA? The desire to open the store? And how did you deal with the earthquake and its results?

I moved to LA by accident. I came to visit a health
spa, liked the lifestyle, and since I had all my stuff
in the back of the car, I decided to stay. I used to buy art/crafts on layaway as far back as
junior high, and I guess that fueled my desire to own
a store.

As far as the earthquake, when I saw the mess, I took
to bed for about two weeks. Since it made me
start designing stuff, it really turned out to be the
best thing that ever happened to me.

Is it safe to say that’s been your biggest struggle in starting your business?

Oh, no. Not having enough financing has always been
THE struggle. Plus, I’m a bit of a moron when it
comes to balancing my checkbook.

What was your first shop like? Did it include items by other designers or were you designing back then as well?

My first shop was tiny, and, well, kind of lame. It
had a “Let’s put on a show” kind of spirit, and I
think a lot of people bought stuff because they felt
sorry for the poor girl who had risked everything to
open her doors. Luckily, I had pretty good taste, and
a friend who insisted I move to a mall as soon as my
first lease expired.

You studied journalism at the University of Colorado and then worked in advertising. How much do you think your background in media has benefited your career?

Let me start by saying, I got a D in reporting. As far as the advertising goes, everything I write or design is influenced by what I did in advertising. No matter how much is demanded of me, how much I have to create, it is nothing compared to what is expected
from you as a copywriter.

What prompted you to start designing your own products?

Pure financial need. I needed stuff to fill my empty, broken shelves.

Is your husband also a fulltime employee of Pamela Barsky?

Hell no. We want to stay married. (He will help out
on occasion if I ask nicely, and he has been
instrumental in the design of some our best-selling
products, but he doesn’t get paid for it.)

Tell us about this new home décor television pilot you’re working on and how it came about. Are you rooting for Martha to serve
some serious jail time so you can fill her shoes?

I am addicted to decorating shows, but they give me serious anxiety because they never really show you how to do anything. It is like, poof, it’s a room. If you’ve ever remodeled, you know this is NOT the way things really happen. I want to do a show where
viewers can actually learn to do things from start to
finish– and do them well. Things like how to hire
an architect. How to deal with a contractor. How to
find gorgeous tile that is affordable.

Recently, someone in my neighborhood painted the
outside of their house in a faux cobblestone pattern.
It is hideous and, I believe, a result of too many
shows telling people it is OK to glue macaroni on
picture frames.

As far as Martha Stewart goes, once I saw her picking
her teeth in a really fancy restaurant in New York;
after that it’s been hard to take her seriously as a
style maven.

Material Girl

Where do you find all of your great vintage materials?

If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.

Fair enough. Working with vintage, does it make it hard to fill large orders since the fabric is one of a kind?

I’ve never had to turn an order down because I couldn’t find materials. I have great suppliers.

At what point did you go from a store to a manufacturing business?

Since I’m not much of a delegator, when the manufacturing began to demand all of my time, I decided to give up the store.

What all does having your own factory entail?

Lots of responsibility. There is nothing like the
look on the face of an employee who has just broken a
$10,000 machine.

All Up in Your Business

What was your first job?

Grocery bagger at the A&P. I made $3.35 an hour plus tips.

Your designs are simple, beautiful and often quirky and clever. What influences your designs?

Life. And the fact that my mother signed me up for art classes when other little girls were being dragged off to ballet. I’ve always been a voracious reader, so I guess that’s where I picked up the ability to turn a phrase.

You’ve been featured in more than your fair share of magazines — in fact, I feel like I’ve seen your name is nearly every magazine I’ve read over the last three months. How much do you think the publicity has contributed to your success?

Publicity is great. But it is the icing on the cake. Sometimes, we’ll get a feature article in a major magazine and only sell a journal or two.

It can be a double-edged sword. After I was in In
Style for the first time, Old Navy knocked off my
designs and they showed up in their stores at half of
my wholesale price.

Bastards. Have you paid for advertising yet in any publications? How much do you think that’s benefited your business?

For a gal who made a living in advertising for a decade, I really don’t think it works in the gift industry. I tend to stick to direct mail.

Please walk us through the process you went through to form Pamela Barsky. Did you just start playing around with materials and ideas or did you have a set business plan from the beginning?

Although your bank and business school types insist on
a business plan, after you’ve been doing this for a
while, you realize that a business plan is really a
big fat fantasy. Until you are in the thick of it,
you have no idea what a day, let alone a week or a
year or five years is going to bring. I believe in
goals, and going with the flow. Of course, I have an
uncanny ability to keep lots of facts in my head. Some people call it my stupid pet trick. For most people, they’d be better to write things down.

Do you handmake all of the items or train people to do so? And once you realized you couldn’t make everything yourself, was it hard to relinquish that control?

99% of entrepreneurs are control freaks, myself
included. But, I don’t make everything myself, there’s not enough days in the week.

How long has the Pamela Barsky website been around? How much do you think it’s contributed to your notoriety?

The website has been amazing. In just 6 months, it has changed everything.

Even though you use a wide range of vintage materials, your designs seem pretty specific and recognizable. How important do you think branding and consistency are?

I can only see the world through my eyes, so it makes sense that there is a thread that weaves through my line. The consistency is more a function of this than anything else. As far as branding, if you don’t have a good idea, all the branding in the world isn’t going to help you. Of course, you’ll find my logo, name and
web address on everything I make.

Have you found the design community in LA to be supportive?

I find the design community in LA to be very moviecentric. My creative friends live elsewhere, but I try not to give up hope that I might find some here.

How did you go about figuring out all the business-end stuff. The accounting, working with suppliers, all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes that no one wants to deal with?

My dad was a lawyer, my mom an artist, so I guess it
is in the genes. Mostly, I figured it out as I went
along. Learning from mistakes has been a big part of
it.

For those who don’t know, you also have a blog on your site. One that’s a goldmine for anyone interested in starting his/her own business. What prompted the blog and do you ever run into problems with people reading it that you’d rather not? Say, a supplier you’re angry with?

I don’t use names, and I’m a pretty good editor. It can be challenging some days.

Many people have grandiose ideas, but never put them into action, but you have. Any advice for people out there who might want to do something similar?

Stop yammering and do it.

How many people work for your company?

Two. We’re very efficient.

You’ve had many celebs buy your products. Of those
who have purchased, which has been the most exciting for you?

My store’s clientele was very celebrity heavy and I
try not to get star struck. The week I met Cloris
Leachman, Valerie Harper and Mary Tyler Moore stands
out as a big one for me. During the OJ trial, Kato
Kaylin came in and
I thought that was kind of funny.

Is there anyone in particular you wish would purchase Pamela Barsky goods?

An old boss from my advertising days who fired me
because he didn’t think my ideas could sell.

Starting your own business is exciting, scary and full of obstacles and learning experiences. What’s been the most rewarding part of it all?

I especially like having an idea, then seeing it turn
into a real, you-can-hold-it-in-your-hand product.

The most frustrating?

People who don’t get it.

What’s been the hardest lesson to learn?

Balance.

Tell us about trade shows and markets. How vital are these when it comes to exposure and sustaining a profitable business? Do the bulk of your major orders come from these shows? Any recommendations on the best ones to attend?

New York Gift Show, although it has a 5-10 year
waiting list. Do whatever you can do to get in.

I know that you now sell at Anthropologie and of course on your website and
your shop in LA. Is there anywhere else we should be on the lookout for your fab stuff?

I sell to some pretty fabulous stores. Personally, I
love Holt Renfrew in Toronto and the Musuem of
Contemporary Art Los Angeles’ gift store, but I don’t
get out much, so this is by no means a comprehensive
list.

In a field that is so subjective, what advice do you have for people in overcoming the big R — rejection?

Get over it.

Do you remember your first return and how did you handle it?

Don’t take returns.

Good policy. At what point do you recommend hiring outside help, such as financial analysts, lawyers, etc?

If you can afford it, do it. If not, figure it out yourself. The advice is usually about the same.

Any tips for getting these done without breaking the bank?

You get what you pay for in life, I’ve learned. My accountant costs $350 an hour, and I wouldn’t dream of going to anyone else. Scrimp somewhere else.


Any plans to turn this blog into a book? I know you’re friends or at least professional acquaintances with the founder of Found Objects. She has a kind of online book or how-to guide on her site for developing designs and products. And your blog is full of great advice and knowledge. Could there be a book collaboration in the future?

I’m too much of a loner to collaberate, but I am writing a book on how to start a business. It should be out and available on the site in about 4-6 months.

One of the obstacles online shops face is making their prices consistent with what shops selling their items at retail charge. Have you found this to be a challenge? Finding the right pricing and wholesale strategies and what not?

I price my things on the web based on the prices my customers charge for the same items. I make my living by selling to stores, and would not do anything to undercut them. The website is really an advertising tool.

Do you recommend starting up market and branding yourself as such or down market and building up a following?

It is very difficult to change your image once it is
established unless you have millions to spend on
television advertising. Mostly, you’ll find the world
will tell you what you are supposed to be, so go with
it.

What was the most daring investment you had to make while growing your business?

Moving out of my apartment and signing a commercial
lease.

What’s the largest myth about “minding your own business” and being featured in all of these magazines. From your blog, it
definitely implies that they don’t necessarily add up to worry-free success.

The get-rich-quick myth. There is no such thing in
this business. The biggest benefit is that you are in
control of your own life, your schedule, and your
future. Anything beyond that is gravy.

Has there been a moment where you’ve felt like you made it? If so, tell us about it. If not, do you think you’ll ever feel that?

I’ll let you know when I get there.

Any upcoming events, shows or press we should know about?

I’m introducing jewelry (see mom, those silversmithing
lessons did pay off) at The Accessories Show in New
York mid-January. Hope everyone will stop by.

What can we look forward to from PB in the future?

My fantasy is that Target calls and asks me to design
a line of products. In reality, fashion accessories,
home accessories, and the cutest night lites you’ve
ever seen.

Where would you like to be in ten years?

Can’t even imagine what the world is going to bring
me.

If you had it all to do over again, is there
anything you’d change or do differently?

I would have said “yes,” when Jay Chiat offered me a
“test” position at his agency in New York.

Stylin’ and Profilin’

Describe your personal style.

Modern with slightly kitschy kick.

What people in the fashion/design industry do you
look up to?

Donna Hay

Playing Favorites

Favorite shops in LA?

Can’t answer that one for political reasons.

Favorite shops online?

travelocity.com

Favorite way to procrastinate?

I like to watch Law and Order reruns.

Favorite magazine?

Elle Decoration Britain, Donna Hay, Budget Living

Fave city?

I love LA, but dream of owning an apartment in New
York. London is great, too. Vail has my heart.

Favorite food?

Caramel-covered marshmallows.

Favorite word?

Today, insipid.

Fave color?

Probably, chartreuse.

Fave flick?

Easy, Two for the Road.

In the spirit of Inside the Actors Studio, your
favorite curse word?

I don’t discriminate. I use them all.

More importantly, Ben or Jen?

Ick. Neither. I’m a
big Tate Donovan fan (I’ll never be able to look him
in the eye again, but I’m all for honesty).

Because We’re Nosy

What are you craving right now?

Yoga.

What’s on your Tivo’s To-Do List?

24.

In your CD player?

Simon and Garfunkle.

Current Crush?

My husband and my puppy.

AM or PM?

AM.

Friendster – yay or nay?

Right up there with Ben or
Jen. Besides, I’m a loner.

If you could be anywhere right now, where would it
be and what would you be
doing?

I’m here, so this must be where I want to be.

Anything else we should know?

My husband thinks I am the least funny person he
knows.

Please turn the tables and ask us a question!

What’s the deal with Lisa Rinna’s lips?

I dunno, but her hubby Harry Hamlin seems to be a happy man.

Visit Pamela online at pamelabarsky.com.

Behind the Scenes With…
Margaret Nicole
by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Founder and designer of Margaret Nicole.

Birthdate/Sign:
March 5, Pisces

Born:
New York, NY

Current Digs: The West Village of Manhattan

The 411:
After working in the corporate world, Nicole Dreyfuss ditched her Wall Street job to pursue more creative avenues. Lucky for us, that avenue led her to the creation of her signature cableknit and knit clutches. With the idea of accessorizing an accessory, Nicole adorns the bags with removable satin and grosgrain ribbons, brooches and vintage-inspired pins. The bags have caught the attention of boutique owners from San Francisco to Manhattan to London. Find out how it all started and where Margaret Nicole is headed next, in our interview below.

The Root of It All

What prompted you to leave your Wall Street job and venture into the world of fashion fulltime? Did you have any art/design background or training?

I was looking for a change — something more creative and exciting that I could develop and grow. I was an art major in college and have always had a love of fashion and accessories, especially handbags!

What was the reaction from friends and fam when you left your Wall Street job behind for such a competitive, creative profession?

Friends were definitely very excited and supportive, some even jealous! Families took a little more convincing. They were a little apprehensive at first but have become more and more supportive with every success of Margaret Nicole, Inc.

How much do you think your marketing background has influenced your success?

I definitely think it helped having a marketing background, if only for brainstorming creative ideas about how to get the word out about our clutch handbags.

Bag It

When was Margaret Nicole started?

Margaret Nicole, Inc. was started in July of 2003.

I love your idea of accessorizing an accessory. I mean, what more could a girl ask for? And I love that the bag can be the star rather than say, your outfit. What prompted this way of thinking?

I just love handbags and know how good it feels to have something original and unique to show off. What better way to provide our customers with a great accessory than to provide an accessory that is accessorized. Also, I wanted my bags to be versatile — a handbag that you can carry during the day and take out for a night on the town!

Do you think being in New York hurts or helps as a designer?

I definitely think it helps being in New York. Not only do you have so many boutiques and stores at your fingertips, but are surrounded by so many fashionable people as well as other young emerging designers. Meeting and sharing ideas, successes as well as failures, with other young designers has been so helpful!!

What influences your designs and aesthetics?

Mostly personal taste, as well as keeping an eye on current styles and trends in fashion publications, stores and the street!

When did you decide to go online? And how much has the Internet and having your own site and online boutique helped you?

I decided to start with the Internet. The start-up costs are pretty minimal and it has such a large reach. Most of our success can be attributed to the Internet site and being able to refer either customers or store buyers to the purchase or view our handbags. It is true a picture is worth a thousand words!

How did you first spread the word about your clutches?

Through friends and family…a friend tells a friend who tells a friend and so on — it works!!! Actually it really worked more like a friend emails a friend who emails a friend and so on! What did we do without the Internet?!?

Although your bags can be used year-round, do you find that they’re more popular in one season over the others?

Since Margaret Nicole is pretty new, we’ve only had our line out for two seasons. So far the Christmas/Hanukkah holiday has been our most popular! We just launched our spring and summer designs in cotton, and people seem to really like them, so we’ll see!

What do you see for the future of Margaret Nicole? Will you stick to knit or branch out to other mediums?

I will probably stick to handbags and accessories for now. As for changing the medium, you never know!!!

Where can we find MN products?

www.margaretnicole.com
www.NedandShell.Com
www.MightyFlirt.Com
Heidi Says: 2426 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA (415) 749-0655
Sassanova: 1641 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington DC (202) 471-4400
SugarBoutique: 3702 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Tel: (412) 215-4393
Miss Kate: 335 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, MI (248) 646-1695/(248) 646-4373
Albertine, 13 Christopher Street, New York, New York 10014 (212) 924-8515
Estilo Honey: 37 High Street, Wimbledon Village, London. SW19 5BY UK +44 208 946 0198
Scarpe Diem: 2286 Broadway, New York, NY (212) 362-5070
Selma and Syd: 220 East 60th Street, New York, NY (212) 486-1992

Working It

What was your very first job?

So embarrassing, I was a waitress one summer on a tourist-trap yacht that sails around the Statue of Liberty (around and around). I had to wear a sailor suit and everything — not a cute one either, a tie and epaulets!

Where did you grow up?

Westchester, NY.

College?

Kenyon College.

What’s been the most fulfilling part of your business so far?

All the satisfied customers letting us know how much they love their clutch handbags. I get so many stories about customers being stopped on the street or approached at parties by people wanting to know about their Margaret Nicole handbag. It makes me so happy and proud!

The most challenging?

Keeping up with demand!

Best investment you’ve made in this business so far?

Hiring an Internet designer/consultant. Not only has this saved valuable time, but she has made the site so much more professional! I love her.

Worst?

Home Depot handsaw, and electric sandpaper machine — I thought that I should cut our handles ourselves…

Playing Favorites

Other than your own site, what are some of your favorite online destinations?

There are so many great ones out there! We love:
www.girlshop.com
www.shopbop.com
www.mightyflirt.com
www.bluefly.com — who doesn’t love a discount?!?
www.bussbuss.com

Favorite way to procrastinate?

Hate to admit it but I LOVE television!

Favorite magazine?

Again so many! InStyle, Vogue, Lucky, Elle, Vanity Fair, just to name a few.

Fave shops in NY?

Scoop NYC, Olive & Bette, Albertine, Kirna Zabete, and Agnes B for our basics. Jeffrey and Marc Jacobs for wish-list shopping. Selma & Syd for gifts.

Fave color?

Pink – all shades!!

Fave city?

Besides NYC, Paris!!

More importantly, Seth or Ryan?

If I have to choose one…Ryan!

Stylin’ and Profilin’

Describe your personal style.

Classic with flair!

What people in the fashion/design industry do you look up to?

Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Tracy Feith, Cynthina Rowley.

Dream shop to get into?

Barney’s.

Which celeb would you love to see carrying a MN clutch?

Nicole: Drew Barrymore

It’s a Wrap

Where would you like to be in ten years?

I would like to be a known name in the accessory/fashion business — definitely expanding the handbag line to other accessories and clothing — possibly even home decorating products.

Did you ever think you’d be doing this?

I always hoped I would be doing something for myself! And I am thrilled it has been such a success so far!

Visit Margaret and Nicole online at margaretnicole.com.

Behind the Scenes With…
Ophira Edut
by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Teen People astrologer, co-author of AstroStyle: Star-studded Advice for Love, Life and Looking Good, and C.O.O., Mediarology

Birthdate/Sign: December 2, 1972/Sagittarius

Born:
Detroit, Michigan

Current Digs:
Manhattan

The 411:
Identical twins and Sagittarians Tali and Ophira Edut are masters of the media universe. Besides starting their own magazine, HUES, while still at The University of Michigan, the Detroit-born duo has gone on to being the astrologers for Teen People magazine, owners of their own media/web consulting company, Mediarology, touring lecturers on body image, and editors and authors of their new book, AstroStyle: Star-studded Advice for Love, Life and Looking Good. Deep breath. And they’re just 30 years young. Instead of hating them with a burning jealousy, we decided to interview one half of the power pair instead. To find out how to start your own media empire, why Ben should keep his scruffy edge, and why Manhattan kicks Brooklyn’s ass, read below.

School Me

What was your major in college?

Both Tali and I went to art school. She did photo, I did computer graphics.

You guys started a magazine, HUES, while you were still in college. How did that happen?

Well it wasn’t huge when it started. It was a class project for a Women’s Studies class. It was called an “action project,” where you did something that affected women’s lives, like volunteering at a shelter or that kind of thing. Tali, that previous summer, had won Sassy magazine’s Reader Produced Issue so she was the art director for an issue of Sassy. So we got a taste of publishing. I visited her in New York and we were like, ‘Let’s do our own magazine, but make it multicultural too and push it even a little bit further than Sassy is able to go.’ So we did this little mini black-and-white thing and asked our friends at the dorm to write and got grants here and there from different student organizations…$500, $1000, whatever. We got really fired up about it and what we were gonna do. That whole Sag zealot thing — we get an idea in our heads and we don’t stop.

Actually it was us and our best friend at the time, who was an Aries. It is the best combo! I don’t think any other signs understand our signs like we do — Sags and Aries. So we raised enough money to print a thousand copies and scattered them all over campus. People started being like, ‘Wow, I saw your magazine and it’s great. I wanna write and I have a story or a poem, yadda da…when’s the next issue?’ So we were like, ‘Oh, I guess we should print another issue.’ We did an issue per semester after that, and each time we just got more and more ambitious. We made it full-sized, we made it color. When I finished college we decided to make it national. So I went to the NYU Summer Publishing Institute for three weeks and got a scholarship for their magazine program and just soaked it all up. We got a bank loan. We must’ve been smoking crack, but we did.

And that they gave a loan to you, being so young, is rare.

I know. I know.

Did you go in with a whole business plan?

Yeah, I wrote a business plan. I really just wanted it so bad that they could see it. I was just like tell me what I need to know. I’ll learn it all. I was just soaking up the info at lightning speed.

Did you go after advertising and all that on your own?

Yeah we did. When I was at NYU, they had an advertising person come in and talk to us. Since I was the scholarship kid, my job was to clean up the room after everybody left, all the presenters. So he had brought a Rolling Stone media kit and all these other media kits so I was like I’ll be taking these with me. So I kinda copied their format a little bit and adapted it and figured it out from there. As well as a book I found, too, that was really good.

So then a bigger publisher picked you guys up?

Yeah. There was a publisher in Duluth, Minnesota called New Moon Publishing and they published a girls magazine that had pretty similar values to ours. And I knew them as just colleagues in the industry. So I called them up for advice and said we were thinking about selling the magazine because we just couldn’t really afford to keep producing it. Do you have any advice? And they were like we might be interested…

At that point we just kinda pursued only that. That might not have been the wisest decision but we were like they have the same values as us, and they get it. They’re not gonna try to change us into something, they’re not gonna put cigarettes and alcohol ads and all these counter-intuitive things.

So is that when you moved to Minnesota?

Yeah, we made the sale October 1997 and I moved there May 1998. We kind of finished stuff off in Michigan and I moved there for five months and then I left. [You can read about her experience as a "babe in goyland" on her site The Jewess is Loose!]

And after Minnessota, you made the move to the Big Apple?

Yeah. I got a job as an associate editor at Ms. magazine. I worked for them for nine months and then I got recruited by an Internet company for double the salary so I had to do that job. It was to start a multicultural women’s platform. Which never came to be because the whole Internet economy tanked. But it was a fun experience while it lasted.

I felt like my life was surreal when I got a $3 million budget approved. But then I felt like it was even more surreal when the next day I found out another site in the network had gotten a $10 million budget approved and I suddenly felt jealous. It’s like what’s going on here.

It was such a ridiculous time. I miss it so much!

I know, it was all parties and all that. Another launch party or like a carpet cleaner, you know, woohoo!

But back to the present.

Yeah back to our growing economy…

It seems like you guys have never struggled with the whole, “What am I going to do with my life?” question. Is that pretty much true?

Yeah well, we definitely struggle with, ‘How can we make money?’ but believe it or not, even though I have my hand in a million different pots, I have that irrational fear of, ‘How long will this last?’

It’s the classic celebrity syndrome where you wonder if it’s all going to be taken away at some time.

Exactly. It’s like everybody in the world already has a website, you don’t need my web design services, so what will I fall back on. I’m an over-preparer in a lot of ways.

Losing My Religion:

I assume, from your site the Jewess is Loose, you were both raised in a religious environment?

Not that religious. I mean my mother is now in school becoming a rabbi, but it really wasn’t very strict. I did go to a Hasidic kindergarten but then I went to public school after that. So we didn’t keep kosher or anything like that. But we did all the holidays and the Friday night Shabbat dinner thing. Hebrew was spoken in the house but it wasn’t spoken to me, but my parents spoke it to each other all the time. So I was definitely raised like, yeah I’m Jewish. I’m half Israeli.

Were you born in Israel?

No, I was made in Israel but born in Detroit.

So with a somewhat religious upbringing, did you ever catch any flack from your parents when you went into astrology (it being the “devilment” and all according to some religions)?

No actually, because I made money off of it. You know my dad is like the bootstrapping immigrant. So short of selling crack or whatever, as long as I’m making money off of something, he doesn’t care what it is. And my mom has a mystical side to her. She knows a lot about the Kabala and things like that, so they’re actually kind of interested by the whole thing. They both encouraged us to be creative.

Did they have creative backgrounds?

My mom is very creative. She was a teacher. She likes to write. She does musical stuff. She’s a Leo, so they encourage creativity in their kids. And my Dad’s a landscaper, so his creativity comes from making people’s yards look really good, so artistic in a technical kind of way. They had no problem with me going to art school or anything like that.

Was it more if you could make a living from it or sort of do whatever you wanna do?

My sister and I have been starting businesses literally since we were 8 years old. We had a calligraphy business. We had a paper route. We were always making money. When we were in high school, we used to draw on jeans and write these whole stories out, and sell them to the stores in Royal Oak, like Cinderella’s Attic (I got my prom dress there, it’s an awesome store), so they were buying jeans from us for like $60. So basically my parents knew that Tali and I would always be hustling and making money in some way or another.

In a New York Minute

Was the move to NY a big adjustment?

I’d been coming to New York after Tali’s internship at Sassy. We came out at Christmas breaks, and for the summer. We both interned at Sassy the summer of ’92 so I had been coming here so long that by the time that I’d finally moved here it was like, ‘God what took me so long!’ It was an adjustment though. No matter what, when you really do move here, it really does take about eight months to get used to the pace. It’s on its own time zone and has its own rules and energies.

Did you live in Manhattan?

No, Brooklyn. So I’d say I delayed my full adjustment for quite a bit longer.

Do you live in Manhattan now?

Yeah.

Which do you prefer?

I love Manhattan. I know it’s a little artsier to love Brooklyn but f*ck that, I love the city! There’s something to be said for convenience. I don’t have the time to deal with the trains and all that. I’m an impatient fire sign.

Book It

You two were just on TRL. How was that experience and how did it come about?

It was so fun! A friend of mine is working as one of the show’s writers and she wanted to do more stuff that was not necessarily music-related and that kind of thing. And she thought of us.

Do you follow your own astrological advice?

I do actually. I look where the planets are everyday. Particularly the moon.

Isn’t it hard not to write a great horoscope for yourself every time?

I look where the planets are and it’s more of an interpretation. I’m anal about it. It’s like Jupiter is in my tenth house of career now. And the tenth house rules this range of things…Jupiter can be luck, it can also be foolish risks, so I try to look at the whole spectrum of things that could happen. From good to bad and the interpretation for each sign and get it that way. So it’s not necessarily that I’m positive of what’s going to happen but I just know sort of what vibes are available and what things I might tap into. So I try to think about those things. Sometimes things will just pop up though. Like Jupiter went into my ninth house of publishing last September and I got a book deal a few days later. And now it’s in my tenth house of public image and I was on MTV, and my career has never been better. Knock on wood.

Did you guys do a book tour for AstroStyle?

No, Simon and Schuster said that they don’t really always set up tours and that kind of thing. But I’ m looking at more kind of nontraditional things to do. I’d like to go to some high schools. We’re looking into setting up some ‘meet the author’ type things. We’re going to be doing a holiday shopping event at Henri Bendel. So we’ll have a little table… The Henri Bendel event is on December 17. We might also do one on December 10.

In your book, you say that you (Sagittarians) are the gamblers of the zodiac. That seems to have totally worked for you guys.

Yeah, we like to take risks.

Have there been any times where the gambles have not gone in your favor?

Oh I’m sure, but for the most part…I read some survey done about people who were older and they regretted the things that they hadn’t done, but they didn’t regret the things they had done or anything they did do.

What inspired you to write AstroStyle?

We’ve been giving people advice for so long, and we just wanted to put it all in one place — let’s just get it all down. We were doing the Teen People column, so it was just a natural thing to do.

How did the Teen People job come along?

Someone I had worked with at another magazine job knew I used to give astrology advice, and she was then working at Teen People and just remembered that I gave advice and that I was a writer, too. She knew I had my little astrology website at ophira.com. She knew about all that and called me up and so we went in and met with the editor. We named the signs of every celebrity on all the covers and past covers they had up on the walls. She was like, ‘Okay, I guess you guys know the markets.’

Don’t Be Hatin’

A study was published about a month ago, which supposedly once and for all disproved astrology. Does that bother you?

No, because I don’t really have any actual proof, I just know that I’ve been able to guess people’s signs and I’ve looked back at my life and other people’s lives and at traumatic times and transitional times and I’ve looked at what the planets were doing and it was totally in line with what was happening in their lives. So I don’t really care why it works, it might be a mystery that’s not solved for a long time. So to try to take a completely scientific approach to something that’s somewhat mystical doesn’t necessarily work. I expect scientists to not be into astrology, that’s their job. Fine, good. They probably also thought the world was flat at one point, too. Or they had many of their own things they thought were true that have been disproved.

Because We’re Nosy

Do you and Tali live together?

We don’t. I live with my boyfriend [of 1.5 years]. He’s an Aries, born on April 3, a creative person in banker’s clothing. He works at Citibank as a financial planner. And Tali and I live 10 blocks apart.

Fave places to travel to?

Love traveling to Israel. As a Sag we love to travel all over the place. I love anywhere warm and tropical so I always go to the islands and the Caribbean. Anywhere there is great. I really like California…the west coast. I like Seattle.

Have you considered moving out there?

Yeah, before I moved to New York I was thinking about moving to San Francisco but then I got the Ms. Job.

Do you and Tali have similar taste in guys and has that ever lead to some unfriendly competition?

No, not really. Tali kinda likes the high school football team type or band guy…like super jock or the artsy guys. I also go for the nice guy who’s a little bit sporty, a little bit geeky [shouts, "Sorry babe" to her boyfriend and laughs]… Let’s just say I like smart guys.

Stylin’ and Profilin’

Describe your personal style.

Funky, pop culture-y, sporty casual with a little bit of a trendy edge.

Do you get to work from home?

Yeah we both work from home so we can pretty much wear what we want.

Yay, pajamas all day!

Yeah I’m often like,”Tell me again why I should take a shower before 5pm?” But sometimes image is everything…

So how did you guys come up with which styles go with the different signs for your book AstroStyle?

We’ve just been observing people for so long and just noticed certain trends that really correspond with each sign. We really did noticed there were certain archetypes of each sign and the styles they gravitated to.


Do you and Tali have similar styles?

Yeah we do. In our book we say that Sporty Spice is a Sagittarius, and I think we both have that for sure.

Do you borrow each other’s clothes?

Oh yeah. It’s nice. Sometimes I accidentally buy stuff that looks good on her and she’ll do the same. We’re so used to looking at each other that we sometimes forget it’s not a mirror.

Playing Favorites

Favorite shops in Motown?

Incognito in Royal Oak
Cinderella’s Attic
House of Chants in Ferndale
Target
Meijer [like a 24/7 Wal-Mart] — I like the 24/7 action…

Favorite shops in NY?

Henri Bendel
Believe It on 6th and Broome
Air Market — a Japanese store
M to M — Morning to Midnight — an Asian convenience store with groceries and kitschy notebooks and pencils and badly translated stories printed on tiny pencils
Ricky’s — a costume glitter crazy fun place, a little chain

The thing for me, I always end up doing my best shopping in Michigan, because here a lot of the clothes are cut for the trashy club ho look or the SoHo supermodel so they’re either like shiny polyester crap or they’re too small. So I end up finding my best stuff outside of NYC funny enough.

You’re big into the Web, with your own website design and consulting business and plenty of sites of your own. Other than your own sites, what are some of your favorite online destinations?

Imdb.com — love to look up stars’ signs
Astrologyzone.com — great monthly horoscopes by Susan Miller
Tamponcase.com — for design
Bust.com

It’s All About the Bennifers

Okay, the question everyone’s dying to know: What’s in Bennifer’s future? Are these two cosmically compatible or doomed?

They’re not doomed, but they’re both Leos, which mean they need a lot of drama. Last August til this August Leos were all in the spotlight so they were like the “It” sign. But in June of 2003 a trend started where troubles and privacy became an issue for Leos. It’s a time for them to become more self-reflective and a time for them to step out of the spotlight. Mercury was retrograde and there was a real bad angle between a few planets the weekend of the wedding they had planned. It was like, ‘What were they thinking?! Did they not talk to an astrologer? Should I have offered my help?’ So I think they could last, but the thing with Leos is as long as they’re making each other look good or feel like they’re the #1 person in the world, then they’ll stay together.

Leos have a huge appetite for praise and validation, but they also like giving, too. They like to express generosity in magnanimous gestures. They like grand gestures, to pamper and be pampered. As long as they keep feeding each other’s egos and making the other feel like they’re #1, it could work.

Is Ben living up to his AstroStyle potential? He started off as a laid-back scruffy kind of Boston guy, then J.Lo magically transformed him into a faux-tanned, gelled-hair slickster. Now he’s back to the scruffy look, putrid goatee and all. As an AstroStylist, what advice would you give Ben? And should J.Lo stop trying to change him?

Leos can definitely dress up and go all out, but he should do it in a way that stays true to himself. So less of the product and fake tan, but still keep cleaning up. Being a Leo, he should keep that scruffy lion’s edge.

Let’s Get Back to Me

I run a site that is a decent 75% dedicated to fashion. And you’re an expert in styling by the stars. As an Aries, what should I wear and why?

Mix basics with trendy pieces. And mix an expensive item with less expensive pieces. Aries are ruled by the head so the face and hair are important. Sarah Jessica Parker’s a famous Aries and she always does a great job of wearing basics with really trendy accessories. Expensive Manolo Blahniks with cheaper pieces… And she always looks great.

And Lastly

You guys have done what many have tried to do before, and what many will try to do and fail – you’ve conquered the media world. You’ve worked at magazines, started your own magazine, authored your own books, built your own little multimedia empire. You’re like Oprah squared. To that end, can I have a job? Just kidding. But seriously, for all of our readers out there struggling, if you could tell them one thing that you think would be most helpful in life, what would that be?

Don’t be afraid to mess up and make mistakes. And when you do, don’t quit. Don’t listen to people who say you can’t do something, because people will tell you that you can’t. Learn how to say and spin things in your favor and just keep going!

Behind the Scenes With…
Galit Strugano
by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Owner/creator, girlactik beauty

Birthdate/Sign: October 26, 1975/Scorpio

Born:
Los Angeles, California

Current Digs:
The Valley

The 411:
Galit Strugano was born and raised in sunny Los Angeles, California — the same place she’s found success. Working as a makeup artist in Hollywood, she created her own line of glitter makeup, which has been seen on the faces of celebrities like Julia Roberts, Britney Spears, Eve, Hilary Duff and many more. Her products have been featured in Teen People, Glamour, Seventeen, CosmoGirl!, Elle, W and more. Check out her LA story below.

About the Biz

How did you start doing what you’re doing?

I’ve always wanted to be a T.V. correspondent for entertainment and was thinking about how to make connections in the industry, so I got into makeup to meet people behind the scenes and to get discovered. Doing makeup at a fashion show when glitter was at its peak — [glitter] got all over the place, so after watching all the stars wearing sparkles down the red carpet, two months later I decided to create a base for glitter and also [create] fine, fine sparkles, creating a polished sophisticated sparkle eye liner that looked pretty on and not overdone.

How do you go about creating your products?

When it comes to creating my line I just do what I like to my eye. I’ve always been creative but I never knew how much I was. When I create makeup I go to the lab and start with basics. I look at an eyeshdow color for example and say okay I want it to feel silky, have a lot of pigment and be a little more of an icey pink and go from there. Powders, gels, glosses I pretty much say what I want and it’s created for me to look at and give my feedback if needed to get it to what I want.

What inspires you when you’re designing and creating?

I don’t really look at other lines when I’m creating. I just create what I want and what my makeup junkie fans would like to enhance their beauty even more.

Did you study your craft in school or are you self-taught?

I did not study makeup or business. I mean I did take a makeup class but that was something fun for me to do. I think when it all comes down to it in business, it’s all logic. You will make wrong mistakes but those mistakes will just make you stronger. I started with $1,800 and I’ve had my share of mistakes, but I’ve picked up the broken pieces and now girlactik beauty is re-launching and will be a spectacular line!

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

The most challenging job of my business is a really hard question cause I’m so passionate in what I do that I believe in it that I don’t find it to be challenging. I guess getting into the stores I want can be challenging cause they can make you or break you if it’s a store you really want.

The most rewarding?

The most rewarding is when I put my signature liner on someone and when they look in the mirror and they are like, “Wow, that is so pretty!” When it’s older women it’s a huge compliment cause they always say, “I’m to old for that” and they’re not. It’s all in your personality and who you are. When people say I inspire them it’s kinda nice that I can be a positive impact on them. It also feels good when I see girlactik beauty on the pages of the biggest magazines.

When’s your busiest season?

I would say the holidays and summer but it does good all year around.

How many people work for your company?

In my comapany, there’s me, my mom, my brother, and two other people.

Advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs?

Be confident and passionate and you will make it when it’s your time. It does not come on a silver platter. Always remember there is room for everyone to succeed — you just need to want it!!!!

If you could have any celebrity wear your products, who would it be and why?

I’m so fortunate that many celebrities already wear girlactik beauty that I couldn’t ask for more. girlactik beauty will get around and many more celebs will know about the HOT line of girlactik!

Where would you like to be in 10 years?

Ten years from now I would like girlactik to be a well-known brand. It’s a hard question to answer but right now I just want to continue being successful and continue inspiring people.

Where can we find your products?

girlactik is sold at www.girlactik.com and can be found in stores around the U.S.
You can see a list of stores on the website.

Because We’re Nosy…

Favorite designer?

There are too many designers to have a favorite but I like smaller designers sold in boutiques.

Favorite mag?

Oh my gosh…I would say US Weekly.

Favorite restaurant?

This small pizzeria called Pizza Cookery or the Cheesecake Factory.

Describe your personal style.

My personal style is exotic, yet sexy and conservative with a trend. I also love wearing Seven jeans with a tank and a trucker hat.

Favorite city?

Manhattan

Favorite word?

The most popular word I use is “really.”

Favorite candy?

Balance Bar in chocolate peanut butter.

Favorite shop?

There are too many. I shop everywhere.

Favorite website?

Favorite website is mine

In the spirit of Inside the Actors Studio, your favorite curse word?

The four letter word f—.

What are you craving right now?

Ice cream.

What’s on your To-Do List?

I need to do my shade labels, find a photographer for my photo shoot and design my catalogue.

In your CD player?

Cold Play, Christina and Beyonce.

Current Crush?

I’ll keep that a secret — he has a girlfriend anyways.

AM or PM?

I’m a PM person although I love to hear the birds chirping in the morning.

Fave Color?

Powder pink.

Fave flick?

A Walk to Remember.

Favorite artist?

Favorite artist is Britney, I always want to see what she’s going to do next. I think Beyonce is a beautiful, incredible talented artist.

More importantly, Ben or Jen?

I love Ben all the way!!!!

Friendster – yay or nay?

I forgot my password for Friendster and I’m bummed, I heard it’s the hot thing now to be on that and I’m too lazy to figure my password out.

If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?

I would love to be in London.

Anything else we should know?

I’m 27 years young at heart and a true girl like all of you.

Please turn the tables and ask us a question!

I don’t have a question for you as I’m going to just go play with makeup now!

Behind the Scenes With…
Mark Montano

by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Ooh that’s hard, I would say lifestyle designer.

Birthdate/Sign: June 10/Gemini

Current Digs: New York City

Born: Colorado, I just love it there.

The 411:
Mark Montano’s resume reads like every teenage girl’s fantasy. Clothing designer? Check. Interior designer? Check. Fashion mag columnist? Check. Own TV show? Check. So we just had to know how it all came to be. Luckily, Mark is as nice and generous as he is busy and talented. Read on to get the scoop on the man who’s done it all — and has no plans to stop.

All Up In Your Business

You’re so young and you’ve already done so much — more than most people even dream of in a lifetime. Was there ever a period of struggle or waffling about what you really wanted to do professionally? Was there ever a so-called “quarter-life crisis?”

Hmmm, to tell you the truth I feel that way all of the time. Life is wonderful, isn’t it? You have so many possibilities and to do only one just seems like a waste if you have interest in many things. So there is always a feeling of what do I want to be doing next? I have never worried about money, only about being happy. That has made me feel successful no matter what point I have been at in my life.

When you opened your shop in the very competitive retail field of Manhattan, were you ever scared? That’s such a large financial investment to make — what gave you the confidence?

Being naive has helped me a lot. Also good parents who always encouraged me to go out and conquer. If you don’t believe you can fail, then it doesn’t enter your mind.

When did you first start designing and how did you get into fashion and design to begin with?

I started when I was about 14. I used to help my aunts sew their clothes and I just loved it. Sewing is so wonderful and meditational. Since I was from a small town with no real way to get great clothes, I had to make them and that’s what I did.

What’s been your biggest struggle in starting your business?

I think being financially responsible is number one. Not wasting money and finding ways to be creative on a budget. Next would be weighing artistic integrity against salability of what I create. Do you follow your heart or your pocket book?

How did the While You Were Out opportunity come about and do you enjoy the medium of television? What’s the response to you and the show been like?

I wake up sometimes and can’t believe how lucky I am to be on such a fantastic show. The people I get to work with are so fun and it’s like a family wherever we go. I actually auditioned for What Not To Wear and got a call back and they asked me to be on While You Were Out because they saw my book, Super Suite. It was a better fit for them.

How do you juggle filming a TV show, running a shop, doing the room makeovers for CosmoGirl! and actually designing, not to mention writing books like Super Suite and your newspaper column — do you ever sleep?!

It’s funny, I just woke up a few minutes ago and am writing this while I have my first cup of joe. I have a very clear mind in the morning and I can pound on these keys like nobody’s business. Later in the day, when all heck breaks loose, it can feel overwhelming. So what I try to do is get the important things done first thing in the morning and then I can pace with anxiety the rest of the day and make my assistants do the work!

Speaking of your column, we’d love to hear how you went about getting it syndicated? If someone like, say me, were looking to syndicate, would you recommend working with an agent or syndicate or going it alone?

Go it alone and sell yourself. You are your best advocate.

If you could, give us a behind-the-scenes account of having your own runway show? What are the upsides and downsides? And what prompted the decision to not participate in the Bryant Park shows this year? Do you see yourself doing them in the future or will you be concentrating on home design?

I loved being a fashion designer, but right now there is just no room for it. It was hard and financially draining. Loved the creative part, but the money part gave me an ulcer. If I could design without the “pain” part of it I would go back to it in a heartbeat.

I am in OKC at this moment in a great hotel room about to jump in the shower and get ready to speak to 400 women at the OKC Women’s Show. I would much rather do things like that right now than worry about whether a dress is going to fit. Planning a fashion show is like planning a wedding with 38 wedding gowns instead of just one.

In a family of six brothers, was your family supportive of your career choice or skeptical? Now what do they think of your success?

Oh gosh, my brothers are all very successful and my Mom and Dad don’t play favorites. I get to do the dishes at home just like everyone else. I thing my biggest reward for this career was when my 3-year-old nephew hugged the television when he saw me. It made me sad to not be there with him, but I was glad he was thinking about me.

How do you like making over teenagers’ rooms and working with CosmoGirl!?

CosmoGirl! is an amazing magazine with a great empowering message and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of it. Making over rooms and writing for CosmoGirl! helped me become who I am right now in my career. I am a true CosmoGirl! and if anyone says different they are in big trouble with me and with Susan, our Editor in Chief!

Given everything else you’re doing, how do you find the time to handmake the items in your online boutique, like those fantastic flower cuffs, a.k.a. the urban corsages and the cool pillows?

Well, I have wonderful, creative assistants like Jorge and Thelma who sew all day and help me create my little world. They could use a dusting and sweeping lesson, but otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. They are my extra hands.

Out of all of the wonderful and exciting things you’ve done, which has been the most rewarding?

I can’t say. I feel so lucky to be alive most of the time.

What does your ideal future look like? Will there be a home line at Target? Will you be relaxing in the south of France?

Yes, yes and yes. Last night I dreamed that I had a huge white house with a pool. I also dreamed that a stream of uninvited strangers was emerging from it, whatever that means! But the huge house part really got me going. I want to design and live in an enormous house and relax all day (with sketch book in hand.)

What advice do you have for emerging designers?

Always have a pen and paper handy.

What’s been the hardest lesson to learn? If you had it all to do over again, is there anything you’d change or do differently?

Yes, try not to eat so many doughnuts, self-control is key! Get in time for yourself. Give yourself credit. Being part of a click is not important, being true to yourself is major. Listen to your heart.
Money isn’t everything. Fill your life with art. Make things for people. Be generous.

Has there been a moment where you’ve felt like you made it? If so, tell us about it.

No, not yet and I hope there never is. That would feel to me like a place where I would have to start a decline.

What can we look forward to from Mark Montano in the future?

I don’t know yet. Let’s just hope people don’t get sick of hearing my name!

Behind the Scenes With…
Happy Lucky Me creator, Anjali Pathak

by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Designer by way of law school

Birthdate/Sign: March 5/Pisces

Current Digs: Los Angeles, CA (moving to New York City this spring)

The 411:
Anjali Pathak oozes happiness, even if you’ve never met her in person, and just “know” her via her blog and website. So it’s only apt that she named her company “Happy Lucky Me.” Feeding on her unadulterated love of Asian cuisine, she’s built her own lil design niche, scoring her share of mentions in YM, Elle Girl, Bust, Venus, Tiger Beat and many more mags. She took a few minutes out of her non-stop schedule to chat with us about what happens when a former lawyer turned designer sets out to conquer — or at least, find her way in — the fashion world.

School Me

What was your major in college and where did you go to school?

I double majored. I always intended to be a PoliSci major and then just started taking history classes for fun. By the end of my third year, I had racked up enough history to turn it into another major. The day I found out I was two or three classes away from a major in history was a nice surprise. I went to Cal Berkeley. It will be one of the most important experiences of my life. My love for that place is a bottomless pit.

You worked as a lawyer and then jumped into your wonderfully creative and successful design business. How did that happen?

I’ve always been interested in living a creative life. When I reflect on why I took the leap when I did, I think it had a lot to do with the fact that my 20s were coming to a close and I got a glimpse into the future. I thought about where I wanted to be in 10 years and I realized that I’d rather be 10 years into a career as a designer than 13th year lawyer.

Has your background in law helped you in your business? If yes, how so?

I value my legal education tremendously and feel blessed to have it. Law school developed my critical thinking, my communication skills and my confidence. I owe a significant portion of my current and future success to my legal education.

We Are Family

How did your family react when you told them you were leaving LA law behind and heading into a field that’s almost 100% subjective?

My parents and I are very close. When I announced that I wanted to make it as a designer, they were thrown for a bit of a loop, but, they are so sweet now – always telling me to not work so hard.

Did you inherit any of your creativity from anyone in your family or are you paving the way for future generations.

My paternal aunt, Pushpa, taught me to sew when I was still in high school. My first project was a pair of leopard print flannel pajamas. I’m sure I get it from her.

Let’s here about your hubby, Young. Does he work at HLM fulltime as well or is he moonlighting?

Young has his own career, but (somehow) he finds time to help me whenever he can. I ask a lot of him and he obliges – even when my favors include modeling. You can see him in the new men’s shirts. He’s my number one supporter.

How do you like working together?

It’s great most of the time, but there are of course times when we are in desperate need of “fun time.” That usually means seeing friends over a weekend. When we are with other people, we can’t work. We need that type of regulation or we’ll work. That’s who we are.

All Up In Your Business

What was your first job?

In high school I did telephone surveys. I spoke to a *lot* of farmers in the MidWest about what type of herbicide they preferred to use on their Winter Wheat. It was the perfect after-school job for me since I love to talk.

How did you come up with the name HLM?

I sat on my couch with that 1000 5×7 index card pack and just kept writing names and words in all different combinations until Happy Lucky Me revealed itself. I never looked back or second guessed it after that. It just felt right.

Please walk us through the process you went through to form HLM…did you just start playing around with materials and ideas?

I’ve been committed to the idea of Asian fusion fashion from the start. Then I just worked on mixing my personal style with the message.

Do you handmake all of the items on HLM?

Yes, all the bags and tees are handmade in my little factory. There are a couple of new items on the site and those are collaborations with other talented craftswomen. The lip balms are handmade especially for HappyLuckyMe by a chemist in Alaska and the Lover necklaces are hand carved by a silversmith in Florida.

Have you found the design/craft community in your city to be supportive?

Because of my tight work schedule, I rely on my online DIY friends for support.

Did you study your craft in school or are you self-taught?

In high school, I took Spanish language classes at the local city college during the summers so I could take Art as my elective during the school year. Other than that, I’ve been an avid crafter and art-maker my entire life.

Many people have grandiose ideas, but never put them into action, but you have. Any advice for people out there who might want to do something similar?

Work hard. That’s my advice. If you love what you do, it doesn’t really feel like work though. I guess that’s the secret.

Starting your own business is exciting, scary and full of obstacles and learning experiences. What’s been the most rewarding part of HappyLuckyMe.com?

I often find myself comparing my business to a new mom with her baby – every single accomplishment, no matter how seemingly insignificant to others, is thrilling for me. The first sale, the first magazine, the first show, each new design, a new retailer…I can go on and on.

The most frustrating? What’s been the hardest lesson to learn?

When you put yourself out there creatively, it’s easy to be thin-skinned at times. I’m learning to better deal with stress and to roll with the punches.

Many of your items are based on your love of ethnic foods. Tell us more about that.

When I first started out, I wanted to start with what I know. I know Asian food, so I started there. It’s easy to be inspired by Asian food too. It’s all so ridiculously fantastic.

I’ve read on your blog that you’ve recently hired an assistant. That’s great news since it implies you’re so busy with orders that you need help. How great a day was that when you realized your company had grown so much?

You don’t realize you need help until you are so overwhelmed that you want to tear your hair out and cry. So, I wouldn’t say it was a great day when I realized I needed help – but looking back, it does mean something special and I’m proud of that.

Where can we find HLM products?

The best place to see all the latest offerings is on the website: www.happyluckyme.com.

Playing Favorites

Other than your own site, what are some of your favorite online destinations?

EBAY!!! Who doesn’t love ebay? I went through a crazy obsessive vintage LV phase and Gucci navy stripe phase and ebay was there to satisfy my addiction.

Favorite way to procrastinate?

see above.

Favorite magazine?

I’m a total fashion magazine fiend. I read them all. No one single fashion magazine has it all. For celebrity or human interest stories, I do like to read People.

Favorite food?

Candy. Even though my New Year’s Resolution is to stop pretending it’s a required food group.

Fave color?

To see: red and to wear: black.

In the spirit of Inside the Actors Studio, your favorite curse word?

Holy Shit. Everytime I say it – I crack myself up. How did shit get to be holy?

More importantly, Seth or Ryan?

If you would have asked me 2 months ago, I would’ve said Seth, but he chose Anna so I don’t like him anymore. So, now I say Ryan, even though I think he should dump Marissa because she’s being so dumb about the whole Oliver thing. Yes, I’m a fan.

Because We’re Nosy

What are you craving right now?

CANDY!

What’s on your Tivo’s To-Do List?

The Apprentice, The O.C., Curb Your Enthusiasm, Kid Notorious, Seinfeld, Sex and the City, ER, Average Joe Hawaii.

In your CD player?

The Tyde.

Current Crush?

Brad Pitt since 1993.

AM or PM?

PM. (Although it is 4:13 am right now and I’m still up).

Friendster – yay or nay?

I found my grammar school best friend on Friendster. Yay.

What are your thoughts on LA…would you like to stay for a while or are there any other cities you’d like to try living in?

I’m moving to NYC this Spring. I think of it as a sabbatical from LA.

Please turn the tables and ask us a question!

What’s the most interesting bit of information you have learned from doing these interviews?

There’s two things. One is ask and you shall receive, although my college roommie Melissa taught me that a while ago. In that case it was more like, “Hey Blockbuster guy, could you please make it so I don’t have to pay my late charges? Thanks.” So in short, ask and 95% of the time people say “yes.” And two, that people respect passion. Oh wait, there’s a third. Okay, there’s a ton, but I’ll stop at three. It sounds trite but it’s true: You really have to do what makes you happy in life. So just do it already.

Visit Happy Lucky Anjali online at happyluckyme.com.

Behind the Scenes With…
Stefanie Moran
by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Creator/owner of Crucial Cosmetics

Age/Sign: 19/Gemini

Born:
Detroit, Michigan

Current Digs:
Detroit, Michigan

The 411:
Stefanie Moran is running her own business at a time when most people her age are adjusting to dorm life and perfecting the fine art of balancing partying with attending classes. At 19, she and her boyfriend/business partner, Jeremiah Di Perna (21), have launched a fresh line of cosmetics, including super shimmery eye shadows and vibrant yummy glosses. To find out what goes on behind the scenes and inside the head of this beauty junkie, read below.

All Up in Your Business

You’re just 19 years old, yet you’ve already started your own cosmetics company. Can you fill us in on your background and how this came about?

I have been a beauty junkie for as long as I can remember! It started when I was 16. I was freelancing as a makeup artist and needed a pink eye shadow. I wasn’t having any luck finding the shade I was looking for, so I decided to create one myself. Jeremiah and I researched ingredients and purchased the supplies we needed. We created different formulations until we formulated “pinky gleam” eYe luster. After numerous compliments on the shade and many requests we decided we should create more shades and from there Crucial Cosmetics was created. Since then we have created many new products such as lip lustrous and skintillation.

I’ve tested your eYe luster products and they’re fabulous! The colors are so vibrant – what inspires you when you’re creating them?

There isn’t really anything in particular that inspires me, I just create the colors and textures that I love to wear.

You’re developing a line of lip products too. Are those available yet, and if not, when will they be?

Yes, lip lustrous (an ultra-glossy lip gloss infused with shimmer) is available. We have so many new products launching soon, Lip glitz (funky flavored lip balm) and sizzle (a red-hot lip serum enriched with vitamin E and B5). Along with the lip products we are coming out with gel-lo (a bronze sparkling body gel) and eYe~ idescents (cream eYe shadows).

What was your first job?

I worked as a freelance makeup artist at the age of 16.

Many people have grandiose ideas, but never put them into action, but you have. Any advice for people out there who might want to do something similar?

Take a chance if it is something that you are willing to put all your time and effort into. Also make sure you do all the research you can so you are always prepared. It will make things a lot easier!

Please walk us through the process you went through to form Crucial Cosmetics…did you contact a lab to make the makeup for you?

It took us a while to learn about FDA regulations and ingredients found in cosmetics. After gaining extensive knowledge, we created a mini lab and started testing out the different formulations we created until we found the perfect texture and shade of the product.

Have your parents and friends been supportive or skeptical?

Our parents and friends have been very supportive.

How did you come up with the name for your company?

Jeremiah [her business partner and boyfriend] came up with it after he realized how important makeup was to me and we both knew it went perfectly with our products and company.

Biggest challenges you’re facing?

It has been hard to stay in our budget. It is so easy to spend extra money on packaging and we just have to remember we aren’t Estee Lauder!

Most rewarding part of your job?

I love hearing feedback on our products and having girls ask when our new products are launching!

Do you think your age is working for you or against you?

I think so far it has worked for us by allowing us to create products that I love to wear and what other girls in their twenties and thirties look for in cosmetics and enjoy wearing.

Any plans for college? Do you think it’s necessary in your field or a non-factor?

We both are concentrating on our company at the moment and that itself takes up all of our time. It isn’t necessary in our field but college is always a plus in every profession…if never hurts to learn more business skills!

How many people work for your company?

Just me and my boo.

I can hear my Dad’s lecture voice kicking in about being cautious about being in business with your boyfriend. What’s it like working with your significant other? And do you get any negativity from your family or others?

It is great working together and it has never been an issue with our family or others!

If you could have any celebrity wear your products, who would it be and why?

I would love for Katie Holmes to wear our products. I think she is so beautiful and I love her style.

Where can we find your makeup?

You can order our makeup at www.crucialcosmetics.com and you can also check to see when we are added to boutiques near you.

You’ve grown up with the Internet being possibly your main source of information and communication. Was it an easy and natural choice to build a Website for your company and sell online?

Yes, the Internet has been such a big part of our research and information into the cosmetic industry. We knew that starting our Website would be the best way to showcase our products and let our fans purchase them.

What people in the beauty industry do you look up to?

There are so many wonderful makeup artists and cosmetic company creators out there but I would have to say Bobbie Brown. She and her company are very successful! I also think that Shalini Vadhera is a very talented makeup artist and beauty expert.

Where would you like to be in ten years?

For Crucial to be a successfully well-known makeup brand in the industry.

Playing Favorites

Favorite website, other than your own?

Sephora has to be the next best website for anyone that loves beauty products as much as I do!

Favorite way to procrastinate?

That’s hard because I don’t like to procrastinate. I’d rather do what I have to do and get it over with so I don’t have to worry about it. If I really don’t want to do it I will suddenly feel sick!


Favorite designer?

I love Juicy Couture! There are a lot of designers I love but it is so hard to pick considering that I like different items from different designers.

Favorite magazine?

Allure, the best beauty magazine! I read every magazine that is full of fashion and beauty so this is the hardest question.

Favorite city?

I’d have to say Pittsburgh. It’s such a beautiful city, at night from atop Mount Washington is a breathtaking vision. From the shopping, the restaurants and architecture to the hard work ethics, the city is filled with class.
I make sure I save about 3 weekends out of the year to visit.

Favorite food?

I would have to say anything with potatoes! My favorite would have to be cheese potatoes.

Favorite word?

I don’t have a favorite word but I seem to say “what” a lot.

Fave color?

Any shade of pink! As you can tell our logo and website are covered in it.

Fave flick?

Coyote Ugly.

Favorite shop?

I love Anthropologie; the shop is full of funky and unique clothing and accessories.

In the spirit of Inside the Actors Studio, your favorite curse word?

I don’t have a favorite, it just depends on my mood that day!

More importantly, Ben or Jen?

Jen, she is so pretty and her makeup is always glowing.

Because We’re Nosy

What are you craving right now?

My mom’s homemade apple pie!

What’s on your Tivo’s To-Do List?

I don’t have TiVo but if I did it would be anything to do with beauty and fashion. And anything to do with General Hospital.

In your CD player?

Stacy Orrico and the How to Lose a Guy is 10 Days soundtrack!

Current Crush?

That would be Jeremiah.

AM or PM?

I hate the morning…we seem to come up with more ideas for products and for our website in the PM!

Friendster – yay or nay?

Nay

If you could be anywhere right now where would it be and what would you be doing?

I would be in the Bahamas, walking around the market buying jewelry and other
great items!

Describe your personal style.

I love jeans! Earl Jeans, Seven …… I would say my style is very simple and classy and I love accessories.

I’ve just moved to the Detroit area, which is where you’re located. Any tips and recommendations of places I should explore?

I would recommend for you check out all the trendy boutiques and cafes in Royal Oak, Ferndale and Birmingham. I love going shopping in those areas because you can always find great items.

Anything else we should know?

I think we pretty much covered everything.

Please turn the tables and ask us a question!

Q. I love your handbags and your art, when did you start making them?

A. As for the bags, it all started back last Christmas, when my sister and I had the bright idea to get each other the “Easy Sew” for Christmas — you know, those $20 sewing machines they were advertising on TV. Well, you truly do get what you pay for. Since they didn’t work, we returned them and much to our surprise, a few months later, for Valentine’s Day, our parents had bought us *real* sewing machines. After a few lessons from my Mom, I was convinced I’d pretty much never use the thing since I had a hard time mastering the basics like…threading a needle. But a few months later, I dug deep down and found the courage to try again. Ever since, I’ve been addicted to designing and sewing all sorts of things. Though I must admit I much, much, much more enjoy the designing side than the actual sewing itself — those machines can be so finicky and patience is something I was sadly born without.

As for the art, that started a few years ago. I’d always enjoyed painting growing up, but was always too timid to take a class or do anything to learn or develop any skills. Sad, I know. But a few years ago, I was living in LA, and Klaus (my fiancé) and I were strolling around the Beverly Hills Art Fair. We came across one artist that we really liked, but didn’t want to pay $2000 for the painting. I basically said, “I can do that” and did. My first “real” painting was a gift to Klaus for Valentine’s Day…hmmm, I’m noticing a theme here. Guess it’s quite fitting that our slogan is, “Spreading the Lurve One Buss at a Time.”

Behind the Scenes With…
Anita Ghatak
by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Jewelry designer in the wee hours of the night and during every moment I can spare [owner of Indiosyncrasy.com].

Birthdate/Sign: Halloween (10/31)/
Scorpio

Born:
Bethlehem, PA

Current Digs:
New York City

The 411:
New York-based jewelry designer Anita Ghatak has an intense passion not only for jewelry design, but for her Indian heritage and culture as well. This passion is evident in her personal style and in her beautiful designs. Combining her love for exotic and ornate Indian fashion with her respect for individuality, she’s created a line that reflects the many facets of a woman’s personality. So whether you’re feeling flirty, radical, dreamy or dramatic, chances are you’ll find a unique piece to reflect your mood at Indiosyncrasy.com.

About the Biz

How did you start doing what you’re doing?

A friend told me about a designer necklace that she wanted to buy at a high-end boutique in Manhattan but she couldn’t bear the thought of spending that much money on a necklace. I offered to make a similar one. Three days later, she wore the necklace and I had women offering me money to make more…and thus indiosyncrasy was born.

How do you go about creating your art?

New York City is a wonderful place for finding materials for creating jewelry. There are an extensive number of wholesalers and showrooms in the “bead district” and I take advantage of my close proximity to this area. I always keep my eyes open for new materials wherever I am, whether it is in NYC or outside it. The internet is also a great resource for finding other great companies that sell great products. My studio is located in Manhattan, inside my home. I find that it’s easy to create when I’m relaxed and in comfortable surroundings. I don’t ever want my passion for jewelry to feel like work so I prefer to keep my studio in my home. By the end of 2003, I have plans to solicit some neighborhood women’s boutiques to showcase my product, but am spending time developing the product lines right now. Thanks to my website, several shops around the country have made inquiries about my jewelry and are planning to carry my line in their stores. I am thrilled that the Indiosyncrasy line will be featured in different cities.

What inspires you when you’re designing and creating?

I named the company Indiosyncrasy because I know that my inspiration and eye for colour and design originates with my love for Indian fashion. I love its ornate designs and rich colours. But these inspirations manifest in many different styles based on my own varied tastes in jewelry…it could be simple and monochromatic one day, then sparkly the next, followed by bold and chunky, then changing to delicate. Just like any woman I have many facets to my personality, indiosyncrasies if you will, which altogether make me unique. So the jewelry I create changes from one day to the next and as such I think there is something for everyone there.

Have you found that the art community in your city is supportive?

The artists in New York are part of a collective movement and community trying to impart beauty and energy onto others. Each and every one of the artists I have met through my work has offered advice, resources, and kindness…I think because the success of one artist gives all the others hope.

Did you study your craft in school or are you self-taught?

I am completely self-taught, although I would love to study jewelry design and creation as an art form.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

While many people appreciate the designs… there is a difference between being appreciative and being a customer.

The most rewarding?

The biggest thrill I get is the look of surprise and delight on a woman’s face after she puts on her jewelry and realizes that I actually made it. It’s always such a nice compliment when people are really impressed that I personally created something out of nothing with my own two hands.

How many people work for your company?

Maybe one day someone will discover me, love my designs and share my vision, and want to make me a star…but until then it’s just me. My husband has also been very supportive and has lent his expertise as webmaster and artistic director of all the internet and printed materials.

Advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs?

I’ve seen this question asked many times and the successful people always say something like ‘follow your dreams and it will happen, believe in yourself’ and all I take away from that is “blah blah blah”…tell me something helpful! So in turn, I should say something that is actually helpful. A very good strategy (once you’ve got your idea or a vague plan at least) is to go online. Research, research, research! The internet is a fantastic tool for gathering information on where to get supplies, how and where you can showcase your product, how to advertise at low or no cost, communicate with other artists, how to legitimize your hobby into a business, and so on. It’s been a huge help during this process.

If you could have any celebrity purchase your work, who would it be and why?

Let’s face it; I would welcome the opportunity to have ANY celebrity wear one of my pieces. If I had to choose one celebrity though, it might have to be Jennifer Aniston. She’s on a hit show that most people in my target demographic watch and I think she is well-liked by those women. I think she is also considered a well-dressed and well-groomed celebrity with good taste. She’s half of a powerful Hollywood couple and as such people are always interested in her, how she looks, and what she’s wearing. I would consider it a huge compliment if she liked my stuff.

Where would you like to be in 10 years?

I dream of being the owner of a funky boutique shop that features not only my own jewelry but also other Indian-inspired goodies. India is a land full of really beautiful designs and colours and these spill over into all other aspects of living — for example, the ornate clothing and fashion accessories, the rich luxurious fabrics and detailed handiwork in decorative items for the home. I would love to be able to include all these things in a store.

Where can we find your work?

Indiosyncrasy.com is the main online marketplace for my designs, but some retail shops in different cities have shown interest in carrying the line. Check the website regularly to see if any stores near you carry our pieces!

Because We’re Nosy…

Favorite designer?

Of all the clothes hanging in my closet which I adore the most are my Indian clothes,…the lengha cholis, the saris, the kurtas,…and those are made and designed by ordinary people with extraordinary talent trying to make a living in India-but they don’t ever get the privilege of putting their name on a label to get credit for their handiwork.

Favorite mag?

I will read ANY fashion magazine.


Favorite food?

My mother’s cooking…but if that’s not available there is a small little dive near my apartment that serves the best samosas and chicken tikka masala.

Describe your personal style.

Eclectic. I love to mix in a unique item to add some variety. I’m not really the type of person who buys items that are recognizable as being from a particular store or brand. My sense of style and personality changes from one day to the next. I think that is in large part how Indiosyncrasy also works. The idea is that women have different aspects to their personalities-each of the collections is named after indiosyncrasies that make women unique.

Favorite city?

Calcutta…though I was born and raised in the US with the good fortune of an American upbringing, I think my cultural identity is so rooted in India and my family background that I fall in love with Calcutta more and more each time I go there…something inside me calls me to that place.

Favorite word?

I have no idea…this question stumps me!

Favorite candy?

Snickers…because it really truly does satisfy.

Favorite shop?

Anywhere I can get a good bargain.

Favorite website?

Indiosyncrasy.com! My webmaster really brought my vision to fruition and he did it beautifully I think.

Favorite way to procrastinate?

Somehow when there is something really important that needs to be done and I don’t feel like doing it, suddenly everything around me looks dirty and I end up cleaning like a maniac.

In the spirit of Inside the Actors Studio, your favorite curse word?

Bugger.

What are you craving right now?

Pepperoni and mushroom pizza followed by an ice cream sundae topped with hot fudge and melted peanut butter.

What’s on your Tivo’s To-Do List?

Don’t have Tivo…so, maybe I should add “get Tivo” on my to-do list!

In your CD player?

Must be something from the 80′s.

Current Crush?

Same guy I’ve had a crush on since I was 10 years old — my stunningly good looking husband.

AM or PM?

AM…I like the day when it’s just started and the city isn’t awake yet.

Fave Color?

Black is my all-time fave…can’t go wrong with black…but lately I’ve been moving toward blues and purples.

Fave flick?

I generally don’t watch a film I’ve already seen a second time around, but somehow I never tired of watching the “Wizard of Oz”.

Favorite artist?

Salvador Dali.

More importantly, Ben or Jen?

If you held a gun to my head and forced me to choose, I’d say Jen because she’s prettier than he is and is no doubt a better dancer…but that’s only if you actually had a gun.

Friendster – yay or nay?

Not.

If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?

Shopping in India for glass and silver beads.

Anything else we should know?

I have an obsessive compulsion-a pez collection that includes over 300 pez dispensers.

Please turn the tables and ask us a question!

Q. What events or ideas lead up to the creation of BussBuss.com?

A. My oh my, you don’t know how long I’ve waited for someone to ask me that question, so thank you. There were many things that led up to the creation of BussBuss, but I’ll try not to ramble too much. First, I’m a writer, so I wanted a place where I could display my brilliance. I knew so many talented writers and artistic types from my previous jobs, who, like me, were struggling with the question of what they really wanted to do with their lives, yadda schmadda. Since it’s so hard to get your work published, I thought I’d start a site so I could publish not only my writing, but my friends’ as well. Thus I started “the soapbox for all things twentysomething- until we turn 30.” In essence, the site was an irreverent blog with a few articles here and there. I named the site BussBuss because I had grand ideas of having my own magazine someday (still do, thanks) and thought it was a great name. It means, “KissKiss” in German — my fiancé is German and he and his family say it all the time. So that was how it all started.

Since I crave feedback and praise and have an intense entrepreneurial thing going on (hey, I’m an Aries, it’s in my blood), I started contemplating how I could get more people to the site. I knew that meant having some sort of daily update or feature. Since I was spending most of my time shopping online and didn’t want to go broke, I decided to start sharing my great bargain finds with my readers in The DailyBuss. And because I didn’t want those who are younger and older than twentysomething to feel excluded, we changed our motto to “Spreading the Lurve One Buss at a Time.”

In addition to being a writer and shopaholic, I’m also an artist. I naturally started displaying my work on my site as well. In addition to painting, I am engulfed in this DIY/craft movement, and started making my own bags and accessories. I’m the type who, when I see something cool, is like, “Hey I can do that too.” Which is basically how the whole site started. So now in addition to the editorial and The DailyBuss, where I love to feature indie artists and designers, I have my own shop, too. And since I’m master of my own fate (right?) I don’t feel I should have to choose between the two. So someday I’d like BussBuss to be a destination site and magazine for shop-happy and pop culture-loving people. And I’d like to have BussBuss be a successful shop and line of accessories. So there you have it! [The short version is I have an intense desire to create and see results and I have an intense need to be in control, and BussBuss allows me to satisfy those needs - but I'm a writer, so I gave you the long version.]

Behind the Scenes With…
Mary Jeys
by kelly lee

The Vitals

Occupation: Yeah, good question. My paycheck comes from real estate, but I spend most of my time on the Internet or with a paintbrush/pencil/marker/hot glue gun in my hand. You decide. [See www.maryjeys.com]

Birthdate/Sign: August 9/
Leo.

Born:
Houston, TX [raised in Lexington, MA].

Current Digs:
(Greenpoint) Brooklyn, NY

The 411:
The self-effacing Mary Jeys is a jack-ie-o of all trades, master of more than her fair share. In her 9-5 role, she plays grown-up at a Manhattan real estate firm. But she’s best known as a hot up-and-coming artist on the New York scene and as curator of the self-titled Mary Jeys Gallery. Scope out her latest shows and work at www.maryjeys.com. In her “down time,” she writes travel pieces for the international travel magazine Paper Sky, volunteers for God’s Love We Deliver and co-writes horoscopes for everybody’s favorite site, BussBuss.com.

About the Biz

How did you start doing what you’re doing?

From the time I had my own room, I used to play music really loud and play with paint on endless amounts of materials: paper, cloth, Saran wrap, whatever I could find.

How do you go about creating your art?

It’s different every time. Each project requires new materials. It’s part of the process to find materials that best suit each idea.

What inspires you when you’re designing and creating?

Whatever really, really bothers me during the day. When I get pissed off, that’s when I know something is gonna happen.

Why did you create The Mary Jeys Gallery?

Out of boredom and frustration. It began as a journal and a place for writings that came out of me while I was at work. Soon, after I learned HTML (again, out of boredom), I decided I wanted to do more with my site. It occurred to me that I knew enough great artists, in the shape of my friends, to hold a group summer show. I sent out emails to all the artists I knew, and asked them to send me jpegs of their work. Pretty soon, I found myself in the position of curator, selecting works, figuring out how things go together, etc. This is my second show, and things have gotten more focused. I decided to feature more work by fewer artists. This way the “viewer/user” can get a grasp of someone’s work, as opposed to a grasp of my friends.

What has the response been like to your online shows?

I think the response has been positive. I was recently surprised to see how much traffic the site was getting, I’m still in awe of the numbers. The internet is such a strange thing. You feel like it’s you and a couple of people, and later you realize there are hundreds. I honestly have no idea where they come from, or what they think about the site. No one wants to email me. Who are you? Tell me what you think!!!

Have you found that the art community in your city is supportive?

I would say the art community is supportive. It’s just so huge in New York. It’s easy to feel like there are too many of us, but as a whole, the community that I have built is very supportive.

Did you study your craft in school or are you self-taught?

I studied in school [B.F.A. in Studio Art from the University of Texas at Austin.]

You lived in Dublin for a while after graduation. What was that experience like?

Dublin was a great situation. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I didn’t know what to do after I graduated college, but I had heard that I had three months after graduation to travel on a student visa. The most interesting opportunity for me was Ireland. In retrospect it was a MASSIVE leap of faith. I had no job, no place to stay… I didn’t even have a hostel room booked for the first night! That fact became a problem because Dublin had rescheduled their St. Patrick’s Day festival for the particular weekend in May that I arrived (due to the Foot and Mouth breakout in the UK). Eventually, I got a place, a job, and met some of my most favorite people I have ever met. I believe everyone should try something like that once. Leaping before you look. It’s crazy.

Compare the art scene in Dublin to that of NY. Was the scene in Dublin welcoming?

I didn’t get a great chance to feel out the art scene there. I was a chef in a cafe in the shopping district. There was a great gallery just across the street from us, Kerlin Gallery. I would head up there during breaks some days just to look around. They must have thought I was crazy. I headed up there stinking of the kitchen, dirty with food, and that stupid blue-and-white checkered head wrap they made us wear at the cafe. I went there a lot and went to another gallery in Temple Bar a lot.

You had a show there, didn’t you? Tell us all about it.

The show I participated in is another good story. When I was looking for a place to stay in Dublin, I would go to this internet cafe in the morning when the listings first posted, call all the numbers, schedule meetings, and then have all this time to kill with no money to spend. So I headed into Temple Bar Gallery and looked around. On my way out, I was looking at the flyers by the door. Most of them were sort of the same flyers you see everywhere, poetry readings, movie screenings, etc. But one was a call for entries. I saw that the show was right up my alley [Sculpture in Context, an annual show held at Dublin Castle] and the deadline was VERY soon after I picked it up. So, after that, instead of killing time walking around, I was sketching, researching, and drawing my proposal. I pretty much forgot about sending the proposal out after I got a job and a place and found a few friends. And one day: I got a call. The show was in three weeks and they had some concerns about the practicality of my proposal (I wanted to paint a line on Dublin Castle’s grounds, and it’s a historical site, so there were some reasonable concerns). I came up with a solution and sent it to them. I didn’t like my solution, and figured I would be eliminated because it sucked. A week later, the coordinator, Ken, called me and asked me about the new proposal. I tried to back out, but he said I was already in the catalog. He wouldn’t let me out! Which was really strange… I always figured I had to beg in, and here was this Irish guy demanding that I figure something out. On the phone, just to get him off my back, I came up with using a yarn line instead of paint. He was stoked. And I had two weeks to braid 120 meters of yarn. I worked feverishly every minute I wasn’t working, sleeping or showering. The show was set to open on September 13, 2001. I was in another country, watching what was happening on TV [September 11], and trying to finish the work I had, install, and show up at the opening. I didn’t meet many people at the opening — I was still in shock. My father was supposed to be there, but because all airports were shut down in the U.S., he literally couldn’t fly over. It was a very exciting experience tainted with sadness.

What’s the most challenging part of your job?

Getting into the studio.

The most rewarding?

The sense that I’ve done something worthwhile, at least to me. That I’ve done something important to my own development as a thinker and as a sensitive denizen of culture. It’s rewarding to notice your own progress. But that happens rarely, but when it does, it’s really a revelation.

How many people work for your company?

That would be one but I have plans to employ millions if I can just make the payroll work. Know any good accountants?

Sorry, no. Advice for up-and-coming entrepreneurs?

I am an up-and-comer! So, the advice I repeatedly have to dispense to myself is: to keep working. Even if recognition doesn’t come on this project, it’s emotionally and professionally rewarding to finish a project. To keep working even when you don’t know what it’s going to look like in the end. Because when you reach the end… and you will, you find yourself.

If you could have any celebrity purchase your work, who would it be and why?

David Bowie because… duh. No, well yes David Bowie. He’s actually an avid collector of British contemporary art. I realize I’m not British, but our American counterpart doesn’t excite me as much: Dennis Hopper. Both of these celebrities are well known as art collectors, and both have been credited with adding a certain amount of marketable interest in the artist’s careers that they collect. So, just based on a Dennis Hopper versus David Bowie: David Bowie.

Where would you like to be in 10 years?

Tokyo.

Where can we find your work?

You can check out a few things at www.MaryJeys.com.

Because We’re Nosy…

Favorite designer?

Lisa Frank.

Favorite mag?

I really liked Shout before they stopped printing.


Favorite restaurant?

Montien Thai Restaurant on 3rd Avenue.

Describe your personal style.

I have been described as being “retro” — whatever that means… Some say “hippie” — all I know is that I love A-Line skirts that fall at the knee, headscarves, blazers, and Mary Janes. I also like the military look.

Favorite city?

Hell if I know, I liked Dublin a lot… but New York is crazy.

Favorite word?

At the moment I’m trying to work “flotsam” into my vocabulary.

Favorite candy?

Straight-up Hershey’s milk choco.

Favorite shop?

I like being in Pearl River Mart [Manhattan].

Favorite website?

Don’t judge: TelevisionwithoutPity.com.

Favorite way to procrastinate?

Sleep.

In the spirit of Inside the Actors Studio, your favorite curse word?

I love an aptly used “cracker.”

What are you craving right now?

ChapStick.

What’s on your Tivo’s To-Do List?

Tivo? To do: Get Japanese groceries, develop my slides, finish the horoscopes. [In addition to her art career, Mary also co-writes monthly horoscopes for BussBuss.com.]

In your CD player?

Lebanese Hits.

Current Crush?

Tie between Luke Wilson and Orlando Bloom.

AM or PM?

PM in the haus!

Fave Color?

Usually I like pink.

Fave flick?

I still can’t get over The Breakfast Club.

Favorite artist?

Sheesh! What a question. Let’s go ahead and make a composite: Richard Prince mixed with Ed Ruscha, Jessica Stockholder, Jim Shaw, Cindy Sherman, Vermeer, Manet and others.

More importantly, Ben or Jen?

Gwen.

Friendster – yay or nay? If yay, how many Friendsters are in your personal network as of today?

Oh, hell yay! Um, plead the 5th.

If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?

Anywhere where I didn’t have to go to work tomorrow.

Anything else we should know?

I never had a puppy as a child.

Please turn the tables and ask us a question!

Q. What the hell makes you so special?

A. That’s easy…I’m the real Kelly Lee. Please stand up. Please stand up.