skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Not into malls? Going from one store to another to see the top desgners latest creations?
No need for that with "Mimi's Choice"!
Mimi's Ladies and Gentelmens stores has the top fashion designers creations on display. Her "Gentlemen Best Brands" store reminds me of the cigar room at New Yorks Waldorf's Hotel.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Mimi Juneau to ask her some questions.
You was named "SLENTREPRENEUR 2008". Congratulations! Tell us how you feel about winning this honor?
I feel great ! And yes it's a great honor! I was nominated with 12 other people.... real great persons in SL, like Dakota Neumann of GOL and 6th Element, Robustus Hax of MBC, Rusch Raymaker CEO of AVENUE...etc
Who is Mimi Juneau?
I live in Antwerp, Belgium. I have been in SL for 2 years now. Here I have a nice home at Olivine Island, where I live alone with my dog Napoleon. But most of my time , you can find me in my shops next to Redgrave.
What inspired you to open "Mimi's Choice?
I was fascinated by the nice clothes, ballroom gowns , I saw here. I tried to figure out how to make clothes myself, but no luck :( Then I bought some nice resell items, change them a bit, added things and made my own pictures. And it sold! :)
How do you decide which designers you show at Mimi's Choice?
Bax Coen was the first I asked, if she wanted sell in my shop. I loved her boots from the first moment I saw them! I'm very grateful she said yes :) After Bax came Zhao shoes, Sartoria, Jador etc...
I only want to sell what I like myself, hight quality ! I owe that to my customers !
When did "Mimi's Choice" first hit Second Life? and did you ever expect it to be what it is today?
I opened my first shop, 2 years ago, in the Redgrave sims. I never expected I would grow like this. I just wanted a little shop to keep busy here :)) But believe me, it takes a lot of time and work. A lot of people try to copy.
Do you feel that there is enought designers of mens fashion is SL?
Of course there is more choice in lady's outfits, but in last few months I have seen a lot of new shops for men in SL. So I think men have enough to choose from now. And I'm trying to collect the best in my men's store.
What do you think about SL fashion, and tell us what you would like to see in SL fashion?
I go to a lot of fashion shows, and what I see is that the dedigners have improved a lot, when you compare them with the clothes of 2 years ago. A lot has changed, now they use prim parts and sculpties.
How do you relax?
I like to go to a good concert in SL to see great performers, such as Reis Alter, DonFranko Dagostino, Jonas Luasea and more.
I can go wild on the tunes of Jonas or at Truehouse Café. LOL!
I also like a romantic dancing under the stars....
If you could make one fashion trend is SL go away, what would it be?
Trash!
Do you go shopping or just pop over to one of your stores?
No , I don't shop anymore. I have so many nice things from very good designers. But peole expect me to wear the things I sell in my shop :)))), and that's ok, because I get new things every day, the best you can get !! lol
Mimi Juneau, has to be one of the most helpful and nicest person I have meet.
I find myself going back to her stores more and more! You get a chance, stop by, and say hello to Mimi, I'm sure you will agree with me!
I was recently informed of a person that is in charge of marketing for a fashion agency. Which is good for the agency, except when they are marketing for two agencies! Is there no such thing as Loyalty in this time and age?
Do you think Pepsi and Coke use the same marketing agency?
If so who would they give their best effort to?
Of course $Linden's would have a play in it. A very large play in it.
Is it fair for all the employee's of the agency?
I guess one can have a show for Redgrave, and the other for hmmm.......
a lesser unknown designer.
Loyalty means a lot to me. I guess Lindens are not as important to me as friendship, doing the best I can for the person or company that hires me.
Since we are on the subject of Loyalty what do you think of a CEO of an fashion agency that is in management at another fashion agency? I am one who believes if you pay someone to do a job for you they are to be pay enough that they would not have to work for the competition, especially if they work at the same two agencies as the Marketing director of both agencies! So is loyalty important in SL fashion? A fashion agency has a duty to be loyal and honest to it's models. It is the models that make the agency. A designer has to be loyal to it's customers. It is the customers who keep coming back. I guess Lindens play a big part of being loyal, well to some, but not me. So next time you decide to hire someone, see where their loyalty is, or pay them more!
I’m not exactly sure how old I was or even when I first became aware of Betty Page. She is one of those American Icons that has just seemed to always be present, like Coca-Cola, Apple Pie, and Baseball. I do however know that I like many looked at Betty Page (often in the form of an artists renderings, such as Olivia) and marveled at her beauty, the daring outfits and poses and feeling as though I was sneaking a peek at something that just maybe, I wasn’t suppose to see. And of course all the time, wishing I could also be as beautiful and famous someday as that woman whose face, body and style seemed to be found, despite the era, in so many places throughout popular culture. When I heard that Betty Page had passed away I was like many at first shocked and then of course saddened. To be honest I couldn’t have told you if the woman I had seen countless times in my life was still alive up to that point, she was larger then life simply because of her iconic status. And Icons are never supposed to die. Never! I was overjoyed to learn she was not only discovered in New York City while working as a secretary but it had taken place right in Coney Island, maybe where I myself have walked countless times. Maybe she even ate at the very first Nathan’s there, two pieces of American (and Brooklyn) history entwined. Her attitudes and outlook were years ahead of her time and she lived and challenged the social norms of her day so much so that they took an intense personal toll on her. The backlash from some of her more controversial pictures even spawned a senate investigation, no doubt giving those investigating a perfect chance to secretly gawk at the very pictures they pretended to be so outraged by. Church groups and others hounded her and she claimed that FBI Agents would come up to her and display her naked photos to her in attempts to harass her. Eventually the stresses led to her suffering a nervous breakdown and her life was quickly and seemingly forever changed. She had three failed marriages, was institutionalized, arrested twice for assault on landlords, but found innocent for reasons of insanity. She was diagnosed as schizophrenic and eventually came to find religion in her life. She lived the majority of her life quite far from the lens of cameras, preferring to be remembered in her beauty of her youth. Only on occasion would she appear publicly and as mentioned above, much of her longevity can be tied to the artists who never forgot her unique and legendary photos and introduced her time and again to new audiences. Through the years it was after all, her beauty and unmistakable style that continued to span generations and reach new fans all around the world. Who could have guessed that the Suicide Girls would today be claiming to be the new Betty Pages so many years ago? xxx Bettie Mae Page (though listed "Betty" on her birth certificate) born April 22, 1923 in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the most famous and admired American pin-up models of all time. She appeared in countless men's magazines (including Playboy), mail order photos, ads, paperback and album covers, and a few films and TV shows until 1957, when she withdrew from public life and seemed to vanish. Because of her killer curves, sweet smile, sparkling eyes, and unique, black-banged hairstyle (as well as a penchant for nudity and involvement in controversial bondage photos), her legend grew over the following decades. Images of Bettie have inspired artists, designers, writers, bdsm enthusiasts, and the public at large; some have even credited her with launching the sexual revolution. Her seamless combination of girl-next-door freshness and dangerous sensuality has led to a thriving cult following. In 1992, after decades of mystery, it was finally revealed that Bettie was still alive and had just been living a private life since her "disappearance." She still enjoyed the Bettie fandom and gave occasional interviews, but was rarely photographed, wishing people to remember her as she was in the 1950's. Bettie has been quoted as saying... "It makes me feel wonderful that people still care for me... that I have so many fans among young people, who write to me and tell me I have been an inspiration." As the model who many have argued raised cheesecake to an art, Page combined exuberant, wide-eyed innocence with confident, sometimes aggressive sexuality. VANITY FAIR praised the playfully seductive Page as “our Uber-pin-up.” The NEW YORK TIMES has declared that today “her star shines more brightly than it did in her brief heyday from 1950 to 1957.” PLAYBOY immortalized Page as one of its inaugural cover shots. Bettie create her own style, not worrying what others might think. Bettie Page was a true Fashionista! RIP Bettie, you will be missed but not forgotten by all the Fashionista.
Welcome to Meet The Designer. A spotlight with some of SL's most innovative and creative designers. I have had the pleasure this week of interviewing Alba2 Rossini, the CEO and brains behind Alba Fashions.
Alba has a strong creative flair for any fashion lover in SL. She has 3 stores, located at Watersedge Los Vegas, Italia Vera and Sallow.
Alba is not new to the fashion scene in SL and models are often seen strutting their stuff on the catwalk in her designs. I had the opportunity to interview this talented designer. Her creations have flair, versatility and and wont cost you the earth. The collection is diverse from stunningly beautiful wedding gowns, chic casual day wear to elaborate sparkling evening wear.
How and when did you start making clothes?
It's been more than one year since I started to create clothes for women, that's happened in october 2007 when I created my first model "black fairy".
What is your design philosophy ?
As a real life artist, a painter, I love to create clothes as if they were pieces of ART, painting and sewing all over the body. That is a start, but I follow real life fashion events because the big stylists give me so many ideas that I combine with my fantasy. Moreover considering that we are in second life, the world where the imagination comes true, everything it's possible to create, and I enjoy doing it.
What kind of person do you vision wearing your designs?
A woman who is sensitive,intriguing, charming and feminine. This is the girl who loves my creations, she is the one that is sure of herself and that catches the eye of everybody.
What kind of person do you vision wearing your designs?
A woman who is sensitive,intriguing, charming and feminine. This is the girl who loves my creations, she is the one that is sure of herself and that catches the eye of everybody.
How would you describe your collection ?
Just as I feel myself, my collection is a reflection of my way of being, always different from yesterday, I always feel new and with the desire to make things very different among themselves.
There are hundreds of clothes designers in SL, what do you think it takes to become an established well known designer?
Passion is very important, then precision, attention to detail, understanding your market, information and promotion.
When do you think Alba Fashion became a key player in the fashion world of SL and why ?
The people who discovered me, loved my designs and prices were reasonable. It was purely through word of mouth .... and here I am now one year on.
Participating in fashion shows is another good thing. People want to be informed and these events are a good way to showcase your designs.
What would be your advice for anyone trying to design clothes in SL ?
Use your imagination, be creative, be yourself. Second life brings a lot of opportunity to be someone, the most important thing is to find a place where you can create .
What has been your greatest challenge so far ?
Creating 'DIANA', one of my wedding gowns. A friend of mine was getting married and she wanted a dress similar to the one Lady Diana was wearing when she married Prince Charles. Copying the 'DIANA' look was a big challenge.
Style Card
Photograph 2)Angel
Photograph 3)Aglaia
Photograph 4)Diana Wedding Gown
Look out for my next installment of 'Meet The Designer' with interviews from Indrya Seigo, from Indyra Originals and Scarlett Niven from The Niven Collection.
My special thanks to Alba for taking time out to speak to me. Hugs !
How do you compare fashion designers, with different styles?
Well if you know a way please let me know!
I will not try to compare these two creations, because each one is vastly different in style. What I would like to do is compare the bang for your lindens.
I went to Mimi's Choice, and picked out a dress created by Ziamela Loon of
Jador Fashion.
Ziamela, has some very lovely creations, several I will be buying for gifts.
Her "Ultraviolet" dress caught my eye. It is a deep violet skirt that has a flowing feather boa. In between is a sequin scorpion, with claws covering the breast.
It sells for 1,200L's
Besides catching my eye, it made me wonder what type of person would buy it.
If anyone has ever attended a fashion show, one knows that 90% of the dresses are not created to be sold. Prada, Gucci, Fendi, and other famous designers create these dresses to catch the eyes of the world. Fashion house buyers attend these shows to get an idea of new and different designs, then get with the designers with ideals of what they are looking for. Then these famous designers create the dresses you see gracing stores in Milan, London, and New York.
Looking at Jador's "Ultraviolet" it must have been one of these creations, meant never to leave the runway!
Getting back to who would buy this dress, I did think of a few possibilities of who might buy it. Well just two. One would be that husband or boyfriend thats buys it because they think it is sexy. The other would be an exotic dancer hoping to rope in a sugar daddy with the boa, then stinging him for every Linden he has!
Moving on from the feathers and scorpions we go to Scarlett Niven of "The Niven Collection Shop".
It is my opinion that Niven Collection Shop is a time bomb ready to explode!
Natural Lizard Coat Dress w/Accessories sells for 600L's.
This beautiful dress has a leather belt between the skirt and top. A removable lizard choker and matching shoes. This design was differently create for the fashion stores of Milon, London and New York!
Any true Fashionista would not waste time getting to "The Niven Collection Shop"!
She has a beautiful "Holiday Red Dress & Accessories for 550L's on the second floor that is to die for!!
This month we compared feathers, scorpions, and lizards. The lizards win hands down!
LE.Look is LE Place!
I received a press release from Moonaco Porta, and an IM asking if I would take a look at LE.LOOK. I read the press release, the opening statement said "Get ready to enter the ultra trendy, innovative and always stylish world of LE.Look!"
I really do not like shopping malls, the lag, the crowds, and let not forget the camping and prize chairs!
I told Moonaco, that I would visit her's and Sawyer Campese's sim, but I make it clear that if I wrote about LE.LOOK that I would be honest and pull no punches!
Besides anyone that IM's me out of the blue, asking me to do a write up is looking for trouble. (One mark against them.)
Well Moonaco, I hope you are ready! You deserve this for asking. No, you deserve this because LE.LOOK is the best built shopping sim experience that I have ever had!
The landing point is right in the middle of the Shopping Experience. (so hate the Mall word!) the first thing I notice was space, lots of space. The place could be maxed out with shoppers, and you would not have to worry about bumping in to anyone unless you tried. I walked around LE.LOOK, then walked around it again. I visited each store. They are all stores, not spaces as most shopping areas have.
Each store is well laid out, not cramped. The stores displays are well spaced, so if there are several shoppers looking at the same item, you do not get all bunched up trying to get a look. The "Shopping Experience" has 4 well spaced out fountains that run the length of the sim, with benche to sit and take in the beauty. There you will find fine designers such as Nolabel, Baiastice, Indyra Originals, Bax Coen, Yabusaka, Zaara, plus over 20 more well known SL designers and stores.
I spent a total of over 4 hours, in 4 visits at LE.LOOK, and plan on going back as much as possible. LE.LOOK is very relaxing, which I find I need more each day.
So if you are ready for a Shopping Experience, then LE.LOOK is the place to go.
Several months ago JD Hansen, that fabulous jewelry designer of JCNY released a limited release of a beautiful necklace. There are to be only 30 sold at 30,000L's each. The first time I went to have a look, I was there about 20 min. Was it worth 30k? Would I buy it?
My first thoughts were that no creation in SL is worth 30K!
The more I looked at one of the necklace's the more I liked it. For several months I been trying to decide to buy one for my lovely wife.
It diffently would not be something to wear everyday. It would be something to wear at special events. A nice evening out at a Gala, or a cocktail party maybe at a photo shoot for a 35K outfit. Yes there is a 35,000L outfit! It is by Zullay Designs, their Limited Collection." So limited there is only one. For 35K you get 18 different items with it. Mix or match, that is still about 1,800L's per item.
You will get a personal fitting if you bought it, and you can request a personal showing before you buy it. Now when I heard about the outfit, In my mind I saw the most beautiful gown ever created, so when I was tp'ed to Zullay Designs, I was looking with anticipation for this beautiful creation. Rezzing was never so long, as I look at the pictures popping up before my eyes. Slowly moving my eyes as each picture became fully rezzed. I turned around several times, before asking where that beautiful creation was! My friend said very plain and simple "You're standing in front of it". My first reaction was "This is not a beautiful 35K dress." This was not even a dress!
Now this is a very smart looking outfit. I'm sure it would have no problem selling if the price was in the 700L price range. It is not worth 35,000L's!
I would think that the owner's ego had taken over, but looking at the other items in her main store, I saw she had some very lovely creations. I will be bringing the wife back, and spend some time and linden's at Zullay Designs, but it will not be on a 35,000L outfit!
Are there creations in SL worth such outlandish prices? Well, I'm standing here in JCNY's vault, looking at a beautiful piece of art!
I recently asked some models which SL designer is over rated.
Out of about 20, only one came back and said "Stiletto Moody Shoes"
Now being married to a model that has a "shop till I drop mentallty" I am well aware of Stiletto Moody and her boots and shoes. The times that I have been there, the place was packed, and the lag was horrendous!
So when the wife offers a limo to Moody's I decline.
I did make it over there last night very late, and there was only 3 others in the store. I spent about 45 mins. there, looking at every item she sells. The details are exceptionally fine. Stiletto offers about 15 different styles, with a wide selection of colors for each one.
Now is Stiletto Moody Shoe's over rated?
I don't think so for the quality of the products she offers.
Personally I would buy a pair for my lovely wife every week. (Sorry Stiletto I just don't do gift cards, I'm a gift giving man)
As a Fashionista, we take pride in our style, and looks, so if a 1,500L pair of shoes is what it takes to achieve that look then no, Stiletto Moody Shoes is not overrated. She may be over priced for the everyday person, but we can't all be Fashionista's!
When I decided to open a modeling agency and academy, little did I know about Models with Tude. From my past experiences seeing models at shows with their smiling faces, and bubbley personalties I thought that all models were all around nice people.
Well all models are not as nice as they seem.
I think some of it comes from the fashion academies and agencies.
They have Classified their models in groups.
We have the : Super model, Top model, Elite model on the high end.
Training model, Beginner model, and Model on the lower end.
My first experience with a Tude model, was right after I open Le Belle Facon. I was looking for a director to run it. One of the applicants within the first 2 mins of meeting me, proceeded to tell me of her grand ideals of how the agency building and landscaping should be laid out, along with her plans on how she was going to run it. After talking to her about it, I remembered that it was my agency!
I think she fitted in the "Elite model" class.
Right off I knew that I did not want titles for our models.
How would it feel to be a new model right out of a modeling academy, surounded by all the top,super and elite models. I would be a nervous wreck the first time I stepped out on the runway with them. More worried about what they would think of me, then in doing my job.
I had one model pull me to the side and told me that I needed to change the tag of some models, to training models, cause they have not earned the right to be called a model! She must have been a "Super Model".
Don't get me wrong there are some models I would call Elite, Super and Top models. Like Chalice Carling, Mimmi Boa, Imogen Miklos, Jula Carnell, and the list goes on. They earned the titles, by going out of their way to help the newer models, They are nice, considerate, respectful to everyone they work with. Yes they, and many others are Super Models in my eyes! They earned the titles they have, but they did not earn it with TUDE!
Fashionista SL's Premier Fashion Magazine will hit SL on Feb 1 2009! Contact Kasen Kazan inworld
"Garbo" The name defines the word Fashionista!
Fashionista Magazine has been looking, for the past several months for someone to be the face of our Magazine/Blog. Someone that in essence says Fashionista. If Greta Garbo was still alive, no doubt she would be that person.
