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A Kick In The Pants: Texas Style Council Brings First Fashion Blogger Conference to Austin

March 2, 2011 4 Comments written by Crosby

We put a lot of focus on networking and inclusion at the Texas Style Council conference for this reason; we don’t want anyone to go home NOT having met new people! – Grechen Cohen

While March in Austin is typically synonymous with the interactive media and music conference SXSW, this year the town is getting a much needed kick in the (designer) pants with two new fashion events, the StyleX emerging designers event at SXSW and the Texas Style Council’s inagural blogger conference, taking place March 11-13.

Grechen Cohen and Indiana of Adored Austin are organizing the three day event, which has completely sold out on Sunday, though the free events on Friday and Saturday, including a clothing swap and dance party, are still up for grabs (well, at least when it comes to the clothing swap!). If you’re lucky enough to be in town, be sure to bring your boots and business cards, because this is fashion networking, all warm and welcoming Texas style.

Confirmed speakers include:

Grechen Cohen

Grechen Cohen

Grechen took the time amidst all the planning to answer a few question about the event, fashion blogging and working with fashion PR’s. Grechen is a prolific blogger who has maintained professional style/shopping blogger status since 2006 when she began Grechen’s Closet – a blog devoted to outfit pictures and online shopping. She branched out in 2008 with Grechen’s Codes, filled with hundreds of coupon codes for online shopping, Green Grechen, for eco-fashion, free!grechen for fashion giveaways, Grechen Blogs – a blog about blogging & finally, New to ATXher HQ for Austin’s local Fashion Blogger group.

What was the impetus for creating the Texas Style Council Blogger’s conference?

Last year, Indiana organized a very successful new media brunch and boutique crawl during SXSW and we wanted to take it to the next level this year [by] adding more networking opportunities and a learning component. We also wanted to include bloggers from all over the country. [We want to] provide networking, fun, and learning opportunities for style bloggers – and to do it again next year!

What can attendees expect?

LOTS of fun & networking! We really wanted to put equal emphasis on having fun & learning for this conference. And we made sure to schedule the networking/fun stuff before the actual conference so we’d have a more relaxed, informal atmosphere and everyone would know each other already!

What do you think blogger conferences/events/style networks being run by major print pubs?

I haven’t participated in any fashion/style blogger specific conferences, but I do think they can be valuable if bloggers go into them with a plan, and an idea of what they want to GET OUT of them. And honestly with most conferences, who you meet can be just as important (or more) as what you learn. [However], it’s difficult to meet new people because cliques have already been formed and they’re hard to penetrate. We put a lot of focus on networking and inclusion at the Texas Style Council conference for this reason; we don’t want anyone to go home NOT having met new people!

You chose Jennine Jacobs are your keynote – why is she the perfect fit for your conference?

Jennine is an inspiration to ALL fashion/style bloggers and has done so much to create and build a community; she didn’t just sit back and enjoy her success, she figured out a way to help others be successful, which is what I now try to do as much as possible. And I haven’t met her yet, but we’ve been virtual friends for years, so I’ll admit that one reason is that I REALLY wanted to meet her :)

What are three tips for fashion/style bloggers looking to make blogging a full-time lucrative career?

Well…I don’t know how lucrative it is, but being a full-time blogger is awesome :) Right now, I personally make a living only by selling ads and from affiliate commissions, but I started in 2004 and have a highly-developed niche; I don’t think my success is easily duplicated. I don’t always recommend that bloggers follow the route I took today, but I do believe there is value in selling ads and having affiliate relationships on your site – as long as they are RELEVANT and valuable to your reader. Today, bloggers need to be prepared to go offline and USE their blogs as stepping-stones or as one part of their money-making plans. If you’re a photographer, use your blog as a portfolio. If you’re a stylist, use your blog to get jobs [styling].

What are three examples of how fashion PR’s get it wrong when pitching you? 3 ways they get it right?

Ha! The biggest PR Fail for me is spelling my name wrong, but I also find it disappointing to get pitches featuring celebrities (I NEVER talk about celebrities, which is obvious if you read any of my blogs) and ones where it really just feels like they want me to “announce” something, not that they’re interested in working with me over time to promote their brand. The relationship is what’s important, and I work with several PR’s who keep me well-informed by staying in touch. They don’t just reach out to me when they NEED something from me, they ask what I NEED from them. I’m interested in how can we work together.

Filed Under: News & Events, PR Couture Tagged With: Fashion Blogger Relations, Fashion Events, Fashion Networking

Global Runway for Literacy at FIDM San Diego

October 31, 2010 0 Comment written by Crosby

Roon to Read San Diego Global Runway Literacy

Crosby Noricks with model Dagmar Bjork

Last Thursday a few girlfriends and I attended the Global Runway for Literacy, an event hosted by the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for the San Diego chapter of Room to Read. Room to Read is an incredible organization that seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education.

Photo: Erika V. Doria

The fashion tie-in took the form of several models casually strolling about in outfits by local designers. These designers took on the challenge of designing wearable art inspired by the theme of global literacy to celebrate Room to Read’s ten years of success. The T-shirts were auctioned off to the highest bidder with 100% of the proceeds going to Room to Read. In combination with the live auction, the event raised just shy of $20k! This money will be used to create 3 integrated libraries in a school in Asia, print 4,000 copies of local language books and send 16 girls to school for a year.

Room to Read’s CEO and CO-Founder, Erin Ganju (Right), Photo: Erika V. Doria

Most impactful was the inspirational presentation by Room to Read’s CEO and CO-Founder, Erin Ganju, who shared the many successes that have come about through Room to Read’s outreach. Particularly, she cited several statistics about the importance of educating girls and how that can have deep ramifications within local communities. Remarkably, 42% of girls in developing countries are not enrolled in school. Room to Read’s Girls’ Education program currently supports more than 6,800 girls on long-term scholarships and in 2008, 98% of girls in the Girls’ Education program advanced to the next grade.

Gordana Goga Gehlhausen (Right) Photo: Erika V. Doria

I chatted briefly with Gordana Gehlhausen (Project Runway, S6) about her decision to make San Diego home (weather, vibe, close enough to LA), and captured a quick interview with my favorite look of the night: (forgive my rather ridiculous camera work – I have no idea what I was thinking, but I was holding about 100 things including a glass of champagne at the time!):

Feeling inspired? Donations may be made online at www.roomtoread.org/SDGala2010 and more photos are available on the PR Couture Facebook Page. Extra special thanks to Karen Baez, Room to Read Volunteer Chapter Co-Leader, for the invite and to photographer Erika V Doria and Llewerentz- Dbjörk for capturing the evening.

Filed Under: News & Events, PR Couture Tagged With: Fashion Events, Fashion Networking

PR Couture, LAMB, Tory Burch: Business of Fashion Panel, River Club NYC

October 4, 2010 3 Comments written by Crosby

Crosby Noricks

Senior Thesis Presentation, "Fashion Playground," Pitzer College 2001

Join Pitzer College for wine, hors d’oeuvres and conversation

at the beautiful and historic

River Club of New York
447 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10022

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

6:30–8:30 p.m.

I am so excited to be hopping on a red-eye tomorrow night (well, that part isn’t so great) to head to New York City for a few days. I’m there specifically to speak on an alumni panel for Pitzer College (one of the Claremont Colleges), a free-thinking, social-responsibility focused tiny weirdo liberal arts college where I once had to write a paper connecting Irish Dancing to the historical craft of gun-making. Quirkiness of that one freshman seminar assignment aside, it was through the flexibility of Pitzer that I was able to wrangle a study abroad trip to the London College of Fashion as part of my media studies degree.  And it was through that experience, as well as classes in feminist thought, art and film, that my first inquiries into the academic study of fashion occurred.

Much to my glee and surprise, a small handful of other alums have also ventured into the fashion industry, and these are some serious success stories:

Tim Schifter ’80 is chair and CEO of Schifter + Partners, an accessories company he founded with Gwen Stefani. Together, they design and manufacture handbags, small leather goods and computer accessories under the L.A.M.B. and Harajuku Lovers brands. Following his graduation from Pitzer as a political science major, Schifter started his fashion career at LeSportsac, which was founded by his father. He took the reins when his father retired, and grew LeSportsac into a $100 million company.

Honor Brodie ’93 joined Tory Burch in 2008 as Editor in Chief where she currently oversees the look, feel and content of toryburch.com as well as the brand’s social media. She graduated from Pitzer College with a degree in American Studies. She began her career at the talent agency, International Creative Management. In 1995, she switched to working in magazines—first at the Los Angeles bureau of Vanity Fair and then at In Style. As In Style’s West Coast Correspondent, she covered the red carpet and booked celebrities. In 1999 she was promoted to Senior Writer to write features and cover stories. In 2001 she moved to the New York office where as Assistant Managing Editor she conceptualized, assigned and edited many of the magazine’s most popular issues.

Elysha Lenkin ’93 has been a New York City-based fashion stylist for over 10 years. Throughout her career she has worked with a variety of clients including major brands; AT&T and Huggies, retail stores; Aeropostale and TJ Maxx, popular magazines; Parents and Time Out, and celebrities;  like Tina Fey and Carrie Underwood to name a few. Before entering the world of fashion, Elysha was a contributing journalist for trend-setting magazines URB and Index. She started styling upon the insistence of her photographer friends, who recognized Elysha’s eye for style and knack for spotting trends in fashion, music and travel.

This is going to be an amazing event, so if you are interested, please consider grabbing a ticket. PS – there are some amazing door prizes and gift bags,  you are sure to learn a lot about the industry, go home with some sweet swag, and perhaps I’ll tell you about “Swanky Mondays,” which included dressing up in our prom-style finery and acting out parts of Dirty Dancing in dorm hallways. Oh college.

Filed Under: PR Couture, Press Coverage Tagged With: Fashion Events, Fashion Networking, New York Fashion PR
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