Fashion Week Digital and Updates

Well time has been flying since my last entry...I have a couple exciting by SMITH updates to fill you in on...

My Spring 2012 Collection will make an international debut by participating in Fashion Week Digital in August of this year. I was picked to show my collection in this show last month and I am very excited to be involved. Fashion Week Digital is the first online fashion week show presented to web viewers live. The FWD site will play each fashion week show live during the scheduled time from August 25th - September 1st, 2011. The site will also have membership options where members can pre-order certain show pieces directly through the site. The site will include video interviews of each designer's collection and feature stories about each designer/brand. I am excited to be a part of Fashion Week Digital!

To read more about FWD click here:

http://www.globalfashionwire.com/press/en/63793/Fashion_Week_Digital_Creates_The_First_Online_Fashion_Week_Available_To_Everybody_In_The_World.html

This Sunday I am moving by SMITH to a studio office located in Soho. When I get everything moved and organized I will post pictures of my new work space. This month we will have a new Business Coordinator joining us and I could not be more excited! We have a couple of by SMITH interns starting at the end of the month as well so we will have a full house. I will introduce our new business gal in my next entry...so more to come!

Yesterday, Mary Margaret Kemp, one of Holland's close friends and a Kappa Delta sista- was picked as one of the top teacher's in America with Regis and Kelly's 2nd Annual Top Teacher Search! This is so exciting and on May 10th she will appear on the show for an interview! Congrats Mags!

Check out the link: http://www.dadt.com/live/contest/topteachersearch/11/index.html

This week if you shop in Isabella of Memphis you will receive 20 % Off by SMITH, Annie Griffin Collection, and Hunter Dixon as a weekly promotion! If you are in the area pop in to shop great things for a fabulous price!

by SMITH is now in Gus Mayer of Birmingham in The Summit--stop by to shop our Soho Shorts! Spring/Summer is now is Jakarta, Indonesia which is probably a bit far for most of you blog followers, but just incase you are in the area, check out Le Privee in Plaza Indonesia:

http://www.plazaindonesia.com/store_detail.php?id_store=190&id_ref_store_category=&id_ref_menu=6

More to come soon...signing off-

ATL---back to NYC

by SMITH on Mack.

Model for Medical Alliance Fashion Show: Featuring Part Two, Tuscaloosa

Wendy Crenshaw in my booth at F.I.G. - She was a great by SMITH helper for the day!

I am back in New York for two full weeks! I am excited to say it's finally starting to warm up here. Yesterday after running a few errands I was reminded that warm weather does exist here. It was lovely; I am surprised I didn't tap dance down the street I was so happy.

Back to business-

Dallas was a success and I really enjoyed the layout of F.I.G.- it was very modern and contemporary. When I was in Dallas I stayed with one of best friend's Allie. We had a grand old time catching up during my visit. After Dallas I headed to Atlanta for my last big Fall 2011 trade show in AmericasMart. I always enjoy the show in Atlanta because it's great to work with stores who have been with me since the beginning of by SMITH. My niece, Chappell, my sister, Holland, and my parents came to visit me in Atlanta so it was fun to see them! Chappell is my heart- I love that child...she calls me "Aunt Miff."

Also while I was in Atlanta I reconnected with this incredible Jewelry Designer- Diana Warner, http://www.dianawarnerstudio.com/ that I met when I went to AmericasMart in high school. She is opening a new space this summer in New York and will be carrying by SMITH! I love her stuff and bought a few pieces for myself.

Updates:

Last week by SMITH Fall 2011 was featured in a Medical Alliance Fashion Show in Tuscaloosa for our incredible store there- Part Two.

So what's in the works right now?? Time to really get things rocking and rolling for Spring 2012--my prints are in the works and everything is beginning to evolve..more to come with next season...

We have our new site up: www.bysmithcollection.com

If you haven't checked it out- please do...I love it-

Today one of my fall pieces was featured on this blog called Mack. by Kristin Mackercher. Kristin and I went to Alabama together and I appreciate her support. She has a really cool blog- take a look: http://kmmacker.blogspot.com/2011/04/madly-deeply-red.html

This Thursday- Saturday, The Cotton Mill in Nashville is having a by SMITH Spring 2011 Trunk Show. They will have our best spring looks perfect for Easter, The Derby, Stepplechase and spring weddings. If you are in the area- stop by and shop!

More updates soon---very exciting updates that I can't share yet so please stay tuned my friends

LA last week...Dallas here we come!

Waldorf Dress

F.I.G. Fashion Industry Gallery Show!

Paula in booth at SELECTS- L.A. Market

Victoria & Paula @ Villa Blanca

Me & Jodi @ Villa Blanca

Well it's official...I live out of a suitcase or at least this month I am. The L.A. show was great for by SMITH. I am so glad I decided to show in L.A. for West Coast exposure and sales. We opened numerous new accounts and saw some of our current accounts there as well.

When we were in L.A. we all stayed with my friend Jodi from Atlanta. Jodi and I moved away from Atlanta at the same time- she went West as I headed North. She was a wonderful hostess and it was great to see her and her new home. While we were in L.A. we went to Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills...which was AMAZING food and atmosphere!

http://www.villablancarestaurant.com/

And if it sounds familiar to my Beverly Hills Housewives followers that is because it is the restaurant owned by Beverly Hills Housewife, Lisa Vanderpump-Todd.

I can't wait to go back for another show in California- where the weather is nice and the people are all so happy. I enjoyed being around a more tranquil environment for a few days until I was creeping through airport security on the way back, as my flight was boarding. This was when I realized it was time to go back to New York...where people run, rush, and move quickly for no reason half the time. I enjoy that more...at least I know if I get caught up in the crowd I will make it most places in a timely fashion to say the least. So anyway L.A. was fab-u-lous!

Tomorrow I am headed to Dallas to participate in The F.I.G. Trade Show for the first time. I am so ready to show this collection in Dallas and think it will be a great market for by SMITH. The show is Thursday-Saturday from 9am-6pm so that is where I will be for the rest of the week/weekend. More updates from the show afterwards!

Next week we will be headed to Atlanta for our last Fall 2011 Show so yes I will keep my bags packed and head to GA next week.

Be on the look out for the second shipment of by SMITH Spring- it all went out to stores last week. You will start to see more of our Spring separates hitting stores like our Gramercy Blouse, Harlem Top, and of course The Soho Shorts I keep talking about. Go get some before they are gone! Monkees of The Village (Winston Salem), Lulie's on Cahaba (Mountain Brook Village), Isabella (Memphis), Cottage Chic (Charlotte) and many more of our stores have Soho Shorts! The Waldorf Dress also hit stores this month which is the perfect dress for Easter, weddings, or engagement parties. The Waldorf Dress has an elegant tea party chic flare to it which is a piece that every southern belle should have in their closet. Whose is carrying this piece? Envy (Huntsville), Bella Rose (Lexington), Tickled Pink (Naples), Part Two (Tuscaloosa) just to name a few---

Check out this article that came out this week in Style Cabana, written by Molly Griffin: http://www.stylecabana.com/moda-cabana/by-smith-collection-designer-clothing

Pictures above: Paula, Victoria, Jodi, and Dallas Fall Show Advertisement!

by SMITH heads to LA

We are packing up and heading to Los Angeles on Sunday for the upcoming SELECT Contemporary Fall 2011 Trade Show at The California | Market Center. The show runs Monday through Wednesday and will be my first time showing on the West Coast. My flight on Sunday morning leaves New York at 6 a.m. which is so lovely...

My good friend Paula, Owner of Solo Salads, www.solosalads.com and her best friend Victoria will be joining me to help with the show. Paula worked Coterie with me and it was wonderful having her help!

Check out by SMITH on The California Market Center Blog: http://californiamarketcenter.blogspot.com/2011/03/by-smith-at-select.html

Special feature: http://www.californiamarketcenter.com/select/eblasts/Eblast_SELECT_Mar2_WEB.html

More updates after the show!

After Coterie Update

This week was an incredible week for me and By Smith. Fashion Coterie took place Sunday through Tuesday and while it was snowing and freezing we still had a great show. It was my first time showing at Fashion Coterie and I could not be happier with how things turned out. Paula, Collier, and Stephanie (Collier's wonderful friend from New York) were all there helping me work the show. Last Saturday, Grant and Paula helped me get ready for the show at The Javits Center which was an all day mouse chase that closed with a great dinner at Fig & Olive in Meatpacking. We decided we deserved a little treat after a day of hard work with no heat- The Javits was probably colder than Antarctica on Saturday.

After three days of showing my Fall 2011 Collection we came out with reorders from current By Smith stores and opened accounts all over the world. It is a good feeling knowing that I could be wondering around the streets of Vancouver, Tokyo or Jakarta and see one of my creations in a store window. I have no plans to go to any of those places at this point, but maybe I could arrange a trunk show?

On the second day of the show, Bud Konheim (Nicole Miller's CEO) whom I have written about in previous blog entries, came by my booth to say hello. Bud has been a wonderful mentor and I felt so honored that he took the time to stop by and chat with me.

That same day I had another "fairy dust" moment when this woman named Laura Lee walked into my booth. Laura Lee and I started chatting and after a little bit of time I realized that I knew exactly who she was and her story. I read about her on an entrepreneur website which discussed her ups and downs as a business owner. She had a big break with her handbags and then had a horrible experience occur with her factory after the tsunami hit where they burned her bags out of respect for their lost loved ones. This experience gave her two options, to keep on going and figure out a second plan of action or to quit. She chose to keep on going and I commend her for that because owning your own business is like a roller coaster with good days and bad days. I printed the article so I could read it again on days when I need positive reinforcement and encouragement. So meeting her was definitely an Oprah moment- it was amazing that she just stumbled upon my booth. It was meant to be I guess! Check out her website: http://www.lauraleedesigns.com/press.asp

My shorts are continuing to be a Spring 2011- must have. I am serious if you don't have them yet, get a pair...they are incredible. The warm weather should be arriving soon and I can't wait.

Next stop for me and By Smith? I am headed to LA for a contemporary trade show, SELECT, taking place on March 14th-March 16th at The California Market Center. Check out their site:

http://www.californiamarketcenter.com/select/exhibitors.php

Paula will be coming with for a round two trade show event! I am excited she is going to be joining me again.

More to come soon!

Update: NYC

We have officially made the move to New York! It has only been two weeks, but it definitely feels much longer. The day we moved everything in I was greeted by an angry cop upset about our parking situation, several death stares from a doorman because he thought I dropped trash on his stoop, and a very rude bagel man- and I told myself...ahhh welcome to NYC.

Spring shipments were packaged and went out last week so check out your local favorites to find my spring pieces! Get your hands on a pair of Soho Shorts- they are incredible. The fit, the colors, and the versatility they offer your wardrobe is endless. They are amazing and I am not just saying that because they are mine. Get a pair and you will all agree-

By Smith Spring 2011 is now for sale on edressme.com, http://www.edressme.com/by-smith.html - check it out!

We had our Fall 2011 shoot this past weekend and it was so awesome! I will share pictures soon-

Coterie starts Sunday and runs through Tuesday so lots of work to do to get ready for the show. Paula one of my best friends will be assisting me in my booth and Collier will be there too! I am so excited to have them here and know we will make a great team.

-We will be located in The Javits Center, Hall 1A, Booth # 9337-

By Smith Ties are a new area for us and we are doing very well with them. I am getting very low on inventory and have almost sold out of every color. They are great gifts and they really look fabulous on. If anyone is interested in purchasing one email me, info@bysmithcollection.com.

1 for $60 and 2 for $100

More to come after Coterie!!

By Smith AmericasMart Summer 2011 Show

For appointments please contact: sales@lindaunderwood.com