Don't Listen to Doubt

Fashion is one of those fields where people will tell you you're crazy to get into. There's lots of competition. A lot of disappointment. A lot of hard work. But isn't everything that's worthwhile hard work and risking disappointment? There will always be someone who will tell you can't reach your goals, whether you want to be a fashion designer, an actor, a musician, an artist, a philosopher, even a president. Throughout my life, I've learned to just not listen and keep doing what I love. Because if I keep doing what I love and put all my energy into it, it's bound to happen one day. That's just how it works. When you're passionate and dedicated, there's no reason why you can't make your dreams a reality.

People are right though. The journey towards your goals won't be easy. I went through lots of revisions of my work, my technique, my style before I found one that people like that's still reflective of me. So, don't get discouraged if you don't get the reaction you want right away. Don't get sad when buyers or potential clients reject you. Rejection is a good thing. It means you are putting yourself out there, you're taking risks. And if that makes people call us crazy, then I guess we just are.

Cheers to us...the creative, resilient, passionate, hard-working, crazy individuals


OC

My Time With Los Angeles Fashion Week

Last Thursday was my fashion show and I could not be more happy or thankful about it. All of the preparation and hard work that my entire team and I put into this production was so worth it. Because of that, I just want to take a moment to thank each and every one of them. The venue, which was at St. Vibiana, was beautifully decorated. Style Fashion Week LA did an amazing job putting together the entire show, from the sound, to the lighting, to the set, everything was fantastic. A Line Media, my PR company, did a great job at keeping the event organized and running. Adria Heath, my friend and stylist for the fashion show, did stellar work at helping me complete all of the runway looks. My business partner Romey who helped to coordinate and make this event possible. To all these people, thank you so much for everything you've done. 

The day of the show started off very hectic, as you can imagine. We had to transport all of the clothes to the venue and make sure that everything else was going according to plan. The universe was definitely on our side that day as everything went smoothly. We got to Vibiana at 4 o'clock to begin our pre-show prep. Models took their places in hair and make-up, got fitted for their clothes, and ran through dress rehearsal. During some fitting, we ran through a few issues, but they were all very small problems that were easily fixable with a sewing kit and scissors....luckily. When I wasn't with the models, I was communicating with A Line Media PR confirming the seating arrangement and guest list. And when I wasn't there, I was being interviewed by fashion reporters from several publications such as, Runway Magazine, Spirit TV, and Ms. FABulous. 

As showtime neared, my parents arrived. They travelled all the way from Mexico to see my show so, I could not have been any happier to have them there. Their presence and support meant so much to me that night so, I wanted to make them proud. As I peeked through the curtains to look at the crowd, I noticed a full house. A full house of people waiting to see my collection. At that moment, there was nothing more that I wanted than to knock their socks off....and I think I did that based on the standing ovation. That reaction just made all of the sleepless nights and hard work I put into building this company, the collection, and this event, all worth it. 

 

But now that the show is over, the real work begins. The work of using that momentum from the fashion show to further expose and advance the Octavio Carlin. There are lot of things in the works for the Octavio Carlin brand so, expect to hear a lot more from us this year. The fashion show was just the beginning. Wait until you see what's in store next.........

Looking forward to the next post, 

OC

Me with Spirit TV

Me with Tegan Webster of Runway Magazine

1st look

The Golden Dress

My Beautiful Parents

The Show Is Here

I feel like I had been talking about the coming fashion show for so long and now it's finally here. This evening I present my Fall/Winter 2012 collection at the Vibiana with Style Fashion Week LA. So, as you can image, there was and is so much to do. But rather than bore you with the tasks I accomplished or the tasks that I need to do tomorrow, I want to take this time to give thanks.  I'm so blessed and grateful to be able to do what I love, to be creative, to be artistic, and to just have the freedom to express my vision.

It was a long road to get here, a road that started not in fashion, but in interior design. I always had an interest in art and architecture and interior design was the perfect blend of those two. But after trying it, I realized that designing clothes was more of my passion. I enrolled at FIDM and after graduation I started designing costumes for Disney shows and music videos. It was a great experience that let me explore outrageous themes and looks that everyday apparel couldn't get away with. But I wanted to design things that more people can get use out of, things that can make women look and feel beautiful inside and out. That's when I decided to launch my own line and my journey in the fashion business began.  I opened my store in Los Feliz where I designed custom-made gowns and dresses for my wonderful clients.

Now, I'm in another chapter in my life. I'm relaunching my brand as a line that can cater to a larger group of stylish, modern, sophisticated women. I'm still designing dresses and gowns, but I'm including pieces that can be worn in your everyday lives. Trust me, you don't have to go to a fancy party to wear Octavio Carlin. As long as you want to feel confident and stylish, then you can wear my designs. And tomorrow, everyone will see for themselves the new stylings of the Octavio Carlin brand.

Hoping for a happy and successful show,


OC

One of my Fall/Winter designs

A Designer and Four Dogs

While I was doing some weekend cleaning, I found some old pictures of my dogs. For those of you who don't know, I'm a dog lover. I guess that's why I own four, Ramona, Lala, Mary Kate, and Ashley. I know, I'm a sucker for those puppy dog eyes. But can you really blame me? Seeing those pictures brought back memories of how I got them. They all have different stories, but the one thing they have in common is that they all needed a home. Lucky for them, I have one. :) 

So, I never planned on having four dogs. The situation just presented itself every time, like many other wonderful things that happen to us in our lives. The world just has a way of bringing people and things together. Ramona, named after my grandfather Ramon, was a rescue dog I got from Riverside. One look and I couldn't leave the pound without her. She's a mix breed and I love her unique look and energy. Lala came to me from Van Nuys. Her previous owner was an acquiantance of mine and his apartment didn't allow pets. So what else was I supposed to do? Have her live in the pound? Never, so I took her in and kept her name the same. It suited her, anyway, and she was already used to it. Mary Kate and Ashley are twin sisters, as you probably guessed by the names I gave them. They were part of a litter of saluskis that my friend had. He didn't want to split the two of them up so, he was having a hard time finding an owner who would take two dogs. I saw their amazing bond and I fell in love with them.

That's how I ended up with four of the best dogs in the world. There's nothing better than coming home from a long and tiring day at the studio and being greeted by them. They are definitely a huge part of my life.

Lala & Ramona

Mary Kate & Ashley

Baby Ramona

Where Do You Get Your Inspiration?

Silent Film Actress, Natacha Rambova

Many people ask me that question. And it's sometimes hard to give a holistic answer. Yes, I am inspired by nature, by my surroundings, but it's more than that. It's about how we interpret those inspirations based on our experiences, our skills, and our ways of thinking. My friend and I can look at the same sculpture and produce two very different designs. Why? Because of the way we all uniquely interpret our environments.  That's why it is sometimes hard to answer that question entirely.

My collection changes every season, but the basic mood of the Octavio Carlin brand stays the same. It is rooted in my love for Modern Art and architecture and clean lines. But it also has a lot of glam, femininity, sophistication, and Old Hollywood feel from my love of the 1920's era of silent films. Put that together with my experience making theatre costumes and studying interior design and you finally understand the foundation of how I interpret what inspires me.

So, how about you? What inspires you and how do you express that to the people around you? Do you do it by sketching, painting, singing, writing, dancing? Remember, we are all designers. We just have different canvases that we work on.

Find your inspirations,

OC

Busy Bees

Adria Heath (Stylist) & Octavio Carlin (Designer)

Hi everybody. Are you all having a busy week like us over here? So much to do for LA Market and LA Fashion Week. I feel like I'm constantly running around from place to place. It's a little stressful but, it's the good kind of stress. The stress that every designer wants to feel.

Monday we had the photoshoot for our lookbook. The pictures so far look amazing and it's thanks to my team that got it done.  I had Tessa from Vision LA model my collection. Her look is simply exquisite, glamorous, and bold, but still gracious and feminine. For photographers, I had Joe and Jared from J Squared Photography. They did a great job capturing her beauty, as well as the beauty of the clothes. Now all that's left to do is wait for the edits and the finished lookbook. I couldn't be more happy.

Tuesday was all about the fashion show and everyone was at my studio preparing for it. Romey, my business partner, was of course here. Juanita, my sewer, was here too. And Adria, my friend and stylist for the show, was also here with her newborn babygirl, Venezia. We're exposing her to the fashion world at a very young age. When we weren't playing with the Venezia, Adria Heath and I were busy figuring out the accessories we will use, the number of looks, the hair styles, and the make-up that the models will have. At first we were having a hard time picking out the jewelry that matched the feel of the collection, but we finally settled on something after we were inspired by Mary's bracelet. I don't want to give too much away but just be prepared to see beautiful novelty jewelry. And in case you are wondering who Mary is, she is the one who strategizes and manages our social media campaigns. She's like a blogging, twitter and facebook police. Mary dropped by to pick up things she needed for our facebook page.

So there you have it. My days are filled with preparation for LA Market and Fashion Week. You know I keep talking about my collection and I just realize that I have not even told you what it is about. Again, I don't want to give too much away but just know that I was inspired by Ancient culture and streamlined Art Deco. Have I confused you now? If I did, don't worry. Everything will make sense on March 15th.

Until then, I wish you all a happy and productive week.


OC

Planning For Our Fashion Show

Me Getting Interviewed About LAFW

Hello everyone. Last Friday my business partner, Romey, and I began the planning for our upcoming fashion show. It will be on March 15^th at the St. Vibianna, a production by Style Fashion Week LA.

If you've ever put on a fashion show, you know it’s a lot of work. Aside from getting your collection complete, you have to come up with a vision for how you want to present your line. It cannot be something generic and boring. The venue, the lighting, the staging, the dramatics, the effects, and the emotions all have to tie with your collection. The people at Style Fashion Week LA are very good at this so Romey and I are very happy to be showing at their Fashion Week production at the St. Vibianna. It’s an old beautiful cathedral with baroque columns, ornate arched ceilings, and windows that have a skyline city view. It’s magnificent. 

We actually did the casting on Friday. 15 models total. My friend Adria Heath will be styling their looks. She is an amazing stylist who happens to also be my friend. I love working with her so, Friday was a pretty fun day. But, there is still a lot to do. We still need to finalize the set, the lighting, music, and this and that. A lot of work. But, it’s the kind of work I enjoy.

I feel this fashion show will give people a better idea of my new vision and plans for the Octavio Carlin brand. As I mentioned in my last blogging post, I want to make beautiful, high quality designs accessible to more people. And this show is going to send that message to everyone. I am truly thankful and blessed to be able to showcase my Fall 2012 Collection show at LA Fashion Week. Looking forward to an amazing production!

Until next post,

OC

The Start of My Blog

Everyone has been telling me to start a blog. Start a blog, they said. But I didn’t really understand its importance until recently. Yes, it’s true that having a blog can be good for business. But, what drove me to start it is my want to connect with other people who appreciate good fashion and style. People like other designers, stylists, bloggers, and of course, my clients and fans.

As most of you may not know, I’m re-launching the Octavio Carlin brand, in time for its debut in LA Fashion Week. My concept is simple-to make beautiful, high-quality fashion attainable for a lot more people. My background comes from working with clients one-on-one to create intricate dresses and gowns that make them look and feel stunning! I love being able to help my clients look and feel great. But how much more gratifying would it be if I can help more people feel that sense of inner and outer confidence? That’s what I want to do with my line. I want to give men and women access to beautiful clothes  high-quality fabrics, and impeccable execution.

It’s a new strategy and new inspirations. But the vision to make high-fashion accessible to everyone has been a vision of mine for a long time. And now, it’s finally coming together. This blog will document my road toward the re-launch. It will capture happy moments, frustrating moments, and memorable ones too. In my attempt to become more involved with my fans, I will also be more active in this social media. Follow me on twitter and facebook, subscribe to my youtube channel and see pictures of what inspires me on my pinterest. Those places and my blog will be where you can get updates about me and my brand. So fashion shows, events, photo shoots, will be all be announced and featured there.

Until next time. Appreciate life.

OC