Daywear Back on ETSY

I just uploaded some daywear options back on ETSY. Please visit www.courtneybrookedesign.etsy.com. They are made to order, so you can pick any color you like.

New Images and New Gowns

It has been a little while since the last post. I have just been so busy. I had another photoshoot a couple weekends ago and photographed new gowns. The ones shown are a silk and tulle overlay gown-super princess and sparkly (I love it), lace and silk dupioni vintage inspired gown, and an elegant, simple strapless gown that is totally customizable (ie: beads, lace, pearls, chiffon, etc can be added for an additional fee). All of the gowns can be found at www.courtneybrookedesign.etsy.com and are made to order. They are truly beautiful.

I am in the process of booking trunk shows and should hear back next week. Can't wait to showcase the collection at a boutique. The photos do not do the dresses justice, so I can't wait to show them in person.

I am working on recovering my antique chairs and settee with white leather and refinishing the wood to an antique walnut glossy finish. I should have them done this weekend, which is exciting. The next post I will post pictures of before and after. I am totally in a home improvement mood. :) I guess that is what spring does.

I am starting to design and sketch my Spring 2011 collection. New York is inspiring, especially in the summer.

PHOTOSHOOT, PRESS KITS, TRUNK SHOW

I have another photoshoot this weekend and I can't wait. I have new gowns and am rephotographing some other gowns. I get to work with a great model and photographer. I am looking for a make-up artist and hairstylist, so I hope I find one asap.

As I have been writing I am sending out lookbooks and press kits as soon as my new books are printed after the shoot this weekend. I took pictures of my press kits. They include items that represent me as a designer: Earl Grey Tea=British schooling/Influence, Local Connecticut Honey= I support local vendors and manufacturers (no outsourcing), Antique milk glass tea cup and saucer=vintage/antique styling, Godiva White Chocolate Pearls=I only use the finest materials (ie: south sea pearls, Italian silk), and all of my info (about the designer, brand, lookbook, etc) will have a hand made garter around it. I hope it gets the attention of an editor.

I am hoping to contact boutiques next week to set up a time for a trunk show. Check back soon with an update of when and where I'll be.

I am pushing to get new orders as much as I can. I have started Google ad words and I have a Facebook ad. I am getting clicks, so I hope I get some orders coming in soon!

It is spring in New York and it is just beautiful outside. Everyone is looking much happier. Winter here is brutal, so when a hint of summer comes the city lights up. I feel blessed to live in such an amazing city. I can't wait for the true summer. Summer in NYC is like nothing else!

Added afordable accessories to Etsy!

Hi all. I just added affordable accessories to Etsy. I added silk chiffon hand painted scarves in various colors for only $35.00. These are great gifts or great to add color to any outfit. It is a way for everyone to have a CourtneyBrooke original! Please visit www.courtneybrookedesign.etsy.com.

Radford Fashion Show

Last weekend my roommate, Shannon, and I took a trip down to Radford University for their annual Undergraduate Fashion Show. We were asked to be judges for the show, which was very exciting. This is from an artical written for the university, "Class of 2007 graduates Courtney Yates, owner of Courtney Brooke Designs, and Shannon Moulton, a technical designer for Charlotte Ronson, came from New York to judge the fashion designers’ garments. They credit RU for successful careers. “The interior design and fashion design program here is one of the best. It’s a wonderful learning environment in every aspect,” said Yates whose specialty is wedding gowns." To read the the full article see the link: http://www.radford.edu/NewsPub/March10/0325fashion.html. While there we also spoke to the sophomores, juniors, and seniors about our experiences and gave them our contact information for the future.

To get there was hilarious. We took a 5:30am bus to Manhattan from queens, then a 6:30 am bus from NYC to DC (4 hours), then the metro from the bus stop to the airport, then a shuttle from the airport to the rental car, then 4 hours in the rental car to Radford. It was quite and experience!

Overall, we had a great time and are looking forward to going back. We were asked to join the advisory board and gladly accepted. We will get to take part in curriculum changes, engaging the students, and other opportunities to better the school. We will also be critiquing student work.

After that weekend I was so tired, but I needed to finish a prom gown. I finally got that out this past week and have been working on more wedding gowns to add to etsy. Please continue to visit www.courtneybrookedesign.etsy.com for updates. I started google ad words this weekend and have a list of items to send in my press kit.

This week I am working on press kits, trunk shows, and wedding gowns to add. Lots to do as usual, but exciting!

Images: The dress was one of the gowns in the RU fashion show.

Reorganize

This week I had a little bit of down time, so I reorganized my sewing stations and my MANY magazines. I subscribe to Vogue, Elle, W, and now the newspaper WWD, which was on sale this month, so I needed to get all of my back issues organized (I keep them for reference). I treked down to Ikea (I've never been there before) to get cheap organizational stuff. They had magazine holders 5 for $2.99. Although I felt very frustrated, I did find a lot of great stuff. Do not go there if you need help. The employees are not there to help you. They are there to stock. They were nice, but just not knowledgeable. I also went to the container store and got some pretty office things for my desk including a desk file box made of metal (see image). All in all I had a great week. Back to the busy time again as my dresses from the seamstress should be coming in this week for me to finalize and fit. I'll have new pictures up of the new dresses in the next couple of weeks. My goal for next week is to start contacting boutiques to get the gowns in. Let me know if you have a contact with a small boutique owner. :)

New Website and Seamstress

This week I sent a few dresses to my amazing seamstress and worked on getting my website, blog, and twitter. Its been busy, but I am so excited because I am cutting back to 4 days a week at my freelance job, so I have more time to work on my business. I am thinking about getting an intern for Fridays, so hopefully I can find one soon.

My new website is up. www.courtneybrookedesigns.com. Please visit. I am still working with the website designer to update "formal" and change the "bridal" to be clickable. Stay tuned. Marketing starts this week. I am going to send out lookbooks, add google ad words, and contact boutiques. Can't wait to see the new business I get through marketing. The picture is a detail shot of one of my wedding gowns you can see on the new site and the other picture is me doing a fitting.

Thanks for all the encouragement and support. Keep spreading the word. :)

Fashion week...missed a week

Fashion week finished up last Thursday and was overall a blast. Last Monday I was at shows all day, so I missed my blogging time. Sorry about that. The Charlotte Ronson show was awesome and I got photographed in the tents in one of my dresses, so that was awesome! The other shows were also great. Really beautiful gowns and coats.

Last week I worked on a prom gown and sketched or a possible new wedding gown. I am so excited because this past weekend I finalized most of my new website! It should be up this week. :) Check it out and let me know. I will post this week when it is ready!

This week I have to finish up some projects and hope to start on some new ones.

More picture from fashion week to come :).

forgot the dates :) SEE MY PREVIOUS POST

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH
CHARLOTTE RONSON
8:00PM
THE PROMENADE AT BRYANT PARK

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH
ABIGAIL LORICK
11:00AM
LEANNE MARSHALL 4:00PM
MARISOL HENRIQUEZ 8:00PM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH
ECLIPTICA 11:00AM
KORTO MOMOLU 6:00PM
STANLEY CARR JR. 8:00PM
ART INSTALLATION AND DESIGNER’S SILENT AUCTION FOR BREAST CANCER

Fashion week is this weekend!

Well, this week has been kind of nuts. I finished up a wedding gown, finished some freelance sketching, and cleaned up around the house. Very exciting news, I sold a wedding dress on etsy! Please visit www.courtneybrookedesign.etsy.com to view my other gowns. I also am startng a custom prom gown and posibly have another custom wedding gown. The image is the dress I sold.

This coming weekend is fashion week, so I have lots to work on this week. I am making 3 outfits for myself for the 3 days of shows (please see below dates and shows), printing my lookbook, updating my website (probably this coming weekend). Hopefully I will generate some interest in my brand. Check back next week. I'll have pictures from the shows :).

Crazy week--but always exciting

It has been a crazy week. Trying to finish up some projects and starting new ones has proven to be quite a lot of work. Of course I love it, but I do not see a lot of sleep in the near future.

This week I am printing my lookbooks and working on my website layout. Once I have the content and layout I have someone writing the code for it, which is awesome. I hope to have it up and running in a couple weeks. I have some freelance sketching I am finishing, and then I want to work on low cost etsy items. Very exciting!

This coming weekend hopefully I can finish up all the projects I have been working on just in time for fashion week. I will have my schedule for fashion week up next weekend. I am going to between 5-7 shows, which is super exciting. I am making dresses to wear for each day I am at shows. I'll be sure to take pictures of everything and post them asap.

Check out my pictures from the supima fashion show. It is me and the dress that was in the competition last year that they featured on a mannequin. The outfit I have on is my design as well (blazer and all). The other pictures are the photographers at the end of the runway and Coco Rocha (super model) presenting awards. I had a great time.

Etsy has new gowns

I just updated Etsy today to add all of my new Fall 2010 gowns. I am so excited about them. Please visit www.courtneybrookedesign.etsy.com to see them.

Tuesday I went to the Supima emerging designer show and had a great time. All of the dresses were beautiful and congrats to Gina DeSilva and Robin Tomas for winning! Please check tomorrow for photos and videos of the show.

This week has been busy but awesome. I finished my lookbook, went to the show, and finished a gown. Can't wait for fashion week. It's coming quickly.

Upcoming Events: Fashion Week

Hi all. I will be at Supima's Emerging Designer contest on Tuesday, January 19 at 6:30 at New York Times Building (invite only-sorry guys), but if you are going to be there make sure to come find me! (picture to the left is last years Supima Show)

On Friday, February 12, I will be at the Charlotte Ronson show in the main tent at Bryant Park. Can't wait for the Fall 2010 shows!

On Monday, February 15@ 8pm I will be at an Art Instillation by Stanley Carr Jr. This is a silent auction for Cancer Research. Visit his site at http://stanleycarrjr.com

It's been a long time...

So it has been a LONG time since my last post. Since then I had a photoshoot, have been working freelance, finished 2 wedding gowns, and just been really busy! Stay tuned to see my new website to be up by the first of Feb with my new Fall 2010 collection. (The picture is a sneak peak of the new collection).

2010 is going to be awesome! I am working on marketing plans and really building my brand, so I can take the business to the next level. I am also working on new more affordable categories to post on Etsy as well. Please continue to follow my blog as I will be posting something new once a week to keep everyone updated. I will decide if Saturday or Sunday is better to post, but it will be one of those days, so everyone can keep up with new things happening!

Visit my website at www.courtneybrookedesigns.com and shop at www.courtneybrookedesign.etsy.com.

I am really looking forward to the year ahead and hope you can follow my brand along the way. It should be an exciting year!

Photography by Sarah Tew http://sarahtew.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/bridal-fashion-shoot-gowns-and-veils/

Veils by Artikal http://www.artikal.com/bridal.htm

Makeup by Deepa Das (for more info please inquire).