Recapping Saturday’s Demo Discussion & Potluck

Saturday, June 18, 2011

With three hours, homemade food, great company, and a dog named Tittie Augustus, Saturday’s Demo Discussion Potluck brought out a diverse group of people. The goal of the discussion was to get a feel for how we could reinterpret the usual definition of a fashion illustration demo.

We had representatives from several branches of the fashion industry, which built a well-rounded discussion from artists, media, designers, and others. Our panel members included noted fashion illustrator Jennifer Lilya, Editor-in-Chief of Exude Magazine Kinya Harte, and an artist from our own Would You Rock This community Abbey Liebman.

When is the best time to hold this event?

The timing and scheduling of the Demo Session would prove critical in the planning of this event. We decided that the best time to get a good group of people would be before Fashion Week or Fashion’s Night Out and in February.

As for the event itself, we believe that 45 minutes to 1 hour of drawing for each of the three featured artists would be best with a total event of 3 to 4 hours.

Where will the Demo Session be held?

Given the opportunity to break the mold for the typical fashion drawing demo session, the group agreed that there are several options to consider in DUMBO, Brooklyn and Manhattan for venues. It is clear that we will need to look into bars, clubs, lounges, and other spaces with the same vibe.

How could we make this a better experience for everyone?

The cookie-cutter demo session features artists at work with limited visibility for those viewing. Embracing technology and the desire to make this an event that all in the audience can enjoy, we will be filming the illustrator and projecting the video live.

How will we get the word out?

A big part of the planning for this demo session will have to be dedicated to the promotion of the event itself. The first step would be to look for a co-host and sponsors to cross-promote our cause. Possible co-hosts would be other major industry people, while sponsors could be found in the alcohol industry such as Absolut, Captain Morgan, or Crown Royal. We concluded that cocktails and other alcoholic beverages should be offered at the event as part of the festivities.

David Downton Absolut Ad

Another great idea to utilize the power and breadth of the fashion industry would be to direct some of our energy on those who would really benefit from it. To build up awareness about some of the problems plaguing the world today, Would You Rock This would connect with charities with causes that promote AIDS relief, Breast Cancer screening, or even something as simple as arts support in public education and in New York City itself.

The key concern here, however, is that the goal of this event does not get lost in the fold. Instead, our main concern must continue to be focused on the art.

How can we make this more than a one-shot event?

It is important to make sure that we build up the hype leading up to the event. This includes inviting members of multiple groups that would benefit from attending such an event. Any of the following groups will be sent invitations:

· Illustrators, designers, theater community, fashion PR, models, fashion students, graphic designers, photographers, film people, merchandisers, stylists, buyers, musicians, live art (poets), teachers, boutiques, retailers, tablet developers, other tech innovators, game designers, app designers, wedding industry people, ad agencies, packaging, hair stylists, make-up, gallery people, magazine people (online and print), publishers (Laurence King, Batsford Ltd.), authors, other meet-up groups.

It is also more than about networking at the event, but bringing people together so that they can achieve their goals in the fashion industry. Helping these budding artists by linking them with people who have been in the business, allowing for a mutual exchange of wisdom and perspective.

What’s next?

We will be holding another demo discussion potluck at the end of July. To build up the hype over time for the event, however, we have several ideas of how to promote the Would You Rock This Demo Session.

· Live art on the street
· Open call portfolio review for designers
· Online video promotion of illustrators i.e. video Q&As, articles, and featured illustrators on the WYRT voting platform

Many thanks to Damn Digital Studio for hosting this event and to Syd’s Serious Sandwich Shop for those tasty sandwiches. Serious props to the Shop.

Now armed with a multitude of great ideas and a framework of what is to come, we will be refining these thoughts at the next Demo Discussion Potluck to make this event a true experience that every fashion enthusiast will enjoy.

Coverage and photos from the event will be posted on the Would You Rock This Facebook Fan Page.

And thank you all for coming down to DUMBO and we hope that you will join us for the next Demo Discussion!

Cheers!

Would You Rock This Team