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Designed Yoga
Chicago Fashion Designer, Samantha Raphael of Winter Blues Jeans
By A. Finney http://www.andreaandmetoo-blog.com/2011/01/fashion-chicago-fashion-designer.html
Simply put, these jeans rock! Ladies, if you are going to buy new jeans, check out these must-haves. Winter Blues Jeans come in slim fit, cool trouser or boot cover. Add your favorite boots or heels and voilà!
The Winter Blues Jeans line is made in the U.S.A. with premium stretch denim and a luxuriously soft stretchy fleece lining. With the combination of carefully selected fabrics, the result is an innovative body hugging technology for a slim look and feel.
After three years of research, designer/founder, Samatha Raphael, has come up with the right combination of stretch and comfort for the hottest, sexiest jeans ever. They are insulated, and machine washable. There is no need to worry about overheating in these insulated jeans, because they are breathable! Whether taking a stroll in the park, at work, or attending a Bears game, you will look good, and feel comfortable.
Samatha says she prefers working with denim, chambray, cottons, but is starting to work with satin and lace, for her spring/summer collection.
Samantha has been creating and designing since a young age, and as a teenager, while growing up in Los Angeles, she loved the culture of downtown Los Angeles. She would wander through the garment district admiring all of the fabric colors and textures. She also had a passion for music and fashion, and grew up around a lot of creative people. She ended up working in different facets of the arts and entertainment industries. But, after moving from the west coast to the cold Midwest, she discovered an untapped niche and drew on her experiences to create her designs and manufacture them.
She attended the University of California at San Diego, majoring in communications. Years later, while working with contractors for her own line, she learned to sew and make patterns. Samantha says, "Fashion needs to be functional and look and feel good." She is a fashion designer, yoga teacher and student, as well as a multimedia designer.
Samantha's advice to up-and-coming designers is: Mentally, it is essential to possess perseverance and confidence. You have to really believe in yourself and your designs because there are a lot of people who are going to doubt you at the start. You also need to be very focused and detail oriented.
Laughingly, Samantha cautions up-and-coming designers to make sure when you do a show, that you are in the 'right' show. She once did a show where she was surrounded by vendors selling things like sports memorabilia, beer cozies and portable golf ranges. There were also a lot of food vendors there too. Samantha says when she does shows, she will turn a couple pair of jeans inside out, so people can see and feel the fleece lining. At this particular show, a vendor was selling chips and dips across the way, and giving out free samples. Many people would get their samples and turn to Samantha's booth and slyly 'feel' the fleece of her jeans -- while actually wiping their hands!
Some of the designers Samantha admires are: Yogi Yamamoto, Azzedine Alaia and Comme De Garcone. When I asked Samantha to describe her collection, she said, "It is a little bit rock n' roll but classy, and practical."
Samantha has participated in the City of Chicago's Glitter show, and she has also exhibited at Stylemax at Merchandise Mart.
You may follow her on Facebook and on Twitter. To purchase her products, visit her website. Prices range from $100 to $145.
In five years, Samantha plans to be in retail stores, and integrating the same concept into different fabrics. She also plans on expanding the size range of the jeans, and adding a men's line.
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