O Inspiration - I am thankful for your visits but next time not at 6 in the morning after I stayed up late reading? The past few days, I have been attending the New York International Gift Show - here fashion/accessory/home good designers from around the world gather to wholesale their lines directly to attending store buyers (who also travel from afar). This convergence is something I have wanted to begin, but prior was just not quite ready. Not only does it require a good amount of financial capital, but established branding, quality product, the ability to produce large quantity, sales assistants, and the culprit of my morning meditation: a damn fine booth display.

Adopted by the generous kaRIN of the band Collide, who has been designing in the wholesale industry for over 15 years, I was able to do a bit of reconnaissance at the event. Spending most of my time in the "Handmade" section (and by that I mean it's own huge conference space of back to back ten foot booths), other artists opened up with a few tips of the trade and gift show vending insight. Mainly the little things that you would probably not think of your first year... like what your order form should look like, and how to keep a new sheet per clip board in a basket so that if things get crazy, store owners can just start writing down style numbers and quantity themselves. Tidbits a veteran would know, but I would be up shit creek without considering my first time in the pen.

Needless to say, it was a lot to take in, and I may not even be accepted for ANY of the many wholesale gift and accessory shows across the country. Most have wait lists, so that gives me plenty of time to prepare my own fabulous RockLove showroom square. Happy to report that no one had my style, and no one had a booth like I would want to decorate! The first step in a long time (and intimidating) career move!

Don't want to give away any ideas here - another very stressed topic of discussion from the mentoring designers... NOT sharing to avoid the plethora of copying in the industry... But rest assured that my NY Comic Con booth this October will be my foray into the high end display world!