{"id":243496,"date":"2010-05-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2010-05-28T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/project-runway\/"},"modified":"2010-05-28T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2010-05-28T07:00:00","slug":"project-runway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/project-runway\/","title":{"rendered":"Project: Runway"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Project:<\/a><\/p>\n

Two local companies strut their stuff, putting San Diego on the fashion map
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Tim Parks
\nReportero SDUN<\/p>\n

Although Paris, Milan, London, New York City and Los Angeles are widely considered the \u201ccouture capitals,\u201d San Diego has its own share of fashionable denizens, prominent designers, boutiques \u2013 and even the ability to stage its own New York City-style fashion shows for both women and men.<\/p>\n

San Diego Uptown News turned to two San Diego-based fashion companies, G.O. Fashion and Rufskin, to get the lowdown on what exactly is entailed in putting together a \u201cProject Runway\u201d-type of show. In a fashion sense, there are very similar practices in perfecting the art of the catwalk but there are also a few marked differences between prepping the two sexes for their strut time.<\/p>\n

First we asked the new kids on the block, G.O. Fashion, about how their first female-based fashion event came about.<\/p>\n

Glenn Osbourne, Michelle Garcia and Casey Blatt (the team behind G.O.), all share a mutual love for being in vogue, which dates back to their younger years. <\/p>\n

Garcia, 23, explained that her fashion obsession emanated from when she \u201cused to play with Barbies, and line them up and take their pictures when I was nine,\u201d which she later parlayed into a job with Betsey Johnson\u2019s Las Vegas-based boutique, while Blatt, 28, can trace her style roots back to the adage of \u201cthe apple doesn\u2019t fall far from the tree.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cSince middle school, my mother has been a powerful force in the San Diego fashion industry, starting one of the first major high-end clothing boutiques in North County San Diego,\u201d Blatt said. \u201cI have always had a part in the family\u2019s business and have used my passion for fashion to contribute to the Tobi Blatt empire\u2019s visual merchandising, buying and styling since a very young age.\u201d <\/p>\n

Osbourne, also 23, got his start in the industry more recently.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn college, I tried to put on a fashion show for the Greek system,\u201d he recalled. \u201cAnd a week before the big festival for the Greek system in the spring, the school closed my fraternity house. And I was told that we couldn\u2019t have any events outside of the campus, which is where my show was, so I had to cancel everything. Two years went by before another opportunity presented itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

That opportunity was when the trio (along with Gretchen Productions) got their proverbial feet wet (although it wasn\u2019t Blatt\u2019s first shot at production) at \u201cRunway at the Park\u201d in March. <\/p>\n

However, first G.O. Fashion had to come up with what that they wanted to convey wordlessly through the fabrics that would adorn the models. This ended up being a 10-month-long labor of love.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s everything from getting your concept and creating your story, to executing it, to pulling in your beauty team with hair and make-up and styling \u2013 so that everything\u2019s cohesive with the story that you\u2019re wanting to tell,\u201d Garcia explained. \u201cThat\u2019s the most important part, is telling your story. Once you have that and you tell it, it all just seems to come together.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe music, the choreography \u2013 it comes alive,\u201d Osbourne said. \u201cIn a fashion show, you go in there to not only see the clothes, but you\u2019re there for the environment. You\u2019re there for the intimacy of the show and it really draws you in, all of the music outside, the lighting, the furniture, the people, the vibe \u2013 it takes you to an enchanting place in fashion.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cThis was the first show I had done on my own, without my family\u2019s brand behind me, and was the first large scale fashion show I had produced in the public eye,\u201d Blatt added. \u201cBesides the sourcing out of designers, models and hands it took to physically get the runway built, most of the stress came the day of the show, as we were tying together all the loose ends, and paying all of our attention to the details that seem to escape the mind in the months leading up to the event. The good thing is my partners and I thrive off of that chaos.\u201d<\/p>\n

The event, held at the Park Manor Suites penthouse area, featured designs by Betsey Johnson, Tracy Jean and previous \u201cProject Runway\u201d contestant and current San Diego resident Gordana Gehlhausen. <\/p>\n

Of course, models are needed to people the catwalk, which is a job unto itself, Osbourne said.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The designers] leave it for the team to cast because they kind of give you an idea of what\u2019s going to look great with that particular piece,\u201d Osbourne said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith G.O. Fashion being both P.R. and production, our vision is what the designer wants,\u201d Garcia added. \u201cSo when they\u2019re coming to us they\u2019re going to trust us with what exactly their vision is, and we basically take that and times it by a million and really bring their vision and our vision to life together.\u201d <\/p>\n

The threesome \u2013 even seasoned pro Blatt \u2013 said they were wracked with anxiety about what potentially could go wrong with their endeavor.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of pulling out your hair,\u201d Garcia said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the basic fear before a show is for all your worst nightmares to come true,\u201d Blatt said. \u201cMy only real fear as the lights went on was that others wouldn\u2019t understand our perspective. Glenn and my love for fashion and production are unique in the sense that we see things differently, but have mastered the art of blending our views together into something that is completely fresh, inspiring, and multifaceted.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team was satisfied with the results of their effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cThankfully, the 250-plus guests at our debut show can affirm that what we have come up with is something that we have always known San Diego has been craving,\u201d Blatt said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSan Diego needs a fashion scene, a real fashion week,\u201d Osbourne said. \u201cThere are fashion shows that are around, and fashion presentations, but, to say the least, they don\u2019t really represent the fashion industry here in San Diego very well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Project:<\/a><\/p>\n

Rufskin\u2019s Jason Wimberly is in charge of more than just slapping on a pair of the eight-year-old North Park company\u2019s trademark denim, underwear or swimwear on a male model prior to sending him down the runway. After all, an international company doesn\u2019t just name anyone to be its global sales director. But Wimberly, 27, still keeps his hands in the runway game.<\/p>\n

Wimberly said he found his way into his tailor-made career \u201cby winging it as a young kid\u201d \u2013 owning a boutique on Fifth Avenue at age 19. Then he jumped onto a bigger ship when Neiman Marcus enlisted his aid as a \u201cmodernist specialist\u201d and gave him the challenge of raising Gucci sales by 20 percent in a year. Wimberly rose to the occasion and bested those figures to 300 percent in just six months!<\/p>\n

Three years ago, Wimberly met Rufskin creators Douglas Coats and Hubert Pouches at a pool party.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey both have huge backgrounds in the fashion business,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have designed for everyone from a Parisian fashion house to Victoria\u2019s Secret. Doug was actually a model in Italy 20 years ago when they met, and Hubert was his agent, and hence a love affair that\u2019s lasted 20 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRufskin was born,\u201d he said, \u201calmost 10 years ago now from a need for sexy low-rise denim, and they started making it for their friends. They were literally making it out of their garage and backyard, and stitching it all by hand, and it just kept growing.\u201d<\/p>\n

This pop and pop production eventually went retail and now includes a flagship boutique at 3944 30th St. in North Park, and a New York City store, while other retail outlets carry the brand across the U.S. and worldwide.<\/p>\n

With a product that proved so popular, the Rufskin family (they are a tight-knit bunch, including Coats\u2019 identical twin brother) went about bringing their wares to the masses via models, music and runways. <\/p>\n

Putting together a show is still a somewhat taxing occurrence, Wimberly said, but they are using a new streamlined process.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year we had our biggest annual show that happens here in San Diego,\u201d he said. \u201cOne of the keys to it going smoother was having less hands involved. In the past we\u2019ve had shows with 30-plus models, 60-plus looks and a crazy, huge production, which are wonderful, of course, but it\u2019s also more stressful. So this year we slimmed it down and did 12 really solid professional models that were amazing and did really strong looks and stories.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wimberly said that even though Rufskin staffers have a lot of expertise in producing shows, the behind-the-scenes drama is present at every show.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s always the same thing backstage,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople running around naked \u2013\u2018Where\u2019s this?\u2019 \u2018Where\u2019s that?\u2019 But it\u2019s those last two days before the show that there\u2019s something not fitting or something\u2019s not scheduled on time. And it definitely gets very stressful, but this last show was easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Finding the right venue can be just as important as who will sport the fashions, Wimberly said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt Rufskin, we really try to do a lot of unique and different things,\u201d he said. \u201cObviously, you can do a runway show anytime, anywhere. The shows at nightclubs go very much with our vibe; we\u2019re fun and upbeat and not so super serious. So we tend to show it at evening events, because it\u2019s more lively for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

The company receives hundreds of applications monthly to be featured in ads and on the runway. Rufskin prefers a distinctive look for their male models. Wimberly said there is a \u201cscience\u201d for who sells what.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing to see what different types of models sell different merchandise,\u201d he said. \u201cWith stuff that\u2019s on e-commerce, you can have the same stuff on two totally different models and sales will be totally different. So that\u2019s a whole other scientific part of it, but we definitely go with that sexy \u201970s rough-and-tough kind of look.\u201d <\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Wimberly said Rufskin is considering using a model-wrestling match in New York City to highlight Rufskin designs. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe try to think of ways to showcase the direction and showcase the brand without doing a plain ole runway show, which anyone can do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For more information on G.O. Fashion, email gofashion1@yahoo.com. For Rufskin, go to rufskin.com<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two local companies strut their stuff, putting San Diego on the fashion map By Tim Parks SDUN Reporter Although Paris, Milan, London, New York City and Los Angeles are widely considered the \u201ccouture capitals,\u201d San Diego has its own share of fashionable denizens, prominent designers, boutiques \u2013 and even the ability to stage its own […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":726,"featured_media":243497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11555","_seopress_titles_title":"Project: Runway","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11549,11551,11555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-243496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-news","category-uptown-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/726"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=243496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243496\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/243497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=243496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=243496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=243496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}