New York Fashion Week Fitting

Today's fitting was unreal. It was literally perfect. The lineup of the models worked flawlessly. The shoes that Moses in Kenya made were a range from sizes 8-10. Each pair fit one of the models. The clothing pieces were all different sizes as well (ranging from 0-4). The clothing fit the models perfectly. The looks matched the physical features of each girl. We had models from the Ukraine, Sudan, and Mexico. Rachael Redd styled the show. She did a phenomenal job! Amy Kent kept the list of models organized and documented their looks. Elizabeth Bostwick, Amanda Wood, Lily Mertz, and Flannery Wilson helped with social media.  Ashley Little (Material Concepts) masterfully completed all of the alterations. She is amazing at sewing and fitting models!

The looks are all perfectly arranged for the show. We cannot wait until Sunday!

Rachael selecting shoes to fit the models

A model from Ukraine in sunshine dress 

The model from Sudan. I saw her trying on clothing for another designer beside me. I asked her if she recognized the fabric on my rack. She said she has a dress in the print shown on her skirt at home (in Sudan). Her mother in Sudan wears a dress in the same spun died fabric as the top she is modeling.

We were here favorite designer because wearing her clothes made her feel "at home." We love her!!!

Model from Mexico flown in for NYFW!

Ashley Little (Material Concepts) working on altering pants

A few of the final looks on the models. 

God is going before us! Things are going so smoothly! Thank you to all the people who flew up to New York to help with the J&J show!

Design Inspiration NYC | Pop Art

Pop art is the inspiration for my Spring/Summer 2014 collection. Andy Warhol's artwork created with bright colors with sleek lines and underlying simplicity is the concept that I am using to dress the body. The colors of pop art have inspired several brands. Kate Spade is one of the most inspirational brands. She uses a happy, bright color pallet that pops. The colors of the African fabrics I chose for my Spring/Summer 2014 collection are all brights. I added black and white to create clean lines and frame the colorful African prints. We aim to evoke a philosophy of balance through our clothing. Playful patterns and clean lines. Bold colors and sleek simplicity.

Kate Spade mannequin in her Madison Avenue Flagship Store

Andy Warhol for Perrier 

A cupcake shop in NYC displaying Pop art colors

Judith & James colors and prints

Andy Warhol flower painting

and announcing....

the 2014 Spring/Summer New York Fashion Week Runway Show Invitation 

Two cultures combined

 In New York you can find anything. There are people everywhere. The way people walk and talk and live are all different. Variety is king in NYC. The culture of the city is so diverse that I am always stimulated and never bored. Today, I overheard a group of men beside me all speaking in Kiswahili. I smiled while crossing the four lanes of traffic beside me just thinking about Swahili and Kenya. Kenya was my home for part of my high school and college years. Home is where the heart is, but for me, home can be multiple places. Hearing the men speak in swahili made me feel at home in the land I love. That same day, I felt at home in Grand Central Station (pictured below). The large American flag made me feel a sense of pride. Pride in where I come from and who I am as an American designer.

I could not be happier than I am now. The way I live with two cultures combined is beautiful and wonderful and mysterious. I have two halves of my heart: Kenya and the US. The two halves equal one whole. Meet Judith & James : two cultures married into one beautiful concept that is conceptually pleasing to the US eye, but consciously dedicated to revealing the strength and dignity of widows we train and employ out of poverty in the slums of Kenya.

Kesia, one of the widows who made the Spring/Summer 2014 Collection that we are showing in NYFW in a few days!

Follow us on twitter: @JudithandJames

Day 3 in NYC

Today was filled with lots of walking, laughs with old and new friends, and sight-seeing for inspiration. I am constantly searching for background settings for our New York fashion shoot. I started with a 30 minute walk to meet my friend Taylor, who I met in the studies program at the University of Arkansas. She is a fashion buyer in NYC. We met for lunch and then went to get gelato afterwards at the best place in town. I learned about life in NYC and we talked through the New York Fashion Week plans.

On my way to meet her I discovered brightly painted graffiti walls with thought provoking questions like "what will you leave behind?" Hopefully, we can leave a legacy of more than just some spray paint! 

Colorful rugs for sale on the streets. 

Street style at the farmers market at Union Square.

Later in the afternoon, I stumbled upon a bead store that had beads from across the globe. They carried African beads like the ones I buy in the markets in Kenya. I began selecting beads and jewelry materials to finish out jewelry I've designed to show with the Spring/Summer 2014 collection.

On the way home, I stopped in Beecher's to consider for a photo shoot. I was greeted by James, the main chef and he told me about the different types of cheese made daily in the restaurant. He served me samples of each kind. He even surprised me at dinner and set out a flatbread appetizer with veggies...on the house. He was so nice!

I returned to my hotel room and worked until 3am selecting music for the show, determining the order of the clothing show on the runway, and finishing up the jewelry and accessories.

And that was the end of a very long day number 3!

Day 2 in NYC

Today we went to the Helen Mills Event Space to drop off some southern pies for the show producer. He is from Memphis and requested that I bring some good southern sweets to NYC for the show. I went to Burge's in Little Rock and picked up some apricot, chocolate and peach fried pies. The event space was beautiful. It was bright and clean. The construction men were working on getting the seating and runway all set up. The layout is brilliant. We could not be happier with the space for the J&J show!

Walking to the Helen Mills Event Space.

The clean, bright and well-lit interior.

The man who manages the building.

Today was a great day!

Day 1 in NYC

Getting ready for fashion week has been so fun! I have loved every minute of the plans to get the show together and the clothes ready. The fun has continued as we arrived in NY. We flew in last night and today went around the city for my first time. I have never been to NYC and think that Fashion Week is the perfect time to be introduced to the city. There are models walking around everywhere. The fashion here is inspiring and energizing. The day was spent trekking around the city sourcing locations for a spontaneous NYC photo shoot. Kari and Caleb Nichols are the photographers who will be doing the shoot. They started a company called Cottonwood Studios Worldwide. They are a dynamic duo who truly compliment each other. We found some beautiful locations and will be shooting the Judith & James S/S '14 line!

An adorable market on 5th avenue.

Kari and Caleb Nichols. The best photography duo I know! 

Caleb and Kari starting our tour of the city with the Flatiron building.

1620 Photo shoot

I had heard about 1620 from a few people and how delicious the food is. One day on my way home, I stopped by to see the interior with a photo shoot in mind. I couldn't get in the front gate because it was locked so I was looking through the outside windows. Some guys walked out of the backdoor and I asked them if they worked there. They said yes, but I didn't believe them so I asked again. They laughed and said yes. They looked like they were in their 20s. The one with a black "Savoy 1620" shirt on led me to the interior of the restaurant. A man named Rick lead me through the stunning restaurant. Every inch of the interior was gorgeous. The little touches were all perfect. I was complimenting the place, not knowing that Rick was the one who designed it. The charm of the restaurant is in part due to the people who run it. Rush Harding and his wife Linda are so delightful and always fun to be around. Payne Harding is the lead chef who strives to exceed the expectations of the guests who dine at 1620. We loved the Pacific Rim salad that he served us after the shoot.

We went to 1620 last night to do the photo shoot. Erin Baskin styled the shoot. She is phenomenal. She brought two models, Anna Margaret and Megan Burgess who have worked with her for one of the largest department stores in the nation. Stephanie Templeton was the third model who has experience on runways in NYFW and in Spain. We took pictures around the interior and exterior of 1620. We even went into the kitchen and took photos while the models created a special Judith & James dessert with one of the chefs. We were treated like special guests and appreciate the hospitality of all of the staff at 1620. Anja DeWitt of Lela & Lyla was the photographer. She is one of my favorite people in the world because of her contagious energy and infectious laugh. The pictures turned out better than I imagined due to Anja's talent and creativity. She was dedicated to delivering the highest quality work.

Here are a few pictures of the photo shoot:

Photo credit: Lela&Lyla

https://www.facebook.com/lelaandlyla