Happy Sunday!

I’m happy to report that I have today to do more sketching and draping.  The designing process is going well.  Now, I just have to start sewing my samples soon.  Many thanks to Velia, Caitlin and Lindsday for helping me out at the shop.  They allowed me to do what I love the most, designing.  Most often I don’t have much time to design.  Always doing it late at night or in the plane going somewhere.  It is a luxury to take time and enjoy the process.  Life of a small business person, sigh…  You end up doing everything else in between, but what you are truly loved.  I’ll try to find that balance soon.  In the mean time.  Please come by the shop and visit Caitlin today.  There are so many beautiful items for you to enjoy.

Pink lucky kitties from Japan, $13 each.

Evangelina found us these lovely Saipua soaps from Brooklyn.  I’m addicted to them.  $8 per one or $15 for two.

Beautiful Letter Press cards from Greenwich Letter Press company in New York.

Salwa found us these handmade shredded tees, ranging from $55-$70.

New flying kite at the beach window by our lovely Caitlin.

I’ll have to get the front window pic at night.  I love Caitlin’s new window.  The girls are flying kites.  There are couple beach balls, pretend sand, branches and birds.  Promise to get better pics soon.

Pretty pieces for your summer fun.

We can’t wait to catch up with all of you.  Wishing you a relaxing Sunday.

Posted by Modi

Motion and Change

I really love the fact that we are in constant motion and change.  Nothing stays the same.  The beautiful visual that you can really experienced the impermanent of life is the sand mandala practiced by Tibetan Buddhist monks.    Exquisite different colours of sand constructed in brilliant complicated geometric patterns.  Work that takes many hour of skills and patience then destroyed once completed.  Symbolizing the cycle of life.  Here is stunning work of drawing in the sand by artist Jim Denevan.

“Jim Denevan makes temporary drawings on sand
earth and ice that are eventually erased by
waves and weather.”  Via his website.  View more work of Denevan here.

Speaking of change and challenges.  Some of the lights at the shop are still not fixed.   The website including idom email accounts are down.  Hopefully it will get sorted out soon.  It is a good practice of not reacting in a frustrating situation.  I just have to remember to breath.  In the mean time you can still check out the blog.  If you need to get in touch with me.  Please email me at my personal address, modisoondarotok@gmail.com or ring the shop + 1 503 477 6818.

Wish me luck!

Posted by modi

Inspiration Corner

I finally got the little space for the inspiration section up in the shop.  Hoping that it will give others a little glimpse of what it takes to design one piece of garment.  Also there is a great book from our favorite blogger The Sartorialist for people to look through.  I love his approach to fashion.  It is humble, thoughtful and unique.  It is not about the label or your economic status.  It is about how you translate those pieces into your own.  Clothing is one outlet of personal expression that we still possessed in our daily life.  Why not enjoy it?  Why look like someone else?  Why not make a mark into the world with your own signature?

Wishing everyone a lovely week.  Thanks very much for reading.

Riding out the wave!

I think that the rain and the gray have been getting to me.  I am fighting off some sort of sore throat and feeling a bit frustrated about our shop.  It has been so quiet in these last few weeks.  A bit dreadful and eerie.  I know that by normal business practice.  One must say that everything is great.  That business is fantastic and amazing.  I should put on a happy face and play the part.  One of the reasons that I love having a blog is that I can share with you the joy and the struggle of having a small business.  It is like keeping my own journal.  It is also a safe space for me to let you in on my story.  I love love love designing and having my own shop.  It is a dream come true.  I am also very privileged to be doing this for the last two and a half years and so grateful for this opportunity.  I have embraced all the moments including the fun, the excitement, the frustration, and the sleepless nights.  Since things have been really tough financially for these last few months.  Actually for these last few years.  I once again asking myself “can we hold on?”  Would there be enough people here in Portland to support the shop vision and its business philosophy?  Will travelers continue to visit our shop and help us pay the rent?  Are my designs too out there for everyone?  Or am I just not a good designer at all?  Was it a good decision to have a business in Portland?  These are the questions that have been in my head constantly.

My parents had to bailed the shop out with rent and bills for the second month.  It is a harsh truth.  I am lucky enough to have parents that believe in me and the business.  However, this can not keep going forever.  We kept saying that hopefully our economy will improved and perhaps someday people might want to invest in beautiful pieces again.  One can only hope.  As my friend Salwa would say “try to ride out the wave.”  In the mean time I am trying to learn how to surf on these rough waters.  Wish me luck!

My favorite People

One of the best thing about having a shop beside doing what I love is to meet like minded people.  Evangelina and Miles are one of the loveliest individuals that I ever met.  They are sweet, kind, and so wonderful.  I have been very lucky to have met so many amazing friends through the shop.  Also, this season my mother got to be a part of all the shows.  She has been my inspiration, my rock, and my biggest fan.  Without her  and my father, there won’t be IDOM.  I count my blessings daily of how fortunate I am to be living this good life.  There are always lots of struggles, but also lots of joy as well.

Miles, Evangelina, and my mother Chintana.  Evangelina is wearing a Sea Urchin dress that was worn at her reception party for her wedding.  My mother is wearing a Maura dress.  They were cheering for me at Portland Fashion Week.  I was so happy to see all the friendly faces there.  And thank you to my sweet friends Caitlin and Salwa for making it all happened back stage.  Stay dry today.  It is gray and rainy in the P town.  Ta, ta.

The beautiful Kristin made my day!

Sometime I wish that I can create a pink bubble around me and the shop.  I am generally a happy go lucky person.  Yesterday, it was a different story.  I was so worried about the shop and feeling that self doubt again.  So many people came through the store with so many negative comments.  It was driving mad and sad.  I had to turn off the lights and sat there in quiet for 15 minutes.  I had to tell myself to just let go of  those negativity and surround myself with that pink joyous bubble.   Well, this e-mail came in time to rescue me from my blue moment.  Kristin contacted me about the Susan dress a while back.  I had one re-made especially for her.  She promised to send me her photo.  Here it is the beautiful image of Kristin in the Susan Dress.  She really saved me from my horrible bad bad day!  Thank you so much Kristin for sharing your photo with me.

Here is the kind words from Kristin.  “Hi Modi,  Here’s the photo as promised.  I have to tell you, every single time I wear that dress, I get a million and one compliments on it.  I wore it to a work reception and heard ‘what a stunning dress’ from so many people! Thanks again!”-Kristin

I treasured her sweetness and her kindness very much.  Thanks very much again for making my day so nice and bright.   Hooray the pink bubble has returned!!

Solving any bad days with new pair of shoes!

Today was one of those odd day.  It was very hot for Portland.  Nobody was really around on the street and in the shop.  I was content catching up on paper work and getting some more sketching finish.  I also cleaned and moved things around the store.  I had the most people right before I closed around 5:30 pm.  I was busy helping couple customers.  One in particular required a lot of attention.  She was sweet, but something inside me didn’t quite make any sense.  The woman was spending a lot of time in the shop and having me running around for things.  My tummy turned into knots as I was interacting with her.  She left and so are my three pairs of earrings.  It makes me so sad that she had to steal from me.  I know that this is a part of being in retail.  Shop lifting happens everyday.  I realized the logic of it.  However, it is still disturbing and painful.  I will have to personally pay for the earrings.  I have not paid myself in the last three years since I moved here from New York and started this business.  It effects my personal life and my ability to trust people.  I hate feeling this way.  I hope the woman is at least enjoying her new earrings.  I had to look at shoes to make me feel better.  Beautiful shoes always cheer me up!

Shoes by Dries Van Noten.  I have been admiring these for such a long time.

These beauties would wipe away my bad day.

Perfect!

These shoes and lovely feet belong to the famous blogger Miss Garance Dore.  They are Pierre Hardy Mesh Booties.

Shoes by Marjan Pejoski.  He designed the infamous Swan Dress for Bjork.  Personally I loved that dress.  Here we are still talking about the Swan Dress.  At least Bjork is always pushing the envelop.  I really respect her for doing her own thing.

Christian Dior Goddess Heels.  Many thanks to JAK & JILL for their amazing photos.  Please check out their blog here.

Promise to have a better day tomorrow.  Letting go of all the negative memories.  Ta, ta.

The best day at IDOM!

Sometime it is difficult to be at the shop all the time dealing with the public.  I am developing a much thicker skin as a designer and a human being.  I often get ignored when I say hello to people that come through the door.  Most often they don’t say goodbye or thank you.  Some even verbalized unbelievable comments about our clothes or our shop without any consideration for anyone feelings.  I always wanted to ask them “if they were raised by wolves?”  Where are the manners and the respect?  Should their parents be proud of the way that they behaved?  These are my fantasy lines.  No wonder that some retail people are so aloof to the public.  They have been hurt too many times.

So when great people appeared in my life.  They truly make my day!  I am so touched by their nice and pleasant interaction.  I met the most fun loving and great people today.  The day like this really makes me happy to do what I’m doing.  Yesterday was fantastic as well.  So sorry I didn’t have my camera to proof my evidence of a brilliant day.  Big shout out to wonderful New Yorkers, sweet LA girls, Minneapolis wonderful mom and daughter, and our own hip Portland Fuchsia.  All of you made me a happy camper!

I met the delightful beautiful Tara today.  She made me so ecstatic as a designer.  It is a pure joy to see my work on her.  She is a new proud owner of an Elizabeth dress.  Hooray!

Maura blouse also found a good home with Tara.  I adore the blouse with her jeans and her shoes.  Want those shoes.  Tara was so lovely and so sweet.  I had such a fun time chatting with her.  Thank you so much for letting me take your photos.  And thank you for supporting our IDOM.  You made my day so much better.  Thank you!

It was my lucky day to meet so many nice people.  Valarie to the left and James to the right took home these heart shaped rings from Bangkok.  James bought her auntie Valarie the matching ring.  The most wonderful people.  It was great to see James again.  I met her when we were on Alberta street.  These two women are looking beautiful.  Thank you for allowing me to take your photos.

Many thanks to all of you for making my day so much brighter.  I am so touched by your kindness.  My heart is full of joy.

Origin Flowers

One of the best things about having a small business is to meet another like minded shop owner. I met Beka the first week we were open. Beka is the best thing about being on Alberta Street. She is talented, funny, and very kind. She is a best florist that a girl like me can ever asked for. She knows that I’m a big fan of any kind of orchids. Especially the green ones that I grew up with in Thailand. She brought this arrangement over to cheer me up. Made my day! Thank you Beka!

You can visit Beka shop at Origin Flowers 1532 NE Alberta. Check out her website here.

My amazing friends Elizabeth and Sarah!

I have been more than lucky to have a group of amazing friends.  All of us have certain special skills that we all contributed to our little baby named IDOM.  My lovely friend Sarah has been more than kind to do all of IDOM PR.  She came up with this idea of a cookie campaign drop off at all of boutique hotels downtown.  Most of our customers came from other places from all over the country and all over the world.  There are only special few of you out there that actually live here.  So Sarah thought why not focus on those group of people?  We asked our friend Elizabeth who is this exquisite cook to bake us cookies.  She is a very talented interior architect and a full time manager at the Clyde Common.  Elizabeth designed the packaging and made all of the boxes herself.  Check out the cookies and the beautiful colourful packaging.

Took Elizabeth all day on Saturday about 13 hours to bake and to make boxes.  She is incredible.  The cookies were divine!

Packing.

The envelops encompassed the Albeta maps.  The business cards are inside the boxes.

Sarah picked me up on Sunday and she drove me around for the cookie drop off.  I think all of us really had fun doing it.  As promised I was going to post something beautiful and uplifting.  Thank you Sarah and Elizabeth.  Once again I owe you two more dresses!!