For the past two weeks we have been working on creating Open Runway’s new concept video. A few days ago, we finally finished and uploaded it to our Youtube Channel! Andrea described the video to her friend as “my life’s work,” and even though it only took us a couple weeks to create it, it is one of our proudest accomplishments! We hope you like it as much as we do!

Open Runway Concept Video

Andrea’s Experience: When I started the project I was familiar with iMovie thanks to an overzealous Egyptology professor who liked to incorporate media into his curriculum by having us make movies about everything from the Sphinx to the typology of pre-dynastic pottery. But now that we’re done I can say with confidence that I am an expert! Kailai and I created scenes and animations that I didn’t know were even possible. When Monika, Open Runway’s founder and CEO, requested we have words flying in one at a time over an image, I was tempted to say, “Impossible! Lower your expectations lady, I’m not a professional film editor!” Instead I sucked it up and tried to discover a way to accomplish the task. Ok, I may have complained about not knowing how to do it, but I still figured it out! With a combination of Kailai’s supreme Photoshop skills, some PowerPoint innovation, and an application called Camtasia that allows you to record your computer screen, we created our masterpiece! So if you are looking to make an expert promotional video using only the resources found on your computer, take some advice from me. The help tab is your best friend! Without it I would never have known there is a green screen effect in iMovie or that you can group objects in PowerPoint in order to make them animate at the same time.

Kailai’s Experience: Working with Andrea on the concept video was really fun. In the beginning I was worried that I would not be able to contribute much to this project as I’m a total rookie on video editing but my powerpoint and photoshop skills combined with Andrea’s iMovie expertise proved to be a great combination. In my humble opinion, the video looks awesome! I am really amazed how different the final video looks from our first version. After we came up with the first draft video, we spent hours discussing and getting feedback from the entire Open Runway team to make sure that we were conveying the right message concisely and effectively. We are basically using the same storyboard for the video as what we first developed at the very beginning of this project. However, after two weeks of polishing and MANY versions later, the video looks much more professional.

As we were resource constrained we found a way to create the video just using using Powerpoint, Photoshop and Camtasia to fake the effects of professional video editing software. We think we did a great job of fooling people’s eyes. Well, at least my friends’ eyes.

Good luck in all your movie making endeavors and don’t forget to check out our masterpiece!

Image Credit: INF Daily

Even stars have a hard time walking on cobblestones, the fashionista’s biggest enemy. Kim Kardashian was seen struggling with her fiancé, Kris Humphries, in New York while wearing some seriously killer purple platforms. Kim paired the electric heels with a neon shirt dress with bell sleeves.

Image Credit: INF Daily

Would you dare to wear these shoes around town? Let us know in the comments.

Image Credit: INF Daily

Images Courtesy of EPA/Landov, Chelsea Lauren/WireImage, & Jim Spellman/WireImage

Lately, celebrities have been rocking the nude platform with their evening brights on the red carpet. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Jayma Mays, and Joanna Garcia-Swisher are all working the look differently. Rosie went for a long fuchsia dress with a leg baring slit, while Jayma donned a vibrant printed strapless cocktail dress. Joanna rocked the look by choosing a vibrant red off-the-shoulder mini.

We at Open Runway love all the versions of the look! Nude heels complement a bright solid or patterned dress perfectly and elongate the leg, which all three of these ladies are baring.

Would you work this look? What is your favorite bright color to wear? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

No, not tennis shoes for tennis, but shoes for watching Wimbledon, the MLB, or Michael Phelps swim. Whenever I go to sporting events my biggest dilemma when putting an outfit together has always been choosing shoes. Should I pick shoes to match the colors of the team I’m cheering for? I’d better not wear the opposing team’s colors that’s for sure. I certainly can’t risk wearing my cutest pair. Like the time I wore my orange suede ballet flats to a Giants game in San Francisco and an overzealous fan in the bleachers spilled his beer all over my feet!!! My shoes were ruined, and so was my mood! Beer + rowdy fans = not a cute look.

A SF Giants game I attended last year at AT&T Park.

Other than color, there is also style. If the event is at night there is always the chance it will get cold and nothing kills the mood like cold feet. If you’re watching a swim meet you always run the risk of getting your feet wet. Sporting events are dangerous places for your finest footwear and even though at Open Runway we would like to wear our stilettos everywhere we realize there are some events where you do need to pack away those custom designed black and gold snakeskin gladiators and step out into some of these cute sporting event friendly options.

The Jelly Shoe

Lately I’ve noticed a revival of the jelly shoe that we were all such big fans of at age 5. These new reinvented and much cuter versions of the 90s classic are perfect for that swim meet you have this weekend. No need to fear chlorine puddles and the occasional mis-dived belly flop, these shoes are a cute alternative to flip flops and wellies.

Cowboy Boots

Yes, cowboy boots are a great option. They have that country chic vibe when styled right and provide warmth which is key if you are going somewhere cold. A few weeks ago I wore sandals to the Stanley Cup Finals and it was a disaster! Whether you’re going to a rodeo, the Stanley Cup, or a backyard game of catch, western themed boots are stylish and practical. Plus now that department stores and online retailers are stocking different varieties of cowboy boots they are becoming more easily accessible for those of us who don’t live in the Wild West.

Black and Patent

For those fashionistas who refuse to wear anything but their finest footwear, the black patent flat is not only a classic, but also great for sporting events where there is potential for spillage, like my Giants game experience. No need to worry about matching your team’s colors –  black goes with everything – and the patent makes it easy for you to wipe off all the spilled ketchup, beer, and cola that is bound to go flying when your team scores a run. If you want something more colorful, you can even design your own pair of patent flats in a variety of colors  and with a multitude of different embellishments like giant bows or studs using Open Runway’s design tool. Take a look a look at our demo!

Keep in mind these aren’t the only options for your sporting event woes. Let us know what shoe choices you’ve made recently!

Last week the Open Runway team took a field trip to deliver our first handbag. We delivered to Judi, one of the design contest winners from last month’s pre-launch party. Take a look at her reaction to her prize winning bag below.

Judi Opens Her Handbag

Some highlights from the day include packaging our first delivery in silver and black, seeing Judi’s genuinely thrilled reaction, and taking a field trip outside on a beautiful summer day. It’s too bad we can’t deliver every order in person.

Last week we got our first order of handbags in and we were ecstatic to open them! We thought it would be fun to film the occasion so we could share it! Take a peek at some of the styles of handbags and some of the cool unique ways you can make them your own!

Click here to view video.

We just learned of a new show coming to NBC called “Fashion Star.” Celebrity and fashion tycoon Jessica Simpson has signed on to be a celebrity mentor and Elle Macpherson will host.

Making a Comeback?

Image Courtesy of First Class Fashionista

The show will start with a group of aspiring designers who are given design challenges and one will be booted every week. The exciting part is that instead of a panel of judges the viewers get to decide who stays and goes each week by purchasing the clothing online! Should be an interesting experiment in the combination of crowdsourcing and television! We are looking forward to Jessica’s return to reality television, does anyone else remember the genius that was “Newlyweds?”

Open Runway is really excited about this innovative new show, maybe there is a television partnership in our future!

We got some great feedback last week with Andrea’s self-introduction blog post and her “downtown hunt for the perfect packaging” coverage. We were excited to find out that you are interested in learning more about our team and wanted you to meet another member of the Open Runway team – our ‘not-so-new’ intern – Kailai!

Kailai studied Fashion Design and Apparel Engineering in one of Asia’s fashion hubs – Shanghai – and is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Marketing Analytics at Bentley University.  She has been involved in various aspects of the fashion industry for the past 3 years and is definitely the go-to-person for style tips. Kailai has been working with us since April and it’s a pleasure to have her on the team. We had an interesting conversation this afternoon about her career interests and her perception of the Chinese apparel industry.

Open Runway: I heard that you just came back from Europe. Welcome back! How was your trip?

Kailai: It was phenomenal. I spent 18 days in France and the UK and loved every second of it. I love immersing myself in different cultures. It helps me to understand differences and to appreciate them.

Open Runway: You had an interesting undergraduate major. In China, is it common for high school graduates to choose fashion as their college major?

Kailai: Haha, my choice is actually…unusual. Even though the apparel industry is one of China’s ‘Pillar Industries’, not many universities offer a fashion program in China. The school I attended,  Donghua University in Shanghai, offers the oldest and most prestigious fashion program. The thing I loved about my undergraduate experience is that it helped me to understand the fashion industry from both the designer/engineer’s point of view as well as from the business perspective. My school is located in downtown Shanghai, a perfect location for fashion students.

Open Runway: Why did you choose to intern for Open Runway?

Kailai: I met Monika at an 85Broads conference. She was one of the speakers in a fashion panel that I attended. I felt truly inspired by her business concept and I knew from the very beginning that this was the perfect fit for me. Social Networking, mass customization and e-commerce are all emerging trends of business today. Monika has found a way to fuse these three areas using fashion as the glue. How cool is that? I would have been crazy if I hadn’t seized the opportunity to join this exciting company. My fashion background as well as my current study in marketing analytics has helped me contribute a lot to Open Runway. I’m very happy that I have this chance to practice my skills.

Open Runway: What’s the fashion industry like in China? What are some of the popular domestic brands?  Would Chinese customers be interested in customized fashion?

Kailai: The fashion industy in China, in terms of retail, is still dominated by international brands. There are domestic brands in China that are doing very well, like Metersbonwe. However, they are targeting the lower and less fashion-forward part of the market. This seems to be true for most domestic brands in China. Most of the apparel companies started as manufacturers for international brands and later evolved into developing their own brands to serve the domestic market especially after the economy crisis in 2008. Because their focus has historically been focused on manufacturing, I think they are doing great in this area, however they definitely need to work on their marketing strategies.  As for mass customization, I think it would attract a lot of young people since individualism is a huge trend among the younger generation in China.

Open Runway: We are really happy to have you on board Kailai!

Kailai: Thanks! I’m excited to be involved in launching Open Runway and I’m looking forward to getting our first online orders!

After being at Open Runway for a week, I’ve learned a lot of new terminology revolving around shoes. So today I am going to share with you some of what I’ve learned (complete with visuals) because seriously, shoes are complicated.

Firstly a shoe is made on a last, which is like a fake wooden or plastic foot. The last changes depending on the heel height, the toe shape and the size of the shoe, so a 4 inch heel height on a size 7 shoe will be made on a different last than a 3.5 inch heel height, size 9 shoe. Basically to make a full range of shoes you need a lot of lasts!

Plastic Shoe Lasts

Image Courtesy of GCBooster

There are many parts of a shoe, you probably already know about the heel and the insole, but did you know the front of a shoe is called a vamp and the back is called the counter! In this example the shoe is peep toed but if it were a closed toed pump the front would be called a toe box.

I wasn’t kidding when I said shoes were complicated! Thankfully knowing all these terms is not necessary to create a pair of shoes using our design studio. I have spent a lot of time designing shoes and handbags on the site and it is so fun; I can’t wait until all of you get to experience the joy that is openrunway.com! Get excited for our site launch at the end of the month!

Open Runway Love,

Andrea

We are excited to announce Open Runway has a new intern! She just graduated from college and will be joining us for the summer. So shoe fans meet Andrea:

Hi Open Runway followers! I’m so excited about interning with Open Runway this summer.

Yesterday was my first day and it can only be described as fabulous. Something to know about me is that I absolutely love shopping, so you can imagine how ecstatic I was when Monika suggested we do packaging research Downtown! After delicious Chinese dumplings we went to investigate shoeboxes. We looked at all shapes, sizes, and colors of shoeboxes as well as the shoes that went with them. Then we moved on to researching shoe bags, which meant designer shoes! After trying on fantastic footwear designed by Chanel, Prada, Miu Miu, Stuart Weitzman and Valentino we had looked at many a shoe bag and were forming some great ideas on how to design our own. At the end of the day I knew this was the internship for me, shoe shopping on the job! Can there be anything more fantastic!

Working here is a big change for me and I couldn’t be more delighted! I just graduated from college with a degree in archaeology. Exploring packaging options for shoes is completely different then digging in the dirt, and if I can make such a sweeping statement so soon, a lot more fun. Plus you get to wear better shoes! I mean I have nothing against the utility of tennis shoes, but lets face it, they just aren’t that attractive, especially covered in mud. Despite the unattractive footwear options in archaeology I did love studying it and digging in the dirt, sometimes, what can I say I’m multifaceted.

Excavating in Bad Shoes

Other than footwear and ancient artifacts a few of my favorite things are sunny weather, trying exotic foods, musical theatre, celeb sightings, and traveling! I’m originally from Northern California, which isn’t known for its sun, and am completely enjoying the great weather we’ve had in Boston this week! The city is so vibrant and I can’t wait to discover more favorite things around every corner.

I’m ecstatic to keep you all updated on the behind the scenes action at Open Runway as we get ready to launch the site. This is such an exciting time for us and I am honored to be a part of the Open Runway team!

Open Runway Love,

Andrea