In today’s Industry Interview, we caught up with Rocco Leo Gaglioti – creator, producer, and host of Fashion News Live. Fashion News Live is a televised online fashion magazine, giving viewers access to exclusive celebrity and designer interviews, beauty tips, industry updates, and more. Rocco travels the world, constantly on the hunt for the next big thing, and is always a welcome presence backstage at our shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Read on to find out how it all began!

You created Fashion News Live as a televised fashion magazine, what inspired the idea?
My passion for fashion. I was going to start a magazine but the investors backed out.  I ended up turning it into a treatment for a TV show. The seeds for it began, though, when I moved to Milan at 17 to model. I fell in love with clothes and how they felt and made me feel when wearing them. I also noticed at that time how people reacted differently to you depending on how you were dressed, which I found very interesting.

Did you have experience in broadcast journalism or television? And if not, how did you develop the skills needed to host and produce your own show?
I actually had experience in theater and acting before I ever started modeling. Once I started modeling it evolved into TV and hosting and led into creating Fashion News Live. School is fantastic and I really push education, you can learn details and how to connect-the-dots, but in my life it happened that I learned it as I lived it.

You were discovered in Miami and spent time modeling. What is your most memorable modeling experience?
I have a few very memorable moments from that chapter of my life:
The first is being a showroom model for John Bartlett. I would wear his clothing to model for buyers and was able to learn about fabric and textiles and cuts by listening to the designer as they would pick apart the design and garment and discuss cuts and silhouettes.
The second is walking in a Jean Paul Gaultier show and discovering how friendly and nice he was and what a pleasure he was to work with.
Walking for Armani and Versace was also memorable.

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Words of literary wisdom greet you at Assouline.

During our time in New York for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Fashion School Daily had a chance to stop by the Assouline offices for our latest Industry Interview! We’re sure you all know Assouline by now – remember our Impossible Collection of Fashion Contest? But in case you don’t, Assouline is a leading publisher of luxury books on subjects including art, fashion, design, photography, travel, and so much more. They have a unique way of capturing beauty and bringing it to life in the pages of their books. If you’ve ever seen their books in person – you know exactly what we’re talking about. And if you know how beautiful their books are, just imagine how gorgeous an office full of them would be. Lucky for you – you don’t have to imagine because we’re going to show you!

The first thing we noticed when entering the Assouline office in Chelsea was the gorgeous view. The entire office is covered in windows, showcasing the beautiful New York City skyline. Filled with items brought back from travels to exotic locations, a trip to Assouline is like a quick trip around the world – there is inspiration at every turn. The Assoulines have created a world of the things they love, and have been kind enough to share it with us. Seated at a gorgeous table – glass cut in an outline of Paris, complete with the Seine (etched glass) separating the Left and Right Banks – we chatted with the Assouline team about creative inspiration, publishing, and everything in between.

The beautiful view from the Assouline office.

Where does the inspiration for all of the amazing Assouline books come from?

The majority of our books come from the ideas and experiences of founders Prosper & Martine Assouline. For example, our new book The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, was published after they went to Istanbul for the first time and visited the Grand Bazaar. They were so inspired by the colors, the flavors, smells and the textures at the Grand Bazaar, that they came back and said, “This is our next book – we want this in our library.”

And once you have an idea, what are the steps to publishing?

First, it’s a process of either sending someone to shoot the images, or sourcing images and obtaining rights. For The Grand Bazaar, our in house photographer went to Istanbul and shot everything, which was amazing.

As we gather the images together, our editors work on finding an author – someone who is well versed and somewhat of an authority on the subject. For our book on the Hudson’s Bay Company, we reached out to Graydon Carter, the Editor in Chief of Vanity Fair, because he is filled with Canadian born pride, knows the brand well, and clearly has an eye for fashion and culture.

And from there, the editorial team works on all of the text and our creative team designs the layout. Each book is unique, customized down to the last detail, from the texture of the paper to the font. And covers are always a huge process because they are what sell the book and draw people in. They are the first impression.

Prosper and Martine are very involved in the process – Prosper is the Creative Director and Martine the Chief Editor, so she takes charge of the text and images and he concentrates on the overall package presentation.

Each element is created in house – the only aspect Assouline doesn’t physically do is the printing.

Once the books are printed, our sales & retail teams focus on getting the books to not only all of our Assouline boutiques, but specialty book stores, gift shops, museum exhibitions, and private properties all over the world. The public relations team works on promoting the book through press, Social Media, events, partnerships, and contests, like we did with The Impossible Collection of Fashion.

A very successful event was 2011’s Fashion’s Night Out. We celebrated Brazilian Style at our Plaza Hotel Boutique with caipirinhas, festive colorful apparel, and Brazilian Samba Dancers! The pages were truly brought to life in the boutique, and author Armand Limnander was there signing books through the night.

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In today’s Industry Interview, we caught up with Mira Pickett, owner of one of our fave Mission boutiques, Mira Mira. After a successful career in the tech industry, Mira took a leap of faith and decided to turn her passion into a business – and we are very happy that she did. Mira Mira carries the most amazing, hard-to-find labels including Gat Rimon, Laugh Cry Repeat, and Funktional – and hosts some awesome events, too (a hair-braiding party, yes please!). Read on to find out more about Mira and her adventures in opening her own business!

Why did you decide to open your own boutique?

Opening a shop was something that I had literally planned to do since I was 15 but I guess I never had the guts to do it. I had been working a job that I literally hated for years and then finally the stars aligned and I went for it.

Why did you decide on the Mission?

I’ve lived in the Mission for about 15 years. I used to intern at Southern Exposure while I was in college and lot of the artists surrounding it seemed to go to the Latin American a couple doors down. I used to sneak in. That was really funny telling the owner that so many years later. And I guess ever since then, I’d always go to Boogaloo’s, so this little block is really special to me. I knew that I wanted to be in the Mission and when this space opened up I knew I needed to be here. I literally haunted this street everyday putting my energy out there. I sort of felt like if I didn’t get this spot, I couldn’t open the shop anywhere else.

What are some of your favorite haunts in the area?

I went to the new Southern Pacific Brewing the other day and I think I’m hooked! But mostly I guess I’ve spent a bunch of nights sitting at the Locanda bar. I love their Peroni on tap. And Yamo and Pakwan are also definite favorites for cheap but delish eats. Lolo’s is also a place that personally I could eat at for the rest of my life. If only my Court jeans would let me…

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L-R: Gabriel Yanez and Miguel Lopez, owners of Sui Generis {Ille} and {Illa}. Photo Courtesy of Russell Yip/The Chronicle.

For our latest Industry Interview, we sat down with Miguel Lopez, who owns, Sui Generis – a high-end consignment boutique, with his partner Gabriel Yanez. Brought together by their love of fashion, Miguel and Gabriel moved to the U.S. from Mexico in 2000, and tirelessly worked to turn their dream of owning a store into a reality. They now own two stores, Sui Generis {Ille} and Sui Generis {Illa}, for men and women respectively, and just opened their online shop. You can find amazing designer pieces from seasons past, those items you regret not buying the second they hit shop floors – and at a fraction of the cost. These gems, located in the Castro, are not to be missed!

What was your work experience prior to opening Sui Generis?

I moved to San Francisco in 2000, and at the time my first job was hosting at a restaurant in downtown. While I was working at the restaurant I walked by Max Mara, and there was a sign that said they were looking for a back-stock person. So I applied and got the job, and then started doing back-stock there. I worked my way up, six or eight months later I was working on the floor as an assistant to the manager. And then in less than a year I was selling on the floor, and I became one of the top sellers there.

I was then recruited by Ralph Lauren’s West Coast director to work in their store. I felt like it was a great opportunity to learn even more so I moved there, and became a senior seller within the first year and worked there for seven years. But the whole time I knew that eventually I wanted to have my own store in San Francisco, even before I moved here. It was all leading up to that, just trying to learn as much as I could.

And so during my last two years working at Ralph Lauren, my partner and I opened our first small store on Church Street.

Why did you and Gabriel decide to open a designer consignment and vintage store, as opposed to selling new merchandise?

One of the reasons was capital. While I was at Ralph Lauren, my partner Gabriel was working as a buyer, selling to a lot of the re-sale shops like Crossroads and Wasteland on upper Haight, and he was able to make his living from that. So he started learning a lot about vintage pieces and was finding some really great stuff that he kept and started collecting. So when we decided to open the store, he already had 500 pieces and that is what we opened the shop with, and it didn’t take a lot of investment.

When we first started out, it was more about finding the great pieces and bringing them to the city to have all in one place. And since then we have just grown and gone where the business has taken us.

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Photo Courtesy of The Glitter Guide/Kristen Loken

Today’s Industry Interview is with Melissa Davis, founder and owner of Ruby Press – a boutique public relations firm just across the bridge in Berkeley. Ruby Press mainly represents lifestyle brands, from fashion to beauty and decor. Before starting her own PR firm, Melissa was an editor in NYC. Her varied experiences have given her a unique perspective that helps her everyday. Read on to find out more!

You worked as an editor in New York for 8 years – what were the most important lessons you learned during that time?

I worked with many publicists when I was an editor and it was cringe-inducing to meet with a publicist who clearly didn’t believe in the line they were showing me. I knew that when I started Ruby Press the only way it would work would be to only take on clients that I personally believed in. You can’t sell an idea or product if you don’t believe in it yourself.

What prompted you to switch to PR and start your own firm?

I was meeting with a designer based in Berkeley (who’s work I had admired for many years) and when she told me she didn’t have a publicist because she had never met a locally-based agency with national media connections, I saw an opportunity. I’m naturally the kind of person who can’t stop talking about companies I love and believe in, so public relations felt like a natural fit for me personally. And having worked as a fashion editor for so many years, I knew first hand how to work with the media. I actually think it gave me an advantage over some other publicists who haven’t worked on the editorial side.

What would you say is the “Public Relations Golden Rule”?

Our ‘golden rules’ here at Ruby Press are to #1, Always get the media what they need, when they need it. #2, Be assertive, never aggressive. #3, Think like an editor. Really, rule #3 says it all. It all seems like common sense but after being on the editorial side for 13 years I have worked with so many PR people who didn’t get things to me on time, were rude or aggressive. Bizarre, right?

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Wonderland SF Owner Irene Hernandez-Feiks at a Chillin’ Productions Event. Photo Courtesy of Lance Iversen.

Irene Hernandez-Feiks has worked with over 10,000 artists throughout the Bay Area, from designers and artisans to photographers and filmmakers. What began as small, weekly happy hour events for local designers has turned into a major happening where all forms of art converge three to four times a year. Irene recently opened Wonderland SF, a boutique + gallery located in the Mission. She stocks clothing, shoes, and accessories from independent designers throughout the bay area, including School of Fashion Alums like gr.dano. In the back of the space there is a rotating gallery, with new exhibitions each month. Fashion School Daily took a day trip to the Mission to visit Irene (and her adorable golden retriever Tenoche) at Wonderland SF, and learn about the inspiration behind this creative powerhouse!

Wonderland SF was like a second act to Chillin’ Productions – can you tell me a bit more about that?

I started out as a designer and when I was first starting I felt that in San Francisco, if you didn’t have the personality or the connections, it was really hard to break into the industry. So my best friend and I, she owns 111 Minna Gallery, started doing a happy hour every Tuesday with five local designers. It was like a mini-sale where people could show their designs. I feel like people always try to do fashion shows in San Francisco, but nothing really comes of it, so this was a way to really get people familiar with these designers and their work. Every week it was different and we would have DJs, so it was a fun thing that people could do after work.

And that was thirteen years ago, when we first started, before people were doing sample sales or anything like that here in San Francisco. So it started to become really popular, and a lot of the magazines started to come which was really great. But after a year I just got burned out because it was every week and I was having to do all of the research and planning. So then we started doing it every two months and did 40 designers. And instead of doing it 5 to 9 PM in the evening we did it 8 PM to 2 AM. It was more of a night event with lot of DJs and local bands playing too. We started having a line around the block to get into these events, and soon enough we outgrew 111 Minna. So then we moved it to Studio Z and it included designers, artists, filmmakers, and DJs. And then we got too big for that space too so we moved it to Mezzanine.

Do you still do large-scale events for Chillin’?

Yes we still do them at Mezzanine – we are having an event on December 3rd with 200 artists, 80 fashion designers, 40 filmmakers, and 4 people painting on stage. The whole idea behind Chillin’ is that maybe you love art and that’s why you’re there, but then you see a designer’s clothing that you fall in love with.

It has always been free and we have never taken money from the designers or artists, there is not cost to them. I really want the designers to see how people respond to their line and get them exposure. And sometimes buyers will come and they’ll get picked up by a boutique, which is really great. And they learn – one thing that school doesn’t teach you is the business side of it. For me, Chillin’ Productions has really been about helping the designers to learn about what they really want to do and what works.

Why did you decide to open Wonderland SF?

With Chillin’ we do events three or four times per year, but we wanted to have a platform for designers that was year round. So we opened Wonderland, and we sell everything on consignment for the designers. I think it really helps to show them how people respond and teaches them how to be successful – even little things like they realize they need to do size runs and things like that.

And we do have a huge following from Chillin’ which has helped. I have my regular customers who come in looking for things that are unique and different. And it helps the designers to decide – do they want their line to be more accessible or more high end? Wonderland has such a wide range of designers and customers, so there is something for all different people.

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In today’s Industry Interview, Fashion School Daily sat down with Jenny Chung, the owner and creative mastermind behind one of San Francisco’s most loved boutiques, Acrimony. They’ve just opened a second store, ACRE/SF, in North Beach – Acrimony’s little sister that also offers Blue Bottle Coffee and delicious pastries. The space is seriously cool, sitting atop Telegraph Hill with some breathtaking views of the city. Jenny has developed a cult following since opening Acrimony, known for her expert eye and always stocking the latest designers you might not have heard of but will soon be obsessed with. We took a trip to North Beach to check out the new space – and it was definitely worth the hike.

You first opened Acrimony in 2008, in Hayes Valley. Why did you decide to open your own boutique?

I think I always knew I wanted to own my own boutique, it was just a matter of how I was going to do it, when I was going to do it, and when I was really ready to do it. I’ve always liked to work for myself and for some people it takes twenty years of working in the corporate world before they’re ready to go out on their own and for others it’s five – for me it was about five. To me, there is no better satisfaction than owning my own business and I come from a family of entrepreneurs so I’ve grown up with that. I really wanted to be able to see my own vision come to light so that’s what my goal was from the very beginning.

That being said, I’m not a hasty person and I don’t just jump into things, I’m definitely a planner. So I knew that I wasn’t ready to do this right out of college, I worked first and gained experience.

What was your work experience prior to that?

When I was going to school at Cal [University of California, Berkeley] I interned at some advertising agencies because I thought I might want to get into marketing or advertising. But then I decided I didn’t want to do that and thought maybe I should pursue my passion. A lot of people have an interest in fashion but they don’t know if they just want to work to be able to buy great clothes or if they want to really work in the fashion industry. At the time, I did a full round of recruiting at Saks in New York and I didn’t end up getting that job, which was really one of those turning points in my life where I felt like everything was falling into place and then it didn’t. But it ended up probably being the best thing for me because I would be in a very different place.

So I ended up working at Target Corporation right after I graduated as a financial analyst and planner. I went through their whole program so I learned the business side of it, doing fashion math and all of that stuff. I did that for two years, and then moved to BCBG doing almost the same thing but on the wholesale side, it was still very financially driven.

And then I finally had a chance to work with product. I got a job with Bruno Magli, an Italian shoe company who a lot of people know because they were the shoes that O.J. Simpson wore during his trial. I worked with them for 6 years as their West Coast sales manager. I got to work with the product, but also work with and maintain relationships with clients, as well as still doing the financial side. I also got to go to Italy, and help with the design process – because for all of the big accounts they would want to do something a bit different. So it was really a chance for me to work every facet of the business, and I’d never had that opportunity before, so it really shaped me.

And while I was working that job I was able to make the right connections and really find out more about myself. So after that it just felt like the right time for me to open the store.

Why did you choose San Francisco?

It’s my hometown, I’m from here originally. I lived in LA for four years and the inception of the store came while I was living there. Actually, all of the planning and details happened when I was still in LA, but I knew that I wanted to be in San Francisco because my friends and family are here. And San Francisco needed it more than LA, there are so many great shops down there and back in 2008 there weren’t that many great shops in San Francisco, really just a handful. It was kind of San Francisco’s moment and my moment too so it worked out nicely.

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Three of the looks from collaborative collection Matt Dick for MARCH. Photo Credit: Drew Altizer Photography

 Matt Dick might just be one of the most creative people around. He has worked in everything from textiles and clothing design, interior design, curating, branding, product development – the list goes on. His latest project is a collaboration with MARCH, a home furnishings store with some of the most beautiful kitchen wares you’ve ever seen (they also make their own spices, vinegars, and jams). For the collaboration, Matt designed a line of clothing inspired by work wear from around the world. He was nice enough to take a few moments out of his busy schedule to answer our questions – and even his answers are exceptionally creative!

You have worked in so many different creative fields, having designed clothing, spaces, and worked as an art director, among other things – what was your first creative love/outlet?

IF DAYDREAMING DOES NOT COUNT THEN IT WAS COLLAGE AND DRAWING SINCE I CAN REMEMBER , I STILL KEEP AND CREATE LARGE SCRAPBOOKS.

Your latest project is a collection for MARCH inspired by work wear from around the world – what gave you the idea for the collection?

PEOPLE DRESSED FOR THEIR TRADE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO LOOK AT WHEN TRAVELING AND AFTER SAM HAMILTON APPROACHED ME WITH THE IDEA OF A COLLABORATION IT MADE SO MUCH SENSE FOR MARCH .

WE WERE PRETTY MUCH ON THE SAME PAGE FROM THE BEGINNING, OUR TAKE ON GETTING DRESSED FOR LIVING LIFE.

Some of the gorgeous kitchen and table wares at MARCH; An airy look from the collection. Photo Credit: Angie Silvy

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John Tiffany with Miss Eleanor Lambert

John Tiffany, author of Eleanor Lambert: Still Here, was kind enough to take a moment out of his busy schedule to chat with Fashion School Daily. He is a fashion historian, author, and lecturer with years of experience in the business of fashion. One of his first jobs was working with Fashion PR Fairy Godmother, Eleanor Lambert – she literally invented public relations in the fashion industry and put American fashion on the map. She clearly inspired John Tiffany, and we hope this interview (and his amazing book) inspire you too!

Even though you worked for Miss Lambert for less than a year, she obviously made a lasting impression on you. What was it about her that made such an impact?

I remember thinking how important Miss Lambert was — creating so many things to promote artists and fashion designers. But ultimately what made the biggest impact on me was how she just did her work everyday! She was so important, her work was so important, and one could certainly feel in awe of her, every single day. But I was taken by how hard she worked, she didn’t chit chat, read or waste time. If she was trying to pitch a story and an editor said no, she just tried something else. Miss Lambert was never disrespectful or rude or pushy, she had an abundance of manners. She just kept trying a different approach until she got what she wanted — until she the idea she imagined became reality. She wasn’t neurotic, she just was completely focused on the task at hand, and of course, with an eye to the future!

I would have to say – even to this day, the Versailles Exhibition of 1973 – the fashion show that pitted American designers versus the French in the Palace of Versailles, has made a HUGE IMPRESSION on me! It was the moment that American fashion came to be accepted on the same level as the Europeans. So much so, that we take it for granted! We forget that there was a time when American design was considered inferior. Miss Lambert believed that American designers deserved credit for their work and it took her decades to prove she was right — when no one else dared believe it!

You first became acquainted with Eleanor Lambert while researching a presentation in High School, when someone at the New York Times suggested you contact her. Was she always so accessible and willing to help?

Yes, people would call Miss Lambert all the time and she would make time at her apartment on Fifth Avenue across from Central Park, she had an office at 58th Street & Third Avenue, but she would invite people up for tea to her apartment. She was always interested in helping people, connecting people — that is people she saw as worthy.

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Looks from the latest collection - loving the soft desert pink hues

During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, Fashion School Daily had the chance to chat with Derek Farrar and Laurieanne Gilner, the dynamic duo behind the line Parker. We met at their studio/showroom in the heart of the Fashion District, and talked about everything from their start in the business to their inspiration for the line, even how they came up with the name.

Both Laurieanne and Derek paid their dues before they started Parker. Derek attended Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he studied Fashion Design. After he completed school, Derek started his own line, positioned in the designer market. After five years, he was ready to move on and decided to work in the contemporary field. He helped to launch the line Shoshanna, known for their dresses and swimwear. After the launch, Derek was ready for another change – and it felt like the perfect time to begin a project with Laurieanne.

Laurieanne studied fashion at Altos de Chavón in the Dominican Republic and at l’Ecole Supérieure des Arts et techniques de la Mode (ESMOD) in Paris, before coming back to the U.S. She began designing at Theory, and was a member of the team that launched the line in 1998. After several years, Laurieanne decided to start her own line, Tehya by Laurieanne, which was a great learning experience and helped pave the way for Parker.

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