A beginner's guide to modern calligraphy

These days, a growing number of people are getting into drawing and calligraphy to express their creativity. Fashion design professional Remi Landau engages in these activities to express her ideas. She shares this simple guide for beginners who want to start practicing modern calligraphy.

Invest in quality materials

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Good calligraphy tools and supplies don't have to be expensive. In learning the basics of calligraphy, one should prepare materials such a pencil, brush pen, pen holder, nib, ink, and graphing paper or watercolor paper. While it's acceptable to start calligraphy and hand lettering using only a simple pen and paper, the right materials are important to master strokes and styles.

Find tutorials and worksheets

There are many tutorials and worksheets available online. Remi Landau suggests that for now, these are the best ways to start learning hand lettering and modern calligraphy from the comfort of one's home. However, she advises those who will get into this hobby not to skip the basic skills. Handling the pens and learning the strokes until the hands get used to it is important to develop consistency.

Keep practicing

Though it looks easy, calligraphy and lettering are art forms that require skill and patience. Continuous practice will develop a person's stroke, which is important, especially when it comes to writing long words. When checking out others' work online, it's important to remember that great work is a result of dedication and practice. Using worksheets and joining lettering challenges are effective ways to hone one's skill and develop a personal style.

Remi Landau received her bachelor's degree from Syracuse University. She most recently worked for Bergdorf Goodman as an assistant for a personal stylist. Visit this page for updates.

How the fashion world reacted to COVID-19 pandemic

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Every private and public sector reacted similarly when the outbreak of COVID-19 came to the U.S. Most businesses were shut down as employees were forced to self-isolate to prevent the further spread of the virus. The fashion world was no exception, according to fashion designer Remi Landau. However, unlike most industries that have shut down, fashion designers are doing their best to contribute whatever they can to help during these trying times.

The initial kneejerk reaction of the fashion world was expected. Stores and retail outlets have been closed, galas have been canceled, fashion shows postponed, and entire season's worth of designs left behind undrawn curtains. This has led to several executives receiving massive pay cuts, layoffs for both essential and non-essential workers in the industry, as well as some brands already filing for bankruptcy after several months of abysmal sales performance.

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While the fashion industry was in dire straits, several people in the fashion industry recognized that the coronavirus was bigger than any economic and health crisis that came before. This is why influencers such as stylist Anna Rosa Vitiello and Bettina Looney coordinated a wardrobe clear out in their Instagram stories to raise money for Doctors Without Borders. Resale sites like Vestiaire Collective gathered donations from brands like Kate Moss, Thandie Newton, and Camille Charriere to sell to donate to local charities. And all over the world, Remi Landau has read of reports where fashion designers have been helping create PPE such as face masks and face shields for frontline medical workers.

As a fashion designer in New York, Remi Landau draws upon her cumulative work experience in the fashion industry as well as her regular attendance at New York Fashion Week. She generates and sketches design ideas for social wear and nightlife clothing. For more insightful reads on fashion, visit this blog.

One Soft Skill Valued in the Fashion Industry

New York City resident Remi Landau is working on her skills as a fashion designer. In addition to being creative, Remi Landau’s interpersonal skills have assisted her with accomplishing her career goals in fashion.

Interpersonal skills are invaluable in business. In fashion, whether working as an intern or a designer, interpersonal skills are necessary to move forward in this industry.

The fashion industry has long been characterized by being a profession of very fickle perfectionists. However, while this characterization might be true, the professionals who comprise this industry have to have interpersonal skills to work together as a team. These skills come in handy when working on projects and sharing ideas.

Ultimately, interpersonal skills are of great use throughout the business day. They help build relationships between the professionals and customers and co-workers. Moreover, in a very diverse industry, interpersonal skills help people with respecting other’s differences.

When engaging clients, interpersonal skills assist with making them feel comfortable with the clothing. For example, being able to articulate knowledge regarding clothing is important to making the sale. Alternatively, when clothing does not fit appropriately, interpersonal skills assist professionals in the industry with tactfully communicating this to the customer.

Economic Impact of the Fashion Week

Remi Landau of Scarsdale, New York is one of the city’s clothing designers. Remi Landau is creating a nightwear line for her present employer. In addition to creating her own line, she attends fashion week.

Fashion Week has become the hub where art and fashion converge to create trends for the next seasons. Established as Press Week during WWII, Fashion Week has expanded to include events in Milan, Paris, China, Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, and Brazil. However, for each of these locations, Fashion Week has done more for these cities and fashion than create buzz.

The amount of money the event generates has grown over the years, some believing that it significantly contributes to the city’s economy. In 2015, New York’s famed semi-annual Fashion Week was reported to have contributed $887 million to the city’s economy, drawing 232,000 attendees to more than 500 shows. Today, according to NYCEDC, this figure has moved closer to $900 million a year.

More than just a glitzy event attended by the country’s celebrities and well-heeled, New York’s Fashion Week is a part of an industry that contributes to 5.5 percent of the city’s workforce. In total, the fashion industry pays $11 billion in wages and contributes to $2 billion in tax revenue, and that was in 2015.

For other countries, Fashion Weeks events do a lot for the area. In many cases, Fashion Week is the opportunity to showcase local designers while generating revenue for the city. In Shanghai, Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil, and Tokyo, Fashion Week is the chance to change the image of these cities from being primarily textile producers, and more importantly, invite investment to the areas.

A Brief Overview of the History of Silk

Presently living and working in New York, Remi Landau has extensive experience in the fashion industry as a designer and an assistant to a personal stylist. Remi Landau possesses many essential skills relevant to the fashion industry related to designing, beading, and working with a range of fabrics.

Silk is one of the most popular and revered fabrics in use today. Typically obtained from mulberry silkworm larvae cocoons, silk was first produced and used in China in 3500 BCE. Eventually, the production of silk extended around the globe, despite the efforts of Chinese emperors to keep silk production a secret.

By 1200 CE, silk earned its status as the most valuable material in the world, and was considered a luxury fabric. In the late 19th century, China and Japan produced the greatest amount of silk in the world, with Italy following as the third-largest producer. Silk production began in America in the early 1600s, and the fabric was first produced in the country by American colonists. One of the original major centers for silk production in America was Paterson, New Jersey.

Two of the World’s Greatest Conservation Organizations

Based in New York, Remi Landau enjoys working within the fashion industry as an assistant to a personal stylist, utilizing her creative fashion design, customer service, and research skills. Remi Landau has personal interests in travel, drawing, diving, and nature conservation.

Numerous conservation organizations exist around the world today. The Nature Conservancy is one of the largest of these organizations, and is focused on working alongside local communities to provide protection for more than 100 million acres of land. The mandate of the Nature Conservancy is to employ a holistic approach that preserves complete wildlife populations and their species. The organization has also devised an innovative approach to conservation that involves the use of debt-for-nature swaps. These swaps allow for developing countries to have their debts forgiven if their biodiversity is maintained.

Operating since 1962, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) was originally founded to raise funds to support international conservation efforts, and is one of the world’s largest conservation organizations. The WWF operates in more than 100 countries and receives assistance from over five million supporters. Some of the WWF’s most recognized conservation efforts include protecting significant wilderness areas and taking action to fight climate change and crimes against wildlife.

How to Survive and Thrive in a Fast-Paced Work Environment

Remi Landau graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She started working as an intern for Wietz & Luxenberg and continued to take on different roles in reputable companies. With her vast work experience in different industries, Remi Landau has gained the skills that are necessary to succeed in a fast-paced work environment.

Most industries experience a fast-paced environment and often require people who are capable of operating in a tight schedule. While it can be overwhelming and challenging to work in a pressure-centric environment, there are ways to manage tasks and even succeed in this type of setting.

It is crucial to educate yourself not just about your job description but also the industry you’re in from the beginning. Understanding your role helps in identifying and performing the tasks needed for the job. Be prepared to learn as you go and be resourceful to find answers instead of waiting to be told.

Learn how to collaborate and work with your team members to complete tasks efficiently. Don’t just focus on your performance. You must also pay attention to the responsibilities of your teammates. Knowing when to work alone or alongside someone who has complementary skills can also help get the job done. Communication is essential to avoid miscommunications with your teammates.

Finally, taking a break to de-stress and clear your thoughts are also necessary. Even in hectic situations, your physical and emotional state take precedence. If you don’t take a break now and then, you might suffer from mood swings which might affect your work performance and relationships with co-workers.