Admission to Fashion Design School - Your Fashion Portfolio is EVERYTHING

For those of you looking to enter Fashion School, here is the most important advice we can give you: Lock yourself in your design room and perfect that portfolio NOW ! Like the most prestigious colleges, the top notch design schools are very selective and the competition among candidates is extreme. You absolutely must make yourself stand out from the masses. The easiest way to do this is by creating an authentic, unique and impressive portfolio. Normally schools require drawings of the designs, however we suggest developing a more comprehensive display of your creative abilities. If you your passion lies with clothing, DO NOT be afraid to include one or two pieces outside this medium. An artistic photograph or sculpture you've fathered might be more incisive and demonstrative of your fashion mind than the sum of all your sketching. This recommendation might not work for you, however our point is that your should stretch yourself and your portfolio to ensure that it screams your worth to its viewer. Otherwise, you'll run the risk of swimming in the murk with countless applicants that played it safe and were never heard.


Brad

Fashionable Wholesale Clothing

Designer Handbags Christmas Shopping Online: Authentic Label Purse Gift Giving

It's that time of the year again to start surfing the Net for the best authentic designer handbags and purses. Christmas is a perfect time to give the extra-special women in your life a gift with a special logo, label and price tag. Be careful not to fall prey to all the new websites popping up just-in-time for the Christmas rush. Make sure to make your purchase from a reputable ecommerce site you trust which responds to emails quickly.

Women of all ages enjoy receiving a new purse any time of the year, and Christmas is as good a time as any! So, if you are wondering what to give this Christmas to the women in your life, give a new authentic designer handbag or purse. The designers are creating some of the most fabulous styles you've ever seen. This year, you can select from a variety of bright colors, patterns, fabrications, prices and sizes. There are hand-held, shoulder strap and backpack styles. The inside is important, too. Are there extra pockets for a cell phone? Is the bag lined? There are a number of handbag characteristics you'll be thinking about in your search for the right handbag gift.

Please don't buy from the websites showing you the same designer handbag in every color under the sun. Designers don't manufacture those bags. They are made by factory owners in third-world countries who produce them fast and cheap. Then, they turn-around and unload them by the truck load to street vendors and jobbers in the USA. One of the hottest counterfeit styles this year is the Celine Boogie Bag. Another hot counterfeit is the Balenciaga Motorcycle Bag. Just be careful! Ask questions, and purchase from a website who replies to your questions and emails.

Some women like a big slouchy leather bag, and others like a small rigid constructed purse to carry. So, there are many questions you should answer before making the purchase. Because of the wide selection of purses available online and the same or more available styles of the way women dress, be certain to select a designer handbag you know she'll like and keep for a very long time.

It's important to select the right purse because you want her to smile when she opens your gift. However, you may be making a very big investment financially, too. Designer handbags are not a cheap item. Handbags have become the staple in most fashionable women's closets. So, the investment you make may as well be for something she'll adore for many years to come.

The most difficult part of giving a new purse for a gift is making the purchase decision based on what you think the receiver will like, and not buying something just because you would like it for yourself. Here's some information to use whenever selecting a purse as a gift. First, visualize the woman in her everyday clothing. Is she a jeans and T-shirt person? Does she wear a suit to work everyday? Does she dress conservatively or funky? If you can, look inside her closet. What are her favorite colors? What style shoe does she wear? What style of purse does she carry now? Is it a shoulder bag, a satchel, a tote or a backpack?

Shop around, and then visualize the woman carrying the bag you want to purchase. How does she look? If you start laughing, then it's time to keep looking. But, if you can actually see her carrying that bag, then grab it because online, what you see today may be gone tomorrow! Don't pass up the perfect gift. Online merchants do not stock pile inventory. They obtain enough stock to get them through each season and move the stock as quickly as possible. So, when you find the right item, buy it quickly. Most of the time online shoppers find the item they had been eyeing is regretfully sold. It's happened to me, and it can happen to you as well. Don't let it happen this Christmas!

Once you have a good idea of the color, size, style and price-point, you can purchase the purse of her dreams! Look for something stylish and yet something basic enough with a classic flare. Don't invest too much money in a fly-by-night fad. Funky styles are better selected by the woman herself. Most women buy the funky styles based on their mood or style of the moment. So, if you want to make a lasting impression, select a classic style in a basic color. My favorite recommendations include the basic colors in shades of brown or black leather or cloth bags by Ferragamo, Prada, Tods and Chanel. You can't go wrong with these Designers. Classic Ferragamo have enough style to sail into the next millinium. Yet, they are fashioned for everyday and transition easily into evening wear. You can't go wrong with a classic Ferragamo.

The Prada handbags are phenomenal and come in every size, shape, color and fabrication. Women of all sizes, ages, and styles adore the thought of owning an authentic Prada purse. The important thing to look for in a Prada is the triangle logo positioned on the exterior of the handbag. It can be strategically placed front center, back center or either side of the handbag. Just make sure the triangle logo is there! Fashion-conscious women of all ages want to see the Prada Logo, and they want everyone else to see them carrying it, too!

As stated earlier, be careful not to fall prey to a website selling fake or counterfeit handbags. I can't mention names of websites here because it's just not proper, but believe me, they are out there, and their prices are not cheap! The sites selling fakes keep their prices right up there comparable to the authentic bags. And, many of the bags look real in the photos and may not be when you receive them at home. I'm certainly not trying to instill fear about online shopping. My intention is to educate consumers so they learn to make the right choices. I own and operate an ecommerce website. I want people to feel safe and comfortable doing any type of shopping online.

Merry Christmas and happy handbag hunting! I find the best prices online and do almost all my shopping online nowadays. Don't be afraid to buy online, just be smart. Your email can be your best friend when you shop online. Write, ask questions, and make your purchase from someone who replies with the right answers. You'll be happy you did, and so will she.


About the Author

Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She has been buying and selling Designer Handbags and purses of all price ranges online for over ten years. She's been around the handbag block, and she's heard and seen it all! Anna operates an ecommerce site at http://www.efashionhouse.com/ Guaranteed authentic or your money back Designer Handbags and Accessories

China Wholesale Clothing - LOW prices, HIGH margins, HUGE profits!

Sourcing your products from the China wholesale markets means margins you can't find elsewhere, margins which will skyrocket your profits and allow you to dominate your market.

China has been described as the world's factory.

It might well be re-named China Wholesale Inc.

The phenomenal economic growth in China, typified by the rise of Shanghai - now the world's biggest city, in the world's biggest country - will have an ever-increasing effect on world trade, and on the world of re-selling on the Internet.

China manufactures for the world, and anyone looking to source products just has to start their search in the China wholesale markets. And that means me, and probably you as well.

Many US re-sellers are still convinced that the way to a quick fortune is to go to China, find the guy who makes shoes for Gucci or handbags for Prada, and persuade him to run off an extra few hundred.

A less-reputable China wholesale manufacturer might do this, but the product will not bear the coveted label. You might manage to import the goods into the US, but no way can you sell them - legally - as brand-name products, even if they are made by the same manufacturer as the genuine product.

Beware the so-called "grey market". The Brand name companies are becoming ever-more aggressive in pursuing through the courts anyone infringing their copyright.

In most manufacturing sectors, China is a volume producer, which means that you will always be facing high minimum order quantities, typically thousands of units, which make it seem a no-go area for the solitary trader of modest means. But there is a solution to this problem, as you will see later.

China already has a good reputation for quality clothing, shoes, and basic commodities, but increasingly China wholesalers are turning to high-technology products.

The good news is that the China wholesale manufacturers and the agents are very clued-up on the US market, and very quick to respond to requests for sample products and price and delivery quotations. The really good news is that there is usually an unbelievably margin, so if you have the bankroll and the expertise you could really make a lot of money at this.

So what about a plan of action?

If the China wholesale market excites you, you really can't do without the services of a local China-based agent.

He is the guy who has personal contact with all the manufacturers and factory owners. He knows the China wholesale world intimately - he knows the best sources for all the products. He acts as the middleman and effectively as the purse-holder, and you will need such an expert to guide you through the minefield that is the Chinese-US tax issue.

He will ensure that the product gets shipped on time, and most importantly can check on the quality of the product before it is shipped.

These Chinese export agents are monitored and encouraged financially by their Government to promote China wholesale business overseas, so you should be able to find a reputable one without any problem.

The bottom line is - if you're serious about sourcing goods from China in volume, then you really can't do the business without a good China-based agent. You just have to invest the time to go over to China, ideally when one of the big trade fairs or conventions are taking place. (You can easily find this information on your favorite Search Engine).

Here you can meet with the agents, who can introduce you to the factory owners, who will invite you to the factory to see the product being made, and will probably give you an on-the-spot quotation.

You will find, as I did, that much business in China is still conducted on a personal-relationship basis, so if you don't make the personal contacts and establish and cultivate relationships in the China wholesale world, then you probably won't thrive in China.

If you simply haven't got the time or resources to establish personal contacts in China, then you could look for a good US based Chinese agent or broker - ideally one based in your own city or State.(Again, you can find one using the Search Engines). You may be lucky and find one who has good contacts in China, and he can guide you through much of the bureaucracy involved in importing from a China wholesaler.

Find out who he has represented before, and be sure to contact this person or business to check out your agent or broker.

There is an excellent resource on the internet with a lot of expertise in sourcing China wholesale products. This is the website at www.alibaba.com, which offers excellent advice, and can immediately supply details of Chinese manufacturers for your chosen product.

So there are 3 levels at which you can get involved with the China wholesale markets - the 3 paths to enlightenment and profit as we might call them.

At the bottom level,if you just want to get a feel for what is available, then spend some time on research at www.Alibaba.com - a great resource which can show you the incredible range of products available, and which can put you in contact with agents or manufacturers in the China wholesale business.

At a slightly more ambitious level, if you are committed to doing business long-term, then you could look for a reliable US-based Chinese agent or broker, who for a fee or commission will ease your way into the often-baffling world of importing goods from China.

And the serious marketers will jump in at the top level, and get themselves over to China, the sooner the better, in order to establish those long-term relationships with those active in the China wholesale world.

Relationships which will reap rich rewards for years to come.

If you aren't big enough or confident enough to face this on your own, then find a few other re-sellers in the same market - or related market - as yourself, and pool your time and resources. Whatever it takes, get into this lucrative market place - the potential profits are HUGE !

China and its manufacturers will have an enormous impact on the Internet re-selling world over the next 5 years.

It is already starting to happen, and the time to get involved is now.

The guy who sources the product at the lowest price is the guy who wins, particularly on the Internet.

And that lowest price will almost certainly be provided by a Chinese manufacturer.

If you're still not persuaded to check out the fabulous opportunities in the China wholesale markets, then you should certainly have a look at the best resource on the internet for sourcing products for reselling - just go to Sourcing


About the Author
Brendan Forde has 15 years experience in the IT industry. Now specialising in Internet start-up businesses. For your free ebook "Starting Your Internet Business Right" visit our Wholesale and Dropship Resources site at www.wholesale-dropship-researchproduct.com/