Joe Zee's Tips On How to be a Designer
Photography by Hao Zeng for Yahoo Style
Styling by Christopher Kim
Hair and Makeup by Mary Guthrie
Model: Bibi at Muse NYC
This time last year I added another slash to my resume. After decades of being a Fashion Editor/Stylist, I was now also a designer. In February of 2014 I officially launched my own collection, Styled by Joe Zee on QVC. For most of my career I have sat front row at many designers’ shows in Paris, London, Milan and New York, critiquing and analyzing and mentally taking notes of everything I saw and what I should cover in my magazines. I started to recognize each designer’s nuances, signature style and those tiny details that could make one collection good or make another one great. But the idea of actually conceiving my very own collection was a whole different matter. Sure, a lot of it comes down to what I like and don’t like, but at the end of the day, it was about my ideal woman. It’s that confident, self-assured, stylish woman who wants to look good but doesn’t want to be bogged down with too many options— just great sportswear pieces that can easily be mixed and matched. Basically getting dressed each morning would be the equivalent of being styled by me.
New York Fashion Week begins next week and while I will still be sitting front row at many of the shows, I will also be premiering my new spring collection during a one hour show on QVC. (Monday, February 9 at 10am ET to be exact so tune in!) I’ve learned a lot this past year. I learned exactly what my customer was looking for (versatility with style); I’ve learned how to take the trends I see on the runways and make it wearable for everyday and most importantly, I’ve learned that as a designer, I must always value what the woman wants and needs first and foremost. While I will never consider myself a Karl or Marc or Tom, I love the fact that after decades of seeing the pros do it firsthand, I can bring that expertise to women of all shapes and sizes and lifestyles across the country. I love the idea that fashion can be democratic in that way. After all, we are all designers. (See a sampling of my collection in the slideshow above.)
In fact, next month during the South by Southwest festival , I will be hosting and moderating an official panel called “When Fashion Gets Personal” to discuss this very thing. After years of being able to design and customize everything from salads to sneakers to cars, why not our clothes? Maybe that option is much closer than we think. I will be reporting from Austin, Texas during that panel to give you the DL. In the meantime, watch me on Monday on QVC (or check it out on qvc.com or even try your own hand at designing with Print All Over Me right here on Yahoo Style. Either way, it will make you have new respect for the people behind that outfit you have on right now.
Related Links: You can be a Designer sitting on your couch. Here’s How.
