projectmakeitwork

The Pastie Project!

Pastie Project cover finished.jpg

This is where we’ve been for the last 18 months, in case you’re wondering WHAT HAPPENED TO PROJECT MAKE IT WORK?

Project Make It Work was an experiment in web page creation, social media networking, and a practice in interviewing. It taught us so much, and we are so grateful to all of the Project Runway alum who contributed their stories to this site!

If you’d like to see what’s been happening since our last interview, check out the project Coleen has been working on under her stage name Rosey La Rouge. The Pastie Project is a book about the history of the burlesque pastie. After a VERY successful Kickstarter fundraiser, the book went to print, and is available for purchase HERE!

You can find out ALL about the project at thepastieproject.org, and you can check out our #pastiesoftheday on Instagram @thepastieproject!

Thank you again for supporting Project Make It Work, and welcome to The Pastie Project!

xo,

Coleen Scott, aka Rosey La Rouge

QUILTING CLASS at the Prospect Hill Senior Center- A Story about Volunteering

Our quilting class at the Prospect Hill Senior Center

Since July, I have had the pleasure of volunteering with some of the wonderful senior citizens at The Prospect Hill Senior Center in Brooklyn, New York. I have always been around senior citizens, from the time I was a young child. My parents and grandparents were part of The Elks Lodge, and we went camping monthly with The Roving Elks, a motorhome group of mostly seniors. I was always very close to all four of my grandparents, and after losing my last grandpa at the beginning of this year, I have really felt the gap in my life and my heart, where the seniors are missing. Probably because of my close relationships with my grandparents, I love seniors, and have been searching for an opportunity to work with them for years. After a guest storytelling opportunity given to me by my good friend, professional storyteller and actress, Cyndi Freeman, I was hooked, and began brainstorming ways to get more involved with the wonderful people I had met. Cyndi felt the same way, and was excited to continue working with these seniors she had built relationships with.

In July, 2015, we (Cyndi and I) sat down with Crystal and Carla at Prospect Hill Senior Center, for a programming meeting, and decided that a quilting class would be a great way to go. We had to emphasize that we were interested in volunteering, and we made a small budget, and began thinking of other ways to get supplies we needed.

Now, I am a costume designer by trade, and a costume instructor at a private school in Brooklyn, so teaching sewing comes very easily, but quilting is a skill that I learned from my mother. My mom Gayle Scott, is an avid quilter and artist. She has been making quilts of all kinds for over 15 years now, and participates actively in the Quilting Guild in her city, Redding, California.

Over the years, I have learned many different techniques and tricks about quilting from my mom. I’ve taken workshops with her, learned through practice while sewing on visits home to Redding, California, and I’ve spent hours with her quilting friends sewing at the community center Thursday sewing group. I would consider myself a novice quilter and an expert seamstress. I tend to enjoy the design process and the act of putting things together over the tedium of cutting pieces perfectly, or doing intricate handwork like applique’. My mom has done it all, and so have most of her friends. They are a talented bunch, and they are a joyful, and generous group of ladies.

Japanese Style Quilt with Hand embroidered blocks by Gayle Scott

Photo Slice Art Quilt by Gayle Scott and 3 Redding CA, Art Quilters

I suppose it should have come as no surprise that when Cyndi and I were approved for this quilting class, the ladies of the Redding Thursday Group jumped at the opportunity to clean out their fabric scraps, and donated all of the fabric to get our class started. Not only did they donate the fabric, but they cut all the fabric into 4″ squares for us. Thousands of 4″ squares were then packed into priority mail packages along with some fabric yardage to back quilts, and all was mailed directly to me for use in our projects. Mom and I made a plan of ways to make quilts with beginners, and through her experience, we designed accessible projects that would help everyone learn the basics, and help them feel like they had the opportunity to design. We also made a plan to have layout boards for those who may not be able to sew, but wanted to participate. I cannot express the gratitude I have for those women’s generosity, and for their enthusiasm about this project. I know that they are still ready to send a whole new batch of fabric whenever we are ready for more. Truly, the program could not have happened without them, and it has kept us going now for months. We have finished four quilts, and tens of other small projects like tote bags, pillows, pin cushions, and pot holders- all made from the squares they sent.

We are still going strong over at Prospect Hill, and will finish this time with them at the end of December. We hope to move to another center in the new year through June, possibly with funding from BAC in a special grant for senior arts programs. We truly look forward to meeting new seniors and working with some of our new friends from PHSS who recommended this new space to us. We will always have a love for that center, and hope to return there with more programming as well.

I am so grateful to my mother for teaching me the basic quilting skills I have, for being the doer that she is, and for organizing and helping me plan this course from afar. Her creativity and generosity is unparalleled, and I am so lucky and thankful for her in my life. Soon, California will connect directly with New York, and mom will be a guest in our quilting class in Brooklyn, on her visit in the new year.

Here is a video of the seniors having fun, and chatting about class- you can see by the smiles on their faces, that they are as happy as we are to be quilting together.

Quilts made by seniors in the Quilting Class at Prospect Hill Senior Center

The bottom line is this: volunteering is good for your soul. I feel connected to senior citizens, but maybe you feel connected to children, or animals, the homeless, or the sick. The point is, it feels good to give back to the community, and it feels even better if you can share something you love with others, without stress, without pretense, and without any reason other than to create for the joy of it. I highly recommend it.

THE STRAIN- A Promo.

We were asked to help create a creepy gif to show to the people at FX. We had a great time making our friend Nishell Falcone into a victim of The Strain . Photos for the gif by Ben Trivett. Thanks to the people at Sideways Advertising for the fun opportunity!

Youth Now: Live Forever!

We’ve been working on our brief for i-D Magazine. The title was “Youth Now!” and we wanted to share our thoughts and some of our final images. Model: Emma Mannheimer, Photos by Ben Trivett. Makeup, Hair, Styling by Coleen Scott.

This is a side by side comparison of the same image of Emma in black and white and color. Image creation was inspired by the style of Daniel Jackson, the assigned photographer for the brief.

STATEMENT OF INTENT: I’m looking for the coolest young people I know, and hoping to make believable, interesting, optimistic, sexy images, full of life and vigor, full of the motivation to change the world in their own individual way. The concept is clean, minimal makeup, showcasing natural beauty, and showcasing each models’ original look and style. If color is used, it will be unconventionally, trading the stereotype of red lips and blue eye makeup for just the opposite. Red lipstick on the eyes and blue on the lips, symbolizing individuality, rebellion from the norm. Our friend Emma is the embodiment of the hopeful side of youth now. She’s a mover and shaker, and we’re excited to see what she does next. We’re pretty sure there will be good food involved, as she’s really got her finger on the pulse of what’s trending on NYC’s food scene.

This is the makeup chart next to the final execution on Emma. The thinking behind the red eye makeup and blue lips is taking the stereotypical woman’s makeup of red lipstick and blue eyeshadow, and switching features, as a symbol of rebellion.

I was inspired by other artists in The Val Garland School of Makeup to title my idea for this editorial. The brief is “Youth Now”, but I think I would call this: “Youth Now: Live Forever”. Generally, young people have that zest for life and adulthood that you can sometimes lose as you get older. In general, they don’t have quite as many responsibilities or attachments that hold them back from living every moment to the fullest. On the other hand, the general societal pressures and ideas about the state of the world, also leads youth to have a “live now, worry later” attitude- always reaching for what is the most fun, wildest thing they can do at any moment. This doesn’t necessarily lead to productivity, it can be laziness that is the chosen activity. Leisure. Living beyond your means to make every moment the exact way you want. Satisfying your whims. That can be youth now, too. When you’re young, you feel like you’re going to live forever and you can do anything. When you’re young in 2015, you do whatever you can, however you can, to keep yourself engaged and satiated, and distracted from the negative. Youth Now: Short Attention Span Lifestyle. Or, as I like to call it: “Shiny Penny Syndrome”. Go wherever the pretty fun things are. We explored both sides in our shoot with Emma. The hopeful, exuberant side, and the “I don’t care, as long as I’m having a good time” side. They both have their merits. Check them out below.

One of the favorite final images for the i-D Magazine Brief. Model: Emma Mannheimer, Photo: Ben Trivett

The final image we selected:

The final image selection for i-D Magazine. Model: Emma Mannheimer, Photo: Ben Trivett

A Makeup Brief from i-D Magazine!

Our current homework in The Val Garland School of Makeup is an editorial brief, set by none other than i-D Magazine. The theme is “Youth Now”, and we’ve just begun our research on the creative team and their work, as well as the foundations of the magazine itself, currently in it’s 35th year!

Follow Project Make It Work's board I-D Brief: Youth Now on Pinterest.

Daniel Jackson and Alastair McKimm for i-D Magazine 2015

We’re Part of The Mastered Class with Val Garland School of Makeup!

We are so excited to be a part of the Val Garland School of Makeup course, offered through Mastered.com! What an honor to share time, creativity and knowledge with a hugely talented group of people! We will be focusing on makeup projects, products, and tips this summer, so keep in touch with us!

In the meantime, here’s a link to our first project, still in progress!

Photo from Anti Brief Project for Val Garland School of Makeup. Photo by Ben Trivett, Model: Rachel Allulli

How Justin LeBlanc Makes It Work: Our Exclusive Interview!

We’ve been rooting for Justin LeBlanc this season on Project Runway All Stars, and thought it fitting that we re-post our interview with him from this summer. Stay tuned for more interviews with current All Star Designers!

Justin LeBlanc

In Season 12 of Project Runway, the incredible batch of designers did not disappoint. Shining in the forefront of the talented group was Justin LeBlanc, Assistant Professor in The College of Design at North Carolina State University. Justin, who has interned with Alexander McQueen and Nick Cave, was a designer who demonstrated innovative style, and a fighting will to win. Justin is no stranger to overcoming obstacles; he grew up without his sense of hearing. Through a recent cochlear implant he has acquired hearing, but his developed sense of creating strong visuals was honed without the sense of sound, and we think this lends so much to Justin’s original aesthetic. As a finalist in Season 12, Justin wowed the audience with his unconventional gown made of test tubes and his 3-D printed accessories. It goes without saying that Justin’s designs inspire. They inspire awe, creativity, inquisitiveness, and most of all, we know that they will inspire the future of fashion.

Test Tube Gown and 3-D Printed Accessory by Justin LeBlanc

HOW JUSTIN LEBLANC MAKES IT WORK

1. Who are you, and what season/s did you participate in?

My name is Justin LeBlanc, and I was on Season 12 of Project Runway. I was one of the top three finalists.

2. Please give a brief description of your design style.

My design style focuses on the exploration of new materials and technologies ranging from the use of innovative materials, to 3-D printing. Through the use of technology, I am able to challenge the viewers as to what is considered to be the norm in fashion.

I also utilize architectural and textural elements in my designs. You will always see interesting combinations of textiles and the use of shape and form in my garments. Intricate gathering and layering are characteristic of my garments. I also use patterns to accentuate the form of my garments.

Test Tube Gown and 3-D Printed Accessory By Justin LeBlanc

3. What was the most challenging thing about the Project Runway experience BESIDES the challenges themselves?

The most challenging thing about Project Runway was the day-to-day schedule. It was grueling, both physically and emotionally. There was constant uncertainty about what the next day would bring, and very little time to create. It required a great deal of stamina and focus. You had to be at the top of your game without the support of friends and family, and in the midst of what was, at best, organized chaos.

4. Who have you met or worked with during or since the Project Runway experience that you are most proud of or excited about?

Well, that would have to be Tim Gunn. I haven’t spoken to him since the PR days but through his support in tough times, constructive criticism, constant respect, and endless encouragement, he made me a better designer and person.

I have been able to channel my experience on Project Runway into what I love the most—designing and teaching and (I hope) challenging students. I learned a lot about designing and my abilities as I worked through each PR challenge. I learned through the failures and triumphs. I have also been able to reflect on that experience and use it to inspire my and challenge my students, and to share my experience with students in other universities.

Justin LeBlanc and Tim Gunn in the Project Runway Workroom

5. What have you been working on, and what are you excited about professionally since Project Runway?

I’ve recently finished teaching the Spring semester at North Carolina State University. I also presented my recent Fall/Winter Collection 2014/15 at Charleston Fashion week, and more recently at a show in Houston. It has received wonderful reviews, and I can’t wait to show my next collection. I am currently working on my Spring/Summer 2015 collection, which will be my first solo show, debuting at the end of August.

6. Besides the basics, what sewing notion or tool could you NEVER do without?

I could never live without my rulers! I use them to plan the intricate layering and outlines of my garments. And of course, I want to make sure that I use the measurements needed to create the best fit for whomever wears my garments.

Grading Ruler and French Curve Rulers

7. Is there anything else you’d like us to know or see?

If you want to keep up with me, make sure you follow me on Twitter and Instagram to get the latest news and events relating to my work at @JLeBlancDesign. Also, you will soon be able to buy products from my Fall/Winter Collection and 3-D printed items on JLeBlancDesign.com

Justin LeBlanc

We’d like to thank Justin so very much for all of his generous input, and beautiful images. We wish him the best of luck in everything he does in the future, and hope to stay in touch! It has been a pleasure chatting with you, Justin! -C. Scott

All text and photo content provided by Justin LeBlanc, and photos credited to Curtis Brown, unless watermarked, linked, or specified.

Beautiful Makeup Looks from Besame Cosmetics, Urban Decay, and Stila!

There are so many makeup products out there to choose from, where does one begin? We took some of our favorite products and gave our model, Chloe Worthington, three beautiful and very different looks. Whether you’re headed out to a holiday party, to a weekend brunch, or out shopping for the day, these products and looks will get you through it all, and leave you feeling fabulous whatever the occasion!

Chloe Worthington in Besame Cosmetics. Photo by Ben Trivett

If you haven’t heard of Besame’ Cosmetics, get online and find them, now. The beautiful makeup line, created by “artist, cosmetic historian, and designer Gabriela Hernandez”, is a must-have. The packaging alone, inspired and created to resemble various vintage makeup products, is worth decorating your shelves with. The products themselves are highly pigmented, creamy, and classic. For Chloe’s vampy look, we used the lipstick in Noir Red, the Crimson Cream Rouge, and the 1932 Black Cake Mascara, used as a liner as well. We also highly recommend the Brightening Violet Powder. Right now, the site is selling beautiful gift packages, perfect for the holidays!

Noir Red Lipstick from Besame Cosmetics

Brightening Violet Powder from Besame Cosmetics

Chloe Worthington in Urban Decay. Photo by Ben Trivett

Urban Decay has been around for over 15 years. We remember when they first arrived on the scene and we were excited about their vivid colors, glitter-filled makeup, and great product names (we were in High School at the time). While we still love all the glitter we can get, UD has matured as a company, and it is truly their best seller- the Naked Palettes– that have our attention at the moment. Additionally, their 24/7 pencils for eyes and lips are fantastic. We used Naked 3 (colors: Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit, and Nooner) on Chloe for this soft, feminine look, and filled her lips with the 24/7 Glide-On Lip Pencil in Streak. Check out their Naked On The Run Palette for a great holiday gift!

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencils

Chloe Worthington in Stila. Photo by Ben Trivett.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Stila’s Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is our favorite waterproof product out there. It is a staple in our kit, and a staple in our everyday makeup bag. We used the liner on Chloe for a more dramatic cat-eye effect, and then kept the rest of the face simple by using Stila’s equally brilliant product Covertible Color in Rose for use on cheeks and lips! We also love Lillium and Poppy in the same line, for pigmented color that you can use oh-so subtly. Check out Stila’s Holiday Gift Guide 2014, for some of their best products in pretty packages.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Intense Black

Stila’s Convertible Color in Rose

Special Thanks to Besame Cosmetics for a range of beautiful products to test in our studio, and to our photographer, Ben Trivett, who helped our vision come alive! Makeup and hair by Coleen Scott.

Project Runway Designer Korina Emmerich: Our Exclusive Editorial Shoot and Interview

We have spent the last year interviewing numerous designers from various seasons of Project Runway, and from their testimonials, we have learned a lot about the PR experience. Designers are chosen for a plethora of reasons to participate on this show, and it is an unforgiving and tough process. We would not expect it to be anything less, of course. If you are fortunate and talented enough make it onto Project Runway– you are then sent to the location to live with strangers, not allowed to view any type of media, not allowed contact with loved ones or friends, and you shoot ALL of the challenges over the course of about 4 weeks, wherein your days are somewhere between 12-20 hours long. It is a DREAM opportunity, but we assume it is not a DREAM process to endure. It is true, though, that some of life’s hardest experiences are the most memorable, and the most life-changing.

Project Runway Season 13 Designer Korina Emmerich

Before you decide anything permanent about any one of the designers on this season of Project Runway, or any other season up till now, we’d like to remind you a little about the conditions these designers are working under while you watch them in your living room. We’d like you to think about how you might react being in this type of environment, and to think about how you would feel getting closer and closer with each challenge, to a dream you’ve had your whole life. Now, we’d like you to think about whether in the most extreme moment of stress, you might not give a shit if the cameras are on you or not. You just might need to let out some steam. Some people handle stress quietly, others vocally, or by lashing out, and even others by crying. We’ve definitely seen it all in every season of Project Runway.

Korina Emmerich in one of her own leather designs. Click image to link to our EXCLUSIVE video interview.

HOW KORINA EMMERICH MAKES IT WORK

We said “Auf Wiedersehen” to Designer Korina Emmerich on last week’s episode of Project Runway, Season 13. We have to say as viewers, that this was the most angering episode we’ve encountered this season. We noticed other online fans angry about the decision, surprised about the choice to let Korina go, and keep other designers who may or may not have already been saved multiple times, and who from our point of view, have not demonstrated the construction skills needed to continue to this level of the competition. It was a hard episode for Korina especially, as the show’s editing did not help to paint her in a positive light at all. She was clearly venting steam and stress in the one-hour final elimination challenge, and unfortunately, the cameras caught a moment of negativity that also seemed to anger some of the fans vocal on the internets.

Designer Korina Emmerich in a jacket from her Raven Collection

Recently, when this season had just begun, we got in touch with Korina about doing an editorial shoot, using some of her own designs, and playing with a little vintage as well. We spent the morning together styling makeup and hair, coordinating different looks, and asking questions for our exclusive video interview.

Not only are we happy with the final images and video, but we had a fantastic time collaborating with Korina, who in our minds was one of the front runners in this season of Project Runway.

Designer Korina Emmerich in Vintage from Tattoo Girl Lingerie

Well, we know now that Korina’s runway show at New York Fashion Week will not be featured on Project Runway, but you can see some of it from Designer Helen’s Instagram feed here. (Often the last 6 or 7 designers left on the series do show at fashion week.) Little did we know, we shot one of the leather jackets featured in that very same collection. (See the collection on Korina’s site Here) Needless to say, the whole experience was a pleasure, and Korina was both a pro and a joy to work with. We hope to do it again in the future.

Designer Korina in one of her new SS15 Ephemeral Collection Jackets

There you have it Project Runway fandom. We ask you to take everything you see on tv with a grain of salt, and we remind you to see the work of all the designers up close and personal, if ever you get the chance. Project Runway is a vehicle that can launch the career of a designer, but if these designers strive to be part of this industry for life, Project Runway cannot and should not define them forever.

Special thanks to Korina for her time, her patience, and her professionalism. Keep up with her on Twitter @EmmerichNY, and on her site at www.emmerichny.com.

Photos by Ben Trivett (Copyright Ben Trivett). Hair, makeup, and styling by Coleen Scott.- C. Scott

A note about comments: We will approve comments from legitimate email addresses only, and we welcome all to share their thoughts and opinions.

PROJECT RUNWAY ALLSTARS SEASON 4 PREVIEW!

Project Runway All Stars Season 4 Cast

Project Runway announced it’s cast for Season 4 not long ago, and now there is a trailer released for your viewing pleasure. (Watch it Here) As expected, there’s no lack of glamour or drama! We can’t wait! Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for our exclusive interviews with designers, Dmitri, Peach, and Kate! For now, take a peek at our recent feature on designer Justin from Season 12!

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