We’re so excited to introduce you to our newest intern Emily! Emily and Bri met through a mutual friend, and immediately connected from their mutual ties to North Dakota State University and Kappa Delta. Emily is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Apparel and Textile Design and will be receiving college level credits for her work at Bri Seeley this summer. Welcome Emily!!!

Q: Why did you decide to study fashion?
A: My interest in fashion started as simple curiosity. I enjoyed looking through my teen magazines and studying the style stories. I always enjoyed the unique combinations of colors and garments. Then, I took a few fashion related classes in high school that introduced me to careers in fashion. I like to study fashion because it is ever changing and always morphing into something new. I like this change and the fast pace of the industry. There is never a dull moment. I stay invested because I am always looking forward to new designs and trends that appear or are recycled in the fashion world.

Q: Was there someone or something in life that influenced your opinion on fashion?
A: Thus far, my greatest influence concerning fashion is the many travels I have taken around Europe and the United States. In different countries and places, people live different lifestyles that call for different fashion. I like observing these differences and realizing the purpose for different styles. The different styles I have seen during my travels are all unique and express individuality. Elements from all these styles influence my fashion design.

Q: As you approach your graduation date, what is the most valuable thing you have learned in school?
A: From my years spent in college, I have learned the value of surrounding yourself by a dedicated and supportive community. Good community supports and inspires a person. The community I have built around me encourages me to follow my passions, believe in myself, and be confident to do what I want to do. Without the reassurance of my community, I might not have overcome some of my fears and accomplished what I have thus far in life. As I move on from college and into the next chapter of my life, I will take effort to keep surrounding myself with a good community.

Q: What would be your dream career?
A: Right now my dream career is to be a Senior Designer at Target Corporation. Already, however, interning for Bri Seeley is opening my perspective to more opportunities and career paths to follow.

Q: Tell us a little about your personal style.
A: My personal style exudes a spirit for adventure-I wear bright colors to grab attention and brighten my day. Comfort is a high priority in my wardrobe. I do not like feeling restricted in my clothing. The pieces I wear are casual, laid back, and very practical. I try to avoid black-when the world is full of so many colors, why wear the darkest one?

Q: Who do you feel has had the greatest influence on you when it comes to fashion?
A: My History of Fashion class has influenced me the most. I enjoy looking at past fashions and seeing how they have transformed to today. The accomplishments of Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Armani, amongst others all inspire me.

Q: What’s one thing in your closet you couldn’t live without?
A: I couldn’t live without my favorite pair of American Eagle jeans. They are ultimately comfortable, and it feels good to slide into a pair of pants with such great fit. They make me feel good.

Q: What’s something you wish you could have in your closet?
A: More shoes! I am getting into a loafers craze and would enjoy some Coach loafers in my closet.

Q: What’s your favorite fashion trend for the quickly approaching summer?
A: Ombre colors, especially in high-low skirts. And of course, in the pantone color of the year Emerald.

Q: Finally, what’s one thing you really hope to take from this internship?
A: I hope to build on my knowledge of patterning and garment construction. Versatile knowledge of pattern drafting and garment construction is a key tool in being independent and creative with designing.

Well, it’s been just over six weeks since I moved into our first dedicated business studio! Being in the fashion district and downtown Los Angeles is inspiring me everyday! Our building is full of creative-types and we are within walking distance from tons of manufacturers, suppliers, and industry resources.

My studiomates and I would like to invite you to join us in celebrating our new space this Friday.

You can also RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/583848674982371/

We are so excited to partner with Rachael from Everything Hauler and our studio mates (LINDEN and Fashion Stylist Franzy Staedter) for a fun event this week!

Rachael and I first met at the pre-party for Style Fashion Week in October. We’ve been talking and brainstorming since then about how we can collaborate – and the time has come! We’ll be hosting bloggers and fashionistas alike at our new studio in Downtown Los Angeles this Friday for champagne, shopping, and socializing!

We met up with Rachael this weekend on our rooftop, got her in one of our Arianna skirts, and snapped some great photos! Enjoy!

Well, it seems as if the rest of the country has finally decided to follow California’s lead and bring out the gorgeous Spring weather! Which means, it’s probably time to do some shopping! Read about our favorite trends including full skirts, stripes, and water inspired fashions HERE.

And remember, you can shop ALL of these trends in our Escape Collection – debuting on Zappos.com in May!!!

We’re so excited to announce that we will be participating in the monthly Sample Sale festivities in the Downtown Los Angeles fashion district with our studio mate LINDEN ! Stop by Studio 3D the last Friday of the month to find HUGE discounts on old and damaged merchandise!

Studio 3D is located at 817 S Los Angeles St #3D, Los Angeles CA 90014

By Sydney Reiman

As my internship with Bri Seeley is coming to an end, I am thrilled to say my relationship with Bri and the brand is not. I have grown a deep passion for Bri’s brand and hope to stay involved in its future! I’ve also gained so much inspiration from Bri as a person such as her incredible work ethics and her personal aesthetics that coincide with her brand image. As we all know, Bri has been settling into LA and I feel like it is a new beginning for her brand, especially with the Escape Collection launching on Zappos.com in May! There is such a future for Bri Seeley and I am so excited to see where the brand will be within the next few years.

With that said, we’ve already seen pieces from the Escape Collection in numerous fashion publications and even on celebrities, like Kacie B from The Bachelor, but that leaves me wondering… Where else will Bri Seeley be popping up? I’ve come up with a little list of celebrities that match the Bri Seeley aesthetic and who I feel would be a great match for not only the Escape Collection, but more collections in the future!

Jennifer Aniston. Jen is always looking sharp and put together on and off the big screen. She consistently looks classy and feminine on the red carpet as well. Her style includes many neutral colors and comfortable pieces. I could easily imagine her wearing the Grace Blouse (from the Esacape Collection), un-tucked and flowing, paired with some light colored and cropped boyfriend jeans.

Katherine Heigl. Katherine Heigl is another celebrity with a classic and feminine style. She looks great in tops with high necks and I think she would be stunning in both the striped Grace Blouse and striped Mia Dress (from the Escape Collection). The Grace Blouse tucked into high-waisted skinnies paired with a neutral cardigan and some strappy wedges seems like an everyday Katherine would wear.

Kelly Ripa. Kelly Ripa is so darling and always well-dressed on Live with Kelly and Michael. Although the Jaclyn Skirt looks good on absolutely every body type, I think Kelly would look great in the teal style on national TV. She could easily pair it with the Chloe Blouse (from the Escape Collection) and some of her sky-high pumps, perhaps in a shade of coral.

Jennifer Lawrence. As an up and coming actress, Jennifer Lawrence has made quite the impact at the red carpet events this year. She has a gorgeous figure and Bri Seeley has just the pieces to compliment her laid-back, yet feminine, style. She would look stunning in the black ombre Arianna Skirt (from the Escape Collection) paired with a flowy black t-shirt on top and some black gladiator sandals.

So, where will we see the Bri Seeley brand in the future? Who knows! But I certainly know that Bri Seeley will only continue to grow and grow. We would love to hear about where you can picture Bri Seeley’s designs whether it be on celebrities, featured on national TV, in fashion publications, or in your favorite boutique!

I was fortunate to be invited to a taping this past week by a literary manager, and personal friend. His client, Sir Ken Robinson, was speaking on his new book ‘Finding Your Element.’ I was joined at the taping by my publicist Maile and my roommate Lamar. We showed up early to connect with this book agent that I hadn’t seen in about six months and took our seats. Little did we all know how inspired we would be by this evening. Within the first two minutes, I was compelled by his message and proceeded to take notes through the entire 90 minute taping.

For years I have received the question, “Why did you become a Fashion Designer?” And for years, I have struggled to adequately answer this question with anything more profound than, “It’s just what I do.”

Sir Ken Robinson summed up my feelings on this question in one succinct sentence – It’s not what I do, it’s who I am.

That’s it. It’s just who I am. I was born with an aptitude for Fashion Design and have a love for it – which he says are the two critical ingredients for someone being successful in their element. I am one of the lucky ones – someone that has known what their element is for the majority of their life. But what about people that don’t know what their life purpose is?

Sir Ken noted that the key to finding your element begins on the inside. You first need to know yourself – what drives you, motivates you, inspires you – and you have to *want* to find your passion. Once you know yourself and are dedicated to finding your element, then look outside of yourself and go on a journey of discovery. Get out of your way and try new things. Expand your bubble. Have experiences that you would usually say ‘No’ to.

“Create your life based on the opportunities you find around you and the inspiration you find within you. The people who are most fulfilled are those who find opportunities and then take action on the opportunities presented to them.” – Sir Ken Robinson

Following Sir Ken’s talk, the three of us grabbed dinner and drinks and proceeded to rehash all of our favorite parts of the night. All three of us are lucky in knowing that we are living in our elements, but we all had the same concern – are we doing enough? Are we recognizing the opportunities in front of us and taking the appropriate action?

I will close this post in the same manner that Sir Ken closed his presentation, with a piece from Anaïs Nin entitled ‘Risk.’

And then the day came,
when the risk
to remain tight
in a bud
was more painful
than the risk
it took
to Blossom.

The book is not yet available for purchase, however you can reserve a copy though this link: Finding Your Element by Sir Ken Robinson

Last Monday I was invited to join the Junior League of Los Angeles sustainers in touring the museum at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Every year the museum procures a collection of costumes from the years top movies. They showcase over 100 costumes each year, making it the largest annual curated exhibition of film costumes in the world.

The costumes on exhibit include Anna Karenina, Argo, Hitchcock, Les Miserables, Lincoln, Mirror Mirror, Skyfall, The Artist, and Hunger Games.

We were lucky to be led through the exhibit by Kevin Jones, Curator. Kevin shared insights about the costume industry (most of which I knew from my costume design days). He showed us examples of stylized vs. historically accurate costumes, and the difference between pulling/sourcing costumes vs. creating them from scratch.

My favorites (of course!) were highly stylized and created from scratch. But the reality of costume design, is that most of the costumes are pulled or sourced from existing costume collections (which is part of why I got out of the industry!).

One of my favorites was from Snow White and the Huntsman. I can’t say that I saw the movie…. but I loved how Colleen Atwood used a specific material that is not traditional to the costume industry. She used beetles! Kevin explained to us that when this specific kind of beetle dies, their shell turns an iridescent aqua color. BUT the catch is that they have to die naturally. So innovative.

And my second favorite was from Mirror Mirror. I did see this movie in the theater and was impressed with the costumes on the big screen (plus I have an affinity for peacocks!). Seeing this costume in person was just as impressive! Kudos to Eiko Ishioka for creating the beautiful masterpieces!

By Sydney Reiman

This past week, I have really gotten a taste of the fashion industry and quite frankly, I love it!  Growing up, I always knew whatever I ended up doing with my life, it would have something to do with fashion, and everything is finally falling into place.  I am one quarter away from graduating with my Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Marketing and Management, I have an amazing internship with an inspiring fashion designer and business owner, and I work in fashion retail.

So, this week I just wanted to post an encouraging message for anyone who needs a little kick to jumpstart their week.  All of your hard work will pay off if you don’t give up and keep moving forward!  This is what I have been doing for the past couple of years and what designer, Bri Seeley has being doing for the past few years of her life as well, especially these last couple of months!  I have been interning for her for the past few months and have been blessed to be a part of her big move to Los Angeles and so happy she finally made it because over the week, I have gotten to work hand-in-hand with her to prepare her Escape Collection for its launch on Zappos.com.  I have also gotten to know her as a person, a business owner, and a friend and I can’t help but be inspired by her hard work and determination.

Here’s a little glimpse of my week and how even in a short period of time, my hard work paid off in a big way!!

I started out steaming Bri’s gorgeous ombre pieces from her Escape Collection.  Although it doesn’t sound like a fun activity, just knowing that I can contribute to the end result is incredibly satisfying and well worth the tired arms.  I proceeded to tag and bag these garments so they’re ready to be sent off!

After a long hard day, Bri and I enjoyed a quick break up on the rooftop of her new LA apartment.  We snapped pictures of the view and updated our social media, another very important part of owning and operating a business in this day and age!

At the end of the week, what better way to celebrate hours of steaming than to head off to a fashion event!  I was honored to be a part of the Style Fashion Week LA opening reception where I met numerous friends of Bri’s and fellow members of the fashion community!  I even got to wear a dress from the Escape Collection!  To say the least, it has been an inspiring week for me as Bri’s intern and I look forward to the many more days we have planned in our future!