Innovative Fashion Alert & Interview!!!: Copy and P@ste Clothiers

Just when you thought you'd seen it all, one brilliant idea geared towards innovative fashion has emerged and will soon take the industry by storm!

COPY & P@STE CLOTHIERS,

a pioneering contemporary yet edgy clothing line has set the bar with its distinctive garments and compelling mission statement. The brand offers an unquestionably spiffy collection entitled "Members Only," that consist of artistic inspired vintage jackets & vests with impeccable patch & stud hand craftsmanship; logo embellished graphic tees and sweatshirts...

Mitch Match Shirt

California Love Jacket

The Original Vest  

Crewneck Black Sweater

These are just a few garments, however...

The Copy & P@ste Look book, which can be completely viewed on the official Copy & P@ste website, provides an illusion of an exclusive social club who is garnished in the brands garments. The members of the social club  collectively engage in a entertaining social event that consist of one of the finer things in life: a lifestyle surrounded by art, fashion, music, and extracurricular activities of ones choice!

           

             

  I Just had to give you a few photos from the look book for eye gazing, but...

As a FASHION LOVER you all know that I have the ability to bluster about how ORIGINAL, DOPE, and CREATIVE this line is, but behind the fashion Copy and P@ste has an impeccable direction for it's brand! The Copy and P@ste Tagline sets a distinguishing tone for its consumers which states, "COPY ALL THINE EYES WITNESS AND PASTE ALL THAT DEFINES THE HEART." The Tagline instills a sense of confidence and a positive attitude in consumers who lack those major components and enhances or reflects the confidence in consumers who already attains an assured attitude! Creatively incorporating the arrow and hand computer icons within garment designs, Copy & P@ste Clothiers has successfully molded a visual concept to reflect the brands mission statement and tagline! The extraordinaries behind the Copy and P@ste Clothing Line, its vision, brand, and style are Andrew Kelly, Head Designer/President; Bilal Joseph, Head of Marketing/Vice Presiden; Dre Enabosi, Head of Operations.

Andrew Kelly, Head Designer /President

Bilal Joseph, Head of Marketing/Vice President

Dre Enabosi, Head of Operations

I thought it would be better for you all to hear from the members of Copy and P@ste Clothiers for yourselves! So, recently I linked up with Bilal Joseph, Head of Marketing/Vice President to ask a few questions about the brand!

Q: Copy and P@ste Clothiers has an extremely unique and distinctive visual concept for its clothing designs, who came up with the creative approach/ideas for the direction of the brand and what inspired it? Also, at what point did the three of you say "THIS IS IT," and we are going to go for it?

A: To say that the Copy and P@ste Clothiers brand started by accident or that it is was fate is not so far from the truth. President and Head Designer, Andrew Kelly, had always dreamed of doing fashion and had started a brand prior to Copy and P@ste. However, the company had never got quite off the ground once Andrew decided on just taking a break from developing the brand. During that time, Andrew kept his creative prowess and started focusing his energy on custom denim jackets.

What started as a pet project, started taking on the makings of a potential brand. Over the course of a few months, Andrew had developed several "Copy & P@ste" jackets and started to push the concept as a luxury vintage brand. Having the belief that Copy and P@ste had the potential to go beyond just customized vintage denim, he then sort the help of two of his collegiate friends, Bilal Joseph and Dre Enabosi. With the inception of a full team, the "three headed monster" began working on the development of the line, marketing strategies, and most importantly getting within the very selective "IN CROWD" of the fashion/entertainment industry!

Each member of the team provided a genuine talent and added their own flair to the company. Within a few months the Copy and P@ste team had befriended several young industry "super talents" and started getting recognition for having a dynamic product. It was then that the three members of Copy and P@ste Clothiers knew the skies were indeed the limit and that it was on them to show the world all that they had to offer.

Q: With me being a shoe lover, I would like to know what footwear do you in particular pair with your Copy and P@ste garments when you're out rocking the brands vests, jackets, and tops?

A: Bilil, me personally I like to wear shoes according to my look. So, if I'm going for a rocker look I might wear some sneakers/shoes that represent the rocker movement. If I'm going European I'll put on some Gucci's or some Farragomos. 

Q: I noticed that the "Members Only" Collection focused entirely on Men's Wear. So will the company make any effort to design Women's Wear in the near future?

A: Yes, we actually have female jackets coming out this spring for our Spring Collection which is entitled "Copy and P@ste Presents the Supper Club: Dinner and Denim." And we also have a big collaboration with accessory designers Coco and Breezy in which we will release a " His and Hers Varsity Jacket." The title of that project will be called Copy & P@ste Presents the Supper Club: Appetizers which will come out before the Spring Collection.

  

Q: Overall, what is in store for Copy and P@ste Clothiers in the future like a new clothing line, fashion events, collaborations, interviews, showcases etc.?

A: We have the collaboration with Coco and Breezy coming around February 2012 before fashion week. We are going to LA in January 2012 for a week to shoot the campaign for our Spring Supper Club Collection. We will also be in Las Vegas for the Magic Show in February 2012. Just work, grind, and traveling Copy and P@sting inspiration as we go! We know this stuff does not happen overnight so consistency is what you can expect from us. 

Q: Outside of the general public being targeted audiences for your clothing, on a larger scale, who do you aspire to wear the brands garments like public figures or celebrities?

A: Kanye West of course, Joe Jonas, Pit Bull, Rhianna, Justin Bieber, Ashton Kucher, and Swizz Beatz. We try to let our clothes and the fit determine the market for us, but as you can see we aim for the TRENDSTARTERS and not the TRENDSETTERS LOL.

Q: It takes a lot to get a clothing line started and marketed, so what are some of the initiatives that have already been taken to market Copy and P@ste Clothiers like interviews, fashion shows etc.?

A: So far we threw a mini launch party so the people within our networks could be aware of what we are doing. We also did a fashion show at the Samsung Experience in Columbus Circe, NYC. We we featured on a Los Angeles based fashion blog mypinkgrasshopper.com and the New York based fashion blog FashionBomb.com. Rite now we are in downtime developing new ideas and concepts, but to of next year we will be blasting off Copy and P@ste everywhere!

Q: Currently where can Copy and P@ste products be purchased and where do you see your clothes being retailed in the near future?

A: As of now the products can not be purchased anywhere lol. BUT, we do have a website copyandpasteclothiers.com along, which is the only store where items can be purchased because we decided as a team to re-ramp everything from our marketing plan down to the website. We are a total different company NOW as opposed to when and how we initially started.

Q: Last, what motivating advice would you give to individuals who aspire to start a brand with just an idea and a dream?

A: Go for it, take the leap of faith and shoot the shot. You'll never know your limitations if you've never pushed it to the limit!

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  I must add that Breezy of Coco and Breezy has been rocking the "Dalmation Copy and P@ste Jacket"....MAJOR! MAJOR! MAJOR!

Dalmation Jacket

Before I bring this post to an end I must say that the members of Copy and P@ste Clothiers are paving the way for their brand while strategically setting its company up for success! I admire their passion for fashion and their bold indifference, in regards to their image, garments, and way of marketing the brand!

It is imperative that you visit their official website at copyandpasteclothiers.com! Pick up a note pad, take notes, and be attentive because the minute you take you eye off of these three innovators the brand will be SUBSTANTIALLY MAJOR before you can place your attention back on them!

I wish the members of Copy and P@ste Clothiers  SUCCESS and PROSPERITY!

Stay Levitated Until next time!

Sincerely Yours, The Shoe Guru Javia Lavette

The Campbell Experience...Jeffery that is!

Feeling as If I was on some sort of adventurous escapade to satisfy a quenching shoe fetish of mine I spontaneously went on a random journey to the Big City for some shoe shopping. Despising the idea of waiting for a train, standing in a cart packed like sardines, and being in the presence of conversations and events that I had no control of, I decided to live a little by putting down my car keys and purchasing a metro card!

The site of Union Square in a matter of minutes without the horn blowing, traffic lights, and aggressive New York CITY pedestrians was everything that a girl could ask for! I literally felt like I had been chauffeured and surprisingly satisfied that I didn't experience the awful realms of commuting on public transportation! By the way, I can't wait to do it again!

Well anyway, the smell of hot dogs and the scenery of Starbucks cups in every other individuals hand who walked passed me made me chuckle. I've never really seen this perspective of the city because I'm always driving with my windows up, my music on full blast, and staring at the traffic light. Outside of seeing everyone with Starbucks cups it was cool to see people who had their own style.

 It seemed as if no one looked the same and everyone boldly wore garments that represented their individual styles. Punk rock, chic, classy, edgy, bright colors, earthy tones etc. I had to stop myself from snapping pictures at random people and their SHOES lol. While walking I passed a Starbucks and decided to be a lemon! I grabbed a holiday gingerbread latte and I must say it was disgusting "I'm sticking to my Dunkin Donuts Guys!"

Wrapped in my American Apparel Circle Scarf, double breast trench jacket which has the illusion of a flared dress, and chestnut sundance II UGG's I bounced from store to store to find the perfect Jeffrey Campbell Lita Shoe! I was so set on finding a Jeffery Campbell shoe because I think that they are extremely DOPE, I couldn't walk into a store in my city to get them, I was skeptical about ordering them on the internet, and plain and simple they are just uniquely crafted and I'm always a sucker for a shoe that doesn't look average. To add, I was kind of curious to see if they actually live up to their appealing image that they give off on the internet because I've viewed so many shoes on the internet and walked into a store to see them AND the quality, detail, and overall shoe did not reflect the image on the internet.

So I walked into a stored named ZACKY'S on Broadway and seen an array of shoes.

There were shoes everywhere, SO I asked to be directed to the Jeffery Campbell section. The minute I saw the the designers shoes I knew that I would be walking out of that store HAPPY because they all were flawless! Then I entered the "waiting stage," where your hoping and wishing that they have your size! Everyone knows that it is the most disappointing feeling in the world to pick out a shoe, love it, want it, and can't purchase it because your shoe size is sold out :(  BUT, I was lucky on that day because a size 9 came out and I was overly excited! YES I WAS OVERLY EXCITED FOR A SHOE LOL! I tried them on and they looked fab on my feet as I walked around to see if they were comfortable.  AND YES I definitely followed the rules on how to find the perfect shoe BUDGET, STYLE, & COMFORT! I purchased them and walked out of the store a HAPPY CAMPER...

There is no need to describe them, check them out yourself!

I COULDN'T JUST LET THEM SIT IN THE BOX SO LATER THAT NIGHT,

Me and my boyfriend hit the city for a night of partying at the Highline Ballroom and I wore my Jeffrey Campbells! In the mist of wearing them I ATTEMPTED TO COLOR BLOCK as well. Beyond satisfied with the platform support, block heel, and drastic embellishments I walked with every levitated step in my body :)

I danced for about two hours and my feet were amazingly on cloud nine! The Lita shoe is made for walking if you ask me because there are not too many shoes that are flawless, have a great high heel, and will allow you to walk or dance in them for hours without your feet hurting. SO THEY ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED LADIES!

We all know that shoe's make me happy, but I'm just way too overly excited with my Jeffrey Campbell's... If you haven't already, do yourself a favor and go on a adventure by surfing the net, traveling to a Jeffery Campbell retailer and get yourself a pair NOW! However, taking a trip to New York City and barging in and out of amazing stores filled with shoes, clothes, accessories, and all the necessary components of a fashionable ensemble beats surfing the net... BUT I'M not down playing internet shopping lol. It's just that touching fabrics, picking up a shoe, seeing the actual quality of an accessory just does something for me on my worst day!

For that specific reason, I sit and ask myself if FASHION is really the path that I would like to take, nearly everyday, because it will not be easy. Sitting in class rooms for almost nine years, high school & undergraduate, focusing on Criminal Justice and Legal Professional Studies was all I needed to let me know that FASHION is where I aspire to be in regards to my career! For some reason I just see myself some where other than the Criminal Justice Field and no where far from the Fashion/Entertainment Industry.

My Jeffery Campbell experience really made me understand why I chose to take a different path in life! Courageously taking the risk to jump from all I knew to something that I had no professional or educated knowledge of is a challenge that I face everyday and a battle won by so many successful individuals! June Ambrose, Crystal Streets, and Ralph Lauren are three of those successful individuals who took that same risk! Therefore, I've come to believe that with all the possibilities in the world there are twice as many obstacles that one must overcome to reach the pinnacle of their career! If they can do it then why can't I?

Celebrity Stylist and Designer June Ambrose was not always the Fashion Vixen that she is today within the fashion industry! Prior to being an amazing Celebrity Stylist, June Ambrose was an investment banker! While conducting an interview with ViceVixen.com she shared the fact that investment banking was something that she considered to be a "dead end job." While discussing style and fashion in this particular interview she stated:

"I always wanted to walk into a room and be the focus of it, that was just my shtick. I was going to use myself to get my foot in the door and make things happen. I wanted to take urban style and make it something cinematic and forward… A kind of high market approach. I bought in all these elements and designed all these pieces for this scene when nobody wanted to give Mariah Carey gowns.”

June Ambrose went from being an investment banker to taking a risk  for the one thing that she had a passion for! After two years of finance she realized that her investment banking job was not where she wanted to be. While interning at MCA Records she then began styling groups that were up and coming, one of which was 702!  For more than fifteen years June Ambrose has made a mark in the fashion/entertainment industry while working with a diverse group of individuals. SHE is the innovative master mind who made the decision to put Missy Elliot, rapper, in a black garbage bag for her "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" video. While being the long time stylist of Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Sean Combs and many more.

Some of June Ambrose major ventures includes being the "style architect" of the new hit television show THE X  FACTOR. Simon Cowell's show requires June Ambrose to style the looks of all seventeen talent contestants each week as they perform live for America until their is one winner. Here is one of the looks that she has customly created and designed for a contestant on the show:

Three Piece Denim Tux Designed by June Ambrose
for contestant Marcus Canty

BY THE WAY,

As I was scrolling through June Ambrose astonishing twitpics on twitter @juneambrose I noticed that her SHOE TASTE is impeccable! Here is one of my favorite shoes that she posted along with it's caption



Maverick Monday! Holiday Shoegasm: Sock color block to a Xmas soirée!These Dolce Vita suede Sandal R great day & night

Outside of June Ambrose being the style architect on "The X Factor" and a Celebrity Stylist she is also filming and working on a VH1 reality television show of her own! The show is entitled "Styled by June," it airs on February 27, 2012 and focuses on her life as stylist, mother, and wife juggling them all at one time! Cameras follow her around daily to depict the true essence of  the life of a stylist. There's nearly no footage, edited clips, or sneak peaks of the show except for one clip I found that displays what went on behind the scenes of the promo and opening sequence shoot for the show; which is not much but here it is...

I can not wait until "Syled by June" airs because she is such a phenomenal individual. For an individual to leave a set well paid job to do the work that they love is rare because not everyone is willing to take the risk of being in a risky or unsafe zone! Her personal style is eccentric and reflects her ability to put together a memorable look. I admire the journey and path that allowed June Ambrose to get where she is today in regards to her career and success. With her being the author of a Fashion book entitled "Effortless Style," a well established celebrity stylist, and designer who has never attended Fashion school SHE INSPIRES ME TO TAKE THAT RISK!

She was not always a fashion expert and that didn't stop her from becoming one and this will not stopy me either! Fashion Blogging, My Jeffery Campbell Experience, and individuals like June Ambrose are things that have allowed me to see that  I am Fashion, it makes me happy, and being apart of it isn't impossible....

P.S: there's more to me than just loving shoes :)

 

Stay Levitated Until next time!

Sincerely Yours, The Shoe Guru Javia Lavette

the real HER...

With sentiment, essence, and truth I've put great emphasis on the fact that "there is nothing like standing six feet tall in a pair of heels" throughout my blog! Being physically levitated is just one element of being able to wear shoes...

NO ONE will ever understand why shoes make me so happy!

It is not that I am caught up on the materialistic aspect of it all, but that I have the opportunity to be levitated physically, mentally, and emotionally just from wearing shoes... and SHE doesn't have that opportunity. Options ranging from flats to heels, plain to dramatic, different material, and colors; shoes come in all shapes and sizes based on ones preference, but not HER preference! It's the sentimental meaning behind the fact that I've been tormented for approximately sixteen years and maybe longer because SHE wasn't granted the opportunity to have options when it came to picking out and wearing the average shoe!

Reflecting isn't easy but the words that cut so deep, the blank stares, and the insensitive loud outbursts are the negative things that I've experienced because they didn't know the real HER. In elementary school the kids would point and laugh at HER causing me to cry endlessly in bathroom stalls. Thinking that high school would be different my ignorant peers would call her some of the most disturbing names causing my pain to turn to hurt and then to tears and eventually physical quarrels. They didn't understand why SHE walked with a limp and her shoes didn't visually look like anything they have ever seen! They weren't thinking when they called her crippled and unsympathetically imitated the way she walked.

But what they failed to realize is that she looked for no ones sympathy, and for as long as I can remember SHE has always been the same!

A different breed cut from some fancy cloth, her impeccable style justified why SHE has been flawlessly put together.

HER shoes may have been specially made, brown and dull, and attached to a leg brace but her amazing ensembles made up for her inability to have a choice in the shoes that she could wear!

Still to this day she says to me "if I were able to wear regular shoes all I would wear is six inch heels." For a long time I didn't understand because I ever questioned the real HER. There was nothing to question except this one thing that everyone but me seen as abnormal. Confused, astonished, curious, and angry all at the same time I would boggle my emotions deep inside as a child because I NEVER understood why something so cruel could happen  to HER of all people. Diagnosed with polio at the age of seven and left with the inability to use the muscles in her leg and partially her foot. HER shoes may not be the finest but she can walk, SHE can talk, and she is an amazing individual! SHE has always taught me to cherish the fact that I can wear a six inch heel, have shoe options, and most of all have a shoe that compliments the ensembles that I wear!

SHE is MY MOM and I ADMIRE AND LOVE HER for every LEVITATED STEP that SHE HAS TAKEN SINCE THE AGE OF SEVEN and over coming POLIO!

...at the end of the day I LOVE THE REAL HER :)

Stay Levitated Until next time!

Sincerely Yours, The Shoe Guru Javia Lavette