Thursday, November 18, 2010
Website is back
Alright ladies, the website is back up and running. Updates and the webstore will be back shortly. Thank you for your patience.
With Winter in the Air...
Just when everyone else is preparing for winter, Nicole Katherine Designs is gearing up for Spring and Summer. We are pleased to announce that the Spring/Summer 2011 collection is finished and is now being submitted for production. The catalog and line sheets will be available in just a few weeks. With things getting as hectic as they were with small store orders every couple of weeks, we decided to set quarterly production deadlines and set completion dates.
The photoshoot for the catalog was so much fun. What an excellent team we had: Photographers Jason Holmes and Cathy Settles of Through My Eyes Photography captured such lovely images of models Rockin' Kitty and Violet Valentine. Patty Cordova of Cherry & Olive donated accessories, Lydia Ramos of Black Rose Hair and Make-Up Design made the ladies look gorgeous, and Omar Castaneda donated his beautiful green Ford. We couldn't have asked for a better team. The catalog was shot at a mid-20th century home in Hollywood, and provided a lot of inspiration and amazing settings.
Thank you everyone for your hard work! :)
The photoshoot for the catalog was so much fun. What an excellent team we had: Photographers Jason Holmes and Cathy Settles of Through My Eyes Photography captured such lovely images of models Rockin' Kitty and Violet Valentine. Patty Cordova of Cherry & Olive donated accessories, Lydia Ramos of Black Rose Hair and Make-Up Design made the ladies look gorgeous, and Omar Castaneda donated his beautiful green Ford. We couldn't have asked for a better team. The catalog was shot at a mid-20th century home in Hollywood, and provided a lot of inspiration and amazing settings.
Thank you everyone for your hard work! :)
Friday, November 5, 2010
The Slight Annoyances of Business Ownership
And here we are, another November, with the same issue as every November since 2003. Website is down because our genius web host set the expiration to occur before the billing cycle. I was reassured that this wouldn't happen again this year, and here we are with the same problem. Now, if you're wondering what happened to www.nicolekatherine.com that's it! And it will be up again on the 9th, unless if I can change the web host company and straighten this issue out before then. We shall see, as I have a very full plate for the next two weeks.
However, you can always make purchases from Get Go Retro at www.getgoretro.com :) Get Go Retro will be one of the main hubs for Nicole Katherine Designs starting in 2011!
I suppose that's about it for now. Oh, I would like to welcome my new followers. Such a small and loved handful, thank you for reading my dull blogs LOL.
However, you can always make purchases from Get Go Retro at www.getgoretro.com :) Get Go Retro will be one of the main hubs for Nicole Katherine Designs starting in 2011!
I suppose that's about it for now. Oh, I would like to welcome my new followers. Such a small and loved handful, thank you for reading my dull blogs LOL.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Hello, how do you do? Ochen pryatna!
Today I figured I'd do something a little different and tell you all a little about me and maybe clarify some business related questions in the process.
Where I live (this is a major FAQ from fans and customers): Technically I now live in Missoula Montana and have been "technically" living here since January, but I'm considered a resident of both LA and Missoula. I've kept my California driver's license for various reasons that you all probably don't care about. I'm in LA a few weeks of almost every month working on production. And plan on settling down somewhere in the LA area or North Orange County :) As far as going out in Missoula, I rarely do so. Just because there's not much here that I'm into (especially since I don't really drink) and I like to spend my time with my son, not to mention catch up on rest from working and playing in LA.
Do you do all your sewing?: Oh dear goodness no. In fact the only thing I really sew now are the dungarees since they are CONSTANTLY running out of stock and sometimes it's faster for me to sew up a few pairs and fill orders than to go through the production process. Once upon a time I used to do all the sewing and I could sew up about 3-4 dresses a day, including the cutting. Then I became a mom, and most people that are mom's who sew know that it's not as easy to sit down and finish a project as it was before baby. Plus, I have so many customers now, and stores, that doing all the sewing wouldn't be possible.
Why are you on Facebook all day, don't you have work to do?: In case if you missed the memo that's posted almost weekly, I am rarely on my Nicole Katherine facebook profile. Best way to reach me is through email. And as far as my fanpage goes, I don't have access to it. A lovely girl, who's also my baby sister, named Jillian, runs those pages. If it's important I'll jump on the Nicole Katherine profile. But the fanpage is separate and I don't have access to it at all.
What other designers do you love?: Well definitely Coco Chanel (however I want to know what on earth Karl Lagerfeld was thinking with the new collection I don't think Miss Coco would be pleased), Christian Dior, and old Hollywood costume designer Adrian. One of the current designer's I love is Lena Hoscheck. I spent an afternoon and then had dinner with her last week. October has been an exciting month :)
If you weren't designing what would you do?: Probably run a coffee shop/bookstore, and write. Writing is my other passion as well as dancing. Coffee is such a fun artform to me. If my boss hadn't been such a jerk, I'd have to say that working as a barista when I first moved to California was my most favorite job ever.
I met you and am left wondering "Are you a snob or are you just weird"?: Yes to the weird part, no to the snob part... I'm terribly shy and timid until I get comfortable with someone. There's been a few cases that I've walked away from people and had to go collect myself and try to get the courage to re-attempt a conversation.
Wanna know more about me? Stay tuned for my interview coming out in a few months... I'll release the info (magazine, date, etc) when the time nears! You don't want to miss it (Jason Holmes did the photography so you definitely don't want to miss it).
Where I live (this is a major FAQ from fans and customers): Technically I now live in Missoula Montana and have been "technically" living here since January, but I'm considered a resident of both LA and Missoula. I've kept my California driver's license for various reasons that you all probably don't care about. I'm in LA a few weeks of almost every month working on production. And plan on settling down somewhere in the LA area or North Orange County :) As far as going out in Missoula, I rarely do so. Just because there's not much here that I'm into (especially since I don't really drink) and I like to spend my time with my son, not to mention catch up on rest from working and playing in LA.
Do you do all your sewing?: Oh dear goodness no. In fact the only thing I really sew now are the dungarees since they are CONSTANTLY running out of stock and sometimes it's faster for me to sew up a few pairs and fill orders than to go through the production process. Once upon a time I used to do all the sewing and I could sew up about 3-4 dresses a day, including the cutting. Then I became a mom, and most people that are mom's who sew know that it's not as easy to sit down and finish a project as it was before baby. Plus, I have so many customers now, and stores, that doing all the sewing wouldn't be possible.
Why are you on Facebook all day, don't you have work to do?: In case if you missed the memo that's posted almost weekly, I am rarely on my Nicole Katherine facebook profile. Best way to reach me is through email. And as far as my fanpage goes, I don't have access to it. A lovely girl, who's also my baby sister, named Jillian, runs those pages. If it's important I'll jump on the Nicole Katherine profile. But the fanpage is separate and I don't have access to it at all.
What other designers do you love?: Well definitely Coco Chanel (however I want to know what on earth Karl Lagerfeld was thinking with the new collection I don't think Miss Coco would be pleased), Christian Dior, and old Hollywood costume designer Adrian. One of the current designer's I love is Lena Hoscheck. I spent an afternoon and then had dinner with her last week. October has been an exciting month :)
If you weren't designing what would you do?: Probably run a coffee shop/bookstore, and write. Writing is my other passion as well as dancing. Coffee is such a fun artform to me. If my boss hadn't been such a jerk, I'd have to say that working as a barista when I first moved to California was my most favorite job ever.
I met you and am left wondering "Are you a snob or are you just weird"?: Yes to the weird part, no to the snob part... I'm terribly shy and timid until I get comfortable with someone. There's been a few cases that I've walked away from people and had to go collect myself and try to get the courage to re-attempt a conversation.
Wanna know more about me? Stay tuned for my interview coming out in a few months... I'll release the info (magazine, date, etc) when the time nears! You don't want to miss it (Jason Holmes did the photography so you definitely don't want to miss it).
Lovely All Year Long..
Winter is just around the corner, and if you live in the North you're probably already adding the layers to keep the chilly wind from biting your skin through your clothing.
Nicole Katherine has a few items that are perfect for this time of year. Our popular dungarees and overalls are fast sellers and we can barely keep enough inventory to meet the demand! They're lovely with the Bettie West blouse or one of your vintage sweaters.
Craving some new goodies from Nicole Katherine? Well, the wait won't be much longer! Nicole Katherine will be debuting the 2011 Spring/Summer line with a sneak peak in December, and delivery of these items is scheduled for February. Still too early for you to think of warm weather? We will be throwing in a few wintery items into the mix around December for those of you who live in areas with 9 chilly months and need to purchase warm items for year long pinupy cuteness.
Nicole Katherine has a few items that are perfect for this time of year. Our popular dungarees and overalls are fast sellers and we can barely keep enough inventory to meet the demand! They're lovely with the Bettie West blouse or one of your vintage sweaters.
Craving some new goodies from Nicole Katherine? Well, the wait won't be much longer! Nicole Katherine will be debuting the 2011 Spring/Summer line with a sneak peak in December, and delivery of these items is scheduled for February. Still too early for you to think of warm weather? We will be throwing in a few wintery items into the mix around December for those of you who live in areas with 9 chilly months and need to purchase warm items for year long pinupy cuteness.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
ATTN Nicole Katherine customers who purchase from Pinup Parade
I want to share my deep apologies for having to make a public statement like this, but unfortunately I can't think of any other solution...
After about 3 years of doing business with Helen Highwater of Pinup Parade, we have no choice but to sever ties.
I've received a few emails from customers who wanted to purchase the Sonia peasant skirt and our peasant blouse. All items have been shipped to Pinup Parade, despite their claims. Not only has Ms. Highwater made malicious claims and attacks against both me personally (including defacing my character and ridiculing my religion), my attorney and my company she also fraudulently posed as a professional persona in an attempt to bully my company, I've decided to publicly post the tracking numbers that include these items. They are CP545294864US and CJ171564586US. We have customs forms that show the items that were shipped to Ms. Highwater, plus an email when she placed the order and requested that we jump around in the sizes when having this produced.
I would like to further apologize to anyone who hoped to purchase these items for Halloween parties and festivals. One of the boxes had delivery attempts made for over a month before Ms. Highwater claimed the package. Unfortunately, the fabric and materials used for this peasant skirt were sourced specifically for Pinup Parade and Ms. Highwater's custom request and Nicole Katherine doesn't have any additional inventory of this skirt. If you have any other questions please email Nicole Katherine Designs at info@nicolekatherine.com
For our European customers, we have other retailers that carry Nicole Katherine. You can still purchase items at Hetty Spagetty in England at http://hettyspaghetty.co.uk/ and Dansskor in Sweden at www.dansskor.se for additional retailers please send an inquiry.
Kind Regards,
Nicole Katherine
Owner of Nicole Katherine Designs
After about 3 years of doing business with Helen Highwater of Pinup Parade, we have no choice but to sever ties.
I've received a few emails from customers who wanted to purchase the Sonia peasant skirt and our peasant blouse. All items have been shipped to Pinup Parade, despite their claims. Not only has Ms. Highwater made malicious claims and attacks against both me personally (including defacing my character and ridiculing my religion), my attorney and my company she also fraudulently posed as a professional persona in an attempt to bully my company, I've decided to publicly post the tracking numbers that include these items. They are CP545294864US and CJ171564586US. We have customs forms that show the items that were shipped to Ms. Highwater, plus an email when she placed the order and requested that we jump around in the sizes when having this produced.
I would like to further apologize to anyone who hoped to purchase these items for Halloween parties and festivals. One of the boxes had delivery attempts made for over a month before Ms. Highwater claimed the package. Unfortunately, the fabric and materials used for this peasant skirt were sourced specifically for Pinup Parade and Ms. Highwater's custom request and Nicole Katherine doesn't have any additional inventory of this skirt. If you have any other questions please email Nicole Katherine Designs at info@nicolekatherine.com
For our European customers, we have other retailers that carry Nicole Katherine. You can still purchase items at Hetty Spagetty in England at http://hettyspaghetty.co.uk/ and Dansskor in Sweden at www.dansskor.se for additional retailers please send an inquiry.
Kind Regards,
Nicole Katherine
Owner of Nicole Katherine Designs
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
My Dearest Overseas Customers :)
Dear Overseas Customers,
We love you and value having you as customers. With that said, we want to make purchasing items from Nicole Katherine Designs as easy as possible. Please consider the following when purchasing from us:
1. You will be responsible for the full cost of shipping and handling to your country of destination. We apologize for the high price and do what we can to minimize these costs. However, it's still pricey and we wish that it wasn't...but we don't have control over shipping costs.
2. We are not responsible for any duties owed to customs when your item is received by your customs port authority. Please be prepared to pay duties. We're looking into other alternatives to make this less of a hassle. Until then, please be prepared for this responsibility.
3. We will not mark your item as a gift or private. We ship too many items to the UK, Europe and Australia on a weekly basis to take this risk.
4. We COULD claim your $200.00 dress as only being $15.00 to avoid paying duties BUT... the insurance will only be for the amount claimed. Meaning, that if it was damaged in transit and all you receive is $15.00 to cover that $200.00 dress, you're SOL. We're not responsible for having your lost or damaged item reproduced at our expense because of an issue caused by the post or courier, and you will not be reimbursed. So think about it before making this request, would you rather pay an additional $20-$40 customs and duties fee or would you rather lose $200.00 in merchandise.
5. Be certain to allow enough time for your purchase to ship and sit in customs. Meaning, please plan ahead before ordering. If you need an item in 4 days, even if we express ship it to your country of origin, chances are that it will sit in customs an additional week. Also, check to see if the item is in stock before ordering. At this point, with the economy and everything, we only keep stock on our most popular items. It is noted beneath the picture if it's in stock. If it doesn't say, we welcome you to ask, but it's most likely not. It will take 2-4 weeks to have your item produced, depending on our current workload (and since we've been consistently busy all year, I can promise you that it will take up to that full 4 weeks to be produced). Why does it take so long? When we receive an order, it goes into our production queue. Please ask ahead of purchasing if you need an item rushed, and we will do our best to make arrangements. Please remember that chances are your item could sit in customs for an additional week after its ETA.
***If you have any other questions please feel free to ask! And thank you for being great customers.
We love you and value having you as customers. With that said, we want to make purchasing items from Nicole Katherine Designs as easy as possible. Please consider the following when purchasing from us:
1. You will be responsible for the full cost of shipping and handling to your country of destination. We apologize for the high price and do what we can to minimize these costs. However, it's still pricey and we wish that it wasn't...but we don't have control over shipping costs.
2. We are not responsible for any duties owed to customs when your item is received by your customs port authority. Please be prepared to pay duties. We're looking into other alternatives to make this less of a hassle. Until then, please be prepared for this responsibility.
3. We will not mark your item as a gift or private. We ship too many items to the UK, Europe and Australia on a weekly basis to take this risk.
4. We COULD claim your $200.00 dress as only being $15.00 to avoid paying duties BUT... the insurance will only be for the amount claimed. Meaning, that if it was damaged in transit and all you receive is $15.00 to cover that $200.00 dress, you're SOL. We're not responsible for having your lost or damaged item reproduced at our expense because of an issue caused by the post or courier, and you will not be reimbursed. So think about it before making this request, would you rather pay an additional $20-$40 customs and duties fee or would you rather lose $200.00 in merchandise.
5. Be certain to allow enough time for your purchase to ship and sit in customs. Meaning, please plan ahead before ordering. If you need an item in 4 days, even if we express ship it to your country of origin, chances are that it will sit in customs an additional week. Also, check to see if the item is in stock before ordering. At this point, with the economy and everything, we only keep stock on our most popular items. It is noted beneath the picture if it's in stock. If it doesn't say, we welcome you to ask, but it's most likely not. It will take 2-4 weeks to have your item produced, depending on our current workload (and since we've been consistently busy all year, I can promise you that it will take up to that full 4 weeks to be produced). Why does it take so long? When we receive an order, it goes into our production queue. Please ask ahead of purchasing if you need an item rushed, and we will do our best to make arrangements. Please remember that chances are your item could sit in customs for an additional week after its ETA.
***If you have any other questions please feel free to ask! And thank you for being great customers.
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