FiSF Diary - Who is Evgenia?

First things first: If you follow my adventures on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, you may have noticed a not-so-subtle change in my moniker. It's true - Honey Cooler Handmade is in the process of becoming Evgenia Lingerie. Eugenia is my middle name (and my grandmother's name) - Evgenia (pronounced ehv-'gen-ya) is a common Eastern European pronunciation. My parents were both born to Ukrainian immigrants and this new name is personal to me for that reason. And let's be honest: lingerie itself is deeply personal - I wanted to put more of myself into my brand, and that's what this leap is all about. Evgenia at once embodies my own familial history as well as nostalgia for times gone by, all with an elevated, feminine twist. And lest there be any doubt, my lingerie will still be sewn from incredibly beautiful silk and French lace, still painstakingly crafted, still versatile, feminine and vintage-inspired. Very little will change in terms of the lingerie itself - this is simply a new adventure for my brand. I hope you enjoy this new direction!

At my shoot for Spring/Summer 2015

Back to the Incubator… The last month has been a busy one - but really, what month hasn't been since I started at the Fashion Incubator? My shoot went magnificently and the lookbook layout is in progress. It should be done sometime in the next few weeks. My younger sister Kate is working on my marketing collateral, a generous offer that I couldn't turn down. Her Pennsylvania-based design team is working with some pretty incredible clients, so I'm in very good company and delighted that they took me on.

Models behind the scenes at Supperclub

In the past few weeks, I've had a packed calendar. My fashion show at Supperclub with Hunny Bunny Burlesque went amazingly. Never before have I been so privileged as to have some of SF's most gorgeous burlesque performers strut their stuff in my lingerie. Friends and followers came out to support me and the final photos are lovely beyond belief. I also worked on a benefit for Fight2Breathe with former FiSF Designer in Residence Michelle Byrnes. We threw a fashion show with Redford and The Social Beauty Company all to benefit Caleigh Haber, a young woman with cystic fibrosis. I also sold my wares at Chillin' Productions last weekend, and just this past Sunday I showed three looks from Spring/Summer 2015 at Fashion on the Square.

Spring/Summer 2015 at Fashion on the Square

Designer in Residence Amanda of Scarlett Smith working hard on Spring/Summer 2015

The other Designers in Residence are preparing for their shoots and getting samples squared away at the moment. The workroom looks just like an episode of Project Runway right now as we're all in crunch mode.

Right now, my focus is getting my ducks in a row for my launch. My collection is done and my manufacturer is working on round after round of samples - if you've ever seen my lingerie in person, you know my lacework is pretty exacting. I want to make sure that any outside sewers pay just as much attention to detail as I do, so I've been driving back and forth to the factory to touch base until everything is just as I want it. I've also been working on marketing with the help of FiSF alum Jake Wall of The Artful Gentleman. From product names and descriptions to pitching, we're tackling all the important parts of marketing a fashion business. Every step has been an enlightening challenge, and every step brings me closer to my goal of having a fully realized brand.

Detail from Spring/Summer 2015

This week, I'm getting my production patterns together and doing my technical illustrations, all parts of the production side of fashion design. A typical day involves a lot of time in my office working on my media, marketing and business plans, but as the lookbook launch gets closer, preparing for production is weighing heavy on my mind and I find myself back in the workroom.

There's always tons to do while at the Incubator, but I've been grateful for every facet and so excited to see how Spring/Summer 2015 pans out!

Fashion on the Square This Sunday!

If you've been following me on social media, you may already know that I'm in the process of changing my business name from Honey Cooler Handmade to Evgenia. It's a big change and I'll go more into depth about it in my next FiSF Diary post, but for the time being the best way to see this new iteration of my lingerie line up close and personal is to come to Fashion on the Square this Sunday.

This is the first time I've ever been invited to show at this prestigious SF event and I'll be debuting three S/S 2015 looks at the 7pm runway show, looks that very few people have gotten to see yet. Please join me and the other talented designers privileged enough to show that evening!

Purchase tickets here. Hope to see you there!

Fight2Breathe Benefit at Redford - Photography by George Liao

This past Sunday was Sunday Side Up, a brunch event with Redford, The Social Beauty Company, Michelle Byrnes and Motown Mondays, all to benefit Fight2Breathe. It was a magnificent day, all for an excellent cause!

Caleigh Haber of Fight2Breathe is battling cystic fibrosis and documents her struggles and triumphs on her website and social media - she's not only a fighter, but a sweet, beautiful woman and we were all so delighted to help out her cause. Her site is in place to help offset the cost of the double lung transplant she's waiting for.

Photographer George Liao graciously documented the day in photographs, capturing the behind-the-scenes action as Social Beauty Company made our models runway ready, and the runway shows themselves. Check them out and visit Fight2Breathe to do your part to help Caleigh Haber!

The Cure for the Common Brunch

We all know that San Franciscans love their brunch. Make this Sunday's midday meal extra special and join Redford, The Social Beauty Company, Michelle Byrnes and yours truly for a truly unique brunch experience this Sunday July 13th.

Not only will Redford be debuting an exciting new brunch series, but you'll see enticing runway shows featuring Michelle Byrnes swimwear and Honey Cooler Handmade lingerie. Grab a cocktail and rock out to some amazing DJs - better still, it's all for a good cause! By joining us, you'll be supporting Caleigh of Fight2Breathe as she battles cystic fibrosis and waits for a double lung transplant.

I'm so excited to participate in this event and I hope to see you there. For more information, visit the Sunday Side Up Facebook event page. To make a brunch reservation, please email lora@redfordsf.com.

Three 'Grams: Secret Glimpses

I can hardly believe how quickly my first lookbook shoot of my residency at FiSF has come and gone. One of my biggest fears with a three-month collection development build-up is that the end product won't be what was dreamed, imagined or expected. I can safely say, however, that photographer Kelly Puleio knocked it out of the park. She's already given me a sneak peek at the final shots and days later I can't stop looking at them. These photos, my dears, are the real deal. That said, they're not ready for sharing yet. Spring/Summer lookbooks generally launch in August or September, so for now you'll have to be content with a few snippets of the new collection, taken right from my Instagram feed, along with a shot from last week's much-anticipated fashion show at Supperclub SF. Enjoy!

HCH at Supperclub SF

Floral designer John James arranges Sarah's headpiece for the S/S shoot

Sarah wears a new S/S 2015 style