When Bad is So Good

 December 1, 2009 by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

What do rockers Keri Hilson, Gwen Stefani and Katy Perry have in common? Besides the obvious of being extremely talented, they have all landed on the celebrity client wish list of those “baddest” girls that up-and-coming designer, Samantha Ferguson would love to see wearing her Donnaccia clothing line.

Can’t you just see Gwen Stefani or Keri Hilson rocking this skirt? 

Imagine Katy Perry on the red carpet wearing this beautiful dress? 

I met Samantha Ferguson while speaking at the Young Women’s Leadership Conference in York, PA. Samantha is a member of SIFE (Students In Free Enterprise) and was one of the models who rocked the fashion show demonstrating how to get the look for less by consignment shopping. As always, I am so inspired and fascinated by young women with a vision which Samantha clearly has. During lunch she told me about her business and brand but with only a few minutes before the next group of girls were to arrive, I still wanted to know more so I asked if we could do a follow up interview for my blog. 

Kathleen:

What’s the name of your fashion design company and how long have you been designing fashion?

Samantha:

Donnaccia is the name of my line and company. I’ve been designing for about 3 years now on a part-time basis while taking classes at York College as a full-time student.

Kathleen:

Who are your favorite designers?

Samantha:

fave designers are; New york Couture (Cassie Kogler) - because everything is unique and she is a hustlin’ and bustlin’ girl like me, she has a very unique and dramatic style ♥ it lol and Betsey Johnson very awkward stuff sometimes, which is different from the norm, stuff that is unusual is very attention grabbing, i don’t like to do what everyone else is doing.

Kathleen:

When did you decide you wanted to be a fashion designer?

Samantha:

I designed my prom dress, and my mom made it. I designed my own dress because there were not any dresses that were my style, and I did not want to blend in with everyone else, I wanted the dress to be memorable, something no one ever saw before. After prom I thought about designing but I was in college and doing a lot of homework. I started taking entrepreneurial classes in my sophomore year which helped me build my dreams into ideas and finally into opportunities.

Kathleen:

Who’s your ideal client and what kind of woman would wear your designs?

Samantha:

I target women who are ‘bad’ though bad in a good way. Strong and independent women/ladies are my target client. I target women who like to be noticed for there achievements, who are not afraid of showing who they are, who are breaking the class ceilings in corporate america yet still having fun. The women/ladies I see wearing my clothes are those that are very influential and willing to play with the boys. I greatly respect women who are independent and not conforming to the norms of society.

Kathleen:

What is your vision or future goals for your design company?

Samantha:

I want to eventually own a boutique. I want to own a boutique that’s half a salon. Salons are important to strong women, to make them feel beautiful and a good place to throw around ideas for entrepreneurs.

Kathleen:

What advice do you have for girls who are interested in a career in fashion?

Samantha:

First, learn a little bit about business. I’ve talked to a lot of fashion designers and they told me that now they have to hire people to run the business for them. Second, try to define yourself from other designers, have a key aspect that your customers will remember you for. Lastly, always have a clear vision of your dreams!

Kathleen:

What companies or designers have you interned for?

Samantha:

I am currently interning from a small business; Bowling Concepts LLC, an online clothing retailer of custom embroidered bowling shirts and retro shirts, and also a western wear website that retails western clothing. I work closely with the owner of the company (an entrepreneur) and learned and am still learning a lot about running my own company.

Kathleen:

Do you have any aspirations to try out for Project Runway or the new show called Launch My Line?

Samantha:

oh, yeah! it would be a great experience and a fun challenge! i would love to do the things that people on the show do, i would love to meet new people, expand my horizons, and also challenge my talents. and develop my designing skills.

Kathleen:

How can someone purchase your clothes?

Samantha:

online at onlyforthebaddest.com, on myspace and find me on facebook

Kathleen:

Your tag line says Bad Clothes for Bad Girls and can you tell me about the line only for the baddest?”

Samantha:

only for the baddest is about uplifting women to be the best they can be in an edgy way. Bad is not bad meaning bad but bad meaning good. A bad girl is one that does not conform to the norms of society and pushes beyond expectations.

Kathleen:

Where do you think your bold sense of confidence comes from?

Samantha:

I never really thought about where my confidence came from. I just know I am in control of my own fate so whatever i do can effect my future and I make decisions according to that. I set goals for myself, both short term and long term and then I set out to accomplish them. That way I am continually challenging myself to grow.

Kathleen:

Any final message for young girls who might be looking up to you?

Samantha:

My message to young girls is to not let other people influence the aspirations they have for their future. More often than not very talented young girls are influenced to do things to satisfy other people, when they should be focused on satisfying themselves. I want girls to know that if you stick to your goals you will achieve them, and let your haters be your motivators.

Samantha Ferguson is certainly someone to watch and follow - so why not follow her on Twitter? @Donnaccia2bad

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Posted in Coaching | Personal Power | Risk-Taking | Self-Confidence |
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Don’t Wait to Be Great – Do it Be it in 2008

 January 1, 2008 by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Let’s face it; New Year’s resolutions just don’t work. Why? Some might say it’s because they were drunk when them made them! But the truth is, most resolutions fail because they focus on everything we don’t like about ourselves. This is the year I’m going to lose twenty pounds, join a gym, get organized, quit smoking… and the list goes on and on.

So this year, instead of making another lame claim about what you’re going to do, or instead of focusing on what you didn’t accomplish last year, why not just stake a claim to be great – and then take action on it.

I recently saw the movie, “The Bucket List.” Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play characters that are both dying of cancer and they made a list of things they want to do before they kicked the bucket.

Well, in January 1990, probably before some my teen readers were even born, I made my own “bucket list” and wrote down 100 things I wanted to do before I died. I took a look at that list and picked one thing that I could do that day – I wrote to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold had just been appointed Chairman of the President’s Council of Physical Fitness and Sports under the first Bush administration. I admired him for his vision, his leadership and for his courage to go for it. I sent my letter off to the White House, not knowing if he’d ever read it or receive it. But just the act of doing it gave me the courage to try more new things.

That one act set off a chain of events that led me to where I am right now in my career. I just did it. I had no idea that six months after sending that letter I would receive a letter from Arnold praising me and encouraging me in my work with youth. At my very first New England Speakers Association meeting, I told that story and received my very first standing ovation. Then just six months later, I was chosen to represent New England at the National Speakers Association’s annual conference and received a scholarship to attend and got to tell it again to an even bigger audience. Since then, I have told that story to thousands of people and inspired them to take action in their own lives.

There’s an old proverb about three frogs sitting on a lily pad. One decides to jump off. How many frogs are left?

There are still three frogs on the lily pad. One only made a decision to jump.

The universe rewards action. What is one thing you can do today that would have a dramatic effect on your health, well-being or quality of your life?

Why not make your own list of everything you want to accomplish before you die. Then pick one thing – anything, big or small and do it today. Go skydiving or dare to tell someone how you really feel. It doesn’t matter what you do, but you just have to do something.

From Terminator to Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger says “The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.”
Don’t wait; you could be just one step away from greatness. Don’t just make a decision – do it.

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Posted in Risk-Taking | Self-Esteem |
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