New playlists are in effect. Sales on the rise... we hope.
Monetary artistic success we are hoping for.
There are so many feelings which lead to a season in Provincetown, to the events, the social stigmas. Romance and sex permeate the air; and the tension and excitement of every shop owner. The possibilities are endless and vast and they place themselves on the front of my mind all day long. The feeling of joy in the sale of a toothbrush holder at Kidstuff, the anxiety of not selling the dress to someone, the relief in the next person that buys it, watching the polka-dot bags from Silk & Feathers go by, wondering if it's a piece that I spent 4 hours sweating over in the winter, debating what color of thread to use when and why. Or if it's a bra.
Working in retail, as a somewhat anonymous designer (only because I don't wear a name tag and when someone enters a shop it's generally assumed the people are simply sales associates- though I must take this moment to say very rarely are sales associates simply just there especially in Ptown I think there is so much more weight and importance in the working relationships), I try to keep the focus on the customer. Whatever their needs may be, and however simple. Sometimes you just need that bra, or that toothbrush holder or just the t-shirt in the $5 bucket and I am thrilled to provide that in whatever capacity I can. It is the same amount of love for that person- the same effort in making the decision, writing the slip, re-stocking as for one of my own pieces, or an expensive anything.
When someone purchases one of my things though it is such a great honor that someone wants something that I did spend 2, 4, 7, 10, 15 hours making, in fuzzy slippers on a Saturday night at 1am or a Thursday morning at 6, or had Rachel sew, with gloves, pins poking her hands piecing the denim collages. It's sort of like Sally Field winning her Oscar crying 'You really love me!' That is how it feels.
And seconds after the person walks out the store the reminder to vacuum or a call comes with some great sorrow... or you look at your phone and the one you love just didn't text you back yet, and it's been all fucking day.
Back to the joy.
Back to the anxiety.
Back to the sad.
Back to the sales & the books.
Back to the business man within me.
Back to the pride and the joy in making someone happy, giving them the dress they will wear to their best friend's wedding.
Back to the sketchbook for the next idea.
Back to the ocean.
Back to the music.
Library shot...
Also, most of you may have seen this from my facebook, but there is a Love Matters facebook page. It's here:
www.facebook.com/lovemattersclothing
And also like (while you're at it if you want) where I'm selling most of my clothes:
Mary DeAngelis Silk & Feathers on facebook
And if you live in Regina you want to go to Seed Shoppe. :)
I love all of you who read this. Thank you for spreading the love and taking some of what I'm putting out there. Call me a quack but I totally believe that these little thoughts towards each other, and the effort in making clothing from a place of love to put on our backs to send it out in our daily actions does make the world better in some kind of microscopic but significant way. Keep up the good WORK.
More on the show soon too :) xx
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