On saturday, after having a Thai lunch & wine w/ my good friend Sunah, i went to assist in John Zinonos' photoshoot. i brought along my new camera for some candids :)



Winter Witness

i decided to start a new project.

i found a new job that pays decent for what i do for them. i seem like i'm learning more about company organization than much of design. 'take what you can get' i guess...
cons= not a very interesting job.
pros= get out early = me time.

my mind is able to ponder 'elsewhere'... deams and such silly things
so i started to sketch my new project.
'WINTER WITNESS'
-based on a dream i had, almost a year ago.
i remember it so vividly ... its only fair to bring it to life

-coat-
knited felt/structured
-neck choker-
fox fur/leather
-gown-
chiffon/horsehair/mohair

so it is MAY

Dear Bened(ist)s,

I've been very busy.

I decided to move out and settled onto the island, manhattan.

Its nice to be closer to my resources.

It has been very hectic settling in. But now i have some 'ME' time, its great.

Removing myself from the exact location where my father had fallen, has given me more air to breath in. Its been 1 whole year, but i still cannot come to terms with myself or how i should be dealing with it mentally. Moving and having a busy job has kept me preoccupied. if life wasn't hectic, i would most likely go insane. if i don't think radically and logically, i would go insane.

im very afraid

this has given me very unusual dreams. and these dreams seem to have worked its way onto paper. I just need to bring them to life with needles and thread. I need time. I want to live forever.

cupcakes , bus rides, spiral staircase, unfamiliar chocolates, snow, ice, frozen car doors....

frozen care doors.

sincerely yours,

Benedict

new job.

dear all.

this wasn't what i had in mind after i graduate from fashion school studying design...

i wanted t JUST pursue my own label "Benedict Nation".. but i have seemed to diverge a bit.

i got a retail at Levi's to study how clothes is distributed to the public and into the hands of "real people". after all when you're dealing with high fashion models and buyers its not the whole picture. As the creator of Benedict Nation, I want to know EVERYTHING about this industry.

I worked at Levi's from August to December... but how every winter is bitter, I took my leave.

I coincidentally found my current job as Assistant Designer at "Olive & Oak". We are a women's contemporary brand. Its a full-time job so, please stop asking if i'm free weekdays... IM WORKING!!

my title as assistant designer had become very blurry at this point (just 2 months into the job). The Designer has taken permanent medical leave and the other assistant designer hired a week before me has been fired a month ago... and just to top it off with a sweet sweet cherry and whip cream, we fired the next one we hired.

that leaves just me and my technical designer... we're a small but productive team

I realized that i haven't been able put much time into my own creations so...

I decided to dedicate my weekends(sunday) to Benedict Nation.

I have gotten many requests for hand bags/leather goods and menswear.

so... keep an eye out for new designs coming soon!

and please keep yours eyes out for Olive & Oak/Pins & Needles at stores!!

Urban Outfitters & Anthropologie are one of our big buyers!!

my First

it's my first ink and also a crude reminder of ones mortality.

"memento mori" written in the same font as my "Benedict Nation"

written over my left chest, to figuratively carve these words onto my heart.

red halo surrounds these words to eternally remain swollen.

Photo Update!

I have been working with the NYU (New York University) Fashion Club and supporting them with their runway project. Their "Rhythm Runway" was their charity fundraiser project that took place earlier this December(4th). Here are a few shots taken by Bharti Tiwari for their Ad campaigns.

Denim/chiffon bustier & Tartan tutu w/attached corset (location: Dumbo, NYC)

Cotton tulle/cotton voile "Straight Jacket" Shirt & stripe insert DBL pocket Pant

(location: New Orleans)

Levi's Meatpacking-PJCS

So recently got a new job. at the new Levi's-Premium Jean Community Shop.

Working now as an Assistant Tailor there, so come visit :)

We opened our doors this past October 26(?), but we just had our Grand Opening press party last night. the party was quite a success.

as for business, the tailor shop has been getting a handful of orders and been quite busy.

Here are Links to sites that made posts/photos on

our event

>>HYPEBEAST

>>TWDmagazine

(heres one of the photos from this blog:"hypebeast">>myself at the table and master tailor, Tim, at one of our machines.)

(heres one of the photos from TWD>>myself at the table. you can really see the tailor shop section on the floor-with LVC's lined up behind the counter.)

back from Scotland!

so i went on a 9day trip to Scotland, sponsored by scottish enterprise.

It was AMAZING! so beautiful.

living in NYC you only get to see modernization in action. They are always taking down old buildings and putting up new/higher ones. it was very refreshing to see old building being taken care of and reformed inside to accommodate for new lifestyles. Most the architecture was Georgian or Victorian... Very my style. LOVED IT! very inspirational!

here are some photos i took while i was there that will most likely be my inspiration for quite a bit.

Photo Arrival :senior collection

Here are a few photos of the garments shot last week from my senior collection. On location photoshoot was a bit challenging... especially when we've got 2 models and only 2 staff (myself & john) in a forest. BUT the photos came out amazing. I feel like john really went and captured the story i wanted to tell through these clothes...

designer: yoko Benedict Okuda

photographer: John Zinonos

models: Ain Parfait & Erin

hair & make-up: Yoko & Ain

concept: This is a story about a girl who runs away from home for whatever reason.. perhaps a evil step-mother. She wonders into a deep deep forest and is now forever lost. She meets a woman who offers her some flowers to cheer her up, but really she was a witch who had been enchanting the forest for hundreds of years. The witch, envious of the lost girl's beauty, placed a spell on those bunches of flowers. So when the girl took them in her arms and placed them to her nose, she fell dead asleep. She slept so soundly on the quiet moss and no forest creature could ever wake her up. Until one day the spell was broken upon the witch's death. It had been over 150 years since she had fallen asleep. The girl wonders again about the forest, looking for somewhere to go, but not looking for her home...

Hand knit collar piece vest (model:ain parfait)

Hand Dyed Collage Nighty Dress (model:ain parfait)

"Straight Jacket" Shirt & Studded Dbl Pocket Pant (model: erin)

Hand Dyed Collage Nighty Dress (model:ain parfait)

"Straight Jacket" Shirt & Studded Dbl Pocket Pant (model: erin)

Cashmere and Suede "Armor" Coat

Leather & Searing Belted Vest (model: erin)

Oscar de la Renta: Resort 2011

I had a chance to attend the Oscar de la Renta Resort 2011 Collection on Monday 7 June. It took place on 63rd street & Park Ave. Went with my good friend J.juliet (she's a great designer/colleague btw).Great Show! A lot of white/navy combinations with splashes of

bright colors: red, orange, kelly green. The fabrication and silhouettes were VERY Oscar-ish. He used a few of floral prints: large on heavier fabrics and small on soft chiffons. There was a "bias tiered ruffle detail" that repeated itself on many looks, which i fell in absolute love with. The accessories used in the show were also very charming. Straw boat hats with ribbons matching the look, baby heels very thin no higher that 2", gold studded accents on white and navy shoes... Overall.. very cute complete nautical looks. even the gowns went down the runway with straw hats! very exciting when you see the designer's inspirations coming to life, after months of work, for a mere 20 minutes.

and of course i forget my camera.. so heres a few from my BBerry.

Newspaper Feature

A Benedict Design was featured on a Japanese Local Newspaper "週刊NY生活" (weekly NY seikatsu) on 8 May 2010 page 17.

The article talks about the competition between FIT and Parsons and my design philosophy and inspirations.

Photoshoot : Senior Collection

when:Today.

where:Local Forest

what:Senior Collection (shirt, pant, dress, scarf-vest, leather-vest, jacket)

who: photographer-john zinonos

models-ain parfait - erin

designer-benedict okuda

concept:Lost in the forest, but I don't want to go home.

photos:Coming soon

candid:Just 2 for now

Finally Over.

My 4 years at FIT just ended today with my senior collection class pizza party. We got our professor a huge bouquet of flowers.

My last week of school had been more than tough. I'm just really happy that i was able to finish through strongly without giving up. Lost someone very influential and important in my life, but I'm not ready to throw away all my efforts to mourn and become a vegetable.

A new chapter in my life is just beginning.

so many changes. everything different. everything I knew is gone.

I need time, but the world won't sit around and wait for me.

My family needs my support. They need me to keep them sane.

so for now... I need to keep what wants to come out inside my closet, and lock it away.

if I neglect it, it'll have no choice but decompose.

Dressed to Kilt is a celebrity filled fashion runway event hosted by Sir Sean Connery to kick start Scottish "Tartan Week" here in New York CIty. It was held this year at club M2.
My winning design from the FIT contest held by Scottish Textiles Group was one of the looks down the runway!
check out the photos HERE on DRESSEDtoKILT.com

excitement excitement

today i spoke with MAMUS creative agency Chief executive/creative officer. He agreed to take on my brand. VERY VERY EXCITED. VERY VERY EXCITED. i spoke to him about my plans after graduation and he's right with me. so hopefullly website/logos/copyrights/trademarks coming soon :) its gonna be a big project!

Also was able to chit chat with an Accountant. He specializes in small businesses. very excited. i can then consult with him about mine and my studio mates' company and how we want to organize this :)

Things are coming together and i'll soon be able to see a clearer picture of everything.

oh. yes and the follow up interview from the scottish contest seems to be on the 11th(correction). nervous about that.
My trip to Scotland is being planned out now, i just received emails about that. more excitement.
and for more press... my article in the local japanese newspaper is probably going to be next week-ish.

can't wait for everything

more Press for Scottish Contest

Last month in March I was able to get 1st place in the Scottish Developmental Contest-by the Scottish textile mills.
I showed my winning garment down the "Dress to Kilt" fashion show hosted by Sir Sean Connery to kick start Scottish week in NYC.
A follow-up interview is now being scheduled with the journalist for probably and most likely May 11th.
Very Excited at the moment.
Things are coming into place :)

Press Press Press

press release on WCBS!
WCBS
(Photo by Steven Henry/Getty Images))

So the Show ended...

the show was nice. but for me maybe too quick. literally... the models walked too quick.. but who can blame them. there were more than 100 designs down the runway :)

so here are pictures <3!!





photos courtesy of Kinue Imai Weinstein

BFA fashion show!

FIT's BFA fashion show MONDAY (4/26)

Watch it LIVE at 7:30 pm eastern via webcast

www.fitnyc.edu/7009.asp

one of my looks will be going down the runway!

it is a black cotton "straight jacket" blouse (with cotton tulle overlay) + black legging-pant (white striped inseam). pay close attention <3

Press

Yesterday i had an interview with a journalist from New York Seikatsu Press (local japanese newspaper). Spoke about my past experiences in my 4 years of schooling at FIT(fashion institute of technology). In addition to that, it was about my background and why i had chosen this field as my career and my current inspiration. The journalist will also be attending the graduating class' fashion show on monday, so the article will most likely be printed for the following week (week of may 2nd because it is a weekly paper). Once it s printed and i get hold of a copy, i will be sure to scan and post it.

SO YES! the show is on monday (april 26th). I will take photos and video of my look down the runway ^^ very excited to watch my clothing come to life. My fashion design mentor, Kyoko Baker will also be there to watch the show with me. She has not seen the pieces i have made for the show so i am very nervous of her reaction, and hopefully an approval.