Tuesday 26 February 2013

Sneak a peek into Debra Pletz's Handbags






' I believe in letting fabrics talk to me to decide what fabrics like to be paired with each other and for the style of the bag'



Debra Pletz, Be On The Scene Member and creator of women's handbag collection,' Zojja Uniquely You' from Charles Town, United States has sketched, stitched, sown and now signed, sealed and sent her creations across the ocean headed for our offices in London, just in time for our March event.

Having found herself in the stressful career of Law Enforcement, she would seek solace in being creative. Whether it was restoring her Victorian home, making props for Halloween, designing her garden or hand dying scarves. When receiving an unexpected visit from her mother, who encouraged her to make more scarves so her sister was able to sell them in New York at her work place over the Christmas holidays, on a whim, she decided to make some bags to go with the package. shortly after, friends and family asked her to make bags for them and just like that, Zojja was born.


I was fortunate enough to have the chance to ask Debra some questions on her process and designs.



What is the creative process you undergo from your sketching to putting together your pieces?

Some people may think I'm crazy and sometimes I'm really amazed at how it works, but the first thing I do is go into my fabric room and ask, "who wants to be a bag?"  I then go through the fabrics until I get a feeling about what fabric to work with next.  When I pull that fabric, I begin to get a sense of the shape that the fabric wants to be in and/or if it wants trimmings or not and then get to work!  Most times I design my own patterns according to the visual thoughts that are in my head for that particular fabric.  I've also learned that it is never a good idea to go against the initial thoughts of how the bag should be.  To give you an example, I once ignored the suggestions of the fabric and decided to add something else of my choosing for the bag.  When I went to sew it, the machine constantly jammed, needles broke, the seams ripped and nothing was going right.  I went back to the original fabric and ta da!  No more problems.  

           How many hours a day do you spend on your bag line?
I spend at least 4-5 hours a day actually sewing the bags.  Then factor in shipping out bags to those that have purchased them, preparing for the next bag, marketing, ordering more fabric and supplies, etc.  I'm pretty much always doing something for my business everyday for much of the day.  I do make a point to take breaks so I don't get burned out.  I rescue stray and feral cats and kittens so this helps me divert attention away from the business and relax and think about other things for awhile.

           How did you get retailers to take notice of you?
Since my bags are one of a kind, I market towards boutiques and on my website.  I try to get my items out into the fashion and accessories arena by way of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Linkdin and on-line adds.  Since my line is of bohemian and gypsy, I think I stand out a little bit more in ways of uniqueness and people have responded to that.

           If you had to give any aspiring designer advice, what would it be?
Always stay true to who you are.  Do not give up your design aesthetic just to please the masses or follow trends because you will be miserable in the end.  Take the time to learn your craft and do it well.  Do not be afraid to ask for help from many different sources.  Have patience.  Things do not happen overnight but you will eventually get there with a lot of hard work and determination and it will be so worth it.


To view more of Debras' collection and to keep up to date on her news, visit her profile at www.beonthescene.com/members/debra_pletz.php

you can also see her designs on our catwalk at our March event
www.beonthescene.com/nextevent

Friday 22 February 2013

Magik and Mears make MTwo



Feel good Hip Hop duo, Magik and Mears, collectively known as MTwo have blasted onto the music scene. Reminiscent of the 90's, we hear a bit of Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five with the deliberate humorous approach to their music videos.

2011 saw the formation of the duo who released their first song 'Cruising' and received over 10,000 hits on Youtube. Following this came a succession of releases including, 'Enjoy The Show' which made it onto the Top 100 Rap / Hip Hop charts. MTwo are enjoying the success of having had  their song played on BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 1, to keep us wanting more they are now experimenting with an added seven piece band.

The road ahead is endless with opportunity but one thing is for certain, their personality which is reflected in each verse and video, with a 'keep it real' attitude will see them do great things.

For tickets and the chance to watch MTwo perform, register at www.beonthescene.com/nextevent

Tuesday 19 February 2013

A video every artist must watch

 
        
 
 
Whether you're just starting out, or have a few years of experience, Be On The Scene is here to help you navigate your way through the entertainment industry. Whatever your talent, we can give you that much needed head-start by helping you gain exposure to people who can make a difference in your career.
 

 
                                                                
 
                                               


Tuesday 12 February 2013

Tom Price-Stephens and 'Peter Pan Shoes'

 
'Peter Pan Shoes'
 

Acoustic Singer Songwriter Tom Price-Stephens, has been making a name for himself in the influential folk music scene. He, along with others will be performing at our upcoming event on March 23rd at The Coronet. Songs such as 'Peter Pan Shoes, Modern Romance and Hold On' have strains of Counting Crows, Jack Paynet and a little bit of Damien Rice -however, having cultivated his own sound, he will have you strumming your fingers and bopping your head to his beautifully written lyrics and cleverly created riffs.
 
Born in South Wales, this barefooted artist has performed all over London solo, but with his upcoming gig, he will be exploring and performing for the first time with a band, under the name of Tom Price-Stephens & Friends

Cant wait until March to see him perform? TPS will be performing this Saturday (16th February) at the Gallery Cafe, 21 Old Ford Road.

For more information and to listen to his other tracks, visit his profile  at http://www.beOnTheScene.com/members/tom_price-stephens.php or to book tickets to our March event to see him perform, along with other artists, visit our website at www.beonthescene.com/nextevent/


Friday 8 February 2013

Ross Fiddes 'Around The World In 20 Plates'

 
Can he eat this in one sitting?
                                                            
Vibrant, funny and adventurous Presenter  Ross Fiddes is hosting a new show called , 'Around The World in 20 Plates'. He has been creating quite a buzz recently and after watching a few episodes, its easy to see why.

we managed to catch up with him in between plates for a short interview

 what was your inspiration for the show?

Firstly, I love food. I thought why not make a show where I can present and eat loads of food at the same time?! On a serious note though, I’m really passionate about children’s television and that’s where my love for TV first began. It struck me one night whilst I was trying Korean food for the first time that I could make a show out of trying new foods and introduce kids to different cultures from around the world. That is when ‘Around the World in 20 Plates’ was born.

 what has been the best moment of being on the show?

The best moment was probably the most recent episode that we just filmed, the Kenyan one. In this episode I was actually able to help make some of the food and really get stuck in there. I helped the chef make Ugali, which is a traditional East African side dish. It was lots of fun, but you’ll have to wait a while for it to come online!

what has been the best thing you have eaten?

The best thing I have eaten was probably a Vietnamese spring roll. I don’t know what it was, but it was really tasty.

what has been the worst?

The worst thing I tried was a strange German concoction I ate in the Christmas special. It was like a burger made from Rye bread, stuffed with ham and onions. However, the lady squirted loads of this strange sauce on top and it really wasn’t very nice! You can actually see in the episode that I’m gagging from it.

have you ever pretended to like what you’ve eating?

No. The great thing about the show is that it is fairly spontaneous. A lot of the food I have never tried before, so my reactions are usually very genuine.

where do you see this show heading?

I’ve been really impressed with all the feedback I’ve had about the show and I think it definitely has potential. At the moment it is going through a complete makeover, with the logo and opening titles being professionally created by a graphics designer. Once that is complete I aim to increase its popularity online and then hopefully pitch it to some of the broadcasters out there. Anyone interested??

what were some of the risks involved in doing what you are doing?

I guess the main risk is that I don’t really have a steady income. Sometimes I get paid for work and other times I have to scrimp and save, but I guess that is just the nature of the business. Presenting is definitely my passion and I’m not giving up anytime soon. Anyway, life is about taking risks right?

what were the obstacles you faced in terms of getting the show out there?

There aren’t really any obstacles really. The show is presented, produced, edited and created by me so as long as I have a cameraman there to film me and some food on my plate it’s all good!

If you had any advice for aspiring presenters what would it be?

Any advice for aspiring presenters? It would probably be ‘can you give ME some advice??’
 
 
keep a look out for is next episode where Kenya is featured.
 

 





Monday 4 February 2013

Presenter Rachel Mullins at the premier of " I Give It A Year"



Rachel Mullins, our talented presenter talks to the cast of British film," I Give It A Year" which premiered in London's Leicester Square on January 25th 2013.