Summer Styles

Yesterday I noticed that we had a full size run on some dresses. Which is rare for us and usually means we didn't put it on the website! And we hadn't. So, Ann Marie (my design assistant) finally acquiesced to modeling the styles. Here's one of my favorite shots. Give me a break with the photography bc I shot it and it was at the end of our work day. Buddy (JMH's our usual photographer) came over for dinner and made some fun of our shots but I'm claiming success. Thanks, Ann Marie!

Selling Out.

We didn't mean to, but in effort to get ahead we've been deep into cutting fall and find ourselves selling out of pieces already. Don't get me wrong it's a good thing. But if you're one of the people that keeps emailing weekly checking if we've found a Judy in size 4, I want to give you the opportunity to email me now and we'll send you the digital look book so you can submit a pre-order. Then when the collection comes out you can be wearing it instead of sending me pics from my own website scrounging for the size 4. sales@heidimerrick.com.

Resort to what?

It's the Holiday/Resort market here in L.A. Resort is my favorite collection to design it's small less serious and intend for luxuriating. Contact our showroom to see what I mean by Luxuriating...

Television.

Everyone knows I don't have TV, why would I? I've got the restraint of a 4 year old. I had TV for 5 months in the beginning of our marriage. My favorite show was "Kept" with Jerry Hall, you know it? "My kept man..." Whatever, that's why I don't have TV. But I have the world wide internet (obviously I'm blogging). Anyhoo, the www provides me with abc.com, and since my sister-in-law told me about it, I've become a bit of an abc.com binger. Which is how I started with Dancing With the Stars, I love it. I'm really into blond showbiz brother and sis on the show -they can really dance, and they're my friends on myspace. All that is to say here's a picture of tonight's winner Kristi Yamaguchi in my Cleo dress in a shoot for this weeks OK! magazine!

Pride and Prejudice

More than I care to admit, pride and prejudice, is actually an astute description of one fully focused on design and aesthetic. But that aside, the association has proven life changing to me. I had the sheer joy of entertaining a family of six, and in a very limited amount of time we shared a few pleasures that sparked the eldest daughter's imagination enough to say, "Mom, I feel like I'm in Pride and Prejudice." This may have been the biggest compliment of my life. I'm not sure whether it was the tea, served in silver and raffia hand-me-down from my mom, or my old canopy bed she slept in. But either way, the compliment, like all good compliments, revealed something to me. The formalities that define that period and made it so hard to love and become a family past all the pretense and status -I'm kinda rich in. The ability to love and appreciate beyond oneself -this young lady was dead wealthy in. And although I lay in bed retelling my husband (who made it back from Nicaragua thank the Holy God of the universe) the story of how she felt like she was in Pride and Prejudice, what I've really taken from the encounter was a deep longing to live with a little less pride and much less prejudice.
Thank you, thank you for your visit.

Batchelders

My husband's stuck in Nicaragua. He went there on a surf trip and was supposed to be back tonight -his plane was cancelled. I think I'm going to take this opportunity to get our fire place re-done. You can see it in the back of this picture, it's "Batchelder tile" which belongs deep in a castle with gnomes and people with "powers", not necessarily in a house in Silver lake. My husband disagrees with me on this point -he thinks it's valuable. Which brings me to my point; value -what is value? Whatever something goes for on eBay? Have we really become such a callous society? A home without love is worth nothing, the hole-y green scarf my teething nephew chewed the day my brother was ordained -everything. (Now I'm a cc commercial.) All that is to say, I don't care how much the tiles are worth -they're ugly to me. Come home soon JJ!

Gone Fishin' (well somebody's got to)

I'm getting the sweetest emails in response to the Domino piece.   So I pulled out the cd of Buddy and mine's trip to a secret lake in the Santa Barbara wine country....  I really won't name it here.  Just look at that bass -you think he got that way by people blogging about where he lives!  No way, that boy's fat and I'm holding him like a trout -but I mainly fish trout so you can't really hold it againgst me.

A new Gale.

We've just moved studios. I have 6 windows in my new space. I'm so happy. I'm so happy I could cry but that's not going to happen bc I'm too tired from moving and Feist is playing and she makes me feel feisty. This is our Gale dress from the Fall 08 collection. Note the phantom intern on the right hand side, he really dresses like that -no one believes me. The man taking all the fantasy out of the pic with his plaid man looks' my husband. Anyhoo, this dress is what my new studio makes me feel like; light and beautiful with maybe some wind picking up my hair. oxox

George & JJ

Okay, I didn't want to deprive you all. It's Johnny and George in the pic and I think they kinda hold there own in place of our lovely model. George is our neighbor, we used to take walks in the evening. I kinda miss him. xoox

People, don't be alarmed -but we're moving studios! We were in the infamous Cooper building just one floor up from our showroom but we are moving to an unnamed building 2 blocks away. So, no more drop byes by crazy fit models or catering companies. We now have a secret location! Mostly I'm going to miss lingering around the showroom trying to distract Vivian. (Now that I realize it, why would I ever do that to my sales?)
Well we are all ecstatic. (Mostly the interns I think will be glad to have a little more space from my mood swings and new dietary regimes.) P.S. this pic doesn't have anything to do with anything, it's just an improvement of the one with my husband in the same spot, not super fashion so I'm sparing you.

Oooh American Idol

Last night "Brooke" on American Idol wore the Heidi Merrick Ms. Egan dress, hooray! She's pretty!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1djX4pH9VmI

National Geographic.

Did anyone see this month's cover of National Geographic? It might not surprise you, I'm a subscriber. Anyhoo, I found myself gazing and gazing at the cover entitled, "Africa's Ragged Edge", so much so that I had to have a moment with myself, talk myself down a bit if you will. Realizing that it probably will never be me swathed in white fabric pulling back on an Arabian horse with the dust flying through the frame (note: the fantasy is not that crazy, I could have been a missionary or something you know...) But this sometime charming tendency to digression is where my design process starts or ends, I'm not sure. There are so many lives and so many roles to play in this world and a lot of them are just captivating to me. So, I just wanted you all to know it may be another Moroccan Spring.
xoxo Heidi

Ancient Worms!

I'm often amused over the hoopla about renewable, green, and sustainable stuff. It's become a media circus and consuming frenzy itself, has it not? Listen, I'm all for capitalism -obviously I'm a business woman- and I love that the consumer is demanding a market be made. I just want to speak of a quieter responsibility, mainly my own. I make everything here in Los Angeles, and I make it all within walking distance of my design studio. Why? Because I'm obsessive over my garments and must see them at all stages of the process, not responsible enough to work on long leads and ship back forth, and am honestly a bad driver so it has to be within the 4 blocks I walk. Also, I like to save the world.
Natural fibers, it's mainly what I use. My fabrics do not come from gigantic factories in the middle of Brazilian rainforests or crazy labs mixing chemicals making new fibers, they mostly come from worms and sheep. My worms are probably the same worms that made silk back in the Ming Dynasty! And the sheep, they aren't as munchy munchy as the fabled root eating alpacas and they just grow the hair, year after year. The same sheep. Seems sustainable to me. They say the use of wool dates back to 4000 BC, silk 2600 BC and linen 2000 BC! Check out my fabrics on the shopping cart that means people like me where dressing Abraham, Solomon and Jesus! Think about that while you brush your teeth...

We've Shipped!

We've shipped a good amount of our Spring dresses, so I want to encourage you to find them in a store near you!!! Check my store list it should be updated very soon! xoxox

Rebecca Mader

Rebecca came to my showroom to try on some dresses for her new life -running around Hawaii starring in LOST. Extra! caught it all on tape. She's fantastic, and I love her. The real issue I'd like to point out is when asked to be on TV with a beautiful actress keep in mind you will be on TV standing next to said beautiful actress...

Quilting with Plaid.

This is from my friend Dawn.

Your dress wasn't seen at a design showroom, an upscale boutique, or a glitzy party this time, but in an outdated old-school church filled with Quilting Ladies. However, the Quilting Ladies (as I have dubbed them) are critical, opinionated and oh-so particular about sewing in any fashion.

I borrowed one of your dresses to wear to my dear Papa's memorial service. Yeah I know. I wish I had some fun party to go to, but it had a purpose. You see, my Papa and I had a long-standing inside joke about clean pants. He always changed into his best pants when I came over and carefully inspected my pants upon my arrival. There were big apologies to make if they were sub par. He also would lament about the day that I might wear a clean dress and then he just wouldn't be able to measure up. I'm not sure he ever did see me in a dress other than on my wedding day. :( So when it came to his service I couldn't just have any dress. It had to be special. And seeing that I only have old bridesmaid dresses in my closet, the hunt began... I tried on The Morrison (from April) and knew it was perfect. (Myles clinched the deal by stopping in his tracks and staring at me with his giant blue eyes and telling me I was beautiful...)

Little did I know what a stir it would cause! It began when I stepped out of the dressing room after changing. Some little Quilting Lady held me at arm's length, spun me around for a glance at the back, and uttered 'Hmph!" She let me pass.

At the end of the service a lady approached me. I could tell she had a mission and meant business. She said very sternly that my dress was not purchased at any old store. She and her Quilting Ladies had been discussing and analyzing it. (Can't you just see the group of old ladies plates full of jello salad and their hub-bub in the back of the outdated church hall???) She asked, with her tone laced with skepticism, if I had made it. My grandma is the Queen of the Quilting Ladies so it just might be possible that I was a prodigy... She was quick to respond to my answer that I hadn't made it, by describing to me how she knew I couldn't have because of how the pattern was matched in the back, the daring pleats, the lining and so forth. She went on and on and gathered a little audience. I probably had 5 conversations that day with a 'representative' from the Quilting Ladies.

I'm sure you are not really targeting the Quilting Ladies in your marketing, but thought you'd like to know you are now known, respected and passed their inspection!

Love,
Dawn


The pic was taken by her brother-in-law, Ryan.

Valentine's Courage.

I've decided being married it is my obligation to really sex it up for Valentine's Day. This year I'm going to wear possibly the sexiest dress I've made (outside of my wedding dress ((sans the tulle my dad made me add across the chest right before I walked out, but I digress))) anyhoo, the Nicole. It has the adjustable front with the oversized gold pin across the front so if I chicken out half way through the night I can just lock it up a bit. Keep an eye out for me, I'll be with the dashingly handsome man that's holding doors open for everyone! xoox

Market.

We are showing in NYC for the next few weeks. Contact vivian@tricotshowroom.com. For fall 08 we are debuting our first full collection, (meaning we're moving beyond only dresses).

I'm a lucky girl.

Not only does my husband do craft services for all my shoots, he's also second unit photographer, documentarian, and all around good natured man with skills. I gave him 2 minutes a look, (seriously) and every shot was beautiful. That's just how he rolls. So, JJ, I just wanted to say -thanks. xoxo

Blogger blog blog my dog.

I don't have a dog, but I like them. Not in my house necessarily but I like to visit them. For example sometimes I pick up my neighbors dog -George and take him for a walk. I've lived in Silverlake one year and one month and pretty much 2 out of 3 times I get a little lost. We live in the hills and I like to wander them -wandering with purpose, but I always get shot out by the lake. Maybe it has a magnetic force or something. Anyhoo, the truth is it's 6am and I remembered I left a rash blog here about picture uploading and I'm just replacing it. See Mom, sometimes I wake up early.

Stormy day dreams

It's storming in Los Angeles, just when our Spring collection's rolling in and to tell you the truth -I'm tired of it. I just want to be like Bugs Bunny and head to Palm Springs to sit around a pool in one of my crazy caftans and summons some of that old Hollywood glamour. I'd like to be served swanky little somethings from someone as handsome and sweet as my buddy Marco here. xoxo

Dressing.

I'm obviously thinking about dressing all the time. Not the salad kind, but the kind that when you have something new you can't wait to do it. The kind that when you've had too many Christmas cookies you dread it. The kind of dressing that occupies your mind days before you see an old friend. Like everyone else I want to wear the same skinny jeans and vince sweater everyday. But that's crazy! That kind of thinking will put me out of business! That kind of thinking leads to recessions, unshapely stretching and depression. So, I put on a dress. I invite change, I invite posture and (let's face it) I invite compliments. I love putting on a beautifully lined dress. It makes it fun to dress and it feels good. This is actually metaphorical because I am wearing skinny jeans and a Theory sweater. But I needed to work it out as I finish designing my fall.

Fall 08 Market

We've been getting inquiries at the studio about showing our Fall 08 in New York. If you'd like to book an appointment please contact our showroom Tricot! They would be happy to book a time to see the collection and the benefit about contacting them is that they will get back to you!

Tricot Showroom
860 S. Los Angeles
Suite 612
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Ph. 213.891.0663
213.891.0669 fax

vivian@tricotshowroom.com
press@tricotshowroom.com

When the paper turns blue.

Things I'm into this year. By Heidi Merrick.

Evening twilight greeted with white candles.
Fresh peas with mint.
Soccer boy haircuts.
Natural hair color, it's just so unattainable and therefore incredibly chic.
No wheat, no sweets. (just being honest)
Mixing gems. (Friends included)
Honesty.
Faith. He's brought us this far.
Talking about nothing with people I love.
Neighbors.

Things I'm carrying over.

Lawns, I still love lawns.
David Bowie with eye make-up.
Moroccan teapots.
Bougainvillea.
Generational surfing.
Counting the hours by church bell.
Korakia.
Lunch at Barneys.

Summer Market New York

We'll be showing our summer line in New York and Los Angeles starting tomorrow. If you'd like more info please email us at info@heidimerrick.com.
xoxo

Ode to Buddy on her Birfday.

Most people reach adulthood just remembering the days they giggled endlessly with their best friends or got banned from whispering bc everybody knew whatever they were talking about was dang good. But my adulthood has been captured by moments where Buddy throws her head back and immortalizes our lives with her laugh in that way only someone who has known you since t-ball can. My memories of childhood are peppered by frenetic impassioned pep talks -I'd dream and dream and tell my buddy how we were going achieve the impossible; parents feared me, normal kids backed away, but Buddy laughed. She laughed and said (with ennui, yes), "why wouldn't we"? And we have, haven't we buddy? The first time she came over to my house, I told her I fancied myself a photographer (we were 13) and she said, "yeah, I'm a model...." and that was our first photo shoot. This pic is a sweet one Buddy took from our most recent photo shoot (I'm not the model, I'm the one crouched beneath her). And in honor of Jenny Murray Hooks today, enter "iwantabuddy" at check out and you'll receive 25% off through the weekend. May I suggest: the Future Mrs. Hooks, Mrs. Hooks, the Jenny, the Fenny (yes, she's the editor of a big-time mag C (hello!), but shockingly dyslexic as a child or audaciously ennui -we still don't know). So, if you find yourself with a moment today please raise a glass of prosecco for my buddy, Jenny Murray Hooks and say to yourself "Everybody needs a buddy like Buddy!"

Hi-ya Saylor!

I almost forgot to remind everybody, Trunk Show at Saylor in Santa Monica! It is such a beautiful store and I'm incredibly honored to hang there. Please go and you can touch and feel the Spring 08 collection there, all my current stock is there as well and that might be the only place in the world you can get those dresses right now. xoxo P.S. I'll be there tomorrow (Friday) 2-4 if you'd like to make my acquaintance...

Holiday Hues.

Oh, the holiday season (I'm actually in the world where we still say Christmas, I'll restart).... Oh the Christmas season.... A time for reflection, a time with family and friends, a time to buy stuff for people, a time to ask your mom to buy stuff for you. A time when you think, I'm too old to be asking for things bc all I really want is that lawn put in and maybe the tiles redone in the bathroom, a little choppy choppy of the bum section if you follow me. But I digress, what I really want to say is how thankful I am for all God's given me. Especially this business of dresses, I'm really happy, really, really happy. So, I thought I'd take the next couple of blogs to share in some happy fashion moments. Please enjoy the following guest blogs. P.S. This pic doesn't necessarily have to do with this current blog, but it is green and that stands for Christmas!

Moi?

I don't try to act smart, I just come off that way sometimes. But then there are days like today, when delivering my goodbyes and thank yous over my shoulder I hit the doorway with a cupcake ( it became part of my collar ) that didn't come off as smart. Or when my dear friend Vivienne (she's French-Canadian) from Montreal sends me an article she's written (see above) I respond with and I'll quote, " Oh great I'll have my husband read this to me he espeake Spanish." And there you go.

Camouflaged Nostalgia

For all you who missed today's sample sale, we had a greeeeat time! There was this lovely dark haired girl, I believe her name was Renee Le Fleur -or at least that's what they told me you never know I'm very gullible when I'm tired. Anyhoo, she bought my last Camo Rosanna to wear to pick up her boyfriend who's in the army. They'll both be in camouflage... I think it's dang cute. He's a jumper, I don't know what that is but it sounds gnarly.
oxox

This too my friends.

There is also this. If you can't make it downtown, I'll be on 3rd street.
6-10pm Thursday night, (tomorrow!)
THERE WILL BE SNACKS!!!!
SNACKS!
xoxo

SAMPLE SALE!!!!!

Everybody, Tricot (my showroom) is having a holiday sample sale. Here's the facts:
Thursday 12/6 and Friday 12/7
860 S. Los Angeles Street
Suite 612
Los Angeles, CA 90014
I don't know, like 10-5 or something?

Come, my dresses are 2 prices $50 and $125
xoxo

Costume International!

Did anyone see Marc Jacob's invitations to his annual costume ball???? If you happened to not receive an invite I'll just tell you the theme is Arabian Nights!!?!? Now, let's not kid ourselves -I'm not so insider -I just read Vogue! But Arabian Nights! Coincidence? I'm not sure. Since my annual Costume ball is October 1st, I think the theme may now come off as past season but I'll give it to him, my theme was more Rock the Casbah and the Bedouins Can Dance... And isn't that fashion, everyone kind of dances around the same tree until some gets killed by a coconut and then we move on? I'm just wondering, this is just off the top of my head, but will he soon be having Turkey Curry Holiday Sing A-Longs?
xoox

Family matters.

Well, I'm looking a little rough (to borrow a word from my sister in law -Courtney) in this shot, but I can get over my personal issues to show you how sweet we are as a family. It's a very personal moment in a very public event, but this is my mom, my dad and me at the opening of the the new Channel Islands and Burton store on Melrose. It was a very big party but I didn't stay for the shenanigans, just my dads interviews et al. But the store is amazing, the boards look beautiful and it was a good representation of the world my folks created -the little surf shop I grew up in. I am very proud of them.

p.s. Dear man who took this photo and published it in Transworld, you said it was for your Christmas cards. Was that your Christmas card?

Spring Raine.

Okay Friends, here is the situation. I'm trying not to cut extra pieces for the spring o8 collection so I'm giving my regular shoppers this option: Email me with a request for the lookbook, and I will send you the digital lookbook so you can peruse and place a tentative pre-order. How does that sound? Let me temp you with this style -the Raine, named after my excellent young intern who for some reason has the name on her license plate???

Greetings from the Maharishi!

Everyone should be a wee bit envious because we're staying at the Christiana in Vail.... But I'm not here to rub it in, I just want to express that I am having a raging good time. We just got out of the heated-like-a-jacuzzi-pool and are headed to a very swish French resturant- Left Bank. Anyhoo... My point is just to see if Mikey Johnston (my brother in law) is reading my blog. And well, if he is -I'd like him to know that 'toile is the new plaid' and 1600 dollar jackets live forever... oxxoxo
ps. The maharishi pic is just for your enjoyment!

Fur sure.

Don't try to find me this holiday bc JJ and I are hiding out in Vail, and it's SNOWING!!!! So, because I don't really make weather ready clothes (I'm talking real weather) we're on our way to borrow a vintage lynx from my mother in law.... Happy Thanksgiving everybody! xoxo

Read em and reap...

I had lunch today with Turya Nations (of Guy Baxter fame). We discussed the finer points of developing a collection and well honestly the pain and promise of running a business. ...And that's what I'm doing here, running a business. So here's my sweet little offer for your Thanksgiving pleasure. You write in "iamblogreader" at checkout and you will get 10% off your purchase this week only! Even you Ms. Hong, this is an authorized discount and I'd love for you to get some Holiday in your wardrobe! Now my personal suggested choice for the Christmas parties (and I am the designer..) is the Scarlette. It is unexpectedly one of my more forgiving pieces, you can have eggnog and look smashing! xoxox Heidi

Let's get personal.

Here's the deal. If you are my friend and want something from my collection and you are hoping when they come out there will be one left for you- well that's the problem right now. If you consider yourself a regular customer of mine -say there is a dress named after you or you happen to own some first seasons, I want to encourage you to write a personal order. What does that mean? It means you request a lookbook, and I send you one. You look through said book and you decide you want one. Then you let me know and we right it down and I make it for you in your size. Okay. So, here is a little pic of the Janie in our spring. It also comes in camel and mushroom. xoxoxo

Did you all see that back page of Lucky? For all you non-LA people, I will post it here. xoxo And yes, I love my Daddy.

Oh buddy...

Dear Jenny,
You never read my blog. If you continue to not read my blog, I'll continue to break out the archives of photos.... They go back to t-ball you know. And I just know every one's hoping to catch a sweet glimpse of the pre-teen years. Oh yes, I have them too! La belle anyone? I know, I know you're a serious editor and spend the day in freelance-writer-facilitating hell. But you don't have to facilitate here, just a quick readie readie -that's all I ask. (Maybe a few punctuation notes would be nice though.)
xoxo Heidi

Seeing is believing.