2009 April | Summer Rayne Oakes

Archive for April, 2009

what peculiar prop did Summer Rayne bring to Hearst’s ‘Heart of Green’ Awards?

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

The Daily Green has all the videos, photos and acceptance speeches from the inaugural “Heart of Green” Awards and festivities – but you can take a quick peek at some of the photos and acceptance speech below. I do definitely want to thank Hearst again for the award and the beautiful ceremony. Highlights from that night: Greg Perry, the school teacher, brought everybody to their feet. He’s fought paralysis, cancer and continues to plug away at the green message with his students by helping build the most environmental public school system from the inside out; talking with Bob Woodruff and commending him for his comprehensive coverage of PowerShift09.org; and meeting Constance, Libby, etc. the Green Team over at E-Bay.

What else is groovy? I have the actual Heart of Green award sitting on the top shelf of my driftwood cabinet next to the Cosmopolitan “Fun, Fearless Female” Award. I like when the sunlight enters the room because it hits the glass in a way that makes them dazzle in the white light. The sun doesn’t have quite the same effect on my bug net, but . . . all objects weren’t created equally…

show us some of your fancy footwork

Sunday, April 26th, 2009

We’ve launched the first season’s line of zoe&zac and next week I’ll be back in the design room working on upcoming season’s lines. If you have gotten a chance to head over to a Payless store and check them out like I did the other day, then check out the website here and let us know what you think (web shots below). It’s definitely a work-in-progress…and we got a lot more to tackle. Some of the boys out there were wondering whether they’ll get some kicks – and the short answer is “Yes.” This will eventually be a family brand – but we’re still developing styles and materials, so the men’s versions will launch a few seasons down the road. Stay tuned. Check out the video below for a bit more behind-the-scenes + tips from the last shoot/work session.

overview of the brand

a little bit more on my role

some QT with the gals from Ladies Lotto

Sunday, April 26th, 2009

I’ve tried out a bunch of networks for women like 85 Broads (too Wall Street) and Ladies Who Launch (too Upper East Side), so I have to say I was a bit hesitant when my friend, Tara St. James – the designer over at Covet – mentioned Ladies Lotto to me over a year or so ago. Perhaps it was my mother’s constant chiding of her response to my preference of the opposite sex as best friends, “Don’t you think you should get some girl friends?” she would say… But seriously, my mother was always a guy’s girl anyway. But I digress. Tara circled back around to me a few months ago and asked if I’d like to speak to the Ladies Lotto crew over at Hooligan Studios for Earth Day. I was planning to be in town – and was curious – so I thought, “Hey, why not?”

I have to say that I was impressed! Loved it! What a great group of girls. It really is quite a supportive network and you get to mix and mingle with an array of creative girls who are just really doing it – and I like that a lot. The night’s festivities were catered by Rabbit Mafia, which was mad tasty. Dude, the food was vegan – and though avocado mousse doesn’t sound appetizing – it was out of this world! I also love how Joshua from the Discerning Brute crashed the party with the unsaid “No Boys Allowed” policy. It was no matter. Plenty of room…Well, not really. There wasn’t much floor space by the end of the night. We all sat cross-legged on the wood floors – and even some latecomers had to sit on the tiled bathroom floor.

As I was saying, Ladies Lotto is mad cool. Check it out and see if it’s your vibe. They have chapters all over the world and it is designed to be an all women’s lifestyle network that cultivates an empowered community by providing its members with the support, inspiration and tools for professional and personal success. As a collective, Ladies Lotto is an altruistic vehicle for socially-minded cultural projects. So yes ladies, they get involved. Check out the images from the party compliments of Vanessa Bahmani.