Cultural Attaché :

Ok, So I'm not a U.N. Peace Keeper or an ambassador for the World Health Organization.

But what I can say.. Is that I have been invited by the state department to be a cultural attaché to India under the classification of Cultural Exchange/Trade & Textiles.

The state department annually invites individuals in their respective career fields to partake in this programme which was founded by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. The currently scheduled envoy to India for Trade & Textiles is in September 2008. Which gives me plenty of time to complete the elaborate questionaire I've been sent and fullfill it's requirements.

India has historially been a source of textile manufacturing and embroidery and beading going back to the days of the Majaraja's. Most of the top Seventh Avenue and Parisian designers have their beading/embroidery and embellishment work done in India. In recent years China; in particular Hong Kong has been India's rival in this arena, as the Hong Kong market has been able to catch up to the workmanship of these ellaborate and work intensive skills.

Donna Karan Collection:
These 2 examples below are of Indian beading work done through Shameeza Embroideries based out of New York and India. Over the years I have become well aquainted with the owners (sisters) Shamina, Shagufta and Shaista.

(Jet Black seed beads, sequins and bugle bead's on pintucked indian tulle)

9 February 2007 DKNY

DKNY Runway Show - Fall 2007:
The show was just a few days ago and it was madness backstage as usual.... Having said that, there was a certain amount of orginization present backstage that you don't experience at other shows. But I guess that's to be expected from Donna, even with all the crazyness around. All the models came back for their change of looks, in good timing. No one fell. The clothes stayed on, and nothing ripped. So, just considering that the show was a success! Check out the chaos captured below, with my camera.

Donna Karan Collection: Show is shedulded for 3pm today. Sure to be stunning aswell, the sample room was busy last night retooling bead-encrushed waist belts - and making neon colors headbands for the models!