The rare follow-up article

It's really nice when someone feels that they have talent and I feel they have talent, and then I see them getting accolades for being talented. It kind of makes me feel, although I have done nothing, that I have camaraderie with them, or a small connection. It's that feeling of validation.

Often, when I see people doing creative things that I think are worth telling people about, I pitch a story to an editor about that person. Such was the case for Stephanie Teague, when I read an etsy profile interview with her and realized she was from Greensboro.

So I was off and running -- I have a writing outlet in Greensboro, and I pitched the story to the editor, she fired back questions, and in March of last year, my first article about Stephanie was published in Go Triad. 

For 99 out of 100 profiles, that's the end of the story. But not for this one. The editor (Carla, great personality, sense of humor, and an editor who makes me a better writer --the best kind) called me again recently when a press release about Stephanie crossed her desk. The designer had won a national award, and it was time for a follow up.

So I got to chat with her again, this time about winning the Fffashion Competition, a fur-free fashion design competition promoting the ethical and environmental benefits of foregoing fur fashions. For a profile writer, this is a sweet gig. You've done the research, so you have the background, it's a quick interview, and if you are fortunate and liked the interview the first time, you have the rare opportunity to have a reason to call again. 

Stephanie's winning design

Congrats, Steph! This coming month, look for her at Charlotte Fashion Week and opening up a downtown Greensboro studio ... and as for me, I'll be here at this little desk. Smiling.

When I do my little turn on the catwalk

Well, it's fashion week in Charleston, and although I'm actually in Dallas (researching stories) I did have a chance to recently interview a true emerging designer whose designs will walk the Marion Square runway as part of Eden Boheme's show. Her name: Stephanie Teague. Her background: Charlottean, model, Miami maven, and most recently, hot new designer.

She's one of those people that have always cut up their clothes. You know those girls in high school that took the necks out of their sweatshirts or made a dress into a shirt and then used the leftover fabric to make all of her friends bracelets? Well, that was Stephanie. But she kept doing it after high school, learned more about fashion from wearing some of the best designers in the world on the catwalk, and her stuff just kept getting better and better. And now its good, really good.

As part of getting her designs out there, she started a shop on Etsy. She immediately started selling (sorry to the thousands and thousands that this DOESN'T happen to), and now she can barely keep up with demand. And then there is the fashion week thing, and a solo show at New Orleans Fashion Week ...

You can get the whole story here. And if you *ever* ask me "Who are you wearing?" the answer might just be "Stephanie Teague."