Follow your favorite blogs!

Bloglovin' helps you follow the blogs you read by letting you know when they update.

Sign up »
Taryn's Design Diary
blog.tarynzhang.com
6
Hi. I'm Sunny, the designer behind Taryn Zhang New York and blogger at Taryn's Design Diary. This blog will document my journey from not knowing how to thread a sewing machine to making my first handbags and working with a manufacturer to convincing my favorite boutiques to carry Taryn Zhang. This blog is about the development of Taryn Zhang New York, a line of corporate professional handbags and briefcases for the working woman. For more information, visit Taryn Zhang at www.tarynzhang.com.
#212660 in All , #667 in Design

On Spring Vacay

Be back soon!

17 apr 12

Test Shooting & Progress Report

Stephen H. of Berkeley Photography ran a test shoot for us with some of our new samples. Carolina once again modeled for us. Above is a behind-the-scenes snapshot I took with my camera phone. Not sur...

26 mar 12

The Evolution of a Handbag Design (And Its Death)

Please note that the following handbags represent first prototypes and serious blunders. This blog documents our trials and errors and tracks our progress from inexperienced start-up to launching the...

03 mar 12

Samples from the New Factory & Other Updates

In our search for a new factory, we’ve been making samples. This post will showcase a set of the odd ones out. If you’ve been following this blog for some time now, then you have an idea ...

31 jan 12

Progress Report: Dabbling

Above is a pic of blogger Joz and me. She’s trying to steal my bag. Anyway. The shortage of progress report posts lately is due to the lack of actual progress. Instead, I’ve been dabbling...

16 jan 12

Big Mistake Re: Purse Hook Polish Wipes & First Giveaway Winner

I am pissed as f*** over the purse hook polish wipe things I ordered, although what can I say, maybe it’s my own darn fault. You can’t tell from any photos I’d take of the wipes, bu...

20 dec 11

Bloggers’ Giveaway: 2 TZ Purse Hooks

I know I’ve been inactive on this blog for the past few months, and I feel bad about that. So to segue me back into activity here on this design diary, I’m holding a bloggers’ givea...

02 dec 11

Silver Lining

It’s been a series of bad news from me on this blog, I know; I can be such a blogosphere downer sometimes. So here’s a fresh moment of cheer: Was greeted with that note on my Facebook Wal...

01 dec 11

Nutshell Summary of Submitting Design Briefs

:: deep, long, drawn-out sigh :: We have parted ways with our Hong Kong / China manufacturer. I’m.. hm, okay, how do we put this nicely in a PC way.. well, personally, I’m done with China...

20 nov 11

Bringing Back Amaranth Rose; And A Wedding

I went on and on here about how much I love the above swatch color, which I am dubbing Amaranth Rose (previously referred to as Amaranth Pink in the linked posts). Then, with heavy disappointment, I ...

24 oct 11

Progress Report (or lack thereof): Frustration and a Low Point

Please note: the above chart is not a real chart of anything. I’ve been dragging my feet about updating here because I have no good news and also because if I memorialize the situation in writi...

18 sep 11

The Updated Executive in Black & How It Holds Up To Everyday Use

While we work on production, I figured I would introduce the bags post by post, and review my uses of them. Since these are bags that I’ve designed, I won’t even pretend to be objective...

28 aug 11

Featured at Miniskirt Murder & Winning the Vida Giveaway

Valerie of Miniskirt Murder featured me on her amazing blog and I am eager to share it with you! Her bio on the blog’s About page sums up why I am so fond of this gal: “Recovering attorne...

25 aug 11

Swatch Selections Revised

This week I had to revise my swatch selections. After all that gushing over Amaranth Pink in the previous post, just take a guess which color swatch the factory doesn’t make anymore. Arrrgh. Of...

05 aug 11

Swatch Selections Cont’d. & Donating My Hair to Locks of Love

This past week I submitted more color options to my manufacturer. While the above Ambitionist briefcase comes in a traditional solid black, I wanted a fun, colorful option as well. The decision came ...

30 jul 11

Zipper Head Selections, Delays, & What I Do For Leisure

Yikes, it’s been over a month since I updated this blog. Well we finally received the confirmation samples only to discover new egregious issues, and so once again production is being delayed. ...

25 jul 11

Our Purse Hook Samples are Here!

About a year ago from this date, I dreamt of Taryn Zhang purse hooks, and even blogged photoshopped renditions of what a Taryn Zhang purse hook might look like. (Sooo glad the actual ones look better...

22 jun 11

Progress Report: (More) Final Tweaks

Last week was intense. I keep feeling like I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. In any case, I’ve been working closely with our factory to finalize the confirmation samples. Confirmation...

28 may 11

Do-It-Yourself Beaded Gemstone Statement Necklaces

Guess what I’ve been up to. As we wait for production of the Alpha Collection (if it feels like we’ve been “waiting” for a long while now, it’s because we have; it’...

22 may 11

More math than anticipated in fashion design, boo-hoo on economics, and link to an 8A article.

In the last few weeks, work on TZ has consisted predominantly of punching away at the above machine. I have never liked that machine. As a kid I vowed I would avoid careers involving calculators. So ...

11 may 11

Loving Mendocino County and Random Personal Musings

Hubby and I went roadtripping to Mendocino this weekend. Mendocino is an ideal setting for a short story! I love it there! On the day we drove the coastline, however, it was foggy. The bad: It was fo...

17 apr 11

Taryn Zhang Supports the Compassion Fashion Project

Meredith Corning, founder of The Compassion Fashion Project, is amazing. Based out of Arkansas, the Compassion Fashion Project works with shelters across the country to supply survivors of domestic v...

09 apr 11

New Swatches & Microeconomics

We cannot use the swatches we picked before and on top of having to pick new swatches, I cannot select more than five. Production costs will spike if I order more than five colors. The colors cannot ...

02 apr 11

Progress Report: Glacier’s Pace

Well, glacier’s pace per the original idiom, not today’s glacier paces thanks to climate change. (Word has it our world’s glaciers are melting at an accelerated pace and that does n...

28 mar 11

For Business & Leisure: Part II, Leisure

Hubby took the above photo of me at The Peak in Hong Kong on the night I arrived. The view from there totally reminds me of our Kartika Review (where I serve as managing editor) anthology cover art. ...

14 mar 11

For Business & Leisure: Part I, Business

I’m in Hong Kong at the moment and will be traveling through parts of China. The above photo depicts the start of our factory touring, which turned out to be a memorable adventure. The factory ...

08 mar 11

Tripping to Hong Kong: Departure

I wanted to get in an update before departing for Hong Kong. Internet access is going to be a maybe. However I will be documenting my factory visits, family reunions, and touristing, so please stay t...

24 feb 11

Learning Curve: Loose Pins and Doodie Happens

Please note that the following handbags represent first prototypes and serious blunders. This blog documents our trials and errors and tracks our progress from inexperienced start-up to launching the...

21 feb 11

Trending: Spring 2011 Colors

Public Domain Image. It has been raining non-stop here for days, which can only mean one thing: Spring is coming! I never cared much for fashion forecasting in the past, and 10 times out of 10 will o...

17 feb 11

Stylish Blogger Award

Thank you Emma from Bella’s Closet for nominating me! I’m about as stylish as a lump on a log, but I happily accept my award anyway! In compliance with the meme, here are SEVEN (7) facts about me: ON...

08 feb 11

You are no longer following . Undo?