Dark Pony Designs

Shine Bright Like a Diamond

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:52:10 PDT

Shine Bright Like a Diamond! http://tinyurl.com/c2jr84f The Diamonds are Forever Bustier was featured in the Etsy Finds!

Get yours here http://etsy.me/qfiwLU

xoxo

Tough Love

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:32:34 PST

I have been newly added as a contributor for the Young Republic blog! This is my first article that has been published, very exciting... Hop on over to their site and give it a read. I'd love to hear what you think.

xoxo

The Beach Wedding Dress

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:11:11 PST

I am so honored to have this amazingly beautiful photo!

Kristi Sherk wears The Beach Wedding Dress by Dark Pony Designs.

Lensed by the awesome Chris Crumley (underwater photography genius).

xoxo

Full Spring Ahead! The Etsy Newsletter

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 10:01:07 PST

The Sheer Pink Lace Cameo Gloves were featured in the Etsy Finds Newsletter this week!

Who's ready to spring forward?

xoxo

Dior Haute Couture 2013

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:42:05 PST

I can't get over how amazing these runway sets are! Genius. Raf Simons knows how to put on a show.

xoxo

The Valentines Capsule Collection 2013

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 09:51:12 PST

The all new 2013 Valentines Capsule Collection from Dark Pony Designs!

Find it HERE

Love is in the air...

xoxo

Zillas Queen Wears Dark Pony Designs

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 09:42:33 PST

Victoria Zilla from ZillasQueen wears the Phoenix Tutu Dress and a custom dyed chocolate brown ruffled bustier top by Dark Pony Designs. Jewelry and accessories- her own creations.

xoxo

Heidi Klum on the cover of Marie Claire

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 08:08:33 PST

Say what you will about Heidi, but I think she looks great on this cover, plus you know I'm a sucker for a bustier top!

xoxo

"Good Business is the Best Art"

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:53:42 PST

What Innovators Can Learn From Artists

By Tim Leberecht - January 2, 2013

Andy Warhol knew it all along: “Good business is the best art.” And lately, a number of business thinkers and leaders have begun to embrace the arts, not as an escapist notion, a parallel world after office hours, or a creative asset, but as an integral part of the human enterprise that ought to be woven into the fabric of every business—from the management team to operations to customer service.

John Maeda, the president of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and author of the bookRedesigning Leadership, predicts that artists will emerge as the new business leaders and cites RISD graduates Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky, co-founders of Airbnb, as prominent examples. The author William Deresiewicz heralds reading as the most important task of any leader. John Coleman makes acompelling case for the role of poetry in business. Intel named pop musician will.i.am as director of creative innovation. And the World Economic Forum has been inviting arts and cultural leaders to its events for several years and this year added the ‘Role of the Arts’ to its Network of Global Agenda Councils.

Indeed, the “art” of business becomes ever more important as the “science” gets ever more ubiquitous. Against the backdrop of our hyper-connected economies and as Big Data and sophisticated analytical tools allow us to maximize process efficiencies and standardize best innovation practices worldwide, intuition and creativity remain as the only differentiating factors that enable truly game-changing innovations. Like any “soft asset,” they cannot be exploited, only explored. And like artists, innovators must develop a mindset and cultivate creative habits in order to see the world afresh and create something new.

How do artists think and behave? Here are twelve traits any individual aspires to make his or her mark on the world would do well to emulate:

1. Artists are “neophiles.” They are in love with novelty and have an insatiable appetite for finding and creating new connections, for inventing and reinventing, even themselves. Art means changing the meaning of things or creating new meanings. That’s exactly what innovation is all about. Like artists,great innovators seek to create “black swans.” They know that variance, through the deliberate disruption of mental models and behavioral routines, creates that rare combination of awe that is characteristic of groundbreaking innovations.

2. Artists are humanists. They are experts of the “human condition” and observe human desires, needs, emotions, and behavior with a sharp, discerning eye and a high degree of empathy. As the archeologists of human vulnerabilities and as genuine ethnographic researchers, they can feel with and for others, which should be every innovator’s distinct strength as well.

3. Artists are craftspeople. They “think by making” and unite the “hand and the head,” as sociologist Richard Sennett describes it. Like art, every innovation combines excellence withsignificance. It has both a physical dimension (exhibiting mastery in craftsmanship) and a meta-physical dimension (connecting a new product, service, or business model with the broader zeitgeist and cultural climate). Nike’s Fuelband, for example, masterfully integrates software and hardware, while also being an expression of our society’s growing demand for self-managed, preventive healthcare embedded as a fun, positive activity into our everyday lives.

4. Artists are like children. “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up,” Pablo Picasso famously said. Artists retain a child’s unique sense of possibility and wonder. Innovators should, too. It may sound paradoxical, but innovations are always nostalgic. The most meaningful of them, although seemingly all about novelty and the future, reconnect us with a basic human quest or even our childhood dreams (think of the iPhone and our desire to touch, or sharing sites such as Facebook or Pinterest which can be viewed as modern, digital versions of former trust-based tribal economies and cater to our innate urge to share).

5. Artists rely on their intuition. It seems counter-intuitive but intuition is ever more important in the age of Big Data, because it is the only feature that is faster and deeper than the massive flow of real-time information. Nothing comes close to intuition as innovators seek to anticipate trends and make decisions swiftly. Data is knowledge, intuition is pre-emptive knowledge. Like artists, innovators trust their intuition, and then constantly experiment and prototype to validate it.

6. Artists are comfortable with ambiguity. By design, they deal with things that are not measurable and can’t be easily quantified. Innovators, too, should value what may not be easily captured in quantitative terms. In stark contrast to more mechanistic models of management, they must be able to tolerate uncertainty and open-ended questions, hold two opposing truths in their mind, and appreciate the beauty of the “and.”

7. Artists are holistic, interdisciplinary thinkers. Art can stimulate and challenge our understanding of the world around us and within us. Artists are masters of lateral thinking who can connect the dots and take things out of their original context. Likewise, innovators contextualize and re-contextualize, mash up and remix, and embrace the new insights and ideas that magically spark at unexpected, unlikely, and often serendipitous intersections (the most famous examples of such “accidental innovations” may be the pacemaker or 3M’s post-it notes).

8. Artists thrive under constraints. They often have to work within very structured formats and meet scarce resources with ingenuity and resourcefulness. In fact, these constraints might even stimulate their creativity. Inspired by the phenomenon of “Jugaad” in India, innovation gurus like Navi Radjouhave now popularized and globalized the concept of “frugal innovation” as a polycentric and improvisational mindset that can inform various product and business model innovations (e.g. the mobile SMS disaster response platform Ushahidi or the portable “roll-on” hospital hand-sanitizers SwipeSense). Frugal innovation has become the new hallmark for the art of creating maximum value with minimal resources.

9. Artists are great storytellers. They tell a story with their art but also often tell the story of their art. The same holds true for meaningful innovations. The connected age requires products to have “aura” again. Great innovators design experiences that spawn (social media) conversations. Just look at ideas funded on Kickstarter: The product is also the story of the product.

10. Artists are conduits and not “masters of the universe.” Most artists – painters, sculptors, writers, film makers, or musicians – will admit that they derived their inspiration from a spiritual sphere that transcends their own individual creativity and skills. This applies to innovators, too. Whether they’re spiritual or not, a new humility suits them well as the social web and its wave of crowd-based collaborations have rendered the myth of the lone genius obsolete. Great innovators transmit memes, they nurture ecosystems of ideas and co-create with employees, customers, and even competitors. They recognize that their new playing-field extends the institutional boundaries of their organization as their products themselves are becoming multi-purpose and involve multiple sectors and disciplines.

11. Artists are passionate about their work. In fact, their work and life are impossible to separate. That doesn’t mean that innovators need to be workaholics, but basing their ideas on deep beliefs and fervent passions is crucial. Innovation is a leap of faith, and innovators need to be believers. Like artists, they will often face rejection, but if an idea is not worth fighting for, it might not have been the right one in the first place. Strong innovations are always the product of strong convictions.

12. Artists are contrarians. Artists can see the “cracks through which the light gets in,” as the old adage goes. Likewise, great innovators come up with solutions to problems because they see what is missing. They are eccentric, which means they literally view things from the fringes – and that’s typically where the best ideas come from. Both artists and innovators see the world as it is not (but could be). They look upon our world, as Proust would say, with “fresh eyes.” You might also call that vision. They are always “initially wrong” to be “ultimately right” as Kathryn Schultz wrote in her book, Being Wrong. They are the fools who speak the truth, have “insane” ideas, and make change happen.

Like art, true innovation has the potential to make our lives better. It stretches our souls and combines the exploration of possibilities with action. It connects and reconnects us with deeply held truths and fundamental human desires; meets complexity with simple, elegant solutions; and rewards risk-taking and vulnerability with lasting value. However, businesses must refrain from making art a disciple of innovation—and they must refrain from designing innovation as a mere process. That is perhaps the golden rule artists and innovators have in common: only if they allow ample space for new things to happen that could happen, will they happen.

This post was first published by CNNMoney/Fortune and MIX (Management Innovation Exchange)

Image credit: Komonews

I found this extremely interesting and incouraging and it made me think of myself a little differently!

xoxo

Find the Original Article here- http://designmind.frogdesign.com/blog/what-innovators-can-learn-from-artists.html

New Years Eve- My Way!

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:12:03 PST

Source: etsy.com via Dark Pony Designs on Pinterest

Check out my latest pinterest board for New Years Eve! So much fun.

xoxo

May Your Days Be Bright

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:04:28 PST

Affordable Fashion Tips for a Festive Holiday Season by Anya Sarre

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 08:13:54 PST

Do you want to make a splash at holiday gatherings this year without spending a lot of money on new clothes? How about looking great like those runway models as you sashay into the corporate holiday bash or sip punch at a holiday cocktail party? With a little bling and a lot of self-confidence, you can turn heads everywhere you go all season long.

The first ingredient for a great look is personal confidence. Designers and stylists know that in order to look stunning on the runway, models need to feel comfortable and confident in the clothes they wear. The same rule applies to you. If you like the clothes you wear and they fit well and feel great, then you will exude greater confidence. As your inner beauty shines through, your personal style will capture the attention and appreciation of those around you.

Cozy winter fashions are ready to help you feel good about yourself. You probably already own a few oversized sweaters you can pair with a button-down shirt or mock turtleneck. These look great with a pair of straight-legged jeans or a long skirt. Dress the outfit up for the holidays by adding some fun jewelry. Popular metal cuffs provide a polished finish to any look. Dangly earrings dripping with rhinestones will frame your face fabulously. Add a touch more holiday fun with shoes such as trendy metallic closed toe wedged or embellished booties or knee-highs!

Brighten up dark winter days with bold color, especially burgundy. This traditional winter holiday color is big this year and works for almost everyone. Fancy long-sleeved tops in burgundy patterns compliment black silk pants or a tailored pencil skirt. Add burgundy accessories like a scarf or enamel bracelets to a classic black outfit or carry a textured purse in any shade of red for a splash of holiday cheer as bright as cranberries on a string.

Dressing for the holidays is simple. Find something you feel comfortable in and look good wearing. Then add some shimmer or a splash of holiday color. Accessories are the best, most affordable way to refresh your look, and a couple pieces of trendy jewelry will take your look from everyday to holiday in no time.

Anya Sarre is one of Hollywood’s most influential trendsetters. A nationally recognized celebrity stylist, Sarre is known for her impeccable eye and ability to tie any look together with the perfect accessory. Named “Best Television Fashion Stylist” for her appearances on Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and countless other media outlets, Sarre is the go-to fashion expert for Hollywood’s biggest celebrities.

"White Mischief" Vogue 1993 Helmut Newton

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:39:01 PST

What was lost has been found!

I have been looking for this particular editorial for the past 10 years, and I finally found it!

When I was 12 I was an avid reader of American Vogue and when this issue came in the mail I ran up to my room to read it cover to cover. Back then I had a pretty regular view of beauty, I gravitated towards the Cindy Crawford/Marilyn Monroe sort of glamour. I really hadn't registered the darker side of femininity. Well, as soon as I turned the first page of this spread I started to feel like I was looking at something I wasn't supposed to, something I would be embarrassed to let my mom know that I had. Certainly something I wouldn't be sharing with anyone else. I was a little surprised, and disturbed, but I loved it all! Who knew summer whites could be so dark and seedy. Who knew role playing and hooker heels could be so powerful. A woman playing a man being dominated by a glamazon? A boredom with luxury? The suggestion of a holiday devoted to naughty indulgence? These were concepts I had not considered before. These were images forever burned into my brain. This was the moment that transformed my outlook on fashion, art, photography and sex. Helmut Newton became my hero.

In other words: MY MIND WAS BLOWN.

It is amazingly satisfying and a little disappointing to find something you have been obsessing over. The search is over, mystery solved... now what?

xoxo

Dream On - Amanda Brown - The Voice

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 08:54:43 PST

This is a girl after my own heart!

I find her completely amazing.

xoxo

Jean Paul Gaultier SS2013

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 10:15:06 PST

Music Icons Collection.

So much fun!

xoxo

all images via style.com

Gwen Stefani covers Elle Magazine UK

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 19:56:40 PDT

Of course, I love this!

xoxo

Late Summer 2012 Collection from Dark Pony Designs

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:23:42 PDT

My lovely sister in law did some modeling for me!

It was great to be able to step behind the camera for a change.

Hope you enjoy these late summer selections.

Model: Amanda Fator

Hair and Makeup: Amanda Fator

Photographer: Robin N. Fator

Clothing and Accessories: Dark Pony Designs

Madonna in Paris

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:24:50 PDT

I found this to be pretty spectacular.

xoxo

Rodarte: Don Giovanni

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 09:17:01 PDT

Rodarte designed these amazing costumes for the Don Giovanni Opera. On top of the mind blowing detailing of the clothing, the sets were out of this world. So simple, but powerful and inspiring.

To see more go HERE

xoxo

Jean Paul Gaultier - Updated Icon

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:16:29 PDT

Madonna wearing Gaultier for the MDNA Tour

Gaultier's Couture Show for 2012

Personally I love the gold look the best, but I'm excited to see Madonna in Gaultier again, he never disappoints!
xoxo

Summer Lovin' Etsy Treasury

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 08:44:07 PDT

SALE- Custom Wedding Lingerie Ensemble: Bra, Bolero, and Garter Belt P...

PrincessInPearls

$269.00 USD
Royal Grafton China Tea Cup

PatinaPosh

$4.95 USD
vintage 1950s black and gold jacquard wiggle dress

whitedeervintage

$78.00 USD
White Succulent Sculpture in Modern Faceted Geometric Gold Container, ...

WaterstoneSucculents

$17.00 USD
Renza FrouFrou Monokini swimsuit

MimiHammer

Sold
2ftx2ft each FOUR indoor Vintage Marquee Art Letter SMASH STYLE Deluxe...

Aranacci

$1,200.00 USD
NOMAD Collection - STELLA Leather & Kimono Clutch ikat tribal

gracedesign

$98.00 USD
Vintage Sterling & Yellow Glass Solitaire Earrings

MindiLynJewelry

$18.00 USD
Vintage style white and ivory lace wedding gown

GraceLovesLace

$910.00 USD
Arrow Earrings - Summer Fashion - Graduation - Hunger Games Jewelry - ...

SPARKLEFARM

$23.00 USD
HerPony Custom Made. Design your own HerPony dress.

herpony

$135.69 USD
la la land. Los Angeles photograph California palm trees sunny day sum...

MyanSoffia

$17.00 USD
Golden- Large Fine Art Print- 16x20

SapphiraLorel

$53.00 USD
Spring paper bouquet

FrancesandFrancis

$27.50 USD
Black Rose Print Betty Dress

jennafergrace

$80.00 USD

Pink Modern Geometric
thepolkadotmagpie

A few of my personal Etsy favorites for summer. Enjoy!

xoxo

Rochas Resort 2013

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 07:53:37 PDT

I adore these dresses from Rochas. I love the styling and the color of the back drop. It all feels sentimental and fresh at the same time. Can't get enough of the gloves and the little belt with the black gown.

xoxo

images via style.com

Behind the Scenes: Dark Pony Designs- Etsy Shop About Page

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 09:29:36 PDT

About darkponydesigns

Fall 2012 earrings in the making

My desk in my studio with some of my favorite illustrations from Etsy!

The inspiration for my Dark Pony Designs brand comes from the folk tale "Dark Pony" that my mom told me at bedtime as a child.

With each piece I create I want to accentuate femininity in a classic and beautiful way. I love the glamour and sparkle of glitter and rhinestones and the juxtaposition that happens when they meet soft textures of satin and lace and tulle. This collection is my fantasy wardrobe, made for everyone, that is in your face fabulous.

Each and every piece of jewelry, clothing, and every accessory is made by me in my home studio. Fashion forward designs, attention to detail and happy customers are my top priorities.

I currently live in Northern California with my husband Jason (who has been my longtime Etsy photographer) my kids, a Great Dane named Paul and a cat named Jack.

Designing is a creative outlet that I love and desperately need. As a mom to two amazing and intensely creative boys, who I also home-school, being able to work from my home studio is the answer to finding the balance that my very full life requires.

Since opening my shop in the summer of 2009 I have slowly grown my business and my brand. In 2012 Dark Pony Designs was featured in a local magazine (Enjoy!) and has been worn by vocalists Traci Hines and Christine Olivier, high fashion plus size model Velvet d'Amour, and pinup doll Ashley Marie Rosas. I am a self taught fashion designer (I learn as I go) and I originally majored in Art with a focus on photography. I have always loved fashion, as a kid I couldn't get enough of shows like Dynasty, Moonlighting, and the Miss America pageants. Vogue, Bazaar, and Interview magazines were always stacked next to my bed (and still are!)

Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the multitasking needed to keep this train rolling. There are always orders to be filled, supplies to be ordered, blogging to be written, pictures to take and edit, questions to answer, new ideas to try, collections to be designed, and accounting to be completed. But, I am not a complainer and I enjoy the challenge of constant creation. I am very grateful for my customers, and I am also so appreciative of any success.

This is my dream and I am so excited that I get to live it. I am looking forward to expanding and exploring what is next for the Dark Pony brand and for myself!

xoxo

Rodarte's Fra Angelico Collection at LACMA

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:04:06 PDT

I am in love with this concept and execution of this colletion by the ever amazing Rodarte!

See the entire collection here.

xoxo

The French Sugar Bustier on Glamour and Grace

darkponydesigns@gmail.com (Robin N. Fator) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 08:56:30 PDT

The Dark Pony Designs French Sugar Bustier as worn by the beautiful April was featured on the Glamour and Grace Blog!

Photography by Lindsey Gomes

What a lovely bridal shower, so much fun!!

xoxo

Dark Pony Designs

Shine Bright Like a Diamond

Tough Love

The Beach Wedding Dress

Full Spring Ahead! The Etsy Newsletter

Dior Haute Couture 2013

The Valentines Capsule Collection 2013

Zillas Queen Wears Dark Pony Designs

Heidi Klum on the cover of Marie Claire

"Good Business is the Best Art"

What Innovators Can Learn From Artists

New Years Eve- My Way!

May Your Days Be Bright

Affordable Fashion Tips for a Festive Holiday Season by Anya Sarre

"White Mischief" Vogue 1993 Helmut Newton

Dream On - Amanda Brown - The Voice

Jean Paul Gaultier SS2013

Gwen Stefani covers Elle Magazine UK

Late Summer 2012 Collection from Dark Pony Designs

Madonna in Paris

Rodarte: Don Giovanni

Jean Paul Gaultier - Updated Icon

Summer Lovin' Etsy Treasury

Rochas Resort 2013

Behind the Scenes: Dark Pony Designs- Etsy Shop About Page

About darkponydesigns

A handmade fashion collection for celebrating life, for the party girl who lives the fantasy and isn't afraid to have fun!

Rodarte's Fra Angelico Collection at LACMA

The French Sugar Bustier on Glamour and Grace