Hello World !

The Life Of Rhy is back on that Crazy roller coaster for yet another Big event coming up in October – I cannot wait to share it all with you so please please please make sure you all keep checking our Facebook, instagram and our Blog for the Big reveal !

Last Week I covered my experience at Mood Fabrics – Now this week I am covering Downtown LA’s Fashion/fabric district.

So Follow me, Let’s go on a little excursion !

Can I first start by saying – SERIOUSLY…I don’t think I have ever seen SO MUCH FABRIC IN MY LIFE !!!!

After visiting Mood Fabrics, I was already in Fabric Heaven – so imagine my reaction when I arrived in Downtown LA’s Fabric District – it was like Fabric heaven on Steroids !

If you are a fashion Designer, this place is one of the best areas in LA to source fashion fabrics.

Friendly Shop Keepers and textiles distributors who are more than happy to help as well as a few up for haggling.

Downtown LA’s Fabric District covers a very large area. If you are looking for inspiration and new fabrics, then it is definitely the place to come.

Look at all that sequin sparkle !

As we parked the car, just briefly looking on my google maps – I started on 9th Street and made my way around Wall Street and San Julian. right through to Santee Alley as well. Quite a lot to cover within a half day but we managed to get it done.

Fashion district Selfie = a Must !

One of our favourite Fabrics that kept popping up in every Shop was this Cornelli Style Lace.

A few stores had some beautiful bright odours like the above. These two shades were my absolute favourite.

The variety of Lace here was incredible – I am working on a range now and I just wish that if I knew back then I was going to get another incredible opportunity, I would have brought everything I needed from Downtown LA.

I loved these sublimation printed ready to go ! they were amazing and would make a great Skirt, legging or dress ! I was very tempted to buy !

For anyone who is interested in Fur, they had variety of this too ! I don’t think there was anything that Downtown La’s Fashion district didn’t have. A good mix for any fashion designer is important – there were even trims, haberdashery, and furnishing Shops too.

These crazy coloured furs reminded me of something for a Mardi Gras outfit – haha I loved them !

I do this thing when I’m around fabric, even in Boutiques and clothing’s stores, I always have to touch the fabric. The way it feels on my finger tips communicates to me whether it is a good quality fabric or not – the hand feel is very important depending on what fabric it is. It’s a language !

As we made our way to Michael Levine, we discovered some more commercial fabrics – things that Spotlight and Lincraft would sell here in Australia EXCEPT a million times better. It wasn’t boring stock or generic crap – it was actually interesting qualities and textures, prints and designs – this is what Australia needs, better fabric sourcing !

we stumbled across a costume Book in Michael Levine, and look what we found ! An Australian Bush outfit.

Lace in different colours and different shades.

We even found Alexander Henry Prints here too !

Successful Fabric Sourcing = Happy Rhaya !

Successful fabric sourcing = Hungry Ratavosi the Label Team !

and where better to stop than Starbucks – Totally Cali.

The day was perfect, I was super satisfied and definitely left Downtown feeling inspired, refreshed and EXCITED ! There were far too many ideas flowing into my head, which is actually what I was after…

Little did I know the universe, again, was preparing me for another Big Event to come… Something that may even be a little too much for me to handle – But I never quit and I never say NEVER…  guess you’ll have to come on another Journey with me to find out how I go…

xxxx Much Love,

Yours Truly

Rhaya Ratavosi | http://www.thelifeofrhy.com |

Ratavosi The Label | http://www.ratavosi.com