Mind Blow

The world seemed to agree and I took notice, the subtle nod of approval was all I needed to posture myself in a thankful manner. The infinite magnitude in which I was dealing would have been enough to simultaneously explode every cell in my body, but not today for I am equipped with Nappi denim. A pair of jeans so perfect that it is said to "blow the mind" which is dangerous I know so a certain amount of caution is required when wearing nappi. I often ask myself which is worse a complete and instantaneous cellular explosion or a blow of the mind, both have lasting implication. When it comes right down to it I will take a blow of the mind, and only because it is recoverable and a cellular explosion is not. A blow of the mind is also necessary in achieving infinite wisdom, when the mind is blow and recovers you attain a certain resistance to future mind blows and that is progress.

I get asked all the time "what is nappi" and I have always struggled to provide the answer, I say things like "I am the personification of nappi", but really what does that even mean. For this reason I have been putting a lot of thought into "what is nappi", and this is what I have come up with so far. Nappi is a unique brand for the person who wants to be unique without standing out, Nappi blushes when all eyes are on it, or can stand confident when placed on the spot, but with ether case nappi is sure of it's function and able to perform it without hesitation. Nappi is intellectual and calculated like a renaissance man or woman who excels in many different fields of understanding. Nappi is instantly loved upon meeting and forgotten just as fast. It is this idea of being forgotten that really sets nappi apart. It is the idea that Nappi doesn't make the wearer cool, the wearer is cool and so it wears nappi. Being loved instantly is about how you look on the outside an area that nappi has covered, but being forgotten is key because upon leaving it is the personality of the wearer that is remembered not what they were wearing. That is why nappi seeks out the leader of leaders the one who is educated, calculated, confident, an intellectual, and one who doesn't look to other to justify ones status or appearance. Nappi can handle any situation with poise, composure, and confidence. Never looks to make a fool in front, but leads the leader from the back. So with all that said ask yourself, are you nappi, because I am.

A moment to reflect

It's hard to see how far you have come when you are so deep in the day to day. I have been doing this clothing business for about 6 years now and have build quite a brand. I get so overwhelmed with what I am doing and with where I want to be that I forget to just enjoy the moment. So if I look at what I have it looks like this: Nappi clothing a successful clothing brand that has been at the forefront of fashion in Utah. We have created jeans that will stand up to any jean in the world with respect to fit, quality, style, and fashion. We have been to LA Fashion Week, been featured in Womens Wear Daily, Been on every news outlet in Utah T.V. and print, Featured in the hit MTV show "The Hard Times of R.J. Berger", and Celebrity gifting lounge during Sundance Film Festival, just to name a few. Not to mention all the celebrities and bands that wear nappi and love it. Facade Boutique a clothing store offering such brands as Nappi, Wild Fox, Free People, Current Elliott, and many more. Offside Apparel and Print, where we screen print for businesses, clothing companies, and individuals. All these businesses are successful and performing well, and while I am a long ways away from where I will be I am happy to be where I am. I also teach a class on Production and product development right now at the Salt Lake Community College Fashion Institute and am having a blast doing that. I think the most important thing one can do is what one is doing right now. And right now I am enjoying life. So thanks for all the support from all of you, with your help we will get all the way to the top.

Feb 17, 2009

This is a journal post from Feb 17, 2009 during a particularly difficult time.

I sit here at the DMV waiting for Steven to get his registration current so he can get his car out of impound. I am scheduled to go to LA today and drop off the money for the LA Fashion Week runway show which is costing me $5,000. I had the money for the show coming from a guy named Russell but that just fell through.

Sundance Film Festival is now over and what a crazy time that was. I sponsored, promoted and threw a party at a huge mansion during the single largest annual event in Utah. The party was a huge success a lot of people came and had a blast. We gave away hundreds of scarves and had a big runway show. I also did the GBK celebrity gifting lounge where I met and introduced a lot of celebrities to Nappi, I gave away scarves and jeans, they all seamed very appreciative. I also hooked up the David Archuleta Band with nappi clothing they all loved it, I hope David and the band wear it on stage.

I sent out a text to friends who have the money to invest I am desperate at this point I have committed to do the show at this point and am supposed to be on my way to LA to sign the contract and pay the money. Jeff one the initial investors wrote back unable to work it out. So if it doesn't happen then it wasn't meant to be, it seams like a great opportunity, but maybe the time just isn't right.

Feb 18, 2009

So the day ended and I didn't find the money however after getting Steven taken care of at the DMV I went home and prayed I asked if I should just forget about the show and not do it, but I didn't feel good about that route so I laid on my bed to ponder. 30 Minutes later I thought I could probably pull together $1000 for a deposit and get the rest later. I presented that to the Lord and felt good about that like it will all work out so I jumped up and grabbed the $700 in cash I had in my drawer and ran to the bank. With 5 minutes to spare I deposited the funds into the bank, faxed the contract to LA and hit the road. I asked for 2 weeks to deliver the remaining $4000 which I have no idea where that is going to come from. I'm not to worried about the $4K or the $5K i need to produce the clothing that will be featured in the show, the lord said go so I'm going. While in LA i met with the producers of the Fashion Show and dropped of scarves to GBK to be handed out to all the celebrities at the Oscars.

Feb 25,2009

It's raining outside I can hear it hitting the roof and the window. The sound is calming to me, I have always like the rain. So I still don't have the money I need to produce the show I met with a friend of mine and he gave me false hope, because in the end he said he couldn't do it. I did however have lunch with Brooke and she seemed excited to help. I met with her and Darin her husband late last night to discuss the $15,000 I needed, and at the end of the meeting Darin asked "so where do we go from here" I said "why don't you guys talk it over and call me tomorrow." It was agreed and I left. I was expecting a call today telling me they had a check and where to meet. Brooke texted me and asked if I had time for a conference call with her and Darin I said yes and here I wait for the news. I hope they come through this is my last hope my factory calls me all day wanting to know if I have the 40% to put down so production can begin. The scary thing is production on the samples has already begun I promised I would have the money because we don't have time to wait. Also 2 days ago I was featured on KSL Channel 5 news Amanda Buterfield came by the studio with a camera man and did a story about me going to LA Fashion Week which I still don't have the money to do. Some might think it is crazy to get this far in and cut it this close, but when you trust in the Lord you have to go with it. I hate seeing myself on TV but I think it went good.

The Dark Place

I have sat down on a number of occasions and watched a movie that by all standards i shouldn't have watched, such movies like "Requiem Dream", "Hostel", and Saw. At the end of these movie I reflected back with amazement at the fact that I actually sat through them and became a worse person for doing so. I recently watched "The Book of Eli" and while not a bad movie, but rather a great one I had a similar feeling after having watched it and after some refection on my feelings I wrote this poem.

"I was in a dark dark place very very far from home, a place not even the good spirit dare roam. A place where I was not alone for despite the darkness a path lit home. A path that I journeyed that day in the dark and not two steps in I came to the start. The place I began so long ago and on to the light light place I go."

Sunday May 1, 2010 project runway

A few weeks ago a friend called and told me that Project Runway call and got a hold of him and asked who the players were in Salt Lake fashion. He told them I was the guy to know, and gave them my contact info. I then received and email from Project Runway inviting me to apply and so I did. I filled out the 20 page questionnaire and the 3 minute video as well as some pictures of my clothing. I didn't put to much effort or thought into it, I wasn't sure I even wanted to do it. Despite my hesitation I mailed it in and forgot about it. About a week later I began getting a call from a strange number and like all strange numbers I avoided it. I avoided it twice till I got an email from the show telling me that they have been trying to get a hold of me and to please call!!! I called and the producer on the other line informed me that I made it to the semi-finals of season 8 Casting.

Sunday May 2, 2010

I drove to Seattle yesterday straight through a 12 hour trip. It was a cool drive I have never seen this part of the country. I arrived late last night with the perfectly sewn pieces to show the judges. This morning I walked around downtown Seattle and down to the dock for breakfast which is where I am right now at Ivar's Restaurant, I am heading back to the Hotel my interview is at 3:15pm. On the way back to the hotel I thought a lot about the show and how I didn't really feel like I fit with what they do, I don't do cocktail dresses I do denim and they seem to focus mostly on evening wear. I felt I had to a least see what happened, but I was going to be totally honest with them about my skills and abilities, I don't want to be on the show if I was going to get kicked off in the beginning I would rather not do than be a fashion looser.

I made my way to the hotel where they were holding the auditions and found the room where a hand full of designers were sitting with their clothing and filling out paperwork. I checked in and sat down and began filling out the paperwork myself all the while secretly checking out what all the other designers had in their collection. I wasn't to impressed with what I saw although I did see a lot of evening dresses. They told me I was next and I waited in anticipation they don't tell you anything about what to expect just to look for the tape and stand on it and face the judges. I stood out of the door with a guy with an ear piece who was communicating with the producers on the inside. He commented on my clothing as he Briefly looked through them and said how much he liked my denim and them asked if the jeans I was wearing were Nappi and told him yes and he had me turn around to see the back and asked where he could get a pair, just then he talks to his radio and "ok here we go" he grabed the door handle and said "here is Danny Nappi" he pulled the door open to reveal a room full of people and cameras. My heart began to race I walked through and felt my heart stop as I noticed Tim Gunn sitting at the table. I wasn't prepared for that. They had me introduce myself and talk a little bit about me as a designer. Then Tim asked me "why project Runway why now" I told him I hadn't ever planned on trying out of the show because I didn't have much experience with cocktail dresses and evening wear, and that I didn't want to do the show if I wasn't going to win because I didn't want to be a fashion looser. He seemed a little taken back by this, but agreed. We talked a bit more and Tim said my denim looked great and my line was a lot like diesel and very strong, but they were looking for more evening dresses, but that being said that I was a strong maybe. I thanked them and left the room and went back to my hotel room. I the end I wasn't selected, but was happy with how it all went it really wasn't for me if I would have had one cocktail dress I would have gotten on, but that is the scary part because you don't hear about the designers who don't win and I just don't want to take that kind of risk. The next morning I drove home 12 straight hours.

Missed my Flight

September 23, 2008

I missed my flight!!!! The LA traffic got the best of me I missed it by 15 min. I had to book a Jet Blue Flight for $300 plus the rental car for $90 and the $400 to get out there so all in all it wasn't worth it I should have just driven. Black Chandelier is getting better my stuff is selling even with the little notes left in the pockets of the nappi jeans that read "nappi eats babies" and "nappi sucks" Ha Ha the fan fare is great. I am still going crazy, but I am getting better at dealing with it. The time before my last LA trip where I missed my flight I drove to LA from Salt Lake a 10 hour drive and got to the factory to approve some samples of the denim and they told me they needed a little bit more time, so i went to the grove again and watched 2 movies then went back picked up the samples and drove home. Just so your clear thats 10 hours there 4 hours waiting and 10 hours back, now that's a day.

Into Black Chandelier I go

Sept 15 2008

Ok so a lot has happened sense my last post, I was offered the position of "do everything guy" at Black Chandelier a local clothing company, whose designer Jared Gold recently left for bigger and better things. I walked into an empty studio where about 20 people worked on a daily basis, whose job I now had to do. I had no idea what I was in for, no money, no help and all the expectation to succeed. The last of 4 stores at the Gateway mall in Salt lake City was not doing well, it was full of old product that never sold in the past 4 years. So as the designer it was my job to fill the store with clothing, and so I got to work. Up till now they had just been putting anything and everything they could find to fill the shelves. I was able to get some simple t-shirts and dresses made in our little cut and sew facility and out on the shelves for people to buy. We had a great August it was the best month of the summer, but September is so bad so far that any acclaim I may have gotten from August is long gone. I am losing my mind with everything that's going on. From the outside everything looks great, but on the inside I am going crazy. I am trying to design for a brand that has a very loyal following, unfortunately they are loyal to Jared Gold not Danny Nappi. I try to design how Jared would have, but i don't feel I am being loyal to myself and frankly I am not doing a very good job at it, my style is very different from that of Jared Gold. As I continue to lose my mind I find myself laughing at the whole situation, but not a funny laugh it's more of a keep from crying laugh.

I am currently sitting at the Grove in LA where the fountain I am sitting by just sprayed me and it felt good. I have a bad headache and am having trouble concentrating. I am waiting for my denim samples to be finished form the factory, then I catch a flight back to Salt Lake. I flew out this morning only to fly back this afternoon. What a day.