Stella Burchard
for The Other Duck clothing line

• Branding & marketing text-
Ugly Duckling is about evolving.

Being an Ugly Duckling means realizing we don’t have to conform to standards of beauty, because beauty, and ugly, is in the eye of the beholder. Redefine your standards of ugly by basing them on the inner, the true, the personality.
Express that personality!
Combine the traditional with the unexpected.
Be over the top, fly under the radar.
Be classic. Be Ugly.

Ugly is only skin deep.

• Spring 2010 pre-collection
For Spring 2010, 80%20 designer Ce Ce Chin envisions men's prep school inspired details, natural, breathable materials, liberty prints, art deco embellished jewelry on footwear, and a hardware focus. As the rising shoe brand’s Spring '10 collection is developed, tailored touches not only lend inspiration but are also incorporated in the finish and detailing. The tailored aesthetic influences the evolution from the brand's beginning in silk-screened sneakers as graphics and prints reenter the line, this time more subtly and with a feminine touch. Spring 2009 customer favorite "Molly," a canvas and leather open toe buckled shoe with 80%20's signature hidden wedge, will be revisited in a small floral print.

A departure and exciting step for the designer will be the launch of the Ce Ce Chin Collection. With perfume bottle heels and an attention to hardware, the Ce Ce Chin Collection addresses the growing up of the 80%20 girl and offers another tier for the fashion-forward shoe lover.

• Storyline for t-shirt collaboration & exclusive edition designer presentation "I can't believe this ugly duckling can be mine!" exclaims the Mother Duck when she realizes she has ducklings that mirror her own image, but also one, an ugly one, that doesn’t.

Even though the difference between the ugly duckling and its surroundings cause self-doubt and insecurities, the classic story teaches if you don’t lose heart, you eventually find your own beauty and validation. Since this tale is most often heard as a childhood story, we’ve created Ugly Duckling to remind the grown not to be afraid to be yourself, to be an individual, and to grow past insecurities.

Starting as inspiration from contradictions, my ideas of what beauty really is, and sketches embodying my fashion interpretation of these combinations, Ugly Duckling hatched and is ready to make its mark. While the Ugly Duckling line is streetwear ready, I have the opportunity to present my fairy tale take on my clothing designs through the Halfswan Collection.

The Halfswan Collection is an evolution in itself as it started as a 4 piece collection that took its own form through trial and error and emergent ideas. The 6 piece result is a testament to true individuality not only in its distinct combinations, but also because most pieces were designed for the specific Swan sporting them. To complete the presentation of each custom-made outfit, I also did each Swan’s makeup, orchestrated their music, choreographed their runway time, and oversaw the stylizing of each. The result is chills…a beautiful ugly, a fusion of my passions, an exclamation that I’m here! It’s amazing to see my concepts come to life and to have the chance to promote uniqueness and personality through my work.

"I can't believe Ugly Duckling is mine!" But I’m so glad it is. It fuses my own contradictions and loves. Ugly Duckling is my ultimate dream. The overwhelming feeling that comes from working hard at it is equaled and exceeded by the overwhelming pride and happiness from creating and sharing my designs. And luckily, I can share this with you, and remind you ugly is only skin deep.

• Event introduction
Designer Cheryl Koo presents the HALFSWAN Collection as a costume take of her fashion work. Her runway concepts invite you to view her wearable artwork and peek at the inspiration that also drives her freshly launching streetwear line, Ugly Duckling. After studying at USC and Parsons, Cheryl has established a fashion voice that says beauty and attraction are more than skin and clothing deep, and ugly holds its own beauty. By working with such companies as L.A.M.B., Triple Five Soul, and Adidas Originals, Cheryl has gained experience to communicate this through her work and introduces a transition from what is seemingly ugly into beauty. The transformation you see here is only the beginning… Enjoy.

• Press release copy
Ugly Duckling Clothing, a new streetwear line looking to launch in 2007, debuted both their Halfswan Collection and Halfswan Edition tee on Sunday, November 12, 2006. The debut at Project: Hip Hop, a two day workshop and showcase event put on by LA Dance Center and SickStep dance crew, featured Ugly Duckling designer Cheryl Koo’s one-of-a-kind designs. Ugly Duckling’s appearance at Project: Hip Hop not only showcased their couture womenswear on the runway, but also offered the first sale of their Halfswan Edition graphic tee, made especially to tie into the Halfswan Collection.

Through the Halfswan Collection show Koo was able to present her fantasy- driven couture looks while still connecting them to her streetwear line. The result was beautiful textures and fabrics gowns and separates in color with oversized hoods and suggestive cuts. Combined with a swan painted around the models’ eyes and each of the Swans sporting kicks down the runway, Koo created an excited buzz and achieved the contradictory yet complementary aesthetic she aimed for.

"I wanted to show the transition of ugly to beauty, of insecurities to confidence, the transformation of the ugly duckling into the beautiful swan," said Koo. So how did she feel the show went? "I had chills! I was virtually speechless, and of course it was then they had me make my speech on stage."

The Halfswan Collection itself is a transformation, starting as a 4 piece collection that took its own form through trial and error and emergent ideas. The 6 piece result is a testament to true individuality not only in its distinct combinations, but also because most pieces were designed for the specific Swan modeling them. To complete the presentation of each custom-made outfit, Koo also did each Swan’s makeup, orchestrated their runway soundtrack, choreographed their struts, and oversaw the stylizing of each. This is Koo’s first runway show and, "Definitely not my last," she declares.

• Biographies
Designer Cheryl Koo is the inspired and inspiration for The Other Duck. Her fashion design concepts invite you to view her wearable artwork and peek into her thoughts. After studying at the University of Southern California and Parsons The New School for Design, Cheryl has established a fashion voice that says beauty and attraction are more than skin and clothing deep, and ugly holds its own beauty. By working with such companies as L.A.M.B., Triple Five Soul, and Adidas Originals, Cheryl has gained experience to communicate this through her work and introduces a transition from what is seemingly "the other" into beauty and acceptance.

Advisor Edrick Wong is key in the development and awareness of The Other Duck. By helping with operating processes and being involved with the Executive Team, Edrick guides the brand to be the fashion innovator and maven he believes it is. Edrick may be "the other," an engineer in the fashion world, receiving his Masters of Science in Engineering Management and Bachelors of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the University of Southern California, but is welcome nonetheless. Edrick's quality assurance know-how and start-up experience come from his current work at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc. and Cheehee.com, and are proving valuable.