Guys, in case you haven’t heard: we’re holding our first-ever conference on June 21, and the one-and-only Zac Posen is our keynote speaker. Along with plenty of great advice, Zac will share some favorite moments from his own career. We got a taste of what’s to come at his resort presentation this week, where Zac revealed one of his favorite red carpet moments—and what made it so great.
As anyone who has tried to become a fashion designer will tell you, the years you spend building your brand can be hard. There’s so many decisions to make–do you want to branch out on your own right away or spend a few years working for an established name? Do you want to be conceptual or commercial? And of course, where are you going to get the money?
So what’s a brand new designer to do? Get advice from our “How I’m Making It” panel at our first-ever conference. We’re gathering together some of the coolest new designers in the business to tell us, well, how they’re making it.
Who’s on deck?
American Two Shot is not your typical hipper-than-thou SoHo boutique. It’s an eclectic space for eclectic tastes. You might find an old Joan Didion hardback or a pencil case that looks like a hotdog nestled in with the racks of clothes by labels like Porter Grey, Timo Weiland, Nomia, The Lake & Stars, and Jonathan Simkhai. American Two Shot (135 Grand Street) carries jewelry and accessories, men’s and women’s wear, and a selection of vintage. The store also stocked those now-notorious hats that cheekily spoofed Cartier’s name.
On the eve of American Two Shot’s first anniversary, Fashionista sat down with Olivia Wolfe and Stephanie Krasnoff, both 28, to talk about their vision for the store, how working together has changed their friendship, and how they’re making it.
Rubin Singer may technically be a young designer, but he’s accomplished industry feats that many long-time designers only dream of. At just 34, Singer has already helmed his own eponymous line for six years, worked alongside Oscar de la Renta, and dressed mega stars like Beyonce and Alicia Keys for some of the most high-profile events in the country (maybe you’ve heard of a little football game called the Super Bowl?).
When we last met with Singer, it was in the throngs of New York fashion week–and hot off the heels of Super Bowl madness. He showed us around his studio space as he put the finishing touches on his German dominatrix-inspired fall collection, bursting with street smart daywear and edgy evening looks. Now, with fashion month craziness behind us, we caught up with the burgeoning designer to talk superstar collaborations, finding a balance (hint: He’s still looking), and dating famed makeup artist Kevin Aucoin his freshmen year of college. Here’s how he’s making it.
Rebecca Taylor is a well-known name when it comes to outfitting modern women. Her refined, feminine designs are found in boutiques and department stores worldwide and regularly worn by It girls like Alexa Chung and Kate Middleton. But long before she had a flagship on Madison Avenue, Taylor arrived in New York all the way from her native New Zealand with little more than hopes of being a designer.
Taylor attributes much of her success to the blind optimism that accompanied her to New York back in her twenties. Not long after arriving she decided to launch her namesake label with a business partner, and the two did everything from sales to shipping themselves. More than 15 years, that namesake label is as well known as the famous fans who wear it. Hot on the heels of her Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Fall 2013 collection, we caught up with Taylor eager to find out how a girl from across the world (literally) ended up building a multi-million dollar business here in New York. Here’s what we learned…
In 2010, Tia Cibani sent the fashion world into a mini state of mourning when she announced she was stepping down from Chinese-by-way-of-Canada label Ports 1961 to start a family, handing over the creative reigns to her sister Fiona. But just two years later (with a brand new baby in tow!) Cibani made a major comeback with the debut of her first eponymous fashion line this past September at New York Fashion Week.
And the industry has welcomed the designer back with open arms: Earlier this week, Cibani was awarded the Fashion Group International’s Rising Star Award for womenswear–an honor previously won by fashion heavy hitters like Joseph Altuzzara and Michelle Obama’s other go-to guy, Jason Wu. We were lucky enough to grab a few minutes to chat with the designer, who–between attending fittings for her fall ’13 presentation next week and being a full-time mom–is at an all time life and career high.
Read on for the designer’s insights on motherhood, manufacturing locally, and how her own naivety got her where she is today.
We were excited to chat with Surface To Air Creative Director Aldric Speer to learn how his strong vision and laidback attitude play into the collections, and of course what he’s cooking up next.
It wasn’t until a store placed an order for nearly everything on offer that Melissa Coker of LA-based label Wren realized she had a bona fide fashion line. But the designer has certainly come a long way since then.
We caught up with Coker, who is now based in a spacious studio in downtown LA, where she produces her collections. Of course we were dying to know how one of our favorite indie labels grew from a hobby to a successful brand, and how Helmut Lang and Andre Leon Tally played a part. Read on to find out how Melissa Coker of Wren is making it…
Lauren Moffatt‘s eponymous label has become internationally recognized for its quirky-cool girl vibe.
She started out as a graphic designer in her hometown of Philly before relocating to New York. It was aboard her 31-foot house boat docked on Hudson River that Moffatt started sewing her first ready-to-wear collection in 2000.
When Andrea Lieberman launched A.L.C. in 2009, the fashion world quickly embraced her vision for the modern woman’s wardrobe. But long before Bergdorfs and Barneys started stocking her designs, Leiberman was already an established industry player.
The Parsons graduate actually started in retail with her own NYC boutique Culture and Reality, which sold bits ‘n pieces inspired by her extensive travels. Eventually Lieberman’s discerning eye led her into the world of styling, where she skyrocketed to fame working with big name clients like Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson. In fact, Lieberman was responsible for J.Lo, who was a client of hers at the time, wearing that now-iconic green Versace number to the Grammys.
We caught up with Lieberman to learn more about how she seeks inspiration everywhere from Africa to New York and how she built her brand.
Thom Dolan may be a little known up-and-coming label, but designer Thomasine Dolan is actually an industry vet with 20 years under her belt. After years and years of working for big names like Ralph Lauren, Armani and Banana Republic, Dolan decided she was finally ready to tell her own story. In 2010 she launched her label with a few retro swimsuits, which quickly grew into a complete range of classic, masculine-meets-feminine pieces in high quality fabrics.
The busy New Yorker balances being a mom of three with running her growing business, both of which she does from her Broome St. apartment. She invited me into her amazing home (her studio is the floor below), and it was easy to get sidetracked as we discussed everything from her love of The Sound of Music to her dismay over the Kardashian phenomenon. One thing is certain, if you haven’t heard of this designer, who is as honest and witty as her designs, it’s time to take note. Read on to learn more.
