Ten Minutes with Sonja den Elzen of Thieves

There’s something almost Gehry-esque about Sonja den Elzen’s designs for her brand  Thieves. Maybe it’s the way the spring/summer line seems stitched out of angle and shimmer or the textured density that she’s sending down the runway for fall/winter. Sonja’s love of assymetry results in unexpected tailoring that’s just a bit off-kilter and lends the line a casual elegance. Don’t let the subdued palette fool you. Details like the pencil-sketch pockets on a pair of high-waisted, wide legged pants or the swoon-worthy origami pleating on a ribbon-necked dress will get you attention in all the right ways. (Bonus: Thieves features “Where’d-you-get-that” boy togs as well.) Read on to learn more about Sonja’s take on Canadian chic.

Oligoville: Tell us about your brand and how it is different from your competition.

Sonja: Thieves creates styles for contemporary urban men and women using sustainable and/or organic fabrics and local Canadian production

Oligoville: How did your career or interest in design begin?

Sonja: The interest in design has always been there. The direction toward a career in fashion design  came from wanting to create something more interesting then what was available.

Oligoville: What’s your design inspiration?

Sonja: Inspiration is found in life, the curve or shape of something, random things that catch my eye, colors and textures around the city and in nature.  I often look to the architecture of the natural world and the beauty in its complexities and simplicities. The fall 09 collection was inspired by the [juxtaposition] of the colors, depth, and starkness of the tundra during the winter.

Oligoville:  Describe a typical day for you.

Sonja: Get up do yoga, go for a walk, write, go to my boutique where my studio is in the back, work on designing a collection, doing patterns, samples, and custom designs, meeting with clients in the boutique, and dealing with all the business side of things.

Oligoville: Describe your fashion style.

Sonja: I’d say relaxed yet stylized organic, natural and often asymmetrical, contemporary nomad.

Oligoville:  Tell us about some unexpected setbacks you have faced since starting your business and what you learned.

Sonja: Well I opened the boutique in the middle of a recession. I’ve learned to be lean and positive and to be quickly adaptable.

Oligoville: What has been the most rewarding part of your career?

Sonja: Watching a customers face light up when they put on something that looks great on them and that they love!

Oligoville: Tell us where you expect to see your business in the next five years.

Sonja: Ideally I would like to open more boutiques in a few other cities.

Oligoville: What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Sonja: Be passionate and keep at it. Be open to learning from others.

Oligoville: What song never fails to make you happy?

Sonja: Bill Withers’s “Lovely Day.”