Ten Minutes with Audrey and Roni of Generation Love

When is a basic anything but? When it’s an eco-friendly tee from Generation Love, the NYC-based t-shirt line by designers Audrey Bressa-Valcourt and Roni Hirshberg. With a philosophy that comfortable can also be chic and exponentially sexy, the designing duo’s line of 100% organic cotton t-shirts can hold their own on their own or peeking out from under a cardie or structured jacket. According to their website Audrey and Roni love Paris, room service, sunny days, and making a difference, just to name a few things. Like I said, what’s not to love about Generation Love?

Oligoville: In five words or less, Generation Love is. . .

Audrey & Roni: Chic, cool, comfortable, off-beat, eco-friendly.

Oligoville: How would you describe your ideal customer?

Audrey & Roni: Someone who can appreciate that our product is made in New York City, who pays attention to detail, and who likes to be comfortable but jazzed up.

Oligoville: How’d you end up as designers?

Audrey & Roni: We literally decided in one day we would start a t-shirt line, and we did! We have always had entrepreneurial spirits with a desire to create. One day we were listening to music and having fun, and it dawned on us to put that energy into a clothing line as a way to share our point of view and spread the love!

Oligoville: How/when did you launch your brand?

Audrey & Roni: We started two years ago from scratch while working full time. We literally went from store to store to show the line with a suitcase and a pair of heels.

Oligoville: Why t-shirts?

Audrey & Roni: We LOVE t-shirts! That is who we are, what we wear every day, and what we feel the most sexy and cool in.

Oligoville: Who and/or what inspires you?

Audrey & Roni: Music, people in the street, cities, and our friend Gio.

Oligoville: What’s 24 hours like in your life?

Audrey & Roni: Craziness. There is always something to do and usually not enough time in the day to do it all.

Oligoville: What’s in your closet? What are you wearing right now?

Audrey & Roni: In our closets there are lot of jackets and blazers. We pretty much wear one of our tees with some sort of jacket all the time. Right now Audrey is wearing one of our old-school hoodies that we made. Maybe it will make a come back.

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

Audrey & Roni: The list of set backs is wayyy too long to start! In any business you have to be prepared for the unexpected, and in this industry there is a lot of unexpected!   We have to remind ourselves that if we would have given up at the first bump in the road we would have stopped a long time ago. We have learned there is always a solution to everything.

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

Audrey & Roni: Having clients contact us to tell us how much they love the brand and want to support us.

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

Audrey & Roni: We are launching our online store this week, so hopefully it will be established and well known at that point!

Oligoville: Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Audrey & Roni: Don’t take anything personally.

Oligoville: What’s on your playlist right now?

Audrey & Roni: Passion Pit, La Roux, Brahms, Empire of the Sun…

Oligoville: Any last words?

Audrey & Roni: LOVE IS FANTASTICO!

Ten Minutes with Tiffany Phipps of T. Luxe

Green is good. Well, except when it comes to lingerie. Who wants to sacrifice sexy for sustainable? Thanks to T. Luxe Eco-Lingerie, you don’t have to. The year-old line of organic lingerie lets you slip into something more comfortable and shrink your carbon footprint too!  Silk nightie with peek-a-boo cutout? Check. Frilled panty with contrast-colored waistband? Check. Vintage-look matching bustier and thong? Check. And with luxe fabrics like organic silk, silk-hemp, soy, and cotton, these not-so-naughties-after-all—at least as far as the planet goes— feel just as good as they look. Here’s Tiffany on going green one tap pant at a time.

Oligoville: In five words or less, T. Luxe is. . .

Tiffany: A luxury eco-friendly lingerie line. We use organic silks, soy fabrics, organic cottons, and hemp silks that are dyed in a low-impact manner.

Oligoville: How would you describe your ideal customer?

Tiffany: The ideal customer for T-Luxe is a woman that lives a green lifestyle and wants lingerie that is not only chic and luxurious but also made in an ethical and eco-conscious manner. We wanted to do something that was produced in an eco-friendly way that didn’t sacrifice style. We were trying to avoid the “brown burlap bag” stereotype around green fashion and make something that was super luxe and silky!

Oligoville: How’d you end up a designer?

Tiffany: It’s an interesting story! I come from the corporate finance and real estate industries and, while finishing a master’s degree from NYU in Real Estate Finance, I decided to pursue something I had dreamed about for a long time–starting an eco-friendly lingerie line. It’s been a long road but a lot of fun and rewarding.

Oligoville: How/when did you launch your brand?

Tiffany: We launched in April of 2008 at the Project Earth Day runway show here in New York City.

Oligoville: Why lingerie?

Tiffany: Because I am obsessed with lingerie! I also think it makes a woman feel sexy and confident.

Oligoville: Who and/or what inspires you?

Tiffany: People that are pushing the green envelope and trying to better our way of producing garments. Rachel Faller of Keekojay started a line in Cambodia employing local women to handweave and natural dye fabrics, which now supports many orphaned children and women who would otherwise have no other way of making money. This is inspiring.

Oligoville: What’s 24 hours like in your life?

Tiffany: Crazy…I am all over the place at shows, showing the line to retail stores, and following up with press and writers!

Oligoville: What’s in your closet? What are you wearing right now?

Tiffany: I love snoflake! I just did the NOW Showcase with them, and their eco line of contemporary fashions is amazing! I also adore Rag and Bone. They don’t use organic fabrics (soon hopefully!) but are produced locally in the USA which I feel strongly about.

Oligoville: What’s in your bag right now?

Tiffany: EOS lip balm, jasmine oil, pen, recycled leather notepad, organic hand sanitizer, navy scarf, iPhone, and a vintage Chanel wallet.

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

Tiffany: Although everyone likes the idea of buying eco garments, it’s a tougher sell to retail boutiques than one might think!

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

Tiffany: Feeling good about what I make.

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

Tiffany: I hope to see the line everywhere! I would love to have a few retail stores and also be available in bigger department stores, e.g. Fred Segal, Harrods.

Oligoville: Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Tiffany: Do your research, market research. This business is about much much more than just designing lingerie.

Oligoville: What’s on your playlist right now?

Anything classical and modern pianists-I LOVE Philip Glass.

Oligoville: Any last words?

Tiffany: www.t-luxe.com