FASHION BY THE RULES: FASHION IS EVERYWHERE

Continuing on with my series of new designers, I am shocked everyday by the variety and ingenuity that is out there and how fashion plays an integral of product development no matter how hard is to conceive.

First up is ANKIT which is geniously designed to grab the attention of any age group who wants to set themselves apart from the crowd. The ear buds not only incorporate fabulous design but also incredible technologies such as noise isolation and ergonomic shapes. Not to mention, they even thought of innovative packaging. So check it out ANKIT.

Next up is a sensational knitwear designer who is just starting out but has an extremely bright feature. Steven Oo (that’s him in the photo)who has just finished school but will certainly be a welcome addition in the vast dry desert of knits. We have come to expect pain old flat knits or ribs when it comes to designer level knits but Mr.Oo has raised the bar with knits that like to the talents of the late Alexander McQueen and those graduates of Central St. Martin. I have enormous confidence that this great talent will find his way into the fashion business either under his own name or as an able bodied designer to an established brand. Make sure to check him out.

Lastly, I found an incredible talent that has found a unique way of channeling this talent to product with the most glorious results. She has tapped into a thriving market which will be forever dear to a worldwide audience. While you may not agree with the esthetic, you surely know someone who would love to own one of Kathleen’s creations. She is an accomplished artist who has found her way to the ever broadening business of fashion. Please check her out at www.greatdamesny.com

And don’t forget, you can keep track of me at http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com/

Ten Minutes with Gail Travis of N:F:P Studio

In The September Issue, which I finally screened this weekend, the fabulous Grace Coddington puts together a spread based on texture. If only Grace had known about Gail Travis’s N:F:P Studio collection, which is all about texture. From chunky knits to gauzy tunics trimmed with the softest felted hems and necklines, N:F:P feels as good against the skin as it looks on the body. Oh, and did I mention that the pieces are meant to multitask? Whether flipping a sweater upside down to create a whole new silhouette, or buttoning pieces together to create layers, Gail designs each piece to not only work with other pieces from the current season but also to work with pieces in future seasons. Here’s more from Gail herself . . .

Oligoville: In five words or less, N:F:P Studio  is . . .

Gail: . . . designed to inspire creativity and personal comfort.

Oligoville: How would you describe your ideal customer?

Gail: The N:F:P ideal customer appreciates and embraces the possibilities that each garment offers. They understand the concept of sustainability through re-working and re-creating each item in their closet to form new shapes. I aim to design for women, and men, who are confident and looking for unique pieces that are not found in common mainstream outlets.  Additionally, the goal is to reach a wider customer range and encourage those who normally shop more mainstream to invest in timeless designs, ultimately hoping to promote an understanding of fashion as less disposable. The N:F:P collection is designed using snaps and signature components that will always link back to newer collections and support the concept of continuously recycling and keeping all work fresh and new.

Oligoville: How’d you end up as a designer?

Gail: I started knitting and sewing at a young age, learning from my grandmother and great-grandmother. Oddly my first sewing projects were making costumes for my dog in local parades and festivals at the age of 11—we all start somewhere! I feel that being a designer is a natural medium for me to develop and offer a creative new product, which I hope can educate mainstream audiences on the value of art and design.

As for my background, I worked for fashion houses such as Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, Shelly Steffee, and Eileen Fisher since 1999. I studied knitwear in Florence, Italy, where I also learned the felting technique. My first degree is from Cornell University—a BS in Communications—where I focused on the theory-based aspects of uniform and how and why we dress dating back to the original onset of clothing purely as function and necessity.

Oligoville: How/when did you launch your brand?

Gail: I launched the N:F:P Label in Fall 2009 after working with high-end fashion houses in NYC since 1999. The fall of 2008 I decided to pursue an opportunity to study knitwear in the Borders of Scotland and immerse myself in knitwear design.  Upon arrival in Scotland on August 26 2008, I was denied entry due to a visa issue, and immediately was pushed to re-evaluate my future goals. Instead of moving ahead as a freelance designer for other companies, I seized the opportunity of open pathways to follow, and started my own business! I know I would have eventually ended up having my own line, but that circumstance was the perfect push past the fear factor!

Oligoville: What do the initials in your company name stand for, and how does it relate to your design philosophy?

Gail: N:F:P stands for a few concepts. NEW FORM PERSPECTIVE is the idea of offering the three basic building block templates:  NIT (Sweaters); FELT (Hand Felted Chiffon & Jersey Designs); PHRAME (Basic Jersey Underpinnings).  The spelling of the words is also based on the pronunciation and phonetic construction of the words themselves. Using the three components of N:F:P, the goal is to inspire those to re-invent and re-create New Forms and Perspectives to work with each individual’s style and comfort level.  The power of three for stability and strength in encouraging to be secure with oneself, and being aware that everything is intertwined and connected in a full circle.

Oligoville: Who and/or what inspires you?

Gail: The collection is largely inspired by architecture: its strength and stability. Sculpture by Naum Gabo: his work in 3D and analysis of art versus science and its play with kinetic energy. These tangible art forms, mixed with dance and nature, which surround us constantly, all inspire and ultimately create the N:F:P building blocks.

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

Gail: No day is ever the same. Constantly on my toes and ready to switch gears from design to business at any given moment. A day can range from e-mailing manufacturers and customers, designing, PR, sales strategizing, and shipping. The varied tasks are endless, but keep it exciting, fresh, and challenging!

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

Gail: You will find a sea of black, grey, and muted earth tones. Leggings, tank dresses, black boots and canvas shoes, and sweaters for layering.  Now I am wearing all black (pretty standard!): black Hooded Elastic Waist Sweater with black leggings.  For me it’s all about clean, cozy comfort all the time.

Oligoville: What’s in your bag right now?

Gail: Laptop, journal, paperwork, and, of course, my wrap neck cardigan!

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

Gail: Being denied entry to Scotland was a big setback, but there are many opportunities out there once you start looking. It is very important to always ask questions and never underestimate the power of intuition and your “gut feeling.” Be willing to take risks and go against industry standards, as frightening as they may seem.  Facing the fear of uncertainty has helped guide me in directions I never knew possible. It is crucial to not focus and linger on any setback. There is always a lesson to learn. Find the positive and keep the motivation moving forward!

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

Gail: The ability to interact with people and share what I love to do.

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

Gail: In the next five years I hope to look back on all the pieces designed and feel confident that they all offer a unique twist and form for the consumer to play with and enjoy. My goal is to have N:F:P available in 10 boutiques across the US, targeting Takashimaya as the exclusive carrier in NYC, and hope to be available in at least one boutique in Tokyo. If not achieved in five years, that is the ongoing goal. Everything takes longer than anticipated, but the key is to let it happen naturally and not force anything that doesn’t seem right. I’m excited to see where it is in five years—we will see!!!

Oligoville: Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Gail: Stay true to your vision. Focus on the positive, and enjoy every moment and have fun!

Oligoville: What’s on your playlist right now?

Gail: Brahms, La Boheme, Tin Hat Trio, George Brassens, Dead Can Dance, and many more.

Oligoville: Any last words?

Gail: Life is short. Follow your passions, and the doors will open. Enjoy what you do day to day—that is the goal.

Ten Minutes with Sylvia Toth of WARMI

Snow is pretty and all that, but heading out the door every day looking like the little brother in A Christmas Story gets old way before Valentine’s Day. Leave it to a part-time Parisian to come up with WARMI, a cheeky line of knitwear that’ll make you actually relish the thought of six more weeks of winter. Handcrafted by Colombian artisans, Sylvia Toth’s knitwear is sophisticated with a sly sense of humor to boot. For proof, peep the over-sized rosettes of the Audrey collar or the folkloric feline on the Jaguar sweater dress. Read on to learn more about this designer for whom creativity is in the genes.

Oligoville: In five words or less, WARMI is. . .

Sylvia: Clothing with extra spirit.

Oligoville: How would you describe your ideal customer?

Sylvia: Feminine with a twist. A clothing lover but not a fashion victim.

Oligoville: How’d you end up as a designer?

Sylvia: I grew up in a very creative environment. Two of my uncles are architects as is my mother. My cousins work in industrial design or are artists. For me it was an evident that I would work in creation. From a very young age I knew I would be a product or graphic designer. Fashion design came a bit later, during my studies of industrial design. I found out clothes were the strongest way for me to express [myself].

Oligoville: What are your predictions for fashion in 2010?

Sylvia: I think fashion will be full of paradoxes: Strong and radical proposals along with (boring) basics, fast fashion vs. slow wear. A mismatch of colors and textures but also a liking for discretion. Fashion will be more than ever the reflection of our time.

Oligoville: Who and/or what inspires you?

Oligoville: The popular culture in Latin America, films from the beginning of the 20th century, contemporary architecture, illustrations from the Middle Ages. Depending on my moods, everything is a potential source of inspiration.

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

Sylvia: Lately, my days seem to have 25 hours! I work a lot and don’t get much sleep!

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

Sylvia: My closet is full of WARMI  prototypes; I wear and test all my collections. I also have some Comme des Garcons or Tsumori Chisato and to go with all that a big collection of shoes!
I just came back from the FW10 Look Book shooting. I am very relaxed wearing a Caleçon Fausta in Ocre from my newest collection, a V cashmere sweater and a pair of vintage silver Reeboks.

Oligoville: What’s in your bag right now?

Sylvia: My iPhone, a sketching notebook, a multicolor pen, an embroidery needle, and a bunch of thread.

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

Sylvia: There can be a lot of unexpected setbacks when doing this business: Your entire collection stuck in customs the day before a show, having the worst and only rainy day of the summer when your are shooting your SS collection. I’ve learned to back up and relax. If there’s no solution, which there usually is, I wait for the day to pass. Things go back to normal sooner than you think (even if it is easier to say it than to do it)!

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

Sylvia: Seeing your clothes worn by people in the streets.

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

Sylvia: I expect to have a WARMI store in Paris and probably another in Bogota, obtain a fair trade certification for the artisanal process in Colombia, and build up a bigger team of artisans in Tausa as well as in the studio in Paris.

Oligoville: Any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Sylvia: Go step by step and always believe.

Oligoville: What’s on your playlist right now?

Sylvia: Benjamin Biolay’s La suberbe and M – Mister Mystère. I’m in a very frenchy mood this week.

Oligoville: Any last words?

Sylvia: Thanks Oligoville!

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