🎙️ Edouard Vermeulen FW20 Digital Haute Couture
In this Instagram Live I speak with Edouard Vermeulen, the designer behind Natan Couture about the future of couture, how to make evergreen clothing, what it’s like to dress queens and princesses and how nature plays a big role in his creative process.
Designer Edouard Vermeulen of Natan Couture Talks About Timeless Fashion
In this Instagram Live I speak with Edouard Vermeulen, the designer behind Natan Couture about the future of couture, how to make evergreen clothing, what it’s like to dress queens and princesses and how nature plays a big role in his creative process.
Image from Paris Match Belgique.
🎙️ Stephane Rolland FW20 Digital Haute Couture
Famed haute couture designer @stephanerolland_paris discussed haute couture in the digital age, how he is adapting to the new normal while still maintaining the best aspects of couture’s heritage in his oeuvre.
Couture Conversation with Stephane Rolland
Famed haute couture designer @stephanerolland_paris discussed haute couture in the digital age, how he is adapting to the new normal while still maintaining the best aspects of couture’s heritage in his oeuvre.
Image from Official Bespoke.
🎙️ Rabih Kayrouz FW20 Digital Haute Couture
For the digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @rabih_kayrouz dives deep into the meaning behind the fashion film he created instead of a runway show to express the essence of his house.
Working from Beirut, Lebanon Rabih used video conferencing, creative thinking and a dedicated team in both Lebanon and Paris to bring to life a @maisonrabihkayrouz dress born out of ingenuity and heart. ❤️
Rabih Kayrouz Explains his FW20 Digital Haute Couture Film
For the digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @rabih_kayrouz dives deep into the meaning behind the fashion film he created instead of a runway show to express the essence of his house.
Working from Beirut, Lebanon Rabih used video conferencing, creative thinking and a dedicated team in both Lebanon and Paris to bring to life a @maisonrabihkayrouz dress born out of ingenuity and heart. ❤️
Image from Official Bespoke.
🎙️ Alexis Mabille FW20 Digital Haute Couture
For the digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @alexismabille got creative. He used fabrics that he had in his couture atelier to construct a collection that beautifully underlined the feminine yet empowered codes of the house. In the 6 minute video Alexis took the time to show the details of each look so that the audience watching his film, titled Attitude, would better understand the incredible craftsmanship that went into each and every look.
Alexis Mabille Explains his FW20 Digital Haute Couture Film
For the digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @alexismabille got creative. He used fabrics that he had in his couture atelier to construct a collection that beautifully underlined the feminine yet empowered codes of the house. In the 6 minute video Alexis took the time to show the details of each look so that the audience watching his film, titled Attitude, would better understand the incredible craftsmanship that went into each and every look.
Image from GettyImages.
🎙️ Yuima Nakazato FW20 Digital Haute Couture
For this week’s digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @yuimanakazato came up with a unique and modern take on the idea of couture.
Here he reflects on what it was like to work hand in hand - or “Face to Face”, which is the title of his couture film, with 25 clients from around the world who got to have a one of a kind couture piece designed by Yuima. Each one of them crafted out of a classic white t-shirt that the clients had sent him in the mail.
The results are all unique sartorial interpretations that blend the stories of the clients with the vision of designer.
Yuima Nakazato Explains his Interactive FW20 Digital Haute Couture Project
For this week’s digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @yuimanakazato came up with a unique and modern take on the idea of couture.
Here he reflects on what it was like to work hand in hand - or “Face to Face”, which is the title of his couture film, with 25 clients from around the world who got to have a one of a kind couture piece designed by Yuima. Each one of them crafted out of a classic white t-shirt that the clients had sent him in the mail.
The results are all unique sartorial interpretations that blend the stories of the clients with the vision of designer.
Image from ModelLabFr.
🎙️ Rahul Mishra FW20 Digital Haute Couture
For this week’s digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @rahulmishra_7 used the reaction of his artisans to his sketches to guide which direction his collection would go. Also they way in which nature bounced back and flourished, while the world was indoors during the confinement, gave Rahul hope and sparked his creative spirit.
Rahul Mishra Talks About his Butterfly People FW20 Digital Haute Couture Paris
For this week’s digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @rahulmishra_7 used the reaction of his artisans to his sketches to guide which direction his collection would go. Also they way in which nature bounced back and flourished, while the world was indoors during the confinement, gave Rahul hope and sparked his creative spirit.
NB: Rahul just launched his own e-commerce website. And after you listen to this interview I would be surprised if you don’t feel moved to go check it out and make a purchase to support the work of this talented designer with a very big heart.
Image from The Fashion Network.
🎙️ Ronald Van Der Kemp FW20 Digital Haute Couture
For this week’s digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer Ronald van der Kemp showed a tour de force presentation of 8 back to back mini films that represent what haute couture means to him.
A sustainable couture designer, Ronald’s 28 look collection was filled with only upcycled creations that were as eccentrically individualistic as they were captivating.
Ronald van der Kemp talks about his Digital Haute Couture films
For this week’s digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer Ronald van der Kemp showed a tour de force presentation of 8 back to back mini films that represent what haute couture means to him.
A sustainable couture designer, Ronald’s 28 look collection was filled with only upcycled creations that were as eccentrically individualistic as they were captivating.
Image from The Business of Fashion.
🎙️ Imane Ayissi FW20 Digital Haute Couture
For this week’s digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm the designer @imane_ayissi presented a collection called AMAL -Si, which means “the great misfortune that befalls the earth”. He focused his presentation on pieces he could craft from fabric offshoots he had from previous collections. The result is clothes - often constructed in a patchwork effect - that hint at a world parched from lack or water, the last falling petals of a fading flower or a gorgeous body concealing dress that moves like a endangered sea creature hunted for its beauty. The collection was poignant and transmitted its message in a meaningful manner.
Imane Ayissi talks about creating his Haute Couture while in confinement
For this week’s digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm the designer @imane_ayissi presented a collection called AMAL -Si, which means “the great misfortune that befalls the earth”.
He focused his presentation on pieces he could craft from fabric offshoots he had from previous collections. The result is clothes - often constructed in a patchwork effect - that hint at a world parched from lack or water, the last falling petals of a fading flower or a gorgeous body concealing dress that moves like a endangered sea creature hunted for its beauty.
The collection was poignant and transmitted its message in a meaningful manner.
🎙️ Julie De Libran FW20 Digital Haute Couture
For the digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @juliedelibran presented a film that was a visual layering of all the many steps and all the creative people it takes to bring a couture collection to life. As Julie’s voice rings out the overlapping images cascade over each other to create a rich tapestry of moving images, still life photos and evocative music. The result is a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of couture.
Julie De Libran explains her FW20 Digital Haute Couture Film
For the digital haute couture @parisfashionweek put on by the @fhcm designer @juliedelibran presented a film that was a visual layering of all the many steps and all the creative people it takes to bring a couture collection to life. As Julie’s voice rings out the overlapping images cascade over each other to create a rich tapestry of moving images, still life photos and evocative music. The result is a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of couture.
💭 Iris Van Herpen for FHCM
Famous fashion journalist and critic Jessica Michault interviews Iris Van Herpen on her FW21 Haute Couture presentation and the challenges she had to face to develop it in pandemic times. Jessica and Iris have a fascinating exchange over Iris’s conceptual and experimental take on Couture, and her incorporation of cutting-edge technology to traditional craftsmanship.
This article first appeared in the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode website.
IRIS VAN HERPEN
Famous fashion journalist and critic Jessica Michault interviews Iris Van Herpen on her FW21 Haute Couture presentation and the challenges she had to face to develop it in pandemic times. Jessica and Iris have a fascinating exchange over Iris’s conceptual and experimental take on Couture, and her incorporation of cutting-edge technology to traditional craftsmanship.
To watch the full video, head over to the FHCM article here.
Image from TheWashington Post.
🎙️ Marine Serre
When you meet Marine Serre for the first time, it is hard not to notice; or maybe a better word would be feel, the pent up energy in her diminutive frame. It is easy to understand why she spent years as a child playing tennis at almost a professional level before turning her drive towards design. You can practically see the wheels turning in her head as if she is doing a million things at once. And yet...and I don’t know exactly how... Marine also has a reserved shyness about her. It is a potent and powerful combination that honestly just makes you want to get to know her better.
When you meet Marine Serre for the first time, it is hard not to notice; or maybe a better word would be feel, the pent up energy in her diminutive frame. It is easy to understand why she spent years as a child playing tennis at almost a professional level before turning her drive towards design. You can practically see the wheels turning in her head as if she is doing a million things at once. And yet...and I don’t know exactly how... Marine also has a reserved shyness about her. It is a potent and powerful combination that honestly just makes you want to get to know her better.
Marine Serre
With all that has happened in the world in the past six months, Marine’s fashion seems almost Cassandra-like. Her signature house is built on the concept of using up-cycled materials to make her garments - and then she presents them in post-apocalyptic themed runway shows., often with her models wearing face masks and gloves, carrying reusable water bottles and armbands made into mini backpacks. Fashion, including her now iconic demi-lune motif full bodysuits, that seem purposely designed with protection from the elements in mind.
The 27-year-old designer was born in the little village of Corrèze in France but by the age of 14 she had left home to pursue her love of art and fashion. She went on to attend the famed La Cambre fashion and design academy in Belgium, graduating with honors in 2016. Then came a string of internships at top houses like Alexander McQueen, Maison Margiela, and Dior before Marine landed a junior designer job at Balenciaga. And it was while she was still working at Balenciaga that, to her surprise and no one else’s, she won the top LVMH Prize in 2017. The youngest designer ever to hold that honor.
Since then, Marine has been on fire. Using all of that crackling energy of hers to expand the number of lines she produces each season to celebrate different aspects of her up-cycling creative esthetic. She also has added into the mix a menswear line, has done collaborations with the likes of Nike and has seen her work worn by global powerhouse females like Beyonce, the group Black Pink and Dua Lipa.
Just on a technical side note, I did want to let all you listeners know that Marine and I did our interview before the global pandemic put the world into confinement, and kept me from accessing this audio recording. So I hope you enjoy taking an auditory trip back in time. When the world was much more innocent and before Marine’s sartorial philosophy became the new normal.
🎙️ Mary Vogt
The art of a costume designer is to tell a story without saying a word. So let’s just get this straight right from the start, Hollywood costume designer Mary Vogt has spoken volumes over her impressive career. One that is filled with spellbinding sartorial stories that have stood the test of time. Because let’s face it, it doesn’t get more iconic than having the ensembles you designed for a film become tentpole cosplay outfits and Halloween costumes for generations.
The art of a costume designer is to tell a story without saying a word. So let’s just get this straight right from the start, Hollywood costume designer Mary Vogt has spoken volumes over her impressive career. One that is filled with spellbinding sartorial stories that have stood the test of time. Because let’s face it, it doesn’t get more iconic than having the ensembles you designed for a film become tentpole cosplay outfits and Halloween costumes for generations.
Mary Vogt
Mary is the mind behind the amazing costumes in the staple Halloween film Hocus Pocus that starred Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker. She is also the woman who came up with Michelle Pfeiffer’s unforgettable Catwoman suit in Batman Returns. And she made “I make this look good” Will Smith and the rest of the Men In Black team look sharp and sleek over the span of the three MIB films. And for those of you who are more interested in fashion-focused feature films, well then you can thank Mary for bringing you Crazy Rich Asians. Arguably the most fashion-loving film of recent memory, filled with one unforgettable designer outfit after another.
From a very young age, Mary knew that being a costume designer was her calling. While everyone else in her theatrical hometown of Long Beach, Long Island wanted to be an actor and stand center stage in the local theater troupe, Mary was only interested in creating the costumes. After high school, she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and then later she went to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. She quickly realized that instead of being a traditional fashion designer, her creativity was sparked by a good story or character which she could then build a wardrobe around.
Mary eventually got her toe in the door in Hollywood as a sketch artist and then eventually got her first big break working alongside Bob Ringwood on David Lynch’s epic film Dune and would work with Ringwood again later, but this time as his co-designer on Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. And we all know what costume came out of that collaboration.
With close to 50 costume designer film credits under her belt, Mary is at the top of any Hollywood director’s list. Her expert ability to use clothing to help her directors advance their story or the underlying message they want to subconsciously communicate with their audience is highly sought after. All you have to do is take a look at her most recent collaboration, with Gina Prince-Bythewood, the director of the Netflix film The Old Guard - that drops today on the streaming platform - to understand just how skilled Mary is at telling a story with clothing.
Just on a technical side note, I did want to let all you listeners know that Mary and I did our interview over Zoom Video. So don’t be surprised by a couple of very minor audio issues. And if you happen to be more of a visual learner, feel free to head over to my signature YouTube channel to watch the video version of this podcast in action.
And now it's time for Mary to come out from behind the curtain and take a well-deserved bow under the spotlight and at the center stage of this podcast.
Photo: Amy Graves, for South China Morning Post.
💭 Olivier Theyskens for FHCM
Famous fashion journalist and critic Jessica Michault interviews Olivier Theyskens on his FW21 Haute Couture presentation and the challenges he had to face to develop it in pandemic times.
This article first appeared in the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode website.
OLIVIER THEYSKENS
🎙️ Gabriella Cortese
What is that old saying, “do a job that you love and you will never work a day in your life”. That is the life that Gabriella Cortese is lucky enough to lead. She is the founder and visionary behind the brand Antik Batik and as part of her job, she gets to travel the world for months at a time looking for new ways to incorporate the beauty of ethnic designs and craftsmanship of local artisans into her Bohemian chic collections.
What is that old saying, “do a job that you love and you will never work a day in your life”. That is the life that Gabriella Cortese is lucky enough to lead. She is the founder and visionary behind the brand Antik Batik and as part of her job, she gets to travel the world for months at a time looking for new ways to incorporate the beauty of ethnic designs and craftsmanship of local artisans into her Bohemian chic collections.
Gabriella Cortese
Born in Turin, Italy Gabriella grew up with eclectic style inspirations all around her. Her mother instilled in her a love of beautiful things and an eye towards well-made clothing. While her Hungarian grandmother expanded her style palette by introducing her to the beauty of the Mitteleuropa aesthetic. After living a rather sheltered childhood Gabriella decided to explore the world when she turned 18.
A choice that found her living in Paris, France, and working as a dancer at the famed Crazy Horse cabaret. There she learned how effective the use of pattern and light can be as it plays on the body. A skill that would come in handy later at Antik Batik when she began to design clothing out of graphic and dramatically printed fabrics.
But before the idea of starting a label had ever entered into her mind, Gabriella decided that while she was young she wanted to continue to see the world and she spent years visiting places like Bali, Tibet, Nepal, and India.
Then, not unlike Ralph Lauren who got his start selling men’s ties, Gabriella began her business by selling a single item - the Pareos. Her beautiful wrap skirts, that she had created with local artists in Bali using the batik printing technique, were an instant hit. So in 1992 she launched Antik Batik and began to corner the market for those women looking for a sophisticated slant on hippy chic ethnic fashion at a time when minimalism was at its peak.
From its inception, Gabriella was determined that Antik Batik would be an eco-friendly brand dedicated to supporting artisans in far-flung countries who have the unique skill set to create her colorful and richly embroidered designs. And for the past three decades, she has built up long lasting relationships with many of her suppliers in India and elsewhere. She sees them as part of her extended family and the work they do as the beating heart of her successful business.
Just on a technical side note, I did want to let all you listeners know that Gabriella and I did our interview over Zoom video. So don’t be surprised by a couple of very minor audio issues. And if you happen to be more of a visual learner, feel free to head over to my signature YouTube channel to watch the video version of this podcast in action.
Now, it's time to discover how Gabriella built up a global business out of her passion for travel and her devotion to ethnic elegance.
🎙️ Rebecca Todd
Rebecca Todd is one of those “she is just born with it” stylists. Self-taught and a straight talker she is at the top of the stylist game in Hollywood. And that is because Rebecca is constantly hustling, networking, and pushing herself creatively. That drive has resulted in a highly successful career in both styling and costume design that spans over 20 years. And her mile-long list of clients includes everyone from Blake Lively, Kobe Bryant, Melissa McCarthy, and Dwayne Johnson to Elle MacPherson, Ryan Hansen, Lizzy Caplan, and the one and only Betty White.
Rebecca Todd is one of those “she is just born with it” stylists. Self-taught and a straight talker she is at the top of the stylist game in Hollywood. And that is because Rebecca is constantly hustling, networking, and pushing herself creatively. That drive has resulted in a highly successful career in both styling and costume design that spans over 20 years. And her mile-long list of clients includes everyone from Blake Lively, Kobe Bryant, Melissa McCarthy, and Dwayne Johnson to Elle MacPherson, Ryan Hansen, Lizzy Caplan, and the one and only Betty White.
Rebecca Todd
Rebecca started out in Hollywood in public relations, which evolved into merchandising and buying before she got bitten by the stylist bug. And almost from the moment she decided that being a stylist was her dream job her career took off. In less than a year, she was styling for America’s Next Top Model and then became the head of the wardrobe departments of numerous shows on the E! Entertainment channel and The Style Network.
Over the span of her career, she has done everything from celebrity styling and fashion magazine editorials for publications like Flaunt, People, Us Weekly, LA Confidential and Maxim to creating the visual story for advertising campaigns for companies such as Ford, Nike, Pepsi, Starbucks, Showtime, Google, AT&T, Budweiser, Toyota, and Universal Studios - just to name a few. Not to mention her red carpet work at all the top awards shows, The Oscars, The Emmys, The Golden Globes as well as the MTV Music and MTV Video awards shows.
Earlier this year she continued to challenge herself during the quarantine and designed to launch her own clothing line called Grey Hayes. Its message t-shirts, hats, and masks are all inspired by the lockdown. The clothing, sporting phrases like Stay Home, Worst Birthday Ever, Essential, Back The F#CK Up and Mental Distancing, have been selling like hotcakes.
Just on a technical side note, I did want to let all you listeners know that Rebecca and I did our interview over Zoom Video. So don’t be surprised by a couple of very minor audio issues. And if you happen to be more of a visual learner, feel free to head over to my signature YouTube channel to watch the video version of this podcast in action.
Now to all you future stylists out there, get out your pens and paper and pay close attention to what Rebecca has to say in this podcast. Her tips and tricks are a masterclass on not only how to become a successful stylist, but also how to stay on top in Hollywood.
🎙️ Kevin Germanier
In the fashion world, there are a handful of times that you run across an up and coming designer that is so earnest, articulate, and talented that you make a secret wish in your heart that you hope they’ll make it big. That is exactly how I felt after talking with the 28-year-old designer Kevin Germanier for this podcast.
In the fashion world, there are a handful of times that you run across an up and coming designer that is so earnest, articulate, and talented that you make a secret wish in your heart that you hope they’ll make it big. That is exactly how I felt after talking with the 28-year-old designer Kevin Germanier for this podcast.
Kevin Germanier
I had seen his work before first hand at press day presentations in Paris. And Kevin’s vibrant, beaded, and bold designs always stood out. But what also made them stand out in my mind was when I discovered that his garments were of the luxury upcycled variety. Kevin’s made to measure and limited edition collections are as far away from the hippy hemp and organic cotton, Birkenstock wearing image - that sustainable fashion is still strongly associated with- as you could get.
This Swiss-born designer, who graduated from Central Saint Martins and launched his signature line in 2018 while still a junior designer at Louis Vuitton, found a way to make sustainable fashion look sexy. Look feminine. And look fun. His sculptural silhouettes and love of embellishments firmly place his work in the “statement dressing” category. But isn’t it nice to know that his commitment to conscious design sees his garments covered in shimmering upcycled crystals from Swarovski and the fabric comes from offshoots that are getting a second lease on life.
Not surprisingly Kevin’s vivid designs have already been worn by the likes of Lady Gaga, Björk, and K-pop star Sunmi. He was also shortlisted for the 2019 LVMH Prize for young designers. And the leading fashion e-commerce platform MatchesFashion picked up his debut collection for its site, which it has been carrying ever since. So it looks like he is off to a very strong start. And maybe that secret wish of mine might actually come true.
Just on a technical side note, I did want to let all you listeners know that Kevin and I did our interview over Zoom video. So don’t be surprised by a couple of very minor audio issues. And if you happen to be more of a visual learner, feel free to head over to my signature YouTube channel to watch the video version of this podcast in action.
Now come with me to discover the glamorous, colorful, and eco-friendly world of Kevin Germanier.
💭 JordanLuca for ODDA Magazine
London Fashion Week and The British Fashion Council is embarking on its first-ever gender neutral fashion week that, starting June 12th, will merge womenswear and menswear into one venue and timeframe. That venue is a digital-only platform that was created to keep the country’s fashion week alive while still protecting the fashion loving community as it continues to deal with the social distancing directives designed to keep everyone safe during the current environment.
This article first appeared in the ODDA Magazine website.
JORDANLUCA
London Fashion Week and The British Fashion Council is embarking on its first-ever gender neutral fashion week that, starting June 12th, will merge womenswear and menswear into one venue and timeframe. That venue is a digital-only platform that was created to keep the country’s fashion week alive while still protecting the fashion loving community as it continues to deal with the social distancing directives designed to keep everyone safe during the current environment.
ODDA reached out to Jordan Bowen and Luca Marchetto, the designers behind JordanLuca, an up and coming menswear brand that will be showing during this event to learn more about their plans to connect virtually with their ever-growing fan base. But also to dive more deeply into the slow burn origins story of both the label and the duo, who first met 10 years ago in a club in East London but only launched their brand in 2017.
“JordanLuca is irreverent. We are quite irreverent in what we do, and how we work together, and how we treat design and how we treat garments and ideas,” explained Bowen about the label’s aesthetic.
“I think fashion is not only going gender-neutral, which is fundamental, and digital. But as well, sustainable. And sustainability should be another keyword that has to be taken into consideration moving forward. We can’t go back to the way before,” pronounced Marchetto about the brand’s intentional stance to make sustainable sartorial choices such as incorporated upcycled and recycled fabrics and yarns into their designs.
The duo does have an interesting approach to menswear. One that mixes the hands-on more industrial and production sided skills of Marchetto, who worked alongside Vivienne Westwood for 7 years, with Bowen’s eye for detail that comes with his training as a milliner alongside another living legend, Stephen Jones. The result of their combined talents is an interesting subversive hybrid approach to fashion. One that blurs together Italian tailoring, sophisticated yet state of the art fabrics and a more rebellious determination to make high design concepts grounded in practicality. Clothing that both pushes the envelope and is unquestionably refined in its raw approach.
The recent global lockdown helped to sharpen the designer duo’s choices when it came to planning out the future of their company. It has them asking fundamental questions about wholesale and e-commerce. Not to mention the seasonality of their designs and how the fashion system is currently run. With clothing arriving in stores at times of the year that are out of sync with what their customers are needing. This is one reason why the label will be going with a see-now-buy-now capsule drop in September. One filled with pieces designed specifically for that season.
JordanLuca is a very intriguing fashion offering. It is modern and daring, and yet it has a solid creative foundation. The designers spent years getting to know each other before starting their label. It is hard to underestimate how important that “honeymoon” creative period will be for this brand as it continues to grow internationally. By testing the waters with bitesize creative collaborations before launching their line the duo now has a creative shorthand and ease of communication that any fashion start-up would be enviable of. And there is something to be said for having a partner to help carry the weight of a brand, to be one another’s support system when the fashion spotlight begins to burn like a thousand suns. Which is certainly a strong possibility for JordanLuca in the near future.
To see the latest JordanLuca collection go to http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk
Photographer PAUL PERELKA
Fashion Editor ANNE LAURITZEN
Models AMADOU and SHADEN @Select
Make-up/Hair Artist MARTA WOZNIAK
Set Design MARCEL NIETO-GLOWACKI
Interviewed by ULYA ALIGULOVA
Words by JESSICA MICHAULT
Special thanks BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL & AGENCY ELEVEN
🎙️ Hillary France
A self-described “supply chain nerd” Hillary France, the CEO and co-founder of Brand Assembly, is helping fashion creatives focus on crafting their visions of the future while she and her team take on the day to day, back of house fundamental tasks that any growing small business has to master if it wants to become successful. Her full-service BtoB business does everything from bookkeeping, warehouse management, and running e-commerce operations to creating costing sheets, merchandising and sales plans, and even social media and global marketing strategies.
A self-described “supply chain nerd” Hillary France, the CEO and co-founder of Brand Assembly, is helping fashion creatives focus on crafting their visions of the future while she and her team take on the day to day, back of house fundamental tasks that any growing small business has to master if it wants to become successful. Her full-service BtoB business does everything from bookkeeping, warehouse management, and running e-commerce operations to creating costing sheets, merchandising and sales plans, and even social media and global marketing strategies.
Hillary France
But Hillary, who founded her company in 2013, wanted to do even more for her clients. She also organizes trade shows and created a coworking space called The Square, with locations in New York and Los Angeles, for people to meet up and hopefully collaborate on the next big thing. She also hosts monthly panels and workshops to help her clients stay on top of the latest innovations taking place in the industry.
Before branching out on her own, Hillary, who is a graduate of Duke University, cut her retail buying and wholesale teeth at marquee brands like Diane von Furstenberg, Kate Spade, Guess and Kimberly Ovitz. And was even behind the launch of the Rachel Zoe brand for the Li and Fung company.
Today, just like thousands of other fashion-focused companies Hillary has had to pivot her business’s working model post-pandemic as the world continues to maintain social distancing practices. So she is launching later this month a new virtual show portal and a new digital experience that she is calling GRID. She is also planning to add other forms of online content such as Zoom panel discussions or digital showroom walkthroughs with designers on the dates she would usually have her real world trade show, from June 16 through June 18th.
The tagline for Brand Assembly is “Our mission is simple: help brands reach theirs”. It is clear that Hillary has taken this message to heart and has no intention of letting something like a global pandemic or a corona economy keep her from giving brands the support they need to become the successes they always dreamed of.
Just on a technical side note, I did want to let all you listeners know that Hillary and I did our interview over Zoom Video. So don’t be surprised by a couple of very minor audio issues. And if you happen to be more of a visual learner, feel free to head over to my signature YouTube channel to watch the video version of this podcast in action.
Now let’s listen to Hillary talk about how she sees the future of fashion shaping up, as she takes on the topics of seasonal collections, markdown cycles, and the growing power of the digital space for fashion brands.
Image by Alec Kugler.
💜 Entrepreneurship Towards Improvement in the Fashion Industry
Recently, Jessica was able to moderate a talk between Sophia Scott, Georgia Scott and Nina Scott, the founders of GROUNDTRUTH, in regards to entrepreneurship towards improvement in the fashion industry.
Recently, I had the honor to moderate a FASHINNOVATION talk between Sophia Scott, Georgia Scott, and Nina Scott, the founders of GROUNDTRUTH, whose selection of sleek, chic, and sturdy backpack, totes and bags are crafted from 100% recycled plastic fabrics. Their honest and frank discussion about their goal to make a 100% sustainable brand is inspiring and shows a clean and clear path forward for the fashion industry.
🎙️ Nellie Partow
It says something about a brand that when you click on the about page on its website to get the backstory on the designer, a YouTube video of her boxing in the center ring at Madison Square Garden pops up. Showing her winning her title fight in front of a sold-out crowd. If nothing else the footage clearly illustrates that designer Nellie Partow knows how to roll with the punches and has no intention of ever being down for the count.
It says something about a brand that when you click on the about page on its website to get the backstory on the designer, a YouTube video of her boxing in the center ring at Madison Square Garden pops up. Showing her winning her title fight in front of a sold-out crowd. If nothing else the footage clearly illustrates that designer Nellie Partow knows how to roll with the punches and has no intention of ever being down for the count.
Nellie Partow
Which is a good thing considering that her independent label finds itself in that ambiguous middle ground of no longer being a new brand on the rise nor one that has achieved world domination. Partow, which the designer launched in 2011, is one of those sleeper hit fashion houses. You know the ones I am talking about. The brands whose names you whisper in the ears of only your closest friends when they ask you where you got that amazing relaxed fit purple suit or the dress with architectural pleating on the bodice or strategically placed cut-outs. Partow’s aesthetic is one of modern minimalism. Where the use of color and structural detail work help to elevate the understated foundation to a more refined realm.
Nellie’s design approach is perfectly understandable considering that - after graduating from Parsons - and just like with her boxing training, she put in the hours, days, months, and years learning her craft. Working at Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, and John Varvatos for a cumulative 10-year stint before she hung up her own shingle.
Her slow but steady wins the race philosophy to fashion has worked well for Nellie. Only three years after launching her brand she found herself making a profit. Something that is almost unheard of in the industry. In 2015 she became a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, AKA the CFDA. And 2019, according to the designer, was her best year yet - as she started to scale up her label adding in new categories to her staple “work as hard as the woman wearing them” designs. Even the pandemic hasn’t stopped her from moving forward with the launch, this month, of an e-commerce component to her website.
Just on a technical side note, I did want to let all you listeners know that Nellie and I did our interview over Zoom video. So don’t be surprised by a couple of very minor audio issues and the sound of Nellie’s very friendly dog Mika barking with excitement while we chat. Also if you happen to be more of a visual learner, feel free to head over to my signature YouTube channel to watch the video version of this podcast in action.
Now, for all you future fashion designers out there my advice would be to take a page out of Nellie’s playbook. She launched her brand in the wake of the 2008 recession but since then she has continually been punching above her weight to create a knockout brand that has the potential to go all the way.
Image by Alec Kugler.