Having always had a strong love for fashion, designer Emily Jane Barker of Emily Jane started creating pieces as a young girl on her great aunt’s spinning wheel and grandmother’s sewing machine. With holidays spent in New York City wandering around the fashion district and marveling at the sights of 5th Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman’s windows, fashion became a permanent fixture in the future designer’s life.
Doing a one-year stint playing college tennis and pursuing a Criminology degree at Boise State, Emily Jane once again found fashion calling. After taking design classes at a local college near home, Emily Jane moved up to San Francisco and attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising where her designs transformed from sketches to actual ready-to-wear pieces.
Upon completing a degree in Fashion Design, Emily Jane worked on the design team at St. John Knits, and in 2006 with the commitment to develop her own line of elegant and sophisticated clothing, Emily Jane was launched.
I caught up with Emily Jane to pick her brain about her line, fashion, and other fun topics. This is what she had to say:
How would you describe your clothes?
Sophisticated, a bit romantic. Clothes that make women feel womanly.Timeless designs with modern touches.
Where do you grab your ideas from? What inspires you most when you create?
1940s and 1950s and old Hollywood style.
Who do you see wearing your clothes?
A confident woman who loves to turn heads and is a little romantic, but not afraid to be sexy. My designs can be worn by abroad age range.
Favorite designer? Designers you love/would love to collaborate with? Mentors?
Chanel, Lagerfeld, Herrera, Balenciaga (older), Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton
What’s your favorite piece that you’ve created to date?
The finale gown, which is basically a female version of a tuxedo.
Where do you feel upcoming designers fall in Fashion? How important are upcoming designers to be recognized in Fashion?
Upcoming designers are really important in that they keep established designers on their toes, bring a fresh take, have endless ideas, and an unjaded view of fashion.
What do you think the effect on fashion is of popular shows like Project runway, What Not to Wear, etc.? Do you think see these shows as a negative or positive thing?
Shows like Project Runway are great in that they give people a better idea of the development process, for example, the number of pattern pieces, etc.
Why choose San Francisco over more highly recognized cities in the fashion industry like New York or Los Angeles?
SF embodies elegance. I also love the weather.
What direction would you like to see your line develop towards?
I would like the line to expand, not into huge collections, but small, high quality collections that are obtainable by everyone. I am really big in having everything made in America.
Advice you’d give for people trying to break into the industry.
Make sure it’s what you want to do. Take classes. Fashion is something you must put your heart and soul into, full force. Don’t let people tell you that you’re not good enough.
Typical day in the life of Emily Jane Clothing?
Wake up and let my two miniature pinschers, Diesel and Olivia, out to cuddle in my bed with my husband of 4 years in September. Carpool with my husband to the office, work, go out for dinner, have a glass of wine, and off to bed.
Favorite things to do when you’re not working.
Play tennis. Go sailing. Do pilates. Big on traveling.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Either Florence or Positano.
If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing?
If having a family weren’t as important to me, I would be in the CIA, FBI, Navy, or some other civil service job.
Book you’re reading right now, or last book you read.
Currently reading The Late Victorian Holocaust. Last book read was either Gold Coast or Charm School.
Right or Left-handed?
Right.
If you were to create a “Soundtrack Of My Life” compilation, what songs would be in it?
Some of the songs I’d include are Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and Feeling Good by Michael Buble.
If you could have anyone’s wardrobe (dead or alive), whose would it be?
Marilyn Monroe
Favorite time of the day.
7pm or 8pm. Dinner time.
Piece of clothing or jewelry you could not live without?
Black stilettos or diamond earrings.
Best part about being a designer? Worst part about being a designer?
The best parts of being a designer is taking ideas and making it real, and seeing people in your garments and having them enjoy it.
The worst parts of being a designer are not thinking it’s ever good enough, and trying to make everyone happy.
What are you obsessing on these days?
Hoping everyone enjoys the show and getting the music right.
If you could choose between sleeping, eating, or being clean, which would you choose? Why?
Eating. I have so many fun memories made over food and going and trying new restaurants.
Favorite holiday.
Christmas, not for the presents, but for the feeling, family, the decorations, and the cute coats & scarves you get to see people wearing.
Five pieces of clothing every girl should have in her wardrobe.
Great pair of black pants
Great pair of jeans
Wrinkle free white buttoned-down
Beautiful black overcoat
Beautiful Strand of pearls
Take away message for your line?
I want women to imagine how beautiful they feel, and to be able to walk into the room and turn heads.
Where can we find your items?
Mingle in SF. Bettina Bella in Los Gatos. Emily Jane website.
