Designer Spotlight: Genevieve Primavera

With an innate interest in all of the arts, designer Mary-Elizabeth Primavera of Genevieve Primavera dabbled in music, dance, sewing, painting, crocheting, and even inventing at a young age. Taught by her mother and grandmother, Mary-Elizabeth would create clothes for her dolls, which eventually led to life-size pieces for herself and her friends.

Having her first career in Graphic Design, Mary-Elizabeth ventured into fashion professionally in her thirties designing pieces that evoke an artistic synergy of architecturally structured yet romantically inspired creations.

Genevieve Primavera will be premiering its Spring 2008 collection tonight at the SF Fashion Week runway.

I managed to catch up with Mary-Elizabeth and pick her brain about her line, fashion, and other fun topics. Here is what she had to say:

What does your label name mean? How was it chosen?
Genevieve has been alternative name that I have used for years. I always liked it better than my given name.

Tell me briefly about your path to becoming a designer.
Is there a path to becoming a designer? As long as I can remember, I have always been designing something.

How would you describe your clothes?
Sassy, fun, and avant-garde with a day-to-day practicality.

What was the theme for this collection?
Since San Francisco is such a candy shop of inspiration to the artist. My theme was to capture this architectural rhythm and romantic rhyme of the city in my spring collection.

Where do you grab your ideas from? What inspires you most when you create?
Music is definitely a huge inspiration when I work. My ideas are spawned from a collaboration of what I see people wear and what I think they will wear next, modern art, classic art, comic books, vintage advertising, video games, costume, fantasy, and so on.

Who do you see wearing your clothes?
Women who are in their 20s and up who are conscious about what they where from a fashion perspective and an ethical frame of mind.

Favorite designer? Designers you love/would love to collaborate with? Mentors?
Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and John Galliano. I’d especially love to meet Galliano. He just looks like a person who would be so much fun.

What’s your favorite piece that you’ve created to date?
I think my favorite will always be the black, wool Pixie Coat because it is so comfy and fun to wear. It is the most versatile piece of clothing in my wardrobe.

Where do you feel upcoming designers fall in Fashion? How important are upcoming designers to be recognized in Fashion?
I think upcoming designers are the fuel of the fashion industry. Though, they might not get the same publicity as the more established designers, fashion is all about what is fresh and new. The fashion engine is dependent upon the hottest looks. Where else are you going find anything as cutting edge?

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?
Honestly, I don’t really watch a whole lot of TV. I am sure the shows have their value and place, as they get people excited about the fashion industry and all that goes into it.

How do you feel about the recent focus on greener/organic methods of design?
I think it’s great. With all of the bad things we hear in the news today, it is reassuring that there are people who want to better the world in any way they can.

Why choose San Francisco over more highly recognized cities in the fashion industry like New York or Los Angeles?
San Francisco has got to be the most creative place on the planet. People tend to shy away from trends here, opting to be more individual. It is definitely a pool of inspiration and new ideas.

What direction would you like to see your line develop towards?
Bigger and better every year.

Advice you’d give for people trying to break into the industry.
Get a well-rounded education because there are many other factors of running a clothing business, other that just designing. Be prepared to work hard, stay up late, get up early, and skip many meals. Be flexible, be patient, and learn how to be in more than one place at the same time.

Typical day in the life of Genevieve Primavera.
Early mornings are spent home-schooling two of my children. Then I make phone calls, check emails, research, sketch, drive here and there, draft patterns, sew, write reports, make travel plans, cook, clean, work a little more, plug in a DVD of Deadwood, Seinfeld or whatever, go to sleep.

Favorite things to do when you’re not working.
Teaching my children. Taking off to the beach. Vegetating.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
That’s a hard one. The weather is perfect where I live now. I am close to the city, the country, the ocean. I think where I am now is my home base. Although, I would love to travel more leisurely in the future, I could possibly see having a second home in Europe one day.

If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing?
Trying to figure out what the hell to do with myself!

Book you’re reading right now, or last book you read.
Although one of my favorite authors of all time has always been Henry Miller, I find myself reading the Bible more lately. I am currently on a spiritual quest.

Right or Left-handed?
Right-handed when I write, both when I paint and draw.

If you were to create a “Soundtrack Of My Life” compilation, what songs would be in it?
Well, I am almost 40, so that would be a mighty long compilation. But seriously, I know this sounds really cheesy, but “The Winds of Change” by the Scorpions, “Ashes to Ashes” by Faith No More, that song sung by Mary in Jesus Christ Super Star, “Peep Show” by Siousxie and the Banshees (only because I played it so much as a teenager), and “Tonight” by David Bowie.

If you could have anyone’s wardrobe (dead or alive), whose would it be?
The wardrobe of the styling department for Vogue Italy.

Favorite time of the day.
Mornings

Piece of clothing or jewelry you could not live without?
A good bra.

Best part about being a designer? Worst part about being a designer?
Doing what I love to do best. Not being able to do what I love to do best all of the time.

What are you obsessing on these days?
A vacation.

If you could choose between sleeping, eating, or being clean, which would you choose? Why?
It’s a tie between eating and sleeping. I think when I was about eight and in the third grade I wrote a whole report on why those are my favorite pastimes!

Favorite holiday.
My children’s birthdays.

Five pieces of clothing every girl/guy should have in his/her wardrobe.
A great pair of shoes, a versatile coat, a comfy pair of slippers, a Pixie Coat, well-fitted jeans, and a dressy shirt. Oops. That was six.

Take away message for your line?
The message would be that it is possible to wear clothes that are made of natural and organic textiles, that don’t just look like a bowl of hemp cereal, that clothing can have flavor and heart coincide.

Where can we find your items?
This fall, my collection will appear in Bettina’s in Los Gatos, Dolce Moda in Royal Oak Michigan, Q Boutique in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, Bejewel in Houston, Betty Ann in Navato; and Moda Mi in Danville, Istina in Seattle, and Tea Room Boutique in New Jersey.

Designer Spotlight: Vian Hunter

“christy” dress

“I always dreamed of being in the fashion business but it took me 38 years to finally get a fashion design degree. Better late than never! The great thing about being in your late 30’s when you graduate is that you can go directly into business for yourself and bring your past business experience to use.” -Lisa Vian Hunter

When it comes to our life passions, “better late than never” is definitely true. Luckily for us, designer Lisa Vian Hunter shares that motto. With a deep-rooted love for fashion, Lisa Hunter grew up in the 70’s reading her mom’s Vogue magazines. Always dreaming to be in the fashion business, Lisa obtained a degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and set out to take the fashion world by storm. Armed with her degree, business background, and 20-plus years of fashion devotion, Lisa created Vian Hunter, her line of fashionably classic dresses and separates with a modern fit and quality fabrics.

Custom designing for select Bay Area clients since 2003, Vian Hunter brings her fashion visions to life on the SF Fashion Week runway this Thursday, August 23rd.

I recently tracked down Lisa Hunter and picked her brain about her line, fashion, and other fun topics. Here is what she had to say:
What does your label name mean? How was it chosen?
My label name is a combination of my maiden name (Vian–pronounced like Diane) and married name (Hunter). I’m in business with my husband so it made perfect sense to us to combine the two.

How would you describe your clothes?
Classically inspired, fashionable feminine, everyday elegant.

What was the theme for this collection?
All of my collections have a common theme: late 1950’s, early 60’s chic updated for the Y2K woman.

Where do you grab your ideas from? What inspires you most when you create?
Movies from the 50’s and 60’s, vintage Vogue magazines, Lauren Bacall, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, etc. Designing Woman was a favorite movie for me this season.

Who do you see wearing your clothes?
Any woman who appreciates the classics and loves silk against her skin.

Favorite designer? Designers you love/would love to collaborate with? Mentors?
John Galliano for Christian Dior. I would love to be a fly on the wall in his patternmaking and fitting rooms.

What’s your favorite piece that you’ve created to date?
The 3 gowns that are currently being sewn for the SFFW show. A dream come true to see the dresses evolve from design to final sewing. From my Spring 2008 collection it’s the “christy” dress, backless and made from the finest french brocade (with a matching coat). For holiday 2007 it’s “gail” a sequin skirt that has a silk charmeuse sash, lined in silk and comes in black or silver.

Where do you feel upcoming designers fall in Fashion? How important are upcoming designers to be recognized in Fashion?
Upcoming designers should be watched! At some point, someone is going to be the new designer for Christian Dior and Chanel. Yes, they should be recognized……if they have talent!

What do you think the effect on fashion is of popular shows like Project Runway, What Not to Wear, etc.? Do you see these shows as a negative or positive thing?
Project Runway has a huge impact, and I think it’s very important. I’ve spoken with men and women who know nothing about the fashion business, and they’re hooked on the show. If it gets people interested and talking about fashion, it’s a success.

How do you feel about the recent focus on greener/organic methods of design?
The focus on green/organic fashion is awesome. I think the trend will continue and I hope the prices drop so it becomes more accessible to the masses (wholesale and retail).

Why choose San Francisco over more highly recognized cities in the fashion industry like New York or Los Angeles?
San Francisco is a great starting point for a new designer. Of course if I was backed by a huge corporation I might head to L.A. or N.Y. But……..most of us are not. All my clothes are made in San Francisco, I was born and raised in the Bay Area, I love it here and will continue to support the garment district and local economy.

What direction would you like to see your line develop towards?
To continue to be able to buy the best European and American fabrics. Luxury.

Advice you’d give for people trying to break into the industry?
Try an internship. Get ready to work hard but in a great industry that you’ll love.

Typical day in the life of Vian Hunter.
5:45 a.m., up and off to the health club, home and get the kids to school, work, work, work, home for dinner, get the kids in the bath, bed and then pass out. In between, field 15 phone calls from my teenage daughter negotiating her social plans. Lot’s of trips to S.F. to oversee the factory and pattern makers.

Favorite things to do when you’re not working.
Hanging out with the kids, planning the next vacation.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Tuscany.

If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing?
At-home mom.

Book you’re reading right now, or last book you read.
Harry Potter.

Right or Left-handed?
Right.

Who are your favorite bands/musicians?
Best CD this year: Linkin Park, Minutes to Midnight

Favorite rock groups: Linkin Park, Muse, Pearl Jam, Madonna, Weezer

If you could have anyone’s wardrobe (dead or alive), whose would it be?
Audrey Hepburn.

Favorite time of the day.
8pm, if I’m not at work.

Piece of clothing or jewelry you could not live without?
My wedding ring.

Best part about being a designer? Worst part about being a designer?
Best: buying French fabric. Worst: working 7 days a week.

What are you obsessing on these days?
Getting the house in order.

If you could choose between sleeping, eating, or being clean, which would you choose? Why?
That’s a really bizarre question! (maybe eating? I do love to eat. But I also love to sleep and be clean!)

Favorite holiday.
New Years day. the store is closed and everything seems peaceful.

Five pieces of clothing every girl should have in her wardrobe.
Great fitting jeans, the perfect sexy black pump, boots if you like rock concerts, oversize cashmere sweater, the perfect fitting LBD.

Take away message for your line?
See What Happens When You Dress Up A Little?

Where can we find your items?
www.vianhunter.com

Designer Spotlight: Emily Jane

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 5^th 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.

Fashion Week Tickets!

Great news! SF Fashion Week was featured in the front page of today’s SF Examiner. The buzz is in the air, and with only two short days before designers from all over the Bay Area showcase their lovely creations at The Galleria at the San Francisco Design Center, there are only a few tickets available.

SF Fashion Week highlights include a couture exhibit by Isaac Mizrahi, after parties at amazing venues, the Appel & Frank shopping boutique, informative fashion workshops, and of course, a diverse offering of runway shows by our talented pool of Fashion Week designers!

Don’t miss out on the hottest ticket in town! GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

Designer Spotlight: The 615 Project

Jeanne Feldkamp working on a dress for the St. Vincent de Paul Discarded to Divine auction. Photo credit goes to T. Shane Gilman.

Currently on her fourth collection, Jeanne Feldkamp Creative Director of The 615 Project, was not always designing beautiful evening dresses and jackets. Graduating from the University of Southern California with a degree in Communications and a minor in International Relations, Jeanne worked in a software company for a few years until she moved up to Northern California.

Inspired to create her own shoes by a pair of sandals she owned with beads that constantly fell off and needed to be re-sewn, Jeanne consulted a shoe cobbler and attempted to make shoes and purses. Realizing that she was probably using excessive amounts of material, Jeanne decided to move up to San Francisco and take a more structured route by enrolling in a pattern making program at Apparel Arts. Three years, a couture and fashion seminar, and countless lab hours later, Jeanne completed her studies and began The 615 Project.

I had the chance to speak with Jeanne at her wonderfully, self-decorated San Francisco apartment about her line, fashion, and other fun topics. Here is what she had to say:

What does your label name mean? How was it chosen?
It’s a reference to the address of my first studio—615 Indiana Street. I wanted to keep it simple and something you can find on the Web.

How would you describe your clothes?
I kind of have a person in mind when I design the clothes for my line. She runs around traveling. She’s adventurous, jet-setting, but at the same time she’s not wearing suits. She’s comfortable in lots of situations. Right now I am doing more dresses and jacket with fabrics that travel well like silk-jersey. Materials that you can wad up and throw in a suitcase, but just as easily take a blow dryer to it, and it’s ready to use.

Where do you grab your ideas from? What inspired you most when you create?
Everywhere. My collections end up looking a lot like the space I’m living in, the interiors of houses and architecture. I also grab ideas from my travels. I’m currently starting a little India phase.

What was the theme for this collection?
Peace Corp meets Park Avenue—sort of urban safari. Urban edge, but the colors, textures, and some of the fabrics are more travel safari.

Who do you see wearing your clothes?
Everyone should wear my clothes! Most of the pieces are applicable for everyone. It has an element of casualness, and a feel of t-shirts because they are knit.

Favorite designer? Designers you love/would love to collaborate with? Mentors?
Christian Louboutin, Michael Kors, Narciso Rodriguez, and Isabelle Toledo.

What’s your favorite piece that you’ve created to date?
Fiona, which is a tan halter dress made from one piece of fabric. There was no cutting involved in the creation of the dress, and it only has 3 seams.

What do you think the effect on fashion is of popular shows like Project Runway, What Not to Wear, etc.? Do you see these shows as a negative or positive?
I love Project Runway. On the one hand, it’s good to have people interested in the process of designing. On the other hand, Project Runway is unrealistic in that the deadlines are not as tight as the shows. You’ll never have to make a dress in four hours. The show does not take into consideration the production side of the industry, nor do they show how to communicate with the production team regarding pricing, etc. Those things are just as important as the design.

How do you feel about the recent focus on greener/organic methods of design?
I think it’s really cool. The awareness of green processes is always a good thing, but I think it’s also maybe a little misleading. If you have a fabric that’s made from bamboo, bamboo is a sustainable plant, but if that bamboo is grown in China where the land is an old forest, that is a lot of resources being used. Is that bamboo greener than cotton grown in Texas for example, when you take into consideration the shipping, etc.

Overall, I think the general public being aware that the apparel industry isn’t the greenest, people learning more about it, and pushing for greener processes is a good thing because it can bring about good changes.

Why choose San Francisco over more highly recognized cities in the fashion industry like New York or Los Angeles?
I like living here. I used to live in L.A., and I didn’t design clothes when I moved here. It just so happened that I lived here when I was designing. I think it’s good to live in a less recognized city because you get more opportunities to stand out. People are really interested in small designers here, and people in San Francisco are always looking for new and different things.

What direction would you like to see your line develop towards?
I think the sort of direction I’m taking with this collection is where I am heading, which is more cocktail dresses and jackets. Lots of people ask me about Menswear, so I may do some Men’s jackets next season, but that was not my plan originally.

Advice you’d give people trying to break into the fashion industry.
When I started, people asked if I was going to work for someone else. I felt I knew just enough to be gung-ho about it. I didn’t quite know enough to be scared, and I think that’s a good place to be to start any venture of any kind.

In retrospect, I’m glad I did it and did not go to work for someone else and freak out about it. I wish I spent time learning more about other things like fabric pricing. You can either learn as you go and spend a lot of money doing it, or you can do a ton of research, especially on the production side because that is what costs money.

The business has 2% to do with the design, and 98% with everything else. Don’t rely on your design business to give you income for a few years. You will need another means of making money while you are building your portfolio.

A good book to read is The Entrepreneurs Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing by Kathleen Fasanella, although it might scare you.

Typical day in the life of The 615 Project.
It really depends on what I am working on at the moment. Everyday, the first things that happen is I get up and check my emails and stagger outside to get a latte, sometimes in reverse order. I usually spend a couple of hours on writing projects.

The design process is very cyclical. The actual designs take about a month. I spend about a month or two sketching and coming up with concepts and diagramming. 2 months are spent for every collection to really focus on fabric sourcing. I make lots of phone calls, calling and describing what I want and talking about prices. A huge amount of time is spent making sure all pieces have other pieces that they relate to. I try to use the same construction details. There is a lot of editing involved. I never make out more samples than what ends up in the collection.

Favorite things to do when you’re not working.
Decorate my apartment. Architecture and design. I’m sort of obsessed with the San Francisco real estate market. I love to travel.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I love San Francisco. I could also live in a ski house in Whistler.

If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t designing, I’d be renovating and flipping houses.

Book you’re reading right now, or last book you read.
Harry Potter.

Right or left-handed?
Right.

If you were to create a “Soundtrack of My Life” compilation, what songs would be in it?
These are Days by 10,000 Maniacs; Open Road Song by Eve 6; I Am the Highway by Audio Slave; Whiskey and Water by Uncle Kracker (I think it’s a funny song); and Problem Child by ACDC.

If you could have anyone’s wardrobe (dead or alive), whose would it be?
Diane von Furstenburg! That’s whose wardrobe I’d steal! She looked amazing in the 70s, and she looks amazing now. She really embraces color and texture and bold prints, which I love. She exudes confidence and creativity and elegance. And she’s evolved the way she dresses over the years, so it’s always appropriate for where she’s at in her life. I think I could probably grab anything from her closet and look fabulous now—or 30 years from now.

Favorite time of the day?
Early evening.

Piece of clothing or jewelry you could not live without?
Stretchy jeans. If stretchy jeans did not exist, I would be an unhappy camper.

Best part about being a designer? Worst part about being a designer?
The best part about being a designer is in situations when a person walks into a store looking for something, and they can’t find it anywhere. When that happens to me, I can go ahead and make it.

The worst part about being a designer is designers make a tenth of what people think they do and work ten times as hard. Small designers are constantly seeking media opportunities, making new clothes, putting out money for fabric, selling, and staying on top of a ton of things. If I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t do it. It’s also harder to travel.

What are you obsessing on these days?
The interior of my apartment. Food and cooking—I am already planning Thanksgiving dinner.

If you could choose between sleeping, eating, or being clean, which would you choose? Why?
I’d choose being clean because I’ve gone without sleep and food, but I can’t function without being clean.

Favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving because it’s not about the presents. It’s just about hanging out with the family, eating, watching football, and playing boardgames.

Five pieces of clothing every girl should have in her wardrobe?
Stretchy jeans
Really hot black pencil skirts
Super cute cocktail dress
Great leather jacket
Some stilettos

Take away message for your line?
Wearing something special and sophisticated can be as easy and comfortable as wearing a t-shirt and jeans. Eveningwear doesn’t have to mean formal wear!

Where can we find your items?
Check my website.

 

Designer Spotlight: Kirribilla

Amanda Thomas, Faye Davison Rexing, and Phoebe Davison

Having been taught the basics of sewing by their mothers at a young age and a love for all things fashion-related, it seems only natural that best friends Faye Davison Rexing, Amanda Thomas, and Phoebe Davison of Kirribilla would venture into creating their own fashion line. After a formal college education at Santa Clara University (Faye) and University of California, Berkeley (Amanda) and a few years in corporate-type roles, they decided to take patternmaking and other classes at the City College of San Francisco to further their fashion skills.

With the intent to create a dress style that was even more feminine than what was currently available to them—a style that would consistently turn heads and earn compliments—the three designers took their business background and the skills they acquired from their fashion classes, and Kirribilla was born.

Creating classically chic dresses with a certain je ne sais quoi, the three have managed to simultaneously design cutting edge pieces and satiate their passion of “dressing up for parties and any other events that give them an excuse to wear a dress”.

I caught up with these lovely ladies and picked their brains about their line, fashion, and other fun topics. Here is what they had to say:

What does your label mean? How was it chosen?
The name Kirribilla is Aussie in origin. Amanda spent six months working for her firm in Sydney, Australia and became fond of the suburb named Kirribilli—a cute little beachy town where the Prime Minister lives across from the Opera House and Circular Quay. Kirribilla is a derivation of Kirribilli. We wanted our label to have a resorty/beachy feel to it and thought the name Kirribilla was perfect.

How would you describe your clothes?
Head-turning feminine dresses with romantic necklines, flirty sleeves, and classic silhouettes.

What was the theme for this collection?
1940’s Hawaii—think Kate Beckinsale in Pearl Harbor. We incorporated hints of island flora and colors and shapes of the Pacific coastline.

Where do you grab your ideas from? What inspires you most when you create?
Places we have traveled and lived, the important people in our lives who like to dress up such as our mothers who have a very sophisticated and classically beautiful sense of style, studying history. A lot of our ideas come to mind as we work with the fabrics on the dress form and watch things come alive. For this collection, we drew on some of our favorite places we’ve been to in Hawaii (on Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island) and classic Hawaiian style elements like the ruffles that hint at muumuus that Amanda wore as a little girl on her trips there.

Who do you see wearing your clothes?
Classically chic women who love to play up their femininity and stand out in a crowd. We can tell who we’d be thrilled if they wore one of our dresses to a social function and that would be knockouts like Reese Witherspoon, Rachel Bilson, Naomi Watts, Sienna Miller, Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, or Keira Knightly.

Favorite designer? Designers you love/would love to collaborate with? Mentors?
We love Zac Posen, Thakoon, and Marc Jacobs. It would be really fun to collaborate with Sass and Bide, Rodarte, or maybe on a few bridal gowns with Monique Lhullier.

What’s your favorite piece that you’ve created to date?
Probably the Pele dress from our upcoming SS08 collection.

Favorite things to do when you’re not working?
Playing tennis in Alta Plaza Park, hosting dinner parties, trying new restaurants, and other hot spots in the city, watching The Office reruns on Tivo, checking out GenArt featured film previews each month and spending time with our family and friends.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Besides San Francisco or London, of course, we’d live in a poolside suite at the Hotel du Cap in Antibes, France.

Book you’re reading right now, or last book you read.
Everyone Worth Knowing

Right or Left-handed?
Right.

If you could have anyone’s wardrobe (dead or alive), whose would it be?
Audrey Hepburn.

Favorite time of the day.
Dusk.

Best part about being a designer?
Seeing your creations come to life just as you imagined them. Seeing girls put on one of your dresses and just beam at themselves in the mirror at how pretty they feel. And all of the firsts—the first time a store puts your dress in a window, the first time you see someone you don’t know wearing one of your designs, the first time you’re written up in the press. Those are the best parts. Worst part about being a designer? All the late nights and weekends spent cutting out fabric and stepping on pins.

Favorite holiday?
We were split between Christmas, Halloween or Boxing Day.

Five pieces of clothing every girl should have in her wardrobe?
A fabulous pair of shoes and four Kirribilla dresses.

Take away message for your line?
“You’re way too cute to wear pants!”

Where can we find your items?
Abigail Morgan on Union Street in San Francisco and www.brittique.com in the UK.

Designer Spotlight: Vindyco

Established in 2004, Vindyco designer Cindy Vo has been designing since the tender age of 14. This precocious designer’s early creations were precursors to the flirty and daring designs she creates today for the modern and fearless girl.

Currently residing in San Francisco, Cindy Vo has contributed to countless fashion shows and will be presenting her bold and innovative collection on Saturday, August 25th at SF Fashion Week.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Cindy about her line, fashion, and other fun topics. Here is what she had to say:

What does your label name mean? How was it chosen?
Vindyco is my name backwards. It’s a nickname I had in middle school that just stuck.

How would you describe your clothes?
Fun, flirty, feminine.

Where do you grab your ideas from? What inspired you most when you create?
All my inspiration comes from music. When I design, I listen to my iPod and do a lot of draping to come up with my designs. I like to take the trends that occur and make them more of my own, unique style.

Who do you see wearing your clothes?
Definitely girls who like to stand out. Girl who are more daring in what they wear, more edgy, and like to make a statement with their clothing.

Favorite designer? Designers you love/would love to collaborate with? Mentors?
Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana, Anna Sui, Betsey Johnson, and Vivienne Westwood.

What’s your favorite piece that you’ve created to date?
The dress I wore to the W Hotel party. I just think it’s super cute.

What do you think the effect on fashion is of popular shows like Project Runway, What Not to Wear, etc.? Do you see these shows as a negative or positive?
I’m actually always getting asked if I’ll be joining Project Runway. These shows make fashion more mainstream, which is good because it allows people to know that it’s much harder than it looks.

Why choose San Francisco over more highly recognized cities in the fashion industry like New York or Los Angeles?
I think San Francisco is getting there. I came from Sacramento and grew up in the Bay. San Francisco is a sort of a stepping stone.

What direction would you like to see your line develop towards?
My goal is to own my own boutique with my clothing, headquartered in San Francisco. I’m a West Coast girl.

Advice you’d give people trying to break into the fashion industry.
It’s all about networking. Go out and try to meet all the people you can—huge, huge thing. Go to local fashion shows, and talk to designers and ask how they got involved.

Typical day in the life of Vindyco.
I’m a workaholic. Right now I’m working at Zara as a manager. I’m also a big homebody.

Favorite things to do when you’re not working.
Going out to eat. Food! Making big dinners, pigging out. I’m always on the Internet browsing Style.com and reading magazines.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Somewhere in Europe.

If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing?
International business—something business related.

Book you’re reading right now, or last book you read.
The last book I read was “The Fashion Designers Survival Guide,” by Mary Gehlhar.

If you could have anyone’s wardrobe (dead or alive), whose would it be?
Carrie Bradshaw.

Favorite time of the day?
Night time. I get most of my creativity late at night.

Piece of clothing or jewelry you could not live without?
My Hello Kitty rhinestone necklace.

Best part about being a designer? Worst part about being a designer?
The best part is the fashion shows. It’s so fun, crazy, stressful, and chaotic, but it’s still worth it in the end. Getting to meet all these great people. It’s one huge party. The worst part is sewing everything.

What are you obsessing on these days?
Always shopping.

If you could choose between sleeping, eating, or being clean, which would you choose?
Eating.

Favorite holiday?
Christmas

Five pieces of clothing every girl should have in her wardrobe?
Great black dress.
Great pair of boots to go with everything.
Great trench coat.
Great pair of jeans.
Great pair of earrings.

Take away message for your line?
I want women to see my clothing as something they can wear; fashion-forward, not just stuff at Forever 21. I also want people to see me as a great designer and really like my clothing. I’d like women to think, “I want that dress. I really have to have that dress. I HAVE to have it!”

Where can we find your items?
Right now I’m getting commissioned to do designs through collaborations. You can drop by my website, and check out my stuff.

 

Designer Spotlight: Dcepcion

Dan and Dave Concepcion

Switching from a Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in illustration and graphic design to an Apparel Design and Merchandising program, Bay Area natives Daniel and David Concepcion debut their first full collection under their label Dcepcion.

Having previously graced the SF Fashion Week runways through the “Emerging Stars” show in 2006, the twins gave San Francisco a taste of their vision with three men’s wear looks. This year, the twin brothers will be presenting their Spring/Summer 2008 collection titled “Street Society”, which incorporates street-wear aesthetics into classic tailored pieces and springs inspirations from early 90’s comic books and details from the 1930’s and 1940’s.

I recently caught up with the dynamic duo to pick their brains about their line, fashion, and other fun topics. Here is what they had to say:

What does your label name mean? How was it chosen?
Dcepcion initially started as a combination of our first and last names, but later developed into the concept for our label, using it in a more literal sense. We thought it was a perfect name that would give us the freedom to change our direction with every collection, and basically give us the ability to design what we like without sticking to one particular niche or style.

How would you describe your clothes?
We would describe our clothes for this collection as street-wear inspired ready-to-wear for both men and women. We wanted to design clothes that the consumer could incorporate into their existing wardrobe. Our pieces are versatile, and can be mixed and matched for any outfit, day or night.

Where do you grab your ideas from? What inspired you most when you create?
When designing we pull inspiration from many things including music, art, and utility. Observation also plays a big part in our inspiration for our clothes. We like to look at what people are wearing on the streets, often developing our designs around the idea of them actually becoming staples in people’s wardrobe.

Who do you see wearing your clothes?
The people we see wearing our clothes are men and women in their early 20’s to mid 30’s, who prefer to dress casually, but still want to look put together.

Favorite designer? Designers you love/would love to collaborate with? Mentors?
Our favorite designer would have to be Marc Jacobs. His ability to design highly creative, yet wearable clothing is something that we admire and aspire towards. We also respect the work of several high-end street-wear designers, for their attention to detail and quality. Some of them include Hiroshi Fujiwara, Nice Collection and Jean Touitou.

What’s your favorite piece that you’ve created to date?
Our favorite piece we’ve created to date would have to be our 8-pocket denim jacket. Being able to incorporate a high level of utility into a jacket, while still keeping a clean aesthetic is something we always wanted to design, and we think we achieved it with this piece.

Where do you feel upcoming designers fall in Fashion?
We think upcoming designers are very important to the industry because they are the ones who will eventually dictate the future of fashion. Upcoming designers have something new to offer outside of what the big brands are producing.

What do you think the effect on fashion is of popular shows like Project Runway, What Not to Wear, etc.? Do you see these shows as a negative or positive?
The popularity of shows like Project Runway, and What Not to Wear, have a positive effect on fashion. They have made fashion accessible to the masses. Project Runway has been very good at revealing how much hard work goes into designing, and how much skill is involved in being a designer. What Not to Wear shows how fashion can improve an individual’s self image, and change their lifestyle.

How do you feel about the recent focus on greener/organic methods of design?
The focus on greener/organic methods of design is definitely a step in the right direction. It’s definitely something that we plan to venture into with future collections. Anything that supports conservation and helping the environment is always a positive thing, and will definitely play a big part in the future of fashion.

Why choose San Francisco over more highly recognized cities in the fashion industry like New York or Los Angeles?
We chose San Francisco because there’s something unique about the city, in terms of how people wear their clothes, not only in aesthetic ways, but also out of necessity. San Francisco gives us the freedom to design whatever we like. For example, we could design a wool sweater for summer, and it would work. As a San Francisco designer, you’re encouraged to be unique, and individuality is something that is very important to the people who live here.

 

What direction would you like to see your line develop towards?
We would like our line to develop into a lifestyle brand. We would love to create other products and accessories that will keep our ideas fresh and creative. We also hope to launch a full men’s wear line, and possibly a children’s line in the future.

Advice you’d give people trying to break into the fashion industry.
Some advice we would give to people trying to break into the industry is to be prepared. Learn the craft, be creative, and always choose quality above anything else. Quality, not only style, is what sells clothes.

Typical day in the life of Dcepcion.
A typical workday in the life of the Concepcion twins usually starts in the evening. We like to put on a good playlist of our favorite music, and do all of our sewing, pattern work, and cutting through the night, usually starting around 9pm and working until about 7am the following morning. The reason we work at night is because it’s the only time where we feel there are no distractions, and we can focus on what we’re doing completely. We squeeze in a few hours of sleep and are usually up and out the door around 10am for meetings, to run errands, or to buy fabrics. We usually take time out to relax during the day, checking email, updating our website, and sketching new ideas, before we resume our nightly work schedule.

Favorite things to do when you’re not working.
Our favorite thing to do when we’re not working is going out and having a couple drinks, or dinner with our friends.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
If we could live anywhere in the world it would have to be Europe, at least for a few years.

If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing?
If we weren’t designing, we would probably be working as graphic designers, or going back to school to get our master in fine arts.

Book you’re reading right now, or last book you read.
The last book we’ve read was “The Fashion Designers Survival Guide,” by Mary Gehlhar. A good read and overview for anyone for thinking about starting their own fashion design business.

Right or left-handed?
We’re both right-handed.

If you were to create a “Soundtrack of My Life” compilation, what songs would be in it?
If we were to create a “Soundtrack of Our Life” it would include too many songs to list, from a bunch of artists. If we were to do a “Soundtrack of the Moment” some of the songs we would definitely choose would be, “No Sleep ’til Brooklyn” by the Beastie Boys, “Make Yourself” and “A Certain Shade of Green” by Incubus, “Pretty Green” by Mark Ronson, and “Find A Way” by A Tribe Called Quest.

If you could have anyone’s wardrobe (dead or alive), whose would it be?
If we could have anyone’s wardrobe it would have to be Hidetoshi Nakata.

Favorite time of the day?
Our favorite time of the day is at night. We do most of our best work at night, and it’s when we’re the most creative.

Piece of clothing or jewelry you could not live without?
The pieces of clothing that we could not live without would have to be a v-neck cashmere pullover and a pair of premium denim jeans.

Best part about being a designer? Worst part about being a designer?
The best part of being a designer is seeing your idea transform into an actual tangible product. The worst part of being a designer is trying to find a balance between what you want to create, and what the consumer wants.

What are you obsessing on these days?
The thing we’re obsessing about the most these days is starting our own business.

If you could choose between sleeping, eating, or being clean, which would you choose? Why?
We would choose being clean over sleeping and eating. Not only in a hygienic sense, but also in an organizational way as well. We can get more work done when we’re organized, and it’s less stressful knowing where everything is.

Favorite holiday?
Our favorite holiday is New Years. It’s always great to look back at what you have accomplished during the year, and it makes us look forward to the future.

Five pieces of clothing every guy should have in his wardrobe?
5 pieces of clothing that every guy should have in his wardrobe would have to be a pair of premium denim jeans, a collared button down shirt, a v-neck cashmere pullover, a pair of low-top converse, and fitted/tailored jacket. These pieces are a good base for any guy’s wardrobe.

Take away message for your line?
“Clean and versatile design”.

Where can we find your items?
You can find our items in select boutiques in San Francisco early next year.

 

Fete, Fashion, & Fun

SF Fashion Week is pleased to bring you more fashion-filled events to complement your social calendar.

On Tuesday, August 14th, we have not one, but two great affairs for your pleasure. First up, dcepcion will be holding a trunk show at MINGLE where they will give a sneak peak of select pieces from their collection before its public debut at Fashion Week.

To attend, please RSVP by sending an e-mail, or calling 415.674.8811.

When you finish mingling (pun intended), swing on over to farmerbrown and celebrate with SF Fashion Week designer The 615 Project. Enjoy $5 Hangar One specialty cocktails and farm-fresh soul food small bites while you hobnob with Jeanne Feldkamp, The 615 Project Creative Director, and other fashionable San Francisco locals.

Onerary Event

This Saturday, August 11th, join SF Fashion Week designer Onerary for a fundraising event at EcoLogiQue. From 3pm to 9pm, enjoy some food and drinks, listen to a live DJ spin, and participate in a high grade raffle.

Presented by asiwouldsay.
EcoLogiQue is located at 141 Gough Street, San Francisco.