Designer Interviews
Designer Spotlight – Christina Fan
Christina Fan
Christina Fan
C/FAN is a Chicago based label launched in 2008 by designer Christina Fan. Fan studied history at Northwestern University but found herself inexplicably attracted to the world of fashion and design. C/FAN began as a collection of winter coats and basic t-shirts and has since evolved to include Saville Row inspired suiting, diaphanous dresses and separates. The label has garnered a cult following for the luxe, beautiful fabrics and precise, refined tailoring. C/FAN collections all draw upon various inspirations from the worlds of art, music, film and pop culture. Each collection has a narrative character or central theme. Influences include the brooding, fierce Dagny Taggart, the illicit Opium dens of 1920′s China, the many eccentric characters of Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood and a vintage Claude Montana shirt.
We asked Christina a few questions. Here is what she had to say!
1. Who are you as a designer?
As a designer I am constantly shifting and growing, however, at my core I am a woman that loves timeless pieces that are effortless. This is the crux of my design aesthetic.
2. What is your inspiration for your line?
Every season there is a different inspiration. Whether it’s a character from pop culture, a feeling or a sound. It constantly changes. Fall 2010 was inspired by the Ayn Rand character, Dagny Taggart. Spring 2011 will be an exploration of a different facet of that personality.
3. Who is your design muse?
Lately my muses have been women that I would love to dress. One of my muses for Fall 2010, along with the fictional character, Dagny Taggart, was the cellist, Jacqueline du Pre.
4. What are your upcoming events?
Chictopia.com’s Media Tech Summit in NY, The Italian Expo and Chicago Fashion Focus
5. How can customers find your line?
The line is carried by SHE Boutique, Sofia Vintage and Cerato Boutique
To find out more about Christina Fan and her line check out her website.
Designer Spotlight: Stephanie Kuhr
Stephanie Kuhr
Stephanie Kuhr
Stephanie Kuhr is a current resident of the Chicago Fashion Incubator. She has studied at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her line is called Dottie’s Delights and includes vintage inspired lingerie and foundation wear. Her pieces are one of a kind and exquisitely detailed. They are chic and sophisticated and help to create a more flattering silhouette.
We asked Kuhr a few questions. Here is what she had to say!
1. Who are you as a designer?
I love working with shape wear and foundation garments, designing detailed and structured feminine garments for a woman to look and feel her best on her most important glam events. You may have a show-stopper of a gown, but if everything isn’t taken care of underneath there, it’s just not going to work! So I like to take care of the women I design for — celebrate their curves! It is also somewhat of a mental assurance to feel the support of a good foundation, it helps with posture and I always feel like I walk around with more grace and confidence.
2. What is your inspiration for your line?
I have always had an affinity for the past and vintage aesthetic, especially mid-century fashion. There has always been something about the classic Hollywood glamor that really struck me. I love finding and researching vintage imagery wherever I can find it. I am also very inspired by the burlesque scene that is going so strong right now. There are so many wonderfully empowered women bringing back the art of tease with intelligence and class, really bringing the fun back into it!
3. Who is your design muse?
I don’t have a specific muse, but I do keep an eye on certain pin-up artists and burlesque ladies, both old and new. Some of the models I work have come to influence my designs as well. Then, of course, I always try to keep in mind the everyday woman as well, because while the fantasy is fun of models and performers, I want to help every woman feel as glamorous as these women in the body that she has been given!
4. What are your upcoming events?
I’m hoping to put together a really special “pin-up photo shoot party” to celebrate the launch of my new collection. It will be a day full of pampering and hair/make-up tips from professionals to transform participants into a pin-up for a day…with a special photo souvenir of you looking your best in Dottie’s Delights lingerie! This will hopefully happen sometime around November, just in time for the holidays!
5. How can customers find your line?
Come Spring, watch out for Dottie’s Delights at select retailers and specialty stores, but in the meantime, you can order custom lingerie for any specific need through my etsy store at dottiesdelights.etsy.com or by email. (dottiesdelights@gmail.com) Custom fittings and consultations at the CFI at Macy’s on State by appointment only.
Here is a glimpse at just a few of Kuhr’s looks.
To find out more about Stephanie Kuhr check out her blog and website.
Designer Spotlight – Miriam Cecilia Carlson
Miriam Cecilia Carlson
Miriam Cecilia Carlson
Miriam Cecilia Carlson discovered her love for fashion at a young age and chose to pursue her dream to become a fashion designer by attending Dominican University.
Miriam gained experience as an intern for Zzazz Productions and during her time abroad in Paris where she learned millinery from Jean Paul Gaultier’s milliner and draping techniques from Mme Gres’ seamstresses. These experiences helped her discover her own signature techniques.
Miriam has received many honors and awards. In 2008 she was recognized at Dominican University’s Annual Fashion show for the Best Overall Design. The same year she was chosen to be a part of the Driehause Fashion Show Award of Excellence. In 2009 she won Best Senior Collection at Dominican University. She has also been awarded the Creativity in Fashion award by the Cook County Treasurer. Miriam graduated from Dominican University in May of 2009 Magna Cum Laude.
Miriam began selling her m.c.c. line at Verse Chicago Boutique in 2009. In 2010 she became a Designer in Residence of the Chicago Fashion Incubator. Now a days Miriam is popping up all over Chicago. Just a few weeks ago she walked the red carpet at Macy’s Passport Presents Glamorama 2010 when she designed one of the event’s Office Max supply dresses using only notebooks, brass facets, leather, and a zipper.
Her collections comprise of cocktail dresses, evening dresses, and separates. Miriam’s detailed draping and manipulation of fabric give her pieces her signature look. Her designs look elegant yet effortless. She has something for any woman at any moment in life.
We asked Miriam a few questions. Here is what she had to say!
1. Who are you as a designer?
I grew up occupying my time as a child with sketching girls in ball gowns, staying up late sewing with my mother for 4-H, playing dress up and making Grecian dresses out of sheer curtains. Little did I know that the “girl” I drew would become my classic fashion illustration model, the sewing skills my mother taught me would carry me through college and into producing my own clothing line, and those “curtain dresses” were the beginning of discovering my signature draping technique. I am now 23 and living a dream that I could never fully admit until now. I am currently launching my clothing line: miriam cecilia. I thrive off of working in the city of Chicago and being one of the six Designers in Residents at the Chicago Fashion Incubator. My family lives out in the country where I am able to escape, breathe, and find my inspiration.
2. What is your inspiration for your line?
I believe that it is the small moments in life that are the ones worth
exploring. I am drawn to the spontaneous moments found in nature and the simple everyday emotions we feel. I like to take in the world around me and let the organic moment and natural colors translate into a collection that tells a story. My desire to find meaning in life inspires not only the designs of my garments but also the process of construction. The development of each new piece is a journey, where I allow the fabric to respond organically to my manipulation.
3. Who is your design muse?
I do not look to people for inspiration… I like to play off of emotions and how they reflect in the natural world. A snapped branch to me represents a relationship being broken apart or a fern curving into itself demonstrates how people can always come back to each other. The thick birch forest is my muse, the mist hovering the pasture in the early morning is my muse.
4. What are your upcoming events?
Fashion’s Night Out- September 10th, Macy’s on State St: miriam cecilia will be showcased where people can place special orders
Italian Expo- September 17, 18, 19, Navy Pier: miriam cecilia will be on display and on the runway for viewers to chose as their favorite
5. How can customers find your line?
Contact miriam@miriamceciliacarlson.com to inquire on a selected garment or a special order.
Here are a few looks from her Fall 2010 collection.
Check out the rest of Miriam’s Fall 2010 collection here.
Style Studio – Designer Interview Melissa Baswell
In 2010, we will be getting down to business….And that’s the business of designers. Our next chat session is with Chicago Designer, Melissa Baswell who dishes on her inspirations, the world as an eco-focused designer and what she is doing for Spring…
Ava Cami paired with Chloe Pants - Spring 2010
Who are you as a designer?
Well first and foremost I’m a woman who appreciates chic, timeless style. Since I was a child, I’ve been drawn to classic fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn. She wore clothing with simple lines, but she always stood out because she had an eye for what worked for her body and the female form in general. I think that as a designer, my particular design aesthetic is a result of this admiration for simple but striking beauty in fashion. I find myself creating garments with clean, graceful lines that complement the body. I want the woman who wears my designs to feel effortless and elegant. Sustainable design is also very important to me. From my start as a designer, I have only used eco-friendly fabrics and materials, and have always produced locally in sweatshop-free environments.
Morgan Dress - Spring 2010
What is your inspiration for your current/upcoming line?I named my Spring 2010 collection “Etendue Sauvage dans la Grande Ville” which translates to “Wilderness in the City” or “Urban Wilderness.” My line in general has always drawn inspiration from the concept of discovering nature in urban environments, and I really wanted to touch on that for this collection. The designs are elegant and slightly romantic, but with an edge. Fields of wildflowers and ocean waves are represented through draping , ruffled detailing and floral prints, and are contrasted with symbols of urban landscapes, represented through tiered detailing and sharp lines.
Who is your design muse?
Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve always been incredibly inspired by Audrey Hepburn. This goes beyond just the way she dressed and her role as a style icon. She was smart and graceful, had a very care-free, undemanding demeanor, and managed to make simple feel glamorous in everything from the way she spoke to the way she moved. These are the kind of qualities I want to convey through my designs.
How can customers find your line?
Online at www.mountainsofthemoon.com, and at select boutiques throughout the country, as well as in Canada, Australia, Sweden and Japan.
Style Studio – Designer Interview Brynn Capella
In 2010, we will be getting down to business….And that’s the business of designers. Our next chat session is with Chicago Designer, Brynn Capella who dishes on her inspirations, Fall 2010 show plans and what she thinks will be hot this year…
Who are you as a designer?
I am a Southern California native, who now makes the windy city of Chicago
my home. I like mixing my laid-back Southern California attitude with my
new urban Chicago lifestyle. The result is a line that embodies the spirit
of individuality, while combining classic elegance with everyday casual.
Brynn Capella Heather Clutch - Metallic
My love of pop and modern rock music, understated color hues, nature,
architecture and geometric shapes all influence my designs.
I am in love with simple, clean lines that still make a statement, just
not over the top. I have a philosophy that less will always be more. And I
feel that my collection is a welcome break from this trend of super-styled
(and often over-styled) handbags.
I simply don’t believe in mass-production. Every design is produced in limited quantities to keep each piece personal and unique.
Brynn Capella Eddie Tote - Magano Varu Leather
What is your inspiration for your current/upcoming line?
I am inspired by simplicity. My desire is to create collections that
could have come out 10 years ago or 10 years from now. I love mixing
genres as well; for example, a hard edge leather in a clean classic style
mixed with beautiful colored linings.
My inspiration for Spring 2010, came from my love of rock ‘n roll
(I worked in the industry for almost 10 years), my upbringing in California
(for the colors), my girly-girl nature and my sense of sophistication.
Who is your design muse?
hmmm that is a good question. I like to think I am. But I guess if I had
to name someone famous, I would say Jennifer Aniston. I love her sense of
laid back sophistication. Otherwise, it’s my friends, I name all of my
styles after the friend who inspired it.
What are your upcoming events?
Battle of the Boutiques @ Lumen on February 26th and One of a Kind Show in December
(I don’t do a lot of Spring events…)
How can customers find your line?
brynncapella.com, Studio-808.com, ebags.com,
fine boutiques and trunk shows/events
THANK YOU BRYNN!
-STUDIO-808
Style Studio – Designer interview with Horacio Nieto
In 2010, we will be getting down to business….And that’s the business of designers. We started our first chat session with Chicago Designer, Horacio Nieto who dishes on his inspirations, Fall 2010 show plans and what he thinks will be hot this year…
Horacio Nieto - Viviana Dress
Who are you as a designer?
I am just a designer that loves what he does and wants to make pieces that men and women will want to wear and express their personalities.
What is your inspiration for your line?
I have two fall collections. The womenswear is inspired by a futuristic,chic look.
I wanted to keep the collection simple but yet with much design and thought into each piece. We are using style lines, strong shoulders and the fabrics to portray the look and feel. the menswear is inspired by American revolution. we are making the pieces very strong and manly with very rich, vibrant war colors.
Who is your design muse?
My muse is the personality of a strong woman who loves to express herself with her clothing and has the confidence in herself to make her stand out.
What are your Fall 2010 trend predictions?
I think we will see great military inspired pieces for the men in many different colors, but the strong silhouettes will be apparent.
What are your upcoming events?
I am having my fall/winter 2010 fashion show on April 10th. I will be debuting both the womenswear and menswear collections. guests can purchase their tickets and get more details at www.horacionieto.com
Horacio Nieto - Fashion Week 2009
How can customers find your line?
Along with studio-808.com, Customers can go to either of my web sites and make their purchases. www.horacionieto.com www.arlomenswear.com
THANKS AND ALL THE BEST!
-STUDIO-808
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Studio-808, Inc. is the brainchild of Erin Creaney, a PR executive with a near-athletic enthusiasm for emerging designers. Finding herself searching the city for great designers with new and different looks, she knew a larger operation was in order. What's more, she felt the world needed to know about the fashion percolating in the Windy City. Thus was born Studio-808.com.
