Catching up with Dannijo

I'm a strong believer in using jewelry to update my wardrobe and take my pieces in different directions depending on my mood. I happen to be a huge style chameleon so I never like to overcommit to one particular look. Some days I like to be edgy and some days I like to be extremely feminine, so when I found Dannijo I fell in love instantly.

The Dannijo collection always consists of big, bold statement pieces that can shift between hard, soft, girly, rocker, vintage, and cultural sometimes all within the same piece. Their pieces have been a huge hit among celebrities, it-girls, and fashion insiders and this week they took over the coveted window spot in Henri Bendel! I recently stopped by Bendels to check out the bits and baubles and caught up with the girls behind the line, sisters Danielle and Jodie Snyder.

Take me through the Spring/Summer collection:

Everything is handmade in New York. We always try to infuse our two personalities of rock and roll bohemian with classic glamour. This season we focused a lot on the surf culture and bohemian pieces. We have a lot of bib necklaces which are signature statement pieces that you can throw on with anything. From a design perspective, we did a look where it takes you from the same woman how she can dress sophisticated and elegant and move into a bohemian girl. For Bendels, because it's so fun, we focused on a lot of the Boho collection. It's a fusion of all sorts of vintage materials mixed with contemporary and industrial.

I love the silver pieces! I've always been a gold girl but recently I'm craving silver.

Our signature is the oxidized silver which makes it look antique. The customers have been responding well to silver. You can mix the sting ray bangles in with the silver. We like the jewelry to update your look and personalize it. We did cuffs so you can stack them up on your arms and a lot of layered necklaces. That's the vibe of the collection as a whole.

Where do you source your materials? They all feel so unique.

We travel a lot. We try to mix it from everywhere. We use vintage coins and old vintage buttons. There is a mix. We try to mix the vintage with new industrial stuff as well. We have African tributes and vintage hair pieces that women from Africa used to wear from the 1800s and also some Tibetan coins.

I have been seeing your pieces on celebrities everywhere! How do you feel about celebs taking to your pieces and is there anyone that you are dying to see wear them?

It is so great to see how people take jewelry and wear it different ways. We love everyone that has worn our jewelry, but it's more about exposure and seeing how people wear it rather than being celebrity crazy. We have had a huge clientele and it is exciting to see when someone wears something ...like Beyonce. She wore a piece 5 times all over the world during her tour.

That's exciting because you know she really likes it and that her stylist just didn't place her in it.

She actually bought it at Bergdorfs which is so rare for celebrities. There is something to be said when you buy something at retail and wear it. We also like Florence from Florence and the Machine and of course Kate Moss and Sienna Miller.

Your line is so successful despite being a recession. What's your secret?

We actually started the company when the recession started. I think women are being smart shoppers and we are big into investment shopping which I think has been big during the recession. Women are wearing things that they already own and taking jewelry to give it a fresh look. Accessories have been big because women can update their look and jewelry seems to last longer season to season.

Make sure to check out Dannijo at Henri Bendel! Prices vary.. Rings can be $90 and up while some of the bigger pieces can be in the $300 and up range so there is something for every price point and these pieces will last in your jewelry box for years!

You can also read more about them on their website: www.dannijo.com

xoxo,

SG

Grayce by Molly Sims

Molly Sims Celebrates the Launch of GraycebyMollySims.com at the Bryant Park Hotel

There are only a few things that will get me out of bed for a morning event. One is a great sample sale, and the other is checking out some really great jewelry with the lovely Molly Sims. Hosted at the Bryant Park Hotel, bloggers and online media guys and gals gathered for muffins, scones, and some great chatter about all things accessories and jewels to celebrate the launch of Molly's e-commerce site for her jewelry line, Grayce.

Grayce by Molly Sims embodies Molly's personality and style with retro touches, understated glamour, and an approachable, fun femininity. She just launched a beautiful e-commerce site (GraycebyMollySims.com) and the price point is perfection. Pieces range from $75 to $250 and along with featuring the jewelry to purchase, the site will also have video how-tos from Molly on how to style her designs. It's like House of Style reincarnated!

Want to know the beauty products that Molly cannot live without? Check out the video below..

Also, Molly spilled her secret to maintaining that killer bod: It involves famed fitness butt kicker Tracy Anderson and a whole lot of cardio, extra heat to make you sweat, and moves similar to Pilates. Sign me up!!

xoxo,

SG

Earth Day Exclusive Interview with Loomstate

Last week, I had the chance to sit down with Scott Mackinlay Hahn, one half of the design duo behind the eco clothing line, Loomstate. I really looked forward to chatting with him not only because he is insanely gorgeous, but because he has a deep passion for bringing awareness to some of the problems that face sustainability.

Since it is Earth Day, I must be completely transparent: I found this interview to be one of the most challenging ones that I have done so far. When I sat down to think up my questions, I realized just how uneducated I was on sustainable fabric or "green fashion" as some would call it. I also realized that I am not alone in the confusion surrounding good sustainable practices, and that is one of the biggest road blocks in making eco-friendly fashion the standard instead of just a passing trend.

I did video the interview, but unfortunately it was too dark at the event for the picture to show clearly. However, I do hope that you take a few minutes today to read the transcript of this interview.

Happy Earth Day! Thank you for joining me for this interview. Could you explain how important it is to have organic fabrics and the process behind producing them?

First, organic is a tricky word, so is sustainability, so there is a lot of information that needs to be brought to the surface here. Fundamentally, the fiber origin is usually agriculture, if it's natural fiber. So you look at the farming process: are they using gmoc, synthetic fertilizers, pesticides in the cultivation of primarily cotton.. This is all about soil fertility. You're talking about preserving the ability to grow things and to have food and fiber and crop rotation going forward not just for our generation but for future generations. You don’t realize the demands that our society is putting on soil. So by paying attention to that, you start looking at ways to balance it out and there are a lot of ways around poisoning the soil.

Then you look at synthetic fiber and trying to avoid fossil fuels and petroleum based fibers. Looking at how to use recycled concepts, and a lot of the stuff that’s going on with the nylons, and rayons, it's about waste and what chemicals are off gasing. You kind of, from a production standpoint, you get real educated about this and you hold the suppliers accountable. You want to know content, you ask about the footprint. And slowly as it moves up the chain to the market, you want to communicate as simply to the customer as you can to educate them. The big idea is traceability and transparency so that customers, merchants, and production managers at fashion companies can be informed in their purchases.

How important is it for the government to get involved to help regulate or invest in textile development?

Policy is an important step in regulating progressions in the market. With free market concepts, unfortunately, we are a rational but self-interested species so a company has the ability to marginalize the people they are selling to for more profit...somehow that always happens. That’s where the policy and regulation comes in and without it, things get a little crazy. You’ve heard common pool resource dilemmas where u have a certain amount of land where herdsmen are grazing their cows and sheep and if they’re all left to eat as much and add more sheep and add more sheep for more profit, eventually there’s no more grass. You need rules in place so that various herdsmen can share that common resource. That concept is where rules and laws come in so everyone knows how to play. So yea, that’s a long answer, but policy is a big part of what we are doing.

It's all about responsibility. It's about feeling gratified about what you are putting in your closet and your body. It’s all connectied and that’s the big idea at Loomstate. It's trying to show people that from the farm all the way to the kitchen table and your wardrobe, that it's all connected. It also has the ability to be designed in a way that is pretty special and sexy.

A lot of people think that going green means things will be more expensive. Is that the case?

In some cases it can be a little bit more expensive to produce because of the supply and demand or the ability of resources. It does sometimes cost factories more to retool and bring a cleaner product to the market. Once the tipping point occurs and the majority of America wants this stuff because it matters to them or it's an important value to the family or to college kids, we will see change a lot faster. Eventually it wont be about green fashion, that will be the price of entry. Green fashion is a way to think of it , but for us it is good design.

For more about Rogan and Scott's line, Loomstate, go to Loomstate.org

They also are having a sale on Gilt Groupe today for Earth Day! Here is an exclusive invite code for you! INVITE CODE

Stay Green,

SG

Fox 25: How to Dress Thinner

Here is the video from my FOX25 Boston segment this morning! The segment is about dressing thinner, which is something that every woman can relate to because no matter how thin or heavy we are, we all want to feel sexy and confident. *Please disregard the Elle Magazine under my name.. I do not represent them, it was a mistake and confusion by the network*

I recommended Slimpressions and Ardyss during the segment. Spanx of course is the first company people think of when it comes to body slimmers, but these brands both offer similar results, amazing slimming technology, and a variety of shapes.

Body slimmers can do wonders and they make the clothes you already own look better so you don't have to go out and spend a ton of money on new clothes! The Body Magic can make you lose up to 3 sizes instantly...it is the Holy Grail of body slimmers.

Other tips include:

*Wear nude shoes to elongate your legs

*Avoid too many layers because they can add bulk, but if you must layer then belt your waist

*Dark denim is very slimming and if you are wide in the hips, pick a boot cut or flared leg to balance out your shape

*V-necklines can make you appear longer as can wearing a monochromatic color scheme

There you have it! Beauty comes from within so if you feel confident and sexy, it radiates to everyone around you.

xoxo,

SG

Cynthia Rowley + Roxy = Surf Chic

s

Summer is rapidly approaching and New Yorkers are steadfastly planning their escapes from the city, but there is one place that you know you will find Cynthia Rowley: Montauk. An avid surfer herself, Cynthia's love of the waves caught the eye of Roxy's VP of Marketing and a brilliant collaboration was born. The debut collection of surf inspired fashion isn't made up of your typical "surf" fashion. This collection looks to the future of surf/fashion wear with neoprene skirts and girly wetsuits/party dresses. The best part? The price point is under $225!

I teamed up with fellow blogger Lala from Lala NYC on a dream interview with Cynthia Rowley herself at her Bleeker Street store to hear more about the collection!

We had so much fun during this interview that the raw video was 12 minutes long!

You can purchase the collection online and in-store at Roxy and Cynthia Rowley. It is also selling in select Barneys and if you are fabulous enough to travel to Paris, you can buy it at Colette as well.

xoxo,

SG

Tips on Accessorizing Your Hair From Colette Malouf

Sometimes accessories for the hair can be intimidating if you don't know exactly how to pull them off... well, that's why I've enlisted the best accessory expert in the business to show you how to achieve a style that makes even Blair Waldorf emerald green with envy.

You may have seen Colette Malouf's designs on pop culture influencers like Gossip Girl and Sex and the City, but the accessory maven has been adorning girls' curls for ages selling in stores like Henri Bendel, The Plaza, and Bergdorf Goodman.

"They are not really hair accessories. They are accessories for the hair", Colette told me in her Soho loft just steps away from where she grew up. Her approach to wearing accessories in your hair is like clothing: they should work with the hair like draping works along the curves of the body. How you ask? Watch as she gives SG the insider tips on how you can easily sport her delicious hair bands and adornments.

Here is a sneak preview of her Fall '10 collection! They are like little works of art..

I'll be sure to document my experience at Bendels and highlight some key tips on how to rock her tribal themed Spring collection!

Do you own any Colette Malouf pieces? How do you wear them?

For more on Colette, visit www.colettemalouf.com

xoxo,

SG

Lui Hon Loves Wool

This is one of my favorite video interviews that I did during the Woolmark awards. Lui was on Project Runway Australia and has an amazing Helmut Lang-esque line. His character was really popular on PR and right at about the 35 second mark and on you can see why! He is full of energy and has an infectious personality.

This was such a fun night... The end of this video always makes me laugh.. Love it

www.luihon.com.au

xoxo,

SG

Dion Lee Wins Woolmark Award

The handsome, poised, and incredibly talented Dion Lee won the 2010 Woolmark Designer Award presented by Vogue Australia at LMFF last night.

In addition to the $10,000, sponsorships, and sponsored overseas trips, Dion will also have the opportunity to represent Australia in a global Woolmark design competition. There will be emerging designers picked from almost every major fashion capital including New York, Shanghai, Paris, Milan, and Tokyo.

I really hope this award and the global competition raises Dion's global recognition because he truly is an amazing technically apt designer who is forward thinking and conceptual. He is also very well-spoken and articulate, which you can see in my video interview below. I had a chance to speak with him seconds after he got his award:

I fully admit that I have a major crush on him. Keep a very sharp eye out for Dion Lee. He seems to have everything it takes to leave his mark on the industry.

More video of the other contestants to come!

xoxo,

SG

Cynthia Steffe- It's all in the details

Being able to be backstage really changed my whole outlook on viewing a runway collection. It's really hard to attend a show and notice all of the details that make a garment unique. The models strut down the runway so fast and the celebrities in the front row are gawked at more than the collection itself. There can be so many distracting elements that you never really notice the tiny details that designers spend hours perfecting. When I chatted backstage with Cynthia Steffe's Creative Director, Shaun Kearney, I realized that the excitement lies within these tiny details and they really pull the collection and his inspiration together.

What inspired you to combine military and romantic. They seem to be quite opposite.

It all started when I was hanging out in Brooklyn. I saw this group of boys and girls hanging out and the guys had traditional dapper styles with crisp boy shirts, slouchy boy pants, and military boots. Girls had military jackets, romantic blouses, capes, socks and mary janes and for some reason they all looked so good together. They looked like they were all in cool school uniforms. That was the starting point. It reminded me of a hint of Sloane Street boys and Queens Road girls. Nothing too literal just hints of that late 60s.

Seems like you love getting inspired by historical time periods. Do you have a favorite?

I always love Victorian and Edwardian. Sounds cliche but when i think of eras I think of the late 60s early 70s where there were a lot of victorian influences in the clothes. You get much more of a cooler romantic vibe from that particular era. However, I prefer not to go too costumey though.

Your collection touches on a lot of different themes..do you feel like the Cynthia Steffe girl likes to switch it up?

That's the way girls dress today. It is much more about a modern mix up sensibility than head to toe dressing. If it is head to toe, then it is unexpected pairings.

Do you have any pre-fashion week rituals?

I don't think I'm ever prepared! You just gotta roll with it. Once you've got your vision and concept together it's almost like it's too late to go back. So try to really stay focused and stay true to your customer and your girl and your brand. I like to mix a lot of different emotion in the collection.. feminine, pretty, edgy..If something doesn't have that emotion then it shouldn't be there.

Thanks to Shaun for taking a few minutes to speak with me!

I thought it would be a good change of pace to not just show a few Style.com slides of what went down the runway, but to show the garments up close so we can appreciate them for what they really are. Hope you enjoy the images. All photos were taken by me and I'm quite proud of how well the details showed up! Cheers for the Canon Rebel!

This utilitarian fox fur hooded jacket was Shaun's favorite look and not coincidentally, the opening look.

You can see some of the Victorian detailing in the sleeve that just barely peeked out of the jacket.

The Bumble & Bumble Stylists used clip on bangs for some of the models! So chic and they looked absolutely seamless. I will absolutely be trying this beauty trend out because I wouldn't dare try the real thing.

My absolute favorite piece in the whole collection was this faux fur jacket. I could just see myself wearing it day in and day out for years until I'm strolling through my own grey garden, 70 years old, like Edie Bouvier Beale.

The collection touched on so many cute elements: school girls with knee socks, 60's pleated minis, utilitarian sexy. I guarantee you will love it! To see the full collection check out Style.com.

xoxo,

SG

A Moment with Parameter, Sine, and Laila

I only spent about 4 months in Sydney, but somehow the Aussie connection and sensibility follows me everywhere, which I happily invite into my life since Aussies have such an enthusiasm for success, creativity, and happiness. Aussie girl Micaela Ezra, the designer for three, yes three, fashion lines (Sine, Parameter, and Laila) exuded that exact sensibility yesterday when I met with her to discuss the new Spring/Summer collections. She and Maytal Sharifi, the owner of the three lines and the brains behind their business and marketing, sat down with me to chat about what makes their lines stand out in a very crowded and sometimes over-priced market.

First lets start with the basics: What are the differences between their three lines?

Parameter: the lower priced line composed of tons of jersey and lots of easy to wear garments all under $110.

Sine: the more trend driven and fashion forward line which holds a price point of around $120-$265 and is my personal favorite.

Laila is the evening wear/cocktail version of the two above. There is no elaborate beadwork, but more flirty prints and flowy shapes with a fantastic price of under $500. Perfect for anything from parties to weddings (in fact, the dresses are so cute that girls have been clammering to order them for bridesmaids dresses)

Each line reflects the duo's personalities and they swear they wouldn't put anything out on the sales floor without wanting to wear it themselves. What a great way to edit down a collection considering these two girls are both super young (28 years old) and uber glamourous, flirty, and fun. They rely on the philosophy that their company exists to give a gift to someone who purchases their clothing. Their clothes are meant to put the customer in a positive frame of mind when they walk out the door and set the tone for their day, allowing them to enter into their own sphere and feel the spirit of the garment.

You can see Micaela's Aussie roots shine through in each collection. Years spent scouring vintage markets at Bondi Beach and Paddington and the Aussie sense of easy, breezy clothing have influenced her choices of whimsical prints and perfectly picked color. She sums up her designs nicely by saying, "Slip it on, zip it up, and you just feel like a goddess".

Check out the video below to see Micaela walk me through Sine's Summer collection! Confession: the beginning is a bit wobbly so my apologies. I think I can rule out being a surgeon as a career path, but you do get a great sense of how cute the line is. You also hear me say "oh that's cute!" like 1200 times.

Untitled from Lindsey Calla on Vimeo.

Check out the lines at Bloomingdales and Anthropologie!

For more info:

www.sineny.com

www.parameterny.com

xoxo,

SG

A Moment with Jewelry Designer Sarah Davida

I love serendipitous moments; happy accidents which lead to a perfect realization that you should be doing something or you need something in your life. Sometimes it's love or a person, but in Sarah Davida's case, it was rings. Sarah's rings are meant to fill that upper part of your finger that has been long neglected, adding a whole way to accessorize our pretty little hands that we spend countless hours manicuring and polishing. I was lucky enough to chat with Sarah about how she came across this brilliant and stylish idea.

When did your love of jewelry begin?

It started when I was young. I think it was inherited from my mother. She used to make jewelry herself but was also a pack rat when it came to collecting. She never threw anything out and I found a 30lb bag the other day with all kinds of jewelry. It's now scattered all over my bedroom floor right now waiting to be organized LOL.

How did you come up with the idea to wear/design rings for the upper part of your finger?

I did it by accident. I would wear rings that were too small on the upper part of my finger when I was younger... then when I was in a metalsmithing class freshman year of college, I had some scrap pieces of silver and decided to stamp my name on one (sarah davida) and my mom's name on the other (rosalie love) and wore them everyday after that.

What inspires you as a designer (art, fashion, music..?)

A lot of my work is usually based on things I have a personal connection with. My mother was a very talented painter/artist and passed away when I was 14. She used to design rock posters and ads while my Dad did a lot of work (and still does) with radio and concert promoting in my area. Because of them, I'm inspired a lot by music (which I have a current job with in the city), but I also find inspiration in other things like Mom's paintings and posters.

Is it true that the Olsen twins have been wearing your rings?

Haha, ah man, there was a mix up with that. I was compared in a blog to having rings and a trend similar to what the Olsens wear. They haven't personally ordered from me, but hopefully soon!

I see you have a blog (yay!). How have social media and online marketing helped your brand? Are you also trying to target print media as well?

Social media and online marketing have helped tremendously. My target market falls between 15-25 and who in that age range doesn't go on Facebook, Twitter, or Blogs regularly? My brother does a lot with online marketing and he helps me put everything together with Google adwords, analytics, Facebook ads, etc. I will eventually target print media as well, but I am slowly working my way to that point :)

What are your goals for the collection? Any expansions or collaborations coming up?

I'm planning on releasing a different style of the ring (skinny bands) and will be releasing other pieces (bracelets/pendants) as well. A couple months ago, I stated commuting to my part time job in the city which put some delay in my work, but I'm planning on having new pieces by Spring!

Where can everyone buy your jewelry?

I currently only sell on my website (www.sarahdavida.com) and a couple of little stores. I have some pieces at JMichael Shoes in Syracuse, N.Y. and Mariannes Floral Garden in Poughkeepsie, NY.

**You can have the rings customized and personally engraved to your liking! Makes a great Valentine's Day gift. *AHEM, boys*

xoxo,

SG

A Moment with Designer Andy Thê-Anh

With the Vancouver Olympics just around the corner, there is tons of buzz surrounding our neighbor to the North. So I thought, how fun would it be to profile one of Canada's hottest designers, Andy Thê-Anh?

Andy and I met up at the Soho House last week for some coffee to chat about his Spring collection and ultimately ended up getting on the course of social media, a new generation of customers, and the importance of the color blue.

The Vietnamese born designer launched his collection in 2006 to bridge a gap in dressing professional women who want to look polished for their job as say, a lawyer, but still look interesting and trendy. In fact, his pieces have succeeded in making professional women feel so confident that some call his pieces "their lucky charms" after scoring jobs while wearing one of his modern suits and blouses to the interviews.

Andy prides himself on having a great following of women who loyally show up on the shop doorstep every season waiting for the newest pieces to hit and then actually pay full price for them. He takes pride in providing those customers with something unique and individual.

You can see Andy's passion (and a bit of frustration) for making quality garments and hoping that the new generation can appreciate them. Andy fears that the fashion industry will suffer the same fate as the music industry. Who buys a cd anymore? And who actually purchases the whole album from iTunes? Most people either steal music or just download one song and lose the appreciation of actually having that tangible piece of work. Same goes for fashion.

The recession has changed the shopping mentality of many who now will wait until their favorite higher priced item goes on sale rather than invest in a well-made garment (guilty as charged). He even fears that he won't be able to find the same caliber of seamstresses and pattern makers because design schools would rather sell the dream of being the next Tom Ford than show students the value of the technical skill that is the foundation of a great collection.

I can't really blame him for his frustration. It's tough out there for designers. Investors are nervous and the new generation just wants disposable fashion. They can't understand why an expensive cashmere is better than a 5 % cashmere wool blend.

The exciting upside to this is that designers are forced to re-think their strategy. Andy recalled that he used to use forecasting books to predict the next trends. Now, he looks online at streetstyle blogs. However, when I asked him if he Tweets, he shook his head and said that he just doesn't know how he would use it to his advantage. Baby steps.

You can tell that Andy puts a lot of analytical thought into every aspect of his brand. Take his

Spring collection for example. Andy examined historian Michel Pastoureau's Blue: The History of Color to fuel his inspiration. The book focuses on the importance of blue throughout history and why it is considered one of the most popular colors. According to the book, the color reflects strength, triumph, romance, and unity, which are all adjectives that could describe Andy's line. Thus, the presence of sky blue colors and turquoise are worked into a modern structured silhouette. Structure is a strong point for Andy, but this Spring he has worked jersey into the mix to marry structure and comfort.

Andy sells in the U.S. at Neiman Marcus online and various boutiques around the country. For points of sale in your area check his website at www.andytheanh.com. Below are some looks from his Spring collection!

xoxo,

SG

Tea Time with the Falls

I recently had the opportunity to spend a little time with the designers from one of my favorite lines, Falls. I love when I get the opportunity to sit down with designers because they hold so much creative knowledge. They are constantly searching and traveling for unique inspiration and I feel like a giant sponge trying to soak up everything that they've seen.

Philip Leeming and Leong Ong, the designers behind the line, have managed to incorporate all of their passions and experiences into something beautifully tangible. Their collection does not just fill the gap of what buyers expect or what trends are hot this season, but they satisfy their customer with beautiful knits, original prints, and feminine details.

The constant source of inspiration for Philip and Leong is their country retreat in High Falls, NY. Philip told me that they have a 1500 square foot stable that they converted into a studio. Nature nurtures their creativity and they come into the city only when necessary. Lucky boys!

We chatted over an amazing green tea blend and cookies and chatted about movies, museums, and social media (which I can happily report that the guys are totally into). None of us had yet seen The September Issue, which is almost a crime considering we all actually work in the industry, and they had just gotten back from a trip to Chicago and raved about the museum there and the Caravaggio pieces that they had seen.

After a few minutes of chatting, they showed me some of the pieces from their holiday line. I instantly found multiple pieces that were missing in my own wardrobe and the pieces did not scream 'holiday' (meaning the whole collection wasn't just jewel toned and velvet). There were brights and abstract floral/animal prints mixed in with sweaters that had amazing details. They were all pieces I could see myself wearing year round which basically flicks on a mental switch in my head saying "buy, buy, buy".

Leong created this overlapped animal print in the spirit of the book, The Pioneers, which they both felt emulated the struggle that we are finding today in pushing forward through the recession. Other influences in this collection were Photographer Lee Miller and artist Sara Moon.

The line is at a great price point and Philip made sure to enforce that they design clothes that aren't so aspirational that they become unwearable. They stay very in touch with their customers through pop up shops and plenty of trunk shows and keep the silhouettes attractive and attainable.

Here is a full look at their holiday collection:

To see more of their designs, check out their site: Fallsdesigns.com

xoxo,

SG

Designer Glossier- Strummer

Especially now that the weather has turned and New York is cluttered with pushy tourists and shoppers, I dream of strolling around Byron Bay wearing something flowy and free and taking in nothing but the serene nature.  And of course, if I did, I would immediately reach for Aussie line, Strummer.  Their clothes are clothes you want to live in. Charmingly sweet and refreshingly spirited, they capture the Aussie mentality and lifestyle, yet I can still see them popping up on a style blogger at a Stockholm street cafe.  

I had a chance to chat with the Aussie design duo, Edwina Hagon and Gina Cole, about their Spring '09/'10 collection, which has already been causing major media buzz among the likes of Teen Vogue and Refinery 29. You better take notes on this one.  This is what you will be dying to wear come Spring.

Can you give me a quick background for each of you? How did you both find each other and do you find both of your styles and tastes are similar?  Or do you both bring something different to the line?

I, Edwina, Started out studying business at UTS.  I always had a strong pull towards fashion, so after traveling, I returned to Sydney to study fashion design at TAFE.  I chose to complete the Certificate in Fashion Design, which is a one year course, as I was keen to get out there and get experience in the industry.  I then worked at an established Sydney label for a year and a half and afterwards got involved in styling.  This was great as I was able to work on shoots and learn at the same time, the ins and outs of the styling world.

I, Gina, from a young age have always had a strong interest in design and fashion. I started sewing and pattern making from a very young age. With strong roots from my grandmas strong sewing background who made everything from wedding dresses to christening gowns. I Started working in the industry straight after high school.  After a few years working I then decided it was time to confirm my skills by studying fashion design at East Sydney, then went on to study advance pattern making at Ultimo Tafe. I have worked for a couple of prominent Australian designers as a design assistant and then onto production co-ordinator.  

We met in 2007 working at a well-established Sydney label and became friends straight away.

Both of our styles and tastes are definitely similar which allows for synergy in design.  As much as there are similarities there are still different aspects that we each bring to Strummer.  When designing it is great that we butt heads sometimes as we then put more time into re looking at the designs and re working them till we are both happy.  

 

How would you define the line? Who is the girl you design for?

Our SS 10 collection The Howling Sun contains natural fabrics, crochet & lace pieces and free-flowing baby-doll dresses which embodies the kind of unconstrained independence of spirit that we believe Strummer is.

The Strummer girl is curious in her surroundings; she is globalised, interested in culture, subtle but sharp and will find her foot tapping on many occasions to the good tunes playing.  

 

How did you decide on the name Strummer?

We had actually started designing before we came up with the name.  We thought it was best to have the baby and then name it (so to speak).  After seeing some of our designs come to life we decided on the name Strummer as we liked the way it sounded and the images and feel that was evoked when we said the word.   

 

From what I've read on Side Street Sydney, your line seems to be free of trend following.. So how much do you follow trends when designing?

We are always aware of the new collections and what other designers are doing as it is really interesting and keeps us inspired.  I guess that being aware means that we are amongst it all,  and the trends that are around would filter in to an extent.  We don’t actively follow trends though- really we design what we would like to wear and see others wearing.  

 

What/who inspires both of you?

Each collection is influenced/inspired by a number of aspects, some of which are recurring; like our favourite musicians of all time, the style of the late 60s/early 70s and freedom.    We love hearing new music, exploring new happenings in art and culture around Australia and the world.  We are inspired by people who have a strong vision and drive, who get out there and express themselves and their passions for the world to see.  

 

Your line seems to be thriving despite a global recession.. How have you handled launching a line in this climate?

We don’t really know any different having launched during this time- which is good as we are really happy with the way that everything is going so far.  If anything, it has meant that we can grow steadily and keep a good handle on Strummer.

 

Do you both follow style blogs? Do they help influence your designs at all?

We definitely look at blogs.   Sometimes they take you on such a great journey whereby you look at one blog and then link on to another and another.... until you realise it is lunch time and you’ve got no work done yet..... We love watching the street styles from around the world.  Blogging defiantly feeds the mind and when you see something you like, it stores in your memory bank which may pop up again subconsciously when designing.

 

 

Has the explosion of style blogs changed the way you view press?  Meaning do you value blogs and print exposure the same?

Definitely!  We were blogged about before we got in the mags.  We had a write up on Refinery 29 in Ny earlier in the year and started getting emails from all around the world- blogs have the most amazing ability to reach such a broad audience on such a large scale and impact amoung all the different communities.  There is still something special about print and seeing our garments in a magazine.  But we also love blogs for the accessibility and creativity- there are so many creatives out there and blogs allow for another outlet which is really exciting! Blogging has united the world and made it such smaller place, one second I could be in New York amongst the cool kids queing out the front of the parades and the next second I’m in Paris....

 

Are you selling anywhere in the States?

Not yet- we have had interest though from some fantastic stores and will be showing our next collection over there.... so we will keep you posted.  

 

What are your goals for Strummer?  Maybe New York Fashion Week in your future? :)

NY!!!!  : )  of course!  We will dream it till we do it!

Other goals- just to keep being inspired and creating garments that we love and others love too.  We would love to have our own store. To keep expanding for all the right reasons.  

 

What other designers do you both admire?  

Karen Walker, Isabelle Marant, Dries Van Noten, Peter Jensen... Too many! So many! Opening Ceremony...

 

What are some of your favorite places to shop and hang out in Sydney?

Paddington for the new stuff and checking out lots of great Aussie Designers.  Surry hills for Vintage as well as the Surry Hills Market once a month is the best!  Hanging out would be Bronte for a swim and breakfast, Surry hills for beers and dinner. And last but not least the Northern Beaches to get back to nature at it’s best.

Can't wait until I can get my hands on some of their pieces!  Will keep you all posted on where and when you can buy their collection here in the States.

Thanks to Seema for coordinating the interview.  Check out her blog Sidestreetsydney.com.au

xoxo,

SG