I clearly have my designer favorites, but I’m always thrilled to come across new and emerging designers/brands as well. I recently had the chance to get into the mind of Nina Zilka, one third of the talented brand, the twentyten. Quick facts: the twentyten is an independent Brooklyn based label composed of three designers, Nina Zilka, Jeff Dodd, and David J. Krause. Their aesthetic has a sculptural focus, yet a wearable ease that flatters the body. You’ll fall in love just like I have, I guarantee.

FFB: We see that you all attended school at the Pratt Institute in New York City. What was the best part of your experience while there?

the twentyten: The best part of our experience at Pratt has been meeting each other. And probably also the fact that Pratt is in New York which makes it very easy to meet and work with people we admire, who also live here.

FFB: How did the three of you meet at Pratt and when did the idea come across to start a fashion label together?

the twentyten: David and I (Nina) became friends really early on because we both shared an appreciation for more avant-garde fashion, and we both admired one of Jeff’s final pieces for our end of year review, so I think we all had a hunch we’d be friends. And then one of my best friends Mariel invited me to do some pieces for a project she was working on in Mexico City, and asked if my two close friends (the boys) would want to be involved. We started designing pieces together for that show, which didn’t end up happening, but morphed into something a lot more exciting, when we realized that we love working together, and with three of us designing a piece with all of our input, the work was even better than any of us alone.

FFB: What is the meaning behind your label’s name, the twentyten? What does it represent?

the twentyten: We graduate in 2010, so it’s our emancipation date.

FFB: How would you describe the aesthetic of your brand? What makes a twentyten piece stand out from the rest?

the twentyten: The twentyten creates architectural shapes that flatter the wearer’s body. Our aesthetic has a sculptural focus, yet a wearable ease. Our mission as designers is to create interesting, architectural garments that still maintain an ease and comfortability. When one wears our clothes, they look effortlessly cool, but they feel really comfortable.

FFB: You’re freshly into your second collection for the label, which is amazing by the way! What inspirations did you all look to, to compile these looks?

the twentyten: Thank you so much! We may be a bit strange with this, but we tend to not work very much  from inspiration until about midway through our collection, and then we think “oh wow, this really has a sort of futurist punk thing” or whatever. I guess the starting point for this collection was the desire to have garments that could be worn a few different ways, with different drapes, etc., and we just went from there.

FFB: With the current state of the economy and its evident affect on the fashion industry more noticeable each day, what keeps you all motivated to continue to pursue your dreams and get your label off the ground?

the twentyten: The economy does suck right now, and New York is a very expensive city. We spend most of our day figuring out a way to spend the least amount of money, which New York City makes hard. But it has pushed us to do things that have ended up being very cool, like our tights over shoe look we’ve done the past two seasons.  Also, we can’t really afford a hair person, so we’ve made hats/head covering the last two seasons and sewn in fake hair to keep our cost down. So in this weird way, we have been inspired and motivated by our complete lack of money. Still, hopefully that ends sooner rather than later.

FFB: What is next in store for the twentyten brand? What can fans and admirers both old and new expect for 2010?

the twentyten: They can expect a dark, textural February collection and a secret film as well.

To see more from the twentyten label, visit their official website or for daily updates, visit their official blog.

Photo Source: thetwentyten

One Response to “Designer Dish: The TwentyTen”