FASHION FOR BREAKFAST PRESENTS: Christiane King Interview

If you watched Season 7 of Project Runway, you got but a taste of what Ivory Coast born fashion designer Christiane King had to serve, as she was the first to bid the show “Auf Wiedersehen!” Already an established designer, Project Runway only broadened King’s fan base. Fashion For Breakfast recently caught up with Christiane and we asked…

F4B: So, how’s life after Project Runway?

CK: Busy! I’ve had lots of great opportunities presented and I’ve been working hard on promoting myself and my brand since the show.

F4B: Do you feel like your stint on the show was an accurate depiction of your work?

CK: No. I think there was lots to be said from the outcome and editing. Upon watching the show I was surprised. I was affected by how they portrayed me as a designer. They portrayed me as a designer that couldn’t sew and that was hurtful.

FB4: I can imagine! So would you say that all publicity is good publicity? Did your Project Runway appearance help/hinder your career?

CK: The appearance didn’t hurt my career. I had a business prior to the show. I didn’t get to showcase my talents. Show people what I’ve got. However, there are people who now know who Christiane King is because of the show.

F4B: Ok, enough about PR. Let’s talk about the Christiane King FW10 collection, which by the way, totally suits my aesthetic! Ruffles, exaggeration, and a tropical palate. Who is the ideal Christiane King woman?

CK: The ideal Christiane King woman is… she is someone who is stylish, confident with who she is and knows where she’s going. Trends don’t determine her aesthetic, however, she is trendy and flirty and she likes to have her body showcased.

F4B: Your SS10 collection had slight ethnic touches. How would you say your designs have evolved into the current collection?

CK: I do believe my collection has evolved since then (SS10). It’s more focused. I still have a great love for color, which will stay the same. I want to be able to dress all women. Want to filter designs and be able to design for all women. With each collection, I am getting closer and closer to achieving that.

F4B: You grew up in the Ivory Coast. How did that influence your creativity and design concepts?

CK: As far as fashion goes and artistic things, it is not the ideal occupation. I wasn’t encouraged by my parents.

F4B: I completely agree. I’m from Ghana and my parents weren’t very supportive of my fashion pursuits.

CK: You’re from Ghana? We are neighbors!

F4B: Ehh My Sistah *African accent. * (We share a laugh)

CK: I kept my passion alive through sketch until I was able to pursue it. Back home it takes a long time to say, weave a basket, unlike here (US) things are constructed quickly. With that being said, my upbringing caused me to have a great appreciation for craftsmanship and construction.

F4B: Where do you see Christiane King in 5 years? What is your ultimate goal?

CK: In 5 years, I see myself being a household name. I don’t want people to say my name and people ask, “Who is that?” (we laugh). I would like for my line to be sold in major department stores around the country and internationally as well. I’m currently working on having my designs available at major retailers. I’m a designer, but I also want to make an impact on people’s lives, not just have a wonderful career.

Christiane was a pleasure to interview. Talented and down-to-Earth. Her playful collection features fun, flirty, ruffled, body con dress in bold hues ranging from minis to floor grazing lengths. There’s a fit for every woman. Visit www.christianeking.com to view her collections and prepare yourself for impending greatness to come from this Project Runway alum.

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

I’m sure you’ve seen this interview with Anna Wintour on the David Letterman show by now lovies but I couldn’t resist posting it. It was good to see Miss Anna out of her element. She’s actually pretty witty. I thought it was a fun interview. What did you think?

CLICK HERE FOR THE INTERVIEW

(Thanks to Kamola & MG at The Fashion
Time Magazine for the opportunity!)