Design Star winner Emily Henderson tackles the home of Glee co-creator Ian Brennan on her new show Secrets From a Stylist.

The self-deprecating and extremely likable Design Star winner, stylist and blogger Emily Henderson chitty chats with BussBuss editor Kelly Lee about her new HGTV show Secrets From a Stylist, shares her design tips, tricks, loves and fantasies (flowers, fabric, Domino, Oprah, babies) and makes us laugh the entire time. As she says, “design isn’t rocket surgery” so grab a cup of Scotch tea and enjoy.

BB: Congratulations on winning Design Star and getting your own show on HGTV! Your new show Secrets From a Stylist debuts on HGTV this Sunday, August 29th at 10/9c and you get to work with Ian Brennan, co-creator of Glee, as your client. What can we expect from Secrets From a Stylist?

EH: You can expect not one, not two, but three reveals. You know how on most shows there is a before and an after? Well, my show is about layering and mixing styles. Mixing styles is kinda my thing. Almost everyone I know identifies with a couple different styles and so instead of me choosing what they should be, we figure it out together through a ‘Style Diagnostic’ test and then mix those styles to create a space that looks exactly like that person. Oh, and we have a ton of fun while doing it, because it’s just design, not rocket surgery.

BB: Who would be your next dream client?

EH: Ooh. Let’s see, I would love to do Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley). And while I know that Michael Smith already did the White House for the Obamas, I wouldn’t mind styling their next home. Dear God, that would make me happy.

BB: If you had to have someone else design YOUR home, who would you choose and why?

EH: I’ve actually never thought about this. And there are very few people that I would trust, and probably not the usual suspects. I would probably have to convince Dara Caponigro or Sara Ruffin Costello (ex-Domino magazine creators) to do it. Both of their tastes and styles are killer and timeless. And they are super, super lovely people.

BB: Your fans really responded to your quirky yet modern vintage style, both fashion and design wise. How would you describe your signature style? And who inspires you? Who are your design and fashion heroes, your style icon(s)?

EH: Signature style, eh? In general I like mixing feminine and masculine (I wear dresses with manly oxfords) and in my home my furniture tends to be more modern and simple and my accessories are more feminine and Victorian. I mix so many different styles but keep consistency through a color palette, which tends to be whites, blues, blacks, grays and hits of hot pink or reds. But one sentence? Eclectic, effortless, bohemian modern – that’s not really a sentence, but you get the idea. Design heroes? Michael Smith, Robyn Glaser and all of the Domino editors and stylists. As far as fashion, I look to the ’60s and ’70s and like the weirdness and the risks that were taken. Also, is it redundant to say Kate Moss? She’s one fashionable lady.

A peek at Emily's work on Ian Brennan's home for Secrets From a Stylist.

BB: We love your show idea about using someone’s personal fashion style to inspire and create his/her living space. Do you have any tips on creating great personal style, at home and in your wardrobe?

EH: When you put together your wardrobe you pick things for a reason. I guess I would ask myself, ‘por que?’ That is exactly what I did. Why do I like princess sleeves so much? Because it is kinda Victorian. Why do I love oxfords so much? Because they are classic and masculine. Why do I wear bright blue so much? Because it makes me so happy just to look at – and offsets my oh-so-pale skin. Why have I never worn that gray American Apparel shirt that I like a lot? Because gray makes me look dead. Everything I wear is super comfortable, unfussy and relaxed. And the fact is, that is so true for my home style as well. Feet are on the coffee table, the dining table is getting more and more ‘rustic’ by the day. Nothing is precious, and that is the way that I love it.

BB: You’ve said that your philosophy is that if you buy a bunch of pretty things, you can generally make a really nice room out of them. We’re all in favor or buying what you love. Can you share any tips on how to make a cohesive design with a bunch of pretty but disconnected things? And do you think you can buy pieces you love along the way or should you have a complete vision before you start buying?

EH: I don’t think you need a complete vision, but I would make a mood board to start your ‘story’ so you aren’t shopping blindly. I kinda think there is nothing worse than a room that looks like it was bought all at once from the same store, but at the same time when you move into a larger space, sometimes you just need stuff really quickly. In LA, we have the luxury of really great flea markets and vintage stores, and I think that buying vintage and mixing pieces from the big box stores is the easiest way to make a space look collected over time. When you are collecting your ‘pretty things’ think of color and scale. Creating a color story is important but also not buying things all the same relative size. You want contrast in every way – color, shape, size, and texture.

BB: What’s your best design tip or secret for those on a budget? The best way to get chic on the cheap or to make the biggest impact?

EH: Painting the walls. Redundant, I know, but it does make the biggest impact for like twenty bones. Oh, and also flowers and branches. I’m a huge fan of branches because they are cheap, last a long time and make a bigger statement than flowers. Bang for your buck, as we say in the biz… Hmmm, not sure we actually say that in the biz.

A peek at Emily's design work utilizing flowers, branches and brass.

BB: If you only had $200 to change a room, what would you spend it on and why?

EH: Ooh, textiles or wallpaper. You can wallpaper an accent wall with 200 bucks and it adds so much pattern and personality. The same with textiles (throw pillows, cushions, etc.). I’m a lover of patterns, both bold and subtle, and I feel it adds a lot of depth and texture to any space. And both wallpaper and textiles are unlimited in patterns so you can really personalize the space to exactly what you like. For fabric, buy yardage (even 1/2 yard) at your fabric store and take the fabric, a zipper and your insert to a tailor or an upholsterer and they will normally sew it for $30 or less — it’s just four seams, and you can switch it up seasonally if you have pillow ADD like I do.

BB: What’s worth splurging on and what’s okay to save on?

EH: Splurge on a sofa. If you are like me, you’ll spend years of your life on it, probably watching reality TV, no doubt.

BB: What are your biggest design dos and don’ts?

EH: Do have fun. Don’t try and be perfect. Do mix it up often. Oh, and don’t worry about what your guests think. The more you fuss, the less fun you’ll have.

BB: You have such a great design (and, dare we say, humor) blog, The Brass Petal. How did you come up with that name and what are some of your favorite design blogs and online destinations?

EH: Funny you should ask because there is a good chance that the name is changing as we speak – not HGTV related necessarily, just something with my name in it. Basically every blog name was taken and I like brass and flowers a lot, so voila, The Brass Petal. I like the image that it conjures up, but I think I’m re-branding myself.

BB: In the first entry on your blog back in January, one of your resolutions was to “become rich and skinny.” Job well done! It seems as though you were putting it out into the universe that this would be your year of really making things happen. Can you tell us a bit more about that and how the Design Star opportunity came about, the audition process, etc.?

EH: I spent my twenties watching people that were frankly less intelligent and less talented get more and more successful because they had less fear. It’s kind of a curse to be smart enough to know that you aren’t the best at something. I was full of excuses. So I was sick of it. I decided that I would stop caring what other people thought about me, whether ‘I take myself too seriously’ or not. The blog was the most empowering and liberating thing I ever did professionally because no one is in charge of it except me. It’s my creative outlet.

The audition process was long, it was a series of in person interviews, on camera interviews and portfolio reviews. My husband Brian saw the casting call at HGTV.com and he encouraged me. A lot.

Emily transforms Ian Brennan's LA home in Secrets From a Stylist on HGTV.

BB: How do you feel about becoming a public persona?

EH: So far it’s really awesome. It’s a very small level of fame amongst really really nice people. In general, the HGTV audience is nice and interested in design and home style, so whenever I’m recognized everyone is super sweet and supportive. I do have to take myself a bit more seriously because of it which is weird. As much as I am self-deprecating, now I have to make sure that people know when I’m kidding and that I actually do know what I’m doing.

BB: What’s been the best part of creating your show and what’s been the biggest challenge?

EH: The best part is having total freedom to do what I want with the space – as long as I keep the client in mind. I’ve always had to style a set in order to sell a product, but with the show, I’m really just selling the style. And I love having so much responsibility. The biggest challenge has been figuring out how to relax. I can’t stop thinking about the show, like a loon. Brian would force me to go to the movies and I swear to God my eyes were open, but I saw nothing. My mind is just constantly reeling with ideas, with things I should be doing, with how often I should get my teeth whitened, you get the idea.

BB: What’s been the biggest surprise about winning Design Star?

EH: I guess the waiting. I got back from shooting and I had to keep this huge secret and I couldn’t really do anything except wait around. And that was super hard because my biggest problem (amongst many) is my lack of patience.

BB: Any advice for those who want to become the next Design Star?

EH: Just be yourself. I was just me all the time and the judges knew that I was not acting or putting on a persona — you get what you see and I think that translates with an audience. So just be yourself. And I didn’t do any hosting videos, which I think would’ve helped a lot. All of the other designers said the same thing, that they wish they had practiced before.

BB: For all of the interior designers and aspiring designers out there, what’s the key to getting a client to commit to a design decision? And how do you reconcile your signature style with a client’s needs and wishes?

EH: I love every style, every decade, every century, every country (except Southwestern, I can’t seem to get behind that style). I don’t love every piece, obviously, so the hard part is choosing the pieces wisely. You can find tasteful pieces in any style that your client wants. And don’t over do it. Theme rooms are pretty ‘out’ if you ask me.

BB: Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

EH: Ooh. Hopefully still hosting Secrets from a Stylist, with three books under my belt and maybe a fabric and wallpaper line. I would like two kids, please (boy and girl), a house in Beachwood (next to my friends) with a view of the canyon. I would also like to be able to eat A LOT of French fries and drink a lot of wine and have it not affect my body, and I’m not totally opposed to being a guest on Oprah, although time is running out for that.

BB: Anything you’d like to say to all of your fans and supporters and aspiring designers?

EH: Dear fans, supporters and aspiring designers,

Thank you so effing much for supporting me. I always thought that you had to be some sort of big serious personality to have a fan base, but through my blog and the show I feel like that is just not true. So I promise to try as hard as I can to just keep being me, and I hope you guys will remind me of that whenever you feel like I’m not.

Another sampling of Emily's talents.

PLAYING FAVORITES

BB: What are your favorite shops, both online and off? Do you have any online shopping secrets for us? Or favorite sites you can’t live without?

EH: I’m not the biggest online shopper. I use Etsy of course, and eBay when necessary, and all the big box stores (West Elm, CB2, Ikea, Anthropologie). But LA has great shopping, and I need to touch things and see things in person. I love 45 three Modern, Casa Victoria, Gibson, Lawson-Fenning, Maison Midi, and tons more really, that’s just a few.

BB: What items can you absolutely not live without?

EH: Fabric and flowers. Every one is different, there are endless amounts of each, they are always reasonably cheap and make such impact in any space. But if you weren’t talking design-wise, I would say coffee, TV, podcasts and my cats.

BB: What’s your favorite film for style inspiration?

EH: I loved Marie Antoinette, 500 Days of Summer and I thought the sets of Eat, Pray, Love were beautiful, too. Right now, though, Mad Men is really doing it for me. I want to be in that world, drink that Scotch, sit on that sofa, wear those clothes. The production designers and set decorators are killing it.

BB: Where do you go in LA for inspiration?

EH: I’m probably supposed to say ‘the beach’, but the beach totally bores me — I’m a city girl. The flea market and antique malls are what make me happy no matter what. I love vintage pieces from every decade (sans the ’80s and ’90s, but watch me take that back in two years). I’m inspired by history and age, pieces that tell a story. The flea market moves around every Sunday and I never miss it.

BB: We’re new to your newly adopted town of LA… What are your favorite spots for shopping, eating, playing?

EH: For shopping, there are a bunch of vintage stores that pepper Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake and Echo Park, all good, well-priced and reliable. For eating, we love Little Dom’s or getting Vietnamese food downtown. And playing? It’s such a cliche, but hiking Griffith Park is pretty fun and despite the fact that, yes, it can be just LA’s version of walking, you do get a good workout from it.

BB: What’s your favorite room/space in the world?

EH: Right now it is Ian’s living room that I designed for the premiere of Secrets From a Stylist. I spend a lot of time over there and I love how warm it is and how it is so collected, yet cohesive. It’s kind of my baby. Not in a creepy way. Okay, maybe in a creepy way. But I also love a hut that we stayed in when we were backpacking around Laos recently. I think that grass huts, while they often represent poverty, can be extremely romantic in their simplicity. All I need is a bed and a sort-of roof with Brian, in a foreign country where every second is interesting, to make me happy.

[All photos courtesy of HGTV.com]

Interviews

Nina Garcia is a woman of seeming contradictions. The famously tough Project Runway judge who is a self-proclaimed “softy.” The Fashion Director of trend-effusing Elle magazine, but who reveals that the secret to great style is to not follow trends. We chatted with the endlessly chic new author of The Little Black Book of Stlye (Collins, 2007) to find out more — her style secrets, favorite haute spots, advice for up-and-coming designers and what she absolutely cannot live without. Read on to discover the real Nina Garcia. by kelly lee      {Secrets of a Fabulous Life} BB: What can you absolutely not live without? NG: High heels, a black motorcycle jacket, moisturizer and my Blackberry.     BB: We know you love your shoes and think they are well worth the splurge. But if you only had $50, what shoes would you buy from where and why? NG: If I only had $50 to buy a pair of shoes, I would go to Nine West. They have the most adorable selections that I have often mistaken for shoes ten times their price.    BB: What’s the best way to get chic on the cheap? NG: The best way to get chic on the cheap is to look for classic pieces at a price and invest in good accessories to take your look to the next level. The little black dress, trench coat, button down, etc. can be found at a variety of price points. H&M, Zara and J.Crew are a few stores that have amazing selections of basics that look chic yet won’t break the bank.      BB: What’s your favorite secret spot in your favorite city? NG: Belmelman’s Bar at the Carlyle Hotel in New York City.     BB: Favorite getaway? NG: South of France and the Amalfi Coast.     BB: Favorite film for style inspiration? NG: My favorite films for style inspiration are Belle du Jour, Funny Face and The Thomas Crown Affair with Faye Dunaway.     {Industry Advice} BB: What underground advice would you give to an up-and-coming designer regarding how to get their designs featured in ELLE? NG: In a celebrity driven culture, I think an excellent way for a designer to garner exposure that would capture the attention of ELLE would be for them to align themselves with an “It” girl who can wear their clothes for press junkets, premiers and other events. These girls are tastemakers that our readers are interested in, so when we see these young ingenues wearing an underground designer, we take notice. I get an extraordinary amount of mail daily; mostly lookbooks from young designers. When going through them, I find that the ones that stand out the most to me are not ones that are overly styled and artistically photographed but clean, straightforward photographs where you can see the product and the design speaks for itself.   BB: What consistent mistakes do young designers make? NG: I find that young designers often try too hard to imitate what others do and have difficulty forming an authentic aesthetic.   BB: What is the best lesson you have learned by working in the fashion industry? NG: The best lesson that I have learned after years in fashion is first and foremost to be humble. It is an ego-driven industry and easy to get caught up in the dramatics. I think the important thing is to keep your personal life separate from your professional life.     BB: With the popularity of blogging and everyone having instant access to Fashion Week videos, do you think Fashion Week is becoming obsolete? NG: I do not think that the role of the internet has caused Fashion Week to become obsolete. On the contrary, I think that the accessibility of Fashion Week has garnered more interest than ever. What once was a presentation for editors has grown to be a media spectacle that attracts the likes of celebrities and socialites, almost like a competitive sport. I am just waiting for the day that the tents move from Bryant Park to Yankee Stadium.   BB: What are your favorite fashion blogs, websites and newsletters? NG: Fashion Week Daily and Fashionwire are where I get my daily fashion news fix. For shopping, I love Net-a-Porter.com — they have the best selection of clothing and accessories that no one else has. Also some of my favorite sites to browse are glam.com, couturelab.com and firstdibs.com.   {Project Runway}   BB: How did the Project Runway opportunity arise? Did they approach you or were you looking into getting into television?   NG: When the first thoughts of Project Runway were conceived they came to ELLE and approached me about being a judge. Project Runway and ELLE seemed like a natural fit because ELLE has always supported and profiled young designers and Project Runway was a platform for those designers to display their talent and earn a chance to start a career in the fashion industry. Up to that moment the thought of doing television never crossed my mind.   BB: Going from print to television must have been an adjustment. How do you feel about being a public persona and how has life changed since becoming one? Also, what do you think is the biggest misconception about you?   NG: Being a public persona has changed my life greatly. Being on Project Runway has been an excellent way for me to connect with our readers. They feel that they can approach me and I love being able to hear what they think of the show and the magazine. The biggest misconception that people have of me is that I am a really mean and tough person. My role is to be a judge and I want to help drive the designers to reach their fullest potential and unfortunately you have to be a little bit on the tougher side. In real life though, I am a softy.   BB: What is your number one tip for looking great on camera? And for dealing with becoming a public persona?   NG: My number one tip for looking great on camera is confidence and to be yourself. The same holds true for how my life has evolved since Project Runway — just be yourself.   BB: Who do you think are the most promising up-and-coming designers today? NG: Some of my favorite up-and-coming designers to watch out for are 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Chris Benz, Mario Schwab from London and 6267 from Milan .   BB: Who has been your favorite Project Runway designer and why? NG: I cannot say who has been my favorite Project Runway designer. It would be like asking me to choose which one of my children was my favorite!   {The Little Black Book of Style} BB: What’s your secret to achieving great personal style? NG: Great personal style is all about confidence; they go hand in hand. Understanding your body and what works best on you are the first steps to achieving great personal style. Do not allow trends to dictate your style but instead use them as a platform for inspiration using them correctly and wisely.   BB: Who is your style icon? NG: My mother.   BB: What is your favorite source of style inspiration? NG: My style inspiration is derived from great films (new and old), art, music, street style, iconic women and vintage photographs.   BB: What is one item should every woman own? NG: Without sounding cliche, I think the one item that every woman should own is a little black dress. A little black dress looks great on a variety of body types, is polished, slimming and versatile. It is a blank canvas that can take you from day to evening simply by changing out the accessories. Also, the little black dress is understated, provocative, simple, mysterious and endlessly chic.   BB: What is the key to looking great at any age? I think the key to looking great at any age is to wear clothes that work with your body and to stay away from trendier pieces and stick to the classic pieces, which look great on women of any age.   Get more Nina in her exclusive Blog Tour: Check out the fabulous interviews on Fashionista and Coquette, FabSugar and Fashiontribes.

Interviews Nina Garcia

Elle Fashion Director, Project Runway judge and author Nina Garcia is giving an exclusive blog tour starting next week on five of the best fashion and shopping blogs/sites on the Web. And, we’re proud to announce that BussBuss is one of them!
Not only will we the editors get to pick the effortlessly chic author’s mind, but YOU get to ask Nina Garcia anything you want, too!
Whether you want to know how to break into the industry, what it’s really like to work on Project Runway or just want to get some personal style advice, YOU get to ask Nina anything you want.
Don’t be shy. Simply email your question(s) to editor@bussbuss.com by midnight tonight!
Nina will spend the weekend (we imagine) curled up in cozy cashmere, sipping Champagne and answering your fabulous questions.
We will reveal the answers next week, on December 5, on BussBuss!
Want to know when Nina answers your questions? Want great style finds, sales and exclusive deals delivered to your inbox? Sign up for The DailyBuss newsletter (it’s free!) by clicking on the pink box below!

Here is the full blog tour schedule:
12/3 – Fashionista
12/4 – Coquette
12/5 – BussBuss
12/6 – FabSugar
12/7 – Fashiontribes

Interviews Nina Garcia

Go steady with Rebecca Minkoff!

Stylemaker: Rebecca Minkoff by Julia DiNardo From “it” bags to organic cotton totes, we all have our own personal favorites when it comes to handbags. And while it’s hard to find a handbag style that immediately resonates on many levels with a variety of women, we haven’t found a single stylish soul who doesn’t lust after the cool, luxe designs of stylemaker Rebecca Minkoff. And we’re not the only ones. Minkoff’s famously named Italian leather bags (The Morning After Bag, anyone?) have graced the arms of Hollywood fashionistas Lindsay Lohan, Bijou Phillips and Rachel Bilson, to namedrop a few. BussBuss caught up with the busy and ever-gracious designer Rebecca Minkoff to learn her style secrets, inspirations, favorite haunts, what items she can’t live without and plans for her burgeoning mini empire. BB: How did you get into designing handbags? RM: I’ve been sewing and designing since I was eight. And when I moved to New York City, I was doing clothing. I was then asked by Jenna Elfman to design a handbag for her next movie, which became the Morning After Bag. I wasn’t initially intending to do much with handbags and then a friend of mine at Daily Candy wrote about it, and it’s really been non-stop from there. BB: Was it a big learning process to transition from apparel to handbags? What is the biggest challenge with designing handbags? RM: It is still a learning process — I am still learning things right now. The biggest challenge is coming up with new and inventive ideas that will translate. You never know what people will respond to, love or not love. It’s really learning how to go with it and realizing if you need to make more or if you should let the market show a little demand first to have people lust over the bags. BB: Your bags have really taken off. It seems like every hip boutique in New York City has to have them. When did the orders start rolling in? RM: About a year and a half ago. First, Searle picked me up — that was when I got the line picked up. Orders next came in from Anthropologie (no longer an account), then Bloomingdale’s and it kept going! BB: How many bags do you think have been made, to date? RM: I’d say at least 18,000. BB: What is the inspiration behind your adorable names for your bags? You designed the Morning After Bag for your friend Jenna Elfman. How did you come up with that moniker? RM: It’s very much a brainstorming activity. We want to have a lot more for the bags than it being just a bag. The Stud is coming out next, which has a double meaning for both a boy and that it has studs on it. I like it to be playful and interesting. I wanted to capture that in the name and the story of each bag. We do this in our lookbook by telling a story that is an illustration, visualization. For instance in spring ’08, we have a bag called The Steady. The story is about the city and a girl with her boyfriend. The bag gets exposure and there’s also an undertone of a story — it’s not just a bag. BB: What’s your favorite bag? RM: : It’s a bag that no one has seen yet called The Steady. It’s coming this spring… BB: Want to share any little-known secrets about yourself or your collection that not many people know? RM: There is a little card in each bag that has a cute boy’s picture on it and his number to call. I find cute pics and have them printed on cards and people actually do call! When customers call they hear a guy’s voice and he is French. Some people call and think they met the guy the night before. It’s kind of funny to hear some of the messages! BB: Where do you go in New York for inspiration? RM: The New York Public Library. Actually, that is where I get most of my designing done. It’s just so quiet and you can’t use your cell phone in there. That has been my most successful location to work in. BB: What are your favorite shops, both online and off? RM: Shopbop.com – I go on there at least once a day! Also, eLUXURY and I love going on eBay. Not necessarily to buy, but to see vintage stuff and get styling inspiration. Neimanmarcus.com is also a great site. As far as stores go, Searle is great — I shop there. Bloomingdale’s as well, and there is a vintage store called Edith Machinist on Rivington Street, which has great vintage shoes and vintage bags. Also, I shop at Poppy all the time and Owl’s Lab. BB: What have you bought recently that you were totally excited about? RM:A top from designer Alisha Levine, who makes really great easy, casual pieces, in silk stretch. I ordered it at a trade show, and wasn’t sure when I was going to get it, so I was really excited when it arrived. BB: What items can you absolutely not live without? RM: My sidekick, Nars lip gloss, vintage heels (I most recently got my roommate’s Charles Jourdan heels), iS clinical face cream. BB: What is your favorite color? RM: Royal blue, from last season’s collection, and a deep red, like the color I am wearing right now on my nails. BB: Favorite magazine? RM: It’s tied among W, Bazaar and Vogue. BB: What is the most rewarding part of running your own company and eponymous label? RM: It’s great sometimes when I pause and think, holy cow — it’s amazing to have accomplished so much! I put all this work into it, and at the end of the day, it is great to think about all that we as a team have accomplished. We are a team of only five and do everything! I also work closely with Cynthia O’ Connor showroom, that carries other really great contemporary labels as well. BB: What’s up next for Rebecca Minkoff? Do you think you will go back to doing an apparel line or will you stick with accessories? RM: Apparel is definitely coming down the pipeline, probably by spring ’09. I will go back to my roots as a clothing designer. And probably keep up doing bags and clothes. BB: Any thoughts on doing a capsule collection for a mass retailer like Target? RM: I would definitely consider it if I were to be asked. It would be great to get the name out there to more people. BB: Where do you see yourself 10 years from now? RM: Ten years from now, I would love to have a shoe line. I am way too obsessed with them. Handbags, clothing, shoes — a mini empire. And my own store, a flagship store in New York City and LA, and I would love my international business to grow to the degree that my domestic business has grown. Right now I do have 40 retailers in Japan, one in Russia, one in Paris and a few in Canada. Find Rebecca Minkoff bags online at rebeccaminkoff.com, shopbop.com, neimanmarcus.com (and in store October 2007) and bloomingdales.com.

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Interviews

The Best New Designers You’ve Never Heard Of

By Julia DiNardo
Edited by Kelly Lee

We all know Marc, Carolina and Oscar, but do you know who the next top designers will be? We do. We’ve cherry-picked six of our favorites this season that may not be household names quite yet, but just you wait and see.

Karen Walker

Although she may not yet be on a first-name basis with us Americans (like Tommy, Ralph and Donna), designer Karen Walker is one of New Zealand’s proudest exports. She has three flagship stores in New Zealand and is stocked in over 140 stores throughout the world. Walker shows her collection during New York Fashion Week and describes her design theme as “combining opposites.”

Walker has received editorial coverage from mags such as Vogue, Teen Vogue, W and Nylon and her clothes have been seen on Bjork, J.Lo and Sienna Miller. She has extended her brand into sunwear, jewelry, a lower-priced casual line and even paints (so very Martha). In the USA, Karen Walker is available at cool NYC boutiques such as Elizabeth Charles, Oak and Zoe, but also can be found in other states and online at karenwalker.com.

But where does she spend time online? Walker is a fan of sites terrapass.com, freshdirect.com (when in New York) and runawaynow.com — a travel site she developed with some friends.

Alice Ritter

Ritter describes her style as “French Girl in New York” or “French Romantic meets Annie Hall.” Her clothes are a mixture of feminine, tailored pieces with a masculine edge, all the while keeping in mind comfort and wearability. She strives to design “the perfect uniform” — garments that can easily transition from day to evening.

A former music publicist and Parisian, Ritter moved to New York nine years ago and began to dabble in design by first taking apart vintage garments to see how they were constructed. She is deeply inspired by paintings, photography, literature and time periods, naming Kiki Smith, Louise Bourgeois, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Lee Miller and Proust’s classic A La Recherche du Temps Perdu as influences on her recent collections.

This season, Ritter designed with the “La Belle Epoque” Edwardian theme in mind, creating beautiful pieces detailed with tiered ruffles, accordion butterfly arms, cinched bottoms, and wide-leg pants. The self-taught Ritter started her line in one boutique in Brooklyn and has grown to Barney’s New York and Fred Segal to Colette in Paris, Beams in Japan and Browns in London. Her collection is also available online at lagarconne.com. More info can be found at aliceritter.com.

Toni Maticevski

Melbourne designer Toni Maticevski is the mastermind behind the Aussie label Maticevski that has shown the past two seasons at New York Fashion Week. A graduate of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Toni started out at Donna Karan in New York and Cerutti in Paris before starting his own label in 1999.

The designer creates an “exploration of couture and silhouette, technique, refreshing classical modes into modern statements.”

His signature style involves a complex method of folding, draping, twisting and plating and he has been known to use unconventional ways to achieve a particular aesthetic, such as searing the edge of a garment with a candle to give it an unfinished effect.

Maticevski recently teamed up with Autore, an Australian company known for its South Sea pearl jewelry, to create a custom pearl collection that appeared on the runway with his collection.

His line can be found at Elizabeth Charles in New York, Delia/Vionnet and Never Never in Los Angeles. Find more information at tonimaticevski.com.

Mara Hoffman

Mara Hoffman is a name that is being uttered on the lips of “in-the-know” fashionistas and with good reason — her cuts and prints are incredible. A Parsons grad, inspired by Zandra Rhodes, Hoffman started her collection in 1998 and found recognition with her clothes being used by stylist Patricia Field for Sex and the City.

Frequently compared to Diane von Furstenburg, Hoffman is known for her specially dyed and batiked jersey knit garments in amazing silhouettes. All of Hoffman’s prints are hand-drawn or painted by herself and her creative partner, Klee Van Schoonhoven.

“We start the process by creating our story or myth about the collection and then from there we draw it out,” explains Hoffman. “From there we both choose what print ideas we would each like to attempt. We then take our artwork and have the screens made and from there they print on the silk to produce our fabric. This collection (fw/07) was inspired by the Lost Boys of Peter Pan, their boyish quality, magic and darkness.”

The designer’s favorite online spot to shop is at Ebay and her collection can be purchased at shopbop.com, intermixonline.com or bigdropnyc.com. Find more information at
marahoffman.com.

Dragana Ognjenovic

From Belgrade, Serbia, Dragana Ognjenovic has worked in various disciplines such as painting, graphic, interior and costume design before melding her talents into fashion design. Her signature is making simple yet complex garments in high-quality fabrics and she is inspired by “people and everyday life.”

Dragana is a master at making standout garments in the color black; she loves working with different textures, structures and fabrications to reinvent new looks in the color. Everything Dragana creates is impeccably tailored in a fresh design that feels extremely approachable and wearable to any event, anywhere.

She now has two clothing lines — the DO brand shown on the runway during New York Fashion Week, and the moderately priced “Software” line, along with a home line made from materials such as wood, metal, glass and porcelain.

The designer would love to expand to e-commerce soon, but says it’s not really a trend that’s big in Serbia yet, and in her free time loves buying books at phaidon.com.

So what’s next for the designer? Keeping busy expanding her retail offerings, a fourth store opening in Belgrade, and showing at Fashion Week Miami. Find more information at draganaognjenovic.com.

Susan Farber

We’d like to introduce your new favorite handbag designer, Susan Farber. Although her collection is only three years old, it is currently sold in 200 retailers worldwide and already has a devout celeb following that includes Sharon Stone and Debra Messing. The collection also recently garnered attention during New York Fashion Week as part of the esteemed Accessories Exhibit.

Farber creates iconic, classic bags that have a distinct, yet non-flashy look to them; her leather Sophia clutch, which comes in a rich selection of colors, has a leather bow which the designer describes as being “done in a very relaxed way.”

Inspired by the luxurious and sophisticated collections of Giorgio Armani, Farber seeks out materials that are beautiful and can speak for themselves, having a great texture and looking natural.

Farber loves perusing the web for fashion inspiration and research, her most frequented sites being style.com and elle.com.

She feels that e-commerce is incredibly important to her customer base and has recently added an online shop to her site at susanfarbercollections.com.

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