A look into Zero+Maria Cornejo

Dazed Ditigal (online site of Dazed&Confused magazine) had made a visit at the end of August to the Zero studio. I wanted to introduce my "other bosses", Dane and Carlo.

"The Chile-born, England-raised designer has a tight team behind her to support her highly technical tailored yet minimalist aesthetic.

Dane, Iris and Carlos are interns who have become design assistants in various capacities at Zero Maria Cornejo and they give a bit of insight of working with Cornjeo who continues to make clothes that are without pretensions and remains willingly under the radar.

Dazed Digital: How did you all start working at Zero with Maria Cornejo?
Dane: I started an internship back in January for 6 months and when it finished they asked me to stay on as an assistant designer full time.
Iris: I came to NY, Nov 2007. I knew a lot of small downtown labels and quickly met Maria. I then started an internship here, my internship will end in sept.
Carlos: The same story really, I interned here 3 years ago and have never left !

DD: What was your educational background ?
Dane: I went to the Art institute of Philadelphia, did a major in Fashion, women’swear, graduating 2004.
Iris: I am German and studied in both Munich and Berlin, I just graduated 2007.
Carlos: I studied women’swear design here in NY, at the FIT, graduating in 2006.

DD: What attracted you to working with Maria Cornejo?
All: We love Maria’s aesthetic, her simple shapes that create amazing silhouettes. We were drawn here because as the name Zero suggests Maria has a very organic approach to design.

DD: What’s the best experience you have encounterd so far?
Carlos: I would say the best experience is working with a small team of people, you become part of everything. You see the whole process, from the original ideas to the actual show ! You learn so much more this way.

DD: What is working with Maria Cornejo like ?
Dane: Maria has a really honest approach to her work. She designs what she likes, not following any trends, but just designing to her taste. This way her clothes appeal to everyone as they become timeless. They are always open for interpretation.
Iris: Working here is fun, I wake up and want to go to work. You feel free designing. It is very hands on.
Carlos: I love the fact we design and make what we feel is right for the brand, we never concentrate on what other designers are doing, rarely read magazines. Maria gains inspiration from galleries and her travels so its much more personal.

DD: What advice would you give to people who want to be in your posistion?
All: Find a designer that inspires you, someone you can relate to and then start trying to get an internship and learn how it all works.

DD: How would you describe your own style?
Dane: I would say mine is simple, just good shapes and uncomplicated.
Iris: I think we all have different styles but somehow come together as we share an interest in being minimalist.

DD: What did you want to be when you were kids?
Dane: I really wanted to be a trash man and ride on the back of the trucks.
Iris: Ewwww... I have actually always wanted to do this.
Carlos: I used to really want to be a sumo wrestler hehehehe...

DD: What would be your dream job?
Iris: I don’t know about dream job but I think you are always your happiest when you express your own creativity. When scary challenges are upon you and you complete them.

by Kim Howell"

Iris was the intern right before me and has just launched her own eponymous line "Iris Loeffler". Check her site here

(dazedigital)

One for each day of the week

Fred Butler Interview on Dazed Digital
"The other major factor is that I wear clothes to put me in a good mood and enjoy a day. I wear strong colours to brighten up the gloom of modern city life. It provokes a mixed reaction of either smiles in appreciation or jeers from the stereotypical small-minded souls. "

I find it refreshing to come across a shoot with such an explosion of color. Bright and eclectic monochrome mixes that stomp dull and depressing to the corner. Perhaps this is what we need to see more during times like this?







I love that in fashion, I can be easily inspired by a line derived from nun wear and simultaneously crack a smile at creations like Fred Butler's.

(dazeddigital)

When will it end??

I know this isn't fashion related, but this is whooping big news right now in NY.
Cutback rumors:
W and Z are getting axed
M and G trains cut in half
1500 jobs getting cut
23% hike in fares

China on the rise

China's growing economy is something that we've all been aware of (hopefully) for the past couple of years. I feel like only up until this past year, there's been a surge of media coverage finally letting average Americans in on it. Fendi and the Great Wall, the Olympics, cinema stars etc, etc... Being careful not to turn a blind eye toward the weighty politics surrounding China, I can't help but be fascinated with the emerging designers. The designers of China seem to be on the rise and their demands to be known for their talent instead of their counterfeit bags are impossible to ignore. I truthfully never cared to look into Chinese design but after being introduced to one of my now favorite designers, Ma Ke of the label "Wu Yong", I've been reborn.

I came across a website called "Chinese Designers Region" which is a site promoting "Chinese contemporary design internationally". These images are from three fashion designers from the CDR website.

Masha Ma




Lei Lu


Yang Du









(CDR)

Tom Scott SS09

I'm genuinely excited to have these photos of Tom Scott's SS09 collection up. I've been waiting and logging onto his website on a weekly basis hoping to grab a glimpse of the spring collection. Tom Scott is someone I absolutely adore not only because he's gained my respect as a designer that's strayed a bit from the mainstream to hold onto his individual aesthetic, but also because he's a knitwear designer and everyone in my life knows how much I love knitwear.

Tom Scott started off as a freelance textile designer and then grabbed the position of accessory design at Ralph Lauren. You can definitely see his love of accessories play into his designs because they're always a bit off. Quirky in the sense that they're pieces that could quite possibly turn into a scarf or anything else. His inspirations come from knitting history books and topography maps, never "fashion".

“I look more at things like the architecture of the human body, while experimenting with knit construction.”

Tom Scott was the recipient of the prestigious Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation Award in 2007. He was also one of ten finalists for the Woolmark Award in Paris this past summer and the current in-house designer for TSE.

I especially enjoy his lookbook for spring because he still manages to incorporate his strong aesthetics into them, season after season.






(tomscott, nymag, cooper hewitt)

Forward Thinkers

I thought this would be a great feature that I found on mens.style.com to share with you all.

Style.com enlisted in the help of a few well-known and respected designers to give their thoughts about the future of fashion. With our spiraling economy, how will it effect not only the industry but the personal style of Americans and Europeans? I find that an individual can be at their most creative when it comes to personal style. I'm just as curious as to see what will happen (so ominous, no?). Will it veer into the direction of erratic rebelliousness or to the more quiet, reserved, and "depressing" state?

Just some quotes to reflect on
Dries Van Noten

"We could hope that the current sartorial individualist attitude of men's dressing will continue. Yet what was almost exclusively sharp, angular, and urbane may now be beginning to melt ever so slightly around the edges. There may, in parallel, even be a subtle slide toward the conceptual."



Frida Giannini, creative director, Gucci

"Brands like Gucci have seasonal trends, and so it will be next year—keeping the iconic and contemporary element, but always staying truthful to the brand's core values and DNA: glamour, luxury, craftsmanship, and made in Italy."


Giorgio Armani

"It is difficult for me to talk about what other designers will do, but in terms of look, I suspect we will see a return to more elegant, classic dressing. This will be because people will want to purchase clothes that have a longer life span and are therefore a better investment. I have always preferred this design aesthetic, so there will be no great change in my approach. Clothes and accessories should, to my way of thinking, be more about style than fashion, and have a sophisticated, timeless quality, rather than be slaves to transient trends."


John Galliano

"Fashion has an insatiable appetite for change, for the new and for the innovative. Anything goes, as long as it's exciting."


Raf Simons

"It will be a reality check. It will be creativity versus reality. Can they meet in this moment? How will they meet? But in any case, even in this climate, we have to give the audience beauty and something to be excited about and something that stimulates. Enough reasons already to think dark."


Thom Browne

"I don't know what the future of men's fashion will be like. I just hope that everyone does their own thing… Because that is what I'm going to do."


Yohji Yamamoto

"Am I still going to be alive in 2009? I really hope so. I am a designer; I will go on designing until I die. This is my way of talking about 2009, 2010…"


(men.style.com)

Are you sure?

I came across this wallet on etsy

Really makes you think right?