If you saw my coverage of Philly Fashion Week, then you no doubt saw me raving about the designer, Autumnlin. I was instantly drawn to her complex pieces that combined both sophistication and deconstruction. I thought to myself, this lady is North America’s answer to h. Naoto (little did I know she’d list him as one of the fellow designers she admires). I recently spoke to Autumnlin, about her style, vision, and studying abroad–besides studying in Philly and NY, she spent time in Florence and Paris–and got to take a closer look at more of her inspiring creations…
How has travel and your studying abroad influenced your work and creative process?
Travel has inspired me a tremendous amount. Experiencing other cultures and seeing design/artwork from artists around the world has shaped who I am, not only as a designer, but as a human being. Being inspired, I find, is not merely being struck by something visual, but becoming overcome by something that transcends physical beauty. Something that delves into the realm of the spiritual, something that dimensionalizes the human experience beyond the perception of sight or even touch…
In your opinion, how does the fashion industry in Europe differ from the industry in the US?
This is a very difficult question for me to answer, because I asked it to myself several times in my design career, and have found it difficult to face my own conclusion. I find that the industry in Europe values and invests in creative fashion much more so than the US. The US market is very customer driven, concerned mostly with what is wearable and sellable. Most often leaning towards the high turnover of low-cost trend based fashion items. The industry in Europe, even at the academic level is primarily concerned with creativity and the avant-garde. Which means a European customer is more likely to own fewer, more expensive designer items and use personal style to create fashion forward looks. They are also more likely to appreciate something new and creative that they have never seen before rather than be turned off by its complexity…
How would you describe your design style?
My style is very contradictory…..It’s very edgy and avant-garde but based on historical silhouettes. Its foundation is in French Haute Couture techniques and style but I am in love with a Japanese style of deconstruction. It’s sometimes described as gothic but I am known to work in all white or cream. Ultimately, when I design I just want to create something different and alluring that has a very familiar and haunting beauty.
What do you want people to take from your work? Has your vision evolved at all over time?
I really don’t necessarily have a desired response in mind when I create something….it’s often interesting to me to see how people connect with my work and what a diverse response I get. I really like when people are excited or can see parts of my inspiration just by looking at my work without me telling them anything. I would say my vision is getting more realistic, it use to be comprised solely of my dream, but now it takes into consideration the words of my customer, my assistant and my mentors. It’s been an interesting and somewhat unexpected experience for me to evolve in this way. I somehow expected myself to slip further and further into the dream and away from the real world.
What were some of your earliest inspirations, and where do you take most of your inspiration from today?
I would say, my dreams…it’s always been my dreams and this very spiritual battle that goes on inside my head and in my life.
What are your favorite materials and colors to work with?
I really love working in silk and exotic leather, with all kinds of metal zipper. I’ve also recently become enamored with jersey, preferably bamboo, but actually modal or organic cotton is nice. And I am rather fond of black, white, cream, grey and red.
What fellow designers do you admire, and why?
H. Naoto, for amazingness, deconstruction, innovation and making gothic/high fashion; Yohji Yamamoto for simple complexity in black; Alexander McQueen for seeing the dream I see and making it real; Issey Miyake for Pleats Please; and Olivier Theyskens because I love him and I admire his beautiful, quiet aesthetic and survivalism.
What lies ahead for you in 2012?
I plan to take over the world in 2012. Design-Apocalypse, where every major rockstar owns some of my brand and we have our headquarters split between Philadelphia and Tokyo. I’m aiming to show at Tokyo Fashion Week and launch our e-commmerce in Japanese.
To find out more about Autumnlin designs, you can go to her couture site, or else check out her online store.
Photo Credits: Michelle Aristocrat, Kyle Cassidy, Heartless Mens, David Benoliel
