Q&A with a Fashion Designer
This past Friday, I had the opportunity to interview Anne LaBrousciano, a fashion designer and style guru on her life in fashion and get the inside dish on her new collection. She welcomed me into her cozy farmhouse home and I had the pleasure of meeting her dog and three cats (a woman after my own heart.) In between petting the cats and marvelling at her rustic yet simplistic work space, I learned all about her new collection and her sophisticated style.
What led you to start a career in fashion?
When I was little, I remember wanting to design clothes. My first memories were of looking at ads in the New York times magazine, but at such a young age, I thought you had to be a model, and I thought, you know, I'm not! I'm not a model, I'll never be able to design clothes. But I
sewed a lot, and I just went from there.
What is your main source of inspiration?
I search a lot on the internet, and I get inspiration from things like old movies, lots of movies. Pop culture, art history, old paintings, and Pinterest. Pinterest is great for inspiration! I definitely spend a lot of time on Pinterest.
Do you have a favorite designer?
Issi Mayaki, is a Japanese designer, who I have always thought was really cool.
Is there something that you don't like about being a designer?
I used to have a business designing hats and clothes, and it was sometimes hard to come up with something new for each season, because I was busy doing so many other things at the time. I was running my own business, and even though that part was the most fun, I had a hard time thinking of new things. Especially with my hat business, I would think to myself, "I've done this shape a thousand times, I have nothing new."
When you started your career, did you have any specific goals, and did you achieve them?
Well, no, I didn't start with any solid goals. I just wanted to see where it went. I did however, get to design some hats for some celebrities, which wasn' a goal of mine, but was a very cool experience.
Is there something that you beleive in strongly that you think translates into your designs?
I am a very practical person, so I think there is something I like about clothes that are practical. You know, not flashy. I like everything to make sense. I don't like gimmicky or extra.
What is one thing you think people who aspire to work in fashion should know?
That it is okay to copy. That making fashion, designing clothes, is what it is, in a way. Not copying directly, but that your inspiration is from things that other people do. And that that's ok.
Do you think that your style has changed over time?
Yeah definitly. I mean there are things that are similiar, I'm definitly attracted to natural fiber fabrics. I really like things that are soft. It's funny, when I had my hat business that was in the eighties, and I feel like I have to apologize for those hats *she says laughing* it was the eighties and nineties after all! But it's funny, I have been getting calls from people wanting the hats again. I've thought, "Really? you want another hat after you've been wearing it for fifteen years? You want me to replace it?" But back to the topic.. How has it changed? With the times, I guess. The work I did before felt like it was of that time, what I am interested in now is a little sleeker, a little more modern.
