Q and A with Andrea Bernholtz, Ronan
This week we have a Q & A with the very glamorous Andrea Bernholtz, Founder (along with Michael Ball) of Rock & Republic and now the new denim and sportswear brand Ronan.
1) It's a new decade and you are starting a new brand, can you explain what you hope to achieve with Ronan.
We have created a collection for the individual who is a style leader and plays by his or her own rules. The collection is fresh, clean and innovative. It is both wearable and versatile with amazing fits and washes for a wide range of customers, while also filling a void in the market for attainably priced, trend-forward denim.
2) Rock & Republic was (and is) one of the most well know denim brands in the world. Many people will want to know - are you and Michael still involved and if so in what capacity.
We are still tying up a few loose ends and finishing out the season, but as of this summer VF will take over Rock & Republic and our focus will be fully on RONAN. We are so excited about this launch and ready to take everything we've learned from R&R to make RONAN a success.
3) You and Michael were some of the most high-profile founders. Can we expect to see you front and center with Ronan or will you be more behind the scenes this time?
We truly believe in RONAN and are so excited to be involved in every aspect of the brand.
4) For me R&R was an unashamedly big, loud, sexy, glamorous brand, will Ronan be the same or are you aiming for something different this time.
The world is a different place. We are aiming for a sexiness that is less aggressive. This is a new line with a broader, fresher, perspective for a new feel and a new look.
5) What did you learn from your experiences at R&R (specifically during the recent difficult economic climate) that you will be applying with Ronan.
I learned how to create a prestigious product while maintaining the sweet spot for retail world.
6) What should we look out for in your first collection?
This collection has a wide range of versatile styles and washes with details that make each piece really stand out in the market. We are working with new materials and washes to give the customer a wide variety of quality pieces that are both stylish and comfortable; from basic to fashion pieces, and most importantly under $200.
7) Can you explain where the name Ronan comes from?
The name stems from the Japanese word "ronin", which describes a fearless, masterless samurai, tying in well with the brand aesthetic that reaches the individual who isn't afraid to be a fashion leader and show his or her own style.
Designer Q and A - Mother Denim
This week our Designer Q & A is with Tim Kaeding, Designer and Co-Founder (with Lela Tillem) of MOTHER Denim.
1) You guys previously worked at 7 For All Mankind and Citizens of Humanity, how did you meet and then decide to start a business?
We were always around - LA denim is a relatively small scene so everyone knows one another... We officially met through one of our trim sources, and found that we had really aligned ideas for what was lacking in the denim biz.
2) There are hundreds of denim brands out there all competing to find a place in the consumer's wardrobe, how do you begin to try to make a name for a new brand and stand out against all that competition?
Well we called our co. Mother, and that helps. We believe that we are making jeans that are really wearable and still fresh and hip. It's a staple in peoples wardrobes...
3) I love the name Mother; it is so iconic. Who came up with it and what was the thinking behind it?
We knew that we wanted to create a brand that was bold, feminine and very iconic - Mother. Nothing else conveys such a heavy message. We also like the various ways the word Mother can be used in popular culture... The rocking 'motha' the bad mother... the biker tattoo mother... and the like domineering mother in Hitchcock films.
4) Tell us about the first collection, what was your inspiration and what statement is it making about your brand?
We wanted to move on from what's currently happening in premium denim - rinses leggings slouchy etc.- and make jeans classic and sexy again... We went wide leg high wasted and minimal with lots of bright colors. It feels really fresh. We did away with grunge in favor of beautiful... Isn't that what girls jeans should be?
5) In a world where there is so much denim around, your choice of brand makes a statement about who you are. Being a J Brand woman is different from being a 7 For All Mankind woman. if someone decides to buy a pair of Mother denim jeans what do you think that tells us about her?
I would love it to be a little more universal... Jeans have become an American tradition embraced by the world over. I would like our women to feel the freedom and independence that denim stands for. Empowered
6) What are your goals for Mother denim, are you aiming to one day be as large and mainstream as your previous employers?
We make hand made jeans, that is our foremost responsibility. If we become as 'large' as our contemporaries it will be because we continue to make the best jeans around...
7) Why do you think it is that after being in existence for over 200 years denim is more popular now that ever?
Until the 50's denim was a necessity. Then denim became popular because of the idea of hard working rebellious American youth. However it didn't really fit all that well. The 70's saw women's jeans become a sex symbol, but were still made of heavy rigid 100% cotton denim. Now we have fabrics that weave new materials into denim, giving it an amazing new feel and flexibility. The work wear fabric of the past has been so loved and worked with that it has become a new modern fabric that is as sophisticated as any 'luxury' fabric around....
8) What was it that first made you get involved in the denim business?
Somewhat chance, I was at the Gap and 1969 was getting started and I found a real love and intrigue in the fabric and what you can do with it.
9) What is the first pair of jeans that you remember?
A pair of light stonewashed Girbaud skinny jeans. I wore them until they disintegrated.
10) Which are your all time favourite pair of jeans?
A vintage Levis 517 I found in a thrift store in Osaka... that jean spawned a lot of jeans through out my career...
11) If there is one person out there that you would love to see wearing a pair of your jeans who would it be?
My Mom.
Meeting Chip + Nicole of Pray For Mother Nature Jeans
I would just like to say, Chip Foster is a crazy, funny and totally exciting man to chat with! When met him yesterday at Coterie he was so incredibly charming while explaining his brand and his vision for this new denim venture. I was able to meet and talk to his lovely wife and chicks don't get more beautiful than Nicole is. Now I understand why Chip deemed her his denim icon and professed his need for her to back that thang up in her Pray For Mother Nature Jeans.
Chip and Nicole really want to do good things for this world we live in so they have created a lovely easy tote bag made with Guatemalan hand stitching on the pocket inside. All profits from this bag go right back into that community too.
Here is a little something that deserves and honorable mention, Chip managed to find a mass amount of vintage leather and he has made a selection of pieces from it. And once the small quantity of items produced is gone, it's done forever so these items are real collector pieces.
And kiddos, because we are so rad and because Chip is too, the old dog is getting thrown a bone (aka We are gonna give you an exclusive!)!! Stay tuned.
Last thing, check out the beautiful dress from their Fall 2010 collection!
Johan Lindeberg Talks BLK DNM to Fashion Etc
Normally we don't copy other peeps work but because this interview from Fashion Etc is so great I just had to share it with you guys! Super interesting! I look forward to seeing more from BLK DNM!
Johan Lindeberg's been doing denim for over 20 years. The Swedish designer's impressive résumé boasts stints as the CEO of Diesel, creator of J. Lindeberg, creative director of William Rast, and founder of Paris86. Now Lindeberg's got another venture on the table, which he hopes is going to change fashion as we know it.
BLK DNM (pronounced "Black Denim") is a whole new retail concept for a clothing line; that is to say, it cuts out the retail part altogether. BLK DNM will only be available online and in its own stand-alone shops, allowing Lindeberg to sell his wares at wholesale prices (after New York's Galleri store and studio space, the company will expand to Los Angeles and London next year).
The début is small--eight looks for women, another eight for men--and seasonless: Lindeberg's other big idea is that his pieces should be available immediately, rather than six months after their initial viewing.
To introduce his first collection, Lindeberg collaborated with director Martin de Thurah for a short film in which a beautiful couple traipses the city and the woods in BLK DNM's classic moto jackets, jeans, blazers, and a certain black maxi skirt that will have hipsters clamoring.
While partygoers like Charlotte Ronson and Tara Subkoff took in the film at the February 15 launch party, FashionEtc caught up with Lindeberg to talk retail woes, Justin Timberlake, and why BLK DNM is like the Beatles.
You're bypassing the retail step with BLK DNM--why?
I didn't feel like adapting to stores. I wanted to be free to do what I wanted to do. It's a good time right now to use online and e-commerce as a vehicle to reach your consumers. I also realized I can give them a 30 percent better price because I don't have to sell to retailers. We'll do our own stores. I've been working with brands all my life, so I thought that if I'm starting a new brand, I want it to be different.
What's the problem with retail?
There are too many boring stores selling the same thing. There are certain stores like Colette and Opening Ceremony and Maxfield in L.A. that really create beautiful environments and inspire people. I think that's good that I'm going straight to the consumer--it puts a real pressure on stores to make an effort.
Do you think the future of retail is online?
I think it's online and in beautiful environments--places where it's inspiring to buy. But stores where they're just selling commodities--it will be very hard for them to survive.
Tell us about the collection.
It's very simple. I don't do "collections," really, I just try to do great products. When I launch today, I'm launching actual products, which is unique, I think. This isn't a collection for Fall--it's immediately online. It's inspired by me, by things I like for me. And then on the women's side, I like women who can pull off a leather jacket and have a great attitude. I have a lot of great women around me, so I'm used to using them as muses! I just do things I like.
Are you glad to be designing for yourself, instead of Diesel or William Rast?
Yes. It's just easier. You use your own intuition. I've learned over the years that you just have to use your intuition and not listen to anyone.
Was that ever a problem when you were working for other people?
No, no. I can do that as well, especially if you have an inspirational person like Justin [Timberlake]. But I was trying to interpret his style, and it's always easier to interpret your own style.
Speaking of Justin: I hear you introduced your 10-year-old daughter to him.
Yes, she's been out hiking with Jessica [Biel] and Justin.
What's the future of BLK DNM?
I think it could be a big brand but still with integrity. I like what the Beatles did--it's broad music but with good integrity. John Lennon's way is a good way to do it! One day at a time, and we'll see what happens. But I definitely want to trade an international brand.
So BLK DNM is like the Beatles?
The Beatles were obviously a unique phenomenon, and we're in a different era today. But if I can inspire people to add this new dimension, I'm happy to spearhead this. It's a time when things are changing. The market is changing. It happened in music, and I think it needs to happen in clothes.
Interview with G-Star Raw's Face Magnus Carlsen
Fashion Week here in NYC. I am at the G-Star showroom interviewing Magnus Carlsen, the chess prodigy, youngest world champion and the "face" of G-Star. Here is the transcript of our conversation:
(and yes, he DOES smile if you ask him too!)
Lisette: Magnus, how did you transition from being a chess player to being a top model?
Magnus: It happened that GSTAR contacted me when they saw me playing chess on TV and they were impressed by this and they thought that chess and fashion would be an interesting and unexpected mix. They had organized a world chess challenge.
Lisette: In today's time when everything seems to be electronic what made you choose to be the master of the old style - moving figures across a board instead of pushing a button playing a video game like Halo or World of Warcraft?
Magnus: I guess at the time I started playing chess, which was about 12 years ago, there weren't that many good video games around and anyway I just started playing chess and I thought it was very interesting and I didn't think of playing any video games or the likes.
Lisette: Did you start playing chess by yourself? How did you first discover chess?
Magnus: Well my father taught me the moves and I didn't see why it would be more interesting to play video games.
Lisette: And you think the same thing today, still?
Magnus: Yeah, yeah, I like playing video games, but it's still more fun to play chess!
Lisette: Which are your favorite jeans? And why?
Magnus: I really love the ARC pants, those are the ones I am wearing right now. They look good and fit perfectly. They are comfortable without being too baggy looking.
Lisette: Which wash? The darker? Or the more bleached out, destroyed wash?
Magnus: I probably prefer the darker wash
Lisette: The ones you're wearing?
Magnus: Yeah
Lisette: You are known as a chess champion. Now you're becoming known as a famous model. You may be the first person - and the only person - to engage in world class chess and world class modeling at the same time. How do you feel about it? They're like two opposite things, right?
Magnus: I'm really privileged to be such a good chess player and also to be a part of GSTAR, so, both are very different worlds, of course, I'm just happy to be a part of both of them!
Lisette: And you feel like as totally confident to walk down the runway as you are confident about facing a champion while playing chess?
Magnus: Well, I don't know, I guess I'm still much more of a chess player,
Lisette: It's so interesting to do both....
Magnus: I'm more confident and in the comfort zone when I'm playing chess. In the fashion world, it's still interesting to view the shows and everything else, but I'm still a bit of an outsider....
Lisette: That's really interesting, because how old are you, 19?
Magnus: 20
Lisette: And to be a wunderkind, like I say, and go into fashion is kind of being a contradiction I see the chess player as a more introverted person, fashion is exactly the opposite. You have to be a show-off
Magnus: I think it's probably good for me although, I don't think I've changed very much
Lisette: You're still the same kid? The thirteen year old world champion?
Magnus: Yeah, I think so
Lisette: That's cute! Do you see any link, anything in common between chess and fashion?
Magnus: Not much! It's really hard to find a link.....
Lisette: I was wondering about that, too!
Magnus: I think you need creativity - that's something that goes with both, fashion and playing chess, but in general, there's not too much of a connection.
Lisette: In chess you have to predict the opponent's move, in fashion you predict more or less what people are going to buy next year. But you know also, I think, in chess you need to be always one step ahead of your opponent. And that goes for fashion, too.
Magnus: Yeah, for the creative side at least.
Lisette: A more personal question. You're an international model and an international chess champion and I don't imagine you have a lot of free time, but what do you do when you have spare time?
Magnus: I just like to be home, do some sports, just relax with some friends. Just normal stuff
Lisette: Dating?
Magnus: Sometimes, yes (smiling shyly)
Lisette: Who is your current favorite denim icon? It can be a man or a woman. A person who you think wears denim with the most style, or the person who knows how to carry it off best. Like you see them and go: "Oh, my God - this person really knows how to wear jeans".
Magnus: Ah, I guess I don't know really. I don't have any chess heroes. In chess I'm more interested in the games. I'm still searching in fashion. I'm more interested in the product itself, rather than having an idol. It's not the way I approach things. I don't care so much about the people. I care about the product!
Lisette: Ok, Magnus, thank you very much!
This post is dedicated to my father, Leon Geller, who taught me how to play chess.
(pictures by Lisette)
Denimocracy - Q&A With Ralph Davis, Founder and CEO
Ralph Davis, co-founder and CEO, of the (in)famous brand Denimocracy, a brand well loved and worn by jegging-loving celebs, agreed to do a Q&A with Denimology. He says he wants to "convert" me (avid Denimology readers know Lisette as a dyed-in-the-wool slouchy boyfriend jeans-lover and jegging-hater). Ok, fine. Why would I be a jegging convert by Denimocracy especially with all the different brands out there? Well, I decided to let him at least try.
Q:How did Denimocracy "happen"? Tell us a bit how you got here and about the brand's name.
A: We launched our brand in a time when our country was experiencing great economic challenges. It came to us to join in the fight and create a brand that was Hand Crafted in America. We wanted to create a true American product, produced within our shores, made by American workers, built and designed with true American quality. From this Denimocracy was born, a truly American Product, as defined in our tag line; "Premium Comfort, for the People by the People".
Q: What makes the Denimocracy jeggings different from other jeggings?
A: We released our first 5 pocket knit jean in 2008, I first saw the term Jeggings in the Apparel News shortly thereafter. Since that time we have witnessed Jeggings being offered from $5.00 to over $200.00 a pair in a variety of fabrications. What separates Denimocracy from the rest of the pack is a fabrication that has been specifically developed by us and for us. The primary qualification of any fabric that enters into our jean line is its ability to hold its shape while offering an exceptional feeling of comfort. When you add in the fashion finishes that run from our basic over-dyes to exotic coatings you have a line with a wide array of fashion to choose from.
Q: When we exchanged e-mails before doing this interview, you said: "the entire campaign currently is moving away from the wild and crazy stuff we have done in the past.." -- wasn't this "craziness" your best selling point?
A: Well we can never leave all the craziness completely behind, that's just who we are. I think a better way of looking at our previous campaign is understanding that we needed to grab some attention in announcing our brand Denimocracy. We wanted to create some thought provoking buzz about who are those guys and what is this brand all about! The next natural evolution is to turn our focus to the beauty of our products and I think this will be will represented in next ad campaign along with a little sexy craziness.
Q: What is the new philosophy behind your brand?
A: Our tag line is "Premium Comfort for the People by the People" . We are a premium label with our emphasis on true "Comfort". This comes from our focus on the combination of our Fit, Fabrics and Finishes. While this will never change we will continue to seek out ways to elevate the denim experience for our customers. We accomplish this by continuing to add and develop new fabrics and finishes, like fashion, we are always evolving.
Q: What kind of people to you want to reach out to and who is your target market?
A: Our style lines can reach from the fashion forward looks of Christina Aguilera who is tastefully wild and fun to a more subtle and sophisticated look such as Katie Holmes. Our gals are anywhere from 18 years old to 50 years old; we focus on women who want to be hip and in the current fashion trend.
Q: Which person living or dead would you most like to see in a pair of your jeans?
A: Well, I must admit that I have a soft spot for Jessica Alba. Jessica was one of the first celebrities to be wearing Denimocracy Jeggings, and she looks as good as ice cream in the Sahara Desert in them. I love her fashion sensibility and she represents all that is beautiful about the product.
Q: What is your trend forecast for this coming season?
A: For fall 2011 we see higher rises being added to the line, exotic animal prints, metallic's, retro leathers, multi-piece construction detailing and exaggerated leg openings.
Q: What is the price range and when and where will your jeans be available?
A: Our Jeans retail from $98.00 - $189.00 we are currently in better boutiques and small specialty stores across the country.
Q: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
A: Yes, there is something I would like to announce to you and all of your Denimology readers, today. It is with great pride that Denimocracy has given birth to its' newest child, Article VIII - by Denimocracy, set to break for Fall 2011. It is the latest creation by our designer Vanessa Avila and is rich in imported luxury denim from Japan and other worldly places that manufacture exceptional denim fabrics.
I just received these jeggings in the mail and they are not really what I call typical jeggings. They are more like extremely tight fitting jeans made from a smooth, comfortable stretch material enhanced with an amazing wash and design patterns. These are definitely going to be worth a try!
