Designer Spotlight
Renae Plant
November 22, 2009
Renae Plant, designer and founder of Bump Babies pregnancy apparel is a multi-tasker. Her popular [bump] tees and other apparel are worn by many celebrities - Gwen Stefani, Salma Hayek, Tori Spelling, Nancy O'Dell, to name a few. She successfully handles talent at Nebula Management, runs Camelot Kids preschool, and juggles three kids. I talked to Renae about her designs, since only a mother can understand the need for every stage of pregnancy to be glorified - this event is too exciting to hide. Bump babies apparel is comfortable and stylish with maternity tank tops, t-shirts, yoga pants and more. What separates this pregnancy apparel line from others is not only its attention to detail (more bling please!) but largely its sense of humor. Moms would appreciate a good chuckle. I asked Renae about her designs, inspirations and life story in this exclusive interview.
How did you come up with the idea for your [bump] business and name?
I was pregnant with my son Mateo at the time and coming from Australia we use the word bump to describe being pregnant...so then I started thinking of funny acronyms for the meaning of bump and voila [bump] baby under manufacturing process was born. I wanted to be different from the other novelty tee lines that were out there, so I took it one step further and trademarked my saying and incorporated my trademark in every single design. I got to work immediately making samples and sent them to retailers and my biz took off. Within the first year my line was in over 200 retail stores worldwide and I had created my very own brand.
Cheri Milaney
March 29, 2009
Vancouver designer Cheri Milaney surprised the audience at Toronto's LG Fashion Week this month when she picked real women instead of regular models to walk in her Fall/Winter 2009 show. She is celebrating a 10-year anniversary of her line this year, but has been sketching outfits since early age. It is this fashion experience and her travels around the world, and Italy in particular, that made her realize that clothes should be a reflection of women who wear them and not the other way around, and women come in all shapes and sizes.
Being able to bring out that something special in each woman is what Cheri's designs are about. She also favors a certain color in her Fall/Winter 2009 collection. We asked the designer about this and other things fashion in our interview.
You are celebrating 10 years in fashion this year. How did you get started?
I was encouraged to study fashion design by my high school art and drama teachers, as well as my mother who recognized my talent and passion at the age of 6. After going to fashion school, I worked in many different facets of the industry including retail sales management, visual merchandising and display, fashion editorial and art direction. I started on a small scale working from sketches and fabric swatches, going from store to store.
Victoria Hinks Taylor
Jan 12, 2009
Victoria Hinks Taylor has been making headlines in Paris, London, Milan, New York. Just one look at her work and you see how striking and individual, memorable it is. We asked Victoria a few questions about her life and work in this email interview.
Please tell us a little about the person behind the label and how you started in fashion.
I remember finishing school and having to make the decision of what I was going to do. The choices were always; acting, photography, or fashion. I was always individual in the way I dressed, and my parents were always very aware that even at a young age other girls would copy how I wore something. In the end, I actually graduated in Photography. My final show was a collection of short films, which was a little controversial, as no one had explored film on that course before. I went straight to London, although still unsettled about what I wanted to do, and followed the film route, which lead me into post production and advertising. I worked for 6 years in Soho where I worked for some great creative figures, and some fantastic companies such as Mother and M&C Saatchi. But it wasn't until I met my now business partner Lawrence, that I finally began to realize where I was supposed to be. For the next 2 years we travelled and worked around Europe, he is a film director, and I worked as an art director and stylist. Throughout those 2 years I would draw books and books of fashion designs. So much so it got to the point where Lawrence realized before me what was happening! He encouraged me to define all these ideas into a collection, which I did. It was a natural progression for both of us to define all our ideas experience and vision into creating the Hinks Taylor label. And since then it has just been fantastic. One profound comment that stays with me is "you most fear what you most want to do". Because if you fail at the thing you want to do most, where do you go from there!? However I am finally realising what I always knew deep down, and life has never been easier and more fulfilling.
Asli Filinta
December 1, 2008
Asli Filinta's designs are both eccentric and optimistic, so no wonder her latest (Spring 2009) collection is called Monkey Town. Where does she find inspiration? Primarily from her native Turkey and the markets of Istanbul. Though she is originally from the Turkish town of Adana, Istanbul is her biggest source of inspiration - the history, culture, the sights and sounds of the city. She is excited by special fabrics from Turkey, since she gets the culture behind it. Even her favorite period in fashion history is from the glamorous Ottoman Empire times - all the sultan costumes. She is quite a spontaneous traveler, but when she roams the world it's the cultures that she loves to see. Enter her fascination with Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, or Kapalicarsi, one of the largest covered markets in the world with more than 58 streets and 6,000 shops. Asli says most people enter the bazaar through the "Nuruosmaniye Gate" (meaning "the light of the Ottomans"). Once you enter, she suggests you look at the ceiling, look for something special. Finding beauty in what's around you perhaps makes someone like her such a unique spirit.
