coutorture --

Interview: Just Another Rich Kid

coutorture — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:39:01 -0800

Ken Courtney's t-shirts draw on pop culture without being entirely sincere nor overtly ironic. His shirts are actually quite funny which works out well because the sort of people who spend a hundred dollars on their t-shirts, definitely have a sense of humor. For a nicely fit, high quality cotton t-shirt, with a print that says a lot with a little bit of space, it's not like we think the purchase isn't justified. In fact, Just Another Rich Kid t-shirts really move beyond 'basics' because, though appropriate as layering pieces, they're just as fit to be strong-minded garments with some major real estate in your closet. After the jump, Ken Courtney gives us the break-down of his collection and the other aspects of his brand, namely his killer blog and designs beyond t-shirts.

Bag Lady: Our Interview with Rebecca Minkoff

coutorture — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:34:52 -0700

The handbag doyenne responsible for much of young Hollywood's arm candy offered us some insights into her covetable collections. From staples such as the now-classic, slouchy Nikki bag (we're craving one in wine) to seasonal styles like her French Tote, there's something to keep us happy, season after season. Minkoff goes above and beyond to fit her customers' lifestyles, offering additional strap, chain, and scarf add-on options that allow a girl to customize the bag any way she fancies. It's this kind of versatility and attention to detail that make a Minkoff bag a standout, and probably the reason so many women have flocked to her designs.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you started your own company?
My handbag line really started when I was designing clothes and my friend Jenna Elfman was shooting a movie and asked me to design a bag for her. I have been sewing since age seven and had been educated in design, so that helped get things started. I used my savings and with hard work, it took off.

Was the move to step away from the clothing line and focus on the handbags a reflection of your own interests, or did the momentum of the bags' success just take you in that direction.
The momentum!

Your designs are regularly seen on the arms of celebs. While it's hard to deny the role celebrity plays in building buzz, some designers embrace the exposure, while others shun it. Where do you stand, and how do you feel about about the efforts of new designers to get famous faces on board?
I think support from celebrities can be positive and it always has been in my situation. It really helps propel the brand and get women liking the bags.

How do you feel about using green materials versus leather? We want the truth from a working handbag designer. Do you really feel it's possible to create products of a look and quality similar to the leathers used for most high end handbags?
PVC for example is much more harmful to the environment than leather is. Hemp and organic canvas are the only real environmentally substitutes for leather. I used canvas for my eco-tote, the bread and wine bag.

At the age of 27, your collections have been sold in boutiques the world over and worn by bold-faced names. What was the key to successfully managing such a fast-growing business?
A combination of great PR, marketing and sales teams, and persistence!

Interview Roundup

meganzanke — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:36:02 -0700

Team Coutorture is in San Francisco this week, missing New York a lil' bit, but busy and happy in the meantime. To tide you over, here's a roundup of our most recent designer interviews (that's really the good stuff isn't it?) for content-therapy. We're not willing to beat you over the head with the quick stuff, so we figure we'll just send you over to the pockets we think are worthwhile, until all resumes normalcy next week. Thanks for being such a lovely reader, oh, and have you seen the Naeem Kahn Resort 2009 collection? Gush, gush, gush. Makes us think of cougars and martinis and pool boys.

Designer Steinunn Sigurd gave us a few kind words in conjunction with our One Train photo shoot. She was a Senior Designer for Tom Ford and lives in Iceland now, working on her line and hanging out with her dog.

Sue Stemp is another lovely designer we've created some crazy content around. In addition to shooting her Fall 08 collection post-fashion week, we interviewed her about the process both before and after the show, and, funnily enough, added her blog to our network.

For independent designers, we've recently gotten a hold of The Hellers, a brother and sister street wear design duo, Layla Pakzad of Salt Swimwear, and Jesse Finkelstein of JF&Son (on his way to becoming a straight-up household name) whose clothing we shot in a rooftop photo shoot and who, at the moment, is over in India maintaining production facilities so that young, emerging designers can ethically and affordably access the textiles and craftsmanship that the country offers.

For video interviews, we have many, but most recently we caught hold of Charles Nolan at his Resort showing, where we sipped lemonade and watched an easy to wear, Americana-themed collection, be presented on a stage equipped with American flag streamers and old fashioned summertime props.

In case you didn't know, we also venture away from designer interviews on a regular basis. Our Garmento video series is the best example of this effort. In this series we interview everyone from screenprinters to boutique owners. Also up on the site recently was a cool little interview with the buyer of New York boutique OAK, and one very meta interview with the perfumer behind CB I Hate Perfume.

Enjoy!