I'm curious to know more about the tube dress while the model is covering her chest. Did you have that in mind while making the garment? Or did that happen organically during rehearsal?
I have to attribute that to our stylist Akari Endo Gaut. That was a dress that was not going to make it because we had the nude version that opened the show originally, and then she said no, let's do it. It was all a common effort. It just told the story right and set the tone. The sheerness was proving the vulnerability, but then it’s Tina walking and she has that red lip and sleek hair, making it something vulnerable and very strong.
Why did you choose a gallery for the backdrop of your 6th show?
It started with Tara when she offered her space. I asked her to open the show because she was one of the woman that inspired me. In previous collections, there was always an altercation with art. But now that we’re in a gallery this time, I don’t want to talk about art. This point of view is clearly fashion. Having the support of the gallery allowed me to focus on fashion and not worry about showing artfulness. I wanted to get rid of the theatrics.
How was this show different from previous shows?
It was the biggest one. It was a full collection, the 6th one I’ve done with kits. Past collections were showing concepts. This time I wanted it to feel like a full collection with hopes people can find something to relate to. It was much more diverse in styles. A little bit of streetwear, a lot of artisanal pieces, more wearables, real tailoring. It was trying to develop ideas that already existed and explore them both aesthetically and technically.
How did the collaboration with Sheertex come about?
At first, I sourced from wholesalers in the Lower East Side where I was living. There were a lot of shops that had mountains of hosiery and I would go in and buy their dead stock. I discovered Sheertex and I thought it could be a new approach to sustainability. It’s an industry that produces so much waste. You know tights rip and run, but having this technology that Sheertex created that makes anti-rip and run tights, that is forever and non-disposable. I reached out and it took a while in the making because the fabric is very different from what I’m used to working with. I’m hoping we can go towards more durable fabrics that can pass the test of time.
What was the most exciting moment of the show?
It was like a big family coming together and doing something together. The whole show was the most exciting thing I had experienced. It was such a wonderful day mostly because of the people backstage: the stylists, hair stylists, make-up artists, Gia, the producer, and the models. Overall, just seeing the images after and the production of work from so many talented friends was the most exciting for me.