Lady Gaga in Mark and Estel leggings

SSP: Did you always know you wanted to design clothing? What are some of your earliest and fondest fashion memories?

M&E: We both used to make clothes for ourselves and sketch ideas for designs. Fashion is one of the most fun things in the world. What is more fun (and long lasting fun) than discovering and wearing a piece of clothing you really love? Okay, maybe some things are more fun, but that is up there! We love it when our clients tell us they are so happy with our designs because having the ability to touch someone’s emotions with our designs is awesome.

SSP: How would you describe your personal styles? Have they evolved over time and become more or less alike?

M&E: Our personal styles are always evolving. Right now Estel is doing a sophisticated chic thing which evolved from a funky sexy thing. Mark is doing a kind of Miami Vice mixed with L.A. Hippie thing which evolved from a Rock thing.

SSP: How did the two of you meet and what inspired you to team up and launch a fashion label instead of pursing your passion for music and art? What do you think a fashion designer can accomplish that perhaps a musician or artist cannot?

M&E: We met quite awhile ago in Los Angeles working on several projects. We were both living as artists and were one hundred percent devoted to creativity and we could sense that about each other. A few years later when we reconnected and realized that the passion for creating was still there in both of us, we kind of knew we had to do this thing together. We pursue fashion, music, and art as one entity. Mark and Estel is a collective of fashion and music, but also visual art, photography, film, and a few other forms of expression.

As for what a fashion designer can accomplish that a music artist cannot: we believe it is simply another medium that can  bring a bit of happiness to people. This is why we have brought everything under one roof. Music is like a show for your ears while fashion helps you express yourself visually.

SSP: What did you hope your label would offer that the market was previously missing?

M&E: While there were so many great things out there already, we felt that a certain passion for fun, love, luxury and the celebration of life was being neglected in fashion. We kind of wanted to say this is about fun. We work very hard on our goal to make the world a more fun place.

SSP: What makes your cotton basics unique and how did you manage to succeed at a time when the market for t-shirts and leggings has become oversaturated?

M&E: We don’t really consider ourselves a t-shirt line, but rather designers who happened to kick off with t-shirt styles because we felt that the t-shirt can be taken to so many levels, and it is often the centerpiece of an outfit. There are lots of great lines but we approach this as passionate artists, and feel that our clients feel this the moment they try on one of our designs.

SSP: What are the benefits and challenges of co-designing and do you each take on separate roles with differing responsibilities or are you equal players in all positions?

M&E: It changes from day to day how we divide responsibilities. A lot of it is reacting to matters at hand: having meetings to plan, things to map out, and then work work work. The benefits are countless because our ideas more than double from working together: it’s like they increase a million fold. The challenge of working together is clearly communicating the idea in your head so the other person understands it.

SSP: Describe your approach to the design process as well as your greatest inspirations: where, when, and how do they come about and how are they translated into your actual designs?

M&E: In the beginning we were inspired from all of our surroundings and everyone around us. Inspiration still comes like that, but now the challenge is to translate our random musings into new styles about twice a year. When it is time for a new collection we get together and brainstorm and put on paper our recent inspirations as well as  where we feel “the wind is blowing”.  Then we mix our ideas together and develop a “bigger mind” concept for the collection which also often yields the name of the collection. Then we do a lot of experimenting and our studio is a mad mess of draped materials and undecipherable drawings and mannequins and loud music and samples. Next we get to the wrapping it up stage where we hopefully find we have created what we want. Finally we shoot the collections’ catalog and put it out.

SSP: Can you describe your collection’s design aesthetics? What song title or lyrics would best describe your collection’s aesthetic?

M&E: Our current collection is named Rock of Julia, and we are recording our song Rock of Julia for our next album. The song and collection are about a fictional character named Julia who rides on a giant eagle and hunts for her destined treasure: the Rock of Juli’.

SSP: Do you have a specific woman in mind when designing and if so how would you describe her? If not, who is your ideal market?  Your actual market?

M&E: “Our girl” has a passion for fashion. Her t-shirt or leggings is as important to her as her most luxurious dress. That is our ideal market and our actual market.

SSP: What do you think about America’s current obsession with celebrities and the omnipresent fashion blogs whose sole mission is to cover and comment on what they are wearing? From your experience so far, how important is having a celebrity wear your clothing and what role has it played in your financial success?

M&E: We don’t think in those terms because we do not design with celebrity marketing in mind. Celebrities do wear our line and it helps in the way that it simply brings more exposure. But we don’t design with a particular celeb in mind or something like that. We are not one of the brands that is very affected by that although maybe it will affect us more in the future.

SSP: What is the utopian scenario for you as designers and for your collection?

M&E: To reach and affect more and more people in a happy way. One of the great things about meeting people who love Mark and Estel is that we bond with them over our passion for fashion, music, and art and if that keeps on happening that is wonderful.