originally posted on the POP
Sarah Sulzberger Perpich: What are your earliest and fondest fashion memories and who in particular inspired and fostered your love and curiosity for fashion and jewelry?
Pamela Love: My grandmother Rose first introduced me to fashion magazines when I was very young. She used to play dress up with me and let me put on her makeup. She had an extremely unique style: all black clothes, black beret, jet black hair and lots of silver jewelry and she played guitar. Everything about her was artistic and it inspired me even at an early age.
SSP: When did you first fall in love with jewelry and what do you love about it most?
PL: I first fell in love with jewelry when I was about six and my mother gave me my first pair of dangly earrings. I thought it meant I was mature and ladylike. I love jewelry because it holds so much significance for people.
SSP: How did your previous work and experiences influence your sense of style?
PL: I spent several years as Francesco Clemente’s painting assistant. His creative process is so inspiring to me. I learned a lot about being an uncompromising individual from him.
SSP: What inspired you to start your own jewelry collection and how did it come about?
PL: I started my collection shortly after the death of my father in 2006. For whatever reason, it just felt right and helped me through a very dark period of my life.
SSP: How did you manage to successfully launch a high-end jewelry line (some price tags are over $2,000) during an economic recession?
PL: I think when people have less money to spend they don’t stop spending. They are just much more particular and far more concerned with quality and value. I think my customers recognize and appreciate the value and care that goes into my work. I feel honored when people don’t have tons of money at their disposal and they still choose to buy one of my pieces.
SSP: Can you describe your creative design process — and if you think it is similar to the creative process behind fashion, art and music?
PL: I usually get an image in my head. Sometimes it will just come to my mind out of nowhere, other times it will be directly related to something I saw (a movie, a sculpture, a plant etc.). Then I may or may not make a quick sketch. Then I carve the model out of wax or clay.
SSP: How would you describe your collections’ design aesthetics? Signature styles?
PL: It’s a little dark and gothic but also light and spiritual… Rock and Roll, flower child, nomad, shaman, sorcerer, knight… My most recognized piece is the eagle talon cuff.
SSP: You are queen of creative collaborations: How is the design process different when collaborating with a fashion house and runway show?
PL: It’s totally different trying to take someone else’s ideas and inspiration and executing it your own way. It’s challenging to find ways to be true to your own aesthetic while realizing someone else’s vision.
SSP: Which collaborations have you enjoyed the most and why? Which ones have been the most successful and in what way?
PL: I loved collaborating with Zac Posen on the jewelry and accessories for his Spring ‘09 show. He gave me so much freedom and the pieces were such a focal point. I also loved collaborating with Opening Ceremony and Spike Jonze for a line inspired by his film Where the Wild Things Are. It was so fun and different from anything I had done before. It gave me a chance to be more whimsical and childlike in my designs.
SSP: Do you have any interest in launching a more affordable, accessible collection in addition to your high-end collection?
PL: Yes of course! As long as I can control where and how the collection is produced. I am extremely committed to domestic production.
SSP: What has it been like and what have you learned from your experiences so far in the fashion world and your instant success at a young age?
PL: Just to go slow. It’s not a race. Don’t take on too much at one time. Quality is always better than quantity.
Pamela Love’s top ten loves right now
1. Jackson C Frank
2. Torelli bikes
3. Turquoise
4. Men’s oxfords
5. Devendra Banhart
6. Old aviator sunglasses
7. New tattoos
8. Gardening
9. This amazing band called Woods
10. Dr Martens
Info: www.pamelalovenyc.com
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.