Fave Look: Rodarte

Least overwhelming fashion week coverage ever: One look we love from the fall 2012 shows we care about. See more hits here, and click thisaway for the full collection.

The Fortunatos Make Collaboration Magic

These jewelry phenoms know how to work a runway.

Lizzie and Kathryn Fortunato have quite a partnership going: Lizzie is a design force to be reckoned with, and Kathryn boasts incredible business savvy. Though the twins push each other plenty, they’ve found that one of the best ways to evolve their own work—to try out new techniques or incorporate untested materials—is to partner up with like-minded clothing designers who are looking to round out their collections with awe-inspiring accessories. Here, a look at the diverse aesthetics the twins have attacked with their runway collaborations, what they’ve learned along the way, and where they want to go next.

VPL


LFJ x VPL spring 2011

Kathryn: “Four years ago, when we were just starting out, I asked Lizzie, ‘Who would you want to collaborate with right now?’ And she said, ‘There’s this clothing line called VPL—the designer’s named Victoria Bartlett, and she’s so amazing about collaborating with jewelry designers.’ She had worked with Alyssa Norton, Brian Crumley—all these people that we really liked. And a season later, sure enough, Victoria approached Lizzie to collaborate with her.”


LFJ x VPL spring 2009

Lizzie: “We worked with her first for spring 2009. There was all of this origami. We found a girl on Craigslist who made origami birds—that was her thing.”


Necklaces from LFJ x VPL spring 2009 and spring 2010

Kathryn: “Victoria was amazing in terms of giving Lizzie incredible freedom. She was like, ‘The sky’s the limit. You can do whatever you want.’ The inspiration would be broad—like underwater, flying, the human body.”

Suno


LFJ x Suno fall 2010

Kathryn: “The same sort of thing happened with Suno that happened with VPL. Lizzie said, ‘Have you heard of this line Suno?’ I hadn’t—it was really early. We didn’t know anything about them, but she just really liked the aesthetic—they appreciate textiles, and so do we. And it was so weird because in January of 2010, four weeks before fashion week, we got an email from Max Osterweis, who is the founder, saying, ‘Hey, I’m Max from Suno. I was in Paris, eating dinner with a friend of mine, and she was wearing an incredible necklace that you made. So I looked you up, and I want to talk to you guys about doing some jewelry with me.’ Whoever that girl in Paris was, bless her heart!”


LFJ x Suno spring 2011

Kathryn: “He and Erin Beatty, the designer, came over to our old live-work space on East Broadway. We used their fabrics, and our jewelry was incorporated into something like seven of the 25 looks. It was really exciting, but it was only a small sign of what was to come. The next season 24 of the 25 looks had our pieces, and there were about ten necklaces on each girl. We started producing the jewelry as it’s own collection.”


LFJ x Suno fall 2011

Lizzie: “For fall 2011, they wanted a more polished look. It was the first time I had ever done so much metal!”
Kathryn: “The collection was inspired by a Diana Vreeland, older-lady character who had been around the world and had this Upper East Side mentality. It was incredibly flattering that Erin came to Lizzie when she could have gone to a number of people who excel in metalwork—Lizzie had never, ever done anything like that. This forced Lizzie to go out of her comfort zone, and, even though she hated it at the time, it was such a blessing in the stars because we probably wouldn’t have evolved our own collection as we did otherwise.”


Metal cuffs from the LFJ spring 2012 collection

Wish List
Lizzie: “In terms of other people we want to work with, there’s something I like about collaborating with lines that are just getting going. We just started working with the retail arm of Jenni Kayne. We love her aesthetic—it’s sleek and amazingly crisp. It would be cool to do clutches with beaded, graphic shapes.”
Kathryn: “This is definitely a dream one, but obviously Rodarte would be incredible. Lizzie has incredible respect for them.”
Lizzie: “It would be fun to go crazy and dive into a whole new market—to do something for Matthew Williamson for London Fashion Week. You know, to open doors that are really out of our minds.”

Speaking of collabs: Don’t miss out on the edition the twins made just for Of a Kind. Get on our email list for a reminder.

Where They Were Then: Phillip Lim

If you can believe it, there was a time before Phillip Lim. There was an era when his classic-but-surprising line was not in every single store you entered—somehow attracting you to it despite its prevalence. He had his first runway show a mere six years ago, and, in length of a senatorial term, he has grown a massive, massive business with flagships in New York, L.A., Seoul, Singapore, and Tokyo. Here’s how he did it. —sunny

1973 - Phillip Lim is born in Thailand to Chinese parents—his mom’s a seamstress, and his dad’s a professional poker player—who move their clan to Cambodia months later.

1974 - A year after his birth, his parents uproot the family again, this time to Orange Country, California. Seth, Summer, Ryan, and Marissa welcome him with open arms. Or something.

1988 - Phillip begins playing tennis the summer after eighth grade. Upon hearing that the tennis brand Prince would sponsor the player on the team with the most potential, Lim, only a freshman, challenges the team’s star and wins. As he tells Fast Company, “I don’t know if I was good, but I was determined.”

1991 - Lim enrolls at CSU Long Beach to study business. As he tells Esquire, “Coming from a traditional Asian-American background, there were a couple things I could be: a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, or a businessperson…So I majored in business.” With a year left before graduation, he realizes he hates business and switches to home ec with a focus on fashion merchandising. #rebellion

1998 - While working retail at Barneys in Beverly Hills, he unpacks a delivery from Katayone Adeli and instantly wants to work for her. He applies for an internship and becomes a design assistant within two years—a gig he’s able to land without even knowing what a portfolio is.

2000 - When Adeli moves to New York, Lim decides to stick in out in L.A., ultimately launching Development—“a collection of simple clothes for girls in their twenties,” as he tells New York magazine—with Andy Crane and Stuart Gaddis.

2004 - Creative clashes at Development lead to his departure. His friend Wen Zhou flies him out to New York, tells him (per New York mag) “I’m tired of you crying,” and throws down $750,000 for Lim to do his own company. Their mutual age—31— gets woven into the name for the line, ensuring we can never forget when it all started.

2005 - 3.1 Phillip Lim lands at NYFW with his debut collection for fall 2006. In Vogue, Anna Wintour later claims that Lim has revolutionized fashion by creating contemporary designer clothing that girls can buy “without breaking the bank.” Not bad, not bad.

2007 - Lim introduces men’s, kids’, and eyewear lines—and opens his first store in Soho. And! He wins the CFDA Swarovski Award for emerging talent in womenswear, beating out Thakoon Panichgul and Rodarte. NBD.

2008 - Celebrities—Rachel Bilson! Natalie Portman! Sarah Jessica Parker! Beyoncé!—wear his designs. Lauren Conrad name drops him on The Hills.

2010 - Lim works with Kanye West on costumes for his short film, “Runaway.” Sorry, guys: The insane, feathered looks aren’t Lim’s. Fast-forward to the the sleek white-and-black tuxedo jacket Kanye is wearing.

2011 - Word is a Hong Kong store will open by the end of the year—make that six flagships. Plus, annual sales are expected to hit a whopping $60 million. Holla.

For more of our little fashion-designer timelines, click here.

The Insider: Anna Akawie

Not to toot our own horn, but, our packaging? It’s pretty awesome. And a big part of that stems from the rad luggage-tag style certificates of authenticity that Claire’s cousin, Anna Akawie, designed. The native Angeleno—who’s also responsible for the Of a Kind logo—started her design education early and keeps learning, learning, learning. —jiayi

Q: How did you get into design?

A: I taught myself how to use Photoshop when I was about 14 and made little webpages all through high school. It wasn’t until I realized that community college wasn’t getting me anywhere that I decided to enroll in the graphic design program at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. I finished in about a year and a half, and landed an internship at an entertainment design firm where I still work now, five years later!

Q: Besides designing the Of a Kind branding, what are some other cool projects you’ve worked on?

A: I got to design the save the dates and invitations for my best friend’s wedding—I feel really lucky to have done that. I also design and print a calendar every year to give to all of my friends. There’s a free download of it on my website for whoever wants one. 

Q: You knit some adorable kittens over the summer—we were all obsessed with them! How did you get into making those?

A: I love those little knittens! About seven years ago, I taught myself to knit and in my quest to find new and more challenging projects, I came across this wonderful pattern by Jess Hutchison for a knit kitty. I’ve been knitting it ever since, with some adaptations to the pattern to make it a bit more my own.

Q: Their striped shirts are amazing. What will they be sporting for fall?

A: If I could knit it—leopard-print sweaters!

Q: Who would you say is your most stylish friend?

A: My best friend Elizabeth. I’m constantly getting into trouble from the things she posts to her Svpply account. There’s no way I would be cool enough to own a Rodarte sweatshirt if not for her!

We’ve got more Insiders for you to read about, right here.

In Character: Daria Morgendorffer

Daria didn’t give an F what she looked like…except you know that she secretly did. And she managed to pull together an ensemble that conveyed to the Kevins and Brittanys of the world (and the Beavises and Butt-heads, too) that, no, high school in Lawndale was not doing it for her. Here, three pieces as droll as her commentary. —erica

An earthy, zip-front cardigan from Rodarte for Opening Ceremony with enough bulk to compensate for Quinn’s exposed midriff.

A pleated black Alexander Wang skirt that screams “cynical schoolgirl”—extra-long in the back so no one gets the wrong idea.

Combat boots from LD Tuttle to wage a war on suburban stupidity.

There are 47 more “In Character” posts to be read! Right this way…

Six Lines That Have Made Los Angeles a True Fashion Mecca

We hope that following our L.A. month—our last edition from Mctega is coming tomorrow morning!—is making you realize that even though Los Angeles isn’t touted as a fashion capital, the city plays a vital role in that world (um, hello, entertainment industry and red carpets) and is a breeding ground for a ridiculous amount of sartorial talent. Below, some major names who launched their lines in—and have remained loyal to—L.A. —jiayi
 

Rodarte sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, who taught themselves the ins-and-outs of clothes-making by dissecting a Chanel dress and who started designing from their parents’ kitchen table in Pasadena.

 

Scott Sternberg, who left his agent job to start Band of Outsiders and credits his line’s edge to living outside of the New York fashion bubble.

 

Wren’s Melissa Coker. Fun fact: She named her line after Jenny Wren, a dressmaker for dolls, from Charles Dickens’s Our Mutual Friends.

Merrit Elliott and Emily Current, who lend their talent and last names to their popular denim line Current/Elliott. The girls initially bonded over bell-bottoms while at UCLA.

 

This super-agent to the stylists Margaret Maldonado created L’Agence, full of lots of good pieces for her clients to call-in. (And, oh hey, the guys at International Design Group work with her.)

 

Rick Owens. OK, so he moved to Paris finally, but when you think of Rick Owens, you think L.A.

It’s still L.A. month here at Of a Kind! Right this way for more.

Kristina and Sarah on Four Things They Learned Starting a Business

Spoiler alert: It takes more than kick-ass design (and internships at Rodarte).

The inaugural Mctega design

“We met interning for Rodarte. I think Sarah was the first person I met there,” explains Kristina Ortega, one half of the Mctega team. “I actually answered the door when Kristina knocked for her first day of work,” adds Sarah McLellan, the other member of the jewelry-making duo. The two developed a connection so quickly that, upon wrapping up their gigs, they decided to launch a company that makes accessories that would look at home at Dylan’s Candy Bar or on Fraggle Rock. Here are just a few of the things they’ve picked up along the way. [Ed: We got kind of ‘motional reading these, because we  feel like we could have written them ourselves. Of a Kind fully endorses starting a business.]

1) You have to push and to know when to stop.
Sarah: As younger designers, there have been times where we have these huge, grand ideas, but we don’t have resources to execute them. We’re always happy with the end result, but we’re very critical of what we put out.

2) You can figure shit out. No, really.
Sarah: From the Rodarte girls, we took away the fact that you could do it for yourself—you don’t have to work for a giant company. It’s like they really woke up with this decision: “We’re doing this. We’re going to be what we really want to be.”
Kristina: We learned how to pour silicone molds and how to make this strange chamber that pulls oxygen out of plastic. It’s those kind of weird things that we taught ourselves that probably aren’t things you get to learn when you work for somebody else. It’s valuable, and it’s the way we design.

3) There’s no such thing as a work schedule.
Kristina: The weird thing is that there are some weeks when we can’t find things to do, and then other weeks when we have so much to do that we don’t get to breathe or sleep or do anything—you just have to get through it. It’s kind of rough, but we have a good sense of humor about it. We mess around a lot in the backyard.  

4) Your experience is going to be different from anyone else’s.
Sarah: Literally, six months after starting our line, we got an email from Barneys asking if we wanted to meet with them. That was so huge for us. It was like, “Are you kidding right now?” Six months ago, I was sitting in on a buying meeting with Rodarte, and now I’m here with my business partner about our stuff. But even if I did learn something by having those previous encounters, it’s always different for you personally.

See how their hard work has paid off. Check out the awesome bracelet they made just for Of a Kind.

Mctega

Before Sarah McLellan (left) and Kristina Ortega started their jewelry line, Mctega—an amalgamation of their two last names—they thought they’d have to choose between science and fashion. “We both started college with the intent of studying science. Sarah was pre-med until her junior year, and I was a microbiology major,” Kristina explains.

But when the duo—who met interning for Rodarte in 2007—started concepting their first creations, it quickly became clear that maybe this wasn’t an either/or situation. “We found these mirrored plexiglass pieces shopping in the garment district, and Sarah said, ‘Oh, these look like carbon link structures!’ We went from there, casting them in plastic to make our first necklace ever,” Kristina says. “The plastic casting is something I had been doing since high school. My parents had this really old chemistry manual from the sixties that I used to go through all the time.”

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The Insider: Eviana Hartman of Bodkin Talks About “This Weird, Special Place” Called Los Angeles

The newly minted Cali resident and founder of the whimsically modern (and sustainable) clothing line Bodkin spent a long time in New York, covering fashion at Vogue, Teen Vogue, and Nylon before launching her own line. Here, she opens up about why she went West and what she’s loving about her new environs. —nathalie

Q: How long have you lived in L.A.?

A: Just over two months, after 11 years in NYC.

Q: Why did you move there?

A: For love (I’m marrying an L.A. native this year), for a change of scenery, for a better quality of life, for the outdoors—and to escape the abrasive attitude and constant physical discomfort of New York. It was a great place to discover oneself and make connections, but when you find yourself shimmying through an 18-inch gap between a seven-foot-tall dirty snowbank and a diesel-spewing ConEd truck, heels on ice and toes dipped in a slush puddle, to catch a bus, while holding a huge bag of samples, something in you snaps.

Q: Who are your favorite L.A.-based designers?

A: Jasmin Shokrian, who brings an artist’s vocabulary and perspective to her choices in color and form. Band of Outsiders, because my fiance looks adorable in their shirts. Rodarte, of course—their work is about material experimentation, emotion, memory, and meaning, in a way that characterizes art, not fashion. Jesse Kamm, because she is my friend and is so smart and cool and funny—and has an effortless, airy aesthetic with an environmentally mindful approach.

Q: What aspect of the city’s culture would you say is most inspirational for you?

A: For me, it’s the city’s post-modernity—its complexity. It feels like a place that is new and changing—where there is possibility around every corner. I have been reading strictly L.A. books lately—Mike Davis’s City of Quartz and Ecology of Fear, The Day of the Locust, and some Joan Didion—and just really getting into the hidden subtleties of this weird, special place.

It’s L.A. month at Of a Kind! More on that here.