Azede Jean-Pierre

Happy New Year & belated Christmas to those that celebrate! I enjoyed the holidays immensely visiting with family & looking forward to what this new year will bring. I've been doing a lot of shopping lately & the only reason I don't feel guilty, everything I bought was on massive sale including the new top I received from emerging designer Azede Jean-Pierre. I was first introduced to Haitian born Azede Jean-Pierre through photographer Kwesi Abbensetts FB page, he posted a link to her SS/11 collection. This young lady embodies fresh talent & a perspective that the industry needs. Her craftsmanship is impeccable, she has a vision, & she's strategically building her brand in Atlanta. Over the holidays she auctioned a sample top from her SS/10 collection that I absolutely fell in love with. So I bid & I won!!! Since landing on the Newcomer front page, a blog where Azede chronicles her journey as an emerging designer all I can think about is how appropriate she would be for the CFDA Incubator program. In due time I'm sure if she doesn't surpass that expectation, which I'm sure she will. Attention to details can be such a great quality to posess as a designer & I'll let you all see what I'm talking about if you click here. I'm so happy to be acquainted with Azede & am beyond anxious for what she's cooking up! Oh & I borrowed the photo above from Azede's blog,thx! Can't wait to rock the top during NYFW ;).

Make Me Wanna Buy It: Laden Showroom UK

Are you itching for Spring to come & STAY(over all the teasing weather) already like I am? Well if you are, The Laden Showroom UK has a variety of options to help transition your wardrobe.  With their recently launched e-boutique stocked with emerging designers like Motel, Emma Fielden & Mimosa, whether you're looking for that essential trench or an amazing graphic print dress like the one below by Miss Milne you'll find it here. Like I always say styling/presentation is key when shopping online & Laden Showroom have definitely nailed it, I've already got more than a few items in my shopping cart! And if that alone does not float your boat, there's an ingenious catwalk feature that allows you to view the clothing being modeled in real-time. I'm sold on that feature alone, lets see how many sites will began to follow suite! Yes this spring/summer I will be wearing boots & these Dr. Laden boots by in-house label Laden are an apt fit! Visit The Laden Showroom website to view the array of independent designers they offer & to get your shop on spring is literally right around the corner what are you waiting for!

Fresh N Fierce: Garderob

www.garderob.biz

NN: Hello ladies! Can you please introduce yourselves and  give us a brief background on your line Garderob

G: Hi Ebony! Garderob are Daniela Ivanova, Jivka Dacheva and Lyubomira Aleksieva. The brand was created in 2006, after starting as a student project. The first collections were shown not only in Bulgaria but also in expos in Vienna, Austria. Soon after we started to work with several shops there. All of our clothes are produced entirely in Bulgaria.

NN: You launched Garderob in 06, how have your designs and aesthetic evolved since then?

G: It is very important today to be flexible and to stay adequate to every happening change around us. Garderob style is described as discreet and elegant with clever detailing. Simple sophistication is acheived with light, flowing fabrics, drapery and clean silhouettes. Emphasis is placed on high quality and on a timeless independence of seasonally changing trends. We really focus our attention on these things every time and still keep them as our main principles.




NN: Do you ever find it challenging to compromise when designing since there are three of you?

G: Of course compromising is always a part of the process, but it is good that we are three because it means more ideas and ways to make them real and finished.

NN: Describe the type of woman you design for?

G: Sophisticated working woman who feels comfortable with herself.

NN: As emerging designers in Bulgaria, what types of challenges do you face? Give us an idea of your journey since graduating from The National Academy of Arts in Sofia to now producing your latest collection?

G: As a whole we face a lot of challenges. Taking  in to account that our country is one of the least developed in Europe, it is very difficult to start your own business and to be successful at it. Also people here in Bulgaria are still not open to embracing clothes made by young designers. We are developing, researching and making a name for ourselves at the moment. Definitely challenging but we are eager to see the end results.

NN: I think as an American I tend to believe that all fashion designers abroad ultimately are striving to have some sort of US presence with their line. How important if any is it to you as Bulgarian designers to break into the US market?

G: It would be great if we were able to sell our clothes in shops in the United States. It would be a challenge to make efforts selling our line in a new place, but I'm curious to know if it would work :)!




NN: What are some  misconceptions that people may have of fashion in Bulgaria and what would we be surprised to know?

G: For sure foreigners that are interested in fashion don't know a lot about BG fashion. But the good news is there are alot of new names coming and wanting to show their work in different world export and competitions, making the first steps!

NN: You are also stylists for some of the top fashion magazines in Bulgaria. Does your styling work influence your design work and if so how?

G: Not that much. But working with clothes from really famous brands in fact show us how good quality clothes must be made- with really, really, really good quality and a great idea!

NN: How important do you think it is to utilize the internet in correlation to your work?

G:  Very important it connects us with more people.

NN: And finally, a fun fact about each other?

G: Well to tell you the truth I can't remember so many funny facts. Several years ago we took part in one Vienna expo but didn't know that we would have nothing, no clothes hangers, no decoration, no mirrors, we were supposed to provide everything. We didn't have a car to travel from BG, so we weren't able to bring everything. We ended up decorating our area with several things we found around like cartoons making tables from them,cutting big paper birds and sticking them on the walls and other things from paper. In the end the expo was a huge success for us :)!