I learned of Canadian fashion designer Audrey Cantwell completely by mistake. I was simply surfing the very popular website, Etsy.com when I stumbled upon her Etsy store “blackmarketbaby” and as many designers before her, I absolutely had to contact Ms. Cantwell regarding her designs. Below I have featured my favorite Audrey Cantwell designs as well as ten questions regarding them and her process of designing fashion. Take a look:
1. Your collections seem to have a dark themes. For example, your Howl collection includes a great amount of leather and studs and your most recent collection Salem features a lot of black colors and drapes. Why is that and how did you come up with the names for your collections?
I`ve always had a bit of a dark sensibility and it comes out in the garments I make, I can’t really explain why, it just appeals to me. The titles come from a mood or inspiration I have for the collection,when making my HOWL collection I was reading a lot of Ginsberg, X was the title I gave to a collection inspired by pirates and the sea, Salem was inspired by witches and the northern wilderness.
2. Can you tell me about your design process? How do you design and what components are key to your successfully doing so. Do you find inspiration in music, nature or anything particular?
I have ideas for specific garments and I have a general idea of the mood or feel. I never draw anything and just drape most first samples. I’m inspired by fabrics and textures very much. I also am very inspired by music, and sometimes by nature, fantasy, mysticism, people I know, people I don’t know…
3. You are from Canada. Do you find that there is any difference in Canadian designs versus American and European designs?
I don’t really know if there is and wouldn’t know how to describe it, but there is so much creative energy in Canada that’s just starting to be discovered and acknowledged by people all over the world.
4. Your website states that, “I cut and I sew and I save the more fortunate results.” is it really that simple for you to design?
Down to the core, I think it is. I like to experiment when I design. I explore every idea I have. Some turn out the way I envisioned, some don’t. I go forward with the ones that I believe in most.
5. Who do you design your collection for? Who is the ideal woman that would wear your clothes?
There is no ideal woman, really. I have no one in mind when I design. I know this aesthetic doesn’t appeal to everyone, but I think the ones who do like it, really love it and breathe it.
6. What do you hope to accomplish with your designs?
As long as I can continue to do what I love everyday and people continue to want to wear my designs, I couldn’t ask for more.
7. What is your favorite part of the design process?
Getting inspired by colours, fabrics, materials, textures.
8. I would describe you as a designer. However, how would you describe yourself?
I design, cut, drape, sew,.. I think I am a designer.
9. Are you currently working on another collection. If so, when will it be available?
I’m wrapping up my spring collection entitled Mysterium, it should be online and for sale in 2 to 3 weeks. It’s quite different than anything I’ve done before it.
10. What is your advice to individuals who want to become designers? What worked for you?
I’m not sure if I have much advice as I’ve only been doing this a few months and still figuring everything out for myself, but I would say, very simply; explore.
Special thanks to Audrey Cantwell.
To purchase or view more of her designs, visit her Etsy store by clicking the photo below:
Sources: Audrey Cantwell, AudreyCantwell.com
As I was researching what trends to pick as the Top Five Trends for the Fall and Winter of 2010, I found that most of the trends could be predicted via. photos. I have therefore decided to use simple photos instead of words to explain my predictions of the trends that (hopefully) lie ahead of us in the year of 2010. Most of the trends that I found were from the designers pre-fall collections. Enjoy.
sSources: google images, style.com, harpersbazaar.com, marieclaire.com
Your blog, Fashion Chalet, was created in 2008. What made you decide to create a blog?
What item of clothing/accessory/shoe can you not live without and why?
Jersey basics are always key during the spring and summer months. It’s lightweight, snugs at all the right spots (hips, legs and chest areas) but also somehow manages not to fit too snug. RVCA x Erin Wasson featured a lot of jersey fabrics on their S/S 2010 runway.
Both Glamour Magazine and V Magazine have attempted to address the issue of plus-size models in fashion. In recent months, both magazines have featured plus-size models with that intent. Glamour Magazine was the first to do it with model Lizzie Miller and now V Magazine has created an editorial called “The Size Issue”. However, while I absolutely applaud their work I feel as though their attempt is a little odd. I feel that their attempts are a little odd because in the editorials it seems to me that the models either has to be very thin or very large. There’s no in between. None of the models are a happy medium. I will not complain though because it is so refreshing to see diversity because it is currently an issue being plus size in fashion.
The designs featured above were created by the company 
1. Ida, how did you start modeling?
A lot of my friends were Dj’ing, back then, when it all started. . But the thing that really got me into doing it, was that I got a girlfriend that was a Dj. So she taught me how to do it, what CD players to buy and all that stuff. . She talked about that we could go play together, and yeah….that was a big motivation for me. So I did whatever I could to learn it as fast as possible. And after a couple of months we had gigs everywhere… So that was really great! About modeling, I was really excited when I got the Armani campaign in Milan a couple of years ago… But I have never really enjoyed the work though. Some jobs are nice of course, but to do castings in other countries is horrible. So I never really want to do that! I think it’s a boring job a lot of times. But the money is good. And that’s what has kept me doing it for around 6 years now….
Both jobs are good, but in a different ways. One makes me happy and one gives me money and of course dj jobs can be boring as well, when I have to play at clubs where I can’t play the music I LOVE the most.
