MALAN BRETON:
Proj Run, ESPN, and Russian Mythology
Vice: So how did you get started?
Malan: I grew up around the theater, so I learned a lot from the costume designers. Coming from the theater and dance world also gave me a good sense of the body and of movement. Then I did fashion photography for a while. Some of it was not so good, but it was fun. I learned about which fabrics are effective in a picture.
But you’ve had no formal training whatsoever?
Just a lot of hard work, I guess—a lot of hours spent draping on the dress form and learning how to pattern stuff on there.
You were a model at one point too though, right?
I was a fashion model for two and a half years when I first came to New York. What I would do to look like that again.
So up till this point you’d basically worked in every aspect of the fashion world except for design.
For a long time I was afraid of being creative, and I thought, “If I’m going to do this, I need to learn everything from the inside out.” So I modeled, and I worked in retail for a little while. After that, I went into performing and I started doing voice-over stuff and theater. Then my contract doing VO for Extreme Sports for ESPN expired and I literally took out my savings and had my first showing.
Where are your clothes made?
We do production in the States, and some of it in China. I prefer doing it here because you can look over the work and you can also make sure that people are not treated horribly. It does bring my prices up a little bit more, but I think it’s worth it.
What are you working on for spring?
It’s going to be so beautiful. It’s inspired by an old Russian myth. We’re going to put out a lower-priced line too. I also have a couple of television and media projects that are going to be happening this year. And we just launched handbags. I don’t get much sleep, but it’s fine.
I bet you didn’t imagine being here a couple of years ago.
After I was on Project Runway, people weren’t sure what to think about me, especially after I got cut, and that dress for which I was cut. It took a while to get past that, but once we did Fashion Week that season, I redeemed myself, and everything took off from there.
Thanks for talking to us. And PS: Let’s do this plug as clumsily as possible—you have a thing done by Bravo called Malan’s Show and it is on bravotv.com and it’s good.
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CATHERINE FULMER:
Cobalt Blue, That Joy Division Movie, and Spacing Out In the Fabric Store
Vice: So, how long have you been doing this stuff?
Catherine: Ever since I was six. On my last day of high school, I was super-stoked because I knew when I walked out of that place I was finally going to be getting into fashion.
And how did you go about it?
I went to school in LA for nine months, and then I came to New York to go to FIT. I started crafting my pieces by myself and interned at different places, like V magazine and Darryl K. Then I dropped out of school and had a show in 2002 with Matt Damhave, after he did Imitation of Christ. He was like my mentor.
Damhave as a mentor. Cute. What kind of girl do you design for?
This sounds so cliché, but my friends. Pretty, elegant, timeless pieces.
Well, it’s true so it doesn’t matter if it’s a cliché. What was the inspiration for your most recent collection?
I’d just seen Control, so Anton Corbjin, Joy Division, and Ian Curtis.
Are movies typically a big part of your clothing?
Well, I didn’t really base my 2002 show around Annie Hall, but it led to my first cover of Women’s Wear Daily and they brought up that movie, which is rad, because I love it.
Where else do you draw inspiration from?
Two collections ago it was Spanish flamenco. I used a lot of cobalt blue and a lot of graphic prints. But often I’ll just go to the fabric stores with my iPod on and zone out and things will just start appearing in my head.
Do you think the fashion industry in New York right now is good, or is it gross?
I don’t really think about it that much anymore. I did when I first started. I just wish I had more money being a fashion designer in New York. And I don’t really love that many designers here, but I love Ben Cho. He’s great.
Would you ever want to collaborate with him or anyone else?
Of course. Balmain is great too. I was looking through his last collection the other night and it’s stunning. Helmut Lang too, obviously.
What are you working on for spring?
It’s too far ahead but I know that I’m thinking a lot of white, and I’m hoping I get to travel somewhere out of downtown New York City. |
