Starting any business is tough these days,
and fashion is no exception. While designers may have the creative
ability to design an entire collection, they often need a guiding
light to bring their vision to the public and turn their business
into a successful venture. Brooklyn Style, a program of the Brooklyn
Chamber of Commerce, is just that.
The business development program was created to help Brooklyn-based
fashion designers get started or reach the next level of growth
for their companies through a combination of sales, marketing,
public relations and technical assistance.
"We’ve had interest from about 50 designers and we have
15 to 20 designers who are currently active in the program,"
says Monica Rump, former director of Brooklyn Style. "For
example, Left Field sells vintage, Americana and nostalgic clothes,
which received a great response in Barneys and does well in Japan,
where there has been a very positive response to these clothes,
especially since 9-11. And Your Sister’s Mustache features funky
bags made out of recycled newspapers and old yearbooks."
During 2001, the program helped pave the way logistically and
financially for designers to go to trade shows where they can
get exposure, meet buyers, get access to the press and learn
how to grow their businesses.
In existence since January 2000, Brooklyn Style helped Your Sister’s
Mustache get a license with Disney as a result of participation
in a show, and helped Left Field participate in Workshop NY,
a trade show where they met a couple of boutique owners in New
York who wrote orders right away.
"Unfortunately, because of dramatic reductions in state
funding since September 11th, many of the Brooklyn Style marketing
services have been scaled back for 2002," said Kenneth Adams,
president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, noting that trade
show representation, which enabled some of the designers to "get
into the big leagues" is no longer possible.
"We still encourage Brooklyn based clothing designers and
makers to contact us and take advantage of the Chambers’ other
promotional services," said Adams, especially the Brooklyn
Made portion of their Web site, www.ibrooklyn.com, which Adams
plans to build up over 2002. "It will be an online trade
show available 24-7."
In the meantime, some of the designers such as Flatbush resident
Bonnie Sterling have banded together in Fashion Flyte, which
is producing a fashion show [see "Jazz art," top right].
Here’s hoping Brooklyn Style’s funding is restored for 2003 and
a look at some of the businesses they’ve helped along the way
…
Business boosts
You can have a creative vision but you need direction to follow
it through. Natasha Neils, of Design Six, a line of high-casual,
high-end sportswear consisting of simple silhouettes in luxurious
fabrics, such as dresses in silk cashmere and cotton, learned
this lesson after she was introduced to Brooklyn Style.
"They really help a lot of young designers get on the right
track," says Neils. "I’m lucky because I have a background
that balances creativity and business but Brooklyn Style helped
guide me in the right direction because I don’t really know what
to do."
Neils moved here nine years ago from South America and got her
degree in business because "people said it was too expensive
to study fashion – but I love it."
After working in the business world, Neils started designing
and has been doing so for about two years. "I read lots
of books to learn about fashion but meeting the people at Brooklyn
Style was even more beneficial," she says.
"They let me use their resources like the Brooklyn Outreach
Center and the Crunch Workshop, and they helped me with my finances,"
says Neils. "For example, I didn’t feel comfortable costing
the clothing, but they helped with that. Brooklyn Style also
offers seminars that helped me learn to do line sheets."
Right now, Neils is getting her fashion and merchandising degree
and taking classes in designing and pattern making. She is also
concentrating on selling to stores. "I want to target specialty
boutiques," she says. "I don’t see my designs being
mass produced."
"I love fashion," says Neils, who cites Betsey Johnson
– because of her use of color – and Luca Luca as two of her favorite
designers. "When I was growing up, I would always get dressed
up in my mom’s stuff."
Currently based in Canarsie, Neils is looking at spaces for a
showroom and design studio in the DUMBO, Greenpoint and Cobble
Hill areas. She eventually plans to open her own store.
Until then she’s getting exposure at the Central Library at Grand
Army Plaza. Her silk taffeta A-line skirt lined with tulle is
on display in the Brooklyn Public Library’s exhibit, "Fashioning
Brooklyn" organized by the Crown Heights-based five myles
gallery.
Accessory success
"My mom used to say it when she was mad," says Williamsburg
designer Maria Capotorto of the off-beat name of her company,
Your Sister’s Mustache. "I thought it was really corny so
I decided to use it."
Born in the Bronx, Capotorto worked as a graphic designer for
15 years, then went to school for industrial design at Pratt
Institute in Downtown Brooklyn and found herself designing office
furniture for companies like Knoll and Herman Miller.
"I was always making products," she explains. "I
made wastepaper baskets once while I was unemployed and showed
it around to people I knew and everybody wanted one. One of my
friends asked me to design a handbag and I made one out of newspaper.
That’s when I met a rep, Alan Speigelman, and he put me in a
show – and that was the start of it."
That was back in 1998, and Your Sister’s Moustache has been growing
steadily since. The company sells handbags, wallets, portfolios,
cosmetic cases and belts, all made out of old Life magazines
and about 20 to 30 other eclectic materials. Capotorto also has
licenses with Disney as well as other companies. The pieces range
from $15 to $35 wholesale, and are sold at Henri Bendel, Nordstrom
and Anthropologie, with plans for expansion in mind.
So how does a one-woman operation like Capotorto get ahead in
the game? Her creativity and drive played a big role but some
outside assistance gave her an extra push.
"Brooklyn Style helped me get into trade shows on the West
Coast, like MAGIC, which is one of the most popular," she
says. "They got in touch with me and helped subsidize booths
at shows and other things."
Vintage ’vantage
A little extra cash never hurts when trying to start your own
business and Christian McCann and Lara Jaeger of Left Field can
vouch for that. When they got involved with Brooklyn Style, the
organization helped them get into trade shows and provided 50
percent of the costs they needed to participate.
"They were very helpful in that respect
and in helping us network with other people in a position similar
to ours," says McCann.
If exposure is what they’re after, McCann and Jaeger are definitely
on the right track. Britney Spears has a Left Field "Freedom"
tee (black T-shirt with felt applique Old English letters), which
she wore in her "I Love Rock ’n’ Roll" video from the
movie "Crossroads."
The pair moved to New York three years ago from Philadelphia,
where they had other career plans that didn’t work out.
"We decided to start something up ourselves," says
McCann, who initially studied business and sociology, worked
in retail in the men’s division of Anthropologie and now runs
the men’s part of Left Field. Jaeger went to school for textiles
and wanted to be a buyer; she now handles Left Field’s women’s
designs. They now do their manufacturing on McGuinness Boulevard
in Greenpoint and have two Manhattan showrooms – a men’s showroom
in Chelsea and a women’s showroom in NoHo.
"We design ’40s- and ’50s-inspired sweatshirts, corduroy
western pants, work shirts and lots of nostalgic American pieces,"
says McCann. There are plenty of vintage pieces too, since the
vintage market is a personal interest of McCann’s.
"There’s a huge vintage market out there but it’s hard to
find anything that’s good anymore, stuff that fits or that you
can afford," he says. "It’s a specific look that’s
hard to reproduce. We have an edge over people; we try to keep
true to an item’s original form."
With plans to expand their overseas business in Japan and Europe,
McCann says the ultimate goal of the business is simply to "do
nice, interesting stuff with clothes."
Designers speak
With spring upon us, designers attempt
to lift our spirits with a little whimsy and a lot of style at
more affordable prices. They turn out simple silhouettes in colors
like turquoise, coral, red and brown and use decorative touches
like lace, eyelet, sheer insets and ragged edges to add interest
to some of the most basic shapes.
Here, these Brooklyn designers file their forecasts for spring
and summer looks …
Christian McCann, owner-designer of Left Field in Greenpoint:
"Men’s and women’s vintage wear like Hawaiian shirts and
preppy looking golf-inspired shorts, women’s wrap skirts, vintage
preppy looks and short-sleeve, printed sweatshirts."
Kunle, store manager for Moshood in Fort Greene: "We are
doing lots of linen, denim and some rayon. There are halter dresses,
wrap skirts, dashikis and buba tops (loose-fitting African tops
for men and women), wrap tank dresses, drawstring skirts, and
pants, and lots of short sleeve button down shirts for men and
women.
"Since 9/11 we have been using bright colors like blue,
green, orange, red, baby blue, white, off-white, olive and yellow
because we want to cheer people up. We just want everyone to
have fun."
Courtney Washington in Fort Greene: "We have always done
all white for spring and we are doing it again. But we are adding
vibrant colors, like turquoise blues, mango, chocolate brown,
rose pink and lots of reds.
"We are designing oversize shirts and dresses with asymmetric
hems, and four-panel skirts that slim the hips and kick up at
the hemline. Our customers are still going through the motions
of 9/11 so we wanted to produce a collection that brings back
energy."
Jon Berry, owner and designer, Exodus Industrial in Fort Greene:
"We are in an obvious recession and manufacturers tend to
be safe during these times. We can’t afford to be on the wrong
trend. So with that in mind, the trend is to not be trendy. We
have to be original at a price.
"But when other well-known manufacturers and retailers are
being extremely basic and safe, smaller retailers have to make
their products interesting and different to be noticed. We have
to think about what’s on a person’s mind – are they feeling sexy?
There’s a sadness there, but how do we overcome that? How do
we make them feel there’s something so new out there that they
have to have when their pockets tell them they can’t afford it
or don’t need it in their day-to-day life?
"This season is about being fun and making the customers
smile. It’s about colors, not bold colors but those that suggest
happiness, like faded corals and magentas.
"Denim will continue to thrive even though it’s been done
recently. Denim, as well as linen, are both safe bets in all
colors and patterns."
– KWB
