Smashing Darling Blog

Ena Daro Couture is presented for the woman with a strong sense of self, sexuality, humor and quirkiness.  All of Ena Daro Couture pieces are hand sewn and produced by the designer right in Chicago and never any two are alike. They are made with with the conscious fashionista in mind. You have options, you don’t have to look like everyone else and more importantly you know you don’t have to break the bank to do so!

Trish: How did you get into fashion?
Mena: I first began an interest in fashion early in high school. I was involved in remaking clothing and into the thrift culture. So I guess it was more of an alternative fashion sense than what I try to accomplish with EDC. I’ve always been a ‘flipper’, flipping through Teen Vogue and Elle girl and getting ideas for what to wear back to school, I never thought I’d actually be creating clothing because I wasn’t really known for having the most chic fashion sense during high school. I was just really experimental then, not really a trend follower. I didn’t really plunge myself deeper into fashion design until 2004. I had just come back from circling western Europe and had been exposed to fashion in Milan and Paris. I remember seeing a fashion exhibit at some museum in Milan and just nearly falling to pieces at how beautiful and lady-like the garments were. Seeing fine Italian designs over the decades was just breathtaking. Not to mention the avid street-fashion. I remember seeing young Italian kids rocking Mohawks, choppy bed head do’s and skinny jeans and thinking, what the hell? And then immediately wondering, I wonder if this will catch on in the states? Sure enough, it took Chicago a minute, but the trend has been hot here now. So being exposed to some serious fashionistas and the history of fashion created a monster in me. I went head first into learning how to se original pieces and create form a place that was not necessarily influenced by what was in the magazines or in the stores, in fact, I like to create in blank spaces. Very little stimuli, that’s the way I work, well my theme song of the season needs to be playing of course!  I greatly admire the refined sensuality of the Parisienne and Italian fashion houses. I especially admire the tailoring techniques. When I returned to the states I notice that a lot of the ‘fashion’ here in Chicago was very ordinary, very conservative and very boxy and not very form flattering to a woman. There seemed to be a deep need to cover up and hide our curves. It was disturbing. When in Rome you do as the Romans, so the plunging necklines and glitzy glam you saw the weather girl rocking on the Italian tv, well, just didn’t compare to the stuffy button up collared shirt cardigan vibe we have going on here. I am just far more influenced by liberating the body.

Trish: When did you start your own line of clothing?
Mena: Hmmm, I launched EDC for the first time in 2004, but then it had another name. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. I only knew I had a cool product to sell and the internet was the way to reach the most people. I figured I would just build an online store and the people would come running. Err, not at all! I ended up spending a lot of money on a site that was frequently down and received few visitors. I had no real strategy and wasn’t too sure who my market was because I had not really developed a brand or identity yet. So after being on, now defunct sowear.com, for a stint, I decided to regroup and really lay down a foundation for the line. So I guess to answer the question, 2005 was the first full blown collection, entitled Los Dios. It was featured in a local mag here in Chicago, so that was pretty hot! I purposely chose to show the line with regular women. Pretty , real women, not statuesque models. Everyone was like 5’6 or shorter! I look back at it now and smile, but I was making a point, that EDC is for real women. And real women come in all shapes and sizes and I wanted to cater to that philosophy. This is why I insist on making clothing that starts at a 4, I rarely do a size 2 and would never do a zero.
SD: Where do you turn for inspiration for your designs?
Oh wow, for some reason, lately, I have been greatly inspired by the homeless. I don’t know why but they intrigue me. Perhaps because with the way the economy is, and has been for a minute, anyone can be homeless in the blink of an eye. There is a saying that you are only one bad decision away from being well below the poverty line. I am captivated at how quickly things and sometimes people are discarded by society. What measures our worth as a human being? It is s sad reality but the homeless appear to be invisible because no one really pays much heed to them. It’s a game of avoidance much of the time. I really do observe people and Chicago is not exempt. We have an entire part of Lower Wacker where the homeless live, but when it’s a wind chill of 20 below, we don’t go check on them.

I have made some observations of how the homeless react to the rest of us. Sometimes looking for compassion, sometimes feeling ashamed at how they appear in comparison, or maybe they dislike us because we just walk by, I am not sure. I do know that I am inspired by their resilience to just be alive on an everyday basis.  There is also a weird sense of freedom. In the sense of not belonging anywhere, not being tied down to anything but what you can carry around with you. I am not glorifying it, but seeing it in a different light. In some ways it can be compared to the life of a gypsy, and I say gypsy because that is a lifestyle that influences fashion.

Style wise, there isn’t much style there, I mean they wear whatever they own on their backs, but in that sense I am inspired because I ask myself, if I only had one shirt and one pair of pants to rock for an entire year, how could I make little changes to make it look as different as possible? This may seem silly, but I had a professor who was lived in Paris before coming to Chicago. He wore the same outfit everyday for the whole semester, yet it always looked slightly different. Now it was not because he was homeless but rather I’ve noticed that Europeans, and those with those style tendencies, have a way of only buying what is necessary.  Sticking to the basics and work around it with a fun piece of jewelry or killer shoes. It’s never this completely over done head to toe look, but always ends up looking chic. Now, EDC is far from your basic outfit, but I am working on making each piece versatile enough to be worn over pants or even worn backwards to increase wearability. So I guess I am inspired by little things, odd things, and just go from there and try  to incorporate it into my design philosophy. I love textures too, tree bark in particular  and other rough textures you would find in a large city.

Trish: Do you think the internet has had a positive impact on your business? How or Why?
Mena: Definitely, but you have to know how to use the internet as a tool. A marketing tool, distribution tool, networking tool. Practically everything you need to know about anything is  available online now so there really is no excuse for saying you do not have resources. I would say the only drawback is that now I see just how many designers are out there! The competition is abundant. But that is where all the planning in the early stages comes into play. Know your niche, stay in it and scope out the competition. Be aware of their strengths and weakness and then use that to your advantage. It may even be a good idea to partner up and collaborate. My biggest applause for the Internet is just being able to reach people globally. It is also an easy way to allow buyers, press, stylists, anyone view your work instantly.

Trish: In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge for indie/emerging fashion designers?
Mena: Assuming you have done your homework and have gone through the proper planning stages and studied your market, then I would say staying relevant. I always say this because  now more than ever we are in a tough retail environment and we are competing for those retail dollars just the same as the larger brands and luxury brands that have been around and have something many of us are fighting for, name/brand recognition. When you see that red and white bullseye , you know that is Target brand, its like second nature to recognize. WE are bombarded with their adverts whether you have ever shopped there or not, Target makes SURE you know who they are. AS a new designer or just anyone delivering a product, you people are like  ‘ who? What’s an EDC?’ It takes time for people to become famililiar with your brand, what you offer and how effectively you meet the needs of the consumer. Are you selling them items they don’t really need? Are you selling them items and comparable cost and quality as the brands they are already used to? Basically, why should they buy your product? If you don’t know the answer to that, then you will be lost. It’s easier to find successful people who create a similar product and see how well things have been going for them, and then use that information to refine what you’re offering. Because once again, there are hundreds of designers out there, the question is, what makes you stand out?

Trish: What does your average day entail?
Mena: Hmmm, that greatly depends on if I am in production mode or not. I also do wardrobe styling and much of my current time is spent doing shoots and such. But I always keep my cell handy to take quick shots of things that could inspire me for creating more EDC garments. When I am in production mode, I am staring at blank walls and sewing my little fingers to the bone. I really don’t like distractions when I’m creating, so I tend to go through a short period of isolation.
On a regular day non EDC/styling day, well I always start my day with a healthy dose of email checking and responding, making sure everything else I am involved in is running smoothly. I always try to go jogging before 8am. Sometimes that works, most of the time it doesn’t! Right now, a typical day will include going through hundreds of model photos, I need a new muse!

Trish: Who is your customer?
Mena: My customer is fashionably fierce. She is a risk taker, a trendsetter, a bit eclectic and very self  aware. She knows herself inside and out. She knows how to put an outfit together ,and more importantly she knows how to dismantle a somewhat difficult piece and make it work for the everyday. She is intelligent and witty, a bit sarcastic and never takes herself too seriously. She is a romantic mixed with a bit of diva. She is an artist and lover of life. She is the best of what it means to be a woman  simply because she is her own unique person.

Trish: Do you have any current fashion obsessions?
Mena: Oh yes, anything vintage! I know the trend comes and goes, but I am a die hard vintage fan. I love things from the 40’s to about the 60’s. My current in the ‘Now’ obsession would have to be menswear. I love vests and blazers. Layering has always been cool to me, it helps hide unflattering areas!

Trish: What is the one piece of advice you would give someone just starting out?
Mena: Do your homework and never leap before you look. This industry isn’t going anywhere, but where will you be in the next 5 to 10 yrs?
Start early, get an internship somewhere, take a few courses in business management to learn about both sides of fashion. Many fabulous designers out here flop because they can not manage their business. I mean if you’re not going to put in the time to handle that aspect of the industry, then at least hire people you trust and with the know how to do that for you, but always stay informed. Many startup designers are the target of scams and all kinds of petty crimes because people feel like we are vulnerable and easy targets, and if you don’t arm yourself and trust your gut many times, you can easily become a victim. I had a stylist pull clothing from me and I have yet to get them back, this was back in 06. So a life lesson learned the hard way.

Trish: Is there anyone in the Smashing Darling community you have a question or comment for?
Mena: Hmm, yes, Katie of Papusza Couture. How on earth do you come up with your designs? They are madhouse! I love her stuff though, very artistic and funky! I am curious as to who her customer is? I mean I think EDC is edgy, but her creations , wow, you would need a serious event or function to wear them to!
Another great designer that calls Chicago home is Lara Miller. You can read her interview here. Lots of great fashion coming out of the windy city!