by Mo on May 5, 2011
Darlings, support each other. Read on and get to know Natasha Samoylenko, designer of SAMOY LENKO. Take a look at how lovely her new collection is, dresses and skirts so perfect for you to flit and flutter in all summer. Natasha is part owner of TRUNK Brooklyn (along with Radka Design and others), a Dumbo boutique that showcases locally designed and manufactured art, clothing, jewelry and more. Visit and you will also find new collections from yet another Darling, Lauren Wimmer. Yes, we are giddy to see so many darlings all together! Save the date for their next event during Dumbo’s Photo Festival.
Nastasha Samoylenko, Portrait by Pushett Irby
Darlings: Being trained in package design how did you make the transition to designing clothing? Where or who did you turn to for help?
Samoy Lenko: The transition was pretty seamless. Clothing is sort of like package design, only you package the body. I like it because it is three-dimensional and it works with shape and form. I always try to work around the body. I want a woman to wear a piece of clothing and not the other way around it.
Daisy Dress, All Collection images by: Marc McAndrews
Darlings: Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
Samoy Lenko: Inspiration is everywhere. When I have time to myself without any distractions I feel the most creative. Ironically it usually happens on a crowded train or walking down the street. I get lost in thought. I get inspired by virtually anything: a detail in a shoe or a coat collar. I love texture and color, bookbinding and architecture. New York is a great place for it.
Darlings: We love stories of designers coming together to support each other. It looks like that is what happened to form your Dumbo boutique & gallery space: TRUNK Brooklyn. Can you tell us about how you all found each other?
Samoy Lenko: There are 5 of us at Trunk. Three out of five knew each other for about 7 years. We all met at the Market on Mulberry Street. After our individual businesses took off we would meet occasionally to do sales and special events. The last venture was a weekend market in Dumbo, called CornerMRKT. We shared a space with a furniture store and when that store was closing that location, the three of us joined forces with 2 other designers.
Ginger Dress
Darlings: Tell us about TRUNK, what is the concept behind the idea for TRUNK? How long did it take to open TRUNK from the time the idea was formed?
Samoy Lenko: We opened TRUNK in October 2009. The concept and idea was percolating for a few years, but the actual realization of the store only took a few months. The collections at TRUNK feature unique women’s wear, jewelry, accessories, art and furniture, all locally designed and manufactured. Our store itself provides a backdrop for the products, making a bold statement that “style can be created and found locally.” Through our partnership at TRUNK we bridge many aesthetics and backgrounds, from Europe and rural America to New York City. TRUNK provides an exciting new platform for our varied designs, as well as for the work of invited designers and exhibitors.
Darlings: How much time do you spend working at TRUNK? How much time do you spend designing?
Samoy Lenko: The beauty of owning a business with four other partners is that you can spend minimum time working at the store and more time at the studio designing.
Darlings: How much help do you have from employees, friends and / or family members? And, what do they help you with?
Samoy Lenko: At TRUNK we all try to help each other. With my own collection I always keep learning from my colleagues and friends.
Aster Wrap Skirt
Darlings: If your studio walls could talk, what would they say?
Samoy Lenko: Depends on the time of day it is. I share my studio with two amazing jewelry designers, so there is a lot of bouncing ideas back and forth. Humor and collaboration is a huge part of the design process. Plus late night shorties never hurt (i.e. beer).
Allium Fold Over Skirt
Darlings: What does your average day entail? …and what is your favorite part?
Samoy Lenko: I try to get to the studio by 9 am (after I send my son off to school). Some days I spend more on production and some days I spend more on designing new styles. My favorite part of the day is when designs become reality, when I see the transition of how a drawing becomes a product, or when an accident becomes a unique attribute to a piece of clothing.
Darlings: To this point what is the most important lesson you have learned that helps you maintain your business and collection?
Samoy Lenko: Always believe in yourself. Put your ego aside and always keep learning.
Dahlia Top
by Mo on March 24, 2011
Today’s interview comes with a giveaway! Author and independent designer, Jennifer Lynne Matthews, has offered us a copy of the newest edition of her book Fashion Unraveled to giveaway to you. In this book Jennifer shares lessons she has learned from good decisions and bad as she built her fashion brand. The chapters and worksheets in the book are short and sweet so you can attack them in small doses. We know working on the business side is the last thing designers want to do, and that makes us so thankful the independent fashion world has darlings like her to help us all out. Comment and tell us your biggest business mistake to this point, and be entered to win your own copy of her book. Sharing stories of making mistakes helps all of us collectively learn.
Darlings: How did your early experience as a designer inspire the book?
Jennifer: I made EVERY mistake possible in my early days of starting a business as a designer. I really had no idea what I was doing, even though I thought I was prepared for it. I had a plan. I’d sink myself into the business and learn the rest as it went. I recall that there were a couple books available when I started, but they weren’t written for me. They were filled with hundreds of pages of huge blocks of text which really didn’t work for my dyslexia or my patience. They made for rather large paper weights. I did eventually get through those books, but they didn’t cater to a small business, which I was. They focused on the designer with tons of money to invest.
Since I made every mistake known to man, I thought it would be a great idea to write about how to do it (by way of how not to do it). I always loved writing, so blending my two passions was inevitable.
Darlings: If you had to cull the book down into a list of top 5 tips for independent fashion designers what would they be?
Jennifer: That’s a tough one, but here you go:
- Know who you are catering your business to – in other words, know your customer.
- Figure out the whole marketing situation for your line – how are you going to get the word out about you.
- Know and watch your competition – they can be amazing research for 1 & 2.
- Know what it costs to run your business – not just the materials, but the operating expenses.
- Figure out a pricing model that works to bring you a profit and a salary.
Darlings: This is a second edition, what changes did you feel were necessary from the first edition?
Jennifer: The first edition covered a lot of information, but I listened to the feedback from my readers and made appropriate changes in the second. I added new case studies, lots of new forms and an entire detailed section on business entities, taxes and the like. Some might find it a little overwhelming, but the second edition covers everything I wanted to write in the first edition, but was afraid to write.
The first edition was written right before the market crash and was released just after. Many things in the industry have changed in just the few short years since things went bump in the night. I adapted these industry changes into the second book.
Darlings: Do you think there are common mistakes designers make when they are starting out?
Jennifer: Absolutely. As creatives, we just want to think about the craft. It is what makes us happy. We figure the business stuff will happen because we have a great product. The truth is, we are creatives and haven’t thought the business side all the way through. I find that the majority of designers starting a business neglect the money part, because design is the fun stuff.
Darlings: Can you share a little bit about the online business plan building program? Has it launched? If so please share the URL with us.
Jennifer: Business Plan Unraveled is going through its final Beta testing right now. I actually just updated our website with details about it. The software basically follows the business plan design in the book. The program walks the user through compiling their information, so it can be used with the book or on its own. The program can be found at
www.businessunraveled.com. I’ve been patiently waiting for the programmer to complete all the changes (this programmer is also my fiance and he works Monday through Friday, so I’m not going to push him too hard). Here’s to hoping that it will be ready to be fully launched in April.
Darlings: You are also working on an online school for fashion and jewelry, can you share a little about this as well? It sounds like a great resource.
Jennifer: I’m always looking to create the next best thing for entrepreneurs. Once the program is officially launched, we will begin building an online school for entrepreneurs, fashion designers, jewelry designers and crafters. The courses will be an affordable option to individuals wanting to learn the trade, but not concerned with receiving a degree. We plan to offer classes on various skills including sewing, pattern drafting and my specialty, draping and lingerie design.
We plan to start developing the classes in April and May as soon as time permits. I’m a busy lady. I’m also writing a series of lingerie design books presently.
by Mo on May 5, 2009
Don’t you want to know more about Nolcha and what this Fashion – Business – Network is all about? We have been posting Nolcha opportunities here in the Smashing Blog to entice you to jump in and see how Nolcha can help you and your business. Some of you have done just that…congrats go out to Kimberly Hendrix, we’ll be seeing her designs hit the Nolcha runway this Fall during New York Fashion Week and we can’t wait! In the meantime, get to know Nolcha better below.
Darlings: Give us the skinny on “Nolcha,” and the meaning behind it.
Kerry: Nolcha provides business resources to the emerging fashion market in a professional and sophisticated manner. Although our resources and opportunities are cost effective for the emerging and independent fashion designer, this does not reflect in our events, materials or programs. We are aiming to be the one-stop destination for new fashion designers and retailers to grow their brand whether through promotion, marketing, sales and business connections. Networking is key to Nolcha. It has got us where we are today and we encourage all members and associates to do the same. Nolcha means sun in the sky in Native American. This is not why we chose the name, but you could say we are the enlightenment of the emerging fashion market (grin). On a serious note we chose a unique name that allowed us to create our own brand association and mantra.
Darlings: Where did the inspiration come from to start Nolcha, and how did the project come together?
Kerry: My background is in business communications, marketing and events. I moved to NYC from UK after college and quickly learned that there is a huge gap in the fashion industry for those starting out – they need business advice and support. I provided consultancy to brands but knew there was a larger demand and decided to grow an online network. I met Arthur Mandel, current President and Co-Founder of Nolcha, and we have grown Nolcha to what it is today.
Darlings: When was the first fashion show produced?
Kerry: It feels like many years go, but the soft launch of Nolcha was September 2007 at the Maritime Hotel in New York City. We did fashion shows for new designers in New York, London, LA, and Miami. Looking back it was a rather courageous thing to do with only enough money for our plane tickets, staff and solid relationships in these fashion cities!
Darlings: What is the most important thing you learned from doing that first show?
Kerry: Plan ahead, protect yourself with contracts and always be ready for the unprepared.
Darlings: What’s the criteria for a designer to be considered for a Nolcha fashion show?
Kerry: We are looking for designers that are bringing something new to the marketplace. A fresh eye with a strong business plan and a willingness to succeed. If they have the basics implemented we can do the rest but the designer needs to be ready to produce and sell once Nolcha Fashion Week is completed. An oooh factor from the crowd is always something we look for as well. Will the garment be show-stopping in a good way? Good cut, good drape, and great fabric choice is also very important. There are a lot of young designers that produce 20-30 looks with cheap fabric when they should be producing 15 with finer materials
Darlings: You recently opened your first retail space, will the designers change from time to time? If yes, who should designers contact to be considered?
Kerry: Yes, the designers can rotate every six months however the original eleven have first right of refusal. Designers should contact retail@nolcha.com.
Darlings: You are launching a new online resource, can you tell us a little bit about it and how you see it being used?
Kerry: The online retail portion is how we keep ahead of the trends before they even happen. We like to think of ourselves as trend makers, so if a piece by one of our designers makes it on a celebrity or in a magazine we can post it online for sale before anyone else can, giving our loyal clients the first pick. It is a new evolution in “get it while it’s hot” almost a “pre-press” instead of “hot off the press”. In the in between time we will have bi-weekly features of products that adhere to the current trends seen in the likes of the major fashion magazines chosen by some of NYC’s top stylists just to keep consumers ahead of the pack. All items will be available only for a limited time.
by trish on December 28, 2007
My favorite, Papierdoll, all this week is posting fashion predictions and recapping 2007 for us all. It is great, because they aren’t your run of the mill. The first, expert papierdoll turned to is by Lauren Sherman, fashion writer for Forbes. Sherman’s predictions weigh heavy on the minds of the business intelligentsia as fashion investors might look to her crystal ball statements and double down on fashion companies she deems worthy.[...]So what does Sherman have to say?
Minimalism will be in, in a big way. She uses the example of:
“gray jeans with a lemon yellow belt or an oversize blazer with a sports watch”
The Second, Cathy Horyn’s predictions for 2008. Reading Horyn’s tea leaves is particularly hard since she rarely makes overt mentions or prognostications of what to look forward to in the seasons to come. What I did was take a snapshot of some of her blog quotes to get a read on what she believes will be runway-worthy next year. By no means are these official prognostications from Horyn, it’s a Tim Russert-like effort to use her statements as to what she would like to see in 2008:
In regards to a trip Horyn took to Berlin where she found that certain fashion stores along a street were devoid of advertising displays. December 24, 2007 Horyn says:
We discovered things in nearly every shop we went into, but I can’t remember a name of a single place. These were not big-name stores, anyway.[...]
Today’s Post is about Ten Disappointing Moments in 2007. This is what they are saying: 2007 was a year of change in fashion. Several designers shifted their employment from one house to another, several designers left the scene altogether, and an even larger batch decided to go out on their own. While we abhor top ten lists, we couldn’t resist creating our 10 disappointing fashion moments of 2007. Being the [...]
So keep checking in to see what the rest of the week will bring us from Papierdoll’s recaps and predictions.
