emerging designer

Please take some time to read this interview, and get to know independent designer Rhonda Puccini and her line Misile just a bit better. We hope this peek into her world, and into the daily life an independent designer makes you pause, be inspired, and always want to know the designer who made the clothes you are wearing. We want you to buy a garment she envisioned – then created – and rock it like the song that was playing while she sewed the garment together. We have a feeling that would make her one happy darling…

Misile is an independent label designed and manufactured in New York, U.S. We do not mass produce any of our garments. The concept behind the label was to mix high end quality with street wear style.

Rhonda Puccini, Misile

Darlings: How did you get into fashion, and when did you start your own line: Misile?
Rhonda: I studied art and design in college and first started working in luxury men’s wear at Hickey Freeman in upstate New York. I spent almost 5 years as their assistant designer. They manufactured all of their suits in house as well as Burberry and Lagerfeld. Although menswear doesn’t excite me one bit, it was a great opportunity to learn high end garment construction and hand finishing techniques. My appreciation for quality American made garments grew and ultimately the concept for Misile was born. I registered the company in NY back in 2003 but didn’t really do anything. It wasn’t until around 2006 that I started to get regular orders coming in. At that point I’d say Misile was a business.

Genesis

Darlings: Who or what inspires you and your work?
Rhonda: I have a legit obsession with music. I spend way too much money on iTunes. But music is a huge inspiration to me. I also have a record player and tons of albums in the studio. Sometimes you can actually determine exactly what I’m listening to by a theme that season. Last season I was obsessed with making disco dresses because I was in love with Miami horror’s new album which is very 70’s disco. I’m not a big fan of getting tons of fashion mags. I think if you are constantly scouring through fashion mags you run the risk of using other people’s inspiration and ideas as your own. My best ideas come to me late at night usually while I’m staring at fabric with a great album on.

Darlings: Who is your customer? How do you market yourself?
Rhonda: My customer is confident. She wants to stand out in a crowd, but still be comfortable. The label is high end, everyday wearable, city chic.

Kestler Sweaterknit Shorts Romper

Darlings: What does your average day entail, and what is your favorite part?
Rhonda: My days are pretty crazy. I cut, sew, press, inspect garments, make and grade patterns, and hand finish our higher end pieces. I make trips to the post office every day. I return phone calls and e-mails for at least an hour every day. I research new boutiques, send out look books, line sheets and press kits. There’s really no end to all the tasks I need to do. I love what I do though. If I didn’t there would be no way I could willingly work the hours I do. But in all honesty, if it were up to me, I would just make new samples all day. I love draping and pattern making. But there’s a ton more that goes into a fashion business than just making new pieces.

Phil’s Dinner Party

Darlings: If your studio walls could talk, what would they say?
Rhonda: Turn down that music!!!!!!

Darlings: Do you have any current fashion obsessions?
Rhonda: I have a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs high-waisted jeans that I practically live in, along with anything mustard yellow. As far as accessories I think Coco & Breezy has the best sunglasses right now. Very reminiscent of the early 90s. … And shopping for old disco dresses.

Khalil Capri Pant

Darlings: To this point what is the most important lesson you have learned that helps you maintain your business and collection?
Rhonda: As far as maintaining my business I have had to learn to put my business first. It feels at times that I am either sleeping or working. This is primarily due to the fact that I AM always sleeping or working. When you run a small design company you have to learn that luck only helps the ‘lucky’ people. The rest of us need to make things happen ourselves. If that means working from 8am to 2:30 am to get orders out, you just learn to do it. As far as the collections themselves, I am always learning and challenging myself as a designer. I go from loving my collection to hating it after about 3 weeks. I think this is in my nature as a designer to be bored quickly. But I also believe this is why my line is ever evolving. Every season I find myself doing something new and making a better collection than the season prior. For S/S 2012 we phased out most of the casual jersey cotton and incorporated more luxe fabrics like various silks. The line resembles nothing of our past lines and I hope this growth will continue for each season. I think this will keep Misile fresh and our customers coming back.

Rose

Darlings: Does your community feel like a supportive locale for emerging designers?
Rhonda: New York City is by far one of the best cities for supporting emerging designers. I am originally from Upstate New York, and unfortunately they are not. My line isn’t carried in a single store Upstate. Yet I get orders from places as far as the U.K. and Sydney. I have also lived right outside of Austin and Miami and both cities were very supportive of fresh talent. But to any talented artists that aren’t getting local support, I’d recommend using the best resource a small start up company has…..the internet!

Valaria Cropped Top

Darlings: Do you have any events/projects that you are getting ready for in the near future?
Rhonda: This year has been off to a good start for us. We are experiencing a ton of changes in 2011. We signed a lease and are in the process of moving our production to Brooklyn. This will save me a great deal of travel time (and my sanity) every month. Misile was also just signed onto a 2 year contract with Spring UP, a multi-line showroom in Milan. We will be their first American label. They will start our selling campaign in London on August 4th and in Milan on September 9th. I’m hoping this will be the start of a much needed growth for the company.

Misile Haute Couture Collection

We also just began offering a Haute Couture Collection along with our regular Ready To Wear collection. Our Haute Couture Collection is entirely ‘made to measure’. Clients contact me directly and we can fill those styles based on their specific measurements at no extra cost. A/W 2011 was the first season of this addition. It’s actually where Misile came from back during my start up. I used to do mostly ‘real’ Couture. I know that term gets abused these days. I supported a designer in New York with all of the technical aspects, fitting her clients, making the patterns and constructing the garments. I found that around 2006 I was so busy with RTW that Couture was phased out. This Haute Couture project will allow me to have a collection that meets somewhere in the middle and give clients a more personal shopping experience. Prices in this collection range from $385.00 for silk palazzo pants to 2400.00 for our floor length silk and feather gown.

Misile Haute Couture Collection

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