| Designer profile: 'NOW & THEN'. |
| Written by Sacha Young | |||||
| Wednesday, 11 January 2012 14:21 | |||||
‘NOW & THEN’ have come as a swift surprise to the local streetwear crowd - combining a vintage aesthetic with a modern twist - this newly-birthed label out of Mount Maunganui exudes everything Summer should be. With a strong sense of femininity and a whole lot of attitude, ‘Now & Then’s’ first Summer ‘11 range is full of striking fashion-forward pieces, floaty Summery dress, radiant red styles and a perfect denim vs. leather outfit. Coup De Main caught up with the creatives behind the label, Tamryn and Karen...
COUP DE MAIN: What was the initial inspiration to create ‘Now & Then’? NOW & THEN: We felt there was a gap in the market and lots of ideas that we had milling around that we couldn’t apply to other labels we work with. CDM: Who exactly is behind ‘Now & Then’? NOW & THEN: Tamryn Reeve and Karen Downey, with first-season guest designer, Zara Mirkin - under the the umbrella of the ‘You Know We Aint Ltd’ company. CDM: Can you tell us a little bit about your up and coming Summer ‘11 collection? NOW & THEN: The concept for the brand and a source of inspiration for our first collection was the 90’s movie ‘Now & Then’. I guess it takes parts of that older 90’s look but with more of a contemporary feel. We designed a floral which is a strong part of the collection combined with some more gutsy denim and tan-leather pieces. CDM: As your debut collection, what was the creative process when designing the range? NOW & THEN: Because it was our first collection we had to think of where we wanted 'Now & Then' to sit in the market. We got together with Zara and basically brainstormed pieces and thought out the size of the collection and fabrics etc. We wanted to use some quality fabrics and personalise the range with our own floral keeping it bright and fun for the first collection.
CDM: Who/what do you look to for your main style inspiration? NOW & THEN: The range was fun because it is designing pieces that we would like to wear. We are personally always taking inspiration from various sources like magazines, shops, blogs and movies or whatever. CDM: In three words sum up what you think makes a creative [person]? NOW & THEN: Observant, uninhibited, imaginative. CDM: If you could wear one outfit all Summer, describe what it would be... NOW & THEN: 'Now & Then' Samantha Dress in Chilli (colour) and A.P.C Sandals. CDM: List your five must-have’s for this Summer? NOW & THEN: 'Thanks’ Vanilla Blossom Soy Candle, ‘Meadowlark’ Byzantine Cocktail Ring, ‘Now & Then’ Tina Shorts, ‘MAC’ prolong wear lip cream and ‘Beau Coop’ Innuit Wedges. CDM: What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? NOW & THEN: Imagine. CDM: Can you please give us five pieces of advice that you have for younger people wanting to pursue a career in the fashion industry? NOW & THEN: 1. Aim to get an internship at your dream company. 2. Be prepared to start from scratch. 3. Surround yourself by other creative inspirational people. 4. It's important to get a grasp of all elements of the industry not just one facet. 5. Be kind.
Quick Fire Five: CDM: What's your favourite ice-cream flavour? KAZ: Macadamia and honey. TAM: Marshmallow coconut ice. CDM: If you could only use one method of transport for the rest of your life, what would you choose? (excluding walking) KAZ & TAM: Cycling. CDM: If your house was on fire and you only had time to grab one thing, what would it be? KAZ: Rocky the weiner dog. TAM: Phone. CDM: What's your best purchase to date? KAZ: Surfboard. TAM: Trip to vietnam. CDM: Late nights = KAZ: Shit morning. TAM: Rare occasion.
Can you quickly put together a playlist of your top six songs for this Summer season? Florence And The Machine - 'Only If For A Night'. The Beatles - 'In My Life'. Owl Eyes - 'Raiders'. The Libres - 'Paper Whore'. The Black Keys - 'Next Girl'. Bear Hands - 'What A Drag'. www.nowandthen.co.nz |
