Flying High at Fetherston
Paris
Erin Fetherston flew onto the scene this season in Paris, read up on her impressive touchdown
Barely out of Parsons School of Design in Paris, the chatter surrounding Erin Fetherston started in New York among a plugged-in group of young fashionistas. For a/w '06-'07, the designer showed a well-received second collection in a sprawling apartment in Paris' 1st arrondissement. Mingling among tables set with votive candles and covered with stemless white roses were friends and editors sipping champagne and models strutting around in youthful cocktail dresses. On a wall in an adjacent room, a short black-and-white film was projected, but it was hardly art-school fare: shot by Ellen von Unwerth (also mixing with the crowd), it starred Kirsten Dunst among other friends. In the film, the cast wears dresses from Fetherson's s/s '06 collection while the models circling the room were decked out in her fall offerings. Several of the short and flirty dresses featured frills, either across the entire dress, sparingly around the sleeves, or at the bust. The dresses don't appear to have seasonal focus, but they make an emphatic statement. Fetherston feels confidently playful and simultaneously girly and grown-up. We asked the designer about her launch, the film, and her high-profile connections.
JCR: You've made Paris home, what does the city bring to your design sense?
EF: Retreat is a major part of my creative process. At the start of every collection I need to take a step back from the world and dwell in my own imagination for a while. It's easy to do that in Paris. The city is there when you want it, but you can also step away when necessary. There is a quietness here that allows you to listen to yourself. I think it's a city that nurtures creativity. Paris fashion takes pride in its acceptance of individualism and that kind of precedent is an encouragement to follow one's instincts.
JCR: What scenes did you envision when you conceived of a collection of cocktail dresses?
EF: I wouldn't categorize my collection as being entirely made up of cocktail dresses. In fact, I would sooner imagine lots of the dresses worn layered over long-sleeve cashmere jersey t-shirts, with wool tights or leggings for day. My intention is to create dresses and silhouettes that can be approached for day and night. That said, I do love making party dresses, and there are plenty of those in this collection. For this collection, I was inspired by images of girls and birds. I studied lots of detailing on girls' clothing and was also captivated by photographs of flocks of African flamingos. I found the sweetness of the childlike elements in combination with the wildness of the birds created a wonderful juxtaposition of energy. From there I began to envision the morphing of the two, which is where "Wendybird" — the title of both my collection and the film — comes from. I imagined these ethereal, birdlike girly creatures, twirling around one another, shy and preening at the same time. I think out of that dynamic comes very elegant and balletic clothing that is both fresh and invigorating.
JCR: How definitive of your aesthetic is this collection? Are we to expect variations on this girly and flirty theme in coming seasons, or could Erin easily turn conceptual and Japanese?
EF: I think you can always expect to feel a sense of imagination and even a bit of magic in my clothing. No matter the inspiration, there is always the continuity of my interpretation and the delight I feel for clothing. This collection absolutely defines the spirit of the Erin Fetherston label.
JCR: How did the film with Ellen von Unwerth and Kirsten Dunst come about?
EF: I actually met Ellen and Kirsten on the exact same night about a year ago in Paris. Kirsten was here filming Marie Antoinette, and we all found ourselves at an event together during fashion week. I met them both briefly but over the course of the past year I've gotten to know them both a lot more. Ellen has become a very good friend and mentor to me in Paris. She really believes in the collection. Kirsten has also become a dear friend. She came to see the collection when I brought the clothing to LA to do a week of market appointments in November and fell in love with it. She felt that we really shared in the same universe and was really interested in doing some kind of collaboration. So I came up with the idea of doing a short film for my collection, something I had dreamt of for all my other collections. I approached Ellen and Kirsten with the idea and both of them wanted to be involved. It came about quite naturally. We all shared the common interest of creating something beautiful and original, and I think it was very personal to all of us.
JCR: Tell us about the near-term plans for your label. Is this collection for sale?
EF: The collection is being carried in boutiques across the US and Japan this spring and sales are being held right now for next fall. There seems to be growing interest from retailers, so I expect to have an increase in sales and distribution for fall 2006.
JCR: In fashion, who you know and have access to can be a big boon for a designer. As you seem to have some advantages, is this a position you're prepared to defend or is it inconsequential?
EF: When I began my first collection I didn't know anyone in fashion. I started completely alone with the help of one seamstress and my fiancé. It is the clothes themselves that have brought me into contact with such amazing people like Ellen and Kirsten. I will be forever grateful to them for taking a chance and believing in me enough to realize this incredible project. Everyone needs a little help along the way. That said, there is no substitute for hard work or conviction. That's something I've been putting in all along.
This interview was conducted by Jason Campbell
JCReport.com
