Interview with Eli Azran and David Rimokh of RtA

Intro by Pablo Starr

Perfection is, as they say, more of a journey than a destination. RtA (or Road to Awe) is just such a journey, summoned wholly by intention: an undertaking by three friends, Eli Azran, David Rimokh, and Evelyn Ungari, committed to a process of constant improvement.

The collection itself has an almost ikebana-like philosophy. It’s not so much one single “thing they do,” but a desire to achieve an overall effect.

In this case, the desired outcome is a woman who feels comfortable in her own skin. And more than comfortable: sexy, confident, and perhaps just a little dangerous.

 
Countdown to Ecstasy

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Photos: Craig Barritt/WME IMG Collection

Show credits: Hair provided by Linh Nguyen for Cutler, makeup provided by Marc Reagan for Bobbi Brown, and nails provided by Momo Quinn.

 
Interview by Kyleigh McCollam

The palette for this season’s RtA was made up of “liquid black, used blue, chalk, and wine, accented with chain mail, skins, fox, raccoon, and lamb that sit alongside oversized jean jackets and sweatshirts.”

Kyleigh caught up with Eli Azran and David Rimokh at the show to find out more about the new collection, and what makes the partnership tick.

Q: What’s the inspiration behind this collection, and where do you go to get inspired?

Eli: We’re fortunate to live in LA, the birthplace of jeans, leather jackets, and t-shirts. You don’t have to go very far for that. So as far as inspiration is concerned, I would say it’s a daily thing. We’re lucky enough to live in the capital of that look.

David: The brand is all about effortless chic. Items in a girl’s everyday wardrobe. T-shirt, jeans, denim. Biker jackets, cashmere.

The brand is all about effortless chic.

Eli: Everyone kind of aspires for the “off-duty model” look, but how do you translate that to normal people?

Q: How do you do it?

 
Eli: It’s art. It’s a lot of work.

David: There’s a whole magic to it. Yes, it’s a lot work. It’s making sure we get things right.

Eli: Usually the simplest things in life are the most challenging to get good at.

Q: Like in, say, cooking. Sometimes it’s the balance …

David: Yes. It’s like making a cake. Any wrong ingredient can mess it all up.

Eli: One of the things we say in the office is that it’s like a race car. You can have the best race car in the world, and like 99.9% of it is perfect. And there’s one screw that’s loose, and it explodes. So we always have to work together and be very on point.

That’s what RtA (Road to Awe) stands for. A constant journey to better yourself. So every season we’re getting better, improving ourselves, and we’re adding more.

David: Sometimes common sense isn’t so common.

Q: What are some of your favorite silhouettes you incorporate into each collection?

Eli: We always have a lot of higher wasted stuff, a little slouchy. There’s not a specific thing that we do. It’s more of an understanding and an idea of like look, “Your girl needs to feel this way. And feeling cool is better than looking pretty. Because a cool girl will always have that aura about her that you can’t describe.”

David: Nine times out of 10, if a girl feels cool, she is cool.

If a girl feels cool, she is cool.

Eli: Evelyn, who you met, is our “cool girl” test. We’ll say, “What do you think, Evelyn?” And if she says yes, we’re good to go. Or, “No, I hate it.”

Evelyn is our “cool girl” test.

David: She’s our muse.

Q: So it’s pretty much how you feel inside versus what you look like?

David: It’s that confidence.

Q: How do you feel your brand has evolved since you first began?

Eli: It’s a crazy thing, because when we first started the brand we used a lot of denim and a lot of leather, because those two mediums are kind of endless. You can do anything with jeans, and you can do anything with leather. So the evolution has been opening up categories, taking the jeans and adding things that complement the look.

That fur jacket that you’re going to wear with that cashmere sweater, those leather pants. Those are key magic words for girls. We have a men’s line as well, that we just launched at Barneys, and it’s really so different.

Everyone’s always asking me, what’s the difference between men and women’s, and for me, men’s is reality, women’s is fantasy. With women’s there are no boundaries.

Men’s is reality, women’s is fantasy.

Q: What is the best part of being a fashion designer? What do you enjoy most about it?

Eli: The best part about being in RtA is that we get to hang out with our best friends in the world. And we get to work together, and build something that’ll be here for a long time, and a lot of people will benefit from.

David: We work with no restraints. We’re all best friends, we’re all family. There’s nothing really holding us down. If we want to do something it’s up for negotiation.

We’re all best friends, we’re all family.

Eli: Also, we look at the opportunity we’ve had to be in this kind of environment with the brand and the timing and this and that, we are so careful not to f*ck it up — sorry — because basically we are blessed. We spend more time at work than anywhere else.

Q: It definitely didn’t fall from the sky, a lot of hard work.

Eli: Well, maybe there’s a little sprinkling of fairy dust on top, but we definitely put in the hours, because we know what we have to lose. It’s not just about being unsuccessful. It’s losing the opportunity to work with your family.

David: These days anyone can become relevant really fast. But it’s how you stay, and continue making making magic. That’s what we try to do.

These days anyone can become relevant really fast. It’s how you stay.

Learn More

RtA (Road to Awe)

RtA launched in the spring of 2014 by Eli Azran and David Rimokh. The brand is based in Los Angeles. RtA is sold at top retailers including Barney’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Elyse Walker, Hirshleifers, Intermix, Maxfield and Patron of the New, in the US, as well as numerous doors in Europe and Asia (Selfridges, Montaigne Market, Antonia, Restir, Club Designer). RtA’s Flagship store opened in January 2017 on Melrose Ave in Los Angeles, with Miami and New York opening later this year. The brand has gained a strong influencer following – Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Heidi Klum, Alessandra Ambrosio and Olivia Wilde are all fans.

rtabrand.com

With love,

FWO

A Pattern of Success

We’re still thinking about Mondo Guerra’s stunning Fall Winter ’17 collection at Fashion Gallery during NYFW.

If you’re thinking Guerra’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he placed second in the 8th season of Project Runway, going on to win Season 1 of Project Runway All Stars. Guerra’s FW17 collection served as a revival of what fans have been missing most about his collections — print, print, and more print!

Guerra’s runway cast consisted of a diverse group of models, reflecting the progressive changes in the modeling world, and reflecting real people. The designer revealed how fun it was to work with such a diverse cast.

Guerra’s runway cast consisted of a diverse group of models.

Eila Mell of Fashion Week Online caught up with Guerra after his show to talk about his creative process, his appreciation for individuality, and his diverse modeling cast selection.

Patterned on Life

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(Photos by Anna Bela)

 
Interview by Eila Mell

Q: So, how long has this collection been in the works for you?

Well, I didn’t go back for Christmas, so it’s been awhile. But I think I have to let ideas sit with me for awhile. They kind of haunt me. So, if I see something that reminds me of some other idea I’ve had, it’s kind of a sign. I really understand that about myself. So it’s probably been sitting with me since Thanksgiving.

When I start thinking about ideas, they kind of haunt me.

Q: You have a lot of fans. Do you feel like people have been waiting and waiting for you to show at fashion week?

Oh, jeez! I think so. And I also think that a lot of people who appreciate my work have been waiting for me to do print again. Because there were a couple of seasons when I was doing all-black, all-white, and then I did all-navy … don’t ask me why I did that!

I really wanted to get back into print, because I knew that’s what a lot of people wanted from me. But through this collection, I really understood myself, and I was really able to edit it back.

I really wanted to get back into print.

I realize for a lot of people, it might not have looked like I edited it, but there was a lot of editing down, and I really appreciate how it came out.

When I knew I was going to show at New York Fashion Week, I was like, “So I’m a designer. How am I supposed to act? How am I supposed to react? How am I supposed to present this? What are people going to think?”

And a couple of days ago, when I was in the studio by myself, really early in the morning, I remembered what my my mom always tells me. “Just be yourself and people will really understand what you’re doing.”

Just be yourself and people will really understand what you’re doing.

And I felt like tonight was proof of that.

Q: Absolutely! I mean, you may not realize this, but people just love you so much.

Thank you! And you know what, I love people, too.

One of my favorite things about being in New York is being inspired by everybody’s individuality. I love to ride the subway and look at people. And just fantasize about what their story might be — you know, where they’re going, what they’re going to do. It’s just very inspiring.

And bottomline, I think that’s what the collection is about.

I sort of tease that my collection looks like the United Nations! I just have so many different kinds of people in my collection, so it was a lot of fun to cast.

My collection looks like the United Nations!

Q: It was so good! And that last model was so tall and gorgeous. Wow!

Honestly, we didn’t do the lineup until they were lined up, and then we switched them around. And when I told her she was going to close the show, she was so excited!

Q: It’s a big honor!

 
Yeah, it was a lot of fun. I like to see that excitement and the joy from the models as well.

Q: And you even had models that weren’t so tall, which is nice to see.

The “norms” of the modeling world are changing quite a bit, you know? And we’re able to present our work in a different way.

Q: I think it’s great, and the collection was amazing, and we can’t wait to see more from you, Mondo!

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Learn More

mondoguerra.com

With love,

FWO

Interview with Elizabeth Kennedy at NYFW

Elizabeth Kennedy has designed for some of the most recognized fashion designers in New York City, including Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi (she was head designer at 22!) and Max Mara.

Kennedy epitomizes luxury with her signature dramatic evening gowns. Her collections are high-end, hand-crafted and absolutely stunning, so it’s no wonder that Kennedy has amassed a celebrity following with clients like Mindy Kaling, Mariah Carey, Drew Barrymore, Laverne Cox and Molly Sims.

For her ready-to-wear Fall 2017 collection, Kennedy brought her A-game, showcasing a mix of her signature jaw-dropping evening gowns and debuting her take on dressy separates. Fashion Week Online‘s very own Eila Mell had the opportunity to chat with Kennedy and discuss Kennedy’s architectural creations and design aesthetic.

 
Interview by Eila Mell

Q: So, congratulations on such a successful show!

 
Thank you so much! Thank you for being here.

Q: What’s your starting-off point for a collection?

Usually, you start off with some form of inspiration. This season I was really inspired by color, kind of unexpected combinations of color, which led me to my inspiration, which turned into exotic birds, essentially.

I was inspired by unexpected combinations of color.

A very loose, abstract interpretation of exotic birds. But it was really the color combinations, the proportions, the silhouettes, this ruffled detail, the bubbled silhouettes, and then obviously the embroidery, the feathers.

Q: I love that the collection is nighttime, but it’s also very young and very hip.

Thank you! Yes, my aesthetic has always been more graphic. I’m really drawn to clean lines, and I really like to use color and proportion, to express grandeur and glamour. This season, we’re actually introducing evening separates as well, which I think is very fresh, young and modern.

Q: And you’re modeling that for us?

 
I am! I’m wearing wearing my evening suit!

Q: It looks amazing on you!

 
Thank you!

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Learn More

http://www.elizabethkennedy.com/

With love,

FWO

(Video: Joe Loper of Guerilla Photography)

Interview with Kelly Dempsey of Rack Addik

Project Runway alum Kelly Dempsey recently debuted her FW17 collection at AMCONYC during New York Fashion week. The new collection was the latest from Rack Addik, her fashion-forward streetwear line (with some items already available for purchase online).

Rack Addik’s Fall/Winter 2017 collection was constructed with intent to exist in a “world without labels.” Dempsey says, “I believe that real beauty is present once you are able to look at someone and view them without confinement.”

FWO’s Melanie Sutrathada caught up with Dempsey backstage to ask her about the new collection.

Q: How would you describe the collection in 3 words?

Glitter and grunge.

Q: What inspired this amazing glitter and grunge collection?

What I love about the grunge era is that nobody gives a crap about anything. You know, I don’t believe in labels. I feel like when you put labels on things, it sort of constricts your creativity, and I really want to have a collection where — if I want to wear bright pink with black sparkle, sure — if I want to wear bell bottoms why not? Like who is going to tell me no. I wear what I want.

So I sort of want to put that message out. You can do whatever the hell you want.

When you put labels on things, it sort of constricts your creativity.

Q: I have to say that that is so Kelly on so many levels. I think if you’ve seen her on TV, she’s got such a vivacious personality, and it really shows through in her clothes. I feel like everyone who wears your clothes is just having a ball of a time.

Always fun.

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t a designer?

I consider myself more of an artist than a designer. I love to make things and see it on the runway, it’s amazing.

Q: This is your second collection show with AMCONYC. Can you tell me a little bit about the process of making it all happen?

It was a little bit last-minute this season, which is always … what am I saying, it’s always like that. So running around crazy, but I feel like I do my best work last minute, pulling everything together, so I’m super excited to see how everything comes out.

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Learn More

www.rackaddik.com
www.amconyc.com

With love,

FWO

(Main image via style.nine.com.au)

Video by Geoffrey Jones

Interview with Ty Hunter

Qeen Bey’s “forever stylist” Ty Hunter is a personality in his own right: he’s creator of the Ty-Lite, a selfie-lighting phone case for dark situations, styled Destiny’s Child, and he has his own clothing collection, With Passion.

Writer Eila Mell caught up with him backstage at Michael Costello.

Q: I’m here at Michael Costello show with one of my favorite people, Ty Hunter. How are you?

I love you. You’re one of my favorite people.

Q: Oh, you’re the best. I know that you are very special to Michael. How did you first meet?

I met Michael doing the Grammys a couple of years ago. I had all the racks and racks of dresses but — The Beyhive has a lot to do with this: Beyoncé’s fans always tagged me with Michael’s looks and stuff.

The Beyhive has a lot to do with this.

So I ended up going to Grammy pre-party that night, and I ran into Michael and I was like “You know what? I want to come to your showroom tomorrow because I love your work.”

And I went to the showroom and he showed me all this stuff, and I saw a lot of beautiful things, but not “that one thing.”

Q: The dress that was special.

 
Thank you. And he said, “Well, let me go upstairs,” and that dress was laying there, with no zipper and I said, “That’s it.” And it made history; it’s in the Grammy Museum. And Michael is just an amazing person.

It made history; it’s in the Grammy Museum.

We built a relationship; I use him all the time, he is family, all the tours, everything. His turnaround is great, the quality is great, and he is just talented.

Q: What a great story that you went to him.

 
Yeah, and he has a tattoo of the day that Beyoncé wore his dress because it was very life-changing for him.

Q: Is that with the zipper?

 
No, he put the actual date on his arm.

Q: Wow.

 
Yeah.

Q: That’s awesome. We all know that Ty dresses Beyoncé, but who else are some of your clients?

You know, I dress everybody. But right now I’m just focusing on Ty Hunter and I’m building my brand. I have this amazing women athleisure line that I just did with Six:02, I collaborated with Reflex and it’s my designs, it’ll be in all the Foot Lockers on the 23rd, exclusive in New York for 7 days, and then everywhere else.

Right now I’m focusing on Ty Hunter and I’m building my brand.

Q: And online, too?

 
Yes. I’m really excited, and I’m going to get you a little something.

Q: Oh, I like that. Excellent. That’s the best part of my job. It was so great to see you.

You too, you look fabulous and I love you, always.

Q: Thank you. Oh, love you.

 
Anything for you.

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Learn More

Ty Hunter by Reflex at Six:02
@tytryone on IG

With love,

FWO

Video by Geoffrey Jones

Interview with Miss J.

Your already know J. Alexander from America’s Next Top Model.

Eila Mell caught up with Miss J. backstage at Michael Costello during New York Fashion Week for a little one-on-one.

Q: How are you?

 
I’m fine, a little bit cold but fine but I’m real snuggled up in my little GAS jeans.

Q: Looking great. So J., I don’t know if people know you really have taught so many of the most famous models how to walk.

Yeah, it all started back in the … (ahem)

Q: Right, yeah, we don’t want to say years.

It’s [not important] when it started … I just ended up with this really great TV career with America’s Next Top Model.

Q: Yes, everybody knows J. from that.

 
And I was strict, but — I always thought — a bit polite and nice to the girls. I was firm, very, very firm. And fashion has been a part of my life since birth.

Fashion has been a part of my life since birth.

I mean I think just creating things to be a part of a fashion movement over the years has been a great opportunity. It’s opened up my eyes a lot more than I thought, than I could imagine.

Even though I went to school to be an accountant when I’d been in Bronx.

Q: What?

 
Yeah, I went to school to be an accountant when I’d been in Bronx. I just took science to fashion.

I went to school to be an accountant. I just took science to fashion.

Q: What was the first show you ever went to?

 
The first show I went to was Geoffrey Beene.

Q: Did you sneak in or did you have an invite?

I snuck in. You know, it’s really funny, I snuck in to shows for about the first 20+ years and I’ve been living in Paris.

Q: One last question, who do you think has the best walk right now?

Anyone who can maneuver this ice and slush today has the best walk.

Q: Oh, then that could be me.

 
This is my first Michael Costello show actually.

Q: Oh, you’re going to love it. I saw the collection, it’s great.

I met his uncle once in a cafe once in L.A. Strange.

Q: That is funny.

 
He’s had great success, I’m really happy for him but it’s great to be supportive of people who went through emotion and have been doing pretty, pretty well. I’m happy for him.

Q: And you know, he is self-taught.

 
I love him even more, because so am I. Wow.

Q: Great talking to you. Thank you.

 
Michael, I didn’t know that. Wow. Bravo. Same thing here. Number seven of ten children, I’d recreate clothes when I would get the hand-me-downs.

I’d recreate clothes when I would get the hand-me-downs.

Q: And you would rework them for yourself.

 
Back to this jacket here, the sleeves are too short and I hated them short, so I just added this on.

Thanks Andrew Morrison for letting me go to his showroom in a work room and grabbing a half yard of ribon and sewing it up and then attaching it to the lining, and here it is.

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Learn More

@Miss_JAlexander

With love,

FWO