Wherever it takes place each time, their catwalk show is not a regular one; instead it escalates into an energizing musical performance with the designer duo itself rocking their runway and saluting the audience while singing custom-written tunes! Their recent Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week show was no exception to the rule of great vibes, fabulous relevant style and eccentricity. Models strolled up and down, dressed in scandalous plaid, lace transparencies, high-impact capes and perfectly tailored rocker-inspired styles, to be succeeded by Mark and Estel themselves turning the catwalk into an actual stage!
It’s this effortless edginess and pure energy that makes their clientele being so excited, including celebrities such as Mary-Kate Olsen, Camille Grammer, Jennette McCurdy, Lisa Edelstein, Kendall Jenner, Kelly Osbourne, Heidi Klum, Courtney Kerr, Danielle Brooks, Sonja Morgan, Laura Gomez, and Lady Gaga. And it’s our honor having them with us sharing their designer vision!
Elena: For the last decade you’ve been proponents of effortless elegance and ever-young coolness! Can you elaborate on this by sharing your own view on style and fashion?
Mark & Estel: The way we see fashion and style is everyone has it in them. It is unique to every individual and tells a story about who you are. No matter how you choose to rock it, you own it inside and out. We have chosen to unleash that inner rockstar.
Elena: You find edginess through music! Is it always rock & roll or you mixed it this time with other sources of inspiration?
Mark & Estel: Our inspiration comes from several sources; music is a main part of that. It takes some inspiration to get to our music. Sometimes we are inspired by our environment, our surroundings, and the people we meet along the way. We have even named some of our knit gowns after the individuals who have inspired us at times.
Elena: Is black your most favorite color and why? What else is included in your color palette?
Mark & Estel: Black has been a favorite staple of ours because it’s classic, it’s rock n’ roll, it’s elegant, and it’s sexy. It can be very versatile. We love to combine the fluidity of black and small pops of color like reds and blues to set a perfect mood.
Elena: What was the story behind your FW15 collection you recently presented during the NY Fashion Week?
Mark & Estel: Fall/Winter 2015 is all about being the fashion rockstar you already are. Our song “Stairway to the Stars”, which inspired the collection, is all about that. We also launched our own uniquely designed prints with this collection. You’ll find a lot of plaids and more color in this collection, which is something we have never done in the past.
Elena: You always include a live performance as finale to your shows and it’s quite unique for designers to do so by themselves! How did you initially come up with this idea?
Mark & Estel: Music has always been a natural influence to our design process. We create our music first; become inspired by the mood, and gradually a collection comes to life. It just made sense that we combine our two passions into one. We want our audience to get the full experience of the music that inspired the fashion and watch it unfold before their eyes.
Elena: Your FW15 looks showed bravely some skin and had a seductive flair! What was your intention behind that?
Mark & Estel: The Mark and Estel brand has always celebrated women. We thrive on the goal of creating clothing that makes women feel comfortable yet sexy at the same time. That includes feeling comfortable and sexy in your own skin.
Elena: Do you have muses and style icons, or do you mold your collections after your customers’ needs and profiles?
Mark & Estel: We gravitate toward the everlasting classic Hollywood beauties, Brigitte Bardot, Cher, Madonna, etc.. But the true focus is portraying those rockstar attitudes for our customers in a way that is comfortable and fun for every woman.
Elena: Why plaid was a focal point in your latest collection? I saw this motif extensively on the NYFW FW15 catwalks; what was your own approach on the motif?
Mark & Estel: Prints have been something we have never done before, along with using colors. We wanted to convey something that represented us as a brand in a way that would pleasantly surprise. The plaid motif became a result of this. If you take a closer look you will find that the motif is built using the words “Mark and Estel” formed into a plaid pattern. With this same notion in mind, we wanted to show everyone that nothing is just black and white, it is always worth taking a closer look.
Elena: There are always interesting clashes in your collection such as the fishnet stockings with the classic lady-like cape. Which contrasting elements or ideas did you incorporate this time?
Mark & Estel: We are captivated by the idea of the “New World” meets the “Old World”. An idea we have not only exhibited in the name of our collections in the past, but have incorporated with each collection season after season. We like the contrast of solids with bold vibrant prints, and mixtures of different fabric textures like silk chiffon, wool, and furs.
Elena: Can you discuss the instrumental role of accessories in your collection? We saw some very interesting ones on your catwalk!
Mark & Estel: We recently branched out into accessories, launching signature printed hosiery and silk chiffon scarves simultaneously with Fall/Wall 2015. The goal of our accessory line is to accentuate each piece, much like the form of a brush stroke enhances a painting. The role of the accessories is a pivotal piece to bringing the whole look and story together.
Elena: How do you envision your business to develop over the next decade or so?
Mark & Estel: We look forward to expanding the idea of music and fashion as one art across all aspects, and plan to invoke this within several creative platforms, not only fashion.
That was such an amazing, all-inspiring interview, and we really thank Mark and Estel for that! To check and get these super cool fashions, click their rockstar website and online store!
Love You Fashion Babes!!!
Elena Sendona
