Fashion Goes There Network...: LILLIE DESIGNS "FEATURING YOU" INTERVIEW!!!!!!!!!..........VIEW MORE

A true Gem in the fashion industry!... Last week, I had a wonderful opportunity interviewing the lovely Latasha Hall from Lillie Designs!! We met in an uber cute local boutique in the city called The A List Look, while we sipped Mimosa's and indulged in a full-on recap of the designers journey! I first fell in love with her work a few month's back, when I discovered I had featured her designs during a previous interview {here}. The brand has been featured in countless fashion shows such as Philly Fashion Week and Maryland Fashion week to name a few. As well as have had her garments worn by a number of major local recording artists!!

The execution and construction of all of her pieces are immaculate! Adding to the fact that each design is beyond beautiful and a work of art in itself, the best part of it all is the affordable prices!! You could easily get your hands on a quality item from roughly anywhere between $75.00 and 200 bucks!!!

Now tell me that ain't sweet!!!! Get inspired and find out more about the designers start, her time at Sean John, and huge accomplishments including publications in Vogue Italia magazine!!!!

FGT: I wanted to start with asking you what is the actual name of your brand. So, is your brand name Luv Lillie.... Or....?

LH: Well, the brand name is Lillie Designs....but I like to shorten it and just say Lillie. But, for Instagram purposes it’s Luv Lillie.

So right now, I’m in the process of doing Luv Lillie which is more of the ready to wear and Lillie Couture which is more of the high end pieces.

FGT: Mmm Ok okay, that makes sense! So what we saw with model Stormy Jane on your instagram account is more of the ready to wear collection?

LH: Yes! thats Luv Lillie!

FGT: I really love the name Luv Lillie! It reminds me of a continuous love letter between you and your designs or you and your customers so to speak!

FGT: So, who is Lillie then?

LH: Lillie is named after my late Grand mother. Her name was Lillie Coles!..... So, I named it after her. Cause’ I mean she represented the every woman to me. Like she was chic and everything. So, I decided to name it after her!

FGT: Awe okay that’s so sweet! I kind of figured it was after a grand mother or someone once I started using my brain and remembered your name wasn’t Lillie!!...Lol

LH: Lol, yeah yeah....!....

FGT: Okay, so what is your full name & where are you from?

LH: My name is Latasha Hall and I’m from Willingboro, New Jersey. Born and raised.

FGT: Everyone seems to know you for making dresses and gowns. Would you say that's your signature style?

LH: Yup! Gowns and Frillie! .... The feathers...... the ruffles...... That’s what I love!!

FGT: Where did you get your start with sewing and designing?

LH: Um, my Grand mothers and my aunts best friend showed me how to sew. And then, I did it in high school and then I went to college. I went to the Art Institute for Fashion Design in Philly.

FGT: Oh okay cool. So is that how you got broken in to the market here in the city?

LH: Yup.

FGT: So, you said your grandmother & such taught you.... how old were you & what type of things did you guys make?

LH: I was like 7....& we made like pillows and bags and stuff like that. And then when I went to eighth grade I made my first outfit for my first day of school! It was fun!!

FGT: So as far as being a professional, when would you say you really buckled down and began your journey in the industry?

LH: It started after college. I was working for Sean John in New York and I saw how professional, how tight he was.....

I did like the tech pecks and all that stuff and I was the assistant to the woven designer. So I was like, wow..... I really could do something with this!!

FGT: Wow, that’s good stuff ! So why did you leave Sean John? What happened?

LH: Well, it was during like when the market wasn’t too good and they were laying off people. So I worked there & then I started working for a denim design company called Synergy Jeans. And So, I was the assistant denim designer.

...Really, when I first started, I was stuck on Men’s wear. I didn't even want to look at women's wear. But then I was like, aweee I’m a girl. I like making nice things. Let me just.... Lol.... And everybody was like. "Why did you go to Sean John"? Because I like Men’s clothes!!!

FGT: Right right! Lol. I’m actually beginning to be a huge fan of Men’s wear myself. I think its because everything is so detailed and so intricate. Maybe, that’s something that you picked up working for Sean John because I see that detailing in your work as well?

LH: Yeah! Well, I was a tailor! I was a tailor for Nordstrom and then Suit Supply on Chestnut St. So that’s where most of the meticulousness comes from.... because you’ve got to be on point with that!

FGT: So, what was the longest time it ever took you to create a piece and which garment was it?

LH: Probably the full feathered dress that FBH used with the Loreal models. That one was thee most expensive piece that I had ever made & that one took the longest! It took me about a couple of month’s and I retailed it at about $3,000.

The biggest dress, like volume wise, was the hot pink dress that I did for Philly fashion week. That's 80 yards of fabric and over a hundred yards of horse hair!

FGT: Wowww....so is it heavy. It sounds heavy lol?

LH: Yes! It's REALLY heavy! You stuff it in the care like O gosh...lol!!!

FGT: And what is the shortest amount of time you could actually create a piece and it be presentable?

LH: Like a day....Like a day, I can do something.

FGT: What would you say keeps you motivated and passionate to continuously design?

LH: I think it's my love for fashion! I just love making somebody look good and how they feel when they put on one of my pieces. So, that's what keeps the momentum going! Because a lot of the times it's stressful. You know, customers can be a lot.......but at the end of the day the overall look and how it makes them feel is all worth it!

FGT: Do you think of your pieces as Art?

LH: Oh yeah!...yeah I do.

FGT: Why is that? What makes you feel that way about them?

LH: I think its like the techniques I use and sometimes its like outside of the box..... Like stuff that people wouldn't think of. For instance, like the mussel neck piece that I did for last season. That's like HUNDREDS of mussels all put together. So, to me that is like a piece of art!

FGT: So do you have a background in art? You know did you paint etc.?

LH: Yeah well my dad taught me how to draw when I was little. So I'm pretty good! I wanted to be a painter but he said painters do make a lot of money. Lol.

FGT: That's interesting because you can definitely see that its not just a dress. Its more that goes into it. You really get down with it!

LH: Right. Cause I want each piece to tell a story and uh, I believe some of the pieces convey how I was feeling at a certain time.

FGT: Okay, so what were you feeling when you made this design?

LH: I was feeling like the 16th Chapel. All like Baroque like inspired.....lol That's what I was feeling!

FGT: So what is your current collection inspired by?

LH: Oh, The current collection is inspired by Alice in Wonderland, but a much like darker deeper Alice in wonderland. So... I tried to make it whimsical and like, have it feel like your taken to a you know another realm kind of....

FGT: And the designs that you have using the tribal prints what is that inspired by?

LH: Well, that's more toward the ready to wear avenue. Because, a lot of people can't......well price wise couture isn't really feasible. And so, with the ready to wear collection I was inspired by Solange and all her crazy prints and stuff.

So, its called Kalidiscope! That's the ready to wear collection for Spring/Summer. Cause you know, I just wanted to have fun with it!

FGT: Yes, and I love it because it was so refreshing to see..... With all the prints and colors and everything. It was so much more youthful and accessible to me!

LH: And a lot of people are afraid to wear prints. I Lovvveee prints! Somebody told me "Wellll I don't know how I feel about it" and you know, its not for everybody. I think that people should just live a little.

FGT: Name one Celebrity or person that you would LOVE to wear one of your designs. Like, you would die.

LH: ?? I don't know. One of my pieces I did for the Grammy's she was standing next to Beyonce' and the fact that she was even touching my dress...I was like Oh My Goodness, her hands are on the dress Lol!!!

FGT: So we can kind of say Beyonce' Lol....!

LH: Right right! We can kind of say that.... I'm pretty sure I would probably die......lol that would be awesome!

FGT: Do you have a favorite person in the industry that you admire or look up to?

LH: Yes. I Love Alexander McQueen! He is my everything! I love the way his pieces convey art but they're still wearable. Some of his structures and stuff...Because he started out as a tailor also. So, its cool to see you know some of his things and the architecture of his clothes. That's who I'm inspired by.

FGT: What would you say differentiates you from the next designer?

LH: Umm, IDK I'm modest lol....But I think it is the techniques I use.

FGT: Is there anyone in the city that you can say you look up to or rather appreciate their craft?

LH: Okay yeah, there's definitely.... Michael Thomas. His collection is awesome! I love that like he's very tailored, sleek, & clean. When you look at his stuff you know directly who his women is. So I would say him definitely!

FGT: Okay cool! So do you have any exciting upcoming events or projects that you want to let the people know about?

LH: Well I'm currently working on my Spring/Summer Collection for the couture side. So that's coming up. I'm trying to do a big show in September. Cause I did a show in February for fall so that turned out pretty good. And then I have my Lillie T-shirts.

FGT: So where do you see yourself going with your designs, What is your vision/goals?

LH: I would really love to show for New York Fashion Week. I was invited to LA Fashion week but it was just a lot going on at the time and getting there etc., but that's another thing that I would love to do this year!!

FGT: As far as your design history, I see that you have been published in a number of magazines. Can you name them?

LH: Yes. I've been published 4 times in Elements magazine, Tantalum magazine, Um, we just got published in Elegant magazine & one magazine in London (whispers: I forget the name lol...) and Vogue Italia.

FGT: That's great stuff right there! So, where can the people find more of your designs and stay updated with your creations?

LH: Well Instagram of course, and Lillie.Bigcartel.com is where I sell most of my pieces. Not these ones. These are custom email only.

FGT: And what are some words of advice or encouragement that you would give to and up & coming designer?

LH: I would say keep trying. There's lots of times where you get frustrated. You get knocked down. You don't want to do it anymore, but its always good to keep pushing forward cause' the end result is amazing. I mean, I have been doing this for a really long time and I learn something new everyday. I meet new people everyday still, so you just got to keep focusing, practice on your craft and you can never learn enough. So I say, whatever you can learn from somebody else....like if another designer has a technique you can use....you can always learn something!