20 Jan 2010, Posted by admin in 20 Questions,Fashion, 0 Comments

20 Questions With Keith Lissner

Name: Keith Lissner

Job Title: President and Designer of Keith Lissner

Carter Cramer: What are some of your main responsibilities at your label?

Keith Lissner: Everything from designing, costing, fabric sourcing, paying the bills, overseeing all the PR work, the sales, the showroom, I get the orders produced—you name it, I do it.

Right now I’m overseeing my show that’s on September 3^rd, and I’ve been taking solo appointments with Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. So as I go through the sketch process, I have the creative director of Saks come in and look at my sketches. That’s kind of standard procedure for these department stores, because they kind of look in on you until they buy. They’ve been looking at me since I started designing two years, so hopefully this year they’ll buy. I’m still not sold in a department store

CC: And what’s your background? How did you get into fashion?

KL: I first became interested in fashion from my grandmother. She owned a couture dress shop in Chicago before I was alive. I used to hear the tales of the store, and she was just very into fashion, and that rubbed off on me. She used to take me to the theater and the ballet. Any sort of cultural experience I ever had—it all came from her. Then I went to college at the London College of Fashion, where I got a degree in fashion design. Then I moved to New York, started working at Ralph Lauren Children’s, then moved to Perry Ellis, then back to Ralph Lauren again, this time in the adult division. And then I started my own line about two years ago

CC:  Did you go directly from high school to fashion school, or did you first pursue a different agenda for yourself?

KL: I did a bit of exploring. I was sure I wanted to go into fashion, but wondered if I had the courage. So I transferred from small school to small school for a period of time, and then finally went to the London College of Fashion. But I don’t really think of those [transition years] as part of my education because I only stayed at those schools for a semester each. I was just trying to figure out who I was—self exploration. Also during that time I spent a few summers interning for Aeffe in New York, which acts as a sales and PR showroom for Moschino, Narciso Rodriguez, Alberta Ferretti, and Jean-Paul Gaultier. I was obsessed with Gaultier, so I spent all my time on the Gaultier floor going through all the clothes and fantasizing about my life as a designer

CC:  What kind of child were you growing up? Fashion savvy or no?

KL: Totally. My father would joke that he would push me in my stroller when I was young, and that I would comment on women’s dresses as they went by, stopping them to say their dresses were pretty. I was always about the arts, and was very creative—whether theater or painting, or whichever. I remember my sister had this Barbie drawing kit, and that was one of my first experiences with sketching, on that thing. I also used to take old bed sheets and staple them together into the shape of a dress, then make my straight younger brother model them. He wasn’t too happy about it, but had to listen to me because I was older. No matter what I was doing in life, I was always on the pulse of what was going on in fashion

CC: So tell me a little bit about the Keith Lissner label

KL:  The label is a designer eveningwear collection, which I have intentions to grow beyond eveningwear, but for now it is just that. It’s exclusive to women now also. It’s a little uptown, a little downtown, and for a woman who ranges in age from early- to mid-20s up through, well, I don’t put an age cap, because it’s not like an older woman couldn’t pull it off. It’s definitely a luxury label, as I use intricate draping techniques and fabrics that are used only in upscale lines. It’s an elegant line, but based in fantasy. Each season I create a story to tell, and from that story is where the designs come from. So there’s always a unique twist. It’s always my own unique perspective. That’s why I hesitate to compare myself to any one designer—although recently someone told me my designs were a combination between Gaultier and Oscar de la Renta, which I loved. It was the best compliment I’ve ever gotten

CC: Tell me one of the stories you’ve created after which your collection was modeled

KL: Well, for my upcoming spring 2009 collection, the story is actually a combination of the Royal Ballet meets ‘70s punk, but it’s more respectful to the Royal Ballet than to punk. [The idea began] while I was looking at Vivienne Westwood from the 1970s. One of her original muses was this woman named Sue Catwoman, who was an icon of that time. She had a reverse Mohawk going on, and is gorgeous with this cat makeup around her eyes. She was one of Westwood’s original muses. I thought, what would it be like if Soo Catwoman went to the Royal Ballet? What would that look like, and what story would that tell? So I took elements of the ballet and gave them this twist. A twist on the classics different from those images you’d picture from the ballet. It’s more about the ballet with the mentality of what the punk movement was—a reconsideration of all fashion and style. So for me that means that I’ll drape a fabric in a way that seems more contradictory to what the classic shape would be

CC: That sounds fascinating. So what are some particular looks we’ll see?

KL: You’ll definitely see tulle dresses with interesting shapes. I love tulle. There’s the twist and play on the classic “ballet tutu” look, gorgeous fabrics with embellishments, lots of sequins and pearls, lots of chiffon, and just some very interesting takes on evening gowns that are unexpected and stunning

CC: With fashion week rapidly approaching, what’s a typical day like at Keith Lissner?

KL: I wish there were one. Basically, I start by checking my e-mail to see what’s going on with my show on September 3^rd. The show is going to have numerous elements, one of which being my taking fifteen looks and doing a photo shoot with photographer Richard Kern. We will then be projecting the images from the photo shoot during the presentation. So I’m now trying to coordinate the model casting for the shoot, picking shoes, making sure the PR team is on board, as well as the photographer’s agent. It’s all very difficult to have everyone involved like this.

After [this part of the morning], I make sure I have everything arranged with the show’s space itself. And I just got Paul Sevigny to DJ the event, and I love him and want to make sure he’s got what he needs. Plus, the room is going to be lined with mannequins instead of models for the actual presentation. It’s a 2-hour presentation, with a lot more focus on cocktail hour and people getting a feel for the clothes. It’s more dramatic this way, which is why I’ve chosen to use mannequins.

Then, once I have all that settled, I go to work with my production people and pattern makers to make sure we’re all on the same page. I need to be there when the samples are sold, because I need to do minor adjustments, which takes up a good five hours of my day. And I’m also doing production for my stores, since that comes around fashion week, too. So my typical day is all about time and people management—being able to focus on everything at one time. Because at the end of the day, no one cares as much as I do, which is expected, especially at the beginning. It’s my name

CC: Who do you like to envision or draw upon when designing a collection?

KL:  I definitely draw upon the stories I create, but beyond that I focus on what I can picture my individual friends wearing. It’s easy for me to be like, so-and-so wants to show off her body, so I’ll have a cocktail dress for her, and then so-and-so likes more dramatic fashions, so I’ll create something just for her. I go through my friends and see that everyone has something to wear—and that really covers the gamut.

I’m not at all influenced by trends. If I happen to be on trend, it’s all coincidental. As a designer, you can’t help but be affected by trends, because we live in this world without blinders, and it will seep in, but I’m not the kind of designer who’s like, I think fuchsia is going to be hot this season, so I’m going to incorporate that. The pallet gets created by the story

CC: Any style icons?

KL: Diana Vreeland, Vivienne Westwood, Jackie Onassis, Audrey Hepburn, Madame Vionet

CC: What is it about these women that make them iconic to you?

KL:  They all fit into the category of how I describe my customer—fiercely independent, a strong sense of self, with their own ideas and visions. They are not women who second-guess themselves, so all of that plays a large part. Plus they all have original taste and style. Jackie O. for example, was setting a trend at that time that didn’t exist. So when a woman can exude that kind of style, I immediately gravitate towards her

CC: And what about your own personal style, what’s that like?

KL: Whatever I find in my closet! What’s funny is that I used to have fierce style, but since I started my own brand, it’s all about wearing an edgy-preppy look that has become a uniform for me. I can’t think too hard about what I’m putting on because I’m worried about what everyone else is going to put on. And like to accessorize—pins, bracelets—I’ll stick these on any day. I’m a more is more kind of guy

CC: Other than yourself, who are some of your favorite current or past designers?

KL: Currents would be Alexander McQueen, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Rei Kawakubo, and past designers would be Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and Madame Vionet

CC: Where in New York do you like to hang out?

KL: I do love Waverly, even though it’s kind of cliché. I love Cook Shop, I love brunch at Pastis, I love Fred’s at Barneys—lunch there is amazing. The Nicoise salad and French fries. Those are my usual haunts. I’m not a big club person, so you won’t see me at a club. I love fashion. So I’ll be the one guy in the women’s department perusing the clothes

CC: What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t in fashion?

KL:  I think I would probably be working in some bar in the Bahamas, on the beach. No, if I wasn’t in fashion, I would hope that I would have found some way to do work that involves travel—like be a hotel reviewer for luxury hotels

CC:  Where is the Keith Lissner line heading?

KL: It’s heading up! It’s definitely expanding into a full collection, rather than just evening. So there will be daywear and evening. Then I’d like to expand into accessories, bags, shoes—and into menswear and men’s accessories. Then I’d like to expand into fragrance—both men’s and women’s, then cosmetics, and then eventually I’d like to help somebody else start a label—another up-and-coming designer. Because I’m doing it alone now, with not much industry support. I didn’t know anybody. This is my own venture, and there have been a lot of bumps in the road.  So if I could help somebody else through this, I’d love to be a part of that

CC: I read that the reason you left Ralph Lauren was that you missed women’s wear.   What is it about deigning for women that appeals to you?

KL: Well, it’s the creativity. Not to say that there isn’t creativity in menswear, but with the labels I worked with, there really wasn’t. There’s an art form to women’s clothing, especially with evening wear, which allows [a designer] to express creativity and dramatics that the rest of industry doesn’t have. I love women in general, and especially how they experiment with fashion. I love change and a woman’s need for change and update. In menswear, trends stay a lot longer, but with women it’s in one day and out the next, and I love that. In that, though, lies the challenge. I try to combat that by making clothes that can stick around forever

CC:  Tell me about your time at Ralph Lauren.  What did you like and dislike about working there?

KL:  I think one thing I loved, as does anybody who is paying attention, was the attention to detail. That business exists because of its attention to detail. Ralph pays attention to everything—every pocket has a purpose, every seam is done [just so]. When you’re that focused on a vision, you tell a story really well. Nobody has created a lifestyle to buy into better than Ralph. That’s the best thing I got from working there. On the flip side, that in itself, while it was the best, was the worst, because there’s a lot of pressure to make sure you’re capturing that. It was more positive than negative, though

CC: Fashion week is rapidly approaching. Tell me how you’re preparing. Are you feeling the pressure?

KL: I still have, like, eighty percent of what needs to be done left to do. All of the samples are still in the machines right now, I’m still waiting on beadwork from India, the actual finalization of the show needs to be done, the photo shoot needs to be done—all of this in the next twelve days. And I’m trying to get it done ten days before the show, so I can do the photo shoot, too. I’ve put a lot more stress on myself than I needed to, but I know it will all get done

CC: Will you be attending shows?

KL: Unless invited by another designer, I don’t usually attend. I think it’s a little voyeuristic—like spying on other designers. I’ve just never felt comfortable with it.  When I was working for other companies I did, but not now. There isn’t anybody in the city I feel compelled to see up close

–Carter Cramer