What Inspires You? An Interview With Fashion Designer Alisha Trimble

Alisha Trimble is a fabulous women's wear designer who has presented her designs on schedule with New York Fashion Week since 2005. Alisha is often contacted for styling, creative directing, print and web media, and producing short films.

Alisha says, "My job is to be creative, & I love what I do. What comes with years of practice is a facility to use media as a signifier for contemporary society as women & creative individuals."

Check out my interview with Alisha Trimble below:

Sara: When did you know you wanted to go into fashion?

Alisha: I started sewing at age 16, making alterations to thrift store finds.  My grandmother raised me & she was quite thrifty, though she told me to study painting instead of fashion.  It wasn’t until after college that I started to study fashion design & pattern making using the public library as my primary resource.

I started sewing at age 16, making alterations to thrift store finds.  My grandmother raised me & she was quite thrifty, tho she told me to study painting instead of fashion.  It wasn’t until after college that I started to study fashion design & pattern making using the public library as my primary resource.

Sara: Is there anyone in your family that works/has worked in fashion? Was your family supportive of your decision?

Alisha: My Grandfather designed cars for Ford, & he made life-sized clay models of automobiles that looked real.  I was very impressed with this as a child.

Sara: What is your starting point when you begin to work on a collection? A concept, an image, a location? 

Alisha: I start with a concept, which usually arrives to me in a very subconscious way, which then unfolds to me during the creative process & it is a collaborative process.

Sara: Describe the moment when you knew you were ready to share your designs with the world. What did that feel like?

Alisha: With the support of the fashion community in San Francisco, where i was living at the time, I actually felt like I was part of something great, for the first time.  There was a sense of togetherness, & people were extremely helpful: like Irene Hernandez Feik, who continues to support new designers & artists, even though her walls are full of art & her closets are bursting!

Sara: When do you know that a collection is complete? A certain number of pieces, a budget, a gut feeling?

Alisha: Keeping with the NY fashion schedule & showing new collections 2x/year are my main creative objectives. The deadline is hugely important.  And having a showing where the audience will see it all from every angle.  If there is a date when people are coming to shoot & scrutinize your work & drink all your wine, then that pressure alone will force you to complete the work.  

Sara: How does it feel seeing your designs in major fashion magazines like Nylon and Revolver?

Alisha: It’s exciting when a stylist does a pull & they tell you what it’s for.  One of my fave stylist pals Gabrielle Swan kept it a secret that she was shooting Lenka in my dresses for Filter Magazine til after the shoot.  

Sara: Do you have a dedicated space where you like to work? What does it look like? Is it neat or messy?

Alisha: In NY space is always an issue & I’ve moved my workspace several times.  I could be a candidate for Hoarders TV Show, if they did an episode on ribbon & elastic hoarders.  

Sara: How did you decide you wanted to start a blog?

Alisha: I was newly single & made out with a  v. popular boy blogger whose eye I had caught.  & then when I saw him at a party a year later, he said to me “I only shoot models now” LOL.

Sara: What has been your biggest blogging obstacle so far?

Alisha: I’m still learning how to connect everything in a way that makes sense.  Since the media I’m working with is evolving, I feel like I have so much content uploaded in all these different places.  So now I try to focus on which news items are current and share them through the appropriate channels. 

Sara: What was it like shooting your video with Claire Unabia, America’s Next Top Model Alum?

Alisha: Claire is amazing to work with, a true professional who makes working with her effortless.  She must work hard to stay fit because every time I see her for a fitting or shoot, there is not a single bad angle to her.

 

Sara: Do you plan to make videos for every season?

Alisha: Why stop at 1 video per season?  I want to start shooting all the time: fashion videos, music videos, you name it. I’ve got Video Fever!  I’d much rather see a gorgeous fashion story than models walking back & forth.  It’s an opportunity for the designer to really share the message behind their work.

Sara: What goals do you have/what’s the next step for you?

Alisha: The plan for this summer is to share the creative aspect of my work with other fashion bloggers.  There might be several trips to Rockaway beach.  It’s going to be a fun summer I hope!

 

 Check out Alisha's Fall 2012 Video by Thomas Concordia

Alisha Trimble Fall 2012 from Thomas Concordia on Vimeo.

Visit Alisha's shop and check out her designs after the break!
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