Kramp Kouture
Feb 19, 2010
Do you have a background in clothing design, or was this just something you decided you wanted to do and learned how?
I have no formal training in fashion design. My mother actually taught me how to sew when I was about 7. I picked up my sewing machine again in 2006. I love to thrift and I guess it all started with “Generation T” a DIY shirt book by Megan Nicolay. In 2008 I made the brand name Kramp Kouture and have been practicing couture techniques ever since.
What does couture mean to you?
I would not consider my designs to be couture. The name stuck and the alliteration sounded nice. Couture is high fashion sewing. I know it is not just custom made clothing or one of a kind. So I do take some heat from that. Or surprise people with my designs since they expect a couture design. I think wish fashion, people like to be surprised. It’s a catchy name.
Tell me a little bit of what goes into designing a line. How long does the process take from start to finish?
My professors said it was “sticky”. I went to school for graphic design at Canisius. So I have some background in digital media, but fashion sort of took over in my second year of college. The design process takes about 2 months. The includes the inspiration boards, sketching, and sewing. I only started doing collections last Spring.
What inspires you when you are designing a line, or where do you look to for inspiration?
I have to admit making a collection is a process and it is tough to make everything cohesive. My favorite designers are Rodarte and H. Naoto. They have this darkness yet romance that comes along with their designs. With Rodarte they gain inspiration from bondage ballerinas to Japanese horror movies. This collection coming I am mixing skeletal designs with petticoats. Mostly blacks and whites. I’m using a lot of tulle and crinoline as usual.
Which design would you say has had the strongest impact on viewers?
I think the skeledress and skeletank series. Also the “Ursula” dress, it is a fan favorite. It gets the most views on my etsy account at least.
What fashion faux pas drives you crazy?
That’s a tough one. All I can say with trends is the boyfriend trend. The baggy Olsen twin look is a no no.
You like to keep it feminine, right?
Yeah. And no Ugg boots.
You seem very independent and driven, your most recent model, Ryann, has a very strong look; do you think your line is both masculine and feminine?
I think my clothing is feminine. I would not say it’s for everyone. A girl who has her own style and is carefree per say would wear my line. It takes someone bold to pull off a tutu and shredded tees.
Where and how do you choose your models?
I chose my models from Model Mayhem. The girl Ryann modeling my recent collection is from Syracuse. She has been modeling for a few years now, and she has this natural talent with her expressions and poses. I really think she captured the essence of each design.
When you start sewing, do you make the clothing to fit them or you?
I usually make the clothing to fit myself so I can wear it if it doesn’t sell. I get an emotional attachment to all of my designs. From the start I made all of my clothing to fit me.
So you’re a walking advertisement – I like it. Where else do you advertise?
I have my clothing on many websites like Facebook, MySpace, Lookbook.nu, Model Mayhem. I really need a person to help with advertising. I am looking into advertising in local publications but mainly I do a lot of social networking. Local fashion shows and press also get my name out there. All my family and friends are walking billboards too.
How did you become involved with Sex Street Fashion and was it the first time you’d participated in a fashion show?
My first fashion show was a collaboration with Shana’s Shoe Box. She is a boutique owner and fellow fashion designer. She puts on shows every summer on the boardwalk in Olcott, where we both grew up. She had some of my designs in the show. I was chosen for the “Sex Street Fashion” show. It happened to be a right place, right time kind of thing.
Is that where you’re from – Olcott? I lived there as well.
No way! That’s wild, I figured you were from Buffalo. Then again I say I am from Buffalo because no one knows where Olcott is.
So Sex Street Fashion – did anything come of that? I also saw you got a nice write up in Artvoice
Well I actually was asked by the VP of the African American Student Org to be in there fashion show. When I went to Buffalo State campus, I saw an ad for try-outs for the fashion student club. It happened to be the same day I was on campus and tried out. Even though I didn’t go to that college or was in the club. I got the acceptance email and opened the show!
As for the AASO show, I was found on MySpace. My first reaction of course was, I’m not African American. But there fashion theme being glam, I was a shoe in for the “glam rock” scene. One thing I don’t understand is my glam rock connection. I will be in a glam rock theme for the upcoming GCC, and the upcoming issue of Glam Rock Magazine. Every year the students put on a show and it’s apparently the biggest show in the area. I believe about 1500 showed last year.
You seem to be surrounded by other creative folks like Frank Petronio and Mary Fortino – were you friends first, business second or did you seek them out?
I actually started out modeling. I would look at what other models did to become success like being in fashion shows, companies they modeled for and who they shot with. Many girls I admired shot with Frank. I sought him out on MySpace and he agreed to shoot, we’ve been friends for about 3 years now.
Mary is such a great talent too. She really knows her stuff and she helped so much with styling the lookbook shoot too.
Who are you hoping to work with in the future?
With modeling I made friends with a lot of great people so it’s nice we can collaborate together. I always wanted to collaborate with David LaChapelle. I doubt that will happen! I hope to someday work for a fashion designer. My favorites are Rodarte, Betsey Johnson, Christian Joy, Balmain and Vivienne Westwood. Also Alexander McQueen. That was terrible news to hear this week.
See more work at www.krampkouture.com
Shop Kramp Kouture on Etsy
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