After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology, designer Haleh Nematzadeh created a successful collection for Patricia Field, moved into The Chelsea Hotel and went on to launch her own collection. Her rock and roll style aligns her with other cutting-edge brands like Ashish and Jeremy Scott. We caught up with the designer for a quick chat...
What was the inspiration for your current collection? It was about my own experience using clothing as a means of expression to overcome diffuculty. It was about the spirit of a girl who felt lit up the first time she played dress up, revisiting the aesthetic of harder edged clothing. I came across the movie "Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are The Fabulous Stains", which is about a three girl punk band who walk around in tights and blazers the entire movie, yet looked completely natural and elegant , as though they were walking around in sweats. The lead character's spirit really resonated with me personally.
There is an edgy aesthetic throughout your collections, what has influenced your look? My personal taste level is eternally downtown and rooted in the art of playing dress up. It has to be something I can imagine in my closet, or something that I want to wear, mixed with the current story I'm telling through the clothes, the direction I see fashion headed.
Who is the woman that you design for? My muse is a modern free spirited girl who loves fashion, knows who she is, and is unapologetically ballsy.
Does music play an important role in the creative process of creating a collection? Music plays a huge role, I've always been obsessed with how the two bounce off of each other and the result that brings.
The materials used for your collection are so intricate, what draws you to the fabrics or materials that you will use in your collections? I love to explore different textures and print. It's also about whatever fabrics tell the story I'm telling. This season It was a tougher direction, so it was about mixing three different textures of leather together as well as using Metal mesh, distressing sweats and mixing in denim etc...
With all the current social and economic ill, what is currently giving you hope? It's all in how you choose to see things. I look at it as a time of change, a time of innovation, which is a great time for young designers to take advantage of. People are ripe for new ideas now.
