BagTrends: What was your first season with
West/Feren? How did you feel when the first bags came from the factory?
West/Feren: Our first delivery was for
Fall 08. I had a terrible stomach-ache walking into the factory to view the first set of samples. I knew that I was in for the long haul at that point, but hadn’t gotten the opportunity to even see the actual goods yet.
BT: Where do you produce your
bags? Where do you source your leather from?
West/Feren: Our bags are produced right here in New York City, and our leather is sourced here as well.
BT: The name West/Feren comes from the maiden names of your grandmothers. What made you choose this name for your brand? How did your grandmothers enrich your sense of style and passion for designing?
West/Feren: My grandmothers, Mildred West and Mildred Feren, were fast friends when my parents met as teenagers. I always thought there was something so interesting about their connection- even though they were very different kinds of women. Mildred West and I bonded over
fashion shows- she would ask me which looks I loved, but I had to really explain why. It was like fashion critique 101…Mildred Feren was a widowed single mom at a young age, with two children. She went to work for Macy’s advertising. I love to picture her walking around that office in the 50’s. She told me this great story about a photographer that she met at the agency, who took a bunch of pictures of her. A few months later she was walking down the street and saw her picture driving down the street on the side of a bus. Love that story.
 BT: You’ve had a very long career in fashion, despite your youth. Tell me about being at Tommy Hilfiger when you were 18?
West/Feren: It was amazing. I was able to graduate high school early- and was introduced to Stephen Chiu, one of the head designers in menswear at the time. I had been obsessing over my portfolio for the entire year in order to get into college- so I wasn’t afraid to show it off… and I got the job. It was such a creative, fun time to be working there. Tommy was very involved, and I got to move throughout several departments; outerwear, bottoms, swim, etc. I learned a ridiculous amount.
BT: Fashion design, editorial, high-end brands, photographers. Which job did you like the best? What did you learn from it?
West/Feren: I liked them all for different reasons, and I certainly was at different maturity levels at each stage. I loved working with the photographers-mainly because they were so incredibly talented, and it was fun to be a part of their creative process. But, the winner would have to be working at Tommy-my boss was a true mentor, and I think about the things he taught me every day. He made me a better, and SMARTER artist.
BT: You’re obviously multi-talented. Why did you choose to focus on
handbags? And, do you see yourself going into other fashion categories?
West/Feren: I felt I had something to contribute
handbag wise. I wanted to create choices for a
classic bag, that could transition from day to night...I think most creative people need to do more than one thing to inspire them. I am certainly playing with the idea of branching out into different categories…but my lips are sealed at the moment! 
BT: A select few designers create fashion lifestyle brands (Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs). Do you ever think about what it would be like for
West/Feren to become that big?
West/Feren:
I think you have to think big picture when you’re starting a company- and would love for the brand to grow across many divisions, and price points. I do love having creative control of the brand, and hope that I can continue to do so, no matter how big we are.
BT: From the current summer season, which is your favorite handbag and why?
West/Feren: That’s like Sophie’s Choice.. but the
Hudson Bag in
Glacier/Gunmetal is amazing.. I love it with
blue jeans and a
white tee- its clean and bright, but also dresses it up a bit.
BT: What is the overall vision for
summer 2009?
West/Feren:
Summer
'09 is about traveling and being on-the-go… from work to beach to weekend trips and dinners- the bright clean colors are fun, but great for every day. Even the
totes are great for both day and
night- they are super light and comfortable for hot days.
BT: What can we expect for fall 2009 from West/Feren?
West/Feren: Fall 09 is inspired by the colors and textures of the boardwalk after the summer. The sun bleached painted buildings, faded woods and textures as the weather cools down, with a strong memories of the summer.
BT: What is the next big trend/direction in the handbag market?
West/Feren: I think its all about bags that are secretly super versatile. Versatility can be a curse in fashion- because it ultimately looks too “technical” and less design. I think girls are tired of lugging around heavy bags on their shoulders right now, and want an option to wear a bag several ways- for example the option of a
cross body strap on a
tote, when she wants to be hands free.
BT: When we met, you mentioned musical inspiration. What does music do for you in your design process?
West/Feren: I can't be inspired without good music around. The whole process is connected- a good song plays, and you know instantly that it makes you feel something…opening your eyes to new things, and new sources of inspiration.
BT: Who is your current favorite singer/band? Who’s your all-time favorite?
West/Feren: My current favorite band is the Heartless Bastards, the whole album is so well done, and her voice is amazing. My all time favorite singer would have to be someone I would take on a deserted island with me…. it would be Bob Marley.
BT: Please complete the following:
West/Feren: I can't live without...Iced Coffee
Every woman needs to own...a good bra
The best lesson for a happy life is...“the real voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes” -Proust
Running my own business is...everything I hoped for, but nothing I planned on. |
