TALK TO ME! LCF GRADUATES SPECIAL - STINE RIIS

As the last one of the LCF special, I found Stine Riis,a womenswear designer. Stine would like to show her point of view of the fashion world through her collection and tell the public that fashion is not only about styling, it about the attitude. What I love Stine most is she loves to "make friends" with her clothes. It sounds weird but I am really bored with the people only buying clothes for one season and throwing them away. I love collecting clothes from season to season and mixing them together and they really become my clothes. Let's see what Stine think about the fashion world!

As a new member in the industry, what do you think about the fashion world? 

I love the diversity in the fashion world. The mix of people from different backgrounds, with different perspectives and ambitions, all hardworking, they inspire me to keep going. I still have a lot to learn, I just had the appetizer so far.

How do you describe your style? 
Having a busy day, function and comfort comes first, which means flat shoes, jeans and a shirt. My jackets often define my style. I usually wear the same jacket everyday for a whole season to the extend where the jacket almost becomes like a friend to me, I guess my jackets are my statement items in my wardrobe. I adopted this way of dressing from my dad, he has a closet full of jackets that I was very fascinated by as a child. He had a jacket for each occasion and each jacket, would have exciting hidden pockets and each jacket would bring back memories. This I think is also why I built my collection around coats and jackets.

What is your opinion of being a successful fashion designer?
I admire the designers who manage to balance between their creative vision and at the same time dealing with the business side of running a fashion company. Behind every successful designer is a great team.

Who is your favourite designer? Does he/she inspire you when you do your own designs?
Hedi Slimane and Raf Simons are my absolute favorites, They both inspire me for being true to their own visions and I always find inspiration in menswear because of the simplicity and function in the garments. Also Dries van Noten is a great inspiration for his impeachable ability to whip up a great collection every season.

Can you tell me more about the collection? Which is the iconic piece in the collection and which one is your favorite? 
Being Danish, my aesthetic is founded in the tradition of Danish furniture design. I have always been fascinated by the joint in the construction of Danish furniture, the combination of materials and the beautiful simple shapes. I tried to translate this way of designing in to my own design process. I wanted to highlight the process of making a garment by using the darts as a detail, or leave the edges raw, as a subtle comment to the fast production and consumption of clothes today. I would like to encourage consumers to invest in garments that will last longer than one season, and appreciate the change of a garment through time.

Another technique I used was to layer textiles to build up a defined form. Abstract contouring via panelling continues figurative themes but equally references the work and processes of Robert Morris and Donald Judd. Understanding these artists’ seminal works, the garments talk of the complexities inherent in the simplest of things. An example is the sleeved shift dress. Via layered, fused and bonded chiffon in muted, mono colours, the textiles build up a defined form.

My favourite is the beige wool coat. The combination of the simple shape, details of raw edges, chiffon and patent leather plays with the collections themes of the ‘pristine’ and what can made as or become ‘distress’ and it simply feels great to wear.

There are many new and up-coming designers in the industry. Is there anyone that you really appreciate?
To be honest I’m not very updated on the current fashion scene of new designers.

As a LCF graduate, do you have any advice for other fashion students? 

Don’t listen too much to your teacher, stay true to your own vision, but be open to suggestions.
Consider every decision wisely and know yourself. The better you know yourself the easier it will be to make the right choices and your work will be more original. And work hard. I don’t believe talent is inborn, it is something you achieve by overcoming difficulties.

What is your next plan now? Are you building your own label? 
At the moment I’m applying for jobs to gain experience before I start my own label. Winning the Biddle Sawyer Silks Awards made me consider starting a limited collection straight away, so I’m researching that opportunity as well.

To know more about Stine or to contact her, please visit her website or her page in LCF