{TUSK} Tell us about yourself?
I’m a pretty laid back creative girl who enjoys a good glass of wine and nice conversation! Personal ad fodder aside… I am an independent fashion designer, showcasing and selling my collections on my website… www.triciahoke.com.
I focus on the unique, the avante garde, the art, but I try to keep them affordable. I love to explore with cloth and tend to sculpt with it rather than focus on trends. I keep my collections neutral colors, and I often design in very easy fabrics (ie: jersey knit, broadcloth, etc). It keeps costs accessible, I do not carry inventory, I can respond to customer requests easily, and I feel that it keeps my collections timeless. I do one collection a year, they are available for three years, and I currently produce it all by custom order.
{TUSK} Tell us about your new line?
Well, each collection has convertible pieces… and 2010 is no exception to that. I am also still pretty fond of tubes… which if you have seen the “Ring” collection from 2009 you will see that it is a pretty important shape. I am also currently loving peplums!
This years signature collection is called “Cher Ami”. Cher Ami was a passenger pigeon who served in WW1. This pigeon (link to the story) actually became a decorated war hero!
However most of my original inspiration was brought about by the birds who live in the alley where the door to my studio was last summer. I started with color inspirations, but as researched on the net I developed a kinship for them… I’m not really a “bird” watcher… I just think they are funny and smart little birds.
Once I came across Cher Ami, I found my fabric inspiration…
Cher Ami means dear friend. A dear friend is someone who is always there… If I translate this to my closet, my dearest friend would be a pair of sweatpants. Too bad I cant wear them anywhere! Wouldn’t it be great if you could have “fancy” clothing that was made from sweatpants? Keeping the grey, and the “pied” white of the pigeon coloring, I could design in French terry, jersey, and muslin.
{TUSK} When did you know you wanted to be a clothing designer?
I think I was born this way. It’s a bit like a mutation at birth! Honestly, I was very young. My father taught me to sew when I was 5. I was re-designing my paper dolls by age 7. I made much of my wardrobe in high school.
{TUSK} What do you love about Denver?
You know, I do love Denver… It’s spacious, but you always see people you know everywhere. Its pretty easy to network and meet friendly folks with good advice! I think there are many opportunities here, yet it is also challenging. In Denver people seem really open to the idea of art and fashion… however, I often find myself feeling rejected… like my ideas are too crazy or out there. (Denver is still pretty conservative fashion wise, and people do not dress to the nines here all of the time) This rejection of course just inspires me to push the envelope further, and teaches me balance… so it’s a good but hard thing to deal with. I just figure that if I keep designing what I want, people who like it will find me! After all, it is Denver, we are bound to meet sometime!
{TUSK} What inspires your designs?
Lots of random things… if you haven’t noticed already. Google Image search is one of my best friends. I also, like any designer, pay attention to fashion magazines and the such.
{TUSK} What is your favorite item to design?
My signature collections, I get to put all of my creative gumption into the yearly collections. I get to be crazy, because my whole reason for doing these collections is to grow and feel inspired as a designer.
I am also super into re-purposing. The clothing line I had before my signature was called Potential Fashions, and it focused on recycled things. I love deconstruction.
{TUSK} Who is your favorite designer?
Maison Martin Margiela, Madeleine Vionnet, Wolfgang Joop Wunderkind, Francisco Costa, Alexandre Herchcovitch, Sans, Velvet, Carol Young, Helmut Lang, Lynne Brunning…. Just to name a few.
{TUSK} Where can fans buy your clothing?
www.triciahoke.com!
{TUSK} Who/what inspires you?
It comes pretty organically… I’m not often just inspired by pretty dresses, I usually am thinking about something completely off beat, and listening to strange music when I design. Lately, Dmitri Shostakovich, Bar Kokba, and Carla Kihlstedt.
{TUSK} What else do you love to do?
I love to read, but never have time anymore. I love to hang with my family and just watch movies and stuff…. I work a lot, and I love it, but honestly, with work and family I don’t have much time for anything else.
{TUSK} If your designs had a soundtrack, what songs would be included?
Lately, Dmitri Shostakovich, Bar Kokba, and Carla Kihlstedt.
{TUSK} What’s next for you as a designer?
I am currently working on this very question? I think I might go to school, I do not have a degree in design, and I think it might be nice. I would love to go to Paris and learn real couture techniques, and expand my skill set as a designer.
I also have like 6 other things I want to do… but sleep is something that I also want, so I need to work out a plan for myself.
{TUSK} Can you share with us some of your immediate goals for your company?
No. Can you give me some? Ha ha. I’m taking this really slow. My last company I jumped in with both feet, and made lots of mistakes… which I learned from… hence the taking it slow. I just want to create, grow, and share what I can do with people right now. I am looking into manufacturing, or some other sewing services to deal with my impending orders which will be coming any day now…(right?)… but I have yet to find a comfortable situation. I also take a whole year to post and market each collection… it’s a lot of work and effort.
{TUSK} What is your favorite piece of clothing that you wear over and over?
My “Velvet” brand jersey knit dresses in beige and black… a silk, black, oversize tube scarf, jeggings (I love jeggings), sweaters and sweatshirts.
{TUSK} What sorts of people wear your designs?
People who wear any of my signature collections really value the artisian element of clothing. They like the idea of comfort and the appeal of avant garde, and accept that they can exist together. Most of all they are pretty fashion adventurous, and do not like wearing uniforms.
{TUSK} What do you love most about owning your own clothing line?
The process of creating is very fulfilling. I feel like it brings me closer to god (whomever or whatever that may be) when I am creating things with my hands. It’s very, very satisfying.
