Áwet

Meaningful Pieces Tailored to the Everyday

Áwet is an ode to designer Áwet Woldegebriel’s—and his father’s—personal stories. His father, an Eritrean tailor, lived between the war-torn countries of Eritrea and Ethiopia for 30 years, while Áwet was forced to flee his native Eritrea in 1998, and was granted asylum to the U.S. in 2000. In 2020, Áwet launched his eponymous label with commitments to creating iconic ultra-wearable collections, and to employ and support his local NYC garment workers hardest hit by the pandemic. It’s only fitting that his name—and his brand—means "victory" in Tigrinya.

How did you come up with the term "livewear" and what does it mean to you?
“Livewear represents pieces of clothing that you simply can't live without and can't wait to get back into once you've taken them off. Over the last three years, our brand has grown to offer a complete ready-to-wear collection for both men and women. Our commitment to livewear remains strong, as we continue to provide luxurious, essential pieces that enhance our customers' everyday lives.”

How do you want customers to feel while wearing your pieces?
“The goal is to ensure that customers feel the power within themselves when they wear our pieces. Our designs enhance our customers' wardrobe to allow them to take on the world. We create pieces that shine the greatness within you.”

What factors are the most important to you in terms of building your brand?
“At the heart of our business is our dedication to community. We begin by prioritizing our community's needs and preferences, and then craft our product and brand accordingly. Our design philosophy centers around soft tailoring, an art form that emphasizes comfortable, easy-to-wear pieces.”

How do you hope to push boundaries in the fashion industry?
“What we truly need is a way to form deeper connections with each other through our shared values. I'm deeply committed to building a brand that prioritizes community and reflects the rich diversity of our customers. I hope that our brand serves as a bridge for deeper consenting and understanding amongst people. Fashion has the power to unite people and create a sense of belonging, and I want to tap into that power as a brand.”

Can you tell us more about your mission to support and employ garment workers hit hardest by the pandemic?
“When I started the brand in summer 2020, New York City garment workers needed someone on their side. None of the fashion houses were doing new collections. They couldn’t—there were no buyers. Factories in Manhattan’s Garment District were just shutting down and letting go of people. I thought a lot about something my father used to say: ‘Look out for people with greatness in their hands.’ He meant people like those patternmakers or embroiderers. That led me to develop my first collection titled A Promise to New York, which supported a family-run garment business, donating 100% of proceeds for the first year to them. Now that the garment industry has weathered the pandemic, we've shifted our focus to other communities near and dear to our heart, including refugees and supporting Black-owned businesses.”

Elisamama

Joyful Designs Supporting Nigerian Artisans

Celebrating her native Nigeria, Fisayo Che founded Elisamama with two main goals in mind: that fashion should do good, and that women shouldn’t have to sacrifice comfort for style. Each of the label’s vibrant, easy-to-wear styles is handcrafted by artisans in Nigeria using locally sourced fabrics, and utilizing traditional printing and dyeing techniques.

How do you choose each print and do they each hold a different significance for you?
“African-inspired prints are intrinsically vibrant, bold and colorful. The patterns we choose, however, are driven by our brand and design ethos: African-inspired fashion with a contemporary twist. We aim to seamlessly blend African aesthetics with modern styles, creating garments that promote joy, style and ease of wear. We look for prints that not only showcase the vibrancy and boldness associated with African-inspired prints, but also harmonize with contemporary fashion trends.”

How do you hope to push boundaries in the fashion industry?
“We strive to push the boundaries of design by infusing African-inspired elements with contemporary aesthetics to create garments that are accessible to a global community. Through our work, we aim to showcase the exceptional skills and capabilities of African artisans, proving that Africa has the potential to be a global leader in the fashion industry.”

Can you tell us more about how your designs support Nigerian artisans?
“Through our work, we’re able to create a comprehensive support system for our artisans, focusing on young women who often get trapped in the gap between high school and formal employment. We provide our staff with training and employment, fostering an environment where they can shape their lives and pursue their personal goals. We provide community and holistic support, prioritizing the provision of fair wages, access to accommodations, regular meals and safe working conditions. This work allows us to create an environment that nurtures and empowers our team members, ensuring that they have the means to thrive and succeed beyond their time at Elisamama.”

What factors are the most important to you in terms of building your brand?
“Social sustainability is the utmost priority, as we strive to maximize a positive impact for our artisans and their local communities. Ethical production practices and a people-centric approach are not merely aspirations, but the baseline goals we hold ourselves accountable to. Although social sustainability is our north star, our production processes are inherently environmentally sustainable. Through our farm-to-fashion model that prioritizes locally grown cotton and other materials, we’re able to nurture local economies while being kinder to our environment.”

How do you want customers to feel while wearing your pieces?
“Our garments are in many ways a statement about the wearer—they showcase joy, confidence and strength. We hope our customers also feel these emotions when wearing our pieces. We want them to feel pride and a connection to the craftsmanship, stories and the heart that goes into our creations. Most important, we want our customers to feel like a part of our community and a contributor to our mission of purposeful fashion.”

What advice would you give to other designers who are just starting out?
“Regardless of where you are in your journey, being a good person and authentically treating people well will help you go further than skill alone can. As the saying goes, people will always remember how you treat them over what you do—always remember that those same people will often get the opportunity to advocate for you in rooms you cannot be in. In addition, seek to build a community. Entrepreneurship can be very lonely and isolating, so having the support of your tribe will serve you well when things get tough.”

June79

European Sophistication With a Brooklyn Attitude

Chief Architect and Creative Director Shawn Pean spent over 10 years climbing the corporate ladder in the fashion industry—including helming and transforming the men’s footwear department at Saks—before starting a line of his own in 2021. Merging the spirit of his native Brooklyn with the quality and craftsmanship European fashion is known for, his menswear collection is rife with tailored, easy-to-wear pieces.

Can you tell us more about your extensive experience in the industry and what inspired you to start your own label?
“My experience in fashion started on the business side. My first role was a buyer, and after 15 years of being on the buying side, I joined Valentino as the VP of Wholesale. After a few years, I was appointed the president and managing director of Balmain in the U.S. After having all of these experiences, I decided it was time to start and build a clothing brand for tomorrow. I was inspired by my brother, who continuously encouraged me to start my own brand, and while I debated whether I should move forward or not, it was his voice that inspired me to start June79.”

How do you hope to push boundaries in the fashion industry?
“We’re defining a new space in tailored clothing called 'tailored-casual.' Our modern approach, [taking] the professionalism of tailored clothing and blending it with the casualization of society, is the right amount needed to push the boundaries. It’s what we call the balance of a revolution and evolution.”

What aspects of your designs do you feel best showcase your blend of European sophistication and a Brooklyn attitude?
“Our blazers are key items in our assortment, where June79’s designs intersect European sophistication and inner-city swagger. Marrying Italian fabrics, American craftsmanship and a modern approach to design makes our garments stand out and change the way people show up to the moments that matter.”

What factors are the most important to you in terms of building your brand?
“It’s important for us to build an inclusive brand that has a positive impact on our environment. Our goal is to allocate a percentage of our business to deadstock fabrics and apply them to our seasonal assortment.”

What have been the most gratifying moments in your career?
“The most gratifying moments have been seeing celebrities, athletes and everyday people wearing June79. There are so many choices in fashion, and when people continue to choose a brand that they are not familiar with, but feel good about, it’s a special moment to me.”

Sorellina

Vintage-Inspired Jewelry With a Modern Twist

Drawn to the Victorian and Art Deco eras, sisters and founders Kim and Nicole Carosella use mixed-shape and carved stones to create fine jewelry that brings a harmonious juxtaposition of vintage and modern, and bold and delicate lines.

What is your process for choosing the stones and materials in your jewelry?
“The choice to work with 18K yellow gold was very easy because of its rich hue. As for stones, we choose the ones that resonate with us. We both love the muted color palette of spinels and the vibrancy of sapphires. Emeralds have become a favorite of ours as well.”

How do you hope to push boundaries in the fashion industry?
“We’re hoping to push the boundaries with color and carved stone in fine jewelry. Many people feel most comfortable with well-known materials such as gold, platinum and diamonds. We want to teach our customers how to incorporate color in a way that’s both fun and comfortable.”

How does your relationship as sisters influence your designs?
“We are so similar and yet so different; it allows us to understand all the ways our clients will wear our jewelry.”

What have been the most gratifying moments in your career?
“Building our team! For years, it was just the two of us and now we look around at our co-workers and are so proud to work with such incredible people.”

What advice would you give to other designers who are just starting out?
“Look around! Do your research to see if there is white space. Ask yourself tough questions, such as, 'Do I have something special to offer?' Jewelry is an oversaturated market, so you need to stand out and have a voice. From there, dedicate yourself to this and know it's a long road, but it will be worth it.”