Fashion, Evolved

Last year I introduced you to a brand new label called M641. Woman-owned, ethical and conscious, M641 has garnered a loyal following among women who demand more from their wardrobe than just a stylish outfit or two. The co-owners and designers Ina and Subu have graciously given me a preview of their Fall/Winter 2009 line and spent some time answering a few questions about their budding young company:

1.  Describe your style aesthetic using three words.

City. Polished.  Free.

2.  Where do you draw your inspiration for your designs?

Love, motherhood, friendship, commitment, loyalty and heritage. We are inspired by the female silhouette and by women of all walks of life with various roles. Our own friendship and personal roles influence us in our designs and our decision making. In Bharatanatyam, (classic South Indian dance) we are taught to create a space where the mind is free to explore and generate thoughts and ideas based on everything it is inspired by, without thinking. So, ideas flow like water without a beginning or an end. For Subu, this helps in attaining proper state of mind for design.

3.  What is it like collaborating on design as a team?

It’s just lovely; everyone should be open to collaborations in our opinion.  We both have similar sensibilities but to a varying degree. So getting each others ideas and feedback is critical to give our designs the obvious personality and character you see in the end result.

4.  What is your favorite piece your have produced so far?

Can a mother choose between her many many children and her children’s children?

5.  Tell me about your creative process.

It always starts with research & learning and then understanding. We research what we want to do next, forecasted trends and such…and learn from our past collections and feedback given. Then we understand where to step. After which comes the inspiration which as mentioned is found on a daily basis, and then it comes down to getting that vision on paper. We do design via sketch though not formally trained and then go to computer aided technologies, then back and forth with the ideas, colors, fabrics, trims until the design on paper matches the vision in the head.

6.  Who are some designers that you admire and why?

We must defer on this in a way. First to answer by saying our admiration lies with emerging designers. We think it would be terribly difficult to highlight one or two of them though. We’ve met so many great artists that there are just too many unique, genuine designers who deserve to be mentioned.

7.  What advice would you give to budding young designers that want to start up their own line?

Pick and carve out your corner of the industry—have your niche…and go with it wholeheartedly. Try to set out to solve a problem you personally have with fashion…and be the solution in the industry.  And, don’t feel like you need to spend loads of money advertising or marketing your product.  Reach out and find your market and ultimately your customer. Get yourself out there and be seen by anyone and everyone…then, in time, you can become selective. Patience and perseverance and of course a great partner!

8.  How has the internet impacted the way you have built your business?

Being situated in the mid-west with a label isn’t a plus point! That said, the internet is our friend. Internet and WOM marketing have enabled us to get where physically, we cannot. In this industry, where you bloom your brand can be vital to your business. We began showing our Collections with the use of the internet…a very non-traditional way for designers to do business. Fortunately for us, we have been successful in this decision and

Then there is this whole wonderful fashion-focused internet realm with great talent and mentors out there. We were warmly embraced. And with social media built in, it has allowed for a lil cult-like following for us. So actually, we’re really kinda everywhere now   Besides that, we are social butterflies IRL, so this amazing social media aspect of the internet has meant closing deals in record time and truly getting to know our customers. Best is our customers really get to know us too. No middle-man or fluff. WYSIWYG.  People in the biz know that being in fashion isn’t as glamorous as it appears. It means countless hours secluded behind your laptops. It means you feel isolated at times, especially since we’re not in LA or NY. So you can say that the reach out with the internet is vital to the health of this brand and to us!

9.  How do you see M641 evolving in the next few years?

We hope you will enjoy what we have in store. You’ll be hearing about our experimentations in different fabrications veering off a bit from our usual 100% woven cottons.  We have already begun adding in a few new subcategories to our separates to include bottoms. Specifically shorts for SS10. Most exciting is the partnership with a Showroom in LA for further visibility and growth of our brand.  Keep in touch with us along the way though to learn the latest!

10.  What has been your proudest moment since you launched M641?

We’re pretty simplistic gals. And to be honest, every single day we’re still in business, we feel proud. Perhaps a customer emails us after a purchase, sending along pics from an event where she wore an M641 design, we feel humbled and overjoyed by those. And recently we were offered to send pieces to Mrs. Ohio for her tour. But from a business standpoint, we feel pleased that the CEO of a major online retailer has asked to see our samples in NY where we’ll be showing SS10. Her interest speaks volumes about our reach and how far we’ve come.

Let me just say that if it hadn’t been for Twitter, I would have never known that there is an incredible company right here in my town that is blazing trails in both its design process and its business model. Lucky for me that one day I logged in and discovered a new “Follower” in David Walker. Not recognizing the name, I went over to his page and checked out the site he had listed—and was delighted by what I found. Since we both live in Austin, I asked him if he’d like to meet in person and I have to say, after our meeting I really regret not being able to meet more of my interviewees face-to-face. It was an entirely new experience.

Anyway, David Walker is a clear-eyed, energetic young man with an earnest look on his face and plenty to say about his company. He gave me the lowdown on how 302 Designs came about: through a series of conversations that he and his college housemates (in house #302, to be exact) had during the time they lived together.

“We’d sit in this old 1960’s style kitchen for hours on end,” he told me, “having these amazing discussions about progressive business ideals and having a positive outlook about the world. I came away from those conversations so energized and I knew I had to do something with that energy.”

The company started out producing T-shirts and after a great deal of reading and research, decided to launch their organic T-shirt line.

“At first we weren’t sure if this was just a fad,” he said, “But after a while we realized that it was the right thing to do. Our company is based on very spiritual aspects, and we could not ignore the impact of what we are doing on the planet.  Not all of our products are organic yet, but those that aren’t are completely sweatshop free. As we grow, we are finding new ways to incorporate our ethics in to our production.”

In fact, the thing that struck me the most about David’s vision for his company wasn’t just a blind, fanatical following of a “Green Business Model”, but a real devotion to thinking about the way his company fits into the entire scheme of things—locally, nationally, globally. If a business could be a work of art, then I would say 302 Designs is a masterpiece in the making.

Take for example, the extraordinary process of design. David and a team of local and freelance designers from around the country collaborate using a discussion board to trade ideas. He calls them his team of “fashion poets”.  The thought that goes in to the design is more than just aesthetic, although to be sure, they do look cool. But the clothing is created with a foundation of meaning that transcends fashion as most people know it. In the case of the Metamorphosis t-shirt, the website photo was modeled by the designer herself on the day of her wedding, capturing the essence of change and growth. Its details like these that make 302 Designs mind-blowingly unique and exciting.

We also talked about the difference between running a small company and competing with the big clothing manufacturers. “Companies need to learn to value the community much more,” he said emphatically, “Running a small business has opened my eyes to the whole process. Independent designers can’t close their eyes to what is going on. CEO’s in the corporate machine don’t see everything. The decision to ‘go green’ by a big company might simply be a marketing decision. In a small company, the owners see the product through its entire life cycle. They are the ones making the purchases, contributing to the designs, and living the details of their organization. It is much easier to understand the impact you have on the community at that scale.”

With a new deal made to sell their shirts at Whole Foods, 302 Designs is poised and ready to run with their vision, where sustainability, community, and freedom of choice win out over profit-at-any-cost commerce.

As more and more independent business people like David Walker rise up to take back our economy, our health, and our society, I can’t help but feel a little optimistic.