(Fashion designer and founder of AD HOC, Riley Suchánek) |
A college graduate feeling hopeless after getting her degree
because she has to find a “real” job? Totally normal. A college graduate who decided to take matters into her own hands (turning that frown upside down) and create a fashion show production company? Straight-out gutsy and admirable.
Meet Riley Suchánek, the soft-spoken and strikingly introverted designer who is putting her degree from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) to good use. With an innate understanding of the craftsmanship and
artistry that goes into fashion, Riley developed AD HOC with a specific goal in mind: To produce a fashion show that is anything but typical. AD HOC offers individual designers the chance to showcase his/her entire collection at one time versus a few select pieces here and there. The designers of AD HOC "pride themselves on their fresh intake and ambition and strive to get their feet in the overpopulated and highly selective door of the fashion industry."
With a handpicked team of support, Riley is
currently in the process of finishing up the planning of her first AD HOC fashion show, set to take
place on February 27, 2014. Having gone to several fashion shows for nearly a decade, I have always been amazed with the
entire production of such an event. From the collections and the models to the music and the chosen venue – this is no easy feat.
(Riley en vogue) |
So I encourage you to check out my exclusive interview with Riley,
soak up her passion, and purchase your affordable ticket today! Yup -- I'll be there.
So you went to FIDM! What was your area of
concentration?
Yes! I did go to The
Fashion Institute to study apparel design. It is a two-year program for an
associates degree. I learned the process of designing, from illustration through
production.
What about fashion
interests you the most?
I like fashion because
there are pieces that you personally relate to. Not everyone likes the same
outfit in one collection. The audience will be attracted to different things,
but this one designer (or group of designers) projected their idea in a clear way that
others can wear and carry with them. It's been said before, but fashion is an
expression of yourself in a tangible way. That is interesting to me.
Growing up...Did you always
see yourself getting in the fashion industry?
I decided I wanted to make
clothes when I was around the age of 10. I was always into drawing and sewing, bringing something to life. I am a particular person, so I
like the control of picking out a certain hue of a color, pattern of fabric,
length of a hem, or even the men’s shoe that should be worn with a woman’s
outfit. This makes every designer’s aesthetic, but I know mine very well. So it
seemed fitting to follow what has been natural to me all along.
(The AD HOC team putting in work.) |
Well, AD HOC is a fashion
show I decided to put on after struggling to find a job after graduating. Every
job listing required 3-5 years of experience. School never seemed to fit the
“experience” requirement, so I looked to see if I could show my ideas somewhere
were others were in the same boat as me. Again, I am particular and couldn’t
find anything that matched what I had pictured in my mind for that kind of
event and environment.
I decided to make this
“thing” I was looking for, myself. I asked friends from school and different
media outlets if they would be interested in participating, and chose four other
designers. I built an Indiegogo campaign to help with booking a venue and
started an Instagram page for the show to get people other than family and friends
to attend the show.
How involved are you with the entire planning of the show?
I am showing a mini-collection at the show as well as producing the show. This is the first fashion
show I’ve been a part of other than this one Chloé show I was a dresser for.
Being a volunteer dresser isn’t really a lot of experience to me, although it
is on my resume! Ha! That’s just the thing about resumes, you can make yourself
look really good, but from the hiring company’s point of view, you can’t really
see the hard work behind the one-line description of your previous
positions.
I've been to several
fashion shows over the last decade, and I know that there are tons of factors
that contribute to it being a success! What do you believe makes a fashion show
a success?
You could probably teach me
a few things then! I’m always learning new things through producing this show.
There are a lot of little details that sometimes are challenging for an
introvert like myself. What makes a fashion show success, to me, is hard work
and supporters. If it weren’t for those who believed in me enough to donate to
the show, I wouldn’t have a show. You also have to give back. In building this
for myself and my portfolio, I wanted to help others show their work. They can
then put this one their resume and hopefully get a better step into the door
they’re after.
What do you hope to contribute to the fashion industry?
I want to contribute an
intimate feeling of comfort and easiness to looking androgynous. I’m not drawn
to commercial brands. I don’t hate them, I am just more drawn to things that
look like they took a lot of time and thought to make. That is probably
why I didn’t land a job after graduation in the industry -- I am picky in where I
spend my time working for someone else. That has been a blessing and a
burden.
It's been 10 years since I've been out of college...And I
still miss a good lecture! Do you miss anything about being a student at FIDM?
Yes! As much as I
complained about homework and going to class sometimes, I do love school. I
liked my program because it exposed me to things I wouldn’t have otherwise
known about. Art History, for example, became my favorite subject. I always
liked art museums and had favorite pieces, but I would never even think to take
an Art History class outside of my course.
(Riley captured in thought...) |
I also miss having more
experienced people around me. I had a few really good professors, one of which
I still keep in contact with, that really boosted my belief in my ideas. It’s
very easy to second-guess yourself, but now I am clear on what I am capable of
doing.
How would you describe your
own personal style?
Androgynous with a baby-doll
feel. Not the pink-girly-Barbie kind of doll, more like simple-silhouette-paper
doll.
Who or what inspires you?
Honestly, everything
inspires me. I really do believe everything happens for a reason, and with
everything that happens to you, you learn something new about yourself. But, more
specifically, designers like Rodarte, Acne, and Dries Van Noten further
solidify that I should stand behind my work more. They are each very reassuring to me. I hope to be that to someone
else in the future.
2 comments:
Great interview! I can't wait for the fashion show in a couple of weeks. It's inspiring to see a twenty-something who takes control of her dreams with such genuineness and passion.
Thank you for reading! Yes, I agree...Very inspiring. :)
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