Today I am pleased to share with you all this delightful and inspiring interview with an old friend of mine, New York Designer Cassandra Hobbins, who just launched her own clothing line Prose IV. I found her answers to be very refreshing and I am so glad she let us into her little world for just a few moments...
How are you? What are you up to today?
I am great ... sort of exhausted and my weekends are always crazy, but great. I was at my office going crazy prepping for New York Market Week , which just started today. Now, i'm at the Capsule Trade Show helping my friend in his booth for VELOUR women. I'm wearing all PROSE IV and secretly trying to sling my own stuff, shhh don't tell.
What do you do? What are you currently working on?
I am the designer and owner of PROSE IV and a hustler of about a million other projects - some good, some bad, some just required to pay my rent in NYC ! However, PROSE IV is really the only thing that matters.
How would you describe your collection ?
Ah ! the pressure. I should probably say the super designer thing and say it is some intelligent master minded thought out inspirational collection where iI have a theme and all that but the truth is , it manifests itself mostly from a business mind with some of my crazy creative visions thrown in. Fall 11 started out as one thing and ended up as another. That brings me to point out what PROSE IV the brand itself means to me - like the name suggests, PROSE, a written prose, where every author has it's own style. The brand doesn't really follow a certain trend or direction - it can be worn with anyone's style, year round not so seasonal, layers, and for the woman who is strong, independent , and doesn't really follow a clique or look like all of her friends. I really believe in the celebration of the individual - and i want to communicate that through my brand.
What kind of fabrics did you use?
I find the mystery of a woman wearing draped layers and oversized clothes sexy. Oversized doesn't need to be frumpy or unflattering. I achieve that by using super comfy fabrics like washed silks, silk jersey, cotton modals. Then to contrast that flowy drape, i love using very masculine fabrics like wax coated cottons, lambskin leathers, and i'll usually throw in a special Italian fabric for wow factor.
What kind of girl is wearing Prose IV?
I hope every girl wears Prose ! I really made sure to offer something for everyone. Basic enough so that it isn't intimidating. Interesting enough in small details so that it's always relevant. Classic enough so that it's timeless. Any girl not afraid to make what she wears her own, should be in PROSE IV.
Did you always know from quite a young age that you wanted to work in fashion, with clothes?
Absolutely. I was VERY particular about my personal style from as far back as my mother can recall. I went through phases of style exploration. When i was about 5, i would not wear pants only stockings , ballet flats, and oversized sweaters. Tight high pony tails. Pointed toe shoes only. Then was the Debbie Gibson phase. My mother is an amazing seamstress and i would go to our local fabric store with her where she would let me pick out patterns from Buttericks, Vogue, Simplicity, etc. and my fabric ... she would sew me a new outfit and i would demand that outfit be on the sofa ready for me to wear to school on Monday. Even as a teen raver, i designed my outfits and my mom sewed them. I would design entire collections, plan fashion shows, sketch them all out with details on the music , write my name and phone number on the top and plan on dropping them off to the once Canadian Department Store, Woodwards. My mother and Auntie Pat, who was my style icon growing up, introduced me to Style with Elsa Klensch and Fashion File with Tim Blanks. Growing up in Canada USA
Favorite icecream flavor?
I've been a vegan for ages and recently went raw .... so I haven't had ice cream for AGES!
What makes you feel most like yourself?
Anytime i travel alone, i always feel the most like myself - alone in a foreign country.
How do you enjoy spending your down time?
I wouldn't know, I haven't had down time in about 5 years!
Do you have any words of wisdom for new designers starting out?
Learn Illustrator and Excel and how to make a great tech pack. The design job where you're sitting around pencil sketching and draping all day doesn't exist.
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