X-ray motifs, somber colors, and sultry silhouettes are halmarks of designer Alisha Trimble‘s Fall 2012 collection. Despite the neo-gothic aesthetic, the collection is nonetheless delightful, with a subtle touch of whimsy. We delved into the dark notes with Trimble in an inclusive interview, only on two+seven.
HOUGHTON coat. ALISHA TRIMBLE wool & mohair maxi dress. LAKO BUKIA shoes
two+seven: Give us some background/ introduction. How did you get started in fashion design?
Alisha Trimble: I was an artist in San Francisco, and began studying library books on fashion design and pattern-making. When I moved to New York, I spent several years working for custom bridal and special-occasion dress designers/pattern-makers and then testing what I learned of their old-timey techniques using traditional silk fabrications. Still I keep on learning: most recently I was humbled to help create moodboards and design beadwork among the amazing talent at Marchesa.
Alisha Trimble Fall 2012 from Thomas Concordia on Vimeo.
2+7: There’s an air of darkness in your Fall collection, enhanced by the styling of the shoot. What inspired this collection?
AT: The ribcage motif in the Fall Collection refers to Thomas Mann’s epic novel, The Magic Mountain: in the story, a glass slide of a girl’s chest X-Ray is kept as a memento of an ill-fated romance between stricken patients in a 1940′s Swiss sanatorium. Currently I’m reading Elsa Schiaparelli’s autobiography, Shocking Life, and I learned how she worked to help others during Germany’s invasion of France. What inspired me was how, despite the turmoil, many Parisian designers continued to create collections simply to show that they could. I thought: while things are tough in NY, it’s far worse in other places ravaged by war and poverty, and experiencing difficulty is no excuse to give up your dreams.
On Milena, Left: HOUGHTON coat. ALISHA TRIMBLE wool & mohair maxi dress. On Hannah, Right: TWISTED SISTERS lace gown. ALISHA TRIMBLE crochet & embroidered flapper dress. SABRINA DEHOFF crystal & leather necklace.
2+7: Who, would you say, is the “Alisha Trimble” girl? What kind of woman wears your designs?
AT: The Alisha Trimble girl keeps surprising me. When envisioning Fall ’12, I took an honest look forward, and seeing this barren landscape ahead of me, I felt it was more important to create something with integrity than attempt to fit into an impossible market. What happened was support came from unexpected places. I learned that my vision applies to other areas of the industry and I continue to explore my reach as a creative director while maintaining the Ready to Wear line.
2+7: What was it like working with the girls from End of Century? What pieces do you have in EOC?
AT: Working with the girls at End Of Century is a dream. They are dedicated, professional, smart and enthusiastic. While we have just started out on the current season, I imagine this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Currently EOC is carrying the X-Ray minidress, X-Ray flapper dress, Shawl, Cropped Tank and the beige Crochet Gown. These pieces are crafted in NYC entirely by hand using blends of cotton thread & dead stock and/or locally sourced wool lace-weight yarn.
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1 comment
Alisha says:
Nov 2, 2012
Thanks Hillary! Also a big xo to the creative team, Wenya Chang, Denise Mojica & Tom Concordia for coming together on the shoot. <3