Since you replied to my text at 5:00am, would you tell me about your schedule leading up to Seattle Fashion Week 2016?
Seattle Fashion Week is Friday/Saturday and I'm showing 12 tops and 12 bottoms (24 pieces total) and I still have 3 to finish manufacturing. I'm getting up super early to go back and forth between my sample makers. It takes me a week from concept to execution. Day 1 is the concept and sketch. Day 2 is the line drawing. Day 3 is tech sheet. Day 4 is making the pattern; I do my own patterns and tech sheets. Day 5 is selecting fabrics. I prefer high quality Japanese and Italian fabrics in muted colors—I don't like bright colors. Day 6 is cutting the pieces. Day 7 is assembling the garment—this is my favorite; I love seeing the finished product!
What have you learned about leading a creative team?
I don't really know what my leadership style is, but I have a work-personality and an off-work-personality. At work I'm demanding. I know what I want and I'm very persistent when pursuing my goals. I know that if I work at it long enough I'll get exactly what I want. If I'm not constantly excelling in my craft I'd be comitting spiritual suicide everyday, this is my epitome of elegance.
How do you balance the need to sell with the need to be true to your design concepts?
I make on one-off pieces that are at a higher price point but I also have some sweaters now that are more accessibley priced.
What motivates you?
I was close with my grandfather who was an interior designer and designed some buildings in Seattle during the late 60s; before all the skyscrapers went up. He introduced me to design. Since his passing from pancreatic cancer in 2013, my work has become very modernistic, avant-garde and is the epitome of modern advancement in fashion. I love to see my ideas brought to life. I love making things; it's not about selling. Since my focus is purely on creating pieces I love I'm staying true to my artistic vision and developing my brand's style which will be important for differentiating myself in the market.
How do you protect your artistic vision from the opinions of critics?
I know what I like and I'm doing it to make myself proud, no one else, so the opinions of others don’t play a big role in my design process or in my life. People like seeing a young, ambitious individual going towards their dreams. It's something that's so admirable and everybody sees potential in what I've been doing! It's the greatest feeling that can be obtained by mankind.
How are you preparing to scale the business? How do you plan to finance growth?
I have big dreams. I want to be the most prestigious avant-garde brand in the 21st century. I want to be in retail stores, like Totokaelo here in Seattle, and in stand-alone shops because it diversifies your income sources. I'll start with a shop downtown and I'll need another investor for that. I currently own the majority of my brand and my investor has a minority stake. I met with several investors and this guy was into real estate development and likes art, and something about him felt right so I chose to work with him.
Upon graduation you plan to enroll at Parsons School of Design in New York City. What do you expect to gain by completing this program that you can't learn by running your own business?
I'm at an art school [The Center School] right now and plan to graduate in Spring 2017. I want to do a 2-year program at Parsons because big names like Tom Ford and Alexander Wang went there. Also it's huge because I'll get to exhibit in NYC and tuition includes fabrics; and not just cheap fabrics but expensive fabrics! The exposure will be very valuable.
What do you think is missing from fashion? Specifically men's fashion?
A lot! Everyone wants to wear the same clothes. No one is distinguishing themselves with their clothes. I want to see more individualism. All the fashion is on the east coast but I think more of it is moving to the west coast; culturally there's more innovation here.
And with that it was time for Tristen to dash off into the drizzle and make final preparations for Seattle Fashion Week. His new collection "SS18 CARBON COLLECTION" which he describes as very sophisticated, advanced garments, and his best work yet, will be available online in 2017. Thank you and I wish you continued success!
—Thurston Threads
