Skip to main content

Feature: Garnish Apparel

As wholesale manager, I have the opportunity to meet some really fun fashion designers. I grow a business and personal relationship with many and love to support their efforts! One of my (MANY) favorites is Erica Lurie, owner of Garnish Apparel. 


Erica has so graciously accepted the invitation to be featured on our blog. She just finished a new collection, entitled, "White Label Collection." This collection is quite different from her regular line of garments, but still oh so tempting! The best thing about her designs is that everything is Handmade in the USA! Along with a team of talented sewers, they sew the entire line in Portland, OR. The images scattered through this post are part of the White Label Collection. Enjoy and don't forget...support local and support indie design!


From the "White Label Collection" - Spring 2013
What is behind your business name?  
Garnish means to adorn or decorate.  One of the most immediate ways of expressing our personalities is by our choices in how we adorn ourselves.  So our dress has a powerful ability to shape our opinions about ourselves as well as other people's opinions about us.  I like for my customers to feel that when they "Garnish" themselves they put forth an image that makes them feel good about who they are. 
 
What is a typical work day like?  
There is no typical work day at Garnish!  That is what I love about it (and can at times be frustrating!).  When I arrive at work I can have an agenda and at the end of the day, what I accomplished often looks nothing like what I set out to do.   But that keeps things interesting as I hate repetition.  

What made you want to be a designer? 
I love working with my hands and creating things three-dimensionally.  And I LOVE fabric!  I find the challenge of fitting fabric to the body in just the way I want to be exhilarating. 

Did you go to school for fashion? Where?  
I was a Sculpture major and clothing and textiles minor at Montana State University in Bozeman.  Most of my sculptures were clothing in some medium... often metal. 

What do you use for inspiration? 
I find most of my inspiration from my fabrics.  I buy fabrics that I love and that work together and then from there decide if the fabric is most appropriate for a dress, a top, a bottom, etc.  I think I must find inspiration sub-consciously from nature as I love the outdoors and use it to rejuvenate me.

Who is your favorite designer?  
Oh, that's tough.  I'm going to go with Carolina Herrera.

Before you established your own line, did you work in the fashion field? Where? 
Yes, I worked at Adidas.  My boss gave me a 3 month leave of absence to work on my line... pretty amazing!

What is the best thing about being a designer? The hardest thing?
I love being able to come to work and be creative!  I also love working for myself but that can also be the hardest thing... ultimately it all falls on your shoulders. 

Nadira Dress - Designs from Past Seasons - Fabric is from Fabric Mart (No longer available)
Do you have any signature pieces you make every season?  
We have made our Amanda Dresses for many seasons and it's a great all around dress.  But we are feeling like we need to take a little break from it and re-introduce it down the road a bit.

What is your favorite fabric type? 
I can't answer that, I'd be excluding too many wonderful fabrics!  But I do love printed silks- they suck me in every time!

What colors do you gravitate to? 
I try to really vary my palette because different colors work on different people and all colors are so beautiful.  Right now I'm pining for the deep, deep indigo that is popular, especially in Europe.

From the "White Label Collection" - Spring 2013

Where do you go when you need to get away from it all? 
Into the woods...

What is your favorite food?  
All of them.  OK, if I must choose one I'd say lobster (sorry little guys).

Any advice for aspiring designers?  
Be ready to work your butt off if you want to get anywhere in this industry.  But it is so worth it.

What is one fashion trend you love? Hate? 
I'm loving the bold colors this season.  There are usually some trends that I hate, but this season I like most of them. 

From the "White Label Collection" - Spring 2013

How would you describe the type of woman that buys your clothes? 
Independent, confident (but not always when it comes to dressing themselves), often creative in some sense, knows what she wants from her life and goes out and gets it!


Are you are designer looking for larger quantities? The wholesale division of Fabric Mart may be the answer! Contact julie@fabricmartfabrics.com if you are interested in learning more.

Become a Fabric Mart Fabricista! 
Are you a designer or just love to sew for yourself?  If you've used a Fabric Mart fabric, we would love to feature you on our blog! Its a great way to show other customers what they can do with a fabric. For more information, contact fabricmartblog@gmail.com


~Julie

Comments

  1. Love the light-weight fabric which feels very cool and dries quickly. The style is very basic. Looks good, just nothing to get excited about.

    http://www.apparelnbags.com/sport-tek/index.htm

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Oversized Jenna Shirt for Summer Fun

 I may or may not have had several meltdowns during the making of this Closet Core Jenna Shirt… But let’s back up first. During the month of May, I promised to wear handmade garments every single day for the popular sewing challenge “Me Made May.” I really enjoyed thoughtfully putting together my outfits each day. While I was doing this, I was taking notes of the gaps in my wardrobe. Particularly, I don’t have many transitional shirts that could work for on-camera work attire and be comfortable for the weekend. When I saw this delicious cotton lawn on the Fabric Mart website, I knew that I wanted to make a button up shirt that would be both work appropriate and a nice overshirt for summer evenings over my tanks and tees.  I have made a few button up shirts before using a vintage Stretch & Sew pattern but I decided to try my hand at the Closet Core Jenna Shirt (up to a 60” chest) which has had rave reviews on social media and pattern sites for being a great pattern with e...

Made By A Fabricista: Pattern Emporium’s Lyrical Top Featuring Fabric Mart Fabrics

 Sewn in a lightweight  rayon challis , this top combines style, comfort, and fluidity. There’s one thing I love in a summer sew: effortless drape—and the Lyrical Top by Pattern Emporium delivered just that. This pattern is a new release, and when I spotted this dreamy rayon challis from Fabric Mart Fabrics, I knew it was the perfect pairing. Lightweight, breathable, and with just the right amount of movement, the fabric really brought the pattern to life. Today, I’m sharing all the details—from fabric choice and construction to styling and fit—plus a few thoughts on why this top might just become a repeat sew. Pattern Overview: The Lyrical Top by Pattern Emporium The Lyrical Top is a relaxed-fit design with bloused sleeves and a gently flared frill cuff. It comes with three sleeve lengths and two neckline variations. I chose the tie-neck view, but there’s also a collar option for a slightly different vibe. I’ve been looking to add more stylish tops to my wardrobe this year, a...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing the Chalk & Notch Hayes Dress

Hey lovely friends! With summer knocking at the door, I am absolutely ready for breezy dresses at all times. I love linen all year round, but summer is my particular favorite for this fiber. This bright happy color fills me with delight, and it’s so perfect in the sunshine.  For this project, I got all my supplies in one go! I chose this stunning Sea Green linen , lightweight fusible interfacing , ½” elastic , and of course, matching thread. If you haven’t sat down to create your own little sewing kit with all the bits at hand, it’s quite a nice gift to yourself and makes getting started that much easier. I’m all about ease these days.  I sewed the new Chalk & Notch Hayes Dress with the open back cutout, which is View A. The other two options are a closed-back dress and a two piece set. I was a tester for this charming pattern, and I can confirm the two piece set is also gorgeous and really fun to wear. I have looked forward to sewing this version for weeks!  Please...