Brand Crush: Chloe Zola

 

 

  

Brand Crush and Interview: Chloe Zola   
 My crush today comes to you from Central Mexico, beautiful hand crafted knitwear pieces that evoke a sense of freedom, play and forever Summer, the aesthetic was what drew me in at first, but after a bit more research and an interview with the founder and designer Chloe, I am a fan!!! Their website  reads: 
 "Each sweater and scarf is hand-crafted, to order, in Central Mexico where we are based. I know the women who are bringing the designs to life, they are all, in some way related to friends of my younger siblings. We bridge the language gap with lots of sound effects, hand gestures and laughter. Also- often times the families in this town send their children off to work in different cities, states, countries at age 14 or 15, which we hope to offset in a small way with this consistent and additional income for their families. It is very much about finding people who do what they know, what they love, with a lot of integrity, a hint of nostalgia and a mutual appreciation for where things come from."

Interview:

Tell us a little bit about her ( the girl you design for) who is she? how would you describe her style?  

She is someone who sees the world from an uncommon perspective- someone who can appreciate the heart of slow, hand crafted clothing, but who is also conscious of her appearance. Someone who is often caught wanderlusting in place of work and who doesn’t have a problem going straight from a day at the beach to a nice dinner with nothing more than the help of a few bobby pins- that is really what this collection is all about.

Where do you get your inspiration? 

My inspiration for each line is totally dependent on where I am personally, emotionally, etc. I am someone who has a hard time committing to something unless I am completely inspired by it- so the idea for a line can come from the bridge of a song or a sentence in a book, or more often than not someone or something in my life or my past- either way, I wait to design until that something finds me.

We both share a love of travel, specially beach destinations, do you have a favorite beach? And why? 

Gibbs Beach in Barbados, hands down. I grew up going there and when I was back recently it seemed to be the only beach that hadn’t changed a bit. Not only is it a great spot for skim boarding, but the water is clear as day, and there are very few people around. 

3 things that you can't live without? 

Chocolate. Family. Making. 

Favorite food, color, city, designer, song, movie?

Food: this is hard, because food is everything…..I’ll keep it simple- Chocolate Chips. 

color: white

city: Speightstown, Barbados

Designer: Isabel Marant

Song: No Woman, No Cry

Movie: Stand By Me

What do you like best about designing clothes?

I like that in the grand scheme of things, it is light hearted, for the most part….It is work, yes, and stressful at times, but at the end of the day it is just clothing, which is comforting. I also like that there is always something new on the horizon, very little time to sit around brewing on the past. I thrive on the feeling of anticipating a new beginning, a new project, a new concept. 

What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers or artists in general?

Not that I am really in any position to give advice, but if I had to, I suppose I would say don’t ever try and hold on to one idea too tightly, if it’s not working out, there is probably a reason for that- let it go- a new idea or opportunity will always unfold. (I remind myself of this often.)

What's next for Chloe Zola? 

I can barely control my excitement about the upcoming Fall/Winter 14 collection. It is not very beach oriented, but it is something that has the potential to present a very different dimension to clothing. We are taking the “story” aspect of our brand to a whole new level- incorporating music, chunky knits, real life stories, and a look book full of real women. Stay tuned for The Cord Collection!

More info on CHLOE ZOLA here:

Label: Chloe Zola 

Designer(s):  Chloe Zola

Online Shop: http://www.chloezola.com/

Instagram:  @herebychloezola

 Go out and get your own, one of a kind piece! I am lusting over the Crochet Summer Dress and the Blossom Crop !!! Stunning!!! 

Tchau, Carla