ECD

Brand Profile.......Erin Carroll Designs

I was commissioned late last year to shoot Erin Caroll Designs first collection of what has been already a long career in the industry thus far. The shoot inspiration was taken from a editorial I shot back in May. It was one of the first editorials that I posted on LaMode "Romance Like No Other"  the location for that story was Watsons Bay. So when deciding on a location, I thought if we are going to take inspiration from that story why not go back to Watsons Bay and shoot ECD's first collection there.

It's a small collection of ready to wear and casual pieces along with three bikinis. The collection is well cut and designed to suite the fashion conscious woman. I think Erin(creative director) is a rear breed when it comes to fashion designers.......... she designs, cuts and sews all her clothes her self. A bit of a rarity these days as most fashion designers just draw there collection and then source the fabric. And then leave it up to there pattern makers and sewers to finish the job off. It takes a rear talent to do everything...........but not for long as I can see this brand growing fast and when it does more and more people will get involved with this talented woman.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Erin about her brand and her passion . And don't forget to check out her website were you can buy her clothes.

Photographer/Geoffrey Chuah
Stylist/Jessica Chan
Make-up and hair/Shae Macintyre
Model/Valentina Gee

Erin Carroll Designs/ www.ErinCarrollDesign.com

Q/ Where and how did you get your start in fashion
A/ My Grandmother taught me to knit and hand sew as a child but it was really during high school that I discovered fashion. We had to make a skirt in technology class , so I made mine out of brown/gold Chinese brocade with tassels around the hem. It was very avant garde, I got the the highest mark in the whole class and I realised I'd found something I had a natural talent for so it grew from there. Also I've always been surrounded by creative people in my family who could sew, draw, paint etc......who looked at the world differently and encouraged me to do so well.

Q/ You have recently started your own label. Were did you find the inspiration for the first collection?
A/ I'd recently moved to Sydney and it was Spring time, I love how the city constantly changes - it makes so much diversity and the city to beach to bar life style really made me think about how to dress for days like that. I wanted to make clothing that allowed you to feel chic, fun and causal all in one, as well as classic pieces which you can wear any season.

Q/ Tell us the process of making a garment for a client.
A/ If it's a bespoken garment (for example, a wedding dress) I start by meeting the client over coffee and ask them to bring images of dresses they like. I ask them to go though each design and point out images of dresses they like. That way you really get to know what kind of dress they've been dreaming off without realising it. From there you can begin designing their own dress and I usually finalise the design by the end of the session. Over the next few months we'll meet several time to discuss fabrics options, then I'll make amock up dress to get the prefect fit. Once the fabrics and the dress pattern is confirmed, the make of the gown is really straight forward, however requires many hours of hand finishing and final fittings.

Q/Were do you see your brand in the next 5 years?
A/ I would like to see my ECD brand as a regular in NZ and Australian Fashion Week, being stocked in exclusive boutiques and selling internationally online. And I would love to make a wedding or red carpet dress for someone amazing like Jennifer Lawrence or Kiwi singer Kimbra

Q/ Whats your favorite piece of clothing that you like making.
A/ I honestly love all sewing! but if I had to choose it would be the wedding gowns. You can pour so much love, attention and detail into those kinds of dresses and being involved in the creation of something so personal and unique is very rewarding.