James-PaulSo, America wasn’t ready for you, huh?
Actually, I do think that America is ready for the collection I’ve done because it’s not mainstream. If they let me stay that long on the show and the judges believed in it...it just needed to be injected in the mainstream even if it’s a very slow process. It’s not something that American fashion is very used to, but it’s starting to build and develop. I do believe in pushing the envelope.
Were you surprised by the results?
I think the judges have really taken into consideration the show and its purpose, which was a mass-produced fashion that people can easily buy from a rack or from a mall or department store.
You said you have an appetite for experimentation and we saw a lot of that on the show.
Yes, I was trained to do American women’s wear, I got my Associate's from FIDM in Los Angeles and I
thought that there had to be something else that could be developed from American sportswear or women’s wear. I’m always taking techniques and principles into consideration and developing them in different ways, in an upside-down manner. The development of experiments and ideas definitely drives the way that clothing is manufactured and produced.You also said that you always try to incorporate ethnicity and minorities in your work.
For me, I was really inspired by what makes people different. I was researching a lot of sociology theories and I’ve discovered there’s a lot of sociology that is trying to study how people relate to each other; the relationship between two different worlds. So I try to incorporate both of those. I started researching different cultures in their pure form and when the Western world had its first contact with the Eastern world, when the first changes occurred and how they complement each other and I’m bringing that idea in today’s fashion. All my work is supported by research. Everything I do has a theoretical and a visual reason to it.
A lot of people were a little confused with your inspiration for your collection. Can you tell us exactly you had in mind?
I was inspired by a BBC show about aboriginals producing all these works of art for the Western market and how the creative agencies would take their work and pay them very little and sell those pieces for thousands of Australian dollars. I was interested in the interaction between these two worlds, and also on indigenous people wearing Western clothing. How some parts of the world have changed through colonization and how that influenced how they dress. I found all these recycled clothes that America or Europe donates to Africa and thought of using the same patterns and adding details or my take on these patterns. I
also used fabrics that aren’t normally used with Western fashion.Some people would consider your work way too conceptual. Do you agree with them?
I don’t agree that my pieces are too conceptual. With this collection, they are all separate pieces that people could wear with jeans or a more colorful item and they would look fantastic. I like my work to be personalized by the person who’s wearing it and really change the way clothes are put together. Mass-produced fashion has taken away so much of our creativity, especially the way we want to put the looks together. We’ve always been dictated…if you put this type of clothing together with this dress won’t work, so instead of that, I want people to really play with the clothes. Each piece and each garment is actually a basic piece of clothing.
Did you enjoy the experience on the show? Do you think that opened new doors for you?
This experience totally opened a new way of looking at fashion for me. I’m glad the show showcased small designers, we’re all supporting each other and we were there to really thrive as a creative community. It was very challenging. It definitely put me in a different thinking mode because now I try to incorporate not only a European perspective but an American one as well in my pieces. I’m trying to reach a much broader audience.
DaniellaYou looked great on the last episode. Did you make that outfit?
No, I did not make the outfit but I did make the necklace, however. Thank you, though.
So, you’re making jewelry now?
You know what? Fern and Glenda told me during the taping of the finale that they were really impressed by my jewelry and that was something I should do and I got so inspired that I came home and went a little nuts.
You did the clothes, the jewelry, the music…you did it all, girl. Are you a controlling person?
No, I don’t think so, I’m just so inspired by all aspects of the arts and I grew up surrounded by so many artistic influences, I sort of grew up in the theater. Another passion of mine is musical theater. I wasn’t even planning on doing the music track, and honestly, I didn’t even take that seriously, I just wanted to do so
mething fun.The question that everybody asks, were you disappointed that you didn’t win?
Oh my god, no. To me the only difference is the money and honestly I couldn’t be more honored with the prize that was given to me. This is what I was trying to explain to some people when the last episode aired. We didn’t go into this knowing that there would be more than one prize. How lucky are we? This is exactly what the both of us need. Anna already has a line established that she’s been putting her own personal money into, so she already has a brand but needs funding and what I really want right now is to work for another designer so that I can be influenced by them before I try to be an influential designer.
Are you going to take Glenda Bailey up on her offer?
Am I ever! [laughs] In my wildest dreams, I could not have imagined that sort of feedback and offer, I am so honored and so happy.
Being the judges’ favorite is not a small thing.
It’s huge, and literally, I was speechless, and actually watching the episode I was listening to the whole thing very intently because I had completely blanked out during the actual thing, it felt like I was listening to Isaac for the first time. I was trying to hold back emotions and tears.
You were the youngest person on the show. How did you feel about that? Did you feel a lot of pressure?
I know that I mentioned it so many times during the show and you won’t believe me, but I never even saw it as an aspect of me in the competition until it was sort of pushed as such a factor when I was auditioning. I was just there to present my work and I thought that my work would speak for itself
and then they kept mentioning to me that I was the youngest one on the show and the least experienced. And my reaction was, “wow, is everyone really that much older than me? That much more experienced?” And that sort of got me putting this armor up when I went into it.You definitely had the trendiest collection. Do you think that’s an important element when designing a new collection?
Yes, I think that’s what fashion is all about. I don’t think that it’s necessarily me thinking that’s important to be trendy. To me the beauty in fashion and how fashion…your first reaction when you see it. The reason why we exist as fashion designers is to sort of to convince people that this is what they should be wearing next. You have amazing designers in this world like Balenciaga, Prada and you see their collection for the first time and you go, “Have they gone crazy?” That’s an amazing thing about fashion that if you can convince people you can get away with that.
Your collection had so many details, like the leather shoulders, for example.
I really enjoyed working on it. There was so much I put into it. I don’t think people realize how much of a craft I used to create it. For example, the bustier and the leather shoulders, I created clay molds and then baked the molds, and then shellacked the molds, and each pair of shoulders I soaked for a day, then stretched them for hours and hours, they took a week to dry, and then I would put the next set on, the bustier the same thing, I kept soaking it and re-stretching it all so that it could be completely seamless.
What did you want to convey most with your collection?
When I first started my research, the thing that inspired me the most about the armor was, like I said, the seamless factor. In typical fashion designing and pattern making you need seams to go with a woman’s curves. I was so inspired by these cast, metal armor plates and the way they were shaped like a chest or shoulder and I want to do that. I saw this hard but edgy inspiration in my head and hearing Isaac and Fern saying “why don’t you show more who you are? You are young and you are a girl.” You know, to show more youth, more of a feminine touch, so I wanted to find that balance.
AnnaCongratulations, Anna! We’re so happy for you. Were you surprised?
Thank you. I definitely was surprised, I was prepared for whatever outcome, so yeah, I was thrilled and surprised and it was great.
You kept a very low profile on the show. You even said you don’t have the TV personality.
I was just thinking in the back of my mind that no matter what happened I still would have to step out of it and be in the real world again and in my profession and in this industry you don’t want to lose respect from people because you did something stupid on a reality TV show. That was always there for me for sure.
Being the head designer of Dolce Vita, do you feel that helped you during the competition?
Oh, yeah, that was really challenging. They have a very successful shoe brand, but then we launched this clothing line to go with it. They’re all about selling, so that job rea
lly taught me how to make clothes that people want.Your collection was inspired by Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights. What exactly did you take from the painting to your collection?
I was really struck by how fantastical the painting is, how surreal it is. It’s interesting how it was painted in the 1500s and yet it’s so modern. Especially the colors, for me, I love the colors in that painting, the nature, floral aspects…there was so much to take from it.
Some people thought that your collection was just a rehash of what you did on the show. Do you agree?
I think I did detailing that I used on the show, but I don’t think it’s a rehash. I definitely tried to push it forward and add new things. Do a detail but push it further, like the long blue gown, that was much harder than what I did on the show. I really had to think about the proportions and all of that.
Did it bother you that you weren’t the judges’ favorite?
No, it didn’t bother me. It was obvious to me that they loved Daniella’s collection. Actually, I love it too. Her collection is very current and it looks a lot like what is popular in high-fashion right now. It made sense to me that she was the judges’ favorite.
Not
everything has to be high-fashion and we think you have a good eye for what women want to wear.You really have to spend the time talking to people, getting their feedback, not to be afraid to hear it. It has helped me grow as a designer.
It was exciting watching your runway show. The crowd went crazy with every piece. Obviously people like what you produce. What was your reaction to that?
I was thrilled, I was backstage and I couldn’t really hear it, but I heard clapping and I was saying to myself “Why are they clapping? It’s not over yet.” [laughs] It was incredible seeing people have an emotional response to the pieces, that is so wonderful, that’s what I wanted.
What’s next for Anna?
I’m going to start immediately doing e-commerce on my website and I may open a store here in NY. I like the idea of having the face-to-face interaction with the public and taking my clothes straight to the customers. That’s definitely a possibility, I just need to see how the financials work out.
[Photos: BravoTV.com]
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7/29/09, 1:19 PM
Congratulations to Anna. I would like to know if Anna is at all involved in the production (fabric sourcing, patternmaking)of the collection that Bravo is putting up for sale.
All three of them sound like grounded and reasonable people. I hope they all find a place that suits their individual talents in the fashion industry.
7/29/09, 1:19 PM
"what I really want right now is to work for another designer so that I can be influenced by them before I try to be an influential designer."
Smart girl. That really is the smart thing to do, especially at her age.
Thanks for the interviews, guys!
7/29/09, 1:22 PM
I'd love to hear Anna's take on the recreation of her cup dress..
7/29/09, 1:31 PM
I'm surprised you didn't call JP on his disgust with what he believes are feminine deformities.
Other than that, wonderful interviews as always, TLo!
7/29/09, 1:36 PM
I just found out that Anna went to my high school so I'm even more excited for her win!
As always, thanks for the interviews guys. It seems pretty obvious that either Bravo wouldn't let you get too carried away with the questions or you may have just wanted to hurry up and close the book on TFS because it would have been interesting to get their takes on some of the other designers (esp Reco and Chicken Diva) some of their favorite pieces from the competition.
7/29/09, 1:43 PM
Thanks, TLo -- good reading!
Did you by any chance happen to ask Anna if the blue and white dress she was wearing during the finale is one of her designs, or. . .(if not, whose)???
7/29/09, 2:12 PM
It's nice to see that they understand that this is just a chapter of their lives not the ticket to fame and glory.
7/29/09, 2:13 PM
Anna is my favorite, I loved her designs and I'm happy she won. Thank you for the interview, Tlo!
7/29/09, 2:15 PM
I have to disagree with James-Paul, America is definitely not ready for his designs.
7/29/09, 2:18 PM
Hi guys,
We asked Anna and here are her answers:
Sewing Siren said...
Congratulations to Anna. I would like to know if Anna is at all involved in the production (fabric sourcing, patternmaking)of the collection that Bravo is putting up for sale.
"I am not AT ALL involved in what Bravo chooses to produce and sell online. I do not profit off of it and they make all the decisions about what kind of "version" they sell."
Brooklyn Bomber said...
Did you by any chance happen to ask Anna if the blue and white dress she was wearing during the finale is one of her designs, or. . .(if not, whose)???
"The Blue and white dress is Dolce Vita - I designed both the dress and the print for the dress when I designed their Spring 2009 collection last year. They are selling those dresses like crazy on their website shopdolcevita.com.
Also, I am going to have some pieces for sale on my website coming up very soon! www.annamccraney.com"
XO
TLo
7/29/09, 2:30 PM
Really interesting reading - congrats to all 3!
It has occured to me while reading through some of the write-ups/comments on the last bit of TFS that Bravo is becoming the negative nelly network (the NNN?), and it I think it definitely hurt TFS. Instead of focusing on the designs, the craft, the clothes, or the designers as they went through the process, they focused on the drama and whatever unpleasantness they could drum up. I think it's become clear from the interviews (this and others) that the editing did quite a disservice to some of these people, not to mention making the show more and more unwatchable. I don't watch the 'real housewives high school craziness' shows, and don't want to see that kind of trashiness in my fashion shows either! I really hope Bravo changes course with the new design show...
BTW, I was previously a member of the 'Daniella is a bitch' bandwagon, but think she sounds level headed and probably nice here. I'm glad. Thank you TLo!
7/29/09, 2:44 PM
Wow. Thank you T and Lo! Poor Anna that is not a ringing endorsement for buying any of the pieces that will be offered by Bravo. I hope they don't muck it up too bad.
7/29/09, 2:44 PM
Excellent interviews TLo.
Congratulations to Anna!
I have to say that these interviews have demonstrated more about the designer's true personalities/character than what was on the show. This demonstrates the magic/demonizing of editing.
I do like Daniella much better now than when watching the show. I wish them all the best of luck.
7/29/09, 2:50 PM
Saraf,
I agree with you. I even think that the producers deliberately trick some of the contestants to get more drama or make fools out of them.
Even thinking back to old Keith and the pattern books, what if what he said was true?
7/29/09, 2:50 PM
"kjt said...
I do like Daniella much better now than when watching the show. I wish them all the best of luck."
Same here. I had no idea those leather shoulders was so much work. I thought she had just bought them like that.
7/29/09, 3:13 PM
Daniella will do well, she seems to understand what really takes to succeed in this industry. Anna just needed more money. James-Paul...I don't know. More research, I guess.
7/29/09, 3:17 PM
"I am not AT ALL involved in what Bravo chooses to produce and sell online. I do not profit off of it and they make all the decisions about what kind of "version" they sell."
Well, that's f-up then. Bravo and the judges make a huge deal about having THEIR designs sold on the site and yet they have no control over it and make no money. What's the point? Angela Chang is probably far better off selling her dress skirt on her own site.
7/29/09, 3:18 PM
I want Anna's vagina dress. The real one not the one sold on Bravotv.com. That was beautiful.
7/29/09, 3:34 PM
Thank you, TLo, for getting the answer to our questions.
xo, BB
7/29/09, 3:49 PM
Great to read these interviews. Congratulations to Anna! I hope she has a long and successful career. I wish TFS had shown more about how these collections were made *!@%!!* because that was fascinating hearing how Daniella made the leather pieces. I'd have enjoyed seeing some footage of her doing that. It makes her collection more meaningful.
TLo, did JP get anything from being on this show? Any leg up or anything? Offers of - well anything? Did it advance his career? He expressed himself articulately and much more fluently in your interview than he did on the show. I hope he goes on to great things.
7/29/09, 4:00 PM
Thanks for the interviews & follow up questions. If I remember correctly, ALL the TFS contestants interviewed by TLo come off as more thoughtful and reasonable than their edited t.v. personas. (even, in my opinion, Reco.)
So. Bravo TV, what have we learned? Editing contestants to make them appear childish, thoughtless, and, indeed, unpleasant, does not make for a successful show.
7/29/09, 4:03 PM
formerlyAnon
7/29/09 4:00 PM
So. Bravo TV, what have we learned? Editing contestants to make them appear childish, thoughtless, and, indeed, unpleasant, does not make for a successful show.
Then how do we explain the houswives?
7/29/09, 4:13 PM
Anonymous said...
formerlyAnon
Editing contestants to make them appear childish, thoughtless, and, indeed, unpleasant, does not make for a successful show.
Then how do we explain the houswives?
*******************
'Cause most of the unpleasantness there is real!
I believe people watch them because we believe they are 75%-90% as unpleasant as they appear to be - and it's the fascination of the trainwreck.
Plus, we get a feeling of superiority: your 14 year old spoiled and yet neglected brat just dropped my entire monthly budget buying tacky ho-clothes and overpriced salads - while you spent three months of my budget at the day spa - but your money and "procedures" can't hide your famiy's disfunction.
7/29/09, 4:22 PM
formerlyAnon, all of the posters here thought the designers were pretty nasty during the run of the show, as evidenced by the non-stop "Daniella is a bitch! Jonny is a bitch!" comments in all the threads. Very, very few people posted that they thought it might just be editing, and of course those select few were flamed for having an opinion different from "The Regulars." I should know, since I was one of them. I'm glad everybody is liking Daniella more now, but uh...I hope they can see how ridiculously over-the-top judgmental they were about fairly benign comments and looks she made.
7/29/09, 5:32 PM
Congrats ANNA!!!
More should have been done to celebrate the winner! :) Her work was outstanding and stood out to me all season.
Proud of you for being professional, kind & a talent! Kudos & Good luck on your future endeavors & successes!!!
7/29/09, 6:21 PM
Great job, Anna! Congrats!!
7/29/09, 6:22 PM
Thanks for blogging the show, Tlo. It wouldn't have been the same without you guys.
7/29/09, 6:25 PM
Anna, You are so talented and I can't wait to see your designs out in stores!
7/29/09, 6:30 PM
Daniella was definitely the judges' favorite from day one; lucky for her because some of her designs on the show were pretty bad. Her collection showed her talent and I think if she has the opportunity to study with someone like DVF for example she will go far.
7/29/09, 6:30 PM
Yarn is an odd soul, I'll give her that. I liked her designs on the show, but am strangely not liking the Dolce Vita stuff. It's just kind of...boring and dull and colorless, like she's fallen into the same trap most designers of clothes-average-women-actually-buy fall into. Her designs on the show were wearable yet vibrant, while the dress Yarn wore to the finale is by far the best Dolce Vita piece on that website.
7/29/09, 6:36 PM
I just had a funny thought. For the Arrested Development fans...
"Bland.. I mean Anne".
Ok, ok her name is Anna, but it kind of works. I mean she admits to not being a TV personality.
But yeah, she made some really pretty stuff. I was happy she won.
7/29/09, 7:01 PM
Thenks for these interviews, TLo!
Daniella and Anna certainly seem very nice and quite grounded about what they want to do and need to do.
I wish all three of the finalists the best of luck.
7/29/09, 7:54 PM
@That Girl - loving the Arrested Dev. reference. :o)
Anna was so innately likable though, because she really just seemed to work hard, not involve herself in drama, and do her thing. Regarding the drama, though, I'm totally in the camp that agrees some characters were vilified by editing. Which is a bad deal on a show where you hand the final vote to the audience who has been strung along by said editing.
7/29/09, 8:49 PM
I think the producers made a major miscalculation in going for Spoiled Screaming Housewives-type drama. It angers me that Bravo thought we'd buy such a devaluing of the sewing show experience and of the participants. These were all good people who cared passionately about what they do. It would have been so easy for us to love the show and the quirky personalities they peopled it with.
But Bravo let us down. In the context of a sewing show, a little drama, FAIRLY PORTRAYED, is just icing on the cake, not the whole damn cake.
7/29/09, 8:53 PM
" MouseAnony said...
I think the producers made a major miscalculation in going for Spoiled Screaming Housewives-type drama."
Did we watch the same show? When was there "spoiled screaming housewives-type drama?"
7/29/09, 9:06 PM
I was happy for Anna. She wasn't mean, made pretty things and just wanted a chance to show what she can do. I can only take so much drama.
7/29/09, 10:13 PM
Please capitalize the word "God".
7/29/09, 10:18 PM
" Anonymous said...
Please capitalize the word "God"."
Please get a life.
7/29/09, 10:42 PM
Daniella rocks!!! I looooove her stuff.
7/29/09, 10:45 PM
Thank you for all the interview guys, it's so nice to read, get to know them a little better.
7/29/09, 10:47 PM
I'm happy for Daniella and Anna. James-Paul? I don't get his story, his ideas, his designs...nothing.
7/30/09, 8:50 AM
Thanks for the interviews and for making The Fashion Show more interesting than it really was!
I know this isn't a popular opinion, but here goes: I think James Paul's collection was far more wearable than Anna's or Daniella's, and size-wise (size 16) I'm closer to the average U.S. woman than any of the models on the runway. I loved the cut and the shape of his looks, and think they would be flattering on a range of body types (and I totally get why Fern Mallis liked his clothes). He doesn't always do the greatest job of explaining his "concepts," but in terms of wearability I thought he was the stand-out.
7/30/09, 9:19 AM
Anonymous
7/29/09 8:53 PM
"Did we watch the same show? When was there "spoiled screaming housewives-type drama?"
You're kidding right?
They're talking about 'Real Housewives', not 'Delicious Dish'.
7/30/09, 9:54 AM
" Anonymous said...
You're kidding right?
They're talking about 'Real Housewives', not 'Delicious Dish'."
Yeah, I get the reference but I don't see how it applies. There were a couple of arguments and personality clashes on the show, but hardly of the "screaming housewives" variety and pretty much what you see in every reality show.
The problem with this show wasn't that there were too many screaming matches, but that it was dull and the contestants' true personalities were edited right out of them.
7/30/09, 10:20 AM
Agreed. The only people who would say TFS was full of 'screaming drama' are church youth group leader types who expect everyone to hold hands and sing Kumbaya and be everybody else's best friends like it's 1st grade. Yeah, sorry, the industry is critical, and Isaac is not a "meany-head" because he didn't dole out a pile of warm fuzzies with the cold hard truth. Real life hurts sometimes. Watch Disney if you can't take it.
7/30/09, 7:29 PM
James Paul should name his line "Ab Originals".
7/30/09, 9:25 PM
I'm happy for Anna, I'm studying at the same school she did (RISD.) I'm also from the same country as James Paul, the Philippines, and I totally get his outlook. Post-colonialism is the leitmotif running through the Filipino culture- we were colonized by Spain for 400 years, Britain for 2 years, then by the USA for 50 years. (It's the only colony the US ever had.) The misunderstanding of James Paul I feel is somewhat cultural. By the way, I loved his final collection! But I was put off by his sizist comments earlier on.
7/31/09, 2:00 PM
It amazes me, as many things do, that a show about fashion can not lean more heavily towards fashion and less about drama. If there IS real drama, show it...but do not make it up out of whole cloth. Why can't Bravo, and other channels, have some shows that show how things are made, done, etc. and leave the drama for their other shows? Are there not enough viewers in Cableland who are actually interested in how clothes are designed and made, how homes are decorated, how food is prepared, what the news is, to watch without being drawn into manufactured drama?? What happens to the ratings when it is "ALL DRAMA-- ALL THE TIME!" There will be nothing of interest or excellence on TV and just "The Jerry Springer Show" on every channel 24/7. No wonder America is crumbling!
8/4/09, 3:20 PM
Wow! when you guys interviewed Reno, you basically tried to dig up as much dirt as you could. With Daniella, all you did was ass-kissing. Disappointing interivews to cap off the disappointing finale of a disappointing show.
8/5/09, 10:49 AM
I don't care how much damage control she is trying. Daniella is still a nasty bitch.
8/10/09, 6:40 PM
Anonymous said...
I don't care how much damage control she is trying. Daniella is still a nasty bitch.
8/5/09 10:49 AM
That post should be - "I don't care what the facts say..."
8/13/09, 11:30 AM
Anonymous said...
Anonymous said...
I don't care how much damage control she is trying. Daniella is still a nasty bitch.
8/5/09 10:49 AM
That post should be - "I don't care what the facts say..."
8/10/09 6:40 PM
Same difference.
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