Profiles of local designers:
Published March 12, 2004
Corduroy Assassin
My name is: Ann Friedman
I live in: Columbia
My college majors: journalism and Spanish
My age: 22
My favorite band: Right now? The Fruit Bats. In general? Too hard to pick just one.
My favorite visual artists: Elsa Schiaparelli + Frida Kahlo + Bridget Paul
My label: Corduroy Assassin
Years I've been making clothes: If alterations count, then five. From scratch, two years.
My inspiration for designing: I love making unique clothes that women (including me) feel good in.
My inspiration for designs: Above all, individual women and their personal styles. But also yard sales and thrift stores, my girlfriends, Elsa Schiaparelli, the shapes of everyday life, Hitchcock movies and summer vegetables.
My clothes are made for: Females.
My clothes can be found: At Maude Vintage, or made-to-order by contacting me at corduroyassassin@hotmail.com.
People who wear these clothes are: Sanguine ' I confess, I used a thesaurus for this one.
In 10 years, I see myself: Maybe not as a full-time, professional designer, but at the very least well-dressed in my own designs.
My "philosophy" behind designing is: Creating something new and unique out of vintage material while at the same time making women feel comfortable and confident (because, hopefully, they'll know they look good).
SK
My name is: Sandra Keeney
I live in: Columbia
My college major: fine arts
My age: 24
My favorite bands: There are so many good ones, but Portishead and Radiohead are consistent favorites.
My favorite visual artist: Hands down, Giacometti.
My label: SK
Years I've been making clothes: Two years
My inspiration for designing: I began designing because my ideals of modesty were different from retail's ideas.
My inspiration for designs: Pop culture and old movies including, but not exclusive to, Edith Head's work for Grace Kelly.
My clothes are made for: Females ' it's what I know.
My clothes can be found at: Maude Vintage Clothing and Costumes.
People who wear these clothes are: Clean and sassy.
In 10 years, I see myself: Graduating from grad school with the intent to teach on a college level.
My "philosophy" behind designing is: Designing is a functional part of art that I miss in doing fine art. It's also very stimulating and rewarding to see someone wear my clothes.
No She Didn't!
My name is:
Elizabeth Pickens
I am: Originally from Pittsburgh, Penn., but now Columbia is home.
My college major: I graduated in 2001 with a bachelor of arts in English.
My age: 25
My favorite band: Changes all the time ... today it's The Aislers Set.
My favorite visual artist: Andy Warhol
My label: No She Didn't!
Years I've been making clothes: One and a half
My inspiration for designing: Making the unfab fab.
My inspiration for designs: Never, ever seeing what I want in a store. And when I do, it was created in a sweatshop by underpaid, unprotected women and children.
My clothes are made for: Anybody can wear anything they want.
My clothes can be found: At Maude Vintage.
People who wear these clothes are: Feminist to the core.
In 10 years, I see myself: Being 35
My "philosophy" behind designing is: Challenge the fashion establishment at all times.
My name is:
Katie Spencer
I live in: Columbia
My college major: counseling psychology (graduate student)
My age: 26
My favorite band: Hmmm, that's a tough one ' Le Tigre, Elliott Smith, old Rainer Maria.
My favorite visual artist: Lorna Simpson or Basquiat
My label: No She Didn't!
Years I've been making clothes: about one
My inspiration for designing: I wanted clothes that I liked that were femme-y and fit me and weren't lame.
My inspiration for designs: The color pink, feminist fun, activist clothes you can wear to the protest and to the club.
My clothes are made for: All genders in the continuum, my friend.
My clothes can be found: At Maude's and made-to-order from noshedidnt@yahoo.com.
People who wear these clothes: Are feminists and like pink.
In 10 years, I see myself: As a psychologist, living in an urban setting doing therapy and activist work.
My "philosophy" behind designing is: Feminist, anti-sizist, pro-femme, do-it-yourself, making fashion accessible and feminism fabulous.