EP (30) Rosa Halpern: How She Took Her Love for History and Art & Launched an Edgy Fashion Brand
I always wished I had some sort of creative talent.
Art class was never my favourite subject as a kid. It was hard to watch the ease that came to other's when we had to draw or design a creative piece. I still get knots in my stomach just thinking about it.
But fact of the matter is, we can't all be artistic geniuses. And it does take practice to get good at something; however, we would all agree, that some talent is simply unique.
Rosa Halpern is one of those unique talents.
She never set out to design leather jackets. A friend asked her if she could make one for her, and then her friends saw her jacket and wanted one as well. Before she knew it, she was designing for multiple people. People she didn't even know. And it was clear to her, that she was onto something special.
She was constantly drawing and designing as a kid (see opening line) and instead of attending a fashion school like Parson's or FIT, she decided to go to the Art Institute of Chicago, to gain a more conceptual approach to fashion. She also completed three internships/apprenticeships with design houses; but really got an in-depth experience when she worked at Theory and Theyskens Theory.
Her brand- as her site states- is based around women who have left a powerful imprint on society. Named after two influential women herself, Rosa Parks and Rosa Luxemburg, Namesake is a design studio based out of Toronto, that creates customized leather jackets "that speak to your sense of style, to the person you want to be when you slip into this second skin."
It's all about bring individuality and edginess back into your life. And her designs are stunning - I'm currently saving all my spare change to grab me a 'one-of-a-kind'. Rosa will turn around your own jacket in six weeks time, while you select the leather you want, and hardware.
Be sure to also check out her "Heavy Metal" line with collaborator, Taylor Lash Jewelry, known as Taylorlashxnamesake!!
SOME QUESTIONS I ASKED:
Where did the name for your brand come from?
Why did you want to create a brand around impactful female figures?
How did you learn to work with leather?
Where did your love for fashion come from?
Did you know what you were doing when you launched your business?
Did you always want to be an entrepreneur?
What has been the biggest challenge with your business so far?
Why do you think there's been so much attention on your brand, as of late?
What do you think it is about your brand that sets you apart?
Where do you plan to take your business in the next five years?
And so much more...
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
How Rosa carefully sources all her materials
What her design process looks like
How she managed to get a fashion brand off the ground
How she looks at design and her big vision
Why it's important to stay focused on one thing and not a 1000 things at once
The keys to a successful collaboration
The importance of knowing when to expand your business and ask for help
And lots more...
OTHER LINKS:
CONNECT WITH namesake
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Edited by: James Nicholson