Here is part 2 of the behind the scene pictures and the comprehensive interview with Dan Jones. He will be using more colour for the next collection and I think it will be very intriguing, because I am! All the official pictures can be found on the official facebook page and soon to be on his website).
Some of the details on your pieces are so intricate, it must be a pain with the handcrafting?
That’s part of the challenge. You want the garment to still fit, and sit properly on the body after you add the weight of the beading. You also want it to move and glimmer in the right way as well. It creates an appreciation; there is a lot of man-hours put into creating say a pair a pair of dan jones pants, for example. Not only is the bead-work by hand, but the hems are sewn by hand, the waist bands are enclosed by hand. Everything is cut by hand using a blade, this is how I achieve the sharp clean cut edges of the raw pieces.
The fashion industry is so competitive, how do you keep you label sustainable?
I have a small team of people helping who believe in me and the dan jones label. I am also true to my design direction, and ultimately it’s a very interesting, and quite 'commercial' product that I’m creating.
How is your label unique from others in Australia and abroad?
The entire collection is unisex. I design it keeping in mind that a guy or girl might like to wear it, and the cut is developed that way too because I want the pieces to accommodate both a male and female body.
Is there a clear definition of men/womenswear or unisex?
In my collection, I think only the dresses give clear definition (though some men may be attracted to these looks). The pants and lace singlets may look quite feminine but they also look quite aggressive if a male is wearing them.
Androgyny is definitely rising – what is your view on it?
It's been happening for sometime and I think there is a new wave of androgynous designers. I don’t believe that it’s selling to the masses; it's a niche market. It’s more acceptable now to see a boy in leggings and sheer clothing, which is a good sign.
Looking at the label, there seems to be a lot of dark colours, is there are reason?
The concept was love and sexuality and most people would agree the black is quite a sexy colour. It fitted in with my concept and when I was developing the collection I really didn't have any other colours in mind.
Who is your target market?
I don't like to put an age on it; it’s someone who simply appreciates my designs. These are pieces – they aren’t just any old pants or shirts – and so the dan jones man/woman is someone stylish, simple and confident in what they wear.
What/why do you think your products appeals to them?
Good fit, comfort and look. I spend a lot on time making sure of this. It can’t just look nice – it has to feel comfortable too. I can’t stand clothes that don’t fit well because they have cut pattern pieces in bulk or used cheap elastics that loose stretch etc. Quality is appealing.
Favourite designer/s and why?
Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz – he gets it right every time, he has amazing attention to detail and he immortalises women, it’s really amazing. Elbaz was born to do what he is doing. Also Haider Ackerman, because he can make anything look amazing on a female silhouette. I’ve followed him for a while and he just intrigues me.
Your personal favourite piece from your last collection?
The bugle bead pant.
I believe good models help a lot in selling the clothes. What kind of models' outlook do you choose for your label?
I pick whoever has what I'm looking for, and quite often it isn't a professional model. You can tell when someone has the attitude or look that you need, 95% of the time when you get them in front of a camera and get them to do what you ask you’ll quickly get the result. I wouldn’t necessarily say good models help – I think the right model helps.
What do you think of the online media, eg, twitter, blogs etc?
I teamed with the 360 fashion network (www.360fashion.net) when I launched my label. The network allows you to create a mobile magazine to contact and notify anyone with a mobile phone about your product. Its very powerful and very effective means of communicating and keeping people informed about the label. You can download the dan jones mobile magazine by typing the following address into your phone browser: http://mobilemags.360fashion.net/11189
What will the public expect to see next coming from your label?
Colour.
Finally, for people who don't know your label, how would you describe it in a sentence?
very. dan. jones.
