Interview With Fashion Designer Claire Louise Pinckney

Hi There..... Do you think it's ok to get your clothes wet? Yes, then perhaps you are ready for a new deep dive into the fashion industry.

I still have a few fashion designers up my sleeve. Ah yes, I have very large sleeves, and they aren't the smallest designers. 😁

At the moment, there is a new season of Project Runway running here on television. They have 3 permanent judges on the series, and the 4th one is usually someone famous with a link to the fashion industry. I just love what these fashion designers create. 😊

I sometimes wish I could be there too and take pictures and share a blog about it. That would make a superb blog post, wouldn't it? Can you take shots from a fashion show and just share them on your blog? I have seen others do this, but that doesn't mean it is allowed, I suppose. 😏

Then again, how would I get there, because it's not that obvious if you live in Belgium like me? Nope, never been to America. I Always wanted to pay a visit to the Bead & Button show too, so if I could find someone crazy enough to pay for my trip, perhaps I could kill 2 birds with one stone. 😳

Hmm, can you wait a few minutes? I need time to find myself a nice stone. Oh my, I could never do that. Kill a living being, except for some insects of which I am not a fan. Mosquitoes and flies, surely you must agree, they are the worse. 😬

Wow, I wandered so far off-topic. From fashion designers to insects. Wouldn't that be a great book title? Except I wouldn't have a clue what it would be about. 😦

Ok, time to introduce you to Claire Louise Pinckney who is Fashion Designer & Trend Forecaster. She is the founder of itsintheedit.com, a Design & Trend Forecasting agency. and she also currently works as Head of Trend for Ruggable.com - a US-based rug manufacturer.

https://www.itsintheedit.com/

How old are you?

I’ll be hitting the BIG 50 milestone in February.

What kind of work do you do, or what are you studying to be? 

As I mentioned, at the moment I am forecasting interior trends for ruggable along with creating captivating content for It’s in the Edit.

What made you decide to become a Fashion Designer?

I’ve always loved fashion. From a very young age, I would always be in charge of what I would wear (much to my mother's chagrin). This passion for personal style bloomed over my early years into the desire to not only choose what I would wear but to create it, too.

Is fashion important to you? Why? 

Yes, fashion is very important to me. I believe that how we dress affects our self-esteem, for better or for worse. 

Fashion, for me, is connected to emotion. Like art, fashion evokes a feeling in us when we look at it, touch it, or wear it. I believe clothes have the power to make us feel good about ourselves. I also believe that we should dress for ourselves and no one else.

https://www.itsintheedit.com/

What are your successes, and how did you achieve them?

I have been blessed with a long and varied career in an industry I am passionate about - for me, that alone is one of the biggest successes of my life. Having the ability to do a job that you love is priceless. 

Working in fashion has given me the ability to travel the world, live and work in different countries, and above all - hopefully, make women all over the world feel beautiful inside & out. 

As far as accolades, having my designs featured in Vogue UK and Harpers Bazaar, InStyle and Elle is very rewarding. 

Is the name of the Brand important to you when you buy clothing?

Honestly, it used to be, but not so much anymore. These days I love mixing high street with high fashion, mixing vintage and/or pre-loved with my signature pieces to create a style all your own. To me, style is something you create not buy, so the brand is not important - it’s all about how you wear it.

Describe your personal style of clothing?

I’m definitely more on the edgy side, a little rock & roll, a little street. I don’t do girly, and frills are not my thing at all. When I see others wearing them I love them but on my - no, I look like a cupcake and feel like one too!

How did you find your personal style? Do you have a signature look? 

My style has definitely grown over the years. I’ve never been scared to try out a new look, but have always tried to work it into something that felt like me. Through those years of trial and error, I learned what suits me - what makes me feel like me - clothes that I wear rather than clothes that wear me - if you know what I mean?

I move between two uniforms for the day - either a coated or leather black skinny bottom with a camisole of some sort and a blazer. Not forgetting my signature studded high heel boots or shoes. My second go-to day outfit is drop crotch pants, white or black T-shirt, a leather biker jacket, and trainers. And for the night, I have a multitude of variations on the little black dress and black stilettos.

https://www.itsintheedit.com/

Do you have an influence on other people’s clothing style?

I like to think so. Having designed so many best-selling styles, I think my style has been to more parties than I could even comprehend over the years. A lot of friends ask me for advice too. Just recently I helped a good friend of mine put together an outfit for a Women in Hollywood breakfast celebrating Jennifer Anniston. She ended up with a beautiful Saint Laurent blue tweed jacket that brought out her eyes and, you guessed it, a pair of black leather skinnies (I shared the love and lent her mine). She looked and felt fabulous. That was a proud moment for me.

What are in your eyes the best trends at the moment?

The best overarching trend happening in fashion right now is the shift to sustainability & a circular production cycle. This has been a long time coming!! 

As far as design trends, I’m loving the #regencycore trend and all the historical references, sublime tailoring, beautiful simple prints, and both innerwear as outerwear. 

What are in your eyes the worst trends at the moment?

I’m not so keen on the return of the 2000s, probably because I lived through it for the first time. That said, I had a lot of fun with fashion back then so I’m sure there are a couple of items I’ll drag out of the back of the closet like a lace halter neck top and I’m already into my straight leg and bootleg jeans again - even if the rise is a little higher than it was back then.

https://www.itsintheedit.com/

What kind of fashion advice would you give us?

Dress for yourself. Wear what makes you feel good. Once you find the look and/or proportions that feel good to you, play with them. Experiment with color, pattern, accessories, etc. Keep the base but layer on the fun. That way you can stay on-trend and still be true to YOU!

Who is your style icon and why?

Wow, that’s a loaded question. There are so many people's styles I respect, so I’m going to answer it a different way and talk about a couple of amazing fashion designers that have impacted me and the world at large. 

Coco Chanel - she revolutionized fashion for women. She didn’t care what others thought and did what she wanted to do, wore what she wanted to wear - that took guts and her ideas & designs have stood the test of time.

Gianni Versace - he was ahead of his time in so many ways. His creative vision spearheaded the excess of 80s and early 90s fashion and he was relentless in his passion for glamour and sex appeal.

Virgil Abloh - Virgil showed the world that street can redefine couture. He pushed boundaries, took a stand for what he believed, and yet remained humble and true to his cause. RIP.

Is there something else you would like to share with us?

Fashion should be fun! You should feel comfortable in your clothes just as you should feel comfortable in your skin. Dress for yourself, always!! For more design tips, subscribe at itsintheedit.com and follow us on IG @itsintheedit

https://www.itsintheedit.com/

Thank you Claire for filling in my questions. I couldn't agree more than you should feel you in your clothes. 😍

If you have some free time on your hands, feel free to check out some of my previous fashion designer interviews

https://seadbeady.blogspot.com/2022/02/interview-with-fashion-designer-berny.html

https://seadbeady.blogspot.com/2022/01/interview-with-fashion-designer.html

Hope you like my blog.....Until next time.....Have a nice day 

Renata (Seadbeady)

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