5 mins with emerging New York based designer Britney Frady-Williams

We caught up with New York based emerging designer Britney Frady-Williams to learn more about her label Berít New York ,the inspirations behind her collection and showcasing during London Fashion Week...

Photography credit: Justin T. Shockley Photography

What inspired you to enter the fashion world?
It was basically a combination of me learning to sew as a child, modelling from the ages of 13-17, and just wanting to get out of the town I grew up in. I come from a part of the American South that doesn't really give many opportunities to creative individuals, and in all honesty, is sort of a dead-end place. I started with an agency in Atlanta, doing several castings, and through that experience I was able to network with local designers and contacts in entertainment. I was already making my own clothing so I decided to show a few pieces to some of the designers I worked with. They loved them and started booking me as a designer for their shows instead of a model. My experience as a teenager helped me get into the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC where I went straight out of high school and that more than anything else prepared me for the day-to-day realities of being a full-fledged designer.

What inspires your designs and how do you acquire your creative edge?
A lot of different things inspire me, but I would say that movies and history are the two most important. I strongly believe in looking to the past to create fresh designs for the future. Everything has been done in fashion, but it is the designer's own interpretation that sets them apart from the crowd. Colours also inspire me a great deal and I tend to create pieces based off the emotion I get when I work with certain colour combinations. Every colour has a mood to it and by using that to your advantage you can become something like an artist with fabrics as both paint and canvas.

In particular, what materials do you favour and why?
I like using harsh, shiny materials like PVC and Vinyl and mixing them with more natural textiles like cotton or wool. I really like creating contrast in everything that I do and by using harsh and light fabric combinations I feel it makes the garments challenging, dynamic and edgy.

Has your experience in the fashion industry matched your perception of the fashion world?
Any glamorous or idealised perceptions of the fashion industry I had were cleared by the time I was 17, so I like to think I've had a pretty realistic viewpoint. The ups and downs have been a lot of what I expected, and I don't think I would have survived, let alone thrived in the fashion world if my years of prepping and my experience as a teen hadn't cleared me of any delusions. My parents were also very firm with me about business and fashion, and I had to understand at an early age that rejection is just a part of my job and not who I was. That was the turning point for me and I think that understanding has kept my career going.

You're currently freelancing as an events coordinator as well as pursuing your passion to design; how do you manage to balance your time between designing and planning hectic events such as fashion shows and how had your experience of events planning been so far?
I have to manage my time very carefully, but I love doing both jobs, and I think they complement one other. I have acquired a sold crew over the years that always helps me in planning and executing shows and events. The teamwork helps me get things done for the shows, and the same goes for the design company. I would eventually like to concentrate on producing just my own fashion shows, but freelancing has opened a lot of doors for me and really pushed me in ways that designing has not. I hope to devote more time to designing collections and focusing on my fashion, but I also feel very much in my element while working backstage.

How does it feel to be showcasing your designs in London during Fashion Week?
This really is a dream come true! London has always had a special place in my heart, and I have always felt that my work would connect really well to the creativity, history and energy of the city. Being involved with Fashion Week has been my goal since I started down this path, so to actually be showcasing during fashion week is very surreal and I think it will take a few months for it to actually sink in.

If you had one word to describe fashion what would it be?
Symbolic.

Don’t Miss Britney’s show which will be taking place on Friday 17th September 2010 during London Fashion Week at the Luxurious Charing Cross Hotel.

Press and buyers interested in attending need to email theresa@lagenevenorth.co.uk

Limited public tickets are available at www.lagenevenorthevents.co.uk/events.html

For more information on Berit New York visit:

www.beritnewyork.com