BEHIND THE SEAMS: MaNoKin DESIGNS

Calgary Fashion had the chance to catch up with Marsina King, fashion creator of MaNoKin Designs who will be showing her Fall 2011 collection at Cirque Du Manique, June 25th at Sociale Bar & Grille.

CF: What is your idea of fashion?

Fashion can be anything you want it to be. It can be an art form, an expression of your personality, a statement, or just serve a functional purpose. I think that’s why fashion has such an allure about it…it can be exactly what you make of it.

CF: How do you define your personal style?

My personal style is completely defined by circumstance. Depending on the type of event I need to attend and the mood I’m in fully dictates what I will wear. I find myself more concerned with accessorizing and styling and outfit to make it appropriate for wherever I am going, but my staples are basics. I am a total “t-shirt and jeans” person but will add my own touch by throwing on a funky shoe or layer multiple necklaces. I usually have brightly painted nails and I’ve had every hair color from platinum, to mahogany. I have to be comfortable on a day to day basis but on occasion, I will get into the ridiculously impractical, but oh-so-cute cocktail dress. All-in-all, my personal style is comfortable, wearable, layered, and most importantly, easy.

CF: Do you think that your roots, whether through your heritage or from places you have lived or have been to, have helped to evolve your style?

I have done a little travelling in the past but I have yet to be noticeably impacted by any one regions style. I lived in Toronto throughout university and definitely saw a much freer sense of self and more acute attention to style than in I had previously in Calgary. However, it wasn’t until I moved back home that I really started to take notice of how people use fashion to make a statement about themselves and made a conscious effort to create a collection that really says something about the woman wearing it. I’m pretty confident that being in a city less driven by fashion than some of the other places I have been to has actually been a motivator for me to evolve my collections general feel into a more focused and creative line.

CF: How do you think your current creative environment influences your style?

For the most part, the environment that I spend a large portion of my time being in is not creative at all (I also have an office job). This lack of creativity in my daily routine actually fuels my creativity while I’m working on my collections. It’s almost as if the more mundane and structured my daily tasks are, the more I need an extreme creative outlet, therefore making each garment or look more interesting than the one before it.

CF: Do you often find your designs reflect your own style and personality?

My designs often reflect a version of myself that’s inside my head, but doesn’t exactly match my style in reality. I love being able to have the creative license to think up garments that I wouldn’t necessarily wear but are still beautiful. MaNoKin’s style is more polished and refined than my own personal looks generally are.

CF: How do you approach designing a collection?

Historically speaking, I don’t really follow the “choose one inspiration and theme and design around it” formula. I get inspired by everyday things and my basic design philosophy comes from the phrase “design is everywhere.” I’ve never had as much success picking a theme, such as a movie to base my collection on as when I just come up with a general concept, feeling, or mood and go off that. I usually sketch out a few basic styles to be sure I don’t get too off-track and then let the garment evolve as I’m making it. I rarely plan all the small details, but by draping and playing throughout the design process, the garment grows into a more interesting version of its original sketch. Sometimes I design the garment first and then pick the fabrics, sometimes I see a fabric and get inspired from that. I don’t put limitations on myself and what I create by setting out a strict design process to follow. I just let it happen, and 9 times out of 10 I’m generally pleased with the result.

CF: What do you enjoy most about the fashion world?

My favorite thing about the fashion world is the entire runway experience. I love the energy and buzz backstage, the girls modeling clothes which you would never see in your normal daily life, and the collaboration of photographers, back stage help, models, designers, press, etc. all being drawn together to focus on the 20 minute show that takes months to prepare for. Fashion shows are encouraging because for that 20 minutes, everyone is on the same page, working towards the common goal of executing a perfect show. Even though they are high stress events and cattiness can arise, there is only time to focus and to work together. I don’t think that vibe can be experienced in any other area of the fashion world.

CF: If you have one, which designer is your current favorite?

I have never really had a favorite designer who is globally recognized. There are many different designers’ styles I love but not one specifically. I find myself more inspired by local Canadian talent than anything because as a small start-up company, it gives me motivation and encouragement to know that others are finding success in this difficult industry. Although I do admire the designers that work for large design houses, I feel like those companies came up in a different era and therefore are not relatable to my aspirations at the moment.

CF: What color or pattern do you find yourself magnetized to the most?

If a fabric is earth-toned, chances are I will love it. I’m very drawn to textured material, abstract mono-chromatic overall prints, and anything army green, taupe, sepia, dusty, or antique looking. Nature inspired tones and prints are always good and I’m also attracted to fabrics with interesting drape and hand.

CF: Where is your favorite place to shop?

Since I spend most of my spare time making clothes, I don’t do a huge amount of shopping. But when I do, I like going to stores in Kensington or other trendy areas and checking out local boutiques. When I’m in the mood to shop, it’s quite likely I will end up at Nine West or Arnold Churgin to get a new pair of shoes!

CF: Do you have a personal trend that you would love to ‘set’?

I pride my designs on being unique and limited quantity so I can uphold the customers feeling of originality. Based on that mind-set, I don’t think I would ever want to come up with something that everyone tried to emulate. Also, when I think of the word “trend” I relate it to “short-lived.” I aim to keep most of my designs more classic so they can transition past one season.

CF: What trends or fads have you fallen victim to in your past that you may or may not regret now?

Besides the obvious grade school mistakes like my curled “poofy” bangs, pretty much everything between 2000 and 2003! I don’t know why, but that period of clothing really rubs me the wrong way now. Everything from the shoes to the belly shirts bother me. That’s probably because I was younger and unsure of my style so I wore every trend to the extreme!

CF: What is your signature piece or look, whether personally or in MaNoKin Design?

I wouldn’t say I have a signature garment or piece of jewelry that I won’t leave the house without, but the comment I get the most from people is that I always look different than the last time they saw me. So I guess my signature look is not having a signature look because I’m constantly changing things up.

CF: What is the best fashion advice that you have been given and from whom?

“Pajama’s are not meant to be worn outside the house” – Paul Hardy. I guess it’s not so much fashion advice as common sense, but it always makes me laugh to myself when I see someone walking through the mall or down the street in their kitty cat patterned pj bottoms. I’m all about comfort – and to each their own – but it still gives me a bit of a chuckle!

CF: What advice can you give people who are trying to break the barrier in finding their personal style and find the balance of trend and originality?

Anyone can be trendy or fashionable if you wear the outfit with confidence. I have seen the most bizarre combinations on some people but it looks fantastic because you can see they are wearing it because they want to, not because a magazine tells them to. My advice would be to just follow your instincts – if you’re not comfortable in it, don’t wear it. Chances are if you feel uncomfortable, you will look uncomfortable and no one will believe the image you’re trying to portray.

CF: Where do you see fashion going in terms of being used as a tool for those in the creative industry?

I have noticed that a lot of industries, not just creative ones, are allowing far less strict dress codes in their work places. I see this overall mind-set of allowing room for originality encouraging for everyone. In creative industries and non-creative alike, I think less-restricted fashion is allowing people to be expressive. In the past, dressing different sometimes labeled a person as rebellious where as now, originality is promoted. I think as people continue to embrace liberal fashions and style choices, it will breed a stronger sense of acceptance and support, in-turn propelling people to think outside the box with all aspects of life, not just fashion.

Main Image – Amy Victoria Wakefield