Be a Part of Your Own Clique: Interview with Tiffiany Gilstrap-Scott

Tiffiany Gilstrap-Scott of Clique Da Cour

I was so lucky to meet Tiffiany Gilstrap-Scott last week for the first time. She is such a talented person. It's very rare you find a genuinely nice individual. Read her interview and you'll see what I mean. 

Introduce Yourself

My name is Tiffiany Gilstrap-Scott. I was born and raised in a small town in Indiana. I have a bachelors' degree in Merchandising and Design from Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa, FL. I just moved back here about 7 months ago. I love to design and also play soccer; its' still a fun past time for me. I work two jobs other than designing. People call me crazy all the time, why do you work so much. My answer is you have to work hard to get your dreams. No one is ever going to hand you something you have to be persistent and work through the rough spots to get to the prize lol :).

Where are you from?
I grew up in Tipton, Indiana.
How long have you been designing?
I have been doing this a long time. My mother and grandmother both taught me at a very young age how to crochet and sew. I remember sitting on my grandmothers lap teaching me how to sew my baby doll clothes . It's just something I just always did. I used to make some of my dresses for school growing up as a kid and special event I had. I just loved having something that I know no one else would. There is nothing worse than showing up somewhere where the girl is wearing the exact same dress as you. Thank heavens that has never happened to be, but it has happened to people I know. It's an awful thing.
When did you start Clique Da Cour?
Well it was part of a school project actually in high school and I just been fine tuning it ever since. I really started getting into it when I was in college. I know it was something I wanted to keep pursuing and I figured I better start soon and just keep building on as I go along. You're never finished; it is always an on going process to keep bettering yourself as you get older and learn more things along the way. I always tell people you can never know everything in your line of work there is always something to be learned to better yourself not only as a businesswomen but as a person too.

Clique Da Cour (retail $95)

  What inspired you to start Clique Da Cour?
I would have to say a good part of it was from my grandfather Dennis Gilstrap; which is no longer with us. He was a very successful business man. He started a company with his partner Henry known as {the} Val corporation. It was a retail establishment with hardline and softline products. He sold it several years ago, but he also owned a warehouse several apartment complexes along with buying houses and flipping them for profit or renting them out. He was always in a business venture and always trying to get to the next step and conquer something else. He was very persistent and never stopped working. I hope to one day be as successful as he was.
What sets Clique Da Cour apart from other lines?
I try to make each piece different. I want someone to appreciate the time and effort. I not only want it to look good on but also be visual appealing and someone go wow you really made this yourself. We try and make each piece unique to set us apart, its not something you could go in a department store and but off the shelf.

"Sugar" Feed Bag Clutch (retail $15 and up) Designs may vary

Who are your influences?
My mother Angie, my grandfather Dennis, and my grandmother Georgia.
What is your favorite piece?I don't think I have one! As long as what I make for someone and they appreciate it and love it; that's all I ask. That's the best reward I can get.

Sloutch Beanie on Etsy (retail $12)

What are your price points?
I would say they're from anywhere to $15 to couple hundred but that is for a gown. I do want everyone to enjoy my pieces. I didn't grow up with a lot of money and I do want people feel that they can afford my clothes. You don't have to live in a mansion to get designer wares.
 

Who do you prefer: Independent or Mainstream designers?
Independent designers!!! I do like some mainstream, but its getting to the point where anyone with money can design. As long as you have a big enough checkbook you just pay people to do everything for you. There are some mainstream designers that went to school for design and worked their butts off to get to where they are today and I applaud them for that. We all know its not easy. Now we got all these people that are just getting into just to make money and to most independent designers it means more to us than just money its something we put our blood, sweat and tears into; doing what we love. Most independent designers are an artist {and} the business person, they do it all from production to the end product and then sell it for a profit. 

Any other special projects you want to share with our readers?

I am going to be entering into a competition called Indy Fashion Time (IFT). I am really excited about it. You comprise three looks which one of them is avant garde. I have some great ideas and starting to get started as we speak. It's coming May 31st to June 4th, 2011. The final competition is being held at the State Fairgrounds.

Clique Da Cour (retail $ 80)

Take a look at more pieces from Tiffiany and Clique Da Cour on her website and her Etsy page.

Interview with the Plus Vintage Queen, Sweetooth

Last week I found an amazing designer on the Sense of Fashion website. For those who know me (Janelle) personally, you know I'm a proud chunky girl. I'm always looking for designers that promote plus size women. Plus size, according to fashion circles, are sizes eight and up. Depressing...yes I know; but the reality is "normal" sized women are considered plus size even though the average woman is size 14.

Sooo I found the designer, Sweetooth. An independent designer hailing from Cleveland, OH. I'm so happy she agreed to do an interview with me. (Take a look at the Taffy Pull Dress below...yeah I ordered it!)

How long have you been designing?

 About 3 years.

Where are you from?

 Cleveland, Ohio

How did you come up with the name Cupcake Cuddlebunny? Sweetooth?

    Cupcake & Cuddlebunny was just supposed to be a temporary name when I came up with it. I started out just doing alterations and someone was interested in a garment that required an invoice, so I thought I should probably have a name/logo/separate bank account. One of my nicknames was "cupcake" and I called my cat my "cuddlebunny" all the time, so I just threw it together. I'm actually changing the name of the company to "Sweetooth Couture" in the coming weeks. Too many folks think my business is a bakery or a kids clothing store, so its just easier that way.

   Sweetooth Couture is meant to still sound sassy like C&C, and embody the campyness, fun style, and daring lines my clothing offers. I really only came up with it because I like the idea of a tooth as a symbol for ferociousness!

Why plus size? Why vintage? Why couture?

In the Stacks Dress sold on Etsy (retail $36)

I started doing plus size stuff because I've been a plus sized person most of my life and up until recently, have always struggled to find the type of clothing I've wanted to wear. I've had a deep love for vintage clothing for as long as I can remember, and so much of it is really small in the bust and waist even if you're lucky enough to find it in larger sizes. Vintage clothing has so much to offer that today's clothing doesn't have- impeccable construction, glamour, fine details. What's not to love?

The dilemma here is that when you're a modern size 18 like I am, you end up searching for cute stuff in vintage size 22-24, which is basically the chupacabra of clothing. Its hard to find, and when you do find it, its usually overpriced at an actual vintage store, as opposed to the cheaper items you can score at the thrift store or at estate sales.

When I moved to New York City to finish my psychology degree in 2005, I found that there were basically no thrift stores that carried plus sized vintage (Re/Dress NYC wasn't open yet), so when I'd visit my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, I'd thrift my little heart out and come back to NYC with garbage bags full of dresses that needed repairs or alterations. This is basically when I began to teach myself how to sew.

I moved back home a couple of years later and my friends and acquaintances noticed my style and I started to get a lot of requests to do personal shopping and make stuff for folks. I think a lot of people have that special garment that they have a lot of sentimental value wrapped up in, and often our bodies grown and change and that garment sits in some one's closet for the rest of their lives. I really wanted to unearth those garments for folks and alter them to fit again, so couture ended up being part of what I offer. I certainly am no couturier by the strictest of standards, but I believe that one of a kind, hand sewn, custom garments are special, and people of size deserve them!

By the Summer of 2008, I had a six month long wait list for custom garments, and I thought I should probably open an Etsy store; you make my order management easier, so that's how Cupcake & Cuddlebunny was born.

I started designing the Sweetooth line last year because I had so many customers get irritated with me when I'd only offer one of a garment. I had never designed before, and quite honestly am a terrible drawer, so I took what I knew about pattern making (very little) and tried to create a line of 12 pieces that embodied a lot of the requests for custom clothing that I'd received. Working with a manufacturer to produce pieces brought on a whole new set of challenges that I've never dealt with before, but it was a really great learning experience. I've received a wonderful response from the Winter 2011 line, and am working on a Summer line right now.

What type of woman is a Sweetooth Couture woman?

Lollipop Dress sold on Etsy (retail $72)

I think a Sweetooth Couture woman (and I don't just want to cater to women- I want anybody who likes my clothing to wear it) is bold and confident. I don't make clothing to hide people's bodies, I want it to enhance people's bodies. Coco Chanel was at the forefront of breaking women from wearing corsets and girdles from day-to-day, and I really try to embody that spirit. I'd like to think that when people wear my clothing, they feel liberated, sexy and stylish no matter what their size or shape.

What's special about Sweetooth Couture?

 Sweetooth Couture is special because it makes people feel special. I try my best to run an ethical business as well. I'd say about 95% of the fabric I use is vintage or "upcycled" as fancy folks like to say, and most of my zippers, buttons, appliques, and trim are vintage as well. My new line uses a lot of recycled cotton and sustainable wool. I promote altering old clothing so folks don't go out and buy new stuff that's made in a sweatshop. I pack things in re-usable envelopes as much as I can, print on only recycled paper, and try to make things as affordable as possible. I employ a non-profit pricing structure that pays me $15 an hour for my work + materials costs and that's it. I'm a one-person show, so that helps to keep costs as low as possible. I am very serious about providing honest and reliable customer service, too! It gets really hard to compete with big box stores on that type of thing, but I really do try my best.

Explain how you construct your pieces? Vintage?

I am a huge proponent of doing custom fittings. Obviously, I don't always have the luxury of that when folks are ordering online, but having an accurate set of your own measurements is almost impossible to get by yourself, so when I can fit someone and then fit them a second time during construction of a garment, I know it will fit as accurately as possible. If I just have measurements to work with, I crank my adjustable dress form to those measurements and make it work.

After a fitting, I take into consideration where the customer will wear the garment and what it is for, and try to find the best fabric to suit their needs. I end up making a lot of garments out of vintage polyester, which most people despise even thinking about, but in reality, it doesn't wrinkle, has a good amount of stretch, and does not lose shape or color after several washings. (Its also never going to biodegrade, so I think its great to have people wear it instead of throwing it out.) I usually have a customer send me links to garments they like or provide me with pictures, and I go from there. I tend to put my own design spin on garments, which most people really like. If someone wants me to make a reproduction of something, I usually turn the job down. I'm a designer first, seamstress second. I don't really want to spend my time making stuff that already exists.

  

What are your inspirations?

Taffy Pull Dress sold on Etsy (retail $62)

 My main inspiration is the social and political implication that fat people should be ashamed of their bodies. I want to defy that notion, and I do, each and every day with the way I dress AND what I do for a living. My friends also have a huge impact on what I design. I am lucky to have many gorgeous, plus sized, confident people in my life and I feel honored that they think the art I make is special enough to actually wear out in public. They inspire me to keep plugging away when I feel like I can't do it.

  

Do you prefer independent designers or mainstream designers?

Independents, definitely. I think what happens a lot of the time is that Independent designers grow weary of constantly scrapping and scraping for things like food, rent, and health insurance, and end up selling out to mainstream lines and stores. That's the nature of the beast, and I don't judge anyone for doing what they have to do to get by or get ahead in this industry. Its hard to get your voice heard, you know what I mean? Some of my favorite independent clothing designers are Bertha Pearl of Size Queen, Valerie Mayen of Yellowcake, Mondo Guerra, Lucy Peterson of Hissyfit, Leanne Marshall, and Rodarte.

Who are your influences?

Though it doesn't show much in my clothing, I am undeniably in love with the more outlandish couture fashion giants. Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Heatherette, old school Karl Lagerfeld. I think my fashions most reflect Mary Quant and Coco Chanel, or at least I hope they do.

What is the average price of your pieces?

   $14-$78 with some "couture" or super fancy vintage that needed a lot of work going a bit higher. Custom work is $15 per hour plus the cost of materials.

 

What is your favorite piece?

 

The Divinity Dress sold on Etsy (retail price $68)

 

The Divinity Dress. It's really simple if you take off the epaulettes and really fancy when you attach them.

  

Do you have any side projects you want to share with our readers?

Yes! I am working alongside Valerie Mayen, from Project Runway Season 8 to build a sewing co-op and fashion incubator in Cleveland, Ohio called Buzz and Growl. (You can check it out at www.buzzandgrowl.com) Its her brainchild, but I'm working with her to establish it as a non-profit and secure funding for youth programming. I'm really excited to see how it turns out! 

 

Sweetooth at work.

 See more apparel from Sweetooth on her website and Etsy page!

Indy Fashion Time

Networking is really an incredible thing when done properly! I have met the most wonderful, smart, creative, and powerful individuals just by going to things and doing the things I love. One perfect example of this was when I met Denisha Ferguson AKA DLANG. Not only is she a designer but she, like us, is devoted to changing the landscape of fashion in our very own backyard. She believes in and knows how much talent we have right here in Indianapolis and wants to showcase that talent.

But it doesn't stop there and this is not just another fashion show!!! Denisha created Indy Fashion Time to educate, spotlight, and encourage designers and make them more successful in their futures. Aesthetic Design Style is so excited to be able to help out and be a part of Indy Fashion Time this year! This is the 3rd Annual launch of this event and it is shaping up to be the biggest and best so far.

Denisha breaks down the IFT Experience in three categories:

• Mission - To create learning, networking, and economic opportunities for the creative mind
• Vision - Dreamers platform into reality
• Goals - 1. To obtain dreams through artistic expression 2. To empower youth through workshops that introduce basic principles of the arts, while also focusing on self-esteem and life skills 3. To provide marketing opportunities for the novice and experience creative professional 4. To promote cultural diversity in the arts 5. To increase tourism by providing creative events in Indiana

There really IS more than corn in Indiana - PROMISE!

IFT offers a design competition with a CASH prize for the winner! This is something that is rare for fashion events in the city so I applaud her for this offering.

• The competition is open to any resident or non-resident of Indiana, student, entrepreneur, or professional
• Requirements: 1. Present four original designs 2. Follow rules outlined on registration forms 3. Submit $189 registration fee
• To enter simply email IFT Week at iftweek@yahoo.com with your name and mailing address and you will be sent the designer registration forms
• Deadline has been extended to April 21, 2010

Tickets for IFT are very reasonable as well. $15 for general admission and only $25 for VIP tickets which includes access to networking reception, lite Hor' D' oeuvres, preferred show seating, and MORE surprises (are you kidding me? VIP all the way baby!). CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets NOW!

For further details on how you can join the competition, volunteer, or get the schedule of events visit IFT Week and get connected.

See you there!

Until then: "Creativity is the ability to see that which is waiting to exist"