Interview with Ashley!

Q: How did you get started in fashion?

A: In high school I took a patternmaking class at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in their early college program, testing the waters of fashion. I loved it and ending up applying to big ten schools with fashion programs so that my passion could become a career.

 

Q: Who is the target customer for Zamrie?

A: Specifically, women in their thirties and forties that are career and family oriented. It is this lifestyle that demands a versatile closet with timeless classics that each woman can individually mix and match for years to come.

 

Q: How did you get involved with the Chicago Fashion Incubator (CFI)?

A: I was actually living in NYC and really missed home, so I Googled: “Chicago Fashion.” As soon as I came across the application for the Incubator, my heart dropped. I knew I had to make it happen. Funny thing is… I found the application on Sunday and it was due on Friday. I didn’t sleep for a week straight so that I could get the application in on time. Two weeks after my interview they called to offer me one of the six invitations.

 

Q: What were you doing in New York?

A: After completing internships with high-fashion designers Zac Posen and Peter Som, I wanted to experience the corporate world of design and freelanced for Li and Fung USA. There, I helped with Norma Kamali for Wal-Mart, Just My Size, and White Stag Fast Fashion.

 

Q: Can you tell us what inspired your Spring 2010 collection?

A: I always find inspiration in traveling. I find it very important as a designer to understand other cultures and ways of life. As a college student, I studied abroad at Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University. My Spring 2010 collection was heavily influenced by the eastern tradition I experienced in China, fused with a more modern, western dynamic.

 

Q: What are your long-term goals for Zamrie?

A: My dream is to build an empire. I want to make women feel confident in my designs so that they keep coming back for more. I hope that one day Zamrie will also reach men, and a world beyond the fashion community through partnerships with individuals from other creative fields.