The Brooklyn Papers / Greg Mango

Designer Christian McCann of Left Field in his Greenpoint studio.

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Starting any business is tough these days, and fashion is no exception. While designers may have the creative ability to design an entire collection, they often need a guiding light to bring their vision to the public and turn their business into a successful venture. Brooklyn Style, a program of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, is just that.

The business development program was created to help Brooklyn-based fashion designers get started or reach the next level of growth for their companies through a combination of sales, marketing, public relations and technical assistance.

"We’ve had interest from about 50 designers and we have 15 to 20 designers who are currently active in the program," says Monica Rump, former director of Brooklyn Style. "For example, Left Field sells vintage, Americana and nostalgic clothes, which received a great response in Barneys and does well in Japan, where there has been a very positive response to these clothes, especially since 9-11. And Your Sister’s Mustache features funky bags made out of recycled newspapers and old yearbooks."

During 2001, the program helped pave the way logistically and financially for designers to go to trade shows where they can get exposure, meet buyers, get access to the press and learn how to grow their businesses.

In existence since January 2000, Brooklyn Style helped Your Sister’s Mustache get a license with Disney as a result of participation in a show, and helped Left Field participate in Workshop NY, a trade show where they met a couple of boutique owners in New York who wrote orders right away.

"Unfortunately, because of dramatic reductions in state funding since September 11th, many of the Brooklyn Style marketing services have been scaled back for 2002," said Kenneth Adams, president of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, noting that trade show representation, which enabled some of the designers to "get into the big leagues" is no longer possible.

"We still encourage Brooklyn based clothing designers and makers to contact us and take advantage of the Chambers’ other promotional services," said Adams, especially the Brooklyn Made portion of their Web site, www.ibrooklyn.com, which Adams plans to build up over 2002. "It will be an online trade show available 24-7."

In the meantime, some of the designers such as Flatbush resident Bonnie Sterling have banded together in Fashion Flyte, which is producing a fashion show [see "Jazz art," top right].

Here’s hoping Brooklyn Style’s funding is restored for 2003 and a look at some of the businesses they’ve helped along the way ...

Business boosts

You can have a creative vision but you need direction to follow it through. Natasha Neils, of Design Six, a line of high-casual, high-end sportswear consisting of simple silhouettes in luxurious fabrics, such as dresses in silk cashmere and cotton, learned this lesson after she was introduced to Brooklyn Style.

"They really help a lot of young designers get on the right track," says Neils. "I’m lucky because I have a background that balances creativity and business but Brooklyn Style helped guide me in the right direction because I don’t really know what to do."

Neils moved here nine years ago from South America and got her degree in business because "people said it was too expensive to study fashion - but I love it."

After working in the business world, Neils started designing and has been doing so for about two years. "I read lots of books to learn about fashion but meeting the people at Brooklyn Style was even more beneficial," she says.

"They let me use their resources like the Brooklyn Outreach Center and the Crunch Workshop, and they helped me with my finances," says Neils. "For example, I didn’t feel comfortable costing the clothing, but they helped with that. Brooklyn Style also offers seminars that helped me learn to do line sheets."

Right now, Neils is getting her fashion and merchandising degree and taking classes in designing and pattern making. She is also concentrating on selling to stores. "I want to target specialty boutiques," she says. "I don’t see my designs being mass produced."

"I love fashion," says Neils, who cites Betsey Johnson - because of her use of color - and Luca Luca as two of her favorite designers. "When I was growing up, I would always get dressed up in my mom’s stuff."

Currently based in Canarsie, Neils is looking at spaces for a showroom and design studio in the DUMBO, Greenpoint and Cobble Hill areas. She eventually plans to open her own store.

Until then she’s getting exposure at the Central Library at Grand Army Plaza. Her silk taffeta A-line skirt lined with tulle is on display in the Brooklyn Public Library’s exhibit, "Fashioning Brooklyn" organized by the Crown Heights-based five myles gallery.

Accessory success

"My mom used to say it when she was mad," says Williamsburg designer Maria Capotorto of the off-beat name of her company, Your Sister’s Mustache. "I thought it was really corny so I decided to use it."

Born in the Bronx, Capotorto worked as a graphic designer for 15 years, then went to school for industrial design at Pratt Institute in Downtown Brooklyn and found herself designing office furniture for companies like Knoll and Herman Miller.

"I was always making products," she explains. "I made wastepaper baskets once while I was unemployed and showed it around to people I knew and everybody wanted one. One of my friends asked me to design a handbag and I made one out of newspaper. That’s when I met a rep, Alan Speigelman, and he put me in a show - and that was the start of it."

That was back in 1998, and Your Sister’s Moustache has been growing steadily since. The company sells handbags, wallets, portfolios, cosmetic cases and belts, all made out of old Life magazines and about 20 to 30 other eclectic materials. Capotorto also has licenses with Disney as well as other companies. The pieces range from $15 to $35 wholesale, and are sold at Henri Bendel, Nordstrom and Anthropologie, with plans for expansion in mind.

So how does a one-woman operation like Capotorto get ahead in the game? Her creativity and drive played a big role but some outside assistance gave her an extra push.

"Brooklyn Style helped me get into trade shows on the West Coast, like MAGIC, which is one of the most popular," she says. "They got in touch with me and helped subsidize booths at shows and other things."

Vintage ’vantage

A little extra cash never hurts when trying to start your own business and Christian McCann and Lara Jaeger of Left Field can vouch for that. When they got involved with Brooklyn Style, the organization helped them get into trade shows and provided 50 percent of the costs they needed to participate.

"They were very helpful in that respect and in helping us network with other people in a position similar to ours," says McCann.

If exposure is what they’re after, McCann and Jaeger are definitely on the right track. Britney Spears has a Left Field "Freedom" tee (black T-shirt with felt applique Old English letters), which she wore in her "I Love Rock ’n’ Roll" video from the movie "Crossroads."

The pair moved to New York three years ago from Philadelphia, where they had other career plans that didn’t work out.

"We decided to start something up ourselves," says McCann, who initially studied business and sociology, worked in retail in the men’s division of Anthropologie and now runs the men’s part of Left Field. Jaeger went to school for textiles and wanted to be a buyer; she now handles Left Field’s women’s designs. They now do their manufacturing on McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint and have two Manhattan showrooms - a men’s showroom in Chelsea and a women’s showroom in NoHo.

"We design ’40s- and ’50s-inspired sweatshirts, corduroy western pants, work shirts and lots of nostalgic American pieces," says McCann. There are plenty of vintage pieces too, since the vintage market is a personal interest of McCann’s.

"There’s a huge vintage market out there but it’s hard to find anything that’s good anymore, stuff that fits or that you can afford," he says. "It’s a specific look that’s hard to reproduce. We have an edge over people; we try to keep true to an item’s original form."

With plans to expand their overseas business in Japan and Europe, McCann says the ultimate goal of the business is simply to "do nice, interesting stuff with clothes."

Designers speak

With spring upon us, designers attempt to lift our spirits with a little whimsy and a lot of style at more affordable prices. They turn out simple silhouettes in colors like turquoise, coral, red and brown and use decorative touches like lace, eyelet, sheer insets and ragged edges to add interest to some of the most basic shapes.

Here, these Brooklyn designers file their forecasts for spring and summer looks ...

Christian McCann, owner-designer of Left Field in Greenpoint: "Men’s and women’s vintage wear like Hawaiian shirts and preppy looking golf-inspired shorts, women’s wrap skirts, vintage preppy looks and short-sleeve, printed sweatshirts."

Kunle, store manager for Moshood in Fort Greene: "We are doing lots of linen, denim and some rayon. There are halter dresses, wrap skirts, dashikis and buba tops (loose-fitting African tops for men and women), wrap tank dresses, drawstring skirts, and pants, and lots of short sleeve button down shirts for men and women.

"Since 9/11 we have been using bright colors like blue, green, orange, red, baby blue, white, off-white, olive and yellow because we want to cheer people up. We just want everyone to have fun."

Courtney Washington in Fort Greene: "We have always done all white for spring and we are doing it again. But we are adding vibrant colors, like turquoise blues, mango, chocolate brown, rose pink and lots of reds.

"We are designing oversize shirts and dresses with asymmetric hems, and four-panel skirts that slim the hips and kick up at the hemline. Our customers are still going through the motions of 9/11 so we wanted to produce a collection that brings back energy."

Jon Berry, owner and designer, Exodus Industrial in Fort Greene: "We are in an obvious recession and manufacturers tend to be safe during these times. We can’t afford to be on the wrong trend. So with that in mind, the trend is to not be trendy. We have to be original at a price.

"But when other well-known manufacturers and retailers are being extremely basic and safe, smaller retailers have to make their products interesting and different to be noticed. We have to think about what’s on a person’s mind - are they feeling sexy? There’s a sadness there, but how do we overcome that? How do we make them feel there’s something so new out there that they have to have when their pockets tell them they can’t afford it or don’t need it in their day-to-day life?
"This season is about being fun and making the customers smile. It’s about colors, not bold colors but those that suggest happiness, like faded corals and magentas.

"Denim will continue to thrive even though it’s been done recently. Denim, as well as linen, are both safe bets in all colors and patterns."

- KWB

©2002 Community Newspaper Group