NYFW Fall 2014: Karolyn Pho Backstage, Interview & Show

I found myself backstage at the Katherine Pho stage last week, surrounded by beautiful ladies with perfectly messy hair that had intentional frizz added in. The textural hair paired well with the soft brown doe eyes that involved plenty of black mascara and soft eyebrows. Lips are every so slightly rosy as are the peachy soft cheeks.

In the midst of the frenzy of models, and photographers and the patiently waiting dressers, I had a chance to meet with the designer, Karolyn Pho. Karolyn began her career in the film industry as a wardrobe stylist before launching her label in 2012. Despite this being is her first collection during NYFW but she was cool as a cucumber, speaking very frankly to press, including myself while the rows filled up at Pier 59 Studios.

See my interview with her below:
SRC: What are your earliest fashion memories
Karolyn Pho: Pre-school, getting dressed up every morning and taking an hour to get ready. I mean, it was everything, my socks, my shoes, my whole hair concept. My mom would kill me, she would spend hours doing this one bun and if one hair was out of place, good Lord! So it started at a very young age.

SRC: So was the bun and all the clothes your idea?
KP: I was definitely directing it. "Hey can you braid this? Can you do that?"

SRC: Having worked in the film industry before as a stylist, how does that influence your design.
KP: The work itself doesn't inspire design but film in general, I get inspired by films. I think me working in film was just a segway with how tangible it is technically. Gaining that knowledge.

SRC: Was there anything that sparked your change of career path or was being a designer what you always wanted to do?
KP: It wasn't alway what I wanted to do. I started out styling thinking, "Wow, I wanted to be a fashion editor". Styling led into costume design and I just really loved (it). For some of the stuff I was doing, I was creating pieces that were very period or surreal and just specializing in these things. And I just loved clothes and creating these things that don't exist and that for me was like, "Oh maybe I should just do this". On top my education, I was studying Fashion Merchandising which was heavy in merchandising, marketing and all of that business end of things. It all just sort of fell into place.

NYFW Fall 2014: Georgine - Backstage, Interview and Show

On a snowy Sunday evening, it is designer Georgine Ratelband's New York Fashion Week debut. Touted as a designer to watch, she has the advantage of having a truly international background. Although a fairly recent graduate of the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan (2011). Her senior thesis collection was immediately purchased by Antwerp's SIEN boutique.

I had a chance to go backstage before the show and have a peek at some of the Macbeth inspired collection and meet with the designer for an interview. The designer is slim, blonde and tall, she could almost be mistaken for one of the models backstage. Her hair swept back in a sleek ponytail and wearing clothing that exudes casual elegance. She speaks with a quiet confidence that surprises me for an emerging designer.

SRC: How has growing up in the Netherlands affected your design aesthetic?
Georgine: I think Dutch culture is incredible, I love my country, it is very beautiful. I think Dutch people, they are very innovative. Great style overall. I mean, I've lived all over the world and travelled a lot, so I take bits and pieces from everywhere.

SRC: Who would you say has had the biggest impact on your designs?
Georgine: My clients, the women I dress, they act as huge inspiration to me. I mean, when they try on the clothing, when they put it together, to see how they style it, the color combinations they come up with.

InStyle Essentials TrioFit Shirt + Giveaway

We live in the world of standardized sizing. A world where Small, Medium and Large has become the norm. But women's bodies don't come in just on size, shape or form. Do you ever find yourself annoyed at something that is supposed to be a wardrobe staple? I know countless women who struggle with the white button down with no avail. Shirts will be either too snug across the chest or too loose everywhere else. So to address these issues that women face, InStyle magazine has partnered with the  designers and TrioFit co-founders Rebecca Matchett and Drew Palub to launch a line of shirts that actually take into account a woman's bust size and band size. Genius right?

I personally think that it's awesome and have had the opportunity to test drive the bow blouse which is super chic and ever so office friendly (full disclosure: I received a free shirt to try out).  My husband actually told me he thought that I looked super cute in it. Anyways check out more on TrioFit below and for contest details below.

The shirts are available in an incredible size range. 30 to be exact, ranging from 32B – 40H in classic button-front, weekend tunic, and the bow blouse. I had a chance to sit down with Rebecca and Lisa Arbetter of InStyle Magazine and discuss the new line of shirts that just debuted in InStyle Magazine's September issue. This weekend they set up a temporary pop-up trailer in the Meatpacking district.

SRC: How did you come up with the concept for the Trio-Fit method? Was it something you personally struggled with?
Rebecca Matchett: It was something that I heard a lot of women around me complain about so we sat down and tried to come up with a method that would be the easiest for the average woman to understand. That is when we came up with using the bra size as the point of difference. We kept it to three of the most basic styles so that women could understand the differences with fit and get used to the concept of sizing without thinking too much about the styling.

SRC: Has it been a challenge to create such a variety of sizes?
RM: We had to work very closely with our overseas factories. The tolerances for each style had to be extremely low because the difference between sizes is so minimal.

SRC: How did the partnership with InStyle Magazine come about?
Lisa Arbetter: InStyle Essentials was inspired by our readers. Being in the magazine world we hear a lot about what real women struggle with and we were compelled to find a solution—one that reached beyond our magazine and website. It was a natural partnership. A lot of women actually think that they have a problem with their body but we want to tell them that it's not their body it's the clothes.

SRC: That is such a refreshing statement that I think women need to hear more often. How has the reaction from women been?
LA: It's been great! Women have been so receptive.
RM:  The reaction I've been hearing is "Finally! A shirt that fits!"

Is there a plan to introduce more styles eventually?
RM: Yes, for Holiday we have a tuxedo shirt planned and we have plans to roll out dresses in the future.

Contest details:
Like us on Facebook, like the post and leave us a note on our wall about which style of  #InStyleEssentials #PerfectWhiteShirt you would wear and why.

or

Follow us on Twitter and tweet at us why you need this shirt for Fall with the hatchtags  #InStyleEssentials #SRCGiveaway
"@SugrRockCatwalk I need an @ISEssentials because...(you fill in the blank)"

The winner will be announced September 30, 2013. The giveaway is open to residents of the US or those with a US mailing address only. Good luck!

Alexandre Herchcovitch x HP Launch

A few nights ago I had the honor of meeting famed designer Alexandre Herchcovitch at the Style Coalition Lounge for the exclusive North American launch of HP’s newest Designer Edition.  Following in the footsteps of designers like Vivienne Tam and Tord Boontje, Herchcovitch designed a beautiful laptop that was inspired by his autumn/winter 2012 collection featuring black lace on an olive/gold pearlescent background and vice versa on the interior chassis and keyboard that reflects the custom designed screen saver.  This is a laptop that is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside and comes with a matching travel mouse and embossed sleeve.


While sipping on a Caipirinha and snacking on Brazilian inspired snacks like Brazilian BBQ Chicken and Pão de Queijo I had a chance to sit down with Alexandre for a chat about his development process of the laptop, his mom and his opinions on how American and Brazilian women dress.

Catching Up with Robin Tomas

We first noticed Robin Tomas’ clothes on the runway of the Supima Fashion Competition last January.  Since that point his award winning t-shirt has been produced exclusively for Bloomingdales and gone on to create a collection of women’s wear under the label “TOMAS”.  Building on his passion to create refined yet wearable art Tomas just released his sophomore collection.

The Fall 2011 collection was inspired by the Amish community and features distinctly austere sensibilities and purposeful pleating.  While the color palette is predominantly darker and subdued, luxe fabrications and shine give new life and a sense of modernity to the simple silhouettes.  While the clothing is very “covered up”, the softly structured shoulders and sleeves look strong rather than demure.

We had a chance to catch up with Tomas to see how he was doing and a bit about his latest collection and what he’s dressing up for as for Halloween.

Up Close Look: Conversation with Prabal Gurung at FIT

Photo courtesty of Style.com

Could there be a more adorable designer than Prabal Gurung? Lani and I caught him on Tuesday night at FIT museum for a Conversation with Prabal with FIT director & chief curator, Valerie Steele. He is so humble and genuine as he talks about his successes and how he got his start. When talking about how creating fashion takes a village, he graciously acknowledges his staff’s hard work, dedication and ability to help generate design ideas. He talked about how when he launched during the financial crises, and some people thought he was crazy but he felt the timing was right and he joked that if it didn’t work out, “I could always blame it on the recession”. His gamble paid off and things fell into place as he soon had people that believed so strongly in his abilities that without seeing a single sketch, he was able to secure a venue, a stylist and models for free for his very first collection. Friends even left their full time positions without promise of security to invest in the designer.

Photo of a young Gurung on vacation with his mother

The Singapore born, Nepalese raised designer talked about his beginnings growing up in a Third World country where Fashion Design was dismissed as a hobby and not a real job. In spite of no one understanding his desire to pursue fashion he pressed forward and was initially educated in India and cut his teeth working for Indian designer, Manish Arora. He soon found himself styling in places from London to Melbourne.

A few years later he decided to make his move Stateside where he attended Parsons and immediately took up working with Cynthia Rowley. The designer decided to take an interesting move and decided to work in Production as opposed to design. This decision was made because Gurung was confident in his design capabilites after design school but he wanted to learn as much about every aspect of the industry possible.

After 3 years at Cynthia Rowley, he was hired by Bill Blass and assumed the role of Creative Director. He was initially hesitant to work there but after visiting the company and witnessing how they made clothing, he was convinced it would be a great place to learn. Gurung felt that the way clothes were made at Blass was as close to Parisian couture as an American company could reach. It was here he witnessed what an $800/yd fabric looked like and discovered that a fabric could be gorgeous but if it was not relevant to the modern woman, there was really no point.

As for his style MO, he strives to create for the woman who is what he likes to call, “The Thinking Man’s Sex Symbol”. Always keeping designs nuanced, subtle and within a contained madness. Despite a movement at the time of his launch towards body-con, Gurung felt as many women were attracted to one type of dressing, there had to be an anti-thesis, another type of woman from who would be seeking the sexiness of subtlety.

The greatest challenge of a young designer Gurung feels is getting over, “the delusion of Grandeur”. “Fame can not be your ultimate goal”. As fame is not all it’s cracked up to be. He is a designer who believes in paying your dues and he takes pride in it as he quips that, “I’m not as young as I look”. “The best advice I could give to anyone wanting to be a designer would be: patience, patience, patience. It’s OK to wait, it’s OK to learn. And if you’re willing to work hard, this industry will respond, believe me”. As he is a firm believer that “passion and hard work” will always pay off. I have to say that I too am a believer (perhaps because I've been working in the industry for the last while and it gives me hope that paying my dues will pay off!). Gurung is not flash in the pan, but has the knowledge, guts and heart to last, plus a winning personality to match. See for yourself in the vid clip I caught of him. I heart Prabal, I hope you will too!

Interview with Lauren Merkin

I met Lauren Merkin a few days ago while I was checking out the Fall 2010 preview of her namesake collection. She is so genuine, so sweet and so real. She really values her friends, her employees and leads a fairly private life considering her often high profile red-carpet clientele.

We chatted about how she got into sewing, what's important in her designs, recommend care, what to look for in your next purchase, what her personal faves are and more. After I talked with her more about the almost family like atmosphere they've cultivated at work where they make sandwiches together from Fresh Direct orders. Since her company opened in 2002, only one employee has left and that was to pursue a culinary career. Lauren is also a huge fan of mexican food and count Calexico (in both Manhattan and Brooklyn) and La Esquina amongst her faves and she is especially fond of Blue Ribbon Bakery's brunch.

As there were quite a few other people at her studio despite the snowstorm last Thursday night, there's a bit of background noise in the audio clip, but I hope that you still enjoy! xo

Erin in WSJ & Online Shopping Tips

I guess you never know what's going to happen in your life! Blogging + living in NYC has let me to so many unbelievable moments and opportunities that I am so very grateful for. Perhaps, through it all it's been teaching me to aim higher personally and that anything is possible with a little bit of hard work. Hope I don't sound too sentimental :)

Anyways, here at Sugar Rock Catwalk we know shopping! My previous post on being cautious with pricing on Online Sample sales got me noticed by the lovely Ms O'Connell at the Wall Street Journal and she interviewed me for the article. To read the WSJ article click here.

Special thanks to the wonderful photographer Brian Harkin who so patiently took my photo (check out a couple of the shots that weren't used his photo blog and website)!

I guess there are always things that you can't control when other people are doing the writing, but for you readers, I can honestly say that I wish the article had mentioned the blog. Also, I feel it's important to note that Lani and I are regular girls, with very ordinary budgets so we are always careful to scrutinize who or what will get our hard earned dollars.

Truth be told, I will not give up online shopping! I love the thrill I get from looking at what I could get, being educated on knowing what's out there, and what is possible for what price.

I honestly have found great bargains on Gilt Groupe, Hautelook and The Savvy but it is important when shopping online to know your size, know how the brand fits and to know what the retail of those items are before buying (if a brand you like is coming on Gilt soon, do a little internet research! I love ShopStyle for comparison shopping). It's important to consider not the perceived discount but rather the amount you would be willing to pay for an item and be happy with. Also important to consider are shipping costs which often add at least $10 to the final price and shipping time (Gilt has a 1 to 2 day turnaround in the East Coast, but both Hautelook & the Savvy can take weeks, so I only order basics or items I know I won't get sick of from them).

Remember to note sale starting times too to make sure that you have the opportunity to get the best selection! Online sample sale shopping can be very competitive and if you don't shop fast enough, items in your cart can disappear but don't rush! Great deals come to those that are patient and persistent shoppers!

Preview and Interview: Suzie by Suzanna Dai

It's been a while since our interview with friend and jewelry designer Suzie Gallehugh for Suzanna Dai. She just launched a hot new diffusion line, Suzie by Suzanna Dai and I got the chance to preview the pieces a couple weeks ago.

I was super excited for the launch as I love Suzie's jewelry but unfortunately haven't been able to afford any pieces of my own. Perhaps that will change soon :) The diffusion line will retail for $175-200 for necklaces and $65-75 for the earrings. It's hard for me to pick my fave piece but for now I think I'm gonna have to go with the circle necklace pictured above with pewter studs, rhinestones, and brass tube beads.

I thought with the launch of her collection, it would be the perfect time for me to check in with Suzie and see what's been happening since March, about her line, her must buy for Fall and her top 3 NYC things to eat/do. Hope you enjoy!

SRC: Hi Suzie, I'm so glad to have this chance to finally catch up with you. So much has happened since our interview back in March; your pieces were worn on Gossip Girl and featured in InStyle Magazine! What’s been the most exciting part of it all?

SG: I know, a lot has happened - I can’t believe it’s already almost Christmas! I think the coolest part has been that people are starting to recognize my pieces and my line - it’s very exciting.

SRC: I'm in particular excited about your new diffusion line Suzie by Suzanna Dai! What prompted you to start a diffusion line? Suzie by Suzanna Dai seems bolder, chunkier and brighter to me. How do you think it differs from your signature collection?

SG: Well, everyone knows how the economy has been doing, and most people have had to re-adjust their budgets and shopping habits because of it, so it only made sense to offer a diffusion line. The Suzie line still features the same aesthetic, but with a younger vibe...It’s kind of the fun younger sister to the more sophisticated Suzanna Dai line.

SRC: I really feel you've grown so much as a designer with each collection! Has anything in particular spurred your growth or given you new confidence?

SG: It’s very important to me to always maintain my own vision and translate current trends, that I may or may not love, into my own viewpoint, and present them in a way in which I would wear them. I want to be free to explore and create in different ways and not be boxed strictly into a specific category, so my aim is to constantly be evolving. In such a competitive market, I think it is the only way to stay alive.

SRC: Aside from one of your gorgeous statement necklaces, what is one investment piece that every girl needs for her closet this fall?

SG: Obviously, I think a big necklace is neccessary. Other than that, I have been dying for a pair of over-the-knee boots. They look so great.

SRC: You mentioned last interview that your travels were a huge inspiration; do you have any upcoming trips planned?

SG: I have been thinking about going to Russia this summer - St Petersburg and Moscow. I’ve never been, and I took 5 years of Russian in high school and college, so I think it’s high time I go!

SRC: When you're not working what are your top 3 things to do/eat in NYC?

SG: 1) thrift shopping in Brooklyn - I usually go every other month to Beacon’s Closet to trade out clothes and find new projects to work on; 2) LOVE Thai food, so friends and I sometimes meet up at Room Service for dinner; 3) seeing foreign/independent films at the IFC Center, the Angelika, or the Landmark Sunshine.

SRC: Thank you for joining us once again! You’ll definitely have to let us know what you have in store for Spring 2010!

SG: Definitely! Thanks for having me!

Interview: Rich & Skinny Designer Joie Rucker

Previously you might remember me raving about the amazing comfort of Rich & Skinny denim. They are seriously one of the most comfortable pairs of jeans I have ever owned! I can't speak highly enough about the satin waistband and almost no abrasion seaming!!!

So I was super excited when I had the chance to catch up with Joie Rucker, denim designer extraordinaire who is now working with Michael Glaser on the Rich & Skinny line. Between the two of them they have over 50 years of experience working in denim...so serious Cred!!! Her jeans are available for purchase on the Rich & Skinny Website, Revolve Clothing and Nordstrom.com.

Joie tells us about her "secret" denim care trick and what types of jeans work best for curvy women, her design philosophy and what's in work for Fall 2009. Plus we have Fall 2009 preview images from the Rich & Skinny lookbook! Enjoy :)

xoxo

SRC: Hi Joie! We are so glad that you could take the time to do this interview with us. I’ve always been a fan of the high quality, amazing comfort and great fit of your designs!

SRC: Was it a difficult to leave Joie, the namesake company you founded?
Joie Rucker : Yes- it was very difficult and no bueno. However, we all have lessons in life and that was one of mine.
However, Serge Azria, the current owner of Joie Jeans, has done a good job with the brand.
I am happy to see that he has continued the "Joie" vibe and been successful with it.

SRC: Who doesn’t want to look rich and skinny? Is that always in the front ground of your designs?
JR: Whenever I am designing, my primary focus is how my customers will look and feel in the clothes. I want them to feel "rich and skinny"... Another not-so-controversial way of saying it, would be that I want them to feel the luxury of the garments in terms of quality and I want the garment to compliment their shape- no matter what the size or curves.

SRC: I love your philosophy that people should wear the jeans that they feel most comfortable in; it’s not a matter of just following the trends. Do you have any tips for cuts that our readers should buy to flatter their different body types? Ie. curvy, boyish figure, shorter ladies etc?
JR: Yes, I hate seeing "fashion victims" (people that wear something only because of trend).
Trends are great and fun, but not every trend works for every person.
There are general rules of proportion that apply to different body types, i.e.. curvy bodies look better in slightly higher waisted boot cut jeans than in skinnies because the boot leg will balance the hip curve in the eye of the observer.
A higher waist will accentuate the positive curve above the hip.
That said, Curvy women can look good in the right skinny, it all comes down to fit.
Fit in a jean is everything and I pride myself in making fits that can compensate for figure "flaws" and allow more women to wear various style options and still look good.

SRC: Joie, I know that you must love denim more than anyone with a collection of 400 pairs of vintage denim plus denim you wear on an everyday basis! Where do you keep them all?
JR: If I told you and would have to kill you :)!

SRC: Do you remember the moment that you first fell in love with denim?
JR: I first fell in love with denim when I bought and started wearing my shrink-to-fit button fly red tab 501 Levis jeans (this was before "premium" or E). As they started to wear in, each rip, tear and scuff became a memory and the jeans started to take on the feel of being a diary of my life. I know, sounds strange, but the magic and allure of indigo is thousands of years old.

I'm just one of the latest indigo "kooks" and my love affair continues...

SRC: Any denim crimes our readers should be avoid? Or is all fair in love and denim?
JR: All's Fair... except I really hate it when people brag about buying a pair of jeans cheap and I look at the quality of the jean and where they were made and it's not the USA.

People don't realize that when they brag about a good price, there's a reason, either the quality, the treatment of the workers, or the designs are compromised. To a trained eye, you can see them coming down the block, but your average customer won't know the difference until they have owned the jean for a while and it starts falling apart. I try to make jeans that will someday be bought in second hand boutiques, I want our jeans to last...All of our denim is made in Los Angeles.

SRC: What’s the best way to care for your denim? I heard you have a special freezer trick ;)
JR: The best way to keep denim looking great and if you are a denim aficionado, build the best broken-in finish, is not wash them as much as possible.

One way to keep from having to wash is to put the jean in a freezer bag and freeze for a few hours. The freezing process kills any bacteria that can cause odor, however it won't help remove dirt or stains.

If you must wash, cold water with the least amount of detergent is best. Low heat dryer if necessary.

But don't make yourself crazy...nothing is "wrong" with washing when needed...

SRC: Are there any washes or detailing that you think will really take off in 2009? I was personally admiring the neon denim in your Spring 09 lookbook, super fun!
JR: I love the neons too- especially neon pink which we did as a special color for Intermix storeas in NYC.
We also have some amazing "destroyed" finishes that are fun for summer and my favorite wash for Fall is our "Mended Heart" wash in my Skinny Boyfriend fit. Mended heart is a vintage wash and I added small details of iron-on patches over small holes. I love it and think it looks very authentic.

SRC: Aside from denim, what’s your guilty pleasure?
JR: I have sooo many!!! Aside from being a surfer and a read-a-holic... it's Shoes and Lingerie - just like every other girl!

SRC: What are three things you can’t live without?
JR: Things? Ok- My Wayne Rich 9'6" tri-fin (long board), my hanky panky's and my grandmother's cowboy boots! I know, strange combo...

SRC: You just launched your men’s line Rich by Rich and Skinny earlier this year, do you have any plans for future expansion?
JR: I love the men's line and it's still just developing... we have a small fan base building. We have kept the distribution very limited but the need for great fitting, comfortable Men's denim is definitely there. We have some really great fits and finishes and I have been getting really good feedback from all of my guy friends... I am currently focused on expanding Rich and Rich & Skinny, but you never know what the future holds.... I will keep you posted!!!

SRC: Thank you so much Joie for joining us!
JR: Thanks for having me and for helping to get the word out!! You guys rock! Love Joie

Interview: Aviator Nation

I had a chance to catch up with casual wear designer Paige Mycoskie about how she started Aviator Nation, her experiences as a reality TV star, what inspires her, her very special cause and much more. She is truly an amazing woman who believes nothing is impossible with a little hard work, she even taught herself how to sew and silk screen using a DVD! Read on to discover more :)

SRC: Hi Paige, We’re so excited for this chance to talk to you about your line Aviator Nation and your experiences! I’ve heard that your original inspiration for your tee shirts started when you raided your brother’s closet! Did he mind?
Paige Mycoskie: There are two brothers and they didn't actually know... Until now I guess!
Either way I'm sure they would be ok with it now. I am lucky to have extremely supportive brothers! They have both become pretty big fans of the line and wear it themselves all the time.

SRC: As a self taught designer, do you face any challenges?
PM: Of course. There is so much to learn on the technical side when it comes to fabric, thread, patterns, grading and such that I'm sure they teach in school. For me it was all trial and error but I think the trials and challenges only make me a stronger designer. There's no way like learning the hard way!

SRC: As a lover of extreme sports and an athlete, does this influence your designs? I also noticed that some of your designs are inspired by 70s vehicles and the outdoors. Is this a continued inspiration?
PM: My lifestyle and passions absolutely influence my designs. I try to always stay true to myself as a designer so including mountains, surfing, race cars etc. in my designs only makes me more excited about them! And as for the 70's... I think maybe I was supposed to be born in that time period or something... Everything I design naturally has a 70's "look and feel" to it
and it's all completely unplanned and natural. My favorite music is even from the 70's! Kinda weird... but true!

SRC: I’m a believer that you can learn something from every experience. What did you learn from being on the Amazing Race? If you could do it over again, would you choose to be on reality TV again?
PM: I learned more from being on the Amazing Race than I can even explain... I learned more about myself in that period than all of high school and college put together. The Amazing Race is so much harder than it appears on TV. I am competitive to begin with and the fact that the whole world was watching.... Let's just say it was six weeks of extreme stress, sleeping on
the streets in sometimes very scary cities and pretty much no food all on top of having to perform at my very best physically every second and trying to keep cool in front of the cameras all at the same time. Generally speaking it made me realize how much I can really push myself! Of course seeing the world and various cultures was quite eye opening too!

SRC: Tell us a little about the Africa project. You donate $10 from the purchase of each item to an organization in Kenya called Comfort The Children so that goes directly towards the purchase of antiretroviral medication. What sparked your interest in this cause?
PM: My travels to Africa while on the Amazing Race sparked this. When I was in South Africa and visited the townships there I knew at the first chance I got in life I wanted to do something to help the situation there. The customer for Aviator Nation is all about being bold, unique and active so raising awareness about the AIDS epidemic in Africa fit perfectly into the
collection!

SRC: That's really great! I find your positive attitude amazing, especially your belief that with
a little determination and imagination anything is possible. What keeps you
motivated?
PM: I think I owe this one to the way I was raised. I played sports at a very young age and always had amazing coaching from my father and the unconditional support from my mother. This combination has always made me feel that I can do anything if I work hard enough.

SRC: Aside from extreme sports and designing, how do you spend your down time?
PM: To be honest there is not much down time. It's a competitive world and I owe it to my fans to keep coming out with awesome designs each season! The designing and running the company together make for a pretty busy schedule but if there is ever an hour to spare you would catch me surfing, mountain biking or watching movies.

SRC: What are the top tracks playing on your iPod today?
PM: At the moment it's all reggae. I'm trying to pretend like I'm in the islands.

SRC: What can we expect to see from Aviator Nation in the future? Will it include aviators/sunglasses?
PM: You can expect complete radness! And Aviators too!