AMIHAN NEW YORK: WEAR THE CHANGE, BE THE CHANGE
PhotoBook had the opportunity to interview designer Nadine Silvestre about her ethical and sustainable new fashion collection AMIHAN NEW YORK; the brand focuses on empowering women by giving them confidence and security while accentuating the female body.
Where Do you find inspiration?
Everywhere. Architecture. Books. New places. Movies. On the subway.
When did you know you wanted to design?
Since I was a young girl, I made clothes from paper and clay for my dolls.
When did you become interested in fashion?
I grew up watching my mom get ready. She collected a lot of beautiful wardrobe pieces, and that inspired me. I definitely inherited my mom’s love for fashion.
What inspires you?
Music inspires me. Listening to music calms and stimulates me at the same time. It allows for exploring different emotions.
Where do you do your designing?
My home studio is in the Lower East Side, NY.
What was the starting point for the new collection?
I was working as a designer in the industry and had many parameters to work within. I needed to really express myself freely and design the clothes that I wanted to design for myself. There isn’t a lot of closet space in NYC apartments, so I wanted to create a consolidated, conscious closet of effortless, mix-and-matchable pieces that can be dressed up or down. I have very sensitive skin, so I found the softest fabrics I knew I could practically live in and went from there.
When you’re not working, what do you enjoy doing?
I love doing yoga/pilates, walking with headphones on, and attending concerts. Also, have a significant interest in Ayurveda and Metaphysics.
What’s the biggest issue facing the fashion industry?
The amount of waste. Overproduction. Overconsumption. Pollution.
What is your design process?
I’m constantly researching and finding inspiration everywhere I go and then documenting and analyzing it. Maybe I’ll take a break or meditate. I visualize and imagine pieces I feel like I would wear at that moment. Sometimes ideas just pop up that turn into loose sketching, then to technical sketching.
Who is your muse?
Myself.
What is your superpower?
Finding beauty everywhere, even in darkness.
AMIHAN is a slow-fashion label, designed and produced in New York City, dedicated to curating a capsule wardrobe for the feminine figure, celebrating all that she is and all that she can be. At the heart of our vision is a more considered model inspired by organic fabrics, ethical practices, and a sustainable future for the people, for the planet, and for you. Waste-free mindsets and a deep passion for effortless silhouettes are what drive us to design a luxe yet accessible collection — with seasonless garments that you can dress up any day or night and to make the “forever” pieces you wear matter.
All clothes Amiham and Jewelry Erickson Beamon
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Design Coordinator, PhotoBook Magazine
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