HOW DID YOU GET HERE? FEATURING DESIGNER ASHLEY ROWE
ASHLEY ROWE LAUNCHED A SMALL 6 PIECE DENIM COLLECTION WAY BACK IN 2015 IN MARFA TEXAS AND I QUICKLY BECAME OBSESSED! I’VE WORN ASHLEY’S DESIGNS FOR A FEW SEASONS NOW AND THEY ALWAYS GET NOTICED WITH POSITIVE REACTIONS. HARDLY SURPRISING WHEN HER MINIMALIST DESIGNS MADE FROM DENIM & STURDY CANVAS HAVE CAUGHT THE EYE OF GLOBAL BUYERS FROM NEED SUPPLY, SELFRIDGES, TEN OVER SIX & TOTOKAELO. YOU’LL OFTEN FIND HER ON INSTAGRAM SEWING HER NEXT COLLECTION AND SHOOTING LOOKBOOKS.
HER CONTEMPORARY SILLOUETTES OF EXAGGERATED SCALES MIXED WITH THE FACT SHE SOLELY USES ONE COLOUR OR TONE PER COLLECTION MAKE FOR AN EYE POPPING TAKE ON DENIM. ASHLEY IS ALSO SUPER NICE AND A REAL INSPIRATION!
NAME: Ashley Rowe
OCCUPATION: Fashion Designer
LOCATION: Los Angeles / Marfa TX
IG HANDLE: @ashleyroweofficial
WEBSITE: www.ashleyrowe.com
Q: Hi Ashley! how you doing? Tell us about yourself?
A: I grew up in Toronto, Canada. I knew I wanted to be in the fashion industry since I was 13, always being obsessed with clothes. It wasn’t until I was 24 that I started designing though! I moved to Marfa, TX when I turned 30, and started teaching myself how to sew and make patterns (before that, I had hired others to make the items I designed). I launched a small 6 piece capsule collection of denim items in 2015, and the rest I guess you can say, is history!
Q: What would you tell your younger self?
A: I think I would’ve pursued fashion at a much younger age, so staying true to what I wanted / believed in, instead of following what was expected of me (to go to University, study something other then fashion...)
Q: Have you always been a fashion designer?
A: Yes! Although i studied business management once I went to fashion school, but I’m really glad I never learned the technical side of it, and was immersed in the business side.
Q: What is your favourite part of being a fashion designer?
A: I get to CREATE, which is my absolute favourite thing to do.
Q: How do you find inspiration?
A: I find a lot from just looking on instagram, or going into shops, reading magazines, and then just playing around with fabrics, cutting, sewing, sometimes even stapling things together.
Q: Your latest collection is consumed by the colour orange. What does the colour orange mean to you and what does it represent?
A: I honestly have NO idea where it started, but I became obsessed with the color and then realized I wanted to do a color themed shop at my LA store. My Mom also dresses totally monochromatic, so I grew up with that, which definitely has influenced my love of monochrome!
Q: What inspires you to work with denim?
A: I like the strength of it, the texture, how it’s so boxy and doesn’t’ have a lot of shape unless you really create it.
Q: Have you always dressed in monochrome ?
A: I haven’t, but I definitely do now!
Q: What inspired your tonal collections? I think they’re amazing!
A: Thank you! I sometimes think things come to me in dreams, or when I’m out walking and thinking about something totally else, and BAM there’s an idea.
Q: I’ve been wearing your clothes for years and love their oversized and carefree fits. They are a constant in my wardrobe and something I never get tired of.Do you design your clothing with this approach in mind?
A: Absolutely, and so wonderful to hear! i really wanted to create something and then just change the colors, not necessarily the shapes or designs every season. I think we have so much of that elsewhere, and also aesthetically, I like that everything goes together season after season. Plus you can then buy more of your favorite things but in different colors!
Q: How does an independent brand steer its way through the huge fashion scene in today’s world?
A: I think honestly you have to stay true to yourself, which is hard at times, because you constantly see and compare yourself to what others are doing. I’m trying to be better with this, and just doing what feels good to me (even though that’s scary sometimes!) and having more fun on a day to day basis (cause that’s what it’s all about right!).
Q: Is your clothing sustainable? And if not, would you consider this for the future of Ashley Rowe?
It’s made from 100% cotton but I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily sustainable. I do think because we only create what we sell, that I hope that creates some sort of sustainability. Plus, I do see some of my items being resold (on DEPOP, re-sale shops, etc) which to me shows that people believe they should stick around for someone else....
Q: You moved to Marfa, Texas a few years ago to open your own atelier and shop. What made you choose Marfa?
A: I was actually on my way to LA, but went through Marfa because I wanted to see the Prada shop. I just...fell in love with it. The open space, it was a cheap place to live, and there were so many other great artists living and working there, I became obsessed with it and moved there 6 weeks later.
Q: What are the 3 best things to do in Marfa?
A: Oooh good question. I would say the JUDD Foundation is at the top of my list, there are also so many good places to eat and shop, and then just go for a drive, the landscapes there are absolutely beautiful
Q: What or who is your dream collaboration?
A: So I really want to do a shoe collaboration! Hi Vans, call me pls.
Q: What are some of your favourite fashion brands right now?
A: I really love kkco & priscavera
Q: Where is Ashley Rowe stocked?
A: We paused on our wholesale accounts for a minute to regroup, so right now mainly on our website @ashleyrowe.com and in both our retail locations (Marfa, Tx and Los Angeles CA)
Q: What does a working day look like for you?
A: I get up around 7 / 7:30, make coffee, take my dog for a walk, meditate. I usually work out in the morning (either go to the gym or take a spinning class) and then get ready for the day. I try to keep really regular working hrs, but some days, I wake up and I’m straight into it. When I’m not working in the shop, I’ll do some design work, meet with contractors, sometimes I’ll sew some samples or just create. On days that I’m in the shop, I’ll work on buying or re-stocking both stores, making lists of items we need, sourcing new fabrics or new designers to work with. I also post a lot on instagram, so that ends up being a big part of my day. We also do weekly photo shoots, so I prep for these too.
“staying true to what I wanted & believed in, instead of following what was expected of me”
ASHLEY ROWE
Q: You recently opened a pop up shop in LA. What inspired this? Could LA be your next home?
A: I came to LA on vacation in March. I’d been here a bunch before, but never loved it, but this time, it hit me. I have to be here! So I came back 6 weeks later and found a retail space. It’s going to be my home for now, but Marfa will always have my heart.
Q: What do you do for self care?
A: I have a long list of self care! I think it’s so important to take care of ourselves outside of work. I eat really well and cook a lot, working out
Q: How do you escape social media?
A: I literally turn off, usually I plan on Sundays as a day where I don’t check it at all.
Q: What is the last text that you sent or received?
A: I was texting my friend about my dog getting a bath, LOL
Q: Favourite Instagram accounts to follow?
A: Love Aesthetics, Always Judging, Double3exposure, BySeanBrown, Diet_Prada
Q: You have a free day to do anything, what do you do?
A: Workout (I love hot yoga or spinning), Beach, (Will Rogers or somewhere in Malibu) Flea Market (Melorse on Sunday is my favorite in LA)
Q: Coffee or tea?
A: Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon
Q: Favourite pizza?
A: Queen Margherita Pizza in Toronto, Pizza Foundation in Marfa, haven’t found a favorite yet in LA......
Q: What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
A: Make coffee!
Q: What jeans are you wearing right now?
A: ASHLEY ROWE of course
Q: What time of day do you work best and when are the creative juices flowing? (I’m a PM creator myself!)
A: Usually the morning, but if I’m stressed I’ll do morning and late evening.
Q: Breakfast of champions?
A: Right now I’m super into smoothes - almond milk, spinach, peanut butter, protein powder.
Q: Favourite city?
A: Right now, really missing England so London!
Q: If you had to choose....Crisps (chips if you’re in the US!) or chocolate?
A: Aha I love both, but chocolate always wins.
Q: Favourite song lyrics?
A: My favorite song of all time is Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind so I’d have to go with that!
Q: What book is on your coffee table right now?
A: Cocaine Nights by JG Ballard
Q: Best hotel you've stayed in?
A: I really love the Standard Hotel in Downtown LA!
Q: What’s next for Ashley Rowe?
A: I just opened a shop in LA, we are working on some exciting collections, and working on branching out into new products (hi, shoes!) soon too.