The fashion perspective with Christian

December 30, 2010

Christian Freedom was born and raised on Long Island and attended Sarah Lawrence college where he received a BA in theater, design and art history.  After moving to New York City where he initially worked as a model and actor, Christian went on to design costumes for theater, dance, print, and independent films.  He also worked as a sales stylist at several high end boutiques.  He is currently a  jewelry designer(website travestybijoux.com) and stylist.   He will periodically be offering  readers of Fiftyisthenewfifty his perspective on fashion.  I recently sat down with him to discuss how he started in fashion, fall/winter trends and dressing for your age.

1)      How did you get into Fashion?

Christian:  Well, kind of by chance.  When I was in college people loved the way I dressed.  I would wear all these crazy outfits to go out to lunch at school.  I would wear dresses, skirts all kinds of fur coats and dress up like Warhol superstars.  Edie Sedgewick I was inspired by….movie stars from the 30s.  I was doing a lot of theater and people would ask me to costume their shows.  Student shows, dance performances , theater performances and plays.  I didn’t really know how to sew so I just would go out to thrift shops, go to vintage stores, go through my own closet to put together looks for these shows.  Then I started taking design classes really because of that.  I was learning as I was going along.  I remember one time I made clothes for a dance show and the dancers couldn’t dance in them so I had to rework them.  Then when I moved to NY I started working for boutiques, then I ran a boutique and now I’m at Barneys.  It is interesting there because you see something in a magazine and a week later it is in the store.  It is very immediate and really on the pulse of whatever trend or style is happening.  The clientele is from editors and  stylists to socialites, actresses and models.  Very interesting clientele that are pursuing their own look and persona and how they want to be perceived.  They are people who are making a statement with their clothes.

2)      What do you like about working in fashion?

Some of the people.  Being around creative people and also just being around creativity.  Seeing the designs each season.  What each designer is doing and how they are changing or evolving the house they are working for.  Also new designers.  For example Peter Copping for Nina Ricci.  He hasn’t been there very long but yet he is fine tuning and honing in on the DNA of the Nina Ricci woman and this kind of Parisian stylish chic young girl who is becoming a woman.  Then you have Alber Elbaz who is doing Lanvin and it is very sophisticated, artistic woman who travels a lot; understated but dramatic.  Prada is exciting every season.  It is a collaboration they do with artists.  Prada is always inspired by what is going on in the art world.  If it is a film that inspires the artist that is collaboration that Prada always pursues.  It is exciting.  Just like working in a candy store with clothes….just no calories.

3)      Who do you think are really fashionable older women and why?

Well, I like Mrs. Marie-Josee’ Kravis.  She always looks amazing.  Her look is very edited.  She will choose a beautiful brooch or a great accessory or a gown.  She is never overdone.  It is always understated and very beautiful…really cut to the body.  She has a beauty about her persona…a kindness.  She is beautifully dressed always.   Tilda Swinton always looks great.  She always takes chances.  She is inspired by up and coming artists and designers.  Her looks with Victor and Rolf have been great.  I feel like she always takes chances with people.  She gets excited by new designers and what is happening in fashion and she interprets it for herself in a very personal way.  It is almost like she dresses herself as a character in her own story.  Anita Blair, socialite from DC.  She is always chic.  I like people who are a little out of the box, who stand out more and have their own personality and sense of fashion.  I like Isabel Toledo. Pieces she wears from her collection look incredible, just beautifully pulled together.

4)      What do you think the most important thing women should remember for dressing as they get older.

Well, just not to dress like their daughter!  I mean you see a lot of women who are wearing something their daughter would wear.  Even if she is in great shape and youthful, there is a point where showing less and being covered more is sexier and sensual.  Not going so short in a dress, not so much makeup, not so much hair color.  Be a little more subtle.  I feel a lot of women get locked into a look that worked for them when they were 30 so they keep it but when they are in their 40s and 50s it is not so flattering anymore.  You have to evolve and change as you mature.  Less becomes more.  Go softer with makeup and hair.  Don’t be afraid to be more natural….have a softer base.  It is much prettier that way.  Good tailoring and finding your style, finding what works for you and evolving it.  Don’t get stuck in a look that worked for you when you were younger.  Look at what is today and what is happening in your life now.

5)      Where do you think the best places are for women to look to get inspiration for their fashion choices?

Magazines are so youth oriented and the girls are so young that it can be alienating for some women to relate to.  I think you should just go out and look at people.  If you live in a city, just go to lunch or to a museum or show and see what people are wearing.  If you see someone wearing something you like, ask them about it and where they got it.  Go to stores and compare what they carry.  In New York, go to smaller boutiques in SOHO and lower east side.  Take  pieces from different designers and put them together in a way that is good for you.   Look at the internet and see what is on sites like Net-a-porter and websites of magazines where they have more stories about people so you can see what they are wearing.

6)      What do you think are the best fall trends for older women?

I feel this fall it is all about the statement coat.  Prada has amazing coats.  There are all sorts of looks in coats.  Marni has oversized coats.  Some have shorter sleeves and look a little retro.  Tweeds are strong this year.  Fur and leather trims and details.  Not fur coats so much but the fur trim.  More people are going back to suits for the fall.  Also, the easy dress that you just zip up and go.  Sweater dresses are in this year and look good with a great necklace or belt.  Darker more traditional fall colors like browns, grays, navy, dark green, rust and burgundy.  Black is not so dominant this year.  More people are doing long dresses this year but not fussy.  Lanvin did that this year.  Of course leopard is huge this year.  It is everywhere on accessories and clothes themselves.  Military looks are in also this year in coats and dresses.

7)      What trends should older women stay away from?

There is no hard and fast rule.  I’m over the whole leggings, ballet flats, oversize sweater or loose top.  I feel like that is done and looks collegiate to me and a little sloppy.  I would stay away from Jeggings.   Use things sparingly….maybe things like animal prints are better in accessories.  Remember that a little of something, whether it is animal prints, the military look etc. goes a long way.  Don’t dress head to toe in a look.  With trends you should use them sparingly as a way to freshen things up a bit.  For instance if you have a great black dress and add a leopard purse, it looks like this season and you haven’t spent a lot of money.  A great ethnic necklace or piece of jewelry can update something you already have to look fresh.  These are things you can look at in magazines that you could interpret for yourself in a more toned down way that works for your lifestyle.

8)      What are some of the best stores on the lower end of the cost scale for women to get clothes?

Well in New York there is Daffy’s and Loehmans…stores like that….the Barneys warehouse sale. Other places have TJ Maxx and Filenes Basement.  It used to be that the fashions in them were a year behind, but now they are not that far behind.  They are close to being in season.  I would also buy things off season that are marked down and you could rework them.  Some of the things at these types of sales are ahead of their time so it’s something that can go forward.  There are a lot of emerging designers that have boutiques in Williamsburg or east 9^th street in the east village.  I would also go to resale or consignment stores.  I love thrift shops and vintage stores for interesting one of kind pieces.  I haven’t really gotten into shopping on line but most sites that I know of have a sales section of their website.  Designers do collaborations with less expensive places, like Vera Wang designing for Kohls.  The designs are more watered down and probably last over a season or so but they can spruce up your wardrobe without spending a lot.

9)      Do you feel accessories become more important in dressing as women age?

Yes I do.  Whether you are a size 2 or 12, you still fit into your accessories or jewelry.  I think with accessories you can really shop your closet.  You have things you have not worn in a long time but you can pull them out, maybe update them a little and people will think they are new.

10)   Which Accessories do you think are important or look great this year?

If you can focus on real jewelry that is great, but not everyone can.  I love when women pair real jewelry with some costume pieces.  Chanel started that.  Putting real pearls together with fake pearls is a good look.  Key statement jewelry is always good.  People have amazing jewelry that they don’t wear.  Look at things you have and change them.  Take a brooch and wear it on a sash or as a choker or best buckle.  Mix in some fun costume pieces with personal things you like that might have been your mothers or grandmothers.  Ethnic pieces are a good trend in accessories this year.  Leopard is everywhere on belts, purses.   Belts are really strong this year.  Jeweled belts or encrusted belts.  Belts that look like a corset have been strong.