Catwalk route to designer fame

Posted by mija on Aug 24, 2008 in News | 0 comments

NEXT up on the roster of catwalkers turning to other careers is Erin Wasson, the model-stylist-skating enthusiast. Wasson, pictured, has now added clothing designer to her resume, hammering out a three-year deal to design Erin Wasson for Rvca. The spring 2009 collection has already been snapped up by Opening Ceremony, the trendy Manhattan boutique.
It was, fittingly, at the beach that Wasson first came onto the radar of Pat “PM” Tenore, Rvca founder and pooh-bah of all things Orange County. Two years ago, Tenore’s teenage son was participating in a shoot for Australian Vogue at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, where Wasson was the hired model and the main attraction. “He came home and said, ‘Dad, I met the raddest girl!'” said Tenore, who founded the surf- and skate-inspired clothing company out of his California garage. “I had met her at Rvca parties, so I called her up to see what she was working on and she had all these amazing ideas.”
Amid fashion circles, beyond gracing campaigns from H&M to Balenciaga, Wasson, 26, is perhaps best known for her collaboration with Alexander Wang, whose last two shows she styled and for whom she has served as a sort of in-house muse. “Tomboy chic” is what Wasson deems their shared aesthetic, which includes scrawny tanks and lots of denim. “We have the same thought about what a girl should look like,” she says, describing them as “strong girls who are really confident.”
Wasson’s jewelry line, Low Luv, was also featured in Wang’s fall 2008 show, though she recently came under fire in the blogosphere for the line’s similarities to designer Bliss Lau’s body chains. “I have the utmost respect for Bliss Lau,” says Wasson. “I admire and appreciate what she has done for the jewelry industry.”
source: shanghaidaily.com