Artsy and Edgy: An Interview with Fashion Designer Amber Elizabeth
By Rocio Wilde
Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to interview a unique and vibrant fashion designer, Amber Elizabeth Donnell, who believes that art and fashion go hand in hand. I was on the scene at The Pin Show this spring, where Donnell’s dynamic flair and keen eye inspired fashion enthusiasts as her models strutted down the runway in her dreamy summer looks. Donnell’s flirtatious personality and creativity for fashion show’s through her use of fabric and colors. Her patterns and collection of clothing are worth a second look. As a growing designer and stylist myself, I was excited to get an up-close view of Donnell. Here is the interview…
Rocio Wilde: In your earlier years, what experiences impacted your interest in fashion design and who or what inspired you?
Amber Elizabeth: My style is ever-evolving…As a child, my interest was not medicine or science, but in music and art …it impacted my choices in fashion, and it still does. I definitely love color and the lack there of. I find joy in creating with my hands. I was painting and creating before I knew of names like Karl Lagerfeld and Alexander McQueen. My first muse was a trendy, fashion-sense girl in high school…while most other girls wanted to copy her look, I simply wanted to design her next look!
Rocio Wilde: What is your style of fashion and who is your target market?
Amber Elizabeth: My fashion style is full of love, fun and strength for the real woman at heart, who seeks to wear the right piece for the occasion. My target market are strong and confident women ranging from 25-35 years, who also appreciate wearing a one of a kind, unique, high quality dress or outfit, over everyday finds such as manufactured items. As women, we know the embarrassment of arriving to an event dressed to the nines, only to find another woman wearing the exact same dress…
Rocio Wilde: What do you like most about design and what is “a day in the life of a fashion designer” really like?
Amber Elizabeth: design work is a constant push, but the most satisfying part is seeing my ideas become reality, like the choir girl singing that high pitched note, thinking, “I did it”! As for my daily life, there is no time to sleep in…I wake at sunrise to hunt down the perfect fabric, but not before making sure my pattern is perfect too. Nothing ever ends up looking the way you think it will. It’s not all parties and thrills that come after all the dirty work. If I have a project, I won’t leave my studio except to work…I shut off my phone and my life until there is no more work to do.
Rocio Wilde: What impact do you hope to leave in the world of fashion, and what would you say to an aspiring designer?
Amber Elizabeth: I hope to impact design in a few ways…one is for the industry to have a better conscience…design production, in many cases, can be a wasteful and harmful process…one that may be easily overlooked. I also want to bring art to a better focus and how it applies to fashion. To an aspiring designer I would say to start simple…nothing happens over night, so don’t give up! Also, if you really want something, it’s a sacrifice… it’s never easy…you and the people in your life have to know this…knowing this in advance will be a great help in having successful relationships.
Rocio Wilde: What is NEXT for amber Elizabeth…what are you working on and where are you headed?
Amber Elizabeth: What am I working on now and where am I headed...
Shh...what I’m working on is a secret. Really, (laughs) and where I’m headed I can only dream! (Smiles)
By Rocio Wilde
Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to interview a unique and vibrant fashion designer, Amber Elizabeth Donnell, who believes that art and fashion go hand in hand. I was on the scene at The Pin Show this spring, where Donnell’s dynamic flair and keen eye inspired fashion enthusiasts as her models strutted down the runway in her dreamy summer looks. Donnell’s flirtatious personality and creativity for fashion show’s through her use of fabric and colors. Her patterns and collection of clothing are worth a second look. As a growing designer and stylist myself, I was excited to get an up-close view of Donnell. Here is the interview…
Rocio Wilde: In your earlier years, what experiences impacted your interest in fashion design and who or what inspired you?
Amber Elizabeth: My style is ever-evolving…As a child, my interest was not medicine or science, but in music and art …it impacted my choices in fashion, and it still does. I definitely love color and the lack there of. I find joy in creating with my hands. I was painting and creating before I knew of names like Karl Lagerfeld and Alexander McQueen. My first muse was a trendy, fashion-sense girl in high school…while most other girls wanted to copy her look, I simply wanted to design her next look!
Rocio Wilde: What is your style of fashion and who is your target market?
Amber Elizabeth: My fashion style is full of love, fun and strength for the real woman at heart, who seeks to wear the right piece for the occasion. My target market are strong and confident women ranging from 25-35 years, who also appreciate wearing a one of a kind, unique, high quality dress or outfit, over everyday finds such as manufactured items. As women, we know the embarrassment of arriving to an event dressed to the nines, only to find another woman wearing the exact same dress…
Rocio Wilde: What do you like most about design and what is “a day in the life of a fashion designer” really like?
Amber Elizabeth: design work is a constant push, but the most satisfying part is seeing my ideas become reality, like the choir girl singing that high pitched note, thinking, “I did it”! As for my daily life, there is no time to sleep in…I wake at sunrise to hunt down the perfect fabric, but not before making sure my pattern is perfect too. Nothing ever ends up looking the way you think it will. It’s not all parties and thrills that come after all the dirty work. If I have a project, I won’t leave my studio except to work…I shut off my phone and my life until there is no more work to do.
Rocio Wilde: What impact do you hope to leave in the world of fashion, and what would you say to an aspiring designer?
Amber Elizabeth: I hope to impact design in a few ways…one is for the industry to have a better conscience…design production, in many cases, can be a wasteful and harmful process…one that may be easily overlooked. I also want to bring art to a better focus and how it applies to fashion. To an aspiring designer I would say to start simple…nothing happens over night, so don’t give up! Also, if you really want something, it’s a sacrifice… it’s never easy…you and the people in your life have to know this…knowing this in advance will be a great help in having successful relationships.
Rocio Wilde: What is NEXT for amber Elizabeth…what are you working on and where are you headed?
Amber Elizabeth: What am I working on now and where am I headed...
Shh...what I’m working on is a secret. Really, (laughs) and where I’m headed I can only dream! (Smiles)
