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“As a young girl designer Andi Ballard combined delicate thrift store finds with her older brothers hand me downs to create the girly tomboy aesthetic that is the backbone of this collection. Named after the street in Virginia that Andi grew up on, the collection is brimming with nostalgic details that characterize her history, and no fuss silhouettes she swears by today.”
-Seneca Rising
Discovering a designer that a fashion follower not only wants to wear but get to know as well, I found myself smiling while reading Andi Ballard’s refreshingly honest story of inspiration for her newest endeavor, Seneca Rising. With an undeniable fondness for bittersweet nostalgic things, I was instantly drawn into the charm of Andi Ballard’s world right away. Her designs are true to their roots, lovingly well-worn and no doubt vintage inspired but never once are they out-dated. Seneca Rising is a fun fresh fusion of past and present fashions. Fashion News Live caught up with Seneca Rising’s Fashion Designer and creative mind Andi Ballard before she debuted her 2010 spring collection at Rock Fashion Week L.A. this October and absolutely loved what she had to say.
FNL: Who is the woman that Seneca Rising is designed for?
AB: I’d like to think she’s a girl who’s pretty confident in her individuality… She doesn’t want to look like she’s trying too hard…she likes to look effortlessly beautiful.
FNL: In your words, how is this collection different from previous collections?
AB: Modern Bohemian. It’s the Flower Child of Seneca Rising. I used prints that feel reminiscent of the late 70’s but gave them a modern twist with large geometric cutouts. I used lace trim and twills for the first time that feel very lived in and vintage, but made them edgier with pyramid studs.
FNL: In addition to your childhood in Virginia, where else do you look for inspiration?
AB: Anything that makes me smile inspires me. My folk singer mom has been a huge inspiration. Running a business…also a biggie, because I want to look & feel good but I don’t have much time to spare. I love music…listening to Creedence while driving up the PCH, Sunsets, Flowers, Idyllic memories…All that good stuff.
FNL: What are the most important things that drive you to keep designing clothing?
AB: I love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.
FNL: How young were you when you knew you wanted to design clothing? Was it an instantaneous moment during growing up or did you always know?
AB: As a kid I thought “I’m going to be a fashion designer when I grow up” the idea faded for a bit, but at 14 I found out you could actually study fashion design & you could really be one in real life. I managed to graduate high school at 16 and moved to NY to study design & have been at it ever sense.
FNL: To any aspiring designers, what advice would you offer them?
AB: It’s a very tough business…and you really do have to pay your dues. Don’t resent the long hours & the lame, not creative work you’ll do as an assistant & just believe in yourself because you learn so much about the business in your first few grueling years of being in the business.
FNL: Which of all, are your three favorite fashion trends at the moment?
AB: Sheer, Structure, Vintage Florals.
FNL: Which designers do you like and why?
AB: It changes….right now I love the new designers for Valentino. I love Balmain. Fascinated to see Phoebe Philo lend herself to an entirely new brand aesthetic in Celine.
FNL: Tell us a little bit about your fashion background and the experience of how you made your debut into the fashion world?
AB: I started as an assistant designer at 18 to a very mass market line (you wouldn’t know the name, trust me)…within the 1st 6 months some things shifted around & the design director wanted me to fill the seat of head designer. I get board easily, so once I learned the ropes there I wanted a change of pace…I jumped around to a few other companies for a few years when I got too fed up having to knock-off other designers, so my brother and I decided to pack up a u-haul, max out our credit cards & moved cross country to start our first line in 2003. 3 lines strong now, Seneca Rising is our newest line & the one that best represents me as a designer.
FNL: Would you change anything about those experiences?
AB: No. Definitely not. Though going through the bowels of the mass-market world can be quite bleak while you’re in them…I’m so so grateful for those experiences.
FNL: What do you do for fun when you’re not busy designing?
AB: So bad to admit, but my work is very much also my hobby. I’m trying to get into tennis with my fiancé…2 months later I still need to book our lessons. Ha. I’m a foodie also, so always up for new restaurants & love cooking & trying new recipes.
FNL: What is your philosophy on fashion?
AB: As a designer I’m about designing clothes I love & think are unique but, still understandable to myself as a consumer as well as the rest of the girls in the world.
As a fashion follower, I believe the fantasy and romance of the more avant garde designers is a very huge inspiration to the rest of us & really hope they can all keep doing what they are doing and not let the bad economy get them down.
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