Photos by Crystal Farris
Meet Chanté. This young, go-getter graduated from KU last year and has been creating a colorful path for herself ever since. With a Bachelor Degree of Fine Arts in Textile Design, Chanté is well on her way to achieving her childhood aspirations of becoming a designer. Pulling inspiration from the natural world, as well as from contemporary art and culture, this girl has produced quite the collection already. This interview with Chanté highlights her start in the industry, what her future looks like, and addresses some tips for aspiring designers.
Chanté, what did you major in and why?
I got a BFA in Textile Design. It’s in the School of Fine Arts so it’s very much based in studio art which intrigued me. I always wanted to go into fashion but also had a love for the arts and felt by getting a degree that is not necessarily a direct path to being a fashion designer; it could give me a different perspective. In that sense I believe I was successful, my education was not based on pattern-making and draping but in the various and many ways you can create completely unique textiles…It’s allowed me to completely tailor every aspect of the garment to my design and that’s something you don’t see very often from designers fresh out of school.
How has KU influenced or aided your career and decisions?
KU had an amazing impact on my career as an artist and a designer. For four years I had a separate family that existed in the Textile studio, I don’t think there was ever an all-nighter that I had to spend alone. We all watched each other grow, gave each other feedback when we needed it and learned what kind of work we wanted to produce. I feel as though only a small portion of the purpose for attending a Fine Arts program is to develop technical skills, mostly what you’re taking away from it is developing your studio practices while being fostered in this community of other artists. Being able to walk down the hall and grab someone and say “Hey, what do you think of this?” and having them be able to respond critically, is in invaluable. I see why people choose to go back for their MFA’s.
What events and projects have you completed?
I’ve done quite a few shows and events, the first significant one for me as a fashion designer was doing West 18th St. Fashion Show last June. It was the first time I had attempted to execute a “collection” so it definitely taught me a lot about what it was going to take for me to do this on my own. I hand dye and print all of my fabrics so unlike other designers, my process takes almost double the amount of time and energy to create. I think the best thing that came out of doing that show for me was just creating the work and photographing it; the show was fun and all but in the end didn’t really do much for me. That was sort of a turning point for me and then I couldn’t stop thinking about making collections. I released my SS14 collection this past November in a Showcase I put on at the Bauer in Kansas City. That show was exclusively something I put together with a team so it was completely focused on my work and that specific collection. It was amazing because I was able to really tailor everything I wanted for the presentation of the collection, which I really enjoyed. After that I don’t think anyone doubted my motivations and I gained a nice little following of bloggers and trendy 20-somethings in Kansas City, which was exactly what I was going for.
What are you doing now?
Currently I’m working on producing my FW14 collection, it will be released August 7th and will include ten looks. I will be releasing it in collaboration with Skyline Salon, they have an amazing space that overlooks Kansas City and the best stylists in the city so I think it will be a perfect fit to collaborate for the next show. In addition to the collection I will be doing a video collaboration that will be integrated into the presentation of the collection, which I’m particularly excited about. I want the next event to feel produced, even more so than the last, but still very much my style of doing things. Other than moonlighting as a designer, I work full time at a job that isn’t particularly conducive to my work so I’m actually looking for a change. This summer I will be teaching Textile and Fiber camps at KCAI for kids 9-11 and 12-14, I’m pretty excited about starting that!
What do you see in your future?
My hope is that with each collection I will be able to get better and slowly I will get closer to my end goal. That, for me, would be having a studio in KC where I am able to hand dye and print all of my fabrics, and then have my clothing produced in small runs so I can travel to trade shows and stock boutiques around the country. I have to keep reminding myself that I may not be there now but three or five years from now I will be- you have to start somewhere. There was never a great designer that wasn’t in my shoes right now, trying to figure out how to make doing what you love, your day job, your business.
Do you have advice for other aspiring designers?
I think it’s difficult to find that balance right out of school of doing what you love and finding a way to make that sustainable as a living. I don’t know anyone who walked out of school and just immediately started making money for the art they created (at least enough to support yourself). It takes time to build what you do into something legitimate. Some days you question yourself and wonder if it really will pay off in the end, and I don’t know if it will, all I know is that I just have to keep doing this right now no matter what. I’ve come to terms with the fact that it may take working my ass off for three years before I can slow down. I am confident though that no matter the outcome, this is worth it even if it isn’t a commercial success. There’s always potential for it to be successful and that’s why I have to push myself and work hard.
This lady definitely has her sights set on something great and I, for one, will be keeping my eye on her. For those of you non-aspiring designers, her words of advice are not only specific to the fashion world but can be translated onto any career path. Whatever you aspire to be, you’ll get there. Eventually.
Find out more about Chanté on her website: chantegossett.com