Folter is a clothing line
for dark & disorderly chicks. They carry corset beaters, vulgar
tees, sexy undies, bondage minis, etc and I caught up with Agnes
for an interview regards Folter Clothing. Here is what she had
to say.
Punk
Globe: First off what gave you the inspiration to start up
Folter Clothing?
Agnes: I have always loved to express
my individuality through my style. Ever since I can remember, I
would tweak the clothing that I bought to make it more “me”. As
much as I loved fashion I never considered a career in it. All
of this changed when I decided to quit my full time job and take
off backpacking to Europe. I noticed how different fashion was
from the states and also how different fashion was in different
countries within Western Europe. All of this was fascinating and
very exciting to me. When I came back from my trip I had no
plans as to what I was going to do. Then, I met someone who was
working for a small apparel manufacturer in Los Angeles. It
immediately got my attention and I wanted to know everything
about it. Shortly after I signed up for an accelerated program
in apparel manufacturing and started Folter last year in
February after finishing the program.
Punk Globe: How long have you been
running as a business and how many of you are involved?
Agnes: We will be celebrating our one
year anniversary in February. These are exciting times for us.
It is a very small operation. I run about 90% of it with the
help of friends and family, who I could not have done without.
Many things are contracted out so we don’t need to keep full
time staff. This way we can keep costs down and maintain
competitive pricing. It’s been a wonderful yet crazy year for
us.
Punk Globe: I see on your site you
have a fair amount of stockists so how do you go about getting
your garments in to them?
Agnes: We use several methods to get
our products in stores. Since it is a new line and there is no
brand recognition, this process can be very challenging at
times. First of, we attend apparel trade shows where all
designers and manufacturers showcase their products and where
retailers go to stock their stores. We also mail out product
catalogs with ordering information to stores. We contact stores
and introduce ourselves and what we have to offer. So far we are
doing really well and the most important thing is that about 95%
of our customers re-order. It’s wonderful to hear that Folter is
doing well in their stores and the customers enjoy our clothes.
Punk
Globe: So what do you decide on what you’re going to produce?
Agnes: Hmmm this one is tough since I
am all over the place. I basically design for myself. I think
about what I would want to wear and go from there. It’s
difficult for me to find clothes that fit my style and my price
range. So when I design for Folter I keep these things in mind.
I want something different, fun, with good quality and
affordable prices. As far as the actual designing process, I go
about it two ways. I sit down and sketch a ton of different
things and then start sourcing for fabrics and trim, or I go
fabric shopping and get inspiration from the fabrics I find.
Punk Globe: How risqué would you
venture into regards items of clothing?
Agnes: I always like to push the
envelope. As long as I am having fun then I’ll keep doing it.
Our consumer definitely enjoys risqué although the stores might
be at times reluctant in stocking anything that says “Cuntaminated”.
Punk Globe: How do you acquire the
models that wear your garments in shows?
Agnes: Well, I like to use girls with
different looks that compliment the clothing. Some of the models
are my friends and others I find through friends or agencies.
Lately though I don’t even have to look for them, they seem to
find us. We get countless e-mails about modelling. It makes my
life easier. I absolutely love going through pictures of girls
to get models for different shows or shoots. I am a big fan of
girls that are tattooed or pierced. I love using real girls that
would actually be our consumer and enjoy wearing our clothes.
Punk Globe: What kind of shows do you
promote Folter Clothing at?
Agnes: This past year we have gone to
a ton of shows. We like to go to different places to promote
instead of just staying local. We’ve done shows in New York, Las
Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, etc. Mainly we’ve
been going to tattoo conventions and music festivals, but are
looking for other venues to promote. We’ve done four fashion
shows at tattoo conventions in addition to vending. I think it’s
important to get out there and let people know that you exist.
You can have the most fabulous product but what good is it if no
one knows about it.
Punk Globe: Apart from Folter
Clothing what other interests do you have?
Agnes: My latest fascination is
1980’s video games. I love nature, hiking and dead trees. I love
black and white photography. Travel is my passion, I do it every
chance I get. I am a curious person and enjoy anything new,
whether it be a new place or a new word. Fast cars, classic
American cars (1964 ford falcon – my dream car), motorcycles –
dirt bikes, road bikes, crotch rockets, I want them all.
Punk Globe: What have you got planned
for 2006?
Agnes: I would definitely like to
expand the women’s line to include accessories and a variety of
styles not only skirts and tops, but start doing dresses, pants,
jackets, etc. We have so much that we want to do. We are so new
and so much more is out there for us. We’ve been getting many
requests to do a men’s line and are considering it. So 2006
might include something for the boys.
Punk Globe: Anything you’d like to
add?
Agnes: I would like to thank you for
giving us this wonderful opportunity.
Thanks to Agnes for taking
time out to do this interview. From what I've seen on line at
Folter Clothing's website the clothes they design and sell are
very hot! Please check out the site and at the same time support
some one who's very cool.
