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images via The Style Arbiter and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week may be over, but The NYLA Report had the chance to catch up with international fashion designer Farah Angsana. She gave us some insight into her fashion world of glitz and fur, dreams and new beginnings on the horizon.

To give some background information to those who may not know, could you tell me a little about how you got into design? I read you went to a dressmaker as a young girl who helped you design. Perhaps you could talk a little about that.
When I was 14 years of age, I dreamed of becoming a plastic surgeon, but came to an understanding of what doctors have to go through. I can not imagine myself as one. Not until I was 15 years-old, I decided to do something in the world of beauty, to make people look beautiful. I used to flipped through a lot of fashion magazines – all I saw were Valentino, Ungaro, Yves Saint Laurent, Azzedine Alaia, Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler. I was seduced by the beauty of their creations. One day, I asked my sisters if I could go with them to their dressmaker to see their custom made dresses. I was so impressed by the whole process in the atelier. I came home and started to draw dresses, not sketches. I didn’t know how to sketch during that period. Gradually, my sister asked me to design her a dress and the dressmaker was quite impressed with my detailing. From there, I knew that I wanted to be in this fashion industry to make women beautiful. I studied and lived in London, then I moved to Switzerland just before I got married. After I got married, I started a small capsule of evening wear collection to show in Milan and I had a great respond in sales, but I wanted to stretch more than just doing a collection. I met a guy who was a former commercial director for Yoyhi Yamamoto in Paris. He became my mentor in Paris in the early days. He told me if I want to exist as a serious designer, I would have to move to Paris and start showing under Chambre Syndicale official calendar. After much consideration, I did move to Paris from London to pursue my childhood dream to become an international designer with my husband’s permission and supports. The rest is history!

You have lived in places like Singapore, Los Angeles, London, and Zurich – all places with very different style. How do you think having been raised in such different places plays into your design aesthetic?
Not to mentioned Paris. I had the privilege to live in those places where cultures and styles are very different, but the aesthetic of my design is based on my personality.

What do you think your design philosophy is, in terms of who you are designing for? Do you feel the way you look at design and who you design for could change, or are you set and comfortable doing what you do now?
My design is always for feminine, modern women and women who are confidence and embracing a glamourous lifestyles. I am comfortable with what I am doing now, even though fashion have changed – I am still designing for the same women except I added a new kind of women…women who wanted to look more sexier these days.

You dabbled into menswear and sportswear, and I read some great reviews of both collections. What happened that made you stop designing these collections?
I guess I was not born to do anything with casual. I always believe in doing anything with luxury. I would never regret to say I did menswear when I was living in Paris. I was without any notion in that area. I was encouraged by my former Parisian PR to do so in order to get my name out there. On the other hand, I found out he didn’t believe in couture and evening wear. I guess it was not his expertise. Therefore, I was being encouraged to do menswear. When I started menswear, I did a lot of research but in the end, it was not me. It never generated any money and all we did were spend and never set a budget. Not until my husband ( my business partner who oversee my business now ) tried to make me realized the fact that I was doing something wrong and went to the wrong direction. Therefore, I stopped doing menswear. If I look back, I learnt so much from doing menswear technically, even though it was a success in press review but failed in sales. That is the reason why I never regret I did menswear. Every mistake is a learning process and challenge to improve ourselves.

Your designs are couture and perfect for the red carpet. Have you dressed anyone? If you could dress anyone in the entire world who would it be?
My first big break was in 2008 when Teri Hatcher wore my gown for the red carpet at the Vienna Ball. Soon after, followed Olivia Wilde for the SAG Awards and Carrie Underwood, then Ashley Tisdale. Of course, I aim to dress more to get my brand out there. There are some Hollywood A-list royalty I am crying to dress but I have to keep it to myself at this moment and wish one day my dream will come through. As for dressing real royalty, mostly are my undisclosed private clients who I highly respect their privacy. From Middle East to recent South East Asia royalty, they encourage some privacy. It’s the whole culture that I call the “regal system”.

I had the amazing pleasure of attending your runway show last February at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. Your last look had everyone going crazy, and was a true highlight of the week. What inspired that garment and how did it come together?
I was inspired by the heavily snow during our early winter last year in Zurich. As I was looking out the window, I felt so serene and calm. It seemed so light and sparkly at the same time when the sun reflected the snow. At that moment, I imagine it would be nice if a snow queen ever existed. The rest you can see in that gown – that’s why I called it a snow queen. I intended to close the show with it so that it created a more poetic way for my next show. I never thought I received such a wow factor in that dress. I could hear from backstage that everyone were gasping and clapping at the same time, even when the music was playing so loud.

Your entire fall/winter 2011 collection was full of high glamour fur, feathers, and sequins. What brought this collection together for you?
Helmut Newton! I’m inspired by his work for a long time. It’s very sexual, provocative, yet glamourous at the same time. From the make-up, hair, masks and everything, creates high glamour. I wanted step away from my comfort zone in my last show by doing some really shortest dresses, at least I want to know the reactions from the press and sales. I could never be happier to see my sales went up from my last fall collection.

Are you currently working on any other projects?
I have a few in the pipeline, unfortunately, I always get stuck with my work and traveling. Hopefully, I could complete my other projects soon and I will let you know. In the meantime, let the silence be the mystery.

Farah, you have already come so far. What more do you hope for in the future?
I never reflect on how far I have come. I always see myself first as a fighter, then a survivor in the fashion industry. I started out in London, Milan, Paris and now New York. There are still many things in life to explore and to go through unexpected obstacles to make me even a better designer, a better business woman and most importantly a better person. There are still many hopes and dreams I have not achieve yet, and I am still working on it.

Justin Spade, Assistant/Senior Writer @justinspade

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