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Exclusive Interview with Jason Trotzuk of Fidelity Denim!!
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
What do celebs like Eva Longoria, Hayden Panettiere, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Demi Moore, Kristin Cavallari, Jessica Alba, Eva Pigford, Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Minnillo all have in common?
They have all worn designer Jason Trotzuk's fabulous brand of designer jeans - Fidelity Denim.
Jeans are certainly the staple piece in any woman (or man's) wardrobe these days. How many of us wear jeans on almost all our days off?? They are comfy and casual but can be glammed up with heels and accessories for those special occasions, and celebrities certainly love them!
I recently interviewed Canadian fashion sensation Jason about his collection of classic, elegant jeans, and he even gave me his top tips f
or looking fab in jeans. You know you want to know!
Laura Jane: Hi Jason, thank you for your time! So for those who don’t know, tell us a little about Fidelity Denim and how the label got started?
Jason Trotzuk: I spent years and years making an inexpensive denim line called DISH out of Canada. When making price point jeans, you eventually reach roadblocks. As a lover/ designer of denim I want the freedom to make the best jeans I possibly can….no limitations…I wanted to design by quality product first and price second. I wanted to design under a name that was worthy of denim/blue jeans itself. The meaning of Fidelity is “absolute faith and devotion to something or someone." Anything that requires you to have a faith and devotion to it, sounds like what it takes to make a solid collection of blue jeans.
LJ: So I read that you started out in fashion when you were just 18 by custom painting old
jeans and selling them – how did you first become interested in fashion, and jeans in particular?
JT: Ha. Ha. Most people would say they were inspired by designer X or artist Y. For me, it was the movie Lost Boys where one of the vampires was wearing a wild jacket made from all these different parts. It was so wild, I thought, “I want to make something wild that people will wear and make other people notice,” so I started painting on jeans. That was my artistic interpretation on how to make people take notice of an ordinary pair of jeans (which was, and still is, my uniform of choice).
LJ: Mine too most of the time! Who are your biggest fashion icons and why?
JT: Believe it or not, I love Ralph Lauren! He is the ONLY true American fashion collection house. He and his iconic logo defined fashion in modern American society that is recognized globally. Name another who has defined American fashion like he has. (Karl) Lagerfeld is cool and brilliant. When you are the designer for Chanel, you must be good. I always wonder how he does it…he must never sleep or something!
LJ: You're probably the same! How about the celebrities though; of all the female stars right now, whose style do you most admire?
JT: Madonna is never out of step… always makes a statement with fashion, who else does that???
LJ: I'd love to know what inspires you when you’re designing clothes?
JT: 1 - Change inspires me. As a society we should always be improving and changing, making things better. I always want to improve on what I have done previously. It is part of our lives. We must move forward.
But some things you just cant improve on; Fender Stratocaster, Gibson Les Pau
l, Rolex watches, Chanel jackets, Jimmy Choo Shoes, are very difficult to improve on. That is pure genius.
2 - Rock and Roll!!!!!!!!! All types from all generations.
LJ: Haha. When you’re designing jeans for women, what do you think are the most important aspects?
JT: Fit, fit, and fit…plus you should always have a good fit! Actually, I like to use the 3F principle: Fabric, Fit and Finish. You need a good fabric, an impeccable fit and a great finish. That combination will win over customers every time. If you lack in one of those, and are charging a premium price, you are cheating the customer and they will quickly figure it out and not become devotees to the brand. We try and make our denim so that we have fans for life.
LJ: That's a great motto and is obviously working for you with so many celebrity fans of your brand! I love the new Fidelity Denim Spring 2008 Collection. What’s new with your designs for Spring 2008? What are the hot looks?
JT: Aloe pant: High rise wide leg in butterfly denim.
Honeysuckle pant: Fashion trouser with a basic appeal.
Freebird Trouser: Fashion trouser in light and dark denims.
Tantra: Clean finish Wide leg. Three denim covered buttons for a bit of retro flair.
Lightweight denims: Soft and breezy, very bohemian. Makes life simple while you still look hot. Check out the Blue Belle for spring. That is a hot seller for us right now.
LJ: They all look great in my opinion! As I mentioned, celebs really seem to love your designs, but if you could have any celebrity promote Fidelity Denim, who would it be and why?
JT: I would choose Madonna. She has stood the test of time and has always stayed
true to herself and her artistic statement…for better or for worse. I like that!!!
LJ: You really are a fan of Madonna! You never know in the future, maybe you'll get your wish. As for us regular people, what advice do you have for women of different body shapes e.g. pear, apple, hourglass or ruler) when choosing jeans to best flatter them?
JT: Well there is no one pair, style, brand or look that is right for every woman. Here is the exhausting part: you actually have to go in and try on heaps of pairs and look at yourself in the mirror and see if how the jeans fit. Do not buy a pair of jeans just because it is the latest style or the hottest buzz brand. Not every fit is right for every body type.
Girls that are more shapely or ample should look for a higher waisted jean with a boot cut or flair. If you are dying to go skinny, try a good pair of straights which will give you the slimming look without being too tight.
On the contrary, skinny girls keep rocking those skinnies. If they look good, whether with flats or heels, they will never go out of style.
Each girl/body is different and you have to remember that most jeans are created based off the proportions of size 26 (waist) fit models. Some designers know how to compensate for different body types and others just scale up. We try and create an array of styles and cuts that flatter anyone who tries them on. Something for everyone is what we strive for.
LJ: Designing is not all you do though is it. I wanted to ask you more about the Fidelity Indigo Foundation, the non-profit section of your company. Why was it set up and what does it aim to do? Have you had any big events to raise money and awareness?
JT: Our goal is to raise awareness for a variety of charities we are close to. Last year we launched the Belladonna B/C Limited Edition jean to benefit ReThink Breast Cancer out of Canada (yes we are Canadian, but our product is made in Los Angeles). This jean got a ton of press coverage in magazines like O (Oprah Winfrey's Mag), InStyle and Self.
We are now about to launch a new program where we release super limited edition “concept” jeans every couple of months that revolve around a theme and will benefit a charity. Can’t say much about what I am working on, but the first jean will have an 80’s punk theme.
To me it is a success if every season we can find one way to give something back.
LJ: It's impressive to see you doing so much to help good causes. Can't wait to see your first concept jean! It must feel great to be in a position to give back. You’ve already had so much success with Fidelity Denim in such a short period of time. What would you say is the key to your success?
JT: The key for me has always been to be passionate about what I do and put that energy into designing every season. It sounds cliché, but the fact of the matter is that it works for us. We try and convey a brand message that carries through to our customers and endears them to us. It is a different approach from other premium brands who cash in on trends. We hope to offer our customers denim that they can wear today, tomorrow and in 5 years and still look amazing.
LJ: So good classic jeans then. Everyone needs those! What are your plans for the future of Fidelity Denim? Where do you want to take the company next?
JT: We want to be the greatest jean brand in the market….loved by women and men around the world!!!! Sounds pretty grand, doesn’t it? I believe goals are good and regardless of our growth pattern, we plan to follow the path of excellence and continue to grow our collection into other categories.
LJ: With the celebrity baby boom that seems to be happening right now, have you considered a range of jeans for stylish kiddies?
JT: I have thought about it, but I want to focus on the Fidelity man and woman first. I have a little girl and at this stage am unsure if I would ever spend $100 on a pair of jeans she would grow out of in 6 weeks! If the demand is there we would consider it but the truth is it isn’t a priority for Fidelity.
LJ: Do you plan on making the collection available in the UK in the future? I’m sure it would be popular!
JT: We are planning it for Fall 2008.
LJ: Ooooo can't wait! And finally can you give us any hints on what to expect from your Fall 2008 Collection?
JT: All I can say is the 3 S’s: Slim, Sleek and Streamlined…looking good people….bottoms up!
LJ: Indeed! Thanks again for your time Jason. Like I said the collection is great! Make sure to keep is informed of your future plans and I wish you all the best in expanding the company!
If anyone is interested in buying your own pair of Fidelities or just checking out the rest of the Spring 2008 Collection, head on over to FidelityDenim.com.
I love the Fidelity jeans! I agree with Jason, there's nothing better than a good fitting pair of jeans!
I'd also like to thank Matt for all the help with this :)
Chanel, Charities, Fidelity Denim, Interviews, Jason Trotzuk, Karl Lagerfeld, Madonna, Ralph Lauren, S/S 2008 Fashion Written by Laura Jane at 4:54 PM | 4 comments
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