While on the prowl for the latest in high fashion, I came across a haute new design duo, creating contemporary pieces with a European twist.
(left to right: Yoon Chang and Je-Won Hwang. Photo credit: Brian Cassella/sptimes.com)
Yoon Chang and Je-Won Hwang are the designers at the helm of the New York-based Whistle & Flute; it was Changs creativity and Hwangs business acumen that spearheaded the launch of their freshman collection last year.
I caught up with Chang for an e-interview to discuss their avant garde line — here’s what she had to say:
TCS: How did you come up with the name Whistle & Flute?
Chang: The name Whistle & Flute came about as an homage to our English husbands. We loved the quirkiness and meaning of cockney rhyming slang. The latter half of the expression rhymes with the original meaning, which in this case means suit. We have great admiration for the English tailoring tradition and thought it would work nicely with the masculine aspect to our brand. Whistle & Flute is definitely a collection that melds both masculine and feminine attributes and focuses on beautiful style lines, special details and functionality. It’s intelligent cool clothing for the downtown girl.
TCS: What’s your design philosophy?
Chang: To design beautiful intelligent clothes that are also functional. The modern woman expresses her own personality and individuality by the way she presents herself- we want to provide the means for her to interpret and express.
TCS: What motivated you to create your designs?
Chang: I’m inspired by what defines the modern woman from Marlene Dietrich to Greta Garbo to Katherine Hepburn to Francoise Hardy and Patti Smith; they all are confident, revolutionary and extremely sensual and feminine. They embody the spirit of Whistle & Flute.
TCS: Which fabrics are predominant in your collection?
Chang: Textures are important to me so each season you will see various surfaces integrated into the collection from tech slick surfaces to textured natural fibers.
TCS: How would you characterize your collection?
Chang: For spring, it’s the urban jungle — nature’s brights collide with the steel of the city. I love contradictions; it makes everything so much more interesting.
TCS: If you could design a piece for anyone past or present, who would it be and why?
Chang: There are many inspiring women from the past and present. Tamara de Lempicka the painter would definitely be on that list. Not only is her art deco/Cubist style work beautiful, elegant and impactful, but her Garbo-esque beauty, social notoriety and love affairs make her all the more intriguing.
TCS: What three words would you use to describe your line?
Chang: Polished, detailed and urban.
Stay tuned for more designers on the rise …
Chicly Yours,
The Chic Spy
