Barbara Kapelj Osredkar

Barbara Kapelj Osredkar: On the beginning it was your mother, a designer herself, who had a great impact on your interest in art and clothes making? What kind of memories do you have from your childhood about the clothes, fabrics?
Colleen Quen: Yes, my mother is my first designer teacher…she planted the seed of encouragement as I developed into being a designer. She taught me to create my own style…through shopping with me to select the fabrics I wanted for my handmade dresses. She made all my dresses. I developed In time a color and fabric sense, silhouettes that I liked….it was so much Fun to work with her. It didn’t seem like work…it was just being creative. I treasure this experience in my life with her.

BKO: Did you play a lot with dresses and dolls when you were a child? Or did you enjoy drawing dresses, princesses?
CQ: I had barbies galore…and my mom would make the Barbie clothes for all my dolls…so I would also dress them, style them…again it was a natural process for me….the creative process of design was already presented to me, through my mother’s support and her creative environment she gave me when I was young.

BKO: What kind of dresses did you like to wear and what dresses, clothes do you like to wear now?
CQ: I loved wearing fabric with prints….prints that were bold and colorful. Possibly because I grew up during the 70’s—pop art time…but the expression of color spoke to me….I needed to have my fabrics either graphically bold or the fabric was textured in some form….the fabric had to be unusual. The silhoutette of the dress was a simple cut…and very feminine…I would love
To wear my dresses with a purse, the right shoes and gloves….very 1950’s… I never liked wearing pants very much, Dresses were my favorite way of dressing.

BKO: Did you dream as a child to wear a dress that you are designing now? What kind of icons did you have as a child, teenager?
CQ: When I was young, I lived in the moment…not ever thinking I would be a fashion designer…it was just a fun creative project. I realized when this was something I really would love to do for the future…is when I was in college finishing my final exams for a computer science program I was creating. I realized then and there…that my path in life is to create clothes… Not computer programs—I need to work with the human body…and need to work with people….I loved creating shapes and beautiful dresses on me
And on others. This was my awakening!!!

BKO: Which are the projects – dresses that you think make your work stand out?
CQ: When I can create freely…my Papillion Butterfly gown- of 100 origami butterflies and also the Mermaid Gown—which was inspired by Calatrava Santiago A rchitect. This represents my feminine style and architectural cut. With a mix of my colors….

BKO: Your dresses remind me of Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Eva Gonzales, Marie Bracquemond (the exhibition of Woman impressionists) paintings. They are representing something very romantic, very feminine, with a lot of nostalgia of old – world couture. Who among interior designers, architects or artist past or present have most influenced your design work?
CQ: Thank you for your compliment on Impressionists Painters…I’m honored if you think my work is like this… Passionate architects and painters and sculptors inspire me….like IM Pei, Santiago Calatrava, Monet, Van Gogh, Rodin, Degas.. Also my travels last year was truly an inspiration…I explored the fashion of the minority ethnic groups in China- Miao and Buyi villages….

BKO: How about among fashion designers?
CQ: Among Fashion Designers I love Christian Lacroix….he stirs something magical in me.

BKO: Do you see any good new, young fashion designers in San Francisco?
CQ: I do see potentially some amazing designers in San Francisco…they are coming out of graduating from the fashion schools here. Not one specific…but I do see their potential…if only they could stay here and create a business here.

BKO: What do you think about the people in San Francisco – how are they dressed?
CQ: I think the people in San Francisco are very individualistic…unique and bohemian. They are not into trend. They like to create their own style.

BKO: You were working so hard in the fashion industry (Eileen West, Wilkes Bashford, Bugi Bugi, Brian Fedorow, Karen Alexander, Sue Siegel, and the Gap) for ten years – what do you most remember about these years?
CQ: I remembered to be humble, that this is a business and it’s important to work as a team—Every action you take has meaning and purpose to the companies growth as well it can apply to my future growth in my own business.

BKO: What’s your opinion about the fashion industry today? How about when you have a look at typical clothes from a large fashion designer today; what are your thoughts about design?
CQ: There is too much Fashion abundance in the industry today. I feel that we need to Reverse directions and start small entrepreneurs designer businesses… Handmade and unique is needed in the market. Individual fashion designers need to express and sell their work….and to be supported by locals.

BKO: With a desire to study the body in more detail and do custom design work, you decided to pursue a masters in French couture. What do you most remember about the two years with Simone Sethna?
CQ: I remembered with studying Simmone, perfection in design, proportion, fit, sewing and fabric. Every step and process in design is an art process…and must be honored. You need all the elements to make it a perfect design, if one is are is lacked…the design is not the best. Strive always for the finest work.

BKO: Did you design any dresses for your mother or for Simone Sethna?
CQ: I have designed a few dresses for my mother…it was so special to be able to create something special for her…something that she has always done for me when I was young. It was nice to be able to return this beautiful gift back to her.

BKO: Patterns. Flowers. Georgia O’Keeffe. Do you have a garden full of flowers? Which are the flowers that you like the most?
CQ: I use to have garden full of cala lilies and roses at my house in the sunset, since I have moved into a firehouse…the city life has taken over…and Flower Bouquets of French White Lilies are in my house all the time…the aroma is magical and mesmerizing…and the lilies inspire me in my design room. I also have a large trellis in front of the brick firehouse…the height of two floors with orange trumpet flowers covering my entire atelier. This is my garden…It’s quite magical when the orange flowers drop on the ground…and create a beautiful carpet of flowers so graciously adorning my sidewalk….as I step out of my atelier to greet my customers.

BKO: International fashion and film celebrities such as Tyra Banks, Paris Hilton and Bai Ling are your clients. Do you need much more time to make a dress for a famous person? How much are you limited and how much freedom in design do you have?
CQ: Freedom in design is good…They have chosen designs that already exist in my collection, or I also, will create a few designs for them to select from. The time
Is intense and the focus of making sure it fits properly for their event. But I must say it’s been a pleasure and an experience to work with them.

BKO: A lot of silk satins or creamy chiffons … Which are your preferred colors, materials, and fabrics; and which don’t you like to use at all? Where do you get all these beautiful fabrics?
CQ: Silks are what I always use, it brings out the most vibrant colors…I love work – with colors…especially fuschias, reds, oranges and certain blues….the colors must speak to the heart…I like using structural fabrics and translucent fabrics… It’s a nice composition to use them both to design. A good balance and harmony.

BKO: Can you describe your work day?
CQ: Early morning at 7:00a.m. mediation, 8:00a.m. working with my Seamstress on the deadlines for that day…9:00a.m. return phone calls from clients and email questions. 10:00a.m. order fabrics for clients 11:00a.m. prepare fittings for my clients in the afternoon. 12:00noon lunch, 1:00p.m. meet with my clients for fittings 3:00p.m. Create or update a pattern correction for a client 4:00p.m. sending off federal express mail to clients or sketches, 5:00p.m. Design and have a cup of tea and light a candle 6:00p.m. I stop to do some of my Tai Chi 7:00p.m. dinner 8:00p.m.review the day, and what is planned next day deadlines 9:00p.m. create a concept for a client. 10:00p.m. meditation 11:00p.m. Sleep. Of course this is a casual day with only a few deadlines….it changes when I have a fashion show to plan or in preparation for a photo shoot….but everyday changes…That’s why it’s so exciting…my business.. the challenge is finding peace and enjoyment throughout the entire time of responsibilities and deadlines for your clients. Zen way.

BKO: Do you have some special rituals when you design? Do you like listening music when you work? And what kind of music do you like?
CQ: Rituals, yes…I meditate the night before for 2 hours….I say a prayer in the
Morning for abundance in creativity…and I make sure the day is quiet and peaceful. Or…I take myself to nature- like to a park and I start designing so Naturally. I feel so at one with nature when I create. It empowers me.

BKO: How many people are working on one project and how much time does it take to make a good collection, good dress? Is it difficult to get a good assistant, dressmakers?
CQ: I work on about 20 clients in 3 month period…each client takes roughly 40 to 80 hours time….so I work on all clients at all times. It is extremely hard to find good seamstresses…the perfection of sewing is an art…but when you find the
right seamstress she is worth gold to me and my business. I enjoy having internships and assistants…but it’s hard for me to teach them and nurture them when business needs to be done…but I try my best to have one with me and sometimes more than 5…to help me on a collection. It’s wonderful young energy and they have wonderful creative ideas…I love it!!!

BKO: Could you briefly describe the projects at which you are working on presently? In the theatre? With Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet Company?

CQ: I am working on costumes for Alonzo King Lines Ballet…it’s wonderful to work with Robert Rossenwasser and Alonzo King…to work with the dancers in motion. Everyone are artists…and so artists understand each other…it’s quite magical… Especially when we see the dancers wearing our costumes in the performance… I’m just honored to be a part of them, a part of the experience in
Art…spontaneous art/dance. You can never duplicate that movement or feeling…it’s constant living in the present moment…I savor each performance I had a chance to contribute my costumes to their company.

BKO: If you had no limits and no laws what kind a dress would you like to design? Or who will be the person, the project, the theatre, the performance, the movie that you would like to dress?
CQ: Well, I will be experiencing this no limit , no law collection soon. I’m creating a new collection for Paris….it will be the most ultimate work I will have ever expressed…I want to have this feeling of freedom…I want to debut this to France, Paris…it will happen July 2009. There will be a strong message visually to the world…at least it will be a message I give to myself and to everyone silently…

BKO: You’ve named your dresses very romantic – which is your best fairy tale, book and movie?
CQ: Romantic…because when I design…my life is full of love, my spirit is full of Love…I’m not sure if I have a favorite book…but maybe my life is the book or movie…and my life in my clothes I create is my diary I experience and want to share with everyone.

BKO: Do you still skate, dance a lot to relax? Do you have any other hobbies?
CQ: I don’t skate anymore…but I have been studying Tai Chi…in different forms of Martial arts…this keeps me steady in the mind. It keeps me peaceful, mindful. And complete inside.

BKO: Which book do you have on your nightstand?
CQ: Opening Doors within, by Eileen Caddy…profound book to inspire anyone’s life.

BKO: Do you like shopping or you can create everything for yourself? Where do you like to go for a shopping?
CQ: I only shop for emergencies…but I do love to make my own clothes…it has more meaning to me…I feel like it’s having a homecooked meal…it’s soulful.

BKO: Are they any special things that you prefer to buy?
CQ: I prefer to buy shoes…of course shoes are a work of art…like sculpture…I do love hats, too! And shopping for organic fresh food from the farmers market!!

BKO: What are the parallels between the design of your husband and your fashion design? Do you always agree about an art work such as a new design, new building, new artist show? Do you have any future projects together?
CQ: My husband’s designs are so ultra modern…his mind works so brilliantly…he fascinates me and pushes me to think beyond in an industrial way…masculine way…architectural way…he brings a wonderful inspiration to my life…and reminds me to think both yin and yang in my designs. We work and think alike.. We have the same attraction to design, art, paintings…colors…we see the same
Things…and we get excited by the design…it fulfills us to have our minds so in sync…we don’t have to talk much…we work 24 hours a day together, of course in separate businesses…but we do compliment and challenge each other in design. He is a great design partner to me.

BKO: You like to travel and I’ve read that you like to spend some time in Nepenthe. What do you think about America’s contemporary architecture? What are the places that inspire you? Which are the towns, cites that you like?
CQ: I love traveling…I love exploring hidden remote areas…I recently was asked to travel the remote area of Guizhou in the minority ethnic villages of the Bouyei and Miao villages in China….they still hold true their tradition for 2000 years. I narrated this experience with another designer and this PBS Documentary will be unveiled next year, it’s called “Interpreting Ancient Fashion” This experience has changed my life in such an inspiring way. This has also helped me to be in touch with my motherland. I studied their art of embroidery, batiking, dance music and lifestyle….I like to learn old culture and bring my designs into a mix of both old and new….honoring the old culture and celebrating the new life.

BKO: Where do you see the people that are dressed different?
CQ: People are truly dressed differently in the tribal areas all over the world. They are timeless and so rooted in their fashion. It also has meaning and value.

BKO: What do you think about Europe’s fashion designs? And about America’s fashion design? Do you prefer French or Italian fashion?
CQ: I love European fashion designers…they have a wonderful expression and artistry they have mastered in fashion. I love how they honor fashion as art, too! They are inspiring to my life. American Fashion Designers, like me….I respect each designers path they take… I don’t agree that you must follow the same path in order to be successful as a Designer… I prefer French Designers. I respect and honor there mastery/perfection in Fashion and Craftsmanship.

BKO: What are the most important design trends affecting the next generation of clothes?
CQ: Trends for the next generation…I’m hoping it’s not a trend, but will be a given… To help promote and use sustaninable fabric….to help our earth, to protect our Earth…especially if mass production in clothing is involved. At least be aware of the consequences and positive ways that this can help our world…as we dress the world. It should be a conscious and sensitive responsibility in
Designers…

BKO: Are you going to design other things in the future?
CQ: My Paris debut 2009.

BKO: What would you say to anyone who aspires to be a fashion designer today?
CQ: Yes…fashion is an amazing way to express your creations…especially on people…so intimate, so personal…and so empowering to give your art to the world like this.

BKO: Do you have any short advice, philosophy what should a woman wear to feel happy and confident?
CQ: A woman should find herself with contentment and happiness on her own… Without materialism….through spirituality, through the inner connection in herself—faith and love within herself.. She must honor herself. Then can she find herself through clothes…because the clothes she gravitates to will speak to her…and it will be meant for only her style.