Get to know: Danielle Elsener
What is your hometown? Where else have you lived?
I currently live in East Northport, N.Y. but I moved around a lot when I was younger because my dad was in the military. I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, then lived in Ohio, California, and finally New York before coming to Savannah. After graduation I will be moving up to Boston.
How much professional experience do you have in fashion or anything else related to the field?
I have had five internships over the past four years, all in New York City. I have worked for Ralph Lauren, Antonio Azzuolo, Donna Degnan, Edun, and HONOR. They have been a mix of mens- and womenswear.
When did you decide to pursue a career in fashion?
I first began sewing when I was 11 at a quilting retreat I attended with my aunt and dad. I received one sewing lesson for Christmas that year and ever since then I just kept going! I hated waiting to go to the store to buy patterns, so I would always try to make up my own with the scraps of paper and fabric I had around me. Fortunately, my high school had three fashion classes where I was able to expand my knowledge immensely and participate in a number of student fashion shows and competitions. For me it was never really a choice to go into fashion design, it was always something that I knew I was going to do.
What inspires you creatively? Professionally?
My largest source of inspiration is problem solving. I do not enjoy designing just for the sake of design, but would rather focus on either fixing a problem in the fashion industry or starting a new process of design. I am a zero-waste designer, meaning every inch of the fabric is used in the creation of a garment. Manipulating patterns so that they come together to make a wearable garment while maintaining the zero-waste principle is one of the most exciting things I have ever done. It keeps my creativity flowing because I am constantly troubleshooting and improving my patterns. I get lots of inspiration from other zero-waste/forward-thinking sustainable designers. Timo Rissanen and Julian Roberts are two very different sides of zero-waste processes and creative pattern making who I look up to immensely.
What are some of the most pressing issues facing today’s fashion designers? Models? Accessory designers?
The most pressing issue is trying to resolve the immense amount of waste the fashion industry is producing. Sustainability has become a huge market in the fashion world, but simply using organic fabrics and fair trade friendly products is not as far as we can go. Creating garments that have literally no scraps to throw into a landfill is the next stage in the process of making our industry a bit more earth friendly.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Five years from now is still a mystery. I plan on starting my own brand when the time is right, however I need as much industry experience as I can get before starting this endeavor. I believe I am creating a product that customers really want, that the industry really needs. It is only a matter of time before I have the resources and knowledge to make it publicly available.
Do you have any advice for future SCAD fashion designers or those who are preparing to enter the industry?
My best piece of advise to future SCAD fashion designers is to really love what you do and know what you want. That combination is unstoppable in such a creative, collaborative environment with amazing resources at your disposal.
How would you categorize your aesthetic?
My aesthetic would probably be considered dark, voluminous, and full of movement. My pieces are all very three dimensional and look their best when on an active man.
Who would be your dream designer to work alongside?
My dream designer to work alongside would have to be either Boris Bidjan Saberi or Issey Miyake. Saberi is my favorite designer whose work I have followed for years. His collections are so incredibly beautiful and he has created a niche lifestyle brand with an ever broadening following. Miyake has always inspired me with his experimentation and inventive techniques. Working alongside him would be an amazing experience — getting an insight into that amazing mind.
When you think about the future of fashion, what do you see?
I really see the menswear market opening up to new styles of design in the near future. Menswear has been kind of at a standstill for the past number of years and I can see it opening itself up to new ideas in the not too distant future.
