A
ndre Todd Thornton is a
fashion designer and founder
of clothing lines Street Mode
and Twenty2. Born and raised
in Newark, New Jersey,
Andre’s entrepreneurial mindset
catapulted him into the position of
CEO within a major clothing line.
Andre considers himself simple and
direct, and it shows in his designs.
Andre’s goal is to give the fashion
world something it’s missing!
Tell us about your newest collection
My newest collection is also my first
signature collection, titled Andre
Todd. It shows show my range as
a designer, whereas the previous
collections were thought to be more
urban. The collection hasn’t been
seen in its entirety as of yet, but
I will be showing more of it in the
next few months throughout the
East Coast fashion weeks and shows.
What does fashion mean to you?
To me, fashion is diversity. For the
person who is all about Street/Urban
wear, their look is just as important
(and as scrutinized) by their peers
as Rihanna walking the red carpet.
Fashion is about a progression – just
because you start somewhere doesn’t
mean that’s where you’ll finish. It’s
also about self-discovery and life.
Fashion is the Streets – don’t let
anyone tell you anything different!
How would you define your
personal style?
In a few words, my personal style is very
broad, all encompassing, but still classic.
In a world full of trends, I remain classic!
You’re from Raleigh, North
Carolina. What’s fashion like
in ‘The City of Oaks’?
In Raleigh, fashion is so behind the
times. The saddest part about that
is that they’re comfortable being
right where they are!
When did you realize you wanted
to become a fashion designer?
My mother modeled in my younger
years, and at that time I wanted to
pursue photography. During my teen
years I fantasized about fashion, and
in my twenties I started making that
fantasy my reality!
What was the first article of
clothing you ever designed?
The first garments I ever designed
were men’s and women’s fleece
sweats. The ladies garments were
made as a mid-drift, and were multi
colored. Oddly enough, I actually still
have a few of them!
Tell us about your design process.
I like to sketch designs and
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Raleigh Fashion
Designer Andre
Todd Thornton
By Jessica O’Hehir
Learn more about Andre Todd Thornton, and his collections, at www.streetmode22.com/.