Q: Do you open the door up to take custom orders for the public, or only celebrities?
To-Tam: When it comes to custom, we work around each customer’ s specific wants and needs. We open the door up to anyone who wants an original and unique gown custom made for them. We try to communicate with our customers, taking into account their personal monetary concerns.
Q: Where do you source your material? Where is production for the line?
To-Nya: Everything is made here, it used to be made in New York, but now it’ s here in Los Angeles. We really want to emphasise that we are proud to keep our production here in the United States. We believe in being hands on, and also helping the economy of the country. We feel it’ s important to keep a higher standard of quality, and also you want to plant seeds in where you are. We are living here, we want to use the resources here and create jobs here. We want to help the economy get back to where it once was.
Shortly after we conducted our interview, To-Tam and To-Nya escorted us through their production headquarters, showing us the design studio, walking us through the production room, and taking the time to share with us the process they go through, from concept to fabrication and production--over and over again, so that each season the public, myself included, are continually and pleasantly surprised. It was so interesting to get a glimpse and to really see how they’ ve organized and worked together to build an empire.
It became clear, to not only myself but hopefully to others as well once they’ ve read this, that these two women aren’ t just simply designing and constructing beautiful clothing. That they are here on a mission to not only achieve their dreams and I must say, that they have, but to help people in a variety of ways. Their backgrounds both rich in creativity and business have enabled them to become a driving force within the fashion industry.
Moving their headquarters to Los Angeles not only has helped them to expand their production but it has also proven once again that the fashion industry is shifting. That there is room for both coasts, and perhaps one day other designers, like the Sachika Twins, who dreamed of showing in New York, will have the same dream, but envision showing their collection right here in Los Angeles. Adding further proof that it pays to be‘ Made In LA.’
-Dana Elizabeth