Interview with Upcoming Designer Boaz

Boaz is a great new fashion line based in NY. I love the rock-inspired pants and jackets and I would definitely say this is the hipster line to watch! You can currently buy some of the pants online at Unsung Designers and hopefully the online store will be up soon!

How did you get into fashion design?

When I was about 15 years old and needed to pick up a major in high school, a good friend of mine one night suggested that I will study fashion design. Even though I always loved dressing and used to fix and play with vintage clothing and make my own clothing, until than I never thought of being a fashion designer. But it actually wasn’t easy, cause when I told my parents about the idea they did not respond to it well, and I ended up studying some kind of major that had to do with computers and electricity. Obviously I hated it, I hated the school I hated the subject and I hated the fact that across the street from my home was the fashion high school packed with beautiful girls and I went to this mostly boys and mostly nerd-y boys school. So I made up my mind that when I’m done with the army service (in Israel where I’m from you have to serve for 3 years after high school) I will go to fashion school and so I did.


Do you have any formal training? Previous experience?

I went to “Shenkar Fashion College” in Tel- Aviv Israel and have a BA in fashion design. I graduated in '95 worked in Israel with some local young designers and did TV and Theater wardrobes for almost 2 years. I came to NY in '96 and since than worked in the contemporary market until I started my line. Some of the designers/lines I worked for are Yigal Azrouel, than for the Raven pant line’s designers in a previous company they had, Alice & Trixie for over 3 years and my last position was with NILI LOTAN.

Your line is described as "rocker chick," and it's obvious that music strongly influences you. What music in particular (bands, styles, songs)?

Growing up in Israel I was mostly exposed to the British culture more than American. So it was more about Siouxsie and the Banshees and the whole period of David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Joy Division, Sex Pistols and their front man John Lydon and Malcolm Mclaren which really is the beginning of Vivienne Westwood's time and than Depeche Mode and so on. These were my teen years and that was when I discovered music and fashion and how great they go together! It was probably more of the idea that I had of what bands look like, think like and what their life style is, and as a teenager there is nothing more compelling than the punk rock era where it’s all about rebellion!

What other designers inspire you?

I don’t really like to follow other designers as much just cause I don’t want to be influenced by them too much. This line is basically my signature and point of view, I try to keep it fresh and not as attached to other trends or looks out there; though I always loved Viviane Westwood and Belgium’s Ann Demeulemeester, maybe cause they as well have their own design signature.

Describe your typical customer.

20-35 city girl, confident in her skin with strong personality, she likes to and knows how to express her self by the way she dresses. She either works in a creative field, surrounded by artists or has a high appreciation for it. She knows how to enjoy her time out in the city and have fun but in the same way goes to work with love and passion. She shops in Barney’s, Fred Siegel and vintage stores to find sophisticated items to help her wardrobe define her personality and remind her that she is young, sexy and full of life no matter where she is and what she does!


What celebrity's style is the embodiment of your line/if you could dress any celeb in your clothes, who would it be?

I would say Kate Moss, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson. I think these girls will probably get the line and will pull it of right. I would love to see Iggy Pop or David Bowie wearing my men’s pants one day!

What's in the future for Boaz?

At this point it’s building recognition for the line, I’m looking into redoing my website. I want to create an environment on my site, almost a community where I can connect with my customers and introduce them to my world, music, art and anything else that I love, enjoy and that is inspire me, and they can feed me and each other with their ideas and things they enjoy. Because I think that this way they will connect to the line more and I believe that those who get this line have something in common with me and with each other, so it will be great to communicate, almost like a big party of people who enjoy similar taste. I’m not sure yet how to go about it and still looking for the write people to help me put this together, so I don’t have a time line for that. Other than that, I currently offering only pants and jackets just cause I wanted to build it up slowly, but I can’t wait for the line to grow and for me to offer more categories such as dresses, tops and eventually Men’s. Since the line is really a reflection of the clothes I made and still making for my self, it will be fun to offer men’s in the future and hopefully in the near future!