NEW YORK — Tamsen is turning to friends like Victor Alfaro for a little help.
The Santa Barbara, Calif.-based design duo of Sue Firestone and Mimi Wolfe has tapped the designer as a consultant to its collection, beginning with spring 2006. The collaboration came about when Firestone, a well-known interior designer, as well, met Alfaro at an event about eight months ago. The two hit it off and Firestone would frequently ask Alfaro what he thought of designs for the collection.
“Then, eventually, it evolved into him being our main consultant in the collection and its direction…to take a print-based collection and to really make it a full collection,” she said.
Alfaro, who moved to West Hollywood two years ago, added: “I was attracted by all the art, and so we talked. They showed me what they were doing and it seemed an interesting project to get involved with.”
At Tamsen, he has been charged with guiding the choice of silhouettes, fabrics and the overall design concept. Asked how he can add to the collection, Alfaro said: “I bring my expertise on how to make the right silhouettes, how to construct garments, how to make them sophisticated and retail and press ready. Where they bring inspiration and artwork, I bring the skills on how to make clothes.”
Tamsen is inspired by the paintings of Firestone’s father-in-law, Robert W. Firestone, which she originally used as prints for simple and elegant dresses and sarongs. The collection had wholesale sales of $500,000 last season, and the company is projecting wholesale volume of $1.2 million for the spring collection, for which Alfaro consulted.
Tamsen’s spring collection will be unveiled at the Agent 011 showroom in New York on Wednesday.
Alfaro explained the collection, which was mostly centered on dresses in the beginning, will be more focused on “lifestyle dressing,” with knitwear, T-shirts, casualwear and suits alongside dressy and casual dresses.
This isn’t Alfaro’s first design contribution. He earlier had his own namesake collection, and also designed for Tse. He became a creative director at Wet Seal in 2003, which he left last year.
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“He brings expertise in fit and style … it’s something of the moment,” Firestone said. “His collaboration with us has added a whole new dimension. The variety is just tenfold … it’s a complete collection.”