Raven Denim's Designer: Yael Torbati
Yael Torbati, Creative Director of Raven Denim- An Exclusive Fashion Funhouse Emporium Interview.
By Amber Stolec
I believe it was the poet Q-Tip of a Tribe Called Quest who said "The booty. If you is a crook then you takin' it. The booty, if you got one, then you shakin' it."
When it comes to shopping for the right pair of jeans, the experience can be overwhelming.
Raven Denim's creative director Yael Torbati makes that decision easy. Her styles are chic, tailored and most importantly, her denim is about the betterment of booties everywhere. And isn't that what we all want?
Why denim?
Denim is amazing to work with because it's so incredibly versatile. It's one of the few fabrics that you can really manipulate in the wash process so it makes for a wide range of looks. I can take one denim fabric and wash it three different ways and you would never know that its the same fabric. Plus, denim just rules- its cool, comfortable, & sexy. If you make it right, then your butt will look better! So the final answer: denim for the sake of improved butts all over the world!
How did you get started in denim design?
I actually didn't seek it out. I fell into it. One of my earlier positions was at American Eagle Outfitters and they separate all of the designers into different categories. Pants & Denim used to be in one category and they hired me to work with another designer on it. Their denim business started growing and soon the category was too big and it needed its own focus. So they decided that I should only work on the denim. That's when I really learned the technicalities of denim & fell in love with the fabric.
What is different about designing a denim collection as opposed to a line of Ready to Wear?
Ready to wear is very season based meaning you design per season and the next season you start completely a new. You can be as schizophrenic as you want in you design theme from season to season. Denim, to some degree, is season-less meaning it builds on itself. Styles that are successful can carry over for several seasons or even years. You still need to take the successful bodies and offer them in new ways (like new denim qualities/washes) to build on the offering for your "core" or basic denim line. Of course, since Raven has a big fashion element and is not just about basic jeans, I get to play with a lot of different fashion ideas from one season to the next. I'm lucky in the way that I get to somewhat change my tune from season to season and experiment with new ideas that may not be necessarily of the denim market.
What is different about your denim?
It makes your butt look great! Seriously, it does...but besides that I like to think that
Raven stands out because it has a unique tailored aesthetic. It's not about bells and whistles but about subtle, unique details that still evoke a classic sophisticated feel. The fabrics are all incredibly soft and comfortable and the washes are either clean or very vintage-like but done in a natural way that looks authentic. Also, with the tailored philosophy,
Raven offers jeans that are very "un-jean" like which I think makes us different altogether from other denim lines.
When you think of an iconic denim image, what comes to mind and why?
I think of Marlon Brando & James Dean circa 1950's movie imagery. Images from movies like
The Wild One and
Rebel Without a Cause. I guess this comes to mind because it was denims "golden age" and I think the craze for denim really spread with the help of these characters rebellious wardrobes. Plus, they just looked bad-ass in their jeans!
Describe a typical work day for you.
It depends on the day and the point I am at in the season so each day will incorporate lots of emails/correspondence to take care of in the mornings, eat chocolate, create design packs to give to the pattern maker for new styles, conduct fittings, fabric appointments, eat more chocolate, work on new wash ideas or approve washes, labdips, sketch, eat more chocolate, research the web for vintage inspiration, sales meetings, production meetings, public relations meetings, a little more chocolate!
How do you style your own denim? What shoes, accessories etc. What is your style?
I like to mix it up so it really depends on how I feel that day. I tend to mix in vintage pieces with super classics to give them a twist. For example a vintage secretary blouse with a simple J. Crew cashmere cardigan. I have a lot of vintage shoes and I guess I have a thing for wooden heels/clogs etc. I love socks so I like for them to peak out unexpectedly for a pop of interest and really be a part of an outfit and I love unexpected color combos.
You have a day off. What do you do?
I wake up extra late, have an amazing brunch, take our wiener dog on a hike, do a little vintage shopping, go to a Korean spa and get a scrub & massage, meet my boyfriend for a delicious dinner, finish the night off with a major karaoke session & some beards papa for dessert!
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Credits: Be Cool! Please do not re-post or republish any portion of this copyrighted interview or photos without crediting and linking back to the author, Amber Stolec, the website, Fashion Funhouse Emporium, and the photos to Raven Denim. A special thank you to Dennis and Yael.
