We’re going into the NYOTA archives to find some of our favorite interviews that weren’t originally shared on the site.
Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of Kenmark
Writer Gemma Styles can now add sunglasses designer to her resume with the launch of her second collection with Kenmark. Inspired by the ’70s and one of Styles’ oldies playlists, the collection’s classic look makes the sunglasses wearable for any point in time. Styles chatted with us about the importance of sustainability in fashion and the creative process behind working on the collection.
How influential has fashion been in your life?
I’ve never really considered myself a ‘fashionable’ person, but I am very particular about what I like and don’t like. My mum thinks I’m pretty hard to buy for because she’ll see something and feel sure I’ll be into it, but small details can really throw me off! I think a person’s clothing can say a lot about them, and all the better when you focus on what you want and not what’s ‘in’ that month. I think I dress reasonably modestly and don’t like to be too exposed, which matches parts of my personality pretty well!
This is your second collaboration with Kenmark. What about the brand makes you want to keep working with them?
I’ve had such a positive experience working with Kenmark. This partnership is the first time I ever worked with a brand to create products, and the reason I felt comfortable in doing so is because I know we align in our vision for what our collaboration should be. I’m fully involved in the entire process of creating the sunglasses as well as all of the extra details that go along with them. I take mood boards, color palettes, and some thoroughly untrained doodles, and their amazing design team turns them into the technical drawings and specifications we need! We go back and forth constantly with ideas and things we’d like to achieve within the collection. It’s a really open working relationship that I feel very lucky to enjoy.
What was the inspiration behind the sunglasses look and design for this collection?
There were various things that came together and gave this collection a distinctly ’70s feel. Following on from the first set which were named after songs from a favourite oldies playlist of mine, I knew I wanted to continue that and so in the back of my mind there was always a tinge of the past coming through. In addition, The Young Ones style was inspired by a picture of my grandmother at the beach in the early ’70s, so it was a perfect storm of retro inspiration. I was also thinking about making the styles wearable year-round, which I think comes through especially in the color selection. There are plenty of core, staple shades that would work equally well with a hat and scarf come autumn and winter. I want people to get the most out of their sunglasses.
You prioritized sustainability with this collection and selected an energy conscious factory. Do you hope to see more brands focus on sustainability when it comes to the creation of their products?
As a consumer, I would love to see more brands move towards more sustainable options. Like a lot of people these days, I try to be conscious of what I’m purchasing (as well as aiming to buy less to begin with), but there are various barriers to purchasing sustainable brands, from high prices to non-inclusive sizing or even geographical access. I’d like us to get to a place where everyone is considering their options and the forward implications of their products as a normal part of product development, not only those people who are explicitly marketing an ‘eco’ brand.
Another cool component of the collection is that the sunglasses case can be converted into a jewelry box. How much say did you have in small but fun details such as these when it came to the collection?
A lot! I wouldn’t be comfortable putting out a product and not being involved in the decision making. In this particular instance, I was researching and I knew that I wanted to give as many options as possible for the case to have a second use to extend its life. When I thought about using it to store other objects I realised it would be super annoying to open it and have it tip backwards, messing up all your things. I take ideas and thoughts like this to Kenmark and they’re really open to making things happen in the way I envision wherever possible, so we created a custom shape that will sit flat on a surface when open. It’s a small detail, but I love when people notice those things!
Someone’s sunglasses style can say a lot about them. Is there a certain pair from the collection that you like the most?
That’s a tricky one… I might have to say Seven Wonders in Chestnut. Seven Wonders is a shape that we brought forward from the previous collection as it’s been an absolute favourite of mine and I love the new colors so much. I think the Chestnut color is the most reflective of my personal style. They’re classic but with interesting details – feminine but not super girly. I’d say that’s a fair summation of things I like to wear.
There have been different phases of reopening throughout the world, but for the most part everyone has been or is still in quarantine. What have you been doing to keep your creative juices flowing during this time?
I’ve actually been really grateful for working on this collection during the lockdown period! There have been challenges, of course. For example, we did the shoot under all the restrictions. It was all outdoors from a safe distance with only me, Georgia the photographer, and Millie (my manager) helping make sure we got all the shots we needed! I did my own hair and makeup to avoid any close contact with anyone, which I was nervous about but ended up really liking since the images look like what I see in the mirror and not a professionally done up version of me! I’ve definitely been through phases of feeling happy and productive as well as totally blank and unmotivated during quarantine. I’ve given myself room to accept the less useful phases, which has been so much better for me mentally. We’re collectively going through a very strange period and giving ourselves a hard time for our feelings isn’t fair. We have to be kind to ourselves and care as we would for a friend.
Our September issue is our ‘Girl Boss’ issue. What does being a Girl Boss mean to you?
I would love it if we had no call for the phrase ‘Girl Boss’. When we’re transitioning from a long, long period of time where people would say the word “boss” and picture a man, I think being a Girl Boss means presenting yourself outwardly and proudly as an autonomous woman who has faith in her own vision, which can still be a radical action. For all the women who come after us… I hope they won’t need it.
This story first ran in Issue 21. Read more from the issue here.
