New Orleans’ Fashion Week spotlight…

19th March 2012   ·   0 Comments

By Kelly Parker
Contributing Writer

In March 2011, local up and coming designer Brennan Manuel was just beginning his journey as a force in the New Orleans fashion scene. His Camrich Mann Men’s line was a favorite at the 2011’s Fashion Week New Orleans-landing him a spot as a finalist in the inaugural event. As this year’s events get underway, The Louisiana Weekly caught up with the man behind the men’s clothing, to see how much has changed since he premiered his line just a year ago.

LW: Brennan, after just a year of finishing as a finalist in the city’s first-ever Fashion Week New Orleans, how has life as a designer changed?

BM: Life as a designer has gotten even more complicated. As a start-up designer you are doing everything yourself from start to finish; sketching, pattern making, mock-ups, fittings, sourcing fabric and trims, sewing samples, etc. All of this before you even get to an actual meeting with buyers to take orders and then production to fulfill these orders. But it’s supposed to be hard, just like the barriers to entry in any creative field, because the pay-off is great.

LW: What was the experience like? What did you learn about the business and yourself as a designer?

BM: The experience has been invaluable. I’ve essentially had to work backwards since my first show a year ago and an initial meeting with members of the Saks Fifth Avenue New Orleans management team. I’ve learned that the fashion industry is very much so a business more than anything else. As a designer that has helped me to garner a razor focus in regards to finding the middle ground in presenting something fresh, but also wearable enough to be commercially successful.

LW: For those not familiar, how do you describe your line of clothing?

BM: My clothing is American sportswear with more conviction.

LW: You’ve completed your law degree, along with your accomplishments in fashion. How has your experience in the field of law helped you in the fashion industry?

BM: It will when I have to deal with contractual negotiations in regards to designer collaborations and work for other clients.

LW: How has your line (Camrich Mann) grown or changed, and where can it be found? Can we expect to see women’s wear from your line in the future?

BM: I’m making the transition from Camrich Mann as the line name to using my name…Brennan Manuel. It just makes more sense right now business and brand-wise. I’m currently working on a collaborative series with a new local boutique that we expect to be in stores for the summer months. Initial pieces from the series will be in a Fashion Week New Orleans show. You can expect to see a women’s wear line in the future that will have the same attention to detail that I apply to my menswear.

LW: Last we talked; you discussed the importance of making a mark here in the city. With places like New York and Los Angeles still at the center of the fashion world, do you still plan to establish yourself as a designer here in the Crescent City?

BM:Yes I would love to establish myself here in the Crescent City because New Orleans is one of the most supportive cities in regards to its artists that I have been to.

LW: With a father in the public eye (local noted vocalist Phillip Manuel) how much advice have you been given how to handle success?

BM: Stay humble and above all, trust your instincts.

LW: As another group of designers prepare for the 2012 Fashion Week, what advice would you give to this year’s group?

BM: Be realistic. I don’t mean this in a negative way but like I mentioned fashion is a business and it’s a constant competition to stay relevant. I imagine these designers want to make a career from their work; and that involves compromising, planning, and being creative outside of just designing. And also not trying to do it all; have someone else help you in the areas that you aren’t the strongest. Prominent New Orleans attorney Ike Spears told me this some time ago…”Smart lawyers hire other lawyers.”

The 2012 Fashion Week New Orleans takes place March 21-25 at the Sugar Mill in the warehouse district. For more information on the week’s events, go to fashionweeknola.com. And to check out Camrich Mann, visit the line’s Facebook page.

This article was originally published in the March 19, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper