Voltage Designer Spotlight: Frances Zerr

by Tara Sloane

When Fargo native Frances Zerr broke into the Twin Cities fashion scene, we were (and still are!) completely twitterpated with her wearable design aesthetic, responsible for clean, multi-seasonal wares that both challenge fashion’s innate disposability and epitomize what it means to look effortless. The Voltage veteran and Parsons The New School design grad recently launched an online store at FrancesZerr.com, where you can find pieces from last fall’s gorgeously tailored, 100% organic line, titled ANNA. For this year’s Voltage collection, Zerr is re-tackling basics with an unexpected twist: workwear meets activewear (think high-waisted microshorts and a matching sports bra). We can’t think of a more perfect fashion fusion for gals on the go.

We talked with Frances this week about sustainable shopping, how she’s shaking up basics for her Voltage line, and why she can’t stop watching Lykke Li’s new music video.

l’etoile: Your Voltage collection mixes classic workwear pieces like trench coats, blazers and pencil skirts with activewear. What inspired such an adventurous juxtaposition?

Frances: I saw a spread in a Danish fashion magazine and loved the play between the two polar opposite groups of basics. It gives me an excuse to make what I love and show it in a more surprising way. I also saw it as a challenge. It is pretty different for me in a lot of ways. It’s more urban, less safe, less clean, but I hope that it gives a new element to my work.

photo by Charlie Ward

l’etoile: Your design philosophy is largely centered on creating “sustainable” fashion – pieces that can be worn over and over again and that won’t go “out of style.” What are some of your biggest challenges in doing so? Do you think the fashion world is moving in the direction of sustainability?

Frances: I think the biggest challenge is cultivating the market for this philosophy. I don't believe that there is a shopper that wants only sustainable fashion -- but just hope that we all start thinking about the impact that consumerism has on the world. I shop as much (or more) as the next girl, and almost nothing in my closet is organic besides my own pieces. It isn't realistic to think that there is a girl that even seeks to be like that. I just want us all, including myself, to think a little bit more carefully about what we buy and where it is from, where it will go when we are done wearing it. Or can we wear it again and again and again? I hope so. Those are always the best pieces. I am making a product, and I want to do it in the best way possible.

photo by Wynona Grey of the Minneapolis Affair

l’etoile: From delineation and conception to construction and completed collection, do you find that your design inspiration is an external process, or something more instinctive? What is your typical method for bringing a concept from inception to a blossomed full collection?

Frances: For me it is very technical. I see the trends and I decide what I think the key pieces of the season are. Then I try to relate them to my life and wardrobe. The collections form around those pieces. That's why this collection is a risk for me personally. I gave it a theme: "sports." It isn't defined by me and my simplicity -- it is me, applied.

Photo by Stacy Schwartz

l’etoile: Now in its seventh year, Voltage Fashion Amplified has only intensified in popularity and local talent. To what do you attribute Voltage's success and why do you think it continues to gain momentum?

Frances: Voltage is great because it brings together so many talented people. Talent attracts talent. I'm absolutely not talking solely about designers, but photographers, stylists, PR people, project managers, models, bands, graphic designers, everyone. Voltage is a celebration of all of these people. Who wouldn't want to be a part of that?

Photo by Stephen Stephens

l’etoile: If you could design a collection for any band - past or present - who would it be and why?

Frances: Probably Lykke Li. I think I might just like her new video for "I Follow Rivers" too much, though. I mean, chasing your lover across a beach in head to toe black chiffon? Yes, please.

Voltage: Fashion Amplified happens this Friday, April 15th at First Avenue. For more info and tickets visit www.voltagefashionamplified.com.

For more info on Frances Zerr visit www.franceszerr.com

Voltage Designer Spotlight: Frances Zerr

By Juleana Enright

A fresh face in the Twin Cities design scene, Fargo-born designer, Frances Zerr, received her bachelor’s in art history before moving on to study among the innovative design mentors at NY’s Parsons the New School for Design. We got our first taste of her design flavor at last fall’s La Nouvelle Femme, where she revealed a striking line of garments full of angles, texture and fashion-forward creativity. With a wearable-to-the-death design aesthetic and a nod to the on-the-go woman, Zerr’s line challenges the concept of sustainability vs. fashion. Her design aesthetic calls to mind a '40s approach where the shopper’s emphasis is on purchasing long-term classic pieces not splurging on trendy forgettables. For her Voltage ‘10 collection, prepare to see a confident runway show of clean lines, natural fabrics and impeccable hand craftsmanship.

Frances graciously answered a few of our pressing questions this week...

Photo by Stephanie Colgan

l'étoile: Your designs incorporate a classic “wearable-to-the-death” aesthetic sensibility. Do you have pieces in your personal wardrobe that have been “worn-to-death?"

Frances: Absolutely. I dress myself day-to-day with a sort of "uniform" mentality. Classic button-ups in chambray and white cotton paired with skinny jeans is my go-to outfit for days when I need to get work done without any fuss. A well-cut item stands the test of time and always feels relevant.

l'étoile: What are your thoughts on construction quality vs. trendiness? Do you think it's possible to have both?

Frances: I think that is possible to have both. The key is to find a balance between trend and quality within a single item or outfit. I personally will pay more for an item that I know will get me through a couple of seasons because the trendiness is toned down and the quality stands out. In my own work, I try to figure out how to make a trend really wearable, to give it a cut or a fabric choice that will make it feel more timeless.

Photo by Stacy Schwartz / Voltage 2010 Media & Buyer's preview

l'étoile: In one of the shots from the Voltage Spring Preview show, your model sports an updated take on overalls. What was this look inspired by specifically, and how challenging is it to take a concept inspired by perhaps workwear or vintage and take a fresh spin on it?

Frances: The overalls, as well as much of the rest of my Spring/Summer 2010 collection, were strongly influenced by workwear. It is a constant challenge to adapt classic styles into fashion that feels modern and relevant. My favorite results come from uncomplicating these items, using wearable colors and fabrics and – most importantly – developing a modern fit.

l'étoile: If your Voltage collection was the love child of two designers, who would they be?

Frances: I love APC for their incredibly wearable and well-made collections. The first time I walked into an APC boutique, I walked around the store two or three times examining every piece as if it was an unearthed gem that I had been looking for for a long time without realizing it. On the other hand, I love a lot of young American labels. Philip Lim is a definite influence. He brings such a fine-tuned coolness to his clothes. It’s quirky and smart, but so so cool.

Photo by Charlie Ward/Nouvelle Femme Show 2009

l'étoile: What advice do you have for up-and-coming local designers to advance in the fashion community and get noticed?

Frances: Studio work is very isolating; the only way to get your work out there is to get out there yourself. Always try to represent your work through yourself within your community. Be appreciative and supportive of fellow creatives. Not everyone will love what you do, but if they notice that you care about your work that is usually enough to gain a little bit of interest, or at least respect.

For more information on Frances Zerr click HERE

For more info on Voltage: Fashion Amplified and to purchase tickets to the April 16th event at First Avenue click HERE