As they say… The way to success is long and winding but Joshua Sanders knows how to run fast especially if he wears one of his capsule collection’s models at his foot…
Twenty-seven years. New Yorker by birth, Italian by adoption, world citizen for passion. Joshua has decided not to wait, to take over the reins of his destiny and chase, grab his dreams.
For the 2013-14 F/W he creates a classic and still modern shoes and baseball hats line where the authentically made in Italy handmade tradition meets the street-cultures made in NYC. Using his own words, a collection of Street Couture that becomes business card and formidable starting point for the launch of the brand that bears his name… GO GO GO Jushua!
Fucking Young! – Hello Joshua! You was born and grew in the Big Apple. Your father had an antique shop in Brooklyn and he taught you the value of discovery. In the today’s fashion world, how important is the “discovery” without which no innovation is possible?
Joshua Sanders – The value of discovery is the most important thing that a designer but also a common person should have. That’s the reason why I travel so often and I can discover some interesting details even on the street while looking people walking around. My dad taught me that from an old furniture you can have a piece of future.
FY! – You attended the Parsons School of Design, known to most people thanks to the program Project Runway hosted by Heidi Klum. What do you maintain about that experience? How much has it helped to make you the designers you are now?
JS – For sure that school taught me a lot. I know very well Project Runway and this is the example showing that in US young designer can have an opportunity. In Europe it’s more difficult, you attend the school then you need to work for free for 10 years in order to learn and when you are 35 or 40 someone can start to believe in you.
FY! – Then you decided to move to Paris, the Fashion Capital, where you became a consultant for brands such as Isabel Marant. Why this choice?
JS – Paris is a dream for a lot of designers. And Isabel is not a classic brand, there is a team inside and to be a consultant without cutting my freedom was a really good experience.
FY! – You are young, really young, anyway this year you’ve decided to launch your own shoes and hats’ capsule collection… What prompted you to jump into this adventure? Which the difficulties you faced?
JS – Well, every designer wants to have his own personal label. But I didn’t want to have a collection just for few people, I want to have a collection with the right mix of cool hunting, personal view and comfy look. Of course I was focused in having a good commercial team so I believe that the right mix of design and sales strategy gave to the brand good image and power with customers.
FY! – You wanted to give shape and life to the modern concept of Street Couture. Fancy baseball hats matched with luxury shoes all made in Italy where classic meets modern style. Do you want to talk about?
JS – Sure! My view: blue suit, t-shirt and then, my shoes and snapback. What else? You are elegant and sporty at the same time.
FY! – As we have pointed out, the streets, those of New York (that have given birth to the so-called streetwear), are an inexhaustible inspiration source for you. How important is and what does this city represent for both Joshua the designer and Joshua the man?
JS – For Joshua the designer all the NYC details provide a lot of inspiration and also memories: from the old coffee shop to the lonely streets. I like walking during the night and watching around hearing the NY street sound. Meatpacking, Soho and recently Harlem are the areas I like the most. For Joshua the man, NY is family, friend and the beginning of a dream.
FY! – With some adjective… How would you define your style?
JS – Eclectic, selfish, sophisticated.
FY! – Since the beginning your garments have been catching Eastern buyers’ attention… For an emerging designer like you, how important is to find evidence in an even emerging market and what are the differences between East and West?
JS – Asia is the future. I would like to live there as well. All the Asian buyers told me that I have Asian mind with a western hand. Perfect description! There are a lot of differences but the main one is that Asian people do not care about the name you have, they care about product and quality. In the western market all the buyers look for something that the Vip wear. This is not the way. I hope they will change their mind learning from the East.
FY! – The item or accessory that must not miss in your wardrobe…
JS – Blue cachemire sweather round neck for the item, White sneakers for the accessory. And a nice man’s suit to dress with elegance.
FY! – Who is Joshua Sanders’ ideal customer?
JS – A person who is happy to go shopping, better in store than online, stop watching the window display and say: those shoes are awesome! Let’s buy them! So he doesn’t care about the brand.
FY! – Being young and avant-garde you have immediately understood the importance of the new interactive-media (website, social networks, e-commerce, online magazine) which are useful, if not necessary, to promote and revamp a brand. In your opinion, how will this influence the fashion world in the coming years? How will the brands’ way to do “communication” change?
JS – The communication is changing so you must be SOCIAL. Everything happens in a very short time. And you must be ready to represent you and your brand in that short period otherwise you will be too old if you post it too late. And influencers are important but pay attention: not all the people can be influencer, just the one you feel close to you and your style. Regarding the online store, we are opening it even if I prefer buying directly in the shop. But considering that we cannot have shops all over the world, if someone wants to buy our collection, can do it online. This is the power of internet.
FY! – A book. A song. A color.
JS – Book: Un Garçon parfait – Alain Claude Sulzer.
Song: Father & Friend – Alain Clark.
Color: Blue navy (last year was black).
FY! – Future projects?
JS – Increase my new collection with a capsule of bags and to realize a co-branding with some friends that are photographers.
Thank you so much!
