When it comes to fashion brands and stores, I’m always interested in learning about what goes on behind the scenes. With Gryphon, I was intrigued when I discovered that Aimee Cho, the designer, left her post at Vogue to start this fashion line. Since then, Gryphon has been featured on many editorial magazine spreads and on popular TV shows.
I’m sure you have read about my reviews of Gryphon (here and here) and now, you get to hear what Aimee thinks about Gryphon and the current fashion scene.
What is the significance behind the name, Gryphon, for your brand?
I had been researching different mythological creatures – I wanted a name that evoked a sense of timelessness and history and darker romance. Around that time, my husband and I took a trip to Paris and I noticed a lot of gryphon sculptures and statues around the city that seemed to embody exactly the imagery that I was envisioning.
What was the deciding factor in leaving Vogue to pursue fashion design?
I had already decided to leave Vogue, before coming up with the idea for Gryphon. I had been at Vogue for 6 years when I made the decision to leave. I wanted to pursue a freelance writing career and had been working on a novel with my sister-in-law (which has permanently been shelved in favor of the pressures of running a company).
Who are your role models and why?
My parents are my role models. They have always encouraged me and supported me to do the extraordinary and to be extraordinary….not that I think I am extraordinary, I am, in fact, quite ordinary. I just work hard and have been incredibly lucky to have worked with monstrously talented people throughout my career. But my parents think I am extraordinary and that has given me the freedom and support to try things that are off the beaten path and succeed at them. In deed and action, they have always taught me that my potential is limitless, even if I fail. They are beyond generous with praise, love and encouragement. They are both very kind people which is something I aspire to be – I’m working on it, it’s a daily struggle.
What is the most satisfying part of being a fashion designer?
Seeing real women on the street wearing Gryphon.
Describe the woman that wears Gryphon.
I think Gryphon can appeal to a fairly wide demographic. The best pieces are worn “with heels/with flats,” showing the two personalities of the piece – casual and dressed up, tomboy and glamorous.
Embellishments such as sequins and beading are common in your collections. What draws you to these decorative elements?
I see Gryphon as special clothes for every day. I think in that we are known for novelty embellishments, there is a “special” element to the clothes, but I try to keep the silhouettes and color palettes more accessible if the beading is dramatic. I also like challenging people’s ideas of what is appropriate – I prefer to wear sequins during the day with beat up jeans and sneakers and I would wear something decidedly simple out at night – like a long, black dress with minimal jewelry and flats.
With the advent of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blogs, how has social media affected your line of business?
I don’t have a Facebook or Twitter account, but Gryphon has a Facebook fan page administered by someone else in my office. I also have a Gryphon blog that I update fairly infrequently. So, we’re not as active with social media as we probably should be or could be. I have done collaborations with bloggers in the past as guest trench designers. In Spring 2010, I worked with Jane and Judy Aldridge of Sea of Shoes and Atlantis Home and I have another blogger collaboration coming out in September that I can’t disclose until our print press hits newsstands. The slight disconnect with blogger collaborations is that since things happen so quickly in the blogosphere and the process of designing, developing, selling and producing a coat is quite lengthy and laborious, I find that the overall profile and level of recognition of a blog can change drastically in the approximately 9 months or so that it takes for the garment to get to a store.
What do you think about the future of fashion and Gryphon’s place in it?
I try not to think so macro about the industry because it will ultimately drive me crazy with second-guessing. I just try to make good clothes that I can be proud of and that I think are thoughtful and well-made. We have put a lot of time, research and money into improving our fit and quality over the past few years and I hope that’s evident to our customers. We’re trying to make clothes that last and that have soul (for lack of a better word) – something beyond fast fashion. Don’t get me wrong, I love fast fashion and wear a lot of TopShop and All Saints mixed with Gryphon and designer, but Gryphon is not fast fashion and I try to differentiate our product to be special.
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