Today in New York: Astrid Brucker

Astrid Brucker is a costume designer for the silver screen who in 2007 turned herself into a dress designer and founded a brand (astridland, ça va sans dire) of amazing clothes, whose simplicity and charm are oh-so-New York.

:: Why and when did you start astridland? I started astridland in 2007 when I needed a dress for a premiere of the movie “JOSHUA” for which I had designed the costumes and I wanted to wear a dress of my design. I’ve always made things for myself but at that point I knew I wanted to make things for other people too.  My background is in fashion, I graduated from Parsons with a BFA in Fashion Design. After designing textiles, wedding dresses and sportswear I moved on to design costumes for film. You can see some of my work here. I still freelance as a designer for film and also style editorials for magazines, but I really enjoy designing my line and am very happy with the way astridland has evolved from just one dress to many styles reaching many customers.

:: Where do you get your inspiration from? My inspiration comes from my surroundings, the energy of NYC, my travels, art, photography, friends, and movies like Angel-A by Luc Besson.  For the A/W 2010-2011 collection, I was  inspired by new fabrics that involve incredible textures, slashed knits and layers, so I started draping with the fabric not muslin. I go to all the fabric shows as most of my fabric is imported from Italy, Germany and Korea. Sometimes a friend will suggest a style and I will custom-design it for them. I really love draping and think that gives my clothes a slightly different style with clean lines and a subtle sophistication.

:: Who is your ideal buyer? My ideal buyer is someone who is curious about the line, appreciates it and keeps coming back. I think my customer knows herself and is not afraid to try a new label. She’s feminine, subtle, elegant, minimal yet bold.

:: What is your favorite NYC place? I like being in my studio in the East Village but The Metropolitan Museum of Art is at the top of my list,  I love the rooftop, the costume shows (the Superheroes exhibit was my favorite!), the Egyptian art and the armor, it’s a place to relax and find inspiration. I really enjoy going for just one show, and late in the day when it’s less crowded. I’ve included some of the great photos in my blog.

:: Do you think New York can still be considered the place-to-be for young creatives? It really comes down to having focus and passion. It’s never easy to start a line but NYC offers a community for a designer to receive support. The city has all kinds of fashion groups and also retail venues  which  gives someone like me many alternatives. I feel there is a lot of creative energy here especially in my neighborhood.

:: Where do you shop in NYC? I love to shop at flea markets,  sample sales, vintage stores. and all kinds of book stores. The new Taschen store in Soho is great!

:: If I say Italy, you say…? Amore. I’ve traveled to Milan, Brescia, Lago de Garda, Venice, Florence and I worked on a commercial for Sky Cinema in Rome. I have loved it so much. A visit to the Amalfi Coast is next on my list.

Francesca Masoero
Francesca Masoero non è la campionessa di canottaggio che appare se digitate il suo nome su Google. È l’altra, la multitasker. Ha un (in)utile dottorato in cinema e marketing; racconta in modo non convenzionale e creativo New York, Torino e Bologna su NUOK e scrive di eventi, lifestyle e cultura per Lookout Magazine; si occupa di marketing, comunicazione, pr e web 2.0 tra Torino (la sua città natale) e New York (la sua città ideale). In più, a volte fa la stylist e a volte la cool hunter. È creativa, ma pignolissima. Sembra zen, ma è perennemente sull’orlo di una crisi di nervi. La salvano le piccole cose della (sua) vita: il rock’n’roll, la pasta al pesto, internet e il suo nuovo bellissimo frigorifero da 300 litri, pieno di quello che il suo fidanzato chiama “cibo da conigli”.