Interview with Desert Sun Brand - Anna Lakatos

As far as I can remember I have always wanted to work in fashion. I was always drawing outfits as a kid. I think I have a creative mind, so I’ll always think of something creative to do, even when I’m not working on my fashion designs.

I never really chose to become a fashion designer. I studied fashion management and then music industry management. After graduating, I started creating custom pieces for my friends and family and it gradually became Desert Sun Brand.

I design womenswear, and sometime menswear, but I’d definitely like to design more for men and maybe accessories such as shoes too.

In fashion everything moves so quickly. Trends come and go. We believe in slow fashion, and we sell designs from previous collections too. So when people are still buying and wearing pieces from a past collection, it always makes me happy. I think a good design in fashion is when it is still relevant years later.

More customs pieces for artists and musicians. I love to design unique pieces that reflect one’s personality.

I studied marketing and branding so I think that’s what I would do.

Soon after finishing my MA, I started creating custom pieces for my friends and family and it gradually became Desert Sun Brand. We’re still a small team and I like that about Desert Sun. We create two collections a year and make custom pieces for customers and artists.

The first piece we created was Desert Sun’s “On the Road” dress. And it is still our bestseller!

We love combining simple fabrics (for example cotton) with embellishments such as embroideries, rhinestones, shaped collars…

We usually have themes for each collection. I am definitely feeling the most creative when this inspiration/theme pops in my mind and all these ideas appear magically.

I believe every step counts. From the selection of fabric, to the design itself and then the production. We definitely focus a lot on the wearable aspect of our pieces. The design has to stand out and be unique but it also has to be comfortable and long lasting.

I am definitely very inspired when I design. I am a monomaniac, so when I am inspired by something all I do is research that specific thing and immerse myself into that world.

I am definitely excited by the end result and how people are going to react to the design, but I’m also kind of submerging myself into the next collection by then.

In fashion everything moves so quickly. Trends come and go. We believe in slow fashion, and we sell designs from previous collections too. So when people are still buying and wearing pieces from a past collection, it always makes me happy. I think a design in fashion is successful if it is still relevant years later.

I believe that thinking about society and environment when designing is inevitable, especially in this day and age. There is a lot of talk about how fashion companies can be more eco-friendly nowadays and it is often very difficult for small companies to become 100% sustainable in everything day do. Because it does mean that you have to change the way you design and produce your products and it can often cost more too. I feel like in people’s mind this subject has to be black and white, but if companies started with small steps towards their eco-conscious operations, that would already be a big development.

I usually design my collections with themes in mind. I am definitely not confined to these themes, but that’s how I’ve worked so far and that is how I get inspired. I do a lot of research usually, I like to read books, search the internet for images, watch movies, go to concerts and exhibitions,… However, my inspirations can come from random places; a specific color, a verse from a song, an old memory,…

I think my collections can definitely be described as 1970’s inspired. I think that is the common thread between my collections. I am also inspired by music (I studied music industry management) and road trips and I think that definitely shows in my creations. I think the shapes, the colors and the prints/embroideries all contribute to the carefree sentiment of travelling and a feeling of nostalgia you get when you listen to your favorite song.

Always go with your gut feeling!

It really depends on the specific piece. Sometime I have a set idea and thus design the piece very quickly other times, I work and re-work a design multiple times, change details (whether it is the fabric, the embroidery, even the shape of the piece) until I am a 100% happy with it.

I guess "what inspires my collections".

Our next collections (we have two collections each year) are being designed right now and will come out this September!

Through Desert Sun's website www.desertsunbrand.com or at contact@desertsunbrand.com