Courtesy: Gillian and LauraWith the sheer trend dominating red carpet and street styles alike, we've seen our fair share of see-through gowns. But really, there's no sheer-happy designer like For Love & Lemons. While they specialize in an array of designs, For Love & Lemons is revolutionizing the fashion game on multiple levels. And for that, you can thank Gillian Rose Kern and Laura Hall.
With Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift amongst their many A-list fans, this fashion label is a force to be reckoned with. But let's not get ahead of ourselves—hear from Gillian and Laura themselves about all things for Love & Lemons!
What was your first job?
G: Selling lemonade!
L: Selling lemonade—If you haven't heard where are name For Love & Lemons comes from yet, Gillian and I have been in business together since the wee days when we sold lemonade as a team!
How did you get started in your career?
G: I started by constantly creating and designing my own clothes, and then it expanded into creating clothes for my friends. Eventually I decided that it was something I thought I could actually do something with, so Laura and I worked on creating our first sample set together and then rest is history! (Well there were a few more steps in between there but you get the picture).L: I got started with travel! Gillian and I went to Australia and were so inspired by the lifestyle that we wanted to create our own brand. I interned at a jean company called One Teaspoon, fell in love with the fast paced, ever changing work environment and was hooked!
What is a typical day like for you?
G: We offer yoga in our office to start the day off, so that is always first. After that, the day is always very different depending on what deadlines we have coming up. I am the head designer so I usually have fabric appointments sporadically throughout the day; I am always draping garments and working on mock-ups then fitting them. Also, we develop all of our fabrics in-house, so we are constantly busy working on the computer creating layouts for laces and prints. I do a lot of work for the production end of things too, like fitting, creating specs, sourcing materials, etc. We have photoshoots two times per month so that takes a lot of prep and model castings. Overall, my job is very creative and consists of so many different tasks everyday!
L: I try and wake up early enough to have a coffee at home with my boyfriend before I head off to the office. I run the business/administrative side of For Love and Lemons, so everyday is so different. Some days I work on production, making sure our clothes are coming out as best as possible and other days I put on my accountant hat. I'm also always working with Gillian on fitting garments to make sure we create the best product possible.
Tell us about your office décor. What was your inspiration?
G & L: It is bright, white and full of tools to create with! Our space used to be an old bank, so we have really random cool trapped doors and loading docks, which is used for storage and also to open up the studio to get fresh air in. We have tons of mood boards, drafting tables and big wooden hand crafted conference tables. Our space is bright and airy so we don't like to have too many random things in it besides plants, string lights, and pretty drapes to break up the space.
What's the best part of your job?
G: Getting to work with my best friend everyday! And also creating beautiful pieces. I really enjoy being able to express myself creatively everyday and then see it all come to life.
L: I have to agree with Gillian, nothing is better than working with your best friend everyday! Creating clothing that makes our customers feel as beautiful as they are is a major bonus.
Where do you shop for work clothes? What are you favorite brands of accessories?
G: It's safe to say we both live in For Love & Lemons everyday all day. I don't shop many other places because I really don't need to. For accessories, I usually wear Jacquie Aiche jewelry, and a lot of vintage jackets.
L: For Love & Lemons! I also have a love affair with jeans! My favorite brands are One Teaspoosn, Mother Denim and Frame Denim.
What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
G: Keep calm and carry on.
L: Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth quiet. You are never learning anything when you're talking. It's so important to listen and learn from each and every person you meet in life, they've experienced things you haven't.
Who are some of your career heroes?
G: A lot of my best friends have their own companies as well. There is nothing more inspiring than watching all these successful women working it everyday and building huge brands based off a dream they had. Those are my career heroes. Real people in my day-to-day life that are growing and expanding their companies every year! We inspire each other to keep working hard.
What things inspire you when you're designing?
G: Travel! I love to travel to new places and really experience the culture. The world is a beautiful place and has so much inspiration to offer. The colors, textures, silhouettes, and styles across the world vary so much, so it is fascinating to me to see it person. It really is the main source of inspiration for me.
Can you share some career advice?
G: Make sure you love what you do.
L: Have clear goals, you need to know where you are headed to get there.
Finish the sentences below… (Gillian)
Today for lunch I had... an olive stick and bowl of vegetarian Chilli from Bread Lounge.
The first website I log onto ever day is... my Gmail so I can catch up on all my emails!
The beauty product you can always find in my purse is.... Burt's Bees Chap stick!
My must-have work gadget is.... my cell phone.
My usual Starbucks order is.... grande black tea latte with soy milk.
If I need a quick break during work, I usually... take my pup for a walk to Stumptown coffee and get a pick me up latte.
If I wasn't doing this job, I would... be finding a way to do this job.
My favorite outfit is... a sheer lace dress with skivvies paired underneath, topped off with a leather jacket and Chelsea boots.