JA New York: What inspires your designs?

Sofie Cawood: Everything and anything can inspire my designs! It can be as mundane as a chain link fence or as fabulous as Antoni Gaudi’s body of work. I’m always observing then copying and pasting things together in my mind. I have so many weird photos on my phone that would make no sense to someone browsing,  but for me it’s an idea, something to catalogue for a later date!

JA New York: Walk us through your design process…

SC: I start every collection by sketching a series of random designs to establish a recurring theme that is subconsciously surmising my current aesthetic. I have tons of bad designs that will never be made but thats how I start to shape a collection. Once the theme of the collection has been established I start to study, explore, analyze, and interpret the idea.

JA New York: What was your favorite part about exhibiting in the New Designer Gallery at the July 2015 show?

SC: For me, my favorite part was the help, support, and guidance provided. Doing your first trade show is really intimidating and the New Designer Gallery really holds your hand through the whole process. Also, the contacts made available to us: Cindy Edelstein, the buyers and press, and the other designers create a whole new network of allies in the business.

JA New York: If a theme song played every time you walked into a room, what would it be?

SC: Can I DESIGN my own medley? I would choose Beautiful: Carole King, Suddenly I See: KT Tunstall, Kodachrome: Paul Simon, and a Nellie McKay, and Cyndi Lauper mash-up (a little Nellie McKay for anger management and anything Cyndi Lauper for a  mood booster particularly from Hat Full of Stars/ Sisters of Avalon era!). Sorry, I created a whole soundtrack.