From Project Runway to Fashion Week
-Yannica McNeil

You may remember Zulema Griffin from Project Runway season 2. With her innovative designs and sexy looks she gave her opponents a run for their money. Now she is on to bigger and better things using her stint on TV as stepping stone. Zulema is using every opportunity to give light to her newclothing line. Fashion has always been her joy, from being a model herself to now dressing them, she always knew what it would take to be a top designer.

Y.M: Let's start off with the usual question, where are you from, New York?

Z: I’m from Brooklyn, East New York.

Y.M: When you hear the word Empress what comes to mind?

Z: I think of strength and beauty. That is basically what I think of when I hear Empress.

Y.M: How would you describe your own personal style?

Z: I would consider it Victor Victoria, masculine feminine edges; I do a lot of suiting and also lot of dresses, so yeah Victor Victoria.

Y.M: A lot of people might not know this but you were a Ford Model before you started designing, how difficult was your transition from being a model to a designer?

Z: Well at the time when I started not many people were doing it or anyone who was doing it was really shunned upon , but when I started to design it was a little difficult because people didn’t want to see you in that role.

Y.M: How did you get started in fashion design before project runway?

Z: Well actually I was a costume designer before project runway, so project runway allowed me to make a transit from costume designer to fashion designer.

Y.M: So which one do you prefer doing, costume design or fashion design?

Z:Oh well there is a tremendous amount of differences between fashion and costume design, with costume design intention, even though its worn in function and a theme, the outfit and look doesn’t expand further than that. It’s for that purposes, for that scene, for that situation and its very specific for that person or that character. In fashion its to be consumer, clothing is made so that people can consume it in stores and so that they can purchase and buy so that retailers are happy and stores stay in business.

I don’t know if I can say because I still haven’t gotten into the retail element of it. Right now I really do like the idea of fashion design, because I like the idea of walking down the street and seeing someone in something that I've made. But at the same time I have to say I love film. I mean film is great, I love working together as a team to create this project this piece of work and to know I had a part of it , it is absolutely fantastic. So I like them both, but right now I have to say I’m in love with fashion. I think that’s why I’ve taken a little bit of a break from film. I take film jobs here and there, I generally just dress leads, instead of doing the entire film, but right now I would have to say fashion.

Y.M: Are you still in contact with any of the other contestants from Project Runway, Season 2?

Z: Unfortunately not, I see them in passing, when I do see them I have nothing but well wishes for them, but I don’t talk to any of the other contestants on a regular basis nor see them on a regular basis.

Y.M: After appearing on project runway, how did your life change?

Z: I don’t think very much, maybe, I don’t know, I don’t feel like its very much, maybe other people received it differently.

Y.M: Last month you were a featured designer at the Restaurants against Hunger Charity Event, are you involved in any other Charities?

Z: Yes I am, I started a foundation called  *New Go Style Movement, where I am teaching young under privileged kids who are from the New York City  Housing Projects Fashion Design. And we’re also shooting a documentary around that so you should look for that soon. In addition to that I’m also involved with Living Beyond Belief it’s a foundation that fosters peer to peer awareness of HIV and Aids.

Y.M: What would you say is your most challenging aspect of being a young African American woman in the fashion industry?

Z: Being a young a young African American woman in the fashion industry (laughs),  It is hard, even though the more successful designers right now are African American women, so there is a tremendous amount of hope, because they seem to be the only ones with there own fashion line that people know of. It is challenging getting started in this business but, it seems that there are an overwhelming number of African American women comparatively to men, who are doing quite well in the fashion industry.

Y.M: What was your inspiration for this seasons clothing line?

Z: Oh for spring, yes, it was the Lizzy vs. The Stilettos; it was an imaginary girl gang up holding decisions in fashion.

Y.M: What kinds of fabric do you like to use when designing?

Z: I generally like tropical rolls, silks, and organza weights, and various weights like that. I’m experimenting with chiffons for the first time for my up coming collection. I’ve worked out the design element. Chiffon is difficult to sew, for some reason I feel like I’m always fighting with it. I guess this time I shouldn’t fight it, I should let it be what it is, so I’m doing a lot of draping so that will lend to working with chiffon.

Y.M: If you could dress any celebrity who would it be?

Z: Right now I’m really loving Rihanna because of that song umbrella, so right now I’m really feeling her so I would love to dress her.

Y.M: And for what event would you dress her?

Z: The Grammy’s, or the MTV Awards something like that. I do a lot of dresses, and suiting, in particular cocktail and evening. So I’m working to expand my sportswear, its something for people that I need to work on. They say that my dresses are there when I speak to retailers so I need to work on sportswear. So I would love to do cocktail/evening cause its seems to be what I’m strongest at, at this moment.

Y.M: Where can your clothing be purchased?

Z: Right now nowhere, I’m working on talking to a few people for the holiday season. The first collection I had ready was the fall/winter season not the summer season, I didn’t put it out because I wasn’t ready. I put it out there just to introduce myself to the public just for them to know who I am and get my feet wet. So holiday season will be the first season of availabiltiy. For not you can check out my site at www.zulemagriffin.com. end

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