World Premiere Interview: Steven Cutting Designer In Style

          

Steven Cutting: The Designer with Style

by Christopher Uvenio

The Master of his Craft. Designer in Style. Italy, China, Germany and Padova to name a few.  Design Director, Fashion Designer,  and Accessories. One of the best adjunct professors at the prestigious Fashion Institutions in the world, Fashion Institute of Technology! The designer is Steven Cutting who have been in the industry of Fashion for over 30 years. And a very exciting collections is Steven Cutting Bags!   

 And happily married with3 beautiful children.

It is with my great pleasure of having you here with me!  

                  

 *Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? What's your educational background?

Steven:  I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Infact I still live in Brooklyn.  Love it for so many reason… I always had the interest in fashion from a young age. At the age of six I taught myself to draw…. I loved looking at the models in magazines my mother would buy. I appreciated their beauty and style. I would sit for hours drawing whatever I saw in the magazines. During elementary and high school I was your typical student, interest in everything, except fashion- friends/student council/sports- etc.

  

My senior year, at Christ the King High school in Queens, I decided to take an art course. That is when it hit me, I am going to be a fashion designer, and I like clothes. I applied to New York’s infamous fashion school, Fashion Institute of Technology, got accepted and that is where my design skills were defined.  While at FIT I won the prestigious fashion award, “Harvey’s Bristol Crème” for “Most Promising Designer.”  Upon accepting the award, I proclaimed, “Lookout Seventh Avenue, I’m coming!”  That is where the adventure began…

What are your general professional and non-professional interests?

Steven: I’ll start with my non-professional, non-industry interest…, which is community service.  This I feel is most important to be able, for me, to give back some of the goodness/ opportunities I have been given. I have been, in the recent past, a board member of GMHC, (formerly Gay Men's Health Crisis). This is a New York City–based non-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based AIDS service organization that has led the United States in the fight against AIDS. Currently, I am a mentor in the Children of Promise, NYC non- profit organization.

 CPNYC, which it is known as, offers children of prisoners the opportunity to explore new educational opportunities, express themselves creatively and emotionally, build meaningful relationships and gain new experiences. I work with a young boy, who now is a teenager, and give him guidelines to understanding how to achieve his goals and dreams with respect to his mother/family, while his father is away from home.

My professional interests are to work with young designers and mentor them to understand the nature of the industry, which is business along with creativity.  This is something I have been doing for the past 14 years as a adjunct assistant professor at my alma mater, FIT. Love teaching!

 What is going on with your new collection on Bags and Leather? Tell me about!

Steven: My belief is to be well rounded in the world where style is always present………I started in Womenswear, and then went to Menswear, then to kids and now accessories.  I am a partner with two incredible people, Mutale Nkonde and Rick Davis.  Both who have had industry experience like myself and believe in exploration for growth…. Together we produce, Steven Cutting Bags.  This is a line of travel bags for the person who wants style, fit and function!

*What does fashion mean to you? 

Steven: Fashion means to me, understanding how creativity, passion and business blend together to execute a product, which is marketable for success, with a definitive style!

                        

*When did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?

Steven: It was in high school after I saw the film, “Mahogany” which starred Diana Ross and took my first art class.  The film was about an inner city woman, who had a passion for art and went to Rome. She followed her dream and took chances.  I also wanted to take chances and was from a inner city neighborhood. In high school I had the chance to go to Europe to see firsthand how beautiful it is. That’s when the bug stung me. …. Travel, live aboard and follow your dream! Fortunately I had the opportunity to do all of this.  After college I went to Italy, lived in Milan and Padova and worked as a designer. Short stints with Enrica Masei, Krizia and Anna Scipioni. Then I went to Dusseldorf, Germany and worked with Chiwitt and Edith Sonanini.

                             

*What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?

Steven: Upon returning to New York, after EUROPE, I became design director for Philippe Monet. This was a company geared towards leather apparel. This company allowed me to travel to Asia, Europe and South America to source/manufacture new products in both leather and cloth for Men and Women. Philippe Monet was the impetus to start Steven Cutting Inc. in 1990, which is a design-consulting firm I still have.  It was here that I started consulting for clients such as, Kenneth Cole, Collezione, Reebok, Pony and Collage to name a few.

 In the mid nineties, after I got married, I became the design director for Perry Ellis America.  I designed the Men’s active sportswear/ sportswear and outerwear collections. After Perry Ellis America I returned to the woman’s market designing for Larry Levine and Via Spiga.  Currently I have an association with Bandaventures, which is a major design firm for Menswear featuring the swimwear line, Komocean. I think the major accomplishment I have, as a designer is that I am still in the industry after so many years and remain fresh Fresh with concepts, fresh with technology developments. I still have my passion to achieve and strive for more.

*Who are some of your favorite designers of the past and present? 

Steven: My favorite designers from the past are Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler.  Both designers have great style.  I like how they were able to put their signature into the collection and have the customer understand it.  Currently I love so many designers who take a chance with their collections, but my favorite two designers are Epperson and Donna Dove.  Both designers represent the epitome of innovation, like Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler.  They take something unexpected with fabrics and silhouette direction and create art.  I like when design is innovative and marketable at the same time.

*How long have you worked as a designer?

Steven: I started my career in 1979 when I entered FIT at age 18 and I’m still in the industry in 2014.  In June of this year, I will 53. It’s been 35 awesome years…I am still passionate about design.

  

*Do you consider yourself an artist?

Steven: I consider myself a student of the arts.  Always growing to understand what beauty mean to me and how can I make money with my beauty of taste,

                                          

*What Celebrities have you worked with and what were they like?

Steven: I have worked with many celebrities during my career, but the one who I really admire and respect is Tina Knowles, Beyonce’s mother.  I worked with her developing the Dereon and House of Dereon Fur lines. Infact at that time – Heather Thomson, from NY Housewives and Yummie Tummie was Director of Design at Dereon. I was the creative design director with the licensing firm.  I had to work closely with Ms. Knowles to ensure the look would have the Beyoncé signature. Ms. Knowles was the sweetest person with great family values. Sweet doesn’t go hand in hand with the fashion industry and I was delighted to work with her, always. She was creative, and at the same time aware of trends needed for the collection while maintaining warmth. Such an unnatural fit in the world of fashion…

*What matters to you most as a fashion designer?

Steven: First, I want to understand the needs of my target customer with creativity.  Then being able to meet the time lines set for production and delivering the product at the right price to ensure sales.

*What's your favorite part about conceptualizing a design?

Steven: The research needed…. Understanding the importance of line, shape and proportion to give the correct balance to the design.  

                  

*Tell me about the process of sketching a design. What kind of paper and pencil/pen do you use?

Steven: It varies….Sometimes I use a Prismacolor Black/ Grey 90% to draw or sometimes a mechanical pencil.  Paper is generally tracing paper then transfer to marker paper.  After  that I  sometimes scan into the computer to get the final product

*What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers? 

Steven: Always understand the needs of your customer.  Do research, be current with technology, travel to be global and most important understand the principles of business to make money.

*What do you dislike about designing clothes?

Steven: I don’t dislike anything about designing other than when you have to hit a certain price using trims that are not what you want to use for the right aesthetic.  But the trim will give the right price.

*How would you define your personal style?

Steven: My personal style is easy and carefree.  I like structured lines, which give shape and allow ease when worn. 

*How would you define the style your line exemplifies? 

Steven: My accessory line also has the same characteristics…Easy lines that define a great look.

*Where do you get your inspiration?

Steven: I get the inspiration from traveling to other countries  I like looking at architecture of building around the world and seeing how shapes can be transformed into clothing and accessories.

*What are some of your favorite fashion websites, magazines, or books?  

Steven: I look at so many magazines not only in fashion , but also in interior design . My favorite mags are Elle/ Elle Décor, Bon appetite, W, Viper, Details, Maxim, Vogue India to name a few.  For websites I like Style.com and Monster.com.  Why Monster.com?….to see the types of industry related jobs being offered so I remain relevant in the field.  

Who are some of your favorite supermodels? Linda? Cindy?  Nikki?  Christy?  Naomi?   Claudia?

Steven: My favorite supermodel from the past is Billie Blair of Virginia Slim fame.  She was also one of the Versailles girls of 73. She worked with many top designers during the 70’s 80’s and early 90’s. Also like Pat Cleveland, Janice Dickerson, Naomi, Christy , Tara and so many others who contributed to fashion during their time. 

Who are some of the Top models you have worked with? And what were they like?

Steven: I have had the honor and opportunity to work with so many wonderful models, both male and female, but there are two people who stand out.  One is Billie Blair, because when I was at FIT, I won “Harvey’s Bristol Crème” for “Most Promising Designer.” She was my model.  We developed a friendship, at that time over the years and still remain in touch.  She was iconic in terms of achievement.  She worked in fashion at a time when barriers were in effect and she overcame so many of them as a model.  This inspired me during my youth to pursue my dreams always……

The other person is Coco Mitchell, who is also iconic in terms of lasting inner beauty.  I met Coco in Europe years ago and have worked with her in many fashion shows.  She is still working as a model and entrepreneur after many years in the business.  Her career is still growing and developing. Currently she is mentoring my daughter, Taj who would like to enter into the world of fashion as a model. 

Both women represent style. They possess the knowledge how to maintain their craft/talent and understand business.  This was something I admire about them which made me like them for not only what they represent, outside beauty, but because I know them, I see/ understand real inner beauty.

What decades of Fashion do you miss? The 80’s/90’s/70’s or the decades you want to be in?

Steven: I miss the fashion of the late 70’s.  I love when everything was new…Technology and creativity.  Although I love that time, I still want to remain in the present and grow with all the newness around me.

Where do you see yourself the next 5 years?

Steven: I see myself with the Masters Degree I started, My two eldest children finish with college and the younger one entering college, My business growing and most importantly I’m still relevant with my passion for design!

 The Steven Cutting Collection website is under construction. Tell Please Email at steven.cutting@verizon.net for details on his hot new collection of bags everyone wants!

Steven Cutting, thank you for sharing about you and your success, you're a true inspiration!