the brookyln indie market girls

the ladies behind the brand new brooklyn indie market which debuts May 5, 2007 have sweetly agreed to a little interview. i am very excited about their new market and i really hope it inspires others to organize and participate in venues such as this. let's all support the indie design world! 1a. Tell us a little about yourselves? KM: Embracing new wave in a redneck high school wasn't easy, at 15 I got my first paycheck and ran straight out to buy a pair of 1950's style red pumps. I went to FIT, learned millinery, wardrobing, wig-making and now I like to boss people around so I am organizing fairs,markets,festivals for designers and crafters. JR: I learned to sew and do other crafts at a young age. I've always had the hobby but ended up focusing on business, I wanted my own store. I think of myself more as an entrepreneur than a designer. 1b. How did you both meet and then decide to start your business together? KM: Johanna and I met through the wonders of the ether net, out of all the many correspondences I have she shone through as someone with moxie, chutspah (sp?) and she made me laugh. She is a miracle worker and I like miracles! JR: I had just started Daisyhead and heard about Kathy running a designer fair at the Old Stone House. I went to do some networking and introduce myself. We discovered that she lives across the street from my old apartment AND I'm living down the street from her old apartment. I decided we must have been meant to meet at some point. I live 3 blocks from Smith & Union and the first thing we talked about was "why is nobody selling from this location?" We became friends and did some smaller scale fairs together while batting the idea around. 2. What is your craft? KM: I am the skirt fairy www.fofolle.com JR: I make tees and onesies for babies and kids with funny 80s tunes on them, also some handmade kids clothing. 3. What inspires you? KM: I am inspired by tapping into my flirty side and tapping into other flirty designers JR: Actually, Kathy inspires me! I admire her determination and persistence. 4. Do you have any advice to give to other indie designers? KM: Stick to your guns, meet other indies, organize events, have fun, pitch in, reach out, join, have a rich boy/girl friend/parents. What the heck, there is no such thing as job security! JR: Yes! Persistence! Don't give up, meet as many like-minded people as you can and keep doing what you love. 5. What is your favorite thing that you have created recently? KM: I made envelopes out of all of my empty coffee bean packages, I felt so guilty about them, but now they are useful again. JR: I've been working on flower inspired hemlines and made an adorable child's skirt that really drapes like rose petals. 6. What is the first thing you can remember making by hand? KM: I remember making shoes out of newspaper at the age of three. Maybe I should have been a shoe designer? JR: My Mom used to take me shopping for those See & Sew patterns. I think the first we made together was a t-shirt dress. 7. Where do you sell and when did you decide to start selling you work? KM: I sell at a lovely boutique called Ai Ai Gasa in Park Slope, Brooklyn. I do a special label for Flirt in Park Slope, Brooklyn too. I have supporters in the neighborhood and select street fairs, etsy and of course my own events. I started 5 years ago, first with kids clothing but then for their mommies. JR: For me, early 2006. I left a corporate job to start my own business. I have my website www.daisyhead-designs.com, our BIM site www.brooklynindiemarket.com and of course we heart Etsy! 8. Apart from creating things, what else do you enjoy KM: Watching my son grow up, looking at my hot boyfriend. JR: I'm a bit OCD so anything of an organizational nature that turns chaos to order. I love to re-purpose found items and I enjoy doing some of the HTML for our website. 9. What three words would describe you the best? KM: loopy, determined, blond JR: Organized, creative and (hopefully) kind. 10. What/Who is your latest indie crush/designer? KM: feral childe, smooch! JR: I'm a big fan of Kathlin Argiro. I just ordered five dresses from her. 11. Anything else you would like to say? KM: yo', checkout brooklyn. Checkout Brooklynindiemarket. JR: word. thank you ladies! hey new yorkers if you're in the area make sure you find your way over to the brooklyn indie market!!