A talk with Lizzie Rosin, founder of Rosin Studios. In conversation with Iro Bournazou.

When did you realize you wanted to be a fashion designer? 
Tell us a bit about you and your background.

I vividly remember being 12 years old, in class and just really distracted by the velvet sap green suit and purple shirt my teacher was wearing. That was the first time I remember my passion for fashion being at the forefront of my interests. I thought about clothes a lot, how it could enhance your sense of self and confidence and how what you wear can say so much about you. Anytime I needed a new outfit I always designed it in my mind and then searched for that particular look in the stores. Of course this was an impossible task and so it only made sense to become a designer. I went to university for fashion design, and worked my way up from intern to design director until it was time to start my own house.

What is Rosin Studios’s mission?

Clothes have so much meaning to me, even from that young age. The power they have on your attitude, perception and identity made me want to create a line to share that same positive feeling fashion brings me. Rosin Studios’ mission is to be a brand where the clothes and accessories make you feel strong and confident, to bring out the best in the person wearing it. And I knew if I was going to offer a line of my own, it had to be designed responsibly.

Name 3 most important core values of your brand.

I would say the most important core values all live under the umbrella of being responsibly designed. The collections are released on a seasonless basis without necessarily following the industry’s standard calendar. In this way we can freely offer collections we are passionate about and can avoid the inevitable over development. With that we run small batches of production focusing on selling out of items. Our zero waste practice follows suit where we keep all our scraps and unwearable samples and turn them into textile pieces of ‘Artwear’. Lastly we design and produce locally, creating employment opportunities to the community around us. Also, by keeping the supply chain close by, we are not shipping raw goods to finish products around the globe. This keeps our carbon footprint down. The value of being responsible really encompasses so many components to how the brand operates.

Where do you go to get your inspiration from?

Inspiration for me comes from all around, whether it’s just being out in my neighborhood or traveling to another city. Seeing new things—architecture, art, or really anything—has always influenced my designs. I think for me it’s the newness that keeps my brain active and inspires me to create. Sometimes seeing just the opposite of my aesthetic further reminds me of the aesthetic I have. And I find when it comes down to it I am very much influenced by the wearability and purpose of the items themselves. For Symmetry: Collection it was fully focused around elevated basics, items that have a perennial purpose.