Last November, General Pants were “pretty stoked” to announce news that Therese Rawsthorne had joined the crew as their new Creative Director. The former fashion head at Sass & Bide, Therese first became known to the Australian public in 2005 through her own label – aptly called Therese Rawsthorne.
Five months down the track, and Therese seems very settled into the new role (and we suspect is killing it if our recent budget blow-out at the store is anything to go by). To find out more about what it’s like being GP’s Creative Director and her top tips for this season, we tracked Therese down to talk all things fashion.
What drew you to General Pants?
GP has always been the go-to for the latest and greatest in street, it has a great crew and culture and been the leader in the market for so long. I was really excited to work with the talent that has been able to create and sustain that.
What does your role at General Pants involve?
I’m the Creative Director, so day-to-day I work with the designers to create the product that will land in-store and online at GP. I also work with the in-house art department on photo shoots to bring it all to life.
Can you talk me through a typical work day in your life?
It varies a lot depending on where we are in the design cycle, but I’ll typically spend time with the designers developing the ranges as well as spend time with our buyers and wholesale team making sure they’re loving what we present and that it’s right for our customers. There’s lots of research involved to constantly keep up with what’s happening at the cutting edge to bring the latest trends to our stores and keep the product fresh.
How do you work with all the brands found at GP?
It’s pretty busy but exciting to work with so many great brands across both women’s and men’s. I try to be as organised as possible and have a really clear working process in place so that communication is clear and we can develop collections for each brand as smoothly as possible. It’s a very collaborative environment with lots of ideas and possibilities, so it’s really important to understand the DNA of each brand and stay true to that.
Has your style changed since taking on the new role?
Not really, I just get to wear sneakers everyday now which is a plus 🙂
Where do you find your design inspiration?
I love researching different subcultures and street tribes, watching lots of docos, read a lot, as well as go to exhibitions and events. I love travelling to see how people put things together in different cities, internationally vintage markets are one of my most inspiring places to see amazing pieces and really cool put-together people.
Do you do many buying trips throughout the year?
We travel a couple of times a year for research and inspiration.
Fashion can be a hard game. Where there any moments that you considered giving it all up?
Fashion is a game of constant change so you’ve got to have the stamina and excitement for it that keeps you coming back for more. It can be tough but also super rewarding because you see something move from a sketch on the page to walking past you on the street – the feeling of excitement that brings never gets old.
What is the favourite item of clothing you’ve ever designed?
That’s like asking someone to choose their favourite kid! Too hard!
What are your top fashion buys of the season?
For girls, anti-fit denim and statement jackets with embroidery and collegiate detailing. For guys, trashed denim and boxier oversize tee fits.
Pics supplied by General Pants + @generalpants.
