Local designers find success at a young age

1. Rite ofFashion Local designers find success at a young age By Mary Beth Torgerson he fashion world is a tough place. There is no hand holding,no spoon feeding - it’s dog-eat-dog for new fashion designers,and although many try toreach success, very fewmanage to make it tothe top. For a few of Chattanooga’sown fashion designers, thisprospect doesn’t seem asdaunting. After all, they are allunder the age of 25 and havemore experience under theirbelts than many designerhopefuls dream of having.Be prepared to see theircollections in stores, on therunway and on your friends asthese three trailblazers begintaking the world by storm,starting in their hometown. 108 109 chatter magazine | APRIL 2013 chatter magazine| APRIL 2013

2. Madison Waldrop Designs By Malyse | AGE: 15 T others through my design and en-hancing the beauty of people andmaking them feel confident in mydesigns, that’s my biggest goal.” alking to Madison Waldropis like talking to every othereloquent, worldly 40-year-oldthat you know — only she’sjust 15. When you make a purchasefrom Designs by Malyse, 15 per- The budding evening, cocktail and bridal designer beganher artistic journey at 13 years oldand has since graced the pages cent of the purchase price goesto KEYS, a charity component ofthe business that supports causesmeeting one or more of four core of the New York Times, watchedher fashions come to life on therunway and is even slated to openher own studio on Broad Street values: Kids, Education, Youth andService. One effort that the fundingsupports is the SHOCKS Cause, this month. In spite of her startlingsuccess at such a young age, Wal-drop shows a grace and humble-ness that is far beyond her years,putting most of the emphasis onproviding opportunities for othersand being a good role model. a program begun by Waldrop andher sister, McCall, which providesshoes and socks for the homelessat the Community Kitchen. “It’slike a chain reaction but it helpsso many other people and thoseKEYS open so many doors. That’sreally what means the most to “The business is somethingthat has moved very quickly and me through all of this,” she says.“That’s the nitty gritty of that sideof the company and the core ofwho I am as a person.” has evolved on its own. I’m very fo-cused on what I want and what I’mseeking to become,” says Waldrop.“And I think as long as I’m helping Waldrop has made many 110 111 chatter magazine | APRIL 2013 chatter magazine| APRIL 2013

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4. T he Girls Preparatory Schoolalum and recent Auburn Uni-versity grad is not your typicalartistic type - her businesssavvy combined with sheerdetermination gives her a sig- clothing company in New YorkCity, which inspired her to notonly find her place in the fashionindustry, but to take the leap intocreating her own clothing line. Anna “I’ve always been really creative … nificant edge over other designerhopefuls looking to get their col-lections picked up by boutiquesand department stores. I would make dresses for my dollswhen I was little. Then I got myfirst sewing machine at 13 and Istarted making my own clothes,”she says. “During my internship,I got a good sense of the businessside of things. I kind of realized Iliked all aspects of a clothing com-pany, not just the design side butthe business side as well. It helpedme realize that I wanted to go onmy own. It was just having the Mittelstadt “It’s scary just because theamount of work I put into thepieces and, of course, the cost, Anna Victoria Apparel and Design | AGE: 22 but this is something I’ve wantedto do for as long as I can remem-ber,” says Mittelstadt. “I’ll do anything to make it work and Ireally do believe in it.” courage to start it … It would havebeen easier to apply for a job at analready established business.” Mittelstadt cut her designteeth in 2011 during an intern- ship at Rebecca Taylor, a women’s 114 115 chatter magazine | APRIL 2013 chatter magazine| APRIL 2013

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6. Brandon carruth carruth couture | AGE: 15 b randon Carruth has al-ways loved the limelight. He vividly remembersmaking his sister help him perform varietyshows (in front of the curtains he had specially installed in his room) and putting on impromptu pianorecitals for friends and family.As he grew older, he decidedthat he would become an ac-tor, which led him to Ambi-ance Models and Talent, which eventually led him to the fashion industry. “I knew there was some-thing more than modelingthat I wanted to do,” says Car-ruth. “Then when my parentswere going through a divorce,it was sort of an overnightdecision. That sounds kind ofcheesy, but that’s how it hap-pened. Instead of turning tothe bad in the world, I turnedto designing and I’m reallyblessed that that’s the decisionI made at such a young age.” Fashion Week, Carruth’s workhas been shown in several fashion shows locally, onein Dallas, Texas, and even atPlitzs New York City FashionWeek in New York. “It’s been overwhelming to say the least.I have school and everythingelse a normal teenager has,along with my business,” hesays. “But that’s what I like about it - it’s challenging.That’s another reason I enjoywhat I do.” At 13 years old - exactlytwo years ago this month - hedesigned his first collection,“Simply Flawless.” “I didn’thave any experience. I didn’teven know how to sew,” hesays. “This collection I’m Carruth’s goals for the fu-ture are lofty, but none insur-mountable, he says, thanks inpart to his focus and also to hissupportive family. “Businesswise, I really just want to workup to the point where maybeI have a store. We’re plan- working on now I am doingmyself. Before I designed ev-erything, but I needed help tosew the pieces. This will be thefirst one I’m actually making.I think with this being solelyme, I’m going to be even moreproud of myself.” ning that, but it’s going to be awhile,” says Carruth. “I’d justlike to expand the businessand perfect what I do as far asdesign. To have my own stu-dio, my own company, my en-tire company under one roof,people working for me and Since his official launch atNashville’s Middle Tennessee seeing my designs on celebrity 118 119 chatter magazine | APRIL 2013 chatter magazine| APRIL 2013

7. Describe your design style: clients - that’s pretty muchmy goal, but then it’s going tobe a lot of hard work to get tothat point. That’s why I havethat goal. I have something tolook forward to.” Elegant. A Carruth Couture womanis someone who expresses herselfwith what she wears. She’s brave,outgoing, the center of the party anddefinitely the most fashionable onethere. artofcloth Some people have doubtedthat he would succeed, but If you could dress anyone, whowould it be? Probably Lady GaGaor Jennifer Lawrence - she’s my Carruth says that only makeshim more certain of his vi-sion. “At school there’s beena couple of people that don’tlike what I do and I know a lot new favorite celebrity so I think itwould be cool to collaborate with her.Sometimes I look at the red carpetand I wish all of those gowns couldbe a Carruth Couture. That’s not howit works, though. of people secretly hope I don’tsucceed - the judgmental people, the closed-mindedpeople. But those are the What designer inspires you? I’ve researched people in general andthat’s one reason I think I got thisfar. Artists like Lady Gaga … I loveher braveness and her style and herfashion and how she runs her entirecompany. I enjoy reading about people that I don’t listen to,”he says. “Chanel, she was anorphan and then she becamea world famous designer. Youdon’t have to have a lot of Alexander McQueen, as well. It’sinspiring to learn about other people. For the Art of You money or support, you justhave to be determined andmotivated, and you can doanything.” Can you give us a preview ofyour upcoming collections? Waterside I’m using gold sequin fabric andblack satin. I’m also mixing two 2545 Lifestyle Way #8 Chattanooga For more information onCarruth Couture, visit different kinds of silhouettes. It onlytook a week to sketch the 12 piecesout, and I’ll edit as I go. www.carruthcouture.com. 423 468 4582 FitForAQueenClothing.com Gayla Affiliate BrokerMulti-Million Dollar Producer Choate My mission is to help people buy and sell homes,to give the absolute best service possible, and tomake sure that my clients feel that someone islooking after their best interests. Please give me a call today! with our 100% organic tanning products 423-304-7816 cell423-238-5440 office 423-468-1490 faxgayla.choate@crye-leike.com 5913 Main St., Ste. 107 Ooltewah, TN 37363 120 121 chatter magazine | APRIL 2013 chatter magazine| APRIL 2013