Parsons Preview: Michael Venker

Name: Michael Venker

Age: 25

Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota

Label: Michael Venker

Aesthetic: The aesthetic I tried to achieve was one that was vibrant, but not in a cartoony kind of way. I explored a lot with prints and color, in order to try and escape the monotonous color palettes used in clothing today.

How long have you wanted to be a designer?
I knew I had to do something creative, I just never knew what form that need would take. My earliest memory of having some interest in apparel design would be when I was a young, I was obsessed with comics. I used to draw my favorite action heroes, but when I did so, I would always redesign their costumes.

Why fashion for you and not some other form of creative expression?
Clothing is such a vital importance in the human experience. It is something that reflects on sociological, economical, religious and geographical elements. To be creatively involved in something that mirrors all of those issues, for me, supersedes any other creative expression.

What inspired this particular collection and what inspires you in general?
My inspiration for this collection was African-meets-Middle Eastern. I thought it was really fascinating how one culture hid so much of the body while another revealed it. To juxtapose those lines of thought was interesting to me. In general, though, anything can inspire me. Right now, I am interested in the concept of power, and how it dominates our lives.

Who is your target customer?
Someone who wants have a good time, and laughs a lot. My clothing isn't really form fitting, so it can appeal to a broad range of body types and ages, so it's more of an attitude thing. I think my customer works and plays hard, and has a blast doing both.

What other designers do you admire?
Rei Kawakubo is amazing, I love how she toys with clothing and its interaction with the body, creating powerful and exaggerated silhouettes. Also, I am in love with Nicolas Ghesquiere, he is a genius.

Have you ever interned for any other designer and what did you learn there that will be useful in your own career?
I have interned at Marc Jacobs, Helmut Lang, Zegna and Chad Lavigne, and the thing I learned at all of those places is that you are a cog in the machine in the beginning. I don't have any illusions about how my life will be, working fresh out of college.

What's the most important lesson you learned while at Parsons?
Persistence pays off.

What would you like to be doing in 10 years?
I want to have my own company, obviously, but I don't want to rush anything. I want to gain more knowledge about the business aspect of fashion before I put my own neck on the line. I also don't want my creativity to stop with fashion, I want my business to explore living spaces and music.

Lastly, in honor of Tim Gunn: Would you ever do Project Runway?
No, and that's not a reflection on my feelings toward Tim Gunn, but more so with what happens to people after they leave the bizarre world of reality TV. I think it would hurt my career in the long run, rather than help it. Also I wouldn't want to embarrass myself and have it played on syndication 'til the end of time.

Photo courtesy of Michael Venker