TALENT Q&A: Designer Aeneas KT

By Carlos Aparicio

Aeneas KT is a fashion designer and businesswoman. Born and raised in communist China, Aeneas’ never really had experience with fashion until she discovered beautiful spreads on fashion magazines that inspired her to dream and believe somewhere in the world, women were given the freedom to wear who they are. She has recently graduated from Parsons and started her own brand, Aeneas KT LLC in collaboration with Generation GoldMine.

Women’s Mafia (WM): What does fashion mean to you?

Aeneas KT (AKT): art, power, fantasy…Fashion is an endless avenue of self expression.Fashion is also a way to boost your brain hence your intelligence and self esteem: There are no limits, no restrictions.It is a fantastic world where impossible is nothing!

WM: Where do you get your design inspiration?

AKT: I’m always drowned by European art, history and culture: I can relate to the garden of earthly delight by Bosh. It is actually a perfect image representation of what I express in my work: the intermingling of pleasure, fantasies and peril’s of life temptation. I also love the classiness of the baroque style of the 17th century with its exuberance and detailed oriented clothing construction.

WM: What makes your designs unique?

AKT: The mixture of femininity and masculinity expressed through the use of light weight and delicate fabric as silk, lace, chiffon and the heavy weight stronger fabric as leather .

Also, the extremely fitted shape of my garments is what make my style different: You notice that most stores don’t offer properly cut and fitted clothing..Most of what women find in stores are loose and unshaped garments. And the appeal used by those stores/ corporations is self esteem and comfort: most women are always concerned by their weight and a lot are self conscious about body shape. Hence the concept used by stores/ corporations to sell their clothes: Loose unshaped garments are comfortable and stylish.

But actually this emotional appeal is motivated by money: Loose unshaped garments take less time to produce and consequently is way cheaper for the industry.. .Generation Goldmine is a line of empowerment: It is about giving confidence to women toward the way they feel about wearing fitted clothes.

WM: How would you like your brand to evolve in the next 10 years?

AKT: I’d like Generation Goldmine to become an internationally known high end couture brand, a reference in terms of women’s wear, a tribute to the women’s beauty.

WM: Describe your creations with 5 words.

AKT: Empowering, exciting, dark romance, luxurious.

WM: Favorite designer or artist that you think has influenced you the most?

AKT: Hedi Slimane,especially his early work for Dior Homme!!! I totally dig his fitted shaped and clean cut designs. At the same time he kept a lot of the 90’s glam elements which added up so much beauty, flexibility and sophistication to his style. He really made a difference in the fashion industry as his designs can apply to both men andwomen.

WM: What’s the aspect of being a fashion designer that you enjoy the most? What’s the one you enjoy the least?

AKT: The fact that I get to express my feelings,thoughts and creativity in what I’m doing and most importantly share them with people .There is no real aspect I enjoy the least…. Maybe the feeling of uncertainty of how people will react to my art, to the message I want to deliver: Are my designs going to be understood? Are people going to question the trendiness of it? Being a fashion designer is like being in a relationship: you know what your feelings are, you know more or less how to express them but you are never absolutely certain of how your partner will react to them.You can only be sure of yourself.