Those of you who are familiar with Project Runway know who Erin Robertson is. If not, let us introduce her. The season 15 winner wowed the judges with her bright and bubbly final collection, complete with smile-inducing color and hand-cut plexiglass sequins. After saying auf wiedersehen to Heidi and the crew, Erin took her skills back to Boston, where her fashion career began. We were lucky enough to catch up with the designer for an exclusive peek into all things Project Runway and what’s next on her agenda.
Rue La La: Congrats on winning Project Runway season 15! What was the best part about being on the show?
Erin Robertson: During the show, it was hard to realize what the best part was, because there was so much to take in. You actually feel like you’re sort of on a weird island – like Survivor in a way, but for fashion – because we don’t have our phones or anything. It wasn’t until after the show aired that I was able to sit back and see the best part of it. I realized how quickly I can make something and how to go with my gut.
RLL: What was your biggest “make it work” moment of the season?
ER: I think it was episode nine. It was the Marie Claire editorial challenge, and I was making that piglet vest. It would have been really cool if I had the time to work it, but I scrapped it literally five minutes before the model came. I kept being like, I can’t let my friends down, I can’t go home, so I had to make something work.
RLL: Is Tim Gunn as amazing as he seems?
ER: Yes. He’s super nice. He’s very Switzerland – very neutral. He’s seen so much, because he’s been in the industry for so long. It was really cool to get feedback through his lens.
RLL: How would you describe your aesthetic? Has being on the show affected it in any way?
ER: My senior year at Mass Art, I did my body of work about the Pacific trash vortex. I started thinking about waste in general and really researching and understanding the fast-fashion industry and how much impact it has on the environment. After Project Runway, I knew I wanted to have a sustainable clothing line, but I wanted to have fun with it. Also working locally is huge for me – innovation and technology are such a big part of Boston and Cambridge, so I’m setting up my studio here. I’ll do custom-made pieces and small-run collections with sustainability in mind.
RLL: Why is sustainability such an important part of today’s fashion culture?
ER: I think the future of fashion is being conscious and aware of where your stuff comes from. It’s all about educating the consumer and starting those conversations. Fashion is a way you can get people interested in the topic.
RLL: What first got you interested in fashion?
ER: I was really into sewing my own clothes in high school – I made my own prom dress. And then I moved from Utah to Boston and got exposed to different things. I studied fashion at Mass Art and took a class at MIT with Neri Oxman, who changed my whole outlook. I realized that through fashion I could talk about bigger issues like sustainability, so it brought everything full circle.
RLL: If you could collaborate with any designer, past or present, who would it be and why?
ER: Oh, that’s a good question… can it be an architect? I automatically think of Ricardo Bofill. He built my favorite building in Spain, called La Muralla Roja. It’s in Martin Solveig’s music video for “Do It Right.” It’s baby pink, lavender, and blue, and the way the sun hits on it makes all these different shades, depending on the time of day.
RLL: What’s your favorite trend for spring?
ER: Pink and ruffles have been epic. Not necessarily together. But pink has been my obsession. I actually just painted my new studio powder pink.
RLL: What’s next for you?
ER: Right now, I’m just getting my studio set up. I’m redoing my website and building this brand identity, because I’ll be selling all my clothes online. I’m also working with my friend Jordan again. We’re doing this protest print where we’ll be raising money and donating it to organizations like Planned Parenthood and environmental charities.
RLL: Do you have any advice for budding fashion designers?
ER: That’s a hard one. There are a couple pieces of advice I could give. I think that making mistakes is really important – they’re just as important as the successes, because you learn what you don’t want. Also, study textiles and fibers, and be in tune with sustainability and the future of fashion. Because if you’re not doing that as a designer, you’re just being like everyone else. I always say that I wish there was a Project Runway class, because being able to make something quickly and pushing yourself forces you to move in a way that you don’t normally move. I learned to listen to my gut, whereas in college you have time to mull over it.
RLL: You have to make it work.
ER: Exactly! It is literally a “make it work” moment. But it’s real.
By Brianna Lapolla, Associate Editor
