Miami Beach, FL – March 15, 2016 – Cecconi’s was filled with trendsetters and fashionistas as another installment of the Fashion for Breakfast series. Fashion Designer Jonathan Simkhai along with moderator Anne Slowey, ELLE’s Fashion News Director, spent time discussing the various aspects of fashion world as well as the latest trends. Attendees munched on delicious breakfast as they listened on to the intriguing discussion.

World Red Eye caught up with Jonathan Simkhai, who gave us a more in depth look to how his brand started, what he brings to the design game and what we can expect from him in the future.

WRE: How did you first get your start in design?

JS: Growing up, my family was in the manufacturing business, so I was always surrounded by and exposed to elements of the industry. I started as a buyer for a boutique in New York, then and studied briefly at Parsons and FIT before deciding to launch my own collection. After that, I was completely self-taught. I have always been very entrepreneurial, so for me, there was no other alternative to starting my own business.

WRE: Tell us about how your label first started?

JS: My friends would stay over at my apartment and look for things to wear. I would style them in my own clothes, like my shorts and shirts, and this really inspired the influences of menswear that became incorporated into the brand. I felt that there was a lack of this in the market, so the line really started with an idea of menswear staples reinvented in feminine silhouettes. During my first season, I was designing and developing out of my apartment with one other person. The collection got picked up by a showroom in New York, and they started doing the sales. I got a few key stores during that first season, and those orders fueled me being able to hire more people and begin working on a larger scale. Then the CFDA program gave me the resources I needed to turn the brand into a fully-sustainable company.

WRE: Has your culture had an influenced your brand/design aesthetic?

JS: ​My family’s heritage definitely had a big influence on me. My grandfather owned a lace factory in Iran in the 1970s. As a teenager, a box was found in the attic containing old formulas for the machinery in his factory. My father gave me these formulas after my grandfather’s passing, and these allowed me to incorporate customized laces into my collections.

WRE: Where do you look for inspiration for each collection?

JS: As a New Yorker, I am inspired by the fast pace of New York City women, as well as the mechanics of daily city life. I am inspired by art and culture, as well as what’s happening in music and on social media. I find inspiration everywhere, including in the most unexpected places and in the most intricate details.

WRE: What set’s your brand/look apart from others in the game?

JS: ​Comfortable luxury—clothing that is aspirational, yet wearable—for the urban-minded woman on-the-go. Timeless style—a look that is modern and contemporary, not trendy, with a classic silhouette and color palette. Radical elegance—the contrast between soft and hard, refined and bold, masculine and feminine. I like to balance delicate textures and intricate detailing with edge.

WRE: Tell us about some of the favorite fabrics you use? Why do you like to work with these?​ What are some things you keep in mind when designing for a woman’s body type?​

JS: I like to work with fabrics that can be mixed and manipulated to contour the body in flattering ways and fit a variety of shapes and body types. ​

WRE: Describe the kind of person who is rocking your clothing?

JS: The woman rocking my clothing is sexy, but refined; she’s an uptown girl with a downtown attitude; she’s sporty but polished; and she’s effortlessly confident and fearlessly radical.

The woman rocking my clothing is sexy, but refined; she’s an uptown girl with a downtown attitude; she’s sporty but polished; and she’s effortlessly confident and fearlessly radical.

Jonathan Simkhai

WRE: What has been the most memorable moment of your career thus far? Anything you are yearning for? ​

JS: The most memorable moment of my career was winning the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. It was a dream of mine that came true and has been such a blessing.​

WRE: Where do you see the Jonathan Simkhai brand 10 years from now?

JS: ​In 10 years, I see the Jonathan Simkhai brand as a household name—a global lifestyle brand that has expanded into other categories such as accessories, footwear, and home.