Elie Tahari came to New York with "nothing but a free plane ticket." Years later, he's one of the most well-known and respected names in the fashion industry, boating five boutiques and a presence in over 600 stores. What's the inspiration behind that kind of dogged determination? Stylelist found out ...

IN THE BEGINNING ...

When you were growing up in Israel, did you know you wanted to be a designer?
I came to New York with nothing but a free plane ticket. My dreams were big. After working in the Garment District, I saw what it took and I knew I could do it.

In those early days, did you follow fashion at all? Who were your favorite designers, models, and fashion personalities?
There was so much energy in the city and the women of New York really inspired me.



How did your experience starting out as a retail sales associate in New York help you when you moved on to designing?
I was working as an electrician in the Garment District during the day and at a retail boutique at night. When I interacted with the customers, I realized that I had the ability to make women feel confident and feminine which is something I still think about when I'm designing clothes.

YOUR INSPIRATIONS

Describe the woman for whom you design -- who are your muses?
My wife, Rory. She is the best-dressed woman I know.

Your bio mentions that you're inspired by love, architecture, and "clean, straight lines and quiet suggestion." If you carried around an 'inspiration scrapbook,' what would be in it?
My inspiration scrapbook would include pictures of my family: Rory, my daughter, Zoe, and my son, Jeremy. I also find art incredibly inspirational and have always been attracted to the works of Cy Twombly (Apollo and The Artist), Gary Hume (Water Series) and Hiroshi Sugimoto (Colors of Shadow Series).



INDUSTRY TRENDS

Many women are fed up with the portrayal of ultra-thin models in high fashion. From your perspective, why do you think designers send looks down the runway on body types that most women don't have? Do you foresee a day when women of average height and weight will model top designs on the runways and in magazines?
We actually fit on real women of all shapes and sizes. The right fit is really important to our customer because they want to feel great. We work hard to make sure all of our pieces compliment a woman's natural beauty.

What do you think of the recent collaborations between high-fashion designers and mass market retailers? Are you interested in collaborating on a line like this?
One of the best things about fashion is that you are always trying new things and constantly reinventing yourself. I like the idea of making high fashion accessible to the masses and I am always focusing my efforts on expanding the Elie Tahari brand.



Have the rise of so many celebrity clothing lines impacted your business at all? Does it irk you that celebrities' name recognition can lead to higher sales than that garnered by collections crafted by established designers?
I am not bothered by celebrity fashion lines because designers that lat are the true success stories. Often times, celebrity clothing lines will get a lot of attention initially but do not always leave a lasting impact.

Do you watch 'Project Runway'? Do you think it offers a realistic view of what it takes to be a designer? What's your advice for up-and-coming designers?
I don't watch it, but I've heard it's great advice for designers to be honest with yourself and to follow your heart.

WHAT'S NEXT?

So many of your peers are launching fragrances, beauty lines, etc. Do you have any plans to extend your brand in these arenas?
We are currently working on various licensing agreements and I am very excited to watch their growth and success, marking the next evolution in the world of Elie Tahari.

Source: http://www.stylelist.com/blog/2007/08/14/eli-tahari/