Back To School With Bishop of Seventh
Even though it’s technically past back-to-school season at the moment…it is officially time to put away our summer gear and pull out some structured and well-tailored trouser looks for fall. And where are we turning to? None other than LA-based denim brand Bishop of Seventh. Created by couple Chachi Prasad and Karam Kim, the line offers comfortably chic wardrobe staples. After recently sliding into a pair of their pants, we had to learn more about the design duo.
How did Bishop of Seventh come about and is there a story behind the name?
The company was born when we saw a need in the marketplace for women to have structured, tailored garments that didn’t make them look masculine. The story behind the name signifies a presence with strength in design and tailoring from Seventh Avenue. Both Karam and I cut our teeth on Seventh Avenue learning from some of the most prestigous of companies including Calvin Klein, John Varvatos and Yigal Azrouel.
With your pants being so well tailored, how would you describe the overall Bishop of Seventh aesthetic? Has it changed since you launched the company back in 2006?
Aesthetically we mix masculine with feminine and re-work classics to bring a definable edge to them. Since 2006 in addition to our tailored pieces, we have infused essential casual pieces, which addresses lifestyle changes from work to weekend.
You’ve both worked in various facets of the industry, how have you witnessed the denim market evolve throughout the years?
This is a pendulum swing, which is evolving each season. The premium craze opened the doors for many labels. Some lasted and some didn’t due to saturation and overall economic circumstances. I think you need to always evolve but stay true to your vision. There is not much support for the $200+ jean anymore. What now is dictating the market is perceived value and look in the product at a very competitive price. The market up’d the ante here, so it forces designers and their team to be more creative.
Considering New York is a fashion hub, what prompted the brand’s move to Los Angeles?
We wanted to oversee all aspects of development and production of our denim line. New York doesn’t offer complex washes or details for Jean production. Los Angeles is the capital of the denim market. If Adriano Goldschmidt moves to LA from Italy to base his operation, then it only makes sense to play in the same arena.
Working together as a couple sounds like it may have its ups and downs, how do you delineate between business and your personal lives?
All couple have ups and downs. We seem to have a formula that is second in nature to our creative side. We do believe and have been told that we were two souls who were together in a past life who have found each other in this lifetime, which is very rare. It’s a nice thought to know you are with your soul mate, even nicer that they have the same passion. We treat Bishop of Seventh as an extension of us and as something we need to nurture every step of the way. We both challenge each other in a positive way. In all honesty there are times when we have big disagreements, but there is the big picture we think about and that is the overall well-being of Bishop of Seventh. We try and to not talk shop when we leave the office, but it’s difficult to do this when your mind is racing with ideas and inspiration. There is a lot of comedy between us, which relieves a lot of stress.
Lastly, what advice do you have for aspiring fashion industry hopefuls?
Every person on this planet has a creative side, In all honesty we (all fashion designers) are a special breed. We are fanatics yet we are very independent, we change our minds so many times, yet we know exactly what we want. If you are an aspiring designer, it’s in your DNA. You should travel and experience other cultures and art on top of your studies. This will open your eyes in a different way. If you are lacking experience you should at the very least, find work or internships where you can build your experiences. It’s important to pick good companies and to make sure you are absorbing as much as you can from your bosses or employers. We were very fortunate in this aspect. Always take baby steps and build on it.
Contest
Now for the fun part, we’ve partnered up with Bishop of Seventh to give one of our readers the change to win a pair of their stylish Jimmy pants in “Smoke” shown above.
To Enter
Leave a comment telling MyFDB how you’d style the Bishop of Seventh Jimmy pants in “smoke”.
Official Rules: A big thank you to Bishop of Seventh for partnering with MyFDB. A winner will be chosen based upon his or her response and notified via email upon the close of the contest. This contest is open to US residents only and ends October 3rd at 1:00 pm (PST). For more information about the super chic brand please visit their official website and follow Bishop of Seventh on Twitter @bishopofseventh.