For All Its Worth.

When I talk to people about my passion for fashion, I always get the look and then follows, “Well, what are you doing here then?” But after my interview with David C. Wigley (trust me, remember this name), talking about his fabulousness, his new cIothing line Worth. and his in on Toronto Alternative Fashion Week, I know I’m in the right place.

As my interview with him was conducted via email, I sent my questions to Wigley after picking up as much info about him as I could Googling. Usually when doing such a thing you hit send and cross your fingers, with hopes that you receive something back that is usable. After reading all of my thoroughly answered questions, I felt as though I had been in the mind of a present day, young Karl Lagerfeld. The evolution that Wigley continues, so full of passion and perseverance; leads this triple threat – designer, stylist, make-up artist, to a career path destined for greatness.

PM: You say your style is “high fashion”, you hear that term thrown around a lot, elaborate.

DW: “It’s true, you do hear ‘high fashion’ all the time, and most of the time it refers to something that was thrown together using cheap fabrics and totally unwearable. To me, it’s more about luxury and fine finishing. I don’t think that it has anything to do with labels however, but more the craftsman ship behind the piece. My pieces are more about something timeless and classic; however it’s something that you’ve never seen before…I really think that clothing is a feast for the eyes. I love garments that catch my eye, and give me what I call a visual orgasm! A running joke among my friends is that Vogue is my porn, I get off over a beautiful gown more than I ever would over a beautiful man.”

PM: What moment was the “Aha!”? When you said, “This is it! This is what I want.”?

DW: “I don’t know if I’ve ever had the ‘Aha’ yet…I’m just like any designer…struggling and doing what I can. Every collection or piece that I create has its own ‘Aha’ moment, it’s amazing! When the sketch comes together, and it just clicks…It’s like falling in love over again…I could say more, but it may get pornographic.”

PM: What does it feel like to be named “Most Promising Canadian Designer” at the Canadian Fashion Design Awards three years in a row?

DW: “Hmm… that’s a tough one… the first year was exciting… the years after, not so much… It’s really just a title, but nothing more than words. In fashion you are only as good as your last collection. It’s flattering.”

PM: With that said, you have won and placed in many other competitions. When you prepare for such an event, what is your game plan?

DW:     “I create many looks, sometimes upwards to 50 little line drawings – just thumbnails, quick little sketches of things that catch my eye. From there I’ll go over those thumbnails for sometimes up to a week. Whatever still jumps out at me will usually move on to the next stage where I do a few more sketches and start to finalize the silhouette. Then I’ll do the final sketch; VERY rarely does the final garment not look like the final sketch. Seeing as how I come from an illustration background, my illustrations are a final look of the garment right down to stitching lines. When it comes to show time I don’t really think of it as ‘winning’, I just want to show what I can do.”

PM: What can we expect to see on the runway from you at FAT this year?

DW: “This collection is my debut collection. I’ve created a lot of garments, but never a full collection. So with creating a collection, I also created a company to go with it. Worth. (Wigley’s clothing line) is really about what knowing what you are wearing, and knowing what its worth. The collection is timeless classic pieces with a fashion forward edge, made with sustainable luxurious fabrics and finishes. One of my hugest pet peeves is one people pick up a piece of well made clothing, see the price tag and say ‘What the fuck! This is SO not worth ‘x’ amount of dollars’. My client is someone who understands and knows what their clothing is worth. Not necessarily that it’s expensive, but wants to wear a garment made of sustainable fabrics in a sweat shop free environment. And not only that, but they know what they are worth. Each garment is screen printed with a mantra, this season’s is ‘I am worth loving.’ Every season the garments will co-ordinate and work with previous and future Worth. garments. The mantras will almost work as a time stamp to show which season the garment is from, as each mantra is exclusive to that season.
On top of that you can expect an exciting and entertaining show! Coming from a theater background, and working as a visual stylist, I’m all about the big bang and first impression! I can’t say anything more.”

PM: What are your thoughts on FAT?

DW: “I’m SO excited to be a part of FAT. I feel that they have a great set of core beliefs, and what they stand for is just amazing. The whole idea of FAT is phenomenal! It takes all your pre-conceived notions of fashion, and throws them out the window. I feel like it is a socially responsible event, promoting green living and a healthy outlook on life. The models are more like real people, who essentially will be wearing the clothing, and create an image that’s attainable. At the end of the day I believe that designers have a social responsibility, and FAR too many promote unhealthy lifestyle choices. In fact, I read in Vogue the other day about a designer (won’t name names) who actually tailors his collection to fit a ‘modified’ body shape, essentially fake breasts. It’s disgusting and unnatural to me, to create a clothing line catered to people who can’t embrace what they were born with, and feel the need to surgically alter themselves to be beautiful. I feel that people look outward for beauty, when they really should be looking in, because really, we are all worth loving.”

Very seldom, do we come across a designer who is socially conscious and is stoic in believing that beauty must be organic. On many occasions such responsibilities are compromised to achieve haute-couture. Perhaps, this “Recycled Hollywood story…small town kid, moves to the big city, wide-eyed over fashion,” has it right. Sometimes you ought to be removed from the situation in order to see where you want to take it. Perhaps all of us living in urbania, take it for granted –all the little details. But through Wigley it all comes together. He may have been know as an “Über-geek” while growing up, but he could soon be known as an über-designer, encompassing the perfect ideology of the future of design, making a utopia of the art itself.