In a world that values speed and quantity over quality, it’s refreshing to see artists who take their time and develop products of substance and great value. Designer Natasha Patten, founder, and creator of mycoatisblue™ takes great pride in creating specialized custom fit clothing for each client. The personal one on one experience has gained her great notoriety in the fashion world. Based in Toronto, the brand is growing more and more, but the exclusivity of the customer’s experience has not changed. When one gets clothing from mycoatisblue™ he or she truly gets clothing that’s theirs, not just something that comes close to fitting. From the tailored fit to the feel of the fabric, the craftsmanship put into Patten’s products is of the highest quality down to the smallest detail. Here to share her story about her journey in the fashion industry and more is Natasha herself…
I’ve read a bit about your history with design and fashion, and how you came into the industry because of family. Could you share with our readers how you got your start in the world of design?
My start came back in Grade 7 home economics class. I made a pair of blue shorts – I got an A+ and loved fashion from that point on. I began making little fashion design books sketching all my ideas. I was fortunate to work with renowned Canadian Designer Izzy Camilleri back in high school for a co-op placement. Then, after taking advice from my aunt and late uncle, I decided to begin custom designing outerwear for clients.
When did it enter your mind that you wanted to start your own fashion line and what was the process of getting your business off the ground?
I knew in 2010 that I wanted to create my own collection, but I didn’t know where to start. At the time, I was still doing custom work for clients, but that process was too slow overall. Getting my business off the ground has actually taken many many years. I decided to take the leap finally in 2016 and launch the line. The process is still ongoing.
Artists get inspired in many ways and I found it really interesting that you draw inspiration from architecture and apply it to your designs. Can you walk us through your process of creativity when coming up with a design?
My creative process is quite simple; I usually like to sketch and rework my designs in front of the TV or with music. My mind has the chance to empty out any specific thoughts and organically create. My love of architecture makes its way into all of my creations in general, as opposed to specific buildings that I sketch. Each finished piece undergoes several design tweaks and changes before it becomes a part of the collection. Then the mockup gets created, and of course, more adjustments are made before it’s finalized.
Your coats are custom designed, which is so great! Reading the story behind the process of making your coats reminded me of this Japanese drama I just watched on Netflix Atelier. I can tell the craftsmanship of your products is extremely important to you, and I was wondering if you are going to keep your business in this direction, or do you have plans to produce on a mass-production scale in the future? If so, what do you think would be the benefits, drawbacks, and challenges that go along with it?
The craftsmanship is very important to me. I design every piece carefully so that they suit all body types. My customers should expect to feel amazing when they try the pieces on. I want to be clear that the prices are not custom to each individual. However, they can be customized if necessary. Sleeve and hem lengths can be adjusted based on customer’s needs. Being able to customize is an integral part of the brand identity right now, and while I do plan to produce on a larger scale, I don’t want to get it so broad that I end up trading quantity for quality. I always want to have the control to be able to keep giving my customers what they’re looking for.
I am also inspired to see more people of color owning their own business in fashion, music, and in all fields! In the world of fashion are there a lot of people of color who own their own businesses, and if not, what might be some ways to help balance out this inequality in ownership?
It’s inspiring to me as well! I think there are definitely more businesses being started and owned by people of color in the fashion world, but it’s still unbalanced at the top of the fashion food chain, and that’s where we need to start to see real change. Right now, funding and access to meaningful opportunities is a very real barrier to POC. In addition, the end customer (whether it’s a wholesale account or individual) needs to be willing to try a brand they’ve never worked with or patronized before. I understand there are certain financial risks that may be involved (specifically on the wholesale end), but it’s needed for these businesses to thrive. Retailers need to be intentional about providing shelf space that includes POC. Those things can’t be happenstance. It has to be on purpose.
How has the current pandemic affected your business this year?
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was able to use my downtime to create. That doesn’t always happen when I need to take care of the many other aspects of the business, so it was so good to be able to do that. Not having any brick and mortar locations has certainly worked out to my advantage as well as the coats are only available online. While I initially had no intention of making masks to sell, I ended up doing just that. I haven’t advertised them on my website yet, but sales directly through Instagram have been good.
Unfortunately, doing retail pop-ups, which was the best way for me to connect with my customers in person, has been, for the most part, put on hold because of the pandemic. I now plan to do very small private shopping events to continue to engage with them.
I know with the current state of things in the world it’s hard to predict what might happen in the future, but if you can, would you share with us some of your plans regarding mycoatisblue™?
I plan to stay the course and keep designing beautiful outerwear. Eventually, this pandemic will end, and everyone will be anxious to get out again. There are so many places (including here in Toronto) where cooler weather seems to dominate most of the calendar year and my customers like looking amazing regardless of the weather, and that won’t change. I’m also planning a more “winterized” collection of pieces. That’s all I’ll say for now, but it will be exciting!
Natasha Patten and mycoatisblue™ has been a truly inspiring story to do, and for myself personally, it is nice to see women of color doing amazing things in their respective industries and owning their own products. I hope it will be something that will become more and more prominent in the years to come. We at Occhi Magazine want to congratulate Ms. Patten on her wonderful work and wish her continued success in her future endeavors!
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Images, courtesy of Natasha Patten and mycoatisblue™
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Inspiring!
Loving the fashion. The coats are beautiful!