Behind The Scenes of Fenton & Fallon's Pretty Punk Collections

I have long been a fan of Dana Lorenz's Fenton & Fallon collections. Her particular niche serves well, as her dual-pronged approach to designing encompasses a broad demographic. Her unique creations are a dazzling mélange of  rhinestones, pearls and chains, which are sure to please. I was so excited to see this feature, and get a behind the scenes peek into her "creative world."

Glamour: What's the story behind Fenton and Fallon?

Dana Lorenz: In 2006, I launched Fenton, which back then was more about doing collaborations for friends I'd met after moving to New York and going out and partying, like the Proenza Schouler boys and Alexandre Plokhov from the now-defunct line Cloak. I started with a lot of rope and experimented with mixed materials, and that's how Fenton became such a collage of elements. But it wasn't a formal collection. Two years later, I launched Fallon, a less expensive and more graphic collection because I wanted to be able to do something completely different than Fenton. It really took off—it was lower priced and felt more everyday.

Glamour: How do the two lines differ?

Dana Lorenz: Fallon is a pop culture collection. It's inspired by music, artists I loved from the '80s and forward, Madonna, the supermodels, Peter Lindbergh—that sort of stuff. It's a personal collection for me because it's based on things I obsessed over in my childhood bedroom. Fenton is a place for experimentation for me.

• "Fallon has a philosophy of layering more hard-edge chain pieces with these sort of Madison Avenue-feeling pieces because the customer is definitely an aspirational customer. She loves the street, but she also loves to look...expensive!" says the designer.

Glamour: Was there a defining moment when you thought to yourself, OK, I have the hang of this?

Dana Lorenz: [Laughs] I don't think I've ever thought that I have the hang of it! I didn't realize I was really doing this until Voguecalled, because I didn't really have a collection until that moment.

Glamour: What was that phone call like?

Dana Lorenz: I got a call from Vogue to come and show the pieces and be interviewed for an article for the magazine. I thought it was just a friend at work, but no—they were like "Can you come on in next week?" I had a sketchbook and ideas, but it was definitely a panic moment to pull something together. I went in for the interview and it was the first-ever collection. They didn't know that at the time so I'm glad it all worked out [laughs].

Glamour: Who is the Fallon girl?

Dana Lorenz: I feel like the collection is geared toward and successful with a variety of women. We have a target customer—she's cool, she's edgy, she's rock 'n' roll, independent, and strong, but if we were to do a demographic of her, it would be all over the map.

Glamour: If you had to choose someone in pop culture who represents the Fallon woman, whom would you pick?

Dana Lorenz: There's something really natural about Madonna—especially back in the '80s-—that was very organic. I feel like Rihanna also speaks to that natural vibe. She. Don't. Care. And I love that about her. I think that's what people respond to, because people can spot a fake a mile away.

"We're working with harder-edged, more 'street' motifs but designed and made the way fine jewelry would be made," says Lorenz.

Glamour: Who were your first celebrity clients?

Dana Lorenz: Honestly, I think the first couple were Fergie, who wore these stacked graphic bangles I had at Barneys at the time, and Steven Tyler, who wore some fringe necklaces, which is sort of outrageous. But I think the true, really solid relationship—and to this day she wears things weekly—is with Rihanna. Whether she's onstage in a couture piece or walking down the street in a pair of wrestling pants and a tank top, she gets it. She knows that she can wear it either way, and that's really the philosophy of Fallon.

This year, Lorenz put on her first runway show. "I've always wanted to do a fashion show," she says. "For me it's about the clothes, the attitude, the walk, and how it goes with jewelry."

Glamour: What are your long-term goals for Fenton and Fallon?

Dana Lorenz: I'd love to separate them a little bit more, and I would love to have a fine jewelry collection. But again, with me it's about timing. I think when it's right, I'll know it's right.

(glamour.com)