Interview: The Lake and Stars

January 7th, 2011

The Lake and Stars F/W 2010

New York-based lingerie label The Lake and Stars is setting up shop at The Waldorf, Vancouver’s very happening hotel. Following their sold-out New Year’s Eve event, The Lake and Stars and The Waldorf are launching the shop with a live exhibition titled “Five Secret Worlds,” an elaborately staged production taking place across five hotel rooms. We caught up with designers Nikki Dekker and Mayaan Zilberman to learn more about the concept behind the shop and what’s in store for the spring season.

TB: Your F/W 2010 collection definitely had a fetish element (the crotchless tights, for example), that wasn’t as present in previous collections. Are the more racy numbers here to stay?

Nikki Dekker: If you look at where we began with the collection to where we are now, it looks like it’s gone through a big shift aesthetically, although we do continue bringing back favorite silhouettes and details. It’s fun for us to be able to change the collection based on where we are in life and how our interests change. We’ve always liked the tongue-in-cheek aspect of fetish wear and felt like it was appropriate to play on this last fall. Each season is open to where we’ll take it, but I have a feeling this element will keep popping up here and there.

Maayan Zilberman: The element of fetish in this collection is more of a nod to the tradition of lingerie, and what one might expect to see from a lingerie brand at the stage we’re at. We wanted to pay homage to this idea while poking fun at the notion of kinky garments being used for seduction.  For the most part we design these garments to be worn with garments that show them off in a ready-to-wear look.

The Lake and Stars F/W 2010

TB: How did the concept for the peep show come to be?

MZ: When I spoke with the owners of the Waldorf Hotel, we talked about doing an event for New Year’s Eve and the peep shows were the perfect way to showcase women in lingerie-clad situations without forcing them to coexist with clothed onlookers. My concern with still-arrangements is always that the models/women feel comfortable being barely clothed, and that they feel totally confidant. Thomas Anselmi’s idea to do the peep shows as a means of performance rather than traditional “tease” shows is what drew me to this project. Taking the audience into a new time and place is what makes the garments transcend the typical space of “boudoir” or “burlesque,” which Nikki and I are generally opposed to.

TB: You are also doing the capsule “Shop-in-Room” store at the Waldorf Hotel in Vancouver.  What is it about the Waldorf that attracted you?

MZ: From what I know, the staff were fans of the line and thought the hotel’s aesthetic matched that of our brand. After learning more about the building’s history I knew it would be a perfect location for our first shop and exclusive Canadian retailer. When I stayed there on New Year’s Eve, I made sure to reserve an apartment for when I have my eventual Marilyn Monroe-esque meltdown. It’s a perfect David Lynch scenario. And I could probably run my business out of there.

The Lake and Stars S/S 2011

TB: How long is the “Shop-in-Room” store going to be up for and what type of merchandise will be available?

MZ: The Shop-in-Room will be up with current décor (like our F/W 2010 campaign) until February, when we will redesign the space to suit the S/S 2011 campaign. It’s a very exciting idea to change the environment based on the feelings we’d like to evoke with each collection.  For S/S 2011 we’ll be offering new lingerie styles and slip dresses that you can wear outside the bedroom.

TB: Looking at S/S 2011 campaign, there is kind of a bohemian, romantic feel to it. For something that we wear underneath our clothes, is lingerie dictated by seasonal changes as well?

ND: We develop each season based on an array of inspirations, themes and feelings. Because of this, it does often skew lighter and brighter for our spring collections and a little darker in the winter as we draw inspiration from around us. In this way we differ from traditional lingerie brands and work more like a fashion line.

TB: I think the importance of underwear often gets overlooked by most women and it becomes a “special occasion only” thing. What is your theory when it comes to everyday wear?

MZ: One of the reasons we created The Lake and Stars was to shift this attitude of “special occasion” and “comfy” and to bridge the gap a little more. We wanted to make bras and underwear and everything in between that our peers would feel comfortable wearing day or night and incorporate into their personal sense of style. Much like the evolution of shoes, bags and other accessories, we viewed lingerie as another accessory that should change in style as you change your mood. It should be a reflection of who you are and how you feel about yourself.

ND: It’s pretty remarkable what putting on beautiful underwear can do to a woman’s mood even under a t-shirt. It’s kind of like a good lipstick that way: it’s something that’s easy to do everyday, you just need to find the right fit and get into the habit.

The Lake and Stars S/S 2011

TB: Underwear as outerwear: yes or no?

MZ: I will always say yes to this. But, the truth is, I think it only suits a woman who is completely comfortable with herself. I’ve seen girls in town wearing their bras and garters out and they don’t look happy. As long as you are happy in the look, and you are comfortable then it will look fantastic.

ND: When it’s styled right, absolutely. Luckily, more and more designers are getting into this idea and making their ready-to-wear collections easily adaptable to this notion.

Words Anya Georgijevic

Photography Tom Hines