Scott Tallenger, designer of
Left-Handed Branded, is a man who wears many hats, and has left New York to get back to Michigan to wear them! He is self-described as a left-handed,
right-brained designer, photographer and skateboarder. Everything from
womenswear and menswear, to eclectic film-inspired jewelry fills his collection,
and it’s colorful, bold and fun – just as we would imagine his personality
to be.
DG3: Tell us about
yourself, Scott.
Scott Tallenger: Scott Tallenger
aka “The Marquis De Guac,” “Scotty Avocado,” and “Scottstradamus” is a
Left-Handed, Right Brained, Resourceful Human (but an HR Nightmare), Digital
Immigrant, Retrosexual, Photographer, Skateboarder, Fashion Designer and all
around idea guy.
DG3: Tell us about
Left-Handed Branded.
ST: Left-Handed Branded is
my new name after re-branding in 2015. Short version, I named it after my
dominant left hand, which has been a source of inspiration and discrimination
my entire life. It is my new umbrella to house all the ideas I am currently
developing.
DG3: Why use natural fibers
and up-cycled materials?
ST: This combination goes
back to my days in Fashion College. I use natural fibers because they are the
strongest and most breathable, and my interest in up-cycled materials was originally
born out of poverty. I started using them in an Experimental Design Class and
never stopped. I was working a lot of Film Production jobs at the time and
started collecting film off of cutting room floors. When we had to choose a
non-traditional fiber to make a fabric, I chose film. The result was my “Tribute
To Norma Desmond Gown.” Over the years, I have expanded the use of 35 mm film
into accessories for fashion, and for the home.
Thirty five mm film makes a beautiful window treatment; I call it Modern
Stained Glass.
DG3: Where do you sell the
collection?
ST: When I was in New York
I sold my products at The Shoppe BX, The Artist Market NYC and my 35 mm film bracelets
at The Sundance Film Festival. My Michigan marketing has been largely word of
mouth from happy customers, but I am currently working on my new website for
Left-Handed Branded. If
you go please be patient with me, as it is still in the beginning stages, but
it IS live! I do have a lot of content yet to upload.
DG3: There seems to be a
good amount of clothing/accessory collections being made in Hamtramck. What do
you think draws people to that area?
ST: My girlfriend and I
were both being priced out of our neighborhoods at the same time last year and
we wanted to get under one roof. I grew up here, but I had to sell a New Yorker
on Michigan. When I would bring her home with me for family visits, we would
always stay with my good friends in Hamtramck. We loved their house and yard,
and as luck would have it, when we were looking to move they had just bought
the house next door to them and were looking for tenants – the stars aligned. Having
been back for 10 months now, I can say personally that I love the international
community in which we now live. New York City is still a melting pot, but an
expensive one. When they started calling my old neighborhood in the South Bronx
“SoBro,” I got out!
DG3: What do you find to be
the most inspiring thing about Detroit?
ST: The support for
start-ups and small businesses right now is enough to keep me here alone. I was
only in New York for six years, but a lot has happened here while I was away,
and I am just happy to be back and a part of the change. Between Entrepreneur Week and just the event
programming of The Build Institute alone, I have stayed busy. I am starting the
Build Basics Entrepreneurship Program in April.
DG3: Can you give three
pieces of advice about starting a clothing collection?
ST: I have not manufactured
clothing since I lived in Los Angeles, and all my productions there were small
and self-funded.
1. Know how to make your own patterns, sew your
own samples, etc. People will take you more seriously if you know your shit. I
would have never gotten my manufacturer had I not made my own patterns (She
told me that!).
2. Study what Flint and Tinder has done using crowd-funded Kickstarter campaigns for clothing production.
3. Find an investor. Easier said than done, but
if you meet one looking for talent let me know.
DG3: Describe your style:
ST: Retrosexual – I design
and make all my own pants that are pretty modern, but I like to mix them with
vintage shirts, jackets, and accessories.
DG3: How do you take your
coffee?
ST: Light and sweet.
DG3: Menswear trend for
women, or the skirts (a la Marc Jacobs) for men?
ST: The menswear trend for
women pants down. But I do love Marc Jacobs.
DG3: Karl Lagerfeld or Tom
Ford?
ST: Tom Ford
