CDG - The Costume Designer

Winter 2019

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20 The Costume Designer Winter 2019 By Bonnie Nipar Leesa Evans Le Cloud S aks OFF 5TH announced the launch of Le Cloud on December 13, 2018, a ready-to-wear women's collection designed by Costume Designer and celebrity stylist Leesa Evans in partner- ship with actress and comedian Amy Schumer, to be sold exclusive- ly at Saks OFF 5TH. For the luxury-value store's first partnership of this kind, 30 percent of net proceeds from sales of the collection will be donated to Community Partners, a not-for-profit organizati- on in support of the duo's STYLEFUND project. Coming from a fashion background, it's no surprise that Evans is best known for designing stylish rom-coms, starring some of Hollywood's hottest an d most talented comedians. Evans uses the opportunity that contemporary film offers to infuse fashion into her designs as a tool to make the modern audience connect to the characters and to evoke the many emotions and themes of the film. "Somewhere along the way, I realized how true that is in everyday life, that clothing informs who we are and can better help us aspire to who we want to be." It's become her philosophy. Evans met Amy Schumer through direc- tor Judd Apatow and formed a bond while shooting Trainwreck. "It was Amy's first-time experience of feeling truly confident in what she was wearing," she explains. "She under- stood that everyone could achieve that level of confidence if they just knew how clothing could support and empower them. Soon after, we established STYLEFUND as a way to con- nect with people and hopefully change their relationships with getting dressed. It's an initiative aimed at the cul- tivation of confidence and overall well-being through fashion. Amy and I felt if enough people could reframe their process of getting dressed each day, it would create a different sense of self, and the feeling of limitless possibilities." Over the next few years, Evans and Schumer continued work- ing together on films and press tours. During fittings, the duo brainstormed ideas for a line of clothing to help women achieve an emotional and positive connection to clothing. The designs had to be effortlessly flattering, versatile, and comfortable for women of all shapes and sizes from XS-XXL. Starting with a small collec- tion of mix-and-match essentials in classic colors, Evans focused on silhouettes that can easily go from day to night while still maintaining the "comfy." In fact, the line's name Le Cloud came from a running joke between the two partners as Schumer would ask if a garment "felt like a cloud" before she would try it on. To start, Evans met with Linda Kerns from Matchbook Company, explaining what she and Schumer wanted to do. "It was an immediate decision to link STYLEFUND with our clothing line Le Cloud because they both stemmed from my fundamental styling and design philosophy. After speaking to a variety of different pos- sible partners, we decided from a quality and price-point objective, Saks OFF 5TH was such a perfect choice. From the very first meetings on, they have been great champions of our vision." Leesa Evans and Amy Schumer

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