Inspiration can be found anywhere; the sounds in nature, the curvature of a mountain range, and simply talking to people around you. We talked last week about the inspiration behind athglamour® and how it came to be, but designing an entire collection requires more than just a few life experiences and a great idea. You need a constant flow of inspiration and a way to make it come alive. Whether it be your morning jog or a hot cup of coffee by your favorite window, the way you find inspiration is personal, and what works for you may not work for someone else. This week, we sat down with our founder and designer, Mary Beth Larkin, otherwise known to us as 'MB', to find out where and how she finds inspiration.
Nature
Our current theme, aliferous, is a perfect example of how inspiration can be found in all aspects of nature. The beauty, color, shapes, and textures in our natural world can lend a hand in creating even the tiniest of details, like the Glasswing Butterfly inspiring the transparent underlayer of our Glasswing Shell and of course, the wing detail on the back of the silhouette. An isolated environment where you can look out the window into a space filled with trees, natural light, and hundreds of beautiful butterflies is a perfect location for MB to get inspiration flowing.
Our Customers
Feedback from those who wear (IN)LARKIN can be one of the biggest sources of inspiration for MB. She loves to hear what her customers feel is missing in fashion and if there are items they are longing to have. They are attracted to the brand for a reason, and MB feels it is vitally important to listen and learn about how customers are responding to certain pieces in the collection. She then is able to create even more of what they love. Unique opportunities to speak with MB in person present themselves every now and then, such as our pop-up shop at the Local’s Collective on currently throughout this summer.
European Designers
It’s all in the details; that’s a saying MB uses a lot. Attention to detail and building upon that is one of the key reasons (IN)LARKIN stands out among other small, woman-owned brands. European style highlights gorgeous details with that added touch of glamour we love so much. The comfortable and casual side of Stateside fashion blended perfectly with the high style of Europe allows us to bring our two worlds together to create athglamour®. MB takes inspiration from high fashion and infuses casual elements to create the first brand to fuse form to function to fashion.
Style Icons
MB loves cool classic elegance. The kind of elegance you can find in style icons like Audrey Hepburn, Kate Moss, and Olivia Palermo that inspire a very distinctive style. These women have a style that is unique and all their own and effortlessly glamorous, or at least seem like they do. That distinct look paired with effortless glam is what we strive for in our each of our collections. She wants her designs to stand the test of time and to still be worn by our customers 50 years from now.
As difficult as it is to find inspiration, it can be even harder to get the inspiration flowing when you need it. MB likes to meditate, pray, hike, and get her mind into a place of flow. When her mind is in a happy place, she can create to her heart’s content. Find an activity you love, and that inspires your own mind next time you need a little dose of inspiration. Have any more questions about how MB finds her inspiration? Reach out to us on social media or visit us at the Local’s Collective in Santa Barbara this week from Thursday - Sunday for an exclusive chance to speak with MB about her collection and the inspiration behind aliferous.