Pegah Anvarian is an L.A. designer who had her own line from 2002 to 2008 of highly modern designs that balanced hard (leather) and soft (woven fabrics) in a very modern LA way, that looked quite European as well. Since November of 2008, she’s been Creative Director for Three Dots, the great t shirt and clothing company based in Long Beach. The fall collection that’s trickling into stores like Intermix and Weathervane right now is her first full collection that she fully created. Fashion Rules sat down with the very talented Ms. Anvarian at our mutually favorite restaurant, Ammo on Highland, about her new title and initial collection for Three Dots:
FASHIONRULES: What was Three Dots looking for when they hired you on as Creative Director?
PEGAH ANVARIAN: They looking to make their look fresh and be able to go back in the boutique scene where the label started. They’d widened the scope and gotten into department stores, but they also wanted Three Dots to be hip and directional enough, fashionwise, to be in the interesting boutiques. In other words, they wanted me to add fashion direction. They also wanted to add more wovens to the knitwares they use.
FASHIONRULES: What does that mean exactly?
PEGAH ANVARIAN: They wanted me to add an element of fabrics that don’t stretch to a collection of fabrics that do stretch. With Three Dots, they always have great quality and fabrics, but they wanted to go somewhere with new fabrics and trends that they hadn’t been before. Since I’ve been at the company, we’ve opened up Intermix, and we are doing some exclusive pieces and colors for Des Kohan’s boutique on Cloverdale in Hollywood.
FASHIONRULES: And you’re all happy with the result?
PEGAH ANVARIAN: Definitely. We’re getting back on track with being a directional and boutique-style brand that also is comfortable and well priced enough to be sell well in department stores. We’ve added special items, which are cooler and have some edge, and we’re getting distribution in hipper stores as a result. But we did not leave out the simple t shirts and comfortable dresses and cardigans we’re known for.
FASHIONRULES: So what are the hot fall pieces?
PEGAH ANVARIAN: We did a nice mix of everything. There are simple new body t shirts in new fabrics, that are really soft and lush. We also made some pieces out of a fabric called Ponte, which is a kind of doubleknit. We made motorcycle jackets out of it. And we did a motorcycle style legging out of it, that’s super fitted. We also did a t shirt with an outside shoulder pad, very Balmain. The shoulders are quilted, and it retails for only around 80 bucks or so.
FASHIONRULES: So you were inspired by Balmain. I know you’ve attended lots of Paris runway shows for years.
PEGAH ANVARIAN: Yes, I’m a fan of Balmain, but I was also inspired for this collection by Thierry Mugler. My personal taste is very designer, but more vintage designer than modern. I live vintage more than contemporary. I collect vintage Azzedine Alaia.
The way his cuts were back in the day were unbelievable. I love his older things. It’s that kind of amazing fashion element and direction I wanted to bring to Three Dots. In a bad economy, people want special pieces at a great price. And we all know how hard that is to find.
FASHIONRULES: I know fall 09 is arriving in stores now. What’s new for the holiday collection that you will ship in October?
PEGAH ANVARIAN: I took a hammered silk and mixed it with a knit. We did hammered silk harem pants. Flowey tops. All in super cool shapes. They’re in my favorite colors, of course: black, navy, grey. For resort, I added a little bit of neon – just as an accent.
FASHIONRULES: And we assume they’re as comfortable as usual – that’s the beauty of the Three Dots fabric.
PEGAH ANVARIAN: Yes, absolutely. You feel comfortable in these – AND stylish. In the world we live in and in Los Angeles, you can’t have style without comfort anymore.
FASHIONRULES: So what are the fall hot item must haves?
PEGAH ANVARIAN: There’s a seamless legging for fall that’s thicker than Wolford, but you don’t have to squeeze into them, the way you do with Spanx. They retail for about 60 bucks. Wolford ones retail for $250 to $380. I wear them to go to yoga, and they don’t rip, and you can also wear them as tights with boots. The shoulder pad “sculpted” t is a hot item. The wool Milano jersey cardigan has a scarf attached, that’s very convertible. They’re all available on ThreeDots.com, if you can’t find them in a store.
