Emily Burnett has been apart of many runway shows in her 10+ years as a fashion designer for top fashion houses such as Ralph Lauren Black Label and Dennis Basso, but on a cold February afternoon in New York, she debuted her own collection at Spring Studios, BURNETT New York. With structured suits and a mix of fur jackets and coats, her collection quickly evolved into an array of flowing gowns for all shapes and sizes. A palette of oxblood, baby blue and black and white, delicate lace pieces, and pleated skirts and gowns, Emily Burnett has established herself as the newest designer turning heads this Fashion Week. The LA Fashion Magazine sat down with this #BossBabe to learn more about what it was like to debut her first collection, and what she has in store for the label in the future! Check it out below!
LAFM: Emily, you’ve worked with household name brands in the past, including Dennis Basso as the Creative Director and Ralph Lauren Black Label as a designer, and now you’ve developed your own fashion house, Burnett New York. Can you tell us what it’s like going out on your own as a designer and establishing yourself?
Emily Burnett: It is incredibly gratifying to launch your own brand. It has been a dream of mine for my entire career, so to watch Burnett New York come to life has been extremely invigorating! It is definitely a lot of work to launch your own brand, but I know we are building something that will inspire women all around the world!
LAFM: Emily, you officially left Dennis Basso in 2018 and had your NYFW debut last night, how does it feel?
Emily Burnett: I am overwhelmed by the support and beyond grateful. The show was everything I hoped for and more, from the stunning models of all sizes, ages and ethnicities to the incredibly talented teams who worked so hard to make this collection a reality.
LAFM: What inspired you for this collection?
Emily Burnett: This collection was inspired by 1980’s film heroines such as Sigourney Weaver in “Half Moon Street” and Michelle Pfeiffer in “Scarface”. I love the idea of strong women power dressing to convey strength.
LAFM: What has been your biggest accomplishment and biggest challenge being a designer, and a female designer at that?
Emily Burnett: My biggest accomplishment as a designer is launching Burnett New York for all women. My biggest challenge was taking the leap to start my own brand. I saw other male designers getting the opportunity for backing by investors, but it just seemed to still be a barrier for female designers which is why my business partner Sterling and I decided to specifically target female investors for our brand.
LAFM: Can you give us a sneak peek into your future? What can we expect with the BURNETT New York label in the future?
Emily Burnett: You can expect to see more power pieces in future collections and ultimately you can expect to see accessories as part of our brand. We really want to have a global presence as a luxury fashion label, so we hope you will see us around the world.
LAFM: And lastly, what can you tell those looking to becoming a fashion designer one day? Any tips from a pro you can tell us?
Emily Burnett: I would say stay hungry and put in the hours to get as much experience as you can. I remember working 80 hour weeks just to make sure I was a part of every step of the design and production process. If you put in the hard work, it really will pay off and you can do anything you dream of doing!
