Every city has fresh young talent it somehow claims as its quintessential darlings. For New York City it is Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of Proenza Schouler. For Los Angeles it could be Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte. For Portland, the young rising darlings have to be Rachel Turk and Nathaniel Crissman of Church & State.
Not only do they have noteworthy accomplishments (they were finalists in GENART Styles 2006 International Design Competition) and diehard fans, but they’re also consciously orchestrating a clear aesthetic and future growth plan which solidifies their staying power as a major design force. It also doesn’t hurt that they’re both attractive, always sharply dressed, and incredibly kind and clever.
design: Church & State photo: Chris Hornbecker
Collaboration: 1+1=1
One of the interesting things about all the aforementioned “darlings” is that they all are duos and thus a collaborative effort functions as one of the forces behind each collection. It’s a small example, but even at the cafe where the interview took place, the Church & State duo stood at the counter, each playfully suggesting various eats for the other (Turk settled on grilled cheese with tomato and Crissman had a pumpkin scone).
When asked about their collaborative process, contrary to what one would think, the two answer that they muse separately for a while, sketching in their books and thinking of various concepts to shape an upcoming collection. Then, as collection deadlines near, they share with each other what they were independently working on. This approach allows independent creativity to really develop before a fusion occurs. “Surprisingly,” Turk says, “when we show each other our sketches and start talking about what we were thinking, it usually ends up being the same thing or very similar. Even we get a bit shocked at its synergy!” Instead of seeming convenient or even coincidental, this suggests they have harmonious interests and a keen sense of modernity.
When asked about their inspirations, the couple was hesitant to name something like an icon or a piece of art, although certainly references have been made. Instead, to better illustrate the sort of thing that creates a spark and inspires a collection for them, they provided an example. “Last season we were really taken with the idea of cowls, piping, we’ll take an element of design like that and use it to focus our collection which is really about the sentiment or concept,” says Crissman.
design: Church & State photo: Chris Hornbecker
Says Turk, “We really try and narrow our focus because there are so many things we want to explore and use, but we don’t want to be all over the place. One of the things we try to accomplish with each collection is to make a cohesive statement that translates aesthetically.”
“And to really develop!” Crissman adds. The fact that the two of them live and work together really can push their development as they’re constantly surrounded by their art. “It never gets overwhelming, really. I like being able to work whenever I want and to converse with Rachel whenever. It’s wholly a part of us, I love it.”
One striking and telling point of their uniqueness in Portland is that within Church & State’s complete collection you can take out any piece and know immediately that it is Church & State. An ultra contributor was recently in New York City and spotted a Church & State dress on a girl (a check of the label confirmed it!), and when in Seaplane, one can always pick out their pieces in a heartbeat. Their clear and focused vision translates into every piece with vibrant effortlessness. Their ability to artfully restrain themselves and to really hone into their purpose is one of the qualities that make them so powerful.
design: Church & State photo: Chris Hornbecker
What’s In a Name?
When the pair started five years ago, (it all started with a single skirt that Crissman made for Turk one Christmas) they were called anther.pistil to reflect their vision of making men and women’s wear. Obviously, neither the name nor the menswear stuck (not to say in the future there won’t be a men’s line!) as the two narrowed their focus. “I think our aesthetic eye got sharper,” Turk says. “We chose the name Church & State not because of any political statement, but because we liked the way it sounded and the way it looked. Typeface was really important too, and luckily we found the perfect one right away.” It seems a little strange to choose a company title because of the way it looks and sounds rather than the meaning, but for Church & State it really reflects what they care about in design. Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette was criticized and revered for being a sort of eye candy: empty, somehow anti-feminist. What it seemed Sophia Coppola was trying to get across was to not portray the plot (which we hope everyone knows anyway) or garishly pound into someone’s head a profound and obvious political message, but rather to reveal and revel in the sheer aesthetics and emotion of the time and society. Turk and Crissman are interested in investigating this idea and it is fitting that their name was chosen in the manner that it was. It simply fits.
And how it does. One of Crissman’s professors from the Art Institute spoke of how precise and diligent he was, attempting to get everything perfect. While other students were running ribbons across fabric with uneven seams and loose threads, he was taking a piece apart and re-sewing over and over until it was just right. This personal dedication to each garment ensures exquisite fits and a consistency that is important to building a solid brand.
The Way Forward
Another thing that solidifies Church & State’s reputation as a major force is that they are going to grow. A lot. In the next year, the duo will concentrate on completing their business plan and increasing the number of their wholesale accounts. To have a wholesale account, one must have patterns, production, and a sales team.
Patterns: check; unlike many local designers, Church & State create patterns and take patternmaking very seriously. “Whenever we are designing, we create the pattern carefully and then make a sample. If the sample doesn’t work, we go back to the pattern and work on it and change it before we change the sample,” Crissman says.
“And this can take several tries, but we always go back to the pattern. The cowl pieces took five or six fit samples!” adds Turk.
This process of patternmaking creates precise, well-thought pieces; even if the shape or execution seems simple, with one glance it is unmistakably, perfectly, Church & State. Another thing a pattern does is to allow an item to be made over and over again so that no piece is a one-of-a-kind experiment.
This leads us to production: currently, the pair is working on finding quality fabrics and sewers that are as good as Crissman. Right now Crissman sews each garment himself using Turk as a fit model, but in the future they hope to be able to outsource this step which will accommodate larger wholesale orders.
The couple also want to be represented by a carefully chosen showroom so that they can concentrate on designing. By having someone manage their wholesale accounts, Church & State is going to be well known outside of Portland. And while it’s nice to have them as our own, it will be much more of a profound accomplishment when they’re outfitting a greater crowd. We can’t wait to see what develops from this smart, charming couple.
–Patricia No
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