North West to New York
Q&A with emerging designer Ethan Leyland
“It’s taken about 7 weeks to actually enjoy living here.”
Last week we caught up with Ethan Leyland, our most recent Space Meets guest, and chatted about all the juicy stuff he's been up to in NYC.
Image left: Ethan Leyland / Image right: Holly McCandless-Desmond
Image top: Ethan Leyland / Image bottom: Holly McCandless-Desmond
What is it actually like to be living in New York?
First we chatted about what it was actually like to live there and despite the city being voted as “the most expensive city in the world” the week he moved there, he’s really enjoying it. As he makes new friends he has the power of TikTok to thank him for introducing him to a whole new group of people (admittedly most of them are “from the North West” but we won’t judge).
Although it hasn’t always been as fun as TikTok may seem, Ethan explained that it had taken him about “seven weeks to actually enjoy living” in New York and has struggled massively with the time difference between there and the UK. Sometimes he has found he misses his friends and family and wishes he could talk to them more, however he assured us that “there’s literally so much to do, you could never be bored”.
What’s the best project you’ve been involved in so far?
Next we talked about his job at Oscar De La Renta and of course had to ask him if his experience was like The Devil Wears Prada… He told us that “there are moments” where he feels as if he’s living Andi’s life; going to factories, speaking to models and running around the city at a moment’s notice. Luckily, Ethan informs us, he romanticises “everything” he does in life so he is really making the most out of his experience, even if there is the occasional early morning.
He’s already worked on some amazing projects and when asked what his favourite one was so far there was no question, it was of course “Jessica Chastain’s spider-look face mask” which he created and hand sewed in just four hours before she wore it on the red carpet at the Golden Globes. He told us that it felt like such an accomplishment because “it was the first time since working there that I've seen someone in something I've made” and what a first to have.
Next we talked about his job at Oscar De La Renta and of course had to ask him if his experience was like The Devil Wears Prada… He told us that “there are moments” where he feels as if he’s living Andi’s life; going to factories, speaking to models and running around the city at a moment’s notice. Luckily, Ethan informs us, he romanticises “everything” he does in life so he is really making the most out of his experience, even if there is the occasional early morning.
He’s already worked on some amazing projects and when asked what his favourite one was so far there was no question, it was of course “Jessica Chastain’s spider-look face mask” which he created and hand sewed in just four hours before she wore it on the red carpet at the Golden Globes. He told us that it felt like such an accomplishment because “it was the first time since working there that I've seen someone in something I've made” and what a first to have.
Images: Space by Liquid
Image: Space by Liquid
We then began talking about his hopes for the year ahead and his main plan was to learn and expand his knowledge, ready for his return to London and his “final collection at Central Saint Martins”.
We loved catching up with Ethan and can’t wait to see what he gets up to next! Watch the full interview here.
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