London Designer Fhernando Colunga Makes a Splash Across the Pond

If you were fortunate enough to attend Austin Fashion Week 2011 and, in particular, closing night at the Driskill Hotel, you will remember the name COLUNGA. Austin’s most fashionable crowd had a front row seat to the U.S. debut of the fashion house whose roots are scattered around the world, but now firmly established in London.

The company’s namesake and Creative Director, Fhernando Colunga recently spent some time with Fashionably Connected updating us on his 2012 clothing and millinery collection and sharing the story of his rise in the international fashion world and how COLUNGA is transforming the fashion industry.

Although his last name is Portuguese, Fhernando Colunga is Mexican born and while most of his childhood was spent in Mexico City, his youth was also filled with many trips to New York City. His family eventually relocated to NYC temporarily, which provided him the chance to discover what New York had to offer and his life was strongly influenced by what he learned while living there.

When Fhernando was young he often experimented with customizing clothes as his interest in fashion design grew. As money was short, he would frequent used book stores to thumb magazines featuring artists such as David Bowie, Annie Lenox, and Boy George, which became his first visual influences.

While visiting New York, Colunga was introduced to the underground art and fashion world where he met fashion designers that gave him insight into the fashion industry. The more he learned, the more he became convinced that fashion was where he belonged.

While training in Milan, Colunga met Brian Harris, a professor at Central St. Martins in London who has trained such fashion icons as Stella McCartney, Hussein Chalayan, and the late Alexander McQueen. Impressed by Colunga’s work, Harris encouraged Fhernando to make the move to London. Harris became a mentor and is an advisor to this day. The COLUNGA brand was established in 2007 in the UK and located to London in 2010.

Initially the Fhernando Colunga brand created menswear, but now designs women’s wear exclusively under the COLUNGA label. Colunga has created designs for British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, who he believes represents the quintessential COLUNGA Woman: a woman of balance, one who juggles family and career with an incredible sense of style.

When asked what advise he would give to those interested in a career as a fashion designer, Fhernando shared that he was told early in his career to take himself out of the equation as much possible, in other words… don’t design for yourself. His advice is to get into fashion only if you truly love it. “A successful career in fashion requires an incredible amount of hard work, constant improvement and a great understanding of oneself” says Colunga.

Colunga was invited by Matt Swinney in 2011 to present at Austin Fashion Week, which was the launch of the COLUNGA brand in the United States. Colunga reminisced about his U.S. debut, “There is something quite surreal about showing a new collection, because we’re backstage and cannot see the response from the public. So when stepping out on the catwalk to take a bow it’s not entirely clear whether the audience liked it, or if they are clapping out of politeness. When we were called back to a standing ovation I knew the collection had been well received”.

The COLUNGA models strutted the runway at Austin Fashion Week in the brand’s first millinery collection, creating an instant buzz among Austin’s fashion elite. While hats are not as popular in the United States as they are in the UK, the 2011 Royal Wedding prompted women all over America to purchase fascinators and hats, beginning a new trend in the Spring and Summer that was not lost on Austin’s fashion crowd, which happens to be home to several talented and nationally-recognized millners.

“We were deeply surprised by how well the millinery line was received. Although we had our reservations, I believe a hat can sometimes be the ultimate accessory to an outfit. When I arrived at the Austin Fashion Awards and saw so many ladies wearing hats, I knew change was on the way” said Colunga.

The COLUNGA brand is in the process of setting up distribution agreements with department stores and independent retailers in the U.S. and Europe. Those interested in COLUNGA couture or bespoke pieces should send an email to personalorders@colunga.co.uk. The company expects to launch online orders later this year on their web site at www.colunga.co.

Photography for Look Book provided by Austin Photographer Manuel Nauta

COLUNGA 2012 Headwear Collection

COLUNGA 2012 Women’s Wear Collection

| Category: Fashion Forward |