Adorn YOUR BODY

In just one fast year, Brooklyn native Maya Amina Lake, creator of the clothing line Boxing Kitten, has become the newest U.S. based designer to watch. Lake, a self-taught designer and entrepreneur who has been creating custom designs since she was in high school, burst onto the fashion scene with vibrant and bold pieces (priced from $78 to $370) that extract sentiments from the past—think ethnic-inspired prints that are the backdrop for retro fitted styles from Mad Men's era. Celebrity stylists and their clients—from Solange (one of her friends), Estelle to Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Fergie, not to mention fashion titles such as W and Arise. Here, the designer shares more about the inspiration for her line and provides some advice for others seeking to follow in her footsteps.

AMBERmag.com: When did you first realize your clothing started to gain popularity? ML: I think the turning point for me, was the first time I saw one of my pieces on Erykah Badu in Giant Magazine. Seeing a piece in print with the credit "Boxing Kitten" next to it...that was when I knew this was something special. I saw the way people responded to the clothes, and it was exciting. AMBERmag.com: How is this collection different from the past? ML: It's much more focused, very tight, and I think you can see a clear sense of design evolution from the first collection to this one. {mospagebreak} AMBERmag.com: Where does your inspiration come from? ML: Pin-ups and modern pin-up culture, my friends, my mother, my grandmother, old movies, powerful women, Black history, books—and most importantly from the textiles. AMBERmag.com: I know all your clothing is made with Ankara print. Can you explain what this is and the appeal of this particular fabric? ML: Wax hollandaise is a method using wax block prints and batiking techniques. Patterns are printed in wax on long strips of cloth, which are then immersed in vats of dye, usually indigo. The parts of the cloth not covered in wax absorb the dye, laying down a basic pattern. The wax-printed fabric can be sent through machines that partially break off the wax; since the wax breaks arbitrarily, no two lengths of the cloth are quite alike, which is what gives wax-print fabric its characteristic organic richness. Then the fabric is pattern-printed with other colors, anywhere from one to three times. This is a part of what makes each garment from Boxing Kitten particularly unique. AMBERmag.com: Who are some designers you admire? ML: I think with the passing of Alexander McQueen, going back and looking at his past collections has just been mind-blowing. His creative genius seems unreal! I think it was his Spring '99 collection with the mechanical paint and the rotating walkway that I remember the most...his talent and creativity is admirable, courageous, and inspiring. AMBERmag.com: What is the best perk in being a designer? ML: I get to wear clothes that I created and I can be proud of, and then I get to spend all my hard earned money on pretty shoes! AMBERmag.com: What advice would you give younger designers who want to start their own clothing line? ML: Keep on keepin' on. Start with maybe 3 patterns, perfect them, and do whatever it takes to keep yourself motivated. AMBERmag.com: What is next for you? ML: Anything is possible, but having worked with such great musical artists, I would love to possibly design a tour wardrobe, I also just look forward to evolving and growing the awareness of the line, and even going international!