Power in Individuality with Carter Altman
Designer Spotlight: The Subconscious of Carter Altman & His Independent Line Carter Young
In some sense, individualism is the ability to break through norms that have been so incessantly intertwined in our thought processes and everyday life. To most, individualism and expressionism will seem almost alien-like — to a select few, it will inspire. The role of fashion in our vague search of self-identity can take on many forms, but at its core it is a direct reflection of our personality and how we want others to view it.
What’s interesting to me though, is that we are often creating our self-identities with others in mind. It’s become apparent that part of our reintegration towards individualism comes from the validation of others. This is, perhaps, what makes fashion so intriguing. At the highest and most confidence-inducing level, fashion allows us to showcase who we are without validation - instead we decide how we are seen. We choose what we wear. This is the power of fashion. Individualism stimulates creativity. Inclusivity stimulates collaboration. In fashion, collaboration brings the birth of new and intriguing art.
Embracing individualism and stemming away from the norm is the core of independent designer, Carter Altman. Through his unisex clothing line, Carter Young Label has dabbled in the unconventional to create elaborate and eloquent pieces that challenge the traditional fashion system. We were lucky enough to tour his mind and outtakes on the creation of his brand.
Can you tell us a bit more about how Carter Young Label came to be?
I started working in fashion when I was 15. I’ve always wanted to be a creative of some sort, but as a form of expression, clothing just resonated with me more than anything else. It took years to refine my ideas to the point that I felt I could helm a cohesive brand, but the impetus to create was always present. Maybe it was something in the wine, but in 2017, after a stint working in Italy, l felt I had a clear direction of where I wanted to go when I returned stateside, and I launched my first collection under the Carter Young Label.
What inspires you most as a designer and what have been some of your biggest challenges?
It is difficult to say what inspires me most. It is not that any one thing appeals to me more than any other objectively, but there are certain movements I see on the street or sounds I hear in the background that provide the subconscious foregrounding of new creation. For me, I like to look at references and then forget them. Whatever impression is left over from the re-memory of the impression is where I start.
A lot of my references come from personal experience and memories. I brief my team with auditory references that help me capture those feelings like songs or soundbites. At the time I was designing the SS20 collection, I was thinking about my older brothers and archetypes of americana, so I looked at the things that were relevant for me at a certain formative stage in my life. I was listening to a lot of Smashing Pumpkins and looking back at old Sony Walkman advertisements.
Some challenges include operating outside of a traditional fashion system as an independent designer comes with a few difficulties. When I first started designing, I knew nothing of editors or critics or even had any awareness of, or access to that world. It took a long time, with a lot of luck and help from collaborators and friends to get people to look at the collection initially.
How do you keep your pieces sustainable / low-impact?
I try to produce in small quantities, often underproducing to minimize the excess. I feel that it is better to make less and have those pieces be worn and appreciated rather than make more product than is wanted and see those pieces go on markdown and get thrown out next season. Increasingly, I have been exploring repurposing of old stock and materials, which has been a very engaging process for me as a designer. Working with what I have seems like an obvious idea, but has helped me think about design and production from a different perspective.
For the FW20 season I have been using deadstock fabrics to avoid the environmental consequences of new textile production. This means that the pieces will be more limited, but hopefully that also means that people will feel more connected to them, and keep them in use for longer.
Do you think more brands should be focusing on “creating less” / producing less clothing?
I don’t think that what the world needs is ‘more’. There is a need to be cognizant of what we buy and how it affects the industries and people involved. I feel that intentional design, products made with supply chain and use cycles in mind are what we should be searching for, and rewarding with our patronage. The production of new creative ideas is vital to the industry, but that does not always mean starting from nothing. Some of the most innovative creatives I have worked with use second hand, or deadstock materials as their primary mediums, and they are able to create new work using what has existed and has been overlooked or discarded.
And finally, why is inclusivity so important in the fashion industry?
There is no monopoly on creativity or inspiration. Different perspectives bring distinct visual vocabularies and personal experiences together to produce something entirely singular. Without dialogue between different worlds, the formation of new ideas would be impossible.
