Today as a part of Behind The Seams with A.K. Rikk's series we’d like to introduce our Creative Director and Personal Shopper, Ben Tobar. Ben has been a member of the A.K. Rikk's family for ten years and has an immense appreciation and understanding for the details - he explains, "I enjoy watching those that have come and gone before us. Cary Grant, Miles Davis, Hemingway, Picasso. They were always playful with the details. Style to me is a conversation. Not everyone may understand the dialogue, but fashion allows me to speak non-verbally." Get to know where Ben believes the "eye" for future seasons come from through a series of questions in our seventh Behind The Seams with A.K. Rikk's interview.
You studied at Kendall College of Art and Design. What is your perspective on art influencing fashion and style?
I love talking about the intersection of art and fashion, they have so much to do with one another; especially at this time in history, Fashion has been elevated to an art form and this generation is looking on in veneration of Karl Lagerfeld, Alessandro Michele or Tom Ford in the same way that past generations adored Dali, Koons or Matisse. At the same cue, in fashion, the influencers are drawing from art especially during the late 70's and early 80's; creating negative space is influencing the silhouettes paying homage to that glam decade, which I find an intriguing dedication.
Designer everyone should know?
Brunello Cucinelli - even when you look past how his clothes are cut, the effortless color palette, or how amazing they feel, a person can really feel good about what they are wearing because they can be confident that the person that made the garment was well paid, treated fairly, and the work was done in first world conditions. Brunello Cucinelli believes that he should leave the world better than he found it, and you can see that through not only his clothes but what his company does.
As the Creative Director and an appointment only Personal Shopper at A.K. Rikk's - How do you know what will be on trend for future seasons? Is it a gut feeling, research, both?
I think the "eye" comes from people, watching and conversing with hundreds of them. How do people like to be perceived, what are they comfortable in, how can they be more confident. Knowing those things comes from digging for those answers or watching for them. So I believe it is both, a gut feeling and research. I have tried to take every opportunity in my life to travel in order to understand what people are like all over the world; I think by spending as much time in one place as you can you start to develop concept of what everyday life is like for different people. A banker or lawyer dresses a certain way in London but totally different in Rio de Janeiro. How you want to be perceived depends on where you are, who you are with, or what time of night it might be. So my job boils down to helping people along on their journey of finding their best life.
Golden rule of shopping?
Buy less, just buy better.
That concludes this Behind The Seams with A.K. Rikk's series interview. Next time you shop with us make sure you say "Hi" to Ben!