January 2007 ALI FATOURECHI By Leah JayasankerThe Architect Behind Genetic Denim It is no mystery that Genetic Denim Creative Director mastermind, Ali Fatourechi, is a huge success. Taking the crafty approach of grassroots marketing and touring the country, he along with his partners (Scott Sartiano and Shaun Hurley), created a denim brand that literally fits a woman’s contour. Vis.A.Vis listens and learns about the magic behind the label. LJ: Why denim and how do you think is it such an important part of fashion? AF: I’ve always been a denim guy and always loved jeans; I’m a vintage jean guy. Growing up I’d scour the country looking for a great pair of vintage Levis. Denim is the only article of clothing that transcends seasons-it is timeless and such a big part of our culture, like our use of jeans for business casual Fridays. LJ: Explain the grassroots process you took to create Genetic Denim. AF: I always knew I wanted to start a denim line but since I had no technical background I took it to the street and the consumer and did grassroots marketing. I started a marketing company with two friends out of New York and we rented a U-Haul traveling to 42 different cities, visiting college campuses looking for the perfect fitting jean. I took different denim lines and conducted a sample sale, literally turning a 3000 square foot ballroom into a dressing room, I’d sit and listen to women report their likes and dislikes. After doing this for a year, seeing different body types and shapes, I came to an understanding of what women really wanted in a pair of jeans. I jotted down my ideas and took a year to create and find the direction I wanted to move in. LJ: How did you come up with the name Genetic Denim and develop the size and cut of the jean? AF: I realize that girls go up a size in denim–women do not want to hear this, so I came up with a Recessive Jean and a Dominant Jean (genetic jeans). Two different fits, recessive is a lower rise jean that is very sexy and tight fitting. The dominant has a higher rise, an un-contoured waistband that fits directly across the hip, thus a fuller jean for a fuller girl with a quarter of an inch more room. LJ: What makes the fabric so special and unique? AF: Both the Recessive and Dominant jean contain stretch along with several other fabrics. The weight of the fabric is very important; we use different weights depending on the cut of the jean. One of our most important assets is our focus on the hand feel of the jean. LJ: What advice would you offer to someone interested in starting a line without formal training? AF: You need to spend time doing something you love-and spend time doing the research. For me my entire college tour allowed me to see how to construct a jean and learn what women really want. It is a lot about and taking time to visit different fabric mills and wash houses coming up with subtle details to make the perfect jean. LJ: What does Fashion mean to you? AF: It is one way to express what you are about on any given day. LJ: Will you expand your line to include other items of clothing? AF: For now, I’m sticking to denim, but I’ll definitely expand the brand into knits. To find a pair of Genetic Denim near you visit geneticdenim.com . |
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