Brianna Lance Q&A

29.09.2014 | Fashion , Music | BY: Hillary Sproul

I first met Brianna Lance when I went into Reformation to buy a skirt almost five years ago. At the time, every piece was one-of-a-kind and the girls sewed them in the back. The skirt was too big at the waist and Brianna – this beautiful creature – came out to fit the skirt to my exact measurements. Eventually, I was hired at The Reformation (as one of just two girls who worked in the shop) and I worked with them for a year and a half before the company grew into the amazing brand it is now.

Brianna serves as Head Designer and somehow manages to find time to perform with her band Bad Girlfriend. I sat down with her to ask her a few questions about her impressive work in both fashion and music.

Let’s start with the beginning: Where are you from? How did you end up in New York?
I grew up in Dallas, Texas. I moved to New York to go to Parsons for Fashion Design. I just stayed after that. I can’t imagine living anywhere else right now. I’m too spoiled by living here.

Was fashion design always a part of your life? How did you begin?
I was really interested from clothes as a kid, and my parents really encouraged it. They wanted me to do something I was passionate about so from the time I was 14, I think it was pretty set that I was going to go into fashion.

How did your relationship with Reformation start out?
I was friends with the founder Yael before. The company had been around about 6 months before I started. I was doing styling at the time and feeling a little burnt out on it, so she suggested I come work for her. I’ve been with the company five years now. Most of it as Head Designer and very recently as Creative at Large.

Do you feel the brand has changed a lot over time?
It has grown a lot and also become more what we want. It’s a clearer message now. The more we stay true to our interests, design ideas and message, it seems the more people respond to it.

Does it feel like a reflection of whatever you’re inspired by aesthetically at the time?
It feels most like a reflection of a particular message we have. We want women to feel beautiful and like the best version of themselves. We want them to feel like our clothes highlight the best parts of them. That is mostly what we design for: sexy, cool, chic, free spirited women.

If you had to choose one uniform to wear every day for the rest of time, what would it be?
Oh, that’s easy: jeans and a good blouse. Obviously there are a lot of temperature fluctuations that would make that less than ideal. But style-wise, I feel like that is always in fashion. That, or a really good jumpsuit.

Can you tell me a little bit about your band, Bad Girlfriend?
It’s an all-girl four piece that really likes making guitar-heavy music. It is the thing I do in life that gives me the most pleasure: singing and playing guitar.

Did you always play music?
I played piano when I was young. Then when I moved to New York, I was a tambourine girl in a psych band. I learned to play guitar though about 5 years ago.

If you had to listen to five songs-and five songs only-every day for the rest of time, what would they be?
Tezeta- Mulatu Astatke, Numer One- Bill Moss, Cool Waves- Spiritualized, Sull’aria- Marriage of Figaro, Suzanne- Nina Simone

Is music and fashion a major balancing act for you or is it just life as it should be?
I can’t do just one thing. I have to do a lot of different creative projects to interest myself. Otherwise my brain gets bored. I’m always happiest when I have many different projects going on; it makes me feel the most alive.

thereformation.com

badgirlfriendband.com