Former bassist of Brazilian band Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS) and main assistant to Brazilian designer Alexandre Herchcovitch, Iracema Trevisan is a true jack of all trades.  After her time working in São Paulo and traveling with the band, she decided to move to Paris to pursue studies in fashion design at the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM).  Since 2011, she has been designing her line called B. Heart, a limited edition scarf collection characterized by bold graphic prints and bright, stunning colors.  The designs within the scarves have many layers through printed texture and embellishment, giving dimension to the accessory to serve as both a scarf and necklace.  Most recently, Iracema has been working as a print designer for Kenzo under the direction of Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, founders of Opening Ceremony.  I think it’s safe to say that Ira has the Midas touch!

Below are a few questions Iracema was kind enough to answer for us:

LC: Can you tell us a bit about your background as both a designer and musician?

IT: Design came first.  I was halfway through fashion school in São Paulo, already working, and I used to see many bands in small bars and they seemed to be having a lot of fun. That is when we started CSS with some friends. I’m not really a musician, it was all really unpretentious. Like an inside joke that lasted quite a while.  I kept my day job in fashion until the last minute before going on tour with the band for 2 years. In 2008, I decided to get my career back so I moved to Paris, took some time off to study, and after that I started working.

LC: What are some of your initial inspirations when starting a new series?

IT: It’s usually one image, and that can come from anywhere.  Series 2 of B.Heart was inspired from a scene in Godard’s 2 ou 3 Choses que je Sais d’elle.  I loved the soft colors and the quirky feel of the movie. Series 3 came from a picture of India in the 20’s, where you could see a cow painted in bright red.  You had the ornamentation feel from indian design in the flowers, and then this really graphic red cow.

LC: You have been based creatively in both Sao Paulo and Paris.  Do you think your environment influences your work and who you are as a designer?

IT: Paris can be really demanding. It’s home to the big houses and you feel stakes are high everywhere. There is no kidding around.  There are people from all over the world and if they are here it’s because they have the real passion for what they do and they will fight for it. It’s a really stimulating city for fashion, but very few brands take risks.

The most impressive difference is the weight of the tradition that you feel in Paris.  A lot of the beauty people look for when elsewhere in the world is part of their history, so they tend to take it for granted. You learn that all that beauty is not enough, and you should go further and find something new, surprise them.

São Paulo, on the other hand, is a huge chaotic city with a really young culture, so you feel like everything is still to be done. There are so many possibilities that the city is impossible not to fall in love with.  It is charming in its brutality, in the climate, dirt and pollution.  You kind of need to deal with it aesthetically to live well, and you can see that struggle in the work of many contemporary artists. That is my biggest inspiration when I’m there: to find beautiful things in unlikely places.  It’s the opposite of Paris, where you feel like finding a twist on what is so “in your face beauty” and tradition.

LC: What is the atmosphere in your studio like? Do you have any sort of rhythm or process when starting a new project?

IT: I have a small studio at a passage (small gallery with old stores) in central Paris.  I share with a friend, who is also a textile designer. It’s messy but cosy; it’s where I keep all my books and where I can spill paint on the floor.

I can work on a design for a long time, until it clicks. I usually start with three times the elements that I need, and peel them off until it feels right. I exercise constraint, like the Coco Chanel advice of taking one thing out after dressing up, before leaving the house. That is useful advise.

LC: Do you listen to music while working?  What have you been listening to recently?

IT: I’m the kind that gets distracted really easily… My concentration is that of a 5 year old, so the only way for me to keep seated in front of a computer doing just one thing is with ridiculously loud music, so I can think of nothing else. My playlist right now is mainly hip-hop, just because all the 5 records that got me hooked in the last two years are hip-hop.  Drake, A$AP, Kendrik Lamar, Kanye, Frank Ocean.  They are clever, sexy and upbeat records, and that is all you need.

LC: What influences from working with Alexandre Herchcovitch can we see carry through your work today?

IT: I think the biggest one is to find your own voice.  Herchcovitch’s work is really unique, and he has a clear message that is personal and coherent. If you don’t have something unique to show people lose interest quite fast.  He also has a way with big, bold colors that few designers know how to work with. He taught me to not be afraid of colors.

LC: What does the rest of 2013 hold for you?  When can we expect to see another series from B.Heart?

IT: I’m actually preparing other products for the Heart Heart Heart brand, on top of a new series of scarves. I feel like working with interiors right now for a change, so I’ll have some interesting new products soon. ; )

I’ve also been part of the textille/print team at Kenzo since Humberto and Carol from Opening Ceremony took over two years ago. It has been like a rollercoaster since.  They are super cool people to work with, and have a true understanding of what Kenzo stands for. Prints are a huge thing for the brand’s DNA so I feel really fortunate to be a part of that.

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x Lauren Demith Chung