Day Space Night

We took a moment to catch up with L.A. based textile designer, Samantha Margherita, to discuss her latest venture called, Day Space Night, and her varied inspirations which include a marble lion and a peach tinted rose garden.

Samantha & Kris

Tell us how you got started in surface design.

I’ve been making things as far as I can remember back.  I’ve always played with color theory and ornament in my art, which naturally lent itself to textiles when I decided to go art school. I studied Fiber at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. The Fiber Department was really wonderful, very conceptual and sculptural. I learned many traditional hand processes that I still use in my practice today. Towards the end of my time at MICA I started dabbling with digital printing.  I loved that I was able to embrace old techniques and experiment with super new technology. In LA, I forage for plants to make natural dyes with and simultaneously digitally print on fabric, it’s an interesting time to be a textile designer.

Shooting the latest collection

How did Day Space Night come about?

Day Space Night is a collaboration between Kris Chau and myself. I design the prints and Kris designs the silhouettes. We met in Philadelphia while designing for Free People a few years back. We both come from an Art School background which gives us a different perspective on clothes within the fashion industry. After designing for established brand identities for many years, we both wanted to express our unique voices outside of a fast fashion environment. Day Space Night is a vehicle for our combined outlook on fashion, that takes on art and functionality while still being fun and unique. In a world of high turn over fashion, we wanted create a product that was transparent, fun and sincere. The silhouettes designed are based off of simple vintage shapes, they graze the body so you can move in them with ease and feel the most like yourself. The clothes are all 100% silk, designed and printed in our Chinatown studio. Focusing on small in-house production runs and allows us to experiment and collaborate more freely. All garments transition easily from Day to Night; Made to dance in, have a nice dinner in, and also look like the coolest girl in the room. We hope the collection appeals to women comfortable in their own skin who want to stand out at a party without wearing a little black dress.

What is inspiring you right now?

The Color Red, Tiny Florals, Yayoi Kusama’s Mirror Infinity Room, Marina Abramović’s ted talk on vulnerability and connection, and the Iris Apfel documentary.

Day Space Night Studio

Is there a fashion movement you gravitate towards?

From a fashion stand point, I love the idea of season-less and trend-less. I just want to create really beautiful, high quality pieces that can stay in your wardrobe forever and compliment your personal style.  That was part of the inspiration behind Day Space Night.

Day Space Night

What is your favorite print design from your recent collection, and what is the inspiration behind it?

My favorite print from the first collection is Stone Rose. The prints were inspired my objects at my Italian grandmother’s house.  I wanted to go back to my basics and revisit the first objects that inspired me as a child. The ground is pulled from a marble statue of a lion in front of her house, and flowers are pulled from her peach rose garden.  I loved mixing the floral with an abstract texture.

Day Space Night

Day Space Night is having a holiday pop-up at their LA studio with some talented friends!
Dec 11th from 5-9 & Dec. 12th from 11-6
1727 N. Spring St. 90012
(orange door on aurora st. side of warehouse)

– Jessie Whipple Vickery