Hello darlings! In honor of my returning to Montreal today, I wanted to share one of Montreal’s hot new designers with you. Already making waves in the fashion community in Montreal, Michael Eardley is quickly making a name for himself with his line Live.Now. By Michael Eardley. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing great things from this hockey player turned designer!
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m Michael Eardley, the owner and creative director of Live.Now. By Michael Eardley. I’m 24 and born and raised right here in beautiful Montreal. I actually grew up as a hockey player, being a fashion designer would have probably been the last thing myself or anyone who knew would think I would be doing right now.
What’s your design background?
After my hockey career was ended because of injuries and realization that I was not going to be able to make a living in the game, I needed to find a new passion. I was studying psychology at the time and did not have the passion I needed for it. I decided to enroll in fashion design school at Lasalle College after attending an open house. To say the least, the first few months were not easy. My hands were used to scoring goals and not sewing French seams. However, somewhere in the middle of my second year I seemed to just grasp everything that I was doing and found myself in a new passion. When I graduated, I graduated as one of the top students coming out of the program. Immediately after graduation I decided to open up my atelier and begin working on my line, which I had already decided would be called Live.Now. By Michael Eardley.
What made you start designing?
As I said previously, this was simply me trying something new. It turned out I had a hidden passion that was just waiting to come out!
Where do you find your inspiration?
I can be inspired by almost anything, my spring 2012 collection was actually inspired one night in Hong Kong last year. I was out for a walk one night on the waterfront and watched the nightly laser light show reflect off the top of the buildings and the colors mixing against the black sky gave me the conceptual inspiration for the collection. I am very inspired by architecture and some of my most literal inspirations come from the works of various architects. I can be inspired for shapes of garments by the shapes of the buildings I see. However, music is my biggest inspiration. Listening to a great track can put me into a place where I can see garments before I ever put led to paper, sometimes I will actually put on the iPod and some headphones and begin to drape and it is amazing the ideas that pop into my head.
Who would be your dream clients?
Lady Gaga and Blake Lively, I’m a big Serena van der Woodsen fan.
What trends are you loving right now?
My favorite trend right now is all the bright neon colors we are seeing right now, it brings such excitement and pop to the most basic looks.
What do you think about the Montreal fashion scene?
I think it is the most creative in the country. There are lots of great designers here, waiting to be discovered and waiting for that big break. However, I have come to learn in my few years in this business that you need to create your own opportunities and your own breaks. The Montreal scene, I believe, lacks some brand direction at times. Anyone who understands this industry in 2012 knows that a garment isn’t just a garment anymore, there needs to be more behind it. I don’t want to give away all my secrets and plans just yet. But, I would get excited if you’re a fashionista, love to party, and live life to the fullest because we have some big plans in store over the next little while.
