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Heatherette: Disposable Chic
By Tanya Jensen
Photos by Dan Herrick-FWD
Dec 23, 2001/ FWD/ --- If you watch "Sex and the city," then you are already familiar
with Heatherette!
The ad campaign for the third season of "Sex and the City," had Sarah Jessica Parker in a black
and gold "Carrie"-logoed T-shirt. And you guessed it. The shirt was designed and created by
design duo, Richie Rich and Traver Rains, the designers behind the label Heatherette.
So it follows that the design company behind the T, Heatherette, is becoming renowned for its
'80s-inspired disposable chic designs.
The larger-than-life pair behind Heatherette, which launched in February 2000, is well suited
for the "Sex" gig. First there's Richie Rich, a former Ice Capades skater and club kid turned
recording artist and fashion designer.
Rich's partner, Traver Rains, is a cowboy from Montana who designs and is an equestrian teacher
at New York's Chelsea Piers.
Rich's and Rains' influences are, obviously, manifold. Their collection features punk T-shirts,
lacy flapper dresses, leather chaps and halter tops. Embellishment is their trademark and the
pieces are heavy with pins, sequins, rhinestones, glitter, studs, feathers and fringes.
But as eclectic as their clothes are, the name they gave themselves has a very particular, even
arbitrary, inspiration. "We picked Heatherette as a name because there was this girl who used to
follow us around everywhere called Heather. We decided it would be a fun name."
A slew of celebrities - some named Heather, we're sure - are now wearing the handmade designs,
including such non-Heathers as Britney Spears, N'SYNC, Lil' Kim, Gwen Stefani, Destiny's Child,
models Karen Elson and Erin O'Connor, Ben Stiller, and Pamela Anderson.
Designer John Galliano recently bought ten pieces, and Heatherette are currently working on
Mariah Carey's new video with David LaChappelle.
While Heatherette certainly have their famous fans, the celeb who helped skyrocket their career
was a hard sell.
"It's funny, but Sarah Jessica Parker didn't even want to wear the T-shirt." Rich told FWD.
"The shoot went on all day, nothing was working and the T-shirt was the last outfit. Sarah Jessica
wanted a more Prada-ish sophisticated look, but Pat Field persuaded her to try it on and it
worked."
Rich and Rains are adamant about the clothes being purely fun and of-the-moment. "We want people
to wear the pieces a couple of times, throw them away and buy more.
Our muses are the Hilton sisters," the pair admits. "They are so much fun. They love to have a
good time and that's what it's all about."
For those aspiring to Carrie-dom, Hilton-ism, or just want some Heatherette, the famous T will be
sold at Patricia Field in New York and nationally through www.girlshop.com. Heatherette also
made their debut at New York Fashion Week during the Spring 2002 season.
Heatherette
Heatherette
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