Coloured Muses

There always have been some of the designers or brands that have been at the top of their game. This one fine day, as I checked-off my favourite designers from the roll that I had prepared sometime back, I could realise that my mind was playing around with some colours that I had observed on the runway of TOME’s Autumn/Winter’18.

Soon after that, I grabbed a can of soda (in order to keep my thirsty mind running) and went back to the album. With vibrant hues running through the collection, and the dance of fabrics, prints bringing everything well together; I started to wonder what made Ramon Martin and Ryan Lobo switch to hues of pinks, and blues but, at the same time also questioned, so what?

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Little did I wonder what exactly is TOME above all. Excerpts from the interview.

I see a deep thought process behind the name TOME. How did you both come up with it?

Ramon and I had known each other for over 20 years and we always have been story tellers. The one idea that saw us collaborating together was the thought of a book metaphor. A Tome is a book, particularly a large, heavy, and scholarly one.

….and you both came together in 2010 to launch the brand. So, why a break?

We both met when we were just 18-years old and we always had the curiosity in us to explore the international fashion world. We were interested in going and look out for possibilities rather hurrying to start something of our own. Ramon had lived in Europe for 10 years, when we both finally settled in New York City in our early 30s.

Since you both had explored so much; were there any struggles to face?

We were on the same page from the first day we met…there was never any question of the kind of brand we wanted and what it should say.

That makes your strategies towards the brand very clear. But, what sets the strategy right?

We believe that ideology breeds strategy – it was never the other way around for us. Sincerity is the key. We put out into the world what we believe in, and if the world responds positively we feel grateful.

I feel your garments have a story. So, how is your design process like?

Each season we begin with researching for a female artist or multiple artists though the interest. Researching on them usually begins way before we sit down to plan a collection. Once, we are set, we discuss and these conversations sometimes percolate for months or even years, some even extend back into our childhood and teenage years.

We then meld these conversations about our artistic muses with pop references, vintage finds, fabric research, and a lot of draping and playing in the studio before we actually commit to any one movement or idea for the collection. We like and believe in contrasts – high and low, ugly and beautiful, couture and high street – and we take it from there. There are no rules and we are very respectful of all ideas proposed by the team.

What if ideas clash?

It often happens and we never deny each other the opportunity to explore something. It usually leads us to the best collusion of ideas and we love convincing each other of incorporating disparate elements into new collections.

The elements can be spotted in your recent Autumn/Winter’18 and Spring/Summer’19 collection very well. However, you played around with colours like hot pink and shades of blue. Was there any particular reason behind this?

Colour is instinctive for us. Though in particular with this collection it was inspired by Harlem based artist Tschabalala Self, who is a multi media collagist and painter concerned with black identity.

She’s also in our lookbook for the collection which was such a thrill for us.

….and your inspiration for Resort’19 collection?

Eva Hesse.

Your brand stands for sustainable clothing. How do you think the industry is pacing with the idea of sustainability?

The global environmental and ethical impact of clothing at all levels of the industry is now better known than ever before and there is no excuse for being unaware of the global supply chain and who made your clothes, how, for how much, and what that means for the environment. We have always held these concerns at the core of our practice.

I couldn’t help but notice the famous hash tag on your Instagram #everywoman. So, what is it about?

We have always been philosophically concerned with women at every stage of the clothing spectrum – from the female muses, the female factory owners, makers, the weavers, dyers, beaders, knitters — all are as important to us as the models who wear our clothes and ultimately the women who purchase them. We also believe in a democratic vision where no woman is left out of the story (hence Tome) – that every woman of any race, shape, size, age, and budget can find something from Tome.

What are the memories associated with your female muses?

Nothing could be better than seeing the women we idolise in our clothes. The first women who adopted us – Susie Lau, Giovanna Battaglia, and Caroline Issa – still support us to this day. Also, incredibly inspiring women as diverse as Amal Clooney, Solange Knowles, Beth Ditto .

Lastly, can we wish TOME coming to India?

YES!