Influentials Interviews October 2010 Influential: Geryn Sloane
Written by Takeshi Monday, 25 October 2010 11:10
This month Costa Rica Sims Fashion Influential is the talented and creative lady behind G. Sloane Couture, Miss Geryn Sloane. I had the chance to sit down with her and discover more about her amazing line of formals and her beginnings in Second Life.
Takeshi Kiama: So I think the first thing we'd like to know, is what brought you to this virtual world?
Geryn Sloane: I have a dear RL friend who is an SL charter member - she's been here since 2003 - and she had told me about SL for quite awhile, telling me how I'd love the creative aspect of it. But it wasn't until 2006 that I had a computer capable of running it. So while I was recovering from a dislocated shoulder I decided to check it out and I was hooked from day one!
Takeshi Kiama: Your friend, that turned you onto SL, was a programmer?
Geryn Sloane: Nope, she's just an old gamer. She's told me some fun stories about how SL was only the mainland, there weren't teleports, you couldn't fly and there were no prims for clothing or hair!
Takeshi Kiama: Ack! Perish the thought! So you've had some experience already with virtual worlds?
Geryn Sloane: Well, my early experience wasn't in a 3D virtual world but I did role-play on AOL about 10 years ago.
Takeshi Kiama: Did you just jump straight into designing?
Geryn Sloane: Fashion design had been a passion of mine since high school. I used to make all my own clothes. My friend who brought me here was designing and encouraged me to try it. I didn't at first I was just dazzled by SL in general. But eventually I tried my hand at building, furniture at first. Once I kind of got a handle on "torturing prims" I thought why not try to make a prim skirt. Then my friend showed me how to use the clothing templates and i was off an running.
Takeshi Kiama: What a great metaphor, torturing prims! Was there a huge jump from designing clothing in real life to working with the Linden templates?
Geryn Sloane: Yes, getting the hang of how weirdly the avatar mesh can distort things on your designs, that was a big challenge but it's nice not getting stuck with pins LOL!
Takeshi Kiama: How long have you had G. Sloane Couture now?
Geryn Sloane: A little over 2 years now. I started out in a little sky box over a small plot of land I owned and gradually expanded to my own sim and my 10 storey hi-rise building!
Takeshi Kiama: From a designers perspective what is the biggest challenge you faced getting started with a clothing business. You've had such a success. What was the biggest barrier?
Geryn Sloane: I still don't feel like I've had a huge success yet, compared to some of the big name designers so I would say the biggest challenge is getting your brand out there, getting people to notice you and spread the word. It's a slow process, especially in a world where the trends change quickly and the competition is stiff.
Takeshi Kiama: how do you handle the trend changes?
Geryn Sloane: There are so very many people out there who think they can design but produce only mediocre stuff and sell cheap, so staying ahead of that crowd is important. I read real life fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, W and Glamour to see what the trends in RL are and stimulate ideas for my own designs. I'm still not quite able to think ahead as far as seasonal things like they do in RL. It's hard to think about spring fashion when fall just arrived!
Takeshi Kiama: That's true and I've noticed in Second Life®, that it's not quite up to speed that way as in RL. Like now they have what, spring/summer 2011 already? Probably fall/winter too.
Geryn Sloane: Yeah, I'm just starting to think in terms of cold weather clothing but since I make more gowns and cocktail wear and not as much casualwear its more of a color palette change for me I think.
Takeshi Kiama: And do you make menswear at all?
Geryn Sloane: Ahhhh, the menswear question. I have had many of my male friends bugging me to start doing some menswear. Menswear is just a whole 'nother ball game! But I am experimenting, I have done some sweaters but that's about it so far LOL
Takeshi Kiama: That's fabulous!! I'll be standing in line waiting on that then!
Geryn Sloane: Awww thank you. Right now I have a friend who wants me to do some nice winter tweed pants so we shall see.
Takeshi Kiama: Where do you see G. Sloane Couture in two years?
Geryn Sloane: I'm always creating, and I plan to continue on. I love it because its my creative outlet. I majored in art, graphic design and photography in college the first time around but ended up in a very non-art career so designing in SL fulfills me and I can't see getting tired of it. In two years, I just hope I will still be able to be a valuable asset to our Second Life® fashion scene and continue to make clothes that people want to wear. The success I've had is a bonus for me for getting to do something I love and would do for just the joy of it anyway.
Takeshi Kiama: Along those lines, are you able to pull a side income from your SL business? I'm sure its not as easy as people might think.
Geryn Sloane: Well I still spend a fair amount of my own rl money in Second Life® but if I wasn't such a shopaholic I think my business would mostly cover the tiers on the 2 sims I own now so to me that's way more than i ever expected and its nice :)
Takeshi Kiama: What advice would you give for someone wanting to get into fashion design in SL?
Geryn Sloane: I would say you have to do it for the joy and pleasure and if you produce good things and do a little promotion you will slowly get noticed. If you're only in it for the money you'll probably be disappointed. Two years ago I was thrilled if I did 1K in sales a WEEK and could pay my tier on my rented parcel!
Takeshi Kiama: And it is highly competitive.
Geryn Sloane: Oh yes but I also think there are a lot of people producing 'cookie cutter' designs or just trashy stuff and of course there is a market for that but I strive to be classy and elegant and I can still make some sexy stuff too.
Takeshi Kiama: Are there any designers in SL that you admire for creativity?
Geryn Sloane: Oh yes I adore AlaFolie and RFyre, and some of the designers who produce works of art like Eshi and Violator. Half the time I look at other designers and want to crawl into a hole thinking my stuff is crap comparatively but I think most artists are very self-critical.
Takeshi Kiama: Now how did you happen upon the Costa Rica sims?
Geryn Sloane: I've been aware of CRS for a couple years but never seemed to have the time to check them out. Then a good friend of mine bought some land there and raved about it so when I went to see her new place I was enthralled and the parcel next to hers was for sale so i grabbed it. CRS is the most wonderful community in SL! There are so many wonderful residents and so much to do and see...I regret sometimes that my business keeps me away from CRS as much as it does.
Takeshi Kiama: We'll come drag you away from the sewing machine more often :D
Geryn Sloane: LOL can you get me about 49 more hours to the day! I'm also involved in the SL live music scene, not as a performer so I'm always being pulled in 18 directions at once. I have a couple of very dear musician friends who I host or dance for - Edward Kyomoon and Dexter Ihnen - and I have a little venue of my own called Cloud Ten that I occasionally book performers into like Ed and Dex and CraigLyons Writer and Mankind Tracer.
Takeshi Kiama: What would you say sets Costa Rica Sims apart from other estates on SL?
Geryn Sloane: Well I do own two other sims and my main residence (other than my studio!) is on the sim where my store is, but the beauty of CRS is was sets it apart, the care and attention to detail in all the landscape and the sense of family among all the residents make it an amazing place to be. Giancarlo is a wonderful person and has much to be proud of in the estate.
Takeshi Kiama: For our ladies in Costa Rica, what fashion advice can you give them. Say for formals as you specialize in that.
Geryn Sloane: I think if they are looking for beauty, elegance and to be ethereal as well as stunning, then you'll probably lke my formal gowns. I promise to try to get some menswear on the racks soon!
You can visit G. Sloane Couture in Costa Rica Sims Colonial Shopping District and join us this Sunday at 12 noon SLT for an evening of elegant fashion worthy of Ms. Sloane as we honor her contributions to the Second Life fashion scene.
