Sherrita Davis: Menswear Designer

If fashion is about reinventing the old, pushing the limits and stepping outside that safe box, designer Sherrita Davis has done exactly that with her menswear clothing line, Mable Grahm. Made for the modern, sexy and stylish man, Sherrita’s designs are outshining a rather dull selection of menswear clothing by current designers. From texture to silhouette and attention to detail, her innovative designs push the envelope creating a fresh new look for menswear. And in this male dominated industry of menswear designers, it’s about time to honor a woman’s perspective!

Q: What inspired you to call your clothing line Mable Grahm?
The line is named after my maternal grandmother. Back in 2000 I designed a line called ita*slick and after taking some time off from the design world and deciding to re-enter with the focus on menswear, that name was no longer suitable. So with much consideration and many combinations Mable Grahm prevailed as the most obvious choice with it’s mysterious, luxurious, slightly androgynous nature.

Q: What’s your goal as a men’s designer? What sort of feeling do you want people to get from your clothes?
As a designer you always aim to capture the attention of your targeted market and evoke a certain amount of respect from them as an educated consumer. I want people to be pleasantly surprised at the designs/details and intrigued to buy.

Q: What inspired your fall 2007 collection?
I was inspired by the chance encounter when a girl meets an outstandingly stylish boy. I wanted to fill the collection with the type of “get-noticed” clothing that makes this scenario plausible.

Q: We never seem to question the idea of men designing women’s clothing. How has the response been for you as woman who designs men’s clothing?
In some cases it has proved to be a novel idea for a woman to be designing for men. I guess, just like we feel like men know what women look good in, a woman knows what a man looks good in.

Q: What are some common mistakes that men make when it comes to styling themselves?
Not taking risks and not giving enough consideration to what they actually put on.

Q: What are some key pieces that men should have in their wardrobe for this Fall?
A great jacket, at least one strong novelty piece and a pair of pants that fit just right.

Q: Girl, lets talk about the leg warmers! Typically an accessory that women rock, what inspired you to make them for men?
Well we have dubbed them “manwarmers,” and the piece started out as just a statement piece for the runway and for the lookbook so that we could illustrate that the MG brand is about pushing the envelope, but by the end of the show, the guys were completely in love with the idea of the accessory being marketed to them in a chunky bold version.

Q: Where can we purchase Mable Grahm clothing?
Well, the most diverse selection is offered on our online store (http://shop.mablegrahm.com/main.sc) and then there are several boutiques around the country where you can find us. Visit our site for the list.

Q: For aspiring designers, what are some important key factors to keep in mind when entering the business?
Stay focused, and know that it will take time and perseverance to make it.

Q: Lastly, what can we expect in the near future from Mable Grahm?
There will be more designed collections, more attention to detail and growth as a collection. We are planning some shopping events in the spring as well as a major promotion that will involve giving away A LOT of FREE merchandise.

For more information on Mable Grahm please visit www.mablegrahm.com