February 17–24, 2000

naked city

Golden Oldham

Todd comes to town: Famed designer Todd Oldham checks out Moore student Kelli Unverzagt’s sketch book. photo: Maria Kotsikoros

A renowned designer gets down to basics with Moore’s designers-to-be.

by Fern Sternberg

Todd Oldham, the 30-something couture designer who leapt to runway stardom in the early ’90s with his whimsical, break-all-the-rules women’s wear, is anything but a fashion diva. In fact, during a visit to Moore College of Art and Design on Feb. 9, Oldham proved that he is about as far away from the cliché of pretentious designer as you can get.

Dressed in worn button-fly Levi’s, a navy and olive striped sweater and tweed loafers bought in Japan, the blue-eyed, sandy-haired Oldham spent the day not touting his latest line, but offering guidance to aspiring designers. In the early part of the afternoon he casually chatted with senior fashion students about their Oldham-inspired creations. Later, he lingered for photos and conversation and made tantalizing reference to an interior design project he’s working on in Philadelphia.

The students’ first assignment after winter break was to design a line inspired by Oldham’s famous color-and-pattern-clashing clothes. The muse himself carefully assessed the dozen or so renderings hanging in the school’s atrium and fifth-floor studio, giving sincere criticism to each student. He praised their use of color and originality. He told them "don’t settle, get what you want" and offered suggestions on how to take ideas even further and make them truly "singular" — a quality he believes is all-important in creating a successful line. He told them to "know the history first and then you can go forward." He emphasized finding inspiration from what’s around you, like the color of "antifreeze" or "cow pee," and told the students, "Anyone can go out and start their own line — don’t think you can’t do it because you have don’t have the resources. Just be inventive."

Clearly inspired, fashion student Rachel Sherman — a just-barely-contained ball of energy — cornered Oldham after a critique. Jumping on the chance to show him her stuff, she emptied out a plastic shopping bag full of rumpled clothes of her own design. Oldham examined the intricately embroidered pieces in air mesh and sheer stretch fabrics with genuine interest. Sherman waited for his assessment as if her career depended on it. "These are good," he told her. "Totally original. I am so impressed by this stuff." Sherman beamed.

It’s ironic that Oldham, who says he barely graduated high school, was now advising college students. But it goes further than that: Oldham never formally studied design or even worked for a design house. Instead, he learned to sew at age 9 from his grandmother — "my biggest inspiration" — and acquired most of his other skills by taking thrift store clothes apart and experimenting. He says he launched his career with $50 from his dad, his grandmother’s old dye and a sewing machine that went either really fast or painfully slow. He took his first designs — cotton garments dipped in a bathtub full of dye — to some local shops. The buyers were "so intrigued by what they saw, they didn’t know I didn’t know what I was doing," says Oldham of how he sold those first items.

Oldham isn’t the first big-name designer to lend time and talent to Moore College. Fashion department chair Emil De John says he frequently books guest speakers, and senior and junior students work closely with in-the-biz mentors all year long to teach them "the realities of fashion design." This year’s senior mentor is Moore alum Adrienne Vittadini. But what’s different about Oldham, says De John, is that "he’s young, fresh, contemporary, and the kids can relate to him."

	A dress to impress: Todd admires Tasha Scott’s mother earth dress. He emphasized finding inspiration from what’s around you, like the color of antifreeze or cow pee. photo: Maria Kotsikoros

And Oldham has serious magnetism. After the critique, students flocked around him for photos and autographs. Oldham graciously — and extremely patiently, I might add — posed for every photo and signed every last item: Oldham books, designs, even swatches of fabric.

Following the autograph session, Oldham took questions from a larger group of Moore and other design school students. His relaxed attitude made a big impression: "I’m not goal-oriented in the slightest," he said. He keeps daily goals — "have a great day, smile, eat" — but "specific goals are limiting, they stop you from experiencing the wonderful ricochet of life."

It’s that free-spirited sensibility which has led Oldham to author a book (Todd Oldham: Without Boundaries), direct film and video, design a Miami hotel and photograph celebrities for BlackBook magazine.

In the end, it was a soft-spoken student with glitter for eyebrows who asked the question on everyone’s mind: "Will you come back?" Oldham joked that he would return to redo the Moore student cafeteria. But jokes aside, Oldham says he may be spending a lot more time in Philadelphia in the near future. He’s currently in negotiations with real estate mogul Tony Goldman to redesign the Divine Lorraine Hotel at Broad and Fairmount.

The Divine Lorraine done over in shades of antifreeze and cow pee? We can’t wait.