Montana Recchia and Holly Duncan from LVLD. Image supplied.
Montana Recchia and Holly Duncan are the designers behind emerging streetwear label LVLD which recently debuted at New Zealand Fashion Week 2018. The two friends founded their label in 2016 and have built up a loyal following for their casually cool designs which feature embroidered motifs.
We caught up with Montana and Holly to find out more about their brand, what inspires them and what you would never catch them wearing!
Tell us about your latest collection?
Our latest collection was made specifically for NZFW, so it features some of our most exciting pieces so far. Our designs reflect who we are and what we love, and I think the piece we’re both favouring this season is our B.N.O.F.L Hoodie (Be Nice Or Fucking Leave) as for us, these are words we push in our daily. That’s our collection, strong, bold, and us.
What made you become designers?
Our brand basically started overnight. We were talking about things we want to do and brought up the idea of having a clothing label, from there it was as simple as “hey, let’s do this” and off we went. It’s definitely been a learning curve, as Holly has a background in IT and Montana in retail there were a few bumps in the beginning, but having such creative control in the clothes we make and wear is beyond rewarding.
What inspires you?
We find inspiration everywhere – super cliché but so true! We’re constantly scrolling Instagram and Pinterest to see what our favourite fashion icons and brands are up to, and from there we think about how we can put our own LVLD spin on things. We only make things that we would wear and we feel like it keeps our designs fresh and relevant.
LVLD on the runway at New Zealand Fashion Week 2018.
Describe your personal style/s and how it influences your designs?
Our personal style is super similar, we’ll always be wearing styles that complement each other! To us, the main concern is comfort, comfort is KEY. If we worked from home it’s safe to say both our dailies would be jeans and a hoodie without a doubt. This has a huge influence in our brand as, as we’ve mentioned, we only produce things we would wear. Our main line consists of hoodies, tops, and a few accessories, and we would happily wear each item to a fancy dinner, a Sunday brunch, or bed!
What is your all-time favourite purchase?
Holly – Zoe Karssen Romaric Jumper for sure, comfy yet effortless style.
Montana – hard choice, but I think my absolute favourite purchase would have to be my Air Jordan 3 Katrina’s. You just can’t beat the classics.
What wardrobe item should everyone invest in?
We personally feel that everyone should have a go-to jacket. Something to spend $$ on when you buy it, but own it for 10 years and wear it through all seasons. A jacket shouldn’t be seen as an add-on, and we will both easily plan an outfit around it! If you have the right jacket then basically your life will improve by at least 20%.
Do you have a style rule you always obey?
We don’t believe in rules when it comes to fashion. Our favourite icons are constantly stepping out and breaking these rules put in place, and for us that is the most fashionable thing you could do. Wear what you want, feel good, like your look, and f*ck anyone else!
LVLD on the runway at New Zealand Fashion Week 2018.
What has been the highlight of your careers so far?
No question, our highlight has been NZFW 2018. This moment was huge for us and we are still riding the high! There were so many tears and so many laughs, but so far nothing has compared to walking on the runway behind our models, wearing our brand, having people clap for us. WOW.
What can’t you live without?
Eek! Hate this question but as much as we don’t want to admit it, we couldn’t live without our phones. We live in a world where if you’re not connected to the internet, then you will most likely fall behind the wagon. In our business, we need to be contactable at all times, and also need to keep an eye on what people are doing, saying, or wearing, and nothing is better for this than a good ol’ iPhone!
Finish this sentence – You would never catch us wearing…
Honestly nothing… Give us any fabric, print, style, and we will find a way to wear it with pride! We pondered on this question a lot, but everything we could come up with would automatically be met with a “nah, I could wear that with ___ and it would look cute”. So that’s all we can give!
Runway images by Katherine Tuenter.