Runway Radar: Natalia Santana's Epitonium Rare tailors proportions for tall body types

By Ruby Tsai

Natalia Santana uses her fashion collection as a way to express who she is. It carries her personality, while focusing on the needs and wants of her target market.

By employing luxurious and natural fibre fabrics, Epitonium Rare designs business-casual wear for lean, six-foot to six-foot-eight tall men. Inspired by organic elements and the "golden ratio", Santana designs local, sustainable garments that have different proportions and geometrical silhouettes for her customer’s body type.

Epitonium Rare will be unveiled at 2017 The Show presented by Tamoda Apparel Inc., on April 5 and 6 at the Imperial (319 Main Street). Twenty-seven other lines by Kwantlen Polytechnic University Fashion Design and Technology students will also be showcased.

For event details, visit kpu.ca/2017fashionshow or follow @wilsondesignkpu on Instagram.

Ruby Tsai: Describe your collection.

Natalia Santana: Epitonium Rare is a line of classy, business-casual wear for tall, lean men that cannot find the appropriate fit for their body type. We incorporate tailoring into our collection to enhance fit and help the wearer exude confidence.

RT: Who or what was the inspiration behind your line?

NS: I have added a little bit of myself into my collection: I am a tall, slim woman who wears men’s button-up shirts because I can almost never find anything for myself. I want to give my target market what I wish I could give to myself.

I have incorporated the "golden ratio"—the rule of thirds—in my collection. For instance, a longer jacket will go better with a longer top. The collection features architectural and geometrical influences in the details and design lines.

RT: Walk me through your creative process.

NS: My process is very simple: I usually start with asking my target market what they are looking for and what is missing in the current market. Then I look at store research and take pictures of details and go through magazines and cut pictures up to start up a board. (My favorite part!)

RT: What have you learned at KPU?

NS: I have learned how to research a target market, how to design for a specific person, and how to develop a collection that will bring value and comfort to the consumer. I also had the opportunity to work as a design student at a practicum. During my practicum, I was able to explore a small-business workplace, as well as expand my knowledge in design and technology.

RT: What’s next for you?

NS: After graduation, I plan on working as a sourcing assistant for a few years. I have been working in this field for the past nine months and have fallen in love with it. I can’t wait to learn more.

RT: Where do you see yourself in five years?

NS: In the next five years, I want to accomplish one of my biggest dreams: becoming a lawyer. Although fashion is a big part of my life, I have been thinking about combining fashion and law in a career. I would like to work in intellectual property, which deals with copyright protection, trademark infringement, and counterfeit goods. Hopefully, in five years, I will be in or graduating from law school.

Ruby Tsai is a final-year fashion design and technology student at KPU’s Wilson School of Design.