You may connect with him on social media @marcleoncouture (Instagram)
This is the FCB Podcast Network. This is Fancy's Pass. Hi everyone, and welcome into another episode of Backstage Pass. Is your host here, Victoria, Elizabeth and I am joined up today by a very special guest. We have none other than mister Mark Kudrier, who is a model, a stylist and now a budding designer. Mark. How are you? Hi? Everyone, I'm Kred Victoria. How are you? I am doing just fine, even better now getting to talk to you. It's it's been so cool, you know, knowing you for all of these years. Just a little backstory for our listeners. I by chance was in North Georgia and I was there for work and met Mark's mother, Diana Winnick, who's one of our headlining jewelry designers, and then we started working with Mark as a model. And Mark, you know, I only really knew you as a model, and I knew you were a talented stylist you do hair and things like that, but I did not know you were such a fantastic designer. So tell us about when did you start designing and what inspired it for you? Oh? Absolutely, yeah, No, I did the modeling thing forbid, and that that's how you and I met and as far as designing goes, you know, I took it up as a hobby about four years ago, really just for Halloween, and it kind of took off from there. I mean the occasional outfit and I actually wore one a few years back at one of the People Choice Awards. And it was it til this past year that another designer asked me to collaborate and in the end I ended up taking over. So yeah, so that's really cool. And now Mark, talking about Halloween, I have to bring this up because your your costume is just epic and if any of you are on Instagram, we'll be posting the links you can connect with Mark and see all of this. But you were actually Glinda from Wicked or Wizard of Oz and you created this epic look. So was that like, was that a pivotal moment to offer you and like, hey, I want to actually bring this to the runway or tell us a little bit about what inspired you to do that look in particular. Yeah, no, absolutely. I was actually going to Halloween events at a place literally called Oz and I figured what would be the best thing to wear? And I was like, why not be a bearded Glenda? You know for jokes, right, and yeah, I had never sewn before and I literally just went out bot fabric and I was like, I can do. This, and the hand sow the entire dress. Yeah, wow, that's I mean that that is pretty. When there's a will, there's a way. But I'm pretty sure that I could not just will myself to make something that fantastic. You either have the. Gifts or you don't. So Mark fast forward are you debuted? It was a hard launch of your Mark Leontur collection. You did an absolutely fantastic job, by the way, and of course the judges agreed because you were the overall design winner at our Spring showcase and there was some stiff competition. You know, we had some really great designers on board. What was that moment like for you putting your collection together, seeing it come to life, and then lastly hearing your name as the design winner there? It was absolutely crazy the. Competition that I was up against, me being the most junior designer concept. You know, I came with. My ten looks, you know that that's all I've ever like really really created. And these other designers they've had like you know, twenty to fifty and. I Honestly, I thought I had to keep going to the bathroom to you throw up, like I was so nervous. But actually getting. Seen it from a designer perspective and not a model perspective, it's just as crazy making sure every one looks good. Getting them out there. I was just like so pumped of. Full of adrenaline the entire time. And then it was done in like five minutes. Yeah, you feel like all this crutch stime for five minutes and then you just wait. Yeah, and you know, obviously hung around, waited, hung out with models and. Other designers, and to hear. My name called, I was absolutely flabbergasted again like such great competition and other designers, and it was a surreal moment and the realization of I can do this, you know, even more so that I I am verified. In what I do absolutely of course now as a designer. And I noticed, you know, you working with the models and interacting with them. You were just you were so good with them, and you seem to have such an eye of what piece was matched to each model. Do you think that your modeling background kind of helps you a little bit in design? Does one kind of relate to the other in a way. And I guess if you had to pick a favorite, you know, styling, hair, designing, modeling, what would be your favorite of the three? Oh? Absolutely. Being a model definitely helped in me choosing who I wanted to represent to wear my stuff. You know, before the runway, everyone's practicing, so I'm watching walks, I'm looking at overall persona. Yeah, you know, just that. That smitch of sassiness, you know, And that's really how I chose people that I wanted to walk for me, you know. In regards to the modeling, you know, I'll model, you know, if a. Designer needs someone. But this really put. It in perspective that I want to continue the clothing aspect. Absolutely. Absolutely, So speaking of you know, the mark leone brand, I mean, you came out swinging you you won the competition and it's a fantastic line. So where do you see your line? What's your one year plan, let's say, all the way up until about five year plan. No, absolutely, you know, so launching this line, I've already sold a couple of pieces, so I was like super happy about that. Yeah, and I could They're recreatable for the most part. So my one year plan is continue to make ready to wear. Stuff, uh, you know for everyday. You know, sells and stuff like that, but ultimately still within this one year, I was invited by a magazine to New York Fashion Week in September. I asked them to hold the uff on. Me, you know, because I'm just like, let me, let me get my feet on the ground. Yeah. More so so, I already have a line in production for New York fash Fashion Week in February. That that is the plan for the one year. Exciting and honestly I want I just want to build off that. Of course, of course that and that sounds like a plan. You know, people are are so receptive of your line, and it's something. It's it's classic, it's elegant, but it's unique. And I think that we're just going to continue to see your brand do great things. So let's talk about inspiration. Are there any design Is there a designer or any designers It could be you know, high fashion, couture brands or even more obscure companies that inspire what you do and how you create. I'll be honest, let my inspiration in the line. You know, yes, a lot of. Dark colors, but I wanted all my clothes to have movement, and in one way or another, it was all a nod to Elizabeth Taylor, starting with the caftan concept and then just divvying it up throughout the clothing. And honestly, she was the main one for this. Collection, the main designer that was in my head. As far as me actually coming out with the designs itself, I cannot sketch to save my life as a designer. So whatever pops in my head, Oh, that's just what I do with the fabric. Okay, I'll drive it to the fabric and I manipulate it until I figure out, all right, this is how it's supposed to be and I'm going to. Make it happen. That is really interesting. So you know a lot of people, and I include myself in this when I say a lot of people can sketch, but when it comes to producing, to actually putting the pieces together is where you stumble. But it sounds like you're the opposite of that. So you don't actually sketch the pieces. You just it comes. You have the vision in your head and then you start putting it together. Did I did we hear that right? That? That is correct? You knew not that if I take pens the paper, you're just gonna see chicken scratch because I can't. I can't put down what I see. Very very cool, what an interesting process? So you know, Mark, what is uh? Is there anything about you? It can be Mark Kudrier, the person, the artist, the designer. What's what's something about you that most people might be surprised to know? Let's see be surprised to know about me. I am inspired. By the medieval era, you. Know when it comes to fashion, and in fact, that's going to be coming out in the next collection that I'm producing. Oh okay, exciting, exciting, So we're going to see some brand new stuff on the runway for you at New York Fashion Week. We definitely want to keep up. How do we stay in the loop with all things Markedly on Cature. Absolutely the most basic way is my Instagram handle, which is at markedly on Cature. I have a couple of videos, you know, to be posted with them this next week. But that is where I'm putting everything right now. Nice, nice, and we will make sure that we put all of these links up Instagram handles and more so you can keep in touch with the brand and all the fantastic things on the Horizon Mark. Congratulations on your top overall Design Award win and best of luck and all these amazing things are going to continue to well. Thank you so much, it was a pleasure. It was great talking to you, and thank you all as always for listening in on backstage Pass. We'll catch you next time.