Megan Ryley: A Designer Discovered

By Alexis J. January 6, 2010

Megan Ryley is a designer working in Mumbai, India. Her collection, The Divine Life of Ryley was recently showcased in Calutta, India as the grand finale for the Signature Fashion Night and received nothing but praise.  Her collections incorporate Indian textures and designs with Western cuts in bold colours.

Here is a little extract from a chat I had with the designer -

Me: Was being a fashion designer a childhood dream of yours?

Megan: From a very early age I was into art and creating something fantastic from “bits and bobs” I would find everywhere. Whether it was creating a “couture” garment for my dolls from my mother’s old scarf, or an abstract sculpture from and old disassembled television, I was always making something. As I grew up, my first inclination was towards fine arts and mixed media sculpture. But during my last year of high school I started working on textile design and this marriage of fabric and sculpture is what made me decide to plunge into fashion.

Me: How did you start in this industry? Do you have any formal training?

Megan: I started my training in fine arts and textiles in high school, and then went on to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and Polimoda in Florence, Italy.

Me: Do you think going to school for designing and receiving formal training is important to excel in the business later on?

Megan: I really feel very strongly that formal training is extremely important in whichever field you might choose to pursue as a career option. The training helps you build the foundation for excellence and learn to channel your in-built creativity, in addition to making lasting connections with your peers.  Of course, your real “lessons” come from hands-on work and experience in the industry itself – but without a foundation, how can you build a house?

Me: Very true. What was the inspiration behind your latest collection “The Divine Life Of Ryley”?

Megan: Many things in life – travel, music, color, and experience, inspire my collections. My Summer 2010 collection is aptly named Bombay Bijlee and is inspired by the street, color and energy in Mumbai. (“Bijlee” means “Electricity” or “Current” in Hindi) Mumbai is such a dynamic city, which is a wealth of inspiration.  Walking down the street can be a sensory over-load of sound and vibrant color – and I love the way the women are able to pair up glitter and glam with their everyday denim!

Me: Can you tell us a little something about the upcoming collection?

Megan: The upcoming collection, Autumn 2010 is inspired by my trips to Paris, the dark romantic feeling of winter there, and the relaxed confidence the women seem to posses.  I want to capture that sexy “thrown together” femininity in my new collection. I will definitely be bringing back a bit of the urban chic into the line and getting a bit more “serious” (but not too serious!)

Me: Who according to you is Megan Ryley  – the woman?

Megan: My “muse” is a woman who lives life to the fullest and without regret – a well traveled and culturally in-tuned individual who pulls from all that life has to offer.  I think it is important for a person to keep their eyes open to everything that surrounds them and to pull from those things everyday. I definitely get my inspiration from ALL of my travels – not just to “exotic” places. My grandfather once told me that I should “never stop being a tourist in my own life”.  The woman who keeps this as her mantra is my kind of woman.

Me: Working in the fashion industry is pretty risky. One minute you’re in, the next minute you’re out. Did this have any effect on your choice to be a designer?

Megan: Definitely not – fashion designing is an art like any creative field and to pursue it is more of a compulsion than an actual “choice.” I do it because I love it, whether I “make it big” is only secondary.  I never design a collection thinking to myself “will people love this?” I believe that if you do what you love, everything will work out for the best,

Me: What do you think are the best/worst trends in the fashion industry as of now?

Megan: The worst trend is the hyper-emphasized shoulder pads on jackets – they just don’t look good on anyone, but that is just my opinion! The best trends are the rich color and layered looks we are seeing – I love this look and am so glad it has replaced minimalism.  I was never one for a super bland color palette and boxy simple cuts.

Me: What are the trends that you feel are going to be big in 2010?

Megan:  I feel layering and fluid styles will continue to be key in big 2010. Fashion currently is very supportive of individual style, which is great. It has a mix of trends and eras. It makes the creative process so much fun because anything is game – pulling from history and different cultures to mix up a look gives you a lot of creative material to choose from.

Me: Who are your favorite designers/labels?

Megan: I think there are a lot of designers that are inspiring, but I continue to be impressed by Christian Lacroix for his ability to take history and make it so relevant in fashion now.  I also love Sabyasachi Mukherjee for his use of pattern and traditional techniques in updated silhouettes. And one of my favorite new designers is Chris Benz; he has a great sense of chic simplicity cast in a stunning color palette.

Me: What is your favorite/most exciting aspect of your job?

Megan: It is really electrifying to see something I have created on a person on the street or at an event. It is so cool to see how a person takes something you have created and makes it “their own”. To see that life breathed into a garment is wonderful.

Me: What is the worst part of you job, if any?

Megan: I love my job, no complaints!  I am dong exactly what I always wanted to do, so it is pretty hard for me to pinpoint negative aspects of that. But I guess if I had to choose one thing – it would probably be the business aspect of number crunching. I am not a numbers person at all – I would prefer to make art for arts sake.

Me: Any words of wisdom that get you by in life and professional career and might help others as well?

Megan: Work hard and take it as it comes – even the smallest jobs will give you valuable experience and be rewarding later in life.  When I first started, I always pictured myself as a couture designer – but the road to that mastery is a long one, I am still not there.  Working in factories and mass market has given me a lot of knowledge that I pull from everyday, even if it may not have seemed like a direct route at the time.

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Submitted on January 6, 2010 in Who's Who.

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