
Designer Matt Sarafa Injects Attitude inĀ One of the Fall's Staple PiecesĀ
October 03 2016 8:00 AM EST
February 20 2017 8:28 PM EST
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Designer Matt Sarafa Injects Attitude inĀ One of the Fall's Staple PiecesĀ
Matt Sarafa (photo below), the Manhattan Beach, California native who appeared on the first season of Project Runway Junior (he placed eighth), just launched a capsule collection of unisex sportswear under the label Hot Me$$. We especially love the Bad Bit¢h Bomber Jacket. We recently spoke with the eighteen-year-old wunderkind, now a newly enrolled freshman at UCLA, about the new line and his plans for the future.
How did the collection come about?
āSo,the line that I launched is called Hot Me$$. Itās a very streetwear, unisex, edgy kind of collection.
I feel like it really encompasses my personal style and is the stuff I love to wear on a day to day basis. It was all inspired by the graphic design you see on the back of the bomber jacket. I love all the pieces but the bomber jacket has a special place in my heart because itās where it all started.Ā
I was on Project Runway Juniors Season 1. And during the āUnconventionalā challenge - I really struggled with that one - one of the judges, Aya Kanai from Seventeen magazine said my model looked very uncomfortableĀ like he was wearing a straight jacket. And, I said, āI know. Itās a hot mess.āĀ So, after filming, I immediately went back and did some sketches, making some changes to the look, and I started showing it to people - I didnāt really have any intentions for it - but people thought it was cool so I kind of developed a collection around that."
Who inspires you?
"Iām inspired a lot by pop culture. I love Rihanna, I think sheās such a bad bitch. I love drag queens. RuPaul, of course. Naomi Smalls.Ā
But, on the design-side, Iām inspired by Givenchy, Alexander McQueen has been a big one. I like designers that arenāt afraid to take risks and go a little avant-garde."
Where is Hot Me$$ being produced?
"Most of it is made locally, here in Los Angeles. This is where I get most of my fabrics, in downtown L.A. There are some pieces - like the patch on the jacket which come from overseas - but, all of the clothes are being made here."
Now that youāve just enrolled in UCLA and you have college life ahead of you, do you plan to keep up with the collection?
"Absolutely. I definitely plan on keeping up with the design. Iām glad Iāll be able to keep up with that outside the classroom since I wonāt be studying that per se. Thatās always going to be there. I love fashion so much and itās really the only thing - at this point - I can see myself doing.
Iām only 18. And, Iām a fashion designer, so Iām more of a creative personā¦Itās just so tough getting all the financial side in order.Ā
But, Iām really lucky because my dad is a businessman. I struggled with him - with the gay thing, my dad and I never really saw eye to eye - but this collection, this really brought us together. Iām very creative. But, heās really conservative and just really about business. So, he was really able to help me with that. Whatās great is not only was this just about starting my own line but I got to improve my relationship with my dad."
What was the best piece of advice you got on Project Runway Juniors?
"One thing that really stuck with me that Tim Gunn told me, was to edit my pieces, but donāt lose who I am as a designer."Ā
You too can embrace your inner Hot Me$$ by shopping the collection at MattSarafa.com. The Bad Bit¢h Bomber Jacket retails for $125.
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