Mdot X Sebago
We caught up with designer Mdot Booji to talk about her new Sebago line, Six º (Six Degrees).
Sebago’s newest line called Six Degrees, much like the Kevin Bacon game, is based on the idea that everyone is connected at an average of six steps away. It makes sense considering we can’t seem to take six steps outside our SoHo office to grab lunch without running into our friends in the hood.
Mdot assembled a team of designers who rep the world’s most dynamic cities: San Francisco, New York, Paris and Berlin. Mdot told us all about the launch.
How do you stay true to the brand while making changes to the design?
By taking existing Sebago silhouettes that the brand is known for and adding a very distinct detail to the pattern. For instance, with the Sebago Dockside silhouette I added a cut-out detail on the toe panel. Keeping the identity of the shoe intact yet having an updated feel/look allows me to stay true to the brand.
What inspires you during the design process?
Really the inspiration starts way before the design process for me. My design inspiration comes together in a natural way, mainly from my travels, what I see in stores globally and what people are wearing. So I have the designs laid out in my head before I sit down to design any collection.
What’s your favorite Sebago memory?
The time spent in the Sebago factory in the Dominican Republic. I’ve been visiting factories for almost 10 years now, and the vibe in the DR factory is like none other. It’s full of life, excitement and you get a feeling that everyone is a family and not just colleagues.
How have your previous views of the brand changed now that you’ve become a part of the process?
Before working with the brand I thought of Sebago as a brand that creates boat aesthetic shoes only. By working closely with the Sebago team and brand, I have come to learn that they have many capabilities in manufacturing to create various types of footwear for different markets.
Tell us what’s different about the new launch?
The sixº degrees for Sebago project brings a different perspective on what collaborations should be about. Combining different identities together and having their style views reflected into the collection, which the end result reaches a wide range of markets.
What’s your favorite way to wear the shoes?
Every shoe in the collection can be worn with almost anything. Being a shoe designer, every outfit starts with the shoe first for me.
Buy the collection at Reed Space NYC until the end of October 2012. Then they’ll hit the best stores in the world like Colette in Paris, Ubiq, or online at Boojihouse.com and Sebago.com. It really is a small world, right?—RAY SIEGEL