“My husband was always saying start small, just tees, get our product out there, establish the brand, work out all the kinks and slowly grow the line... if this doesnt work we all know who to blame.”

~ Liza Goncalves

By Catzie Vilayphonh  |  Send to Friend

If the Liza Congalves' face looks familar to you, it's probably because you used to tune into Drexel's TV station DUTV to watch her host on "The Avenue", introducing new videos and interviewing hip hop heads from Fat Joe to The Mountain Brothers. You may also remember her from BET's MAAD Sports where she chatted up with athletes as counted down their favorite videos. But Liza's come a long way from hosting TV shows, and  she's got her new clothing line Vintage Blue to show for it. Inspired by baseball and the 1940s, the first collection drops this season. Below Liza talks about her journey and how she ended up where she is today.

 Catz: As the host of "The Avenue" you got to meet a lot of music industry heads. Have you kept in contact with any of them now that you're starting your own line?

Liza: Yes, my involvement with "The Avenue" and being in the entertainment and sports industries over the years has afforded me the opportunity to develop professional and personal relationships with  many artists, entertainers, athletes, as well as industry executives, stylists, etc. I believe that's one of our biggest assets as a company, to be able to secure product placement on highly visible, trend-setting celebrities who have either become our friends or are a phone call away.

Catz: I remember watching you on TV, and afterwards reading the credits -  you basically did everything by yourself. It must be a relief now that you have a business partner right?

Liza: I learned how to multi-task and to get things done with no budget and by any means necessary. I still wear a lot hats now and have the same attitude: I'm very hands on and some might say a control freak. But I'm very blessed to have the partners I have now: Set Free, my husband who handles our marketing, and my other partner, Michelle D'Avella, who joined us two and half years ago. She has made such an impact on me and on this company and has made herself indispensable, I can honestly say that I finally have partners who I trust, who are extremely talented and can get the job done if I was not around.

Catz: What triggered the move to design clothes, besides being able to dress yourself for free, of course?

Liza: I have always been a slave to fashion. Ever since I was little I was deconstructing stuff or making something my own. I started hosting for BET's "Maad Sports with Joe Claire." Let's just say I was not too happy with my wardrobe options. I had to dress sporty, that wasn't really my style so I decided to take my husbands retro style Mitchell & Ness Jerseys and cut them up into cute bustier and dresses (I had no idea how expensive they were, he wasn't to happy at the time). So I wore my creation at the 2002 Superbowl XXXV1 Show in New Orleans and the rest is history. I got an overwhelming response from viewers about my outfit, from there a chance meeting with the owners of Stall n Dean in New York led to me designing a women’s line for the company and we eventually started Vintage Blue. At first we mostly made pieces for celebrities like J-LO and Alicia Keyes and from there we obtained the license to The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Catz: Most people know the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from the 1992 film A League  of Their Own, tell me a little bit more about how that inspired Vintage-Blue.

Liza: Vintage Blue is a vintage-inspired, fashionable sportswear line for women. It's a timeless brand that produces high quality garments using eco-friendly fabrics and dyes. The company has and will continue to pursue licensing opportunities and draw inspiration from various sports genres throughout the eras. We hope that the launch of Vintage Blue will be the beginning of an All-American brand for every woman’s lifestyle. Vintage Blue coins their clientele as The All-American Rebel. The term describes the company’s belief that every woman has the ability to be powerful, independent, unstoppable and fashionable.

The AAGPBL collection is a representation of women breaking the  boundaries of society throughout history. The line reflects a vintage feel with a twist of today’s style for women who want to feel comfortable and look good while fighting for their ideals, the true essence of an All-American Rebel.

Catz: How often will you be presenting new collections?

Liza: What we decided to do is launch first with our T-shirt collection with items deriving from historic women’s baseball teams like the Rockford Peaches and Racine Belles. We will offer soft tees with distressed graphics of vintage women’s baseball images, slogans and will feature the first ever “No Crying” tee derived from the famous Tom Hank’s line in the film.

Every month we will offer several new tee styles on our new e-commerce site and we will build the collection to include dresses, sweatsuits, hoodies, denim, accessories and more down the line. Each season we will introduce a new collection featuring a new license or sports genre.

Catz: What are some pieces we can look forward to seeing in Spring '09?   Where can they be purchased?

Liza: You can purchase all Vintage Blue products on www.vintage-blue.com, which is launching this Friday, Sept 19th. We are having a party at McFadden’s at the Ballpark to celebrate the launch of the new website and collection. We are also going to be selling our line this Spring in various boutiques through out the country including Philadelphia, please check out our site and click on store locator for a listing of stores that will be carrying the Vintage Blue Collection.

For Spring '09 we are working on a collection that we can't disclose info on just yet. We are in the middle of finalizing a new licensing deal for that collection. Let’s just say it should make a big splash, it will be filled with bright colors, very retro and sassy styles.

Catz: Your husband Free is part of the UNDRCRWN crew, which is also a sports- inspired line. Does he ever give you any input?

Liza: Yes, I'm very hard headed and have my specific vision. I will say, and I know he's loving this, that he's made a lot of great points and suggestions that I wish I had listened too. I think big and I'm a perfectionist. I wanted to launch with a big collection right off the bat with every detail on point. We have spent years trying to develop a huge line, with the finest fabric and details and have faced a lot of obstacles, at times wasting  a lot of time and money. He was always saying start small, just tees, get our product out there, establish the brand, work out all the kinks and slowly grow the line. So all I can say now is better late then never and if this doesn't work we all know who to blame.

Catz: Many times we see independent brands collaborate with other designers to create something completely new. Are there any designers  you would love to work with?

Liza: On a big scale I would love to work with Ralph Lauren. I draw a lot of my inspiration for Vintage Blue from his Rugby Collections. I go crazy when I walk into his Rugby stores. I love everything vintage, the furniture, the fashion, the cars, the whole style. Everyone was so fabulous back then. Ladies stepped out with their gloves and jewelry with an air of grace and confidence. I love that! I would also say Christian Siriano, from Project Runway, I loved the ruffled blouses, his Victorian style pieces and how his own personal style came across so naturally. I along with the people behind Vintage Blue is all about working, collaborating with positive, creative individuals. So we are willing to work with any like-minded people.

 

Don't miss the offical launch party of Vintage Blue this Friday September 19th at McFadden's Ballpark at the Phillie's Stadium from 9pm-2am. In addition to a fashion show, there will be hors d'ouvres and drinks served as well as raffle prizes for guests.