November 14, 2012
Eva Marcille Talks Nature, New Fashion Line and Being a Sophisticated Hustler
The multi-talented business woman is collaborating with fashion phenoms, To-Tam and To-Nya, better known as the Sachika Twins.
The beginning of the relationship between these three women was captured on the first episode of the reality show Eva stars in and co-produces Girlfriend Confidential: LA. BlackEnterprise.com caught up with Eva to talk more about her new line Fleur Sauvage, which will make its debut during New York Fashion Week in February of 2013.
BlackEnterprise.com: How did you transition from being the Sachika Twins’ muse to being the muse at the table, making decisions?
Eva Marcille: My first love is fashion. Beyond just the modeling career, I love fashion. So, after working with the twins on the show, an opportunity presented itself to collaborate further and I was all for it.
What is your role in this collaboration?
The line is out of my head. Fleur Sauvage is the fashion brain of Eva. If I could dress however I wanted every single day this is what it would be. For me, this is about being more than just a muse and wearing someone else’s creation. These are the designs from my head.
You’ve worked with lots of designers over the years, but have not partnered up in this way. What made you choose the Sachika Twins for this project?
I don’t know if you’ve ever met them, but just being around them is inspiring. They are the most dynamic duo. They have an amazing business side and an amazing sense of fashion, which is why they work so well together. They are a machine. Plus, I get two brains to pick from. I trust them to help me translate the ideas in my head into actual clothes.
When a woman wears Fleur Sauvage you want her to feel…
Free. The name is French and it means wild flower. If I were not a human I would be a sunflower. There’s something about natural things that is so pure and inspiring. I’m a big fan of natural beauty, so for Fleur Sauvage, I take a lot from nature. The line is free and flowy, kind of like how a woman throws caution to the wind. It has a flow to it.
The line will make its debut at New York Fashion Week next year, but where are you in the design, production process right now?
We are gearing up for sampling. We have the basic bodies, so now we’re choosing fabrics. This is an apparel line, so we have shirts, pants, dresses skirts and all of that. Fleur Sauvage
You have taken on a lot of titles over the years – model, actress, host, entrepreneur and now fashion designer. What do you call yourself at this point in your career?
I’m a sophisticated hustler. Seriously though, this is all amazing. I never expected this would be my real career. I always thought that I would go to school, be a lawyer or have some other type of “real job†and then play around in fashion on the side. It was my mom who instilled in me a love of fashion from when I was a little girl. She actually said to me when I was little, “When you grow up, make a fashion line that has stuff to fit your skinny butt and me too.†And that’s what I have with Fleur Sauvage. It’s a return to classic apparel for all body types whether you’re tall and thin or short and curvy or whatever. It’s sexy and free and allows a woman to get into her own curves.
On one episode of your show Girlfriend Confidential: LA, you made a comment about landing a pilot that I think applies to life in general too. You said, “This is not just my goal, this is my destiny.†What advice do you have for that young aspiring model/actress in LA trying to make it?
The pulse of the entertainment industry is fashion. If you work in this industry, you have to have a handle on your image and how you are portrayed. But the accolades, the fame, the media – all of that comes and goes. At the end of the day, you just have yourself, so you have to start with something you are truly passionate about. If you truly love it and you work hard at it, all of those things will come to you.