Esscentual Alchemy

Friday Finds

18 May 2012 8 Comments

by esscentualalchemy in Friday Finds Tags: clothing, fashion, freelance design services, friday finds, graphic design, graphic design business, japanese haiku, printed apparel, rotem gear, scarves, style

Today my guest is R. Jean Roth, who is amazingly talented and lovely person

Welcome Jean!!

Black Tunic Tee with Rose Art by Rotem Limited Edition Artisan Apparel

Tell me a little bit about yourself/the history of your store.

My various stores started with my graphic design business, Rotem Design Studio, which I established in 2002, after getting requests for freelance design services. When I left my job at UCLAa year later, the studio grew into a full-time independent graphic design business. The apparel side of the business developed soon after. I was primarily working in pop culture tee shirts, but in the past year I have started to focus more on my limited edition artisan scarves and apparel, which I hope will appeal to a different demographic.

Japanese Haiku Cherry Blossom Organic Women’s Fitt by Rotem Gear

Tell me what makes your store UNIQUE from all the other stores that sell a product similar to yours.

I like to pay attention to details, like putting my design on both ends of the scarf instead of just one, and finding really nice, different fabrics. I also work with a professional screener to make sure the designs will be long lasting and to come up with special ink formulas to best create the effect I want for a specific fabric or design. That might mean the added stretch I always use, or other components to create the hazy effect I like on my limited edition line scarves, and tops. These small touches do cost more but are so important for the quality I want my items to have.

Besides that, I’d have to say that because of my cross-cultural background, I’m drawn thematically to elements of global cultures – typography, patterns, symbols, as well as nature. Stylistically, for the most part I love space and simple, clean lines – influences, no doubt, from both my background in Japanese and my work with architects.

When it comes to t-shirt design, I add in pop culture influences and American humor with the belief that an intelligent designer should be able to create a hip fashion tee with a clever and edgy design without being rude. On the other hand, my new Rotem Gear Limited Edition artisan line aims for an upscale, artisan fashion aesthetic, but still embracing nature and simple Zen-like lines. I am loving creating the designs for these garments.

Long Ruby Red Scarf with Roses by Rotem Limited Edition Artisan Apparel

Feature one of your items and tell the story about that particular item.

I’d have to say the Agapanthus scarf is special because it was the item that started the photography-into-graphic idea. In fact, before I made the design I didn’t even know what the flower was called. I had made scarves the previous year with my hamsa design (an illustration) but was intrigued by the agapanthus photos I had taken, and found that I like the effect I got creating a sort of inverted shadow from them. For a while I was referring to the result as “ghost flowers.” People loved the design itself, but what really fascinated me was how their interested perked up even more when I told them that I created the design out of my own photography. That sparked the idea of doing that — extracting the “essence” of the flower design, with other botanicals as well.

Do you do custom orders, designs, etc. If you do, what kinds of services do you offer for custom orders, what are your policies regarding custom orders?

Absolutely! As a full-time graphic designer (apparel is one branch of my business) I offer design services for a multitude of applications, from logos to advertisements to web design, and I’m honored to have designed some marketing materials for members of The Artisan Group. I love intuiting and connecting with the essence of a company’s aesthetic, especially for those who still are unsure of what their aesthetic should look like “on paper.” It’s wonderful when I hear “You captured us perfectly!” because t

Because of my ten years in t-shirt design I am often called upon for custom designs for individuals, businesses and clubs, and even the City of Los Angeles, for a “Day of Service.” In fact, I once saw a man walking down the street wearing the Day of Service t-shirt I designed!

(Jean designed my bio cards, and they are just gorgeous!)

Esscentual Alchemy bio card designed by Rotem Design Studio

Kraken Jr. Ringer T-Shirt by Rotem Gear

Your links:

Store:

T-Shirts and Apparel for the Global Tribe: http://rotemgear.com

Rotem Limited Edition Artisan Apparel: http://rotemle.com/ (under construction)

http://zibbet.com/rotemgear (current location for Rotem Limited Edition)

Blog: Full DisClothesure http://news.rotemdesignstudio.com/wordpress

FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/rotemgear {and} http://www.facebook.com/rotemdesignstudio

Twitter: jrotem or rotemgear

Grow My Own Apron by Rotem Gear

THANK YOU JEAN!!!