Interview by Giulia Juliet Belkin
Photography: Kevin Czopek
It's widely acknowledged that we harbor a fondness for the timeless elegance of classic layering. Originating as a form of protective gear, the turtleneck has adorned the attire of historical luminaries, influential business figures, and contemporary fashion trendsetters alike—providing an enduringly stylish cornerstone for all. During the 20th century, turtlenecks made their debut in the fashion arena thanks to iconic personalities such as Ernest Hemingway, Elvis Presley, and notably, the legendary black turtleneck snapshots featuring The Beatles, Audrey Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe.
Sisters Fallon & Ava had a stroke of brilliance in reimagining the turtleneck, and their exceptional execution of their brand Fallon & Ava - The Destination For the Perfect Turtleneck demands the attention of none other than Diane Keaton, the queen of turtlenecks. Curious about the genesis of their concept, I sat down with the ladies to discuss their journey into the fashion industry.
Giulia: Let's start from the beginning. Where did you ladies grow up? Were you studying to become fashion designers? How did you end up in fashion?
Fallon: We grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer and live in NYC since I was seven years old. I moved to New York at the age of 18 and attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and majored in fashion design. I worked at Carolina Herrera, J. Mendel, Proenza Schouler, and Sachin & Babi.
Ava: I was a ballerina for 18 years but right before college I decided to switch my career path and go into fashion. I decided to also attend FIT and majored in Advertising and Marketing Communications. From there I fell into event planning, which is another passion of mine. I am currently a Luxury Wedding and Event Planner. Working with high end clientele and in luxury events really helped me understand the customer for Fallon & Ava and be able to produce events for the brand.
Giulia: Why did you decide to start your own brand Fallon & Ava?
Fallon: We both have always had such a strong bond. We also share the same style, the same eye, and the same outlook on life. When Ava decided to also attend FIT and study in the same industry, we knew we were destined to do something together. We’re best friends and we have complementary skill sets, so why not go into business together?
Ava: We both share the same vision and drive to do something extraordinary, so starting a brand felt right for us. We also knew we wanted to do something in life that could enable us to help others, which is why giving back and supporting women has been a core value of our brand from day one.
Giulia: Why turtleneck?
Fallon: We grew up wearing turtlenecks. Our mother would always dress us in turtlenecks when we were young, so they soon became our signature look. A turtleneck is such a timeless, staple piece that we believe every woman should have in her closet. Our mother's deep appreciation for the classics was passed on to us. After doing some research, we realized there's a brand for almost every classic wardrobe staple, but not one that specializes in turtlenecks, so we created the first and only brand to specialize solely in turtlenecks.
Ava: We believe a beautifully made and well-fitted turtleneck has the power to be a woman's secret weapon in navigating the world with poise and confidence. It's our mission to share that feeling of confidence with our turtlenecks.
Giulia: Where do you look for creative inspiration?
Fallon: I find inspiration in art, design, music, travel, experiences, and people I meet. One of the reasons why I love living in New York so much is that there is constant inspiration everywhere you look. It’s stimulating and motivating.
Ava: Honestly everywhere... people, iconic women, travel, movies/tv, iconic ads/commercials,specifically 90s ads are especially inspiring to me for our brand.
Giulia: What designers are you inspired by?
Fallon: I am inspired by all of the designers I’ve worked with in my career. Each brand I’ve worked for has left a lasting impact on me in different ways... from a design point of view, as well as a business point of view. I am especially inspired by Carolina Herrera the woman. Her aura of effortless grace, class, and sophistication is a rarity these days. Having the privilege of working with her personally, I was able to experience her presence that exudes a quiet confidence that I admire. This confidence is what I want every woman to feel while wearing our Fallon & Ava turtleneck.
Ava: I have always been inspired by Ralph Lauren. He created not only a beautiful clothing brand, but he created a dream.. a lifestyle. He also only started with one product, ties, so his start and aspirations were very similar to ours. We hope to turn Fallon & Ava into a lifestyle brand one day.
Giulia: Who is your muse?
Fallon & Ava: Our mother is and always will be our muse. She is the inspiration behind our brand and everything we do. She is the epitome of what we want our brand to represent: elegant, strong, timeless, and powerful. She was our inspiration for our sleeveless turtleneck and everything is run by her..personally and in business. We would not be where we are or who we are without her. We constantly admire her appreciation for all things beautiful in life, her wisdom, and her love and care for others.
Giulia: What's it like working as a sister designer duo? You two obviously have a great bond. Are you similar as designers too?
Fallon & Ava: There is absolutely no one we’d rather go into business with than each other. It's hard to trust people in business, but as sisters, we trust each other 100%, so we’re very fortunate to have that advantage. It's also incredibly special to get to share so many unique memories and milestones with each other. Our different skills and personality traits balance each other out perfectly, but we still share the same vision for the future of our brand. Creatively as designers we are always on the same page. We have the same taste, so we rarely disagree on how we want our brand to be portrayed aesthetically.
Giulia: How do you split responsibilities?
Ava: We are both involved in every aspect of the business for the most part, especially when it comes to anything creative. But based on our areas of expertise, Fallon focuses on the product development and production while I handle social media and email marketing. The one thing we always do together is planning our photoshoots and events. That is something we both have a lot of experience in and it’s a fun way for us to be creative and bring our vision of Fallon & Ava to life.
Giulia: Where do you see Fallon & Ava in the next few years?
Fallon: We plan to introduce our current styles in more colors. Eventually we'd love to have the classic turtleneck offered in every color you would ever want a turtleneck in. We'll also introduce variations of turtlenecks and different bow designs. Our ultimate goal is to expand to other product categories besides turtlenecks and make Fallon & Ava an entire lifestyle brand. Besides the product, our mission as a brand is to instill confidence in women through not only an article of clothing but also by taking actions that highlight and support all women.
Ava: We plan to continue our Women in Business/Women in the Arts series where we highlight and collaborate with accomplished women by photographing them in our turtlenecks, interviewing them and sharing their story on our social media, and occasionally hosting a collaborative event with them. We started this brand with the intention to give back, so in the coming years we also plan to be more involved in philanthropic work that help and support women in need.
