Hana Nitsche caused quite the stir this weekend when she showed up to the White House Correspondents Ball on Russell Simmons’ arm looking breathtaking in a custom made emerald gown.
The billowing gown Hana wore in Pantone’s color of the year isn’t the last thing we will see from the pair in the near future, as the model and the designer are working on building a fashion label together. The dress may be the very first piece that exemplifies what the pair have coming up with their new line, but this isn’t the last we will hear of it.
GlobalGrind got the opportunity to learn a little more about the collaboration from the woman who knows the inside of the modeling industry better than most: Hana herself.
Check out the interview with Hana below.
GlobalGrind: Hana, you usually wear labels like Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Donna Karan, Versace etc. for your red carpet events. What made you decide to hire a young designer instead and let Emily even design a dress for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?
Hana: I saw her work and totally fell in love with her designs. I was also very moved by her story. Seeing as how she lost both parents and is working so hard trying to make it in this tough business all on her own is really moving. Most of all, I feel so amazed about her dedication and passion towards her work. That’s very unusual for someone at her young age. She is a very hard worker, very focused and driven, but a very humble and sweet person. She is extremely talented and I believe in her and wish to see her succeed. I wanted to give her a chance to present her work to a wider audience and to be seen out there on the big screen.
What does Emily’s dress mean to you?
It’s custom made and tailored to fit my body perfectly. It’s the very first dress I ever wore that was created exactly the way I wanted. Emily and I talked about the design before and I brought all my ideas and visions to her and she basically transformed them into this stunning gown of my dreams. It’s very personal and very special to me.
Emily had less than a week to finish the dress. Were you nervous that she might not finish the dress in time?
Yes, very much. I’m kind of used to it that my schedule might turn out to be more hectic and things come up very last minute. I often have to improvise and just go with the flow. Also, I usually get to choose my dresses from a stylist or designer and they bring it to me for the time I need it. Making an entire dress in such a short time is quite a challenge. We also only had one fitting, because I was traveling. I totally depended on her skills and intuition. I had no other alternative for that evening, but I totally trusted her and believed in her. She is so amazing and makes miracles happen. The dress came out perfectly and was just breathtaking.
How did you meet Emily and what is your relation to her?
Her manager Melissa connected us. Melissa and I are working on my own reality TV show together with her production company, as I am working on all kinds of projects right now; one of them is my own fashion line/fashion label. Melissa thought Emily would be the perfect fit to join in on it with me. When I met her we clicked right away, and I felt like she would be the perfect person to be my partner. We share the same visions and passion towards our work.
Where do you see Emily a few years from now?
Emily is extremely talented and with her outstanding work ethic, I see her coming a long way. I totally believe she is the next star designer of tomorrow and we will hear a lot from this young amazing lady. I am so thrilled to work with her and I am so glad to have her on my team.
