Interview: Cathy Horyn
Posted: 4/1/2008

Cathy Horyn, New York Times and former Detroit News fashion journalist/critic sits down with designer Eugenia of Eugenia Paul to chat about the fashion industry.

Eugenia Paul: When did you fall in love with fashion?

Cathy Horyn: I never did.


E.P.: How did you get into the business?

C.H.: I was working at the Virgina Pilot Newspaper in Norfolk and I was doing all types of writing and there was this fashion writer Cammy Sessa who's beat I thought was interesting, to be able to get out of the city twice a year to New York to see the shows and to meet great people. Plus it seemed as though there was about to be a change over since so many fashion writers were about to retire. I answered an ad in Editors and Publishers around 85' 86' that said "Fashion writer wanted for the Detroit News no experience necessary".


E.P.: How did you find your voice.

C.H.: I found my voice long before Detroit, how or really why I found my voice, was I looked at fashion, then applied all the things I loved about journalism to fashion. At the time I was a big fan of Tom Wolf and Joan Didon the way they wrote about murder, race car drivers, the Black Panthers I said why not write that way about Ralph Lauren or Arnold Scassi, taking a journalistic approach and I worked for The Washington Post in the late 80's early 90's that at the time was a really fun kick ass place to work, you could write about anything you wanted, anyway you wanted, as long as you had a point of view.


E.P.: When you were in Detroit what was the fashion scene like?

C.H.: It was great, actually when I got to the Post people were like, "you must be glad your here, I mean is there any fashion in Detroit?" I thought what are they talking about, there was more fashion in Detroit then there was in D.C. and that was true the whole time I was there. Maurice Malone had just come out with a jeans line and Techno music had a big influence with guys like Carl Craig and Derrick May. I remember Maurice and Derrick both being on Woodward. There were stores all over Birmingham, Mark Keller, Hattie, Claire Parone at Somerset, Roz&Sherm and Linda Dressner that carried all the West Coast and European designer brands.


E.P.: What is the perception of fashion in Detroit now?

C.H.: Because of the lack of ad dollars from department stores, smaller papers don't send
there writers to New York, so New Yorkers don't have a clue as to whats going on in smaller markets.


E.P.: Does that effect your eye; not having the chance to be up close?

C.H.: I think you have to cover it in a different way; you can cover it locally and choose to write about the "way of dressing" or go to the Internet to see the current lines, I'm amazed at how much people get from studying those images, on the Internet.


E.P.: How do you think a younger designer can benefit from the net?

C.H.: Creating your own site or a blog, the Internet has been tremendous for people especially on the commerce side.


E.P.: Do you critique new designers the same as seasoned ones?

C.H.: I do and I don't, I'm looking for different things from different people .Sometimes I'm aware of whats going on in the house; a death, a change of partner, so I can understand why they may have an off collection. I expect young designers to show me something new. Don't make couture clothes from the fifties, I've seen it. I'm also looking for designers who have a good line or look; marketing is good yes but you need to be able to make great clothes. We need more people who know about pattern making and draping, I mean really know about it and unfortunately the skilled labor is in decline.


E.P.: Do you think that in some way the bad economy could be good for fashion weeding out all who are not serious?

C.H.: Bad economies are good for creative people. I look at Detroit and it's beat up and burned out and I think things could be recycled here . Would I go to a store here just for fashion? No, but if they sold jewelry and had a little cafe yeah I'm all about the mixed bag, which is what our country is and if your not in a connected community then you have to create some kind of experience for people, be inventive but have a plan.


E.P.: Whats the key to longevity in this business?

C.H.: Keep adapting and changing I couldn't write the same way I did back in the nineties, plus people don't want to read that. All I do know is try to explain more and use humor in a more quiet way because there is so much of it out there that is bad. To be clear, concise and precise as possible. I want it to be like a knife. My son and I always discuss why Irving Penn's pictures are so good, and it's because he refines and refines and is in control. With fashion, move with the times and do what you want not listening to anyone else, not my sisters in the front row, not the stylist, not the editors, just yourself.


Cathy is not in love with fashion, no secret love for that 70's prairie hippie, no nostalgia for jackets that are similar to the one she saved up for. Just an appreciation for the art, craft and business of fashion.

- Eugenia Patterson
Eugenia@detroitfashionpages.com

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