ap fashion: designer spotlight – sarah nicole françois, 000sportwear

Style and design is about innovation and the will to be brave and push artistic and social boundaries. Once again, although we tend to be over consumed with our phones and social media… Tumblr never fails to introduce me to some very inspiring and creative young minds. Sarah Nicole François, a “pluralist” transcending different mediums, began to create and share her talents over the past two years. From her creative intuition stemmed 000sportswear – a clothing line turning simple closet essentials to feisty and eccentric pieces for a hot night out, or just when you feel like being fierce in your own house.
000sportwear has an intergalactic spin on quintessential pieces—using metallics and latex, bold material choices, yet the items work when paired with the correct shoes, bottom or top. Her pieces are subtle yet sexy and some reflect the “ratchetry” that lives within all of us. The “It’s Your Funeral” fur pencil skirt, may have you thinking, “I can’t pull that off,” but pull out a white button down, some pumps and you are good to go. Oppositely, the “structured” crop tops are simple “almost like a blank canvas” so you have room to do whatever you want with the rest of your outfit. 000sportswear is spicing up “sportswear,” a very minimal concept and taking it to another level.

By Aliyah Blackmore, AFROPUNK Contributor *

I spoke with the beautiful and lovely Ms. François over the phone, as she enjoyed the warm weather of Florida and I sat on my couch dreading the wet and cold weather of New York City—but our conversation brought a ray of sunshine over to my part of the America. She shared her journey of professional and personal growth, her creative process and the happiness that she finds within being an innovator and creator. Sarah is a creative genius, a young mind truly working to do what she loves, while pursuing her own happiness.

Check out my interview with 000sportwear’s Sarah Nicole Francois below!

P.S. She is modeling her own items and looks fabulous in them!

Name: Sarah Nicole François
Location: Florida, But I float between New York and Florida
Occupation: I do a lot career wise-2011, worked as an editor and worked as an editor for Marc Eckō Enterprises—and now I am just creating. I am a pluralist – a do lot of things, so I would say transcend different mediums. To re word that, I would say I am a creator.

Where were you raised and did your neighborhood or upbringing influence your work in any way?
I was raised in New York and Florida. I have spent an even amount of time in both places..11 Years in New York and 11 in Florida. There is a very weird juxtaposition between the two places. In Florida—it is very suburban, cow pastures, fields…grass and then New York is an abrasive consuming sort of culture—black and grey – very surrealist sort of place. New York shows glamour and destitution right next to each other. In Florida, wealth is very obvious- there is a separation between the two. Everything I hate about New York I get from Florida and vice versa— whenever I need peace and quiet I know I can come down here.

How would you describe your own style? Hmm, this is a hard question…this is super hard, actually…(laughs).
This past year I have taken an affinity to minimalism— but I’m not a minimalist. I have risen to wearing all black—I am very lazy…I don’t know how to describe it— lazy chic, I guess. I wear a lot of black– I can’t really associate my style with any subculture. My favorite item in my wardrobe… a pair of overalls. I love them because I can work in them and go out in them, maybe I shouldn’t go out in them (laughs)—they are really really comfortable. I am so in to minimal effort. That is the reason why I cut off my hair – I didn’t want to put any effort in to that.

What artists/music/designers inspire you? When it comes to life., I am very heavily interested in and influenced by music—I worked as a music journalist for a long time—and that foundation really influences me and my designing—music inspires me to create.
I listen to very influential women of color—the Solanges, MIA’s…Listening to music fuels me to be creative. In terms of work – music influences me as well.
I can’t say a designer because I don’t follow any particular designer that closely – I don’t care about fashion that much and following the trends…I started this line, because I was making my own clothing and people asked me where I got things from. If you have the opportunity to share your craft and not compromise your morals—do something that you love and get paid for it. My friend told me, “the fact that you are sitting here on something and not doing anything about it is bad.” I’ve been making clothes since I was 14—my friend sort of put the idea in my head when I was older. Right now it seems like a good space to let me do this because right now I am living on my own and in my own time frame.

What inspired your clothing line? What is sportswear and how have you put your own spin on it?
My personal style inspired my clothing line….every piece I make—I brainstorm and think, “what do I want.” I think about going shopping buying this one thing, trying it on— and think how did I live without this
With my items I want to think, if I put it on I have to think, “holy shit, like all of the other things in my closet are irrelevant.” Personal style inspires me—I’m really moody so that sort of dictates what I design and my ideas—they are dependent on how I am feeling.
Sportswear, in the fashion world, are pieces that you can interchange as casual and formal. I chose this theme and name because the idea and my items work closely to what I wear. I am really weird about labels—so sportswear was general enough and that is what I named my line. Some items, like the fur bikini—not all that practical—I like the ratchetry that lives inside of me (laughs) and project that in my clothing!

What do you suggest someone wears with one of your pieces?
The crop tops—they are pretty minimal—they are like a blank canvas—so you can do whatever the fuck you want with them and add your own style..
I like the ridiculous – so the fur bikini is sort of out there…It would be cool to see someone like layer it with other furs…I don’t know…
I’ve never really seen anyone wearing my things because you know they are all over—but I like people to do the most—be ridiculous. My sister is the only person that I get ot see in my clothing…and she always does a lot with the items—being ridiculous and what not.

What are your plans for the future in regards to your clothing line and just in general?
I really enjoy doing this line…not just because I like making money – but it serves as a really important creative outlet for me— I like creating things, like down to creating the site and editing images. I have a lot of ideas for the future – as this all grows
I go with the flow- I didn’t expect for it to get as big as it has. I was expecting like one order a week in the beginning, but I am getting tons of requests! I am still getting adjusted to the growth and I haven’t had time to thinking about the future really.
I just want to keep creating and maybe go back to editing at some point…I enjoyed that atmosphere – because that is still creating – I like that realm.

Follow Sarah Nicole François:
Instagram: @sarahnicolefrancois
Twitter: @RAPDADDi3
Online boutique: 000sportwear.us

* Aliyah Blackmore on Tumblr: echoesofnoise.tumblr.com