We sat down with Sonya Chodry, Founder and Designer of Sonya Chodry – a fashion forward performance ski apparel and luxury outerwear brand for women to discuss her brand, her influences and what is yet to come.
Which famous or influential person best encapsulates Sonya Chodry as a brand?
- Any of James Bonds girls are the best representation of Sonya Chodry. They are always strong, independent, adventurous, smart, fashionable and well traveled.
What are your biggest inspirations behind Sonya Chodry as a brand?
- I take inspiration from all kinds of places but I would have to say I always look to vintage Dior when he first launched his collections in the late 1940s. He changed the way women would dress, look and feel forever. There is not one collection that you cannot draw inspiration from.
What do you think are the biggest challenges Sonya Chodry faces in the future?
- I think the biggest challenge for me right now is convincing people that women do not have to look sporty on the slopes. Everyone is so programmed into thinking you need the bold colors and stripes like a race car when you ski. You don’t! Women can look feminine, graceful and fashion forward when they ski and then take my jackets off the slopes and put over a dress and go to dinner.
Do you have any exciting projects coming up that you would like to tell us about?
- We are always working on great things! We just finished AW16 and are currently in the sales market. We are hoping to add another seasonal collection this year so stay tuned.
If you could choose one person, living or dead, to be your brand ambassador, who would it be and why?
- Do I have to choose only 1? I mean there are so many women that encompass the Sonya Chodry brand identity! If I have to choose one, then it will have to be Grace Kelly. She represents to me, the adventurous, smart, philanthropic, fashionable, a girl made into a woman that every woman in the world would jump at a chance to be, not to mention she was also beautiful and “Graceful”.
What other brands do you love and why?
- This is a hard one! I would have to say my go to brands are always Chanel- I collect anything from this house and especially love all the iconic pieces, Chloe and The Row. The Row, these girls are talented! Chloe is always just “slaying” it in the last few years.
If you could collaborate with another brand, who would it be and why?
- The first name that jumps out at me would be Victoria Beckham! I think she has something really good happening and does what she wants! She is always wearing something, whether is be her own or someone else’s, that every woman covets. Women are always looking to her to see what is happening next. I would love to collaborate with her brand. I think something really fun, feminine and interesting might happen.
Check out Sonya’s ski line here… http://www.sonyachodry.com/
