Every woman needs a complementary coat that displays her attitude and flatters her body. However, finding that special jacket isn’t always so simple…until now!

Mackage is an amazing line that values the beauty of outerwear. Never a disappointment, the creators Elise Dahan and Eran Elfassy (who began their design aspirations as grade school friends) consistently develop stylish, yet classic, pieces. Their coats embody sophistication.

For the Spring/Summer 2008 Collection, the theme is an enchanted fairy-tale forest. Advertising their looks with characters such as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and others, what woman isn’t immediately intrigued?

To get the inside scoop, I wanted to hear from the Mackage leading lady herself.

Check out my interview with Elisa:

Leeann: I understand that you two are childhood friends who started sketching designs in grade school. When did you come up with the coat concept? And when did you start producing items under the Mackage brand?

Elisa: “Mackage actually started as a leather collection due to the fact that Eran’s older brothers were already in the leather business. When we were finishing design school, there was no such thing as a contemporary leather jacket on the market. The only leather jackets to be found were missy and more commercial, so Eran and I decided to design a collection of contemporary leather. We quickly realized that it was not just contemporary leather that was missing on the market but contemporary outerwear altogether. With this in mind we slowly added wool coats with leather detailing. We then evolved into a complete contemporary outerwear whose signature became that leather detailing. The Mackage collection first started in 1999.”

L: Because you began working with leather, and not specifically coats, do you plan on branching out to other items in the future?

E: “Our goal is to eventually become a lifestyle brand, but we love to be specialized in one category before starting a new one! Branching out into other items will definitely be happening sooner than later. With our roots as a leather company, the natural progression would be to probably go into shoes and handbags….”

L: How would you describe your items overall? And this season’s collection?

E: “Mackage definitely has a trademark style that will always remain from season to season. We are known for intricate construction, sexy and sleek silhouettes and our signature leather detailing. New this season is our A-line coat that still remains fitted, by subtly accentuating the waist. We have also introduced fabrics that have matte and shiny contrasts, glamorous Toscana coats and have perfected our popular new Puffys.”

L: Where do you find inspiration? What lends to your creative process?

E: “Anything and everything can inspire us…from the design of a trendy restaurant found while on vacation, to a favorite actor or musician. Truly, just sitting around playing with fabrics, buttons and a sketchpad is all we need to bounce ideas off of one another.”

L: What message do you want Mackage to send to the fashion world?

E: “That you can still be sexy even if you are all covered up and that a coat is your outfit not just an accessory.”

L: If you had to describe Mackage in three words, what would they be?

E: “That’s a challenge! How about: timeless, sexy, and glamorous.”

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