watermark | fashion+style
Aug. 18 - Aug. 31, 2011 |
A minute with...
Bert Keeter
| erik r. caban
PROJECT RUNWAY SEASON 9 CONTESTANT
H
alston, Bill Blass, Yves St. Laurent. Fashion world icons that have one more thing in common—Bert Keeter has worked with them all. At 57, Keeter has lived an incredible life of achievement, heartache, strength and growth, from being at the height of his career to losing it all while battling addiction. Now, the New York native is one of the 16 designers on the newest season of Project Runway airing on Lifetime. The candid couturier spoke with Watermark about recovery, returning to the fashion industry after a 22 year hiatus and making it work. For more information on Bert Keeter and Project Runway, visit MyLifetime.com. WATERMARK: In a way, Project Runway has been your comeback to the fashion world after leaving the industry in 1989. Why did you leave for so long? BERT KEETER: I lived in New York in the mid80s, during the whole AIDS epidemic. I had some really close friends that I had known since highschool. I actually introduced the two of them and they ended up being lovers for 17 years. They both had AIDS and died a day apart from one another in 1989. That really hit me hard, and then my partner, John, was diagnosed with HIV and he died in 1992. Then, I had another friend that was murdered. Shortly after, my mother died of cancer. So, I had a really rough time dealing with all the feelings. I turned to alcohol to deal with a lot of that and it just took me way down. I was so morose and sad, and being in New York, there were too many triggers. So, I went to Washington, D.C. and created a new life there. I realized I was using alcohol to try and change the feelings I was having. I now live in L.A. and I’ve got a great recovery system here, best friends and it’s just made a huge difference. I love being back in design. Back in the old days, if I were on Project Runway, I’m sure I would’ve done something to mess it up because it was too stressful or something. I’ve changed the way I react to emotions. I’ll be sober three years come Sept. 23.
Do you think you will win Project Runway? It’s definitely up in the air right now. Some challenges I get and some, like the second, [pet store challenge], I just didn’t understand. Even though I had immunity, I really did try. When we were in the pet store, all the other designers were running around buying hamster and reptile cage filling as did I, but I didn’t know how I was going to attach that stuff to any kind of garment. I had never used a glue gun in my life. [In the end], I liked my garment but I think the judges didn’t appreciate the fact that I didn’t make it to its full potential or utilize the materials that were available like the other designers. It’s just one of those things. On the show, some of the other contestants have described you as “harsh” and “unfiltered.” How do you respond to that? Well, I think the “unfiltered” part is pretty accurate. I never had a problem mincing words. I
have definitely mellowed over the past few years. I’m not as opinionated as I used to be. I definitely call it as I see it. I don’t think I’m harsh. I can be very blunt. I’m really more just to the point. How would you describe your design aesthetic? I’ve gone through different evolutions. My designs are calm, uncluttered, clean, sleek and modern. I don’t go for that wow, over-the-top, shock factor that I think a lot of designers like. I try to design something that a woman can really wear—something that can be shown on the runway and easily be worn everyday; something a woman gets a lot of wear out of. My designs are pure and simple. They’re aesthetically understated without being boring, and intellectual in the way they’re constructed. Who are your style icons/inspirations? I like classic American designers like Bill Blass, who I worked for in the early 80s. His design aesthetic was more sportswear but he could take something like tweed and turn it into something elegant. Definitely Halston, who I worked for from 1985 to 1990. His designs were very understated. Yves St. Laurent because he was revolutionary in high-fashion by putting women in jackets and trousers. I adore Christian Dior. I just loved their silhouettes—very architectural. Also, Charles Dames, who was an American designer in the 50s. He was amazing. Has it been challenging jumping right back into design after being out of it so long? I had not designed anything myself since I graduated from college. Even while working for Halston and Bill Blass, I would just create sketches and they’d be executed by someone else. To sit down and do it myself from beginning to end is really overwhelming. The pressure on the show is pretty amazing. Although, I realized in each challenge that I was doing really well. I was amazed that I could really pull [a design] together. It was very scary though. For example, an hour into the first challenge, I was thinking to myself, “If this is only the first of 16 challenges I want to get out of here. I wonder if they’ll let me leave.” Luckily, the feelings left me and I was able to not only finish the challenge but win it. | l |
Photo courtesy Richard McLaren, Lifetime.
43