Francisco Costa
Francisco Costa
Head of creative design for Calvin Klein Collection's women's line.
NationalityBrazilian
ProfessionFashion Designer
Date of Birth10 May 1964
CountryBrazil
classes factory figure moved produce rio technician took
Right after high school, I moved to Rio and took classes to become a technician for a manufacturing factory where you had to figure out how to produce 3,000 pairs of jeans. But in Rio, I was by myself, which was very liberating, being so young. I got to do my own thing.
certain designer itself less maybe organic relevant school
I wonder if I would have been less organic of a designer without my background. Maybe I would be more academic about designing, more methodical. I want things to be a certain way, and I'm very precise, but school itself wasn't that relevant for me.
ask brazil later obviously people smart work
When people ask me what it is about Brazil and my work, it's not something that I can say literally. It's unidentifiable. It's like when you do research and things inspire you. If you're smart enough, then obviously you don't take it literally. The inspiration will come out later somehow.
anywhere chance cook escape garden life living love peaceful philosophy positive stay whenever
I love to garden and cook whenever I get the chance and escape anywhere that's peaceful and quiet. My philosophy on living well is to always stay positive in life.
architecture art design inspired landscapes
I'm inspired by many things, from landscapes to textiles. Art and architecture always influence my design process.
detach gives interested interview love sends somebody work
I'm so not interested in gossip. It just gives me the creeps. I love the work; I love what I do. If somebody sends me an interview that has any connotation of something that's not interesting or genuine, I'm not interested. I really detach myself from it.
art influences information later literal meet shows
When I say art influences me, which it does, it's not at all in a literal form. You go and see exhibitions or collections or meet an artist. It's all a compilation. Every moment, at all times, all this information. Then all this information disappears, and it shows up later in the process.
flea searching separate
You think 24-7 when you're a creative person. And I find pleasure in everything - if I'm in a flea market, I'm there on my downtime, but I'm also there searching for the collection. I don't separate the two.
appeal bottom broaden carpet dressed helps klein line specific women
The bottom line is that red carpet helps us broaden the appeal of the brand. Calvin Klein used to be about a very specific woman, but we've dressed so many different women at awards.
buy certain strength women
I think the women that we dress, the women who buy our clothes, they have a certain strength. It could be about the clothes, it could be about themselves. It's just attractive.
foundation life living period rio york
Rio was a period of my life, and then, poof, I'm gone. I was very young living here, just kind of floating. New York was a foundation for everything I do today. Rio was the bridge.
became business cutting fabric large outfit picture wear
My mother was very fashion-oriented, and she started a little children's wear business that became large in this little town. She used to be able to look at a picture of an outfit and just start cutting the fabric right there.
drag mom people ran
My mom, she was unbelievable. She ran the whole town. She was like the mayor. There would be 15 people eating at our lunch table. She'd drag people from the street.
team hate people
I just hate people who are lazy. To be on my team, you have to have energy and a sense of wanting to learn. That really excites me.