Daniel Vosovic knows how to dress a woman. He knows how to make a confident lady feel stronger and more poised than she already is. For Autumn/Winter 2011, he combined the quiet strength of a 19th century American pioneer woman with the control and sexual power of the S&M world. I got a chance to chat with Daniel at his fall 2011 collection review about his natural and urban inspiration, how his clothing is adapted for city life and what the Vosovic woman feels when wearing his garments.

AG: You created a thrilling juxtaposition in your fall collection, combining the American frontier woman with the S&M enthusiast. What was going through your mind when you brought these two aesthetics together?

 DV: The inspiration started with New York women, the women I know in particular. I was trying to think of new silhouettes and something they don’t already have. It began with these long, languid, romantic silhouettes, and they brought to mind these really strong American frontier women. Far from dainty, they took off their corsetry and were working the fields. I did a lot of research and was fascinated by this woman. Because she’s not a delicate princess, I love the idea of her coming together with the S&M influences. I turned a cameo on a lace collar with covered buttons into a sex collar with Prince Albert piercings.

AG: You design all of your prints from scratch and include meticulous details, some of which can only be seen well up close. Who is the Daniel Vosovic woman? What does she feel when she’s wearing your intricate designs?

DV: She is urban, very intelligent and appreciates good design whether it’s fashion, home interiors or art. She is aware of what’s happening in the world. She’s current, modern and a forward thinker, the same things that are important to me in designing my collections. That woman shares these qualities with me.

The Daniel Vosovic woman won’t wear a dainty floral, but she will wear a fetish print with stripper heels and handcuffs. But it’s not about wearing something so shocking it slaps you upside the face. The fact it’s alluding to a lot more is a wink and a nod. When a woman puts on a pair of sexy underwear, she knows it and feels it, but everyone else doesn’t know what’s going on underneath her clothes. A lot of the little secrets on my garments are meant for the wearer, and that adds to the Daniel Vosovic woman’s power and confidence.

AG: Your models have walked down runways filled with dirt and lined with leaves. Are you heavily influenced by nature? How does this inspiration come to you?

DV: Natural elements are something I innately come back to. I was raised in Michigan, but I’ve been in New York for a decade and love it. Urban city living is rough, but I love the jolt it gives me. At the end of the day though, a part of me loves the serene, natural, more organic side of things. Whether it’s leaves on the runway or the color story of the collection, it always goes back to nature somehow.

AG: You really seem to know the female form immensely well because your clothing fits the body impeccably. Do you think having been a gymnast for 18 years influences the way you design?

DV: Who knows where it actually comes from, but a certain athleticism runs throughout everything in my collections. My wools, neoprenes and silks stretch and give. I know what it’s like to live here and be on the go all the time. I design for the working women I know, not for a fantasy woman who only goes to lunch. But through the design and details, I create that aesthetic of functional luxury.