Designers Dish: WHIT’s Whitney Pozgay

Fashion has undoubtedly played a major role at Coachella in the last few years. And why not? Labels from H&M to Coach are getting their collections noticed by festivalgoers, especially when celebs are seen wearing those festival-centric pieces. So it doesn’t come as a huge shocker that this year’s parties involved fashion runway shows, including Pandora Jewelry-sponsored presentations by Siwy denim, Plenty by Tracy Reese, Nanette Lepore and WHIT.

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After presenting her printastic spring 2015 collection at The Parker Palm Springs during Coachella’s first weekend of festivities, New York-based WHIT designer Whitney Pozgay chatted backstage with Pret-a-Reporter about why she wanted to bring a fashion show to the desert and who she’d love to see in one of her colorful designs (hint: this performer likes to cover her face with a wig).

Pret-a-Reporter: What led you to present at Coachella?

Whitney Pozgay: I’ve always wanted to come, and I grew up in Arizona. My dad lives in California, so any excuse to come west is always really appealing to me. But I also love music and festivals and cultural gatherings, especially with so many amazing young people coming together from all over the world. It’s a really exciting place to showcase, and to do something that’s “buy now, wear now.” This is our season that just hit stores. Usually when we do fashion week, it’s usually so far in advance — this is something to get excited about that you can wear in this weather, to the festival.

Is this your first-ever Coachella?

This isn’t my first music festival, but it’s my first Coachella.

Have you had a chance to check out any performances yet?

We did last night! We saw Jack White, and my husband used to deejay, so he was excited to see Flosstrodamus, which was really rowdy and fun.

How did you go about curating music for the show?

We have a friend, Brandon, that works with us. He and I worked together before, and I wanted to start with “Cannonball” by The Breeders because the collection was ‘90s, girl power-inspired. That’s a great little anthem from that era, but then I wanted to mix in some current things as well, and some bands that are showing at Coachella.

When we saw some of your pieces on the catwalk, we could definitely see how it’d fit well with festivalgoers.

That’s what’s so fun for us, too, because in New York we’ve had the longest winter and we have such a spring-y collection. Both my husband and I design it together and we both come from climates, so when it comes to spring, we’re always thinking colors, florals and wearing it on vacation. It’s been so cold in New York, it’s fun to be in climate where you can actually wear it.

You mentioned that this collection is very much about girl power, and it just so happens that Hillary Clinton announced her run for presidency on the day of your runway presentation.

Oh, I’m so excited! I got that this morning — a text from a friend — and I was like, ‘Yes!’ I’m so excited. I’ve always been a big Hillary fan. In general, we have our girls that we’re inspired by, like Kathleen Hanna, and I grew up in the ‘90s and I loved that whole girl movement. Even in fashion, there was a moment when we started when there weren’t any female fashion designers, and now women are really having a moment.

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Any performers you’d love to see in one of your designs?

I would love to get Kathleen Hanna. Oh, and Sia — I feel like she has that kooky sense of humor, and isn’t afraid of color and prints. There are so many of these cute girls just running around — it’s hard to pick just one! My husband would know better [gestures her husband, Parker, over to our conversation]. Oh, and Mia Moretti!