I caught up with twin Designers To-Tam and To-Nya Ton-Nu of Sachika to get the scoop on what's been going on in their world. The beauties were born in Paris but grew up in Montreal and are now living, working, playing and being fabulous in New York City. Since launching “Sachika” in 2009 they’ve been going nonstop with commercials, magazine ads and even a new line!!!! Check out what they had to say about their career in fashion design.
How did you get into fashion design?
To-Nya always knew since she was little that she wanted to become a Fashion Designer. She designed her first dresses at the age of 9. She finished top of her program at the International Academy of Design.
To-Tam studied Communication and Journalism. She was always great in business & marketing. It was only natural for us to join forces for SACHIKA.
Where did the name SACHIKA come from?
When we were young, a friend of our parents was studying Japanese and asked us if we knew how to say our names in Japanese (we are Vietnamese). He then said To-Nya is SACHIKA and To-Tam is TOKAIDO. We fell in love with name and sound SACHIKA and even more when we found out that it means more wishes, more happiness and more fortune.
Why did you decide to work together instead of creating your own individual lines?
We realized that we were blessed in this life to be born twins. Not only that, but everything we do together has always been more successful. We feel it’s our calling in this life. We are different but complementary to one another. To-Nya is the lefty, the artist, the creative brand. To-Tam is the righty; the business minded one, the more outspoken. "2 heads is better than 1" as they say and yes, we can testify! Together, we are stronger and we motivate each other on a daily basis.
What sets you apart from other designers?
We have values and messages we want to spread around the world. We believe in helping others and inspiring people around us. Therefore, we design with the same mentality. Everything is done out of love, passion and good will and we hope this transpires in our brand which we define it as the SACHIKA movement: It’s not just a clothing line, it’s a lifestyle!
I’ve seen celebrities such as LisaRaye McCoy in Sachika, how does it feel to see your designs in magazines?
It feels great and we feel so blessed to have come this far. To be able to do what you love everyday and to get recognition for it is GOLD! " We are living life like it's golden!" :)
What one piece of advice would you give to someone wanting to start a career in fashion?
Have plenty of money saved up or get investors right off the bat. Get ready to work night and day.
This question is for the men because they’re very curious. Are you two single?
Yes, for the first time in a long time, we are both single! There are so many funny stories along that aspect of our life. We need a TV show!
I’m almost certain I saw your “Melissa” Sachika dress on the cover of New York Times bestselling author E Lynn Harris’ new book “Mama Dearest” how did that happen?
We were asked to style a model for a photo shoot and told that it might be picked up for a book cover. A few months after the shoot we hear the book is doing phenomenal, and that our dress is on the hard cover and the book is a best-seller!! We never turn down an opportunity!
You just launched your TUX by Sachika collection, what’s the inspiration behind that?
TUX by SACHIKA is line of premium t-shirts for men. We know that most men love wearing t-shirts because they’re so comfortable and are essential in all men's wardrobe. We wanted to take that key piece to the next level. Our t-shirts can be worn at the office, out and about or at formal events. The design scheme is sophisticated and clean and minimalist. The seams and details are strategically placed to "enhance" the male torso: v-shape, wide shoulders, small waist and sexy neck. The name TUX came from TUXEDO...the first TUX t-shirt has seams running down the front to mimic the pleats of a tuxedo. We've had a great response since the launch; expect to see some big names of pro athletes rocking our t-shirts very soon! Guys, don't fall behind get your shirts now!
Where can we find more information on SACHIKA?
We are on all the major social networks.
Twitter: @sachikatwins
Facebook SACHIKA fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/search/?post_form_id=ed10007c9b4fc78bb455344ab02f63a2&q=sachika&init=quick&ref=search_preload#!/pages/SACHIKA/44462144013?ref=ts
Facebook TUX fanpage: http://www.facebook.com/search/?post_form_id=ed10007c9b4fc78bb455344ab02f63a2&q=sachika&init=quick&ref=search_preload#!/pages/TUX-by-SACHIKA/365812889349?ref=ts
Blog: www.therealtwinsofnyc.blogspot.com
You can buy our designs on www.sachika.com and www.tuxbysachika.com. For those in the NY area, you can call us at: 1.888.SACHIKA to make an appointment and come to our showroom located in midtown, NYC.
You two are in commercials, your clothes are in magazines, on celebrities and on the cover of books. What’s next?
Our store is coming up in a prime location in NYC; it will be an insane concept, a one of a kind "shop"! We will be showing during NY Fashion Week, few selective stores will be carrying SACHIKA and TUX by SACHIKA and....we have our own TV show coming up!
Photos by: 19th Hole Magazine- Spring 2010 Issue,Moises de Pena/ Getty Images, Marco Sagliocco. (other photogs not listed. All pics were taken from To-Tam and To-Nya's facebook page)
Live..Life..Fabulously TVR
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