For Variety, She Just Follows the Eras
Most little girls play out their fashion fantasies on Barbie, making her the oft-named first muse of many female designers. But as a child, Mya Abbott preferred to realize her visions through the paper dolls her grandmother taught her to cut.
She can still snip a chorus line of ladies who don more than the typical A-line dress and flip ‘do. Hers have go-go boots, hats, cropped hair and long, shapely dresses.
It was no surprise to those familiar with her well-honed paper-cutting party tricks that Abbott named her Costa Mesa-based clothing line Paper Dolls.
Her collection is as sartorially flexible as her paper characters; it boasts a range of styles--from vintage swimsuits to snowboarding jackets--and various fabrics, from vinyl to faux fur and rayon.
Abbott offers a short, full skirt in black, brushed denim with a poodle applique, chain leash and rhinestone collar; a pastel-colored dress with a generous 747 collar in polyester, and a ‘40s suit modeled after a navy peacoat and cuffed sailor trousers. The collection, which runs from $12 to $120, is available at Reality Check in San Clemente, Ladies’ Lounge in Newport Beach, Electric Chair in Huntington Beach, Patricia Fields in New York and Villian in San Francisco.
“It’s a total clash,” the 23-year-old says about her flirtation with several eras. “But I do it because I can.”
Abbott has had confidence in her fashion inventiveness since she was 8. Today she sees herself as an inventor, and not one of the glamorous personalities some designers have become. She won’t speculate on trends beyond what she’s doing next season and avoids heeding the dictates of fashion pundits.
She doesn’t bother keeping up with who’s who and what’s next in the rag world, preferring to downplay the popular notion that fashion is art.
“You don’t have to be a genius to do this,” she says with a shrug. “It’s all been done before.”
This attitude is why she’s so proud of her interpretations of the basics. Her version of stretch pants taper in at the bottom and are slung low with silver top-stitching. For fun, “The End” is stitched on a back pocket. There is a box purse handcrafted from hard plastic, such as the Lucite purses from the ‘50s, but simpler.
The peacoat silhouette gets a plush treatment in solid and novelty faux fur. And the patent snowboarding jacket, available in red, black or white, features a leopard fur collar and quilted lining.
Faux fur has been an integral element in Paper Doll since the line was launched three years ago. Matching belts and corset-style vests cut from the furry stuff instantly garnered fans.
Coordinating pieces have been another hallmark. Besides the vests and belts, there are backpacks and A-line minis and, this season, a shapely, dice print dress and matching men’s shirt. A high-rolling, ‘40s inspired set showcases snake eyes.
“I like the ‘60s all right, but I think a lot has been lost since the ‘50s. People saved to buy things of better quality then. Now clothes are disposable,” she says.
Abbott developed a sense for quality and craftsmanship when she spent her teen years apprenticing with three bridal designers, including two years with Janell Berte of Janell Berte Bridal in Santa Ana. She was only 14 when she began her training, attending courses in clothing construction at Orange Coast College during last three years in high school. She was able to afford producing original pieces in small quantities and reinvesting her profits in her company.
Her hands-on experience provided her the best education, impressing on her the importance of fit and shape.
“With a bridal gown, fit is very important,” she says. “A lot of designers don’t see that the arm holes are too big or that a shoulder seam sticks out too far. Half an inch can make all the difference.”
The advent of a full collection has thrust Abbott into handling every aspect of running a fashion business. With her offices in the middle of Costa Mesa’s garment neighborhood, friends at surrounding apparel companies have offered advice and walked her through the mundane but all important task of shipping and quality control. Black Label designer John Lucero created her “That Girl” logo, which looks like the head of a blowup doll sporting a red flip ‘do.
Despite four part-time assistants, the pressures of running a company fall mostly on Abbott and time is in short supply. Fitting in an hour for a newspaper photographer can seem so troublesome when garment contractors and store buyers are demanding attention. Fortunately, she has mom, Denise Abbott, whom she calls her “raddest employee.” Denise oversees production and organizes the office.
Still, Abbott says, she would never exchange the headaches and late nights for another career.
“I love the freedom of being able to do what I want,” says Abbott, an avid snowboard rider even after she suffered a broken arm last winter.
“I can do anything in this industry,” she adds. “I could design a doghouse and sell it, and that would be OK because it’s Paper Doll.”
