Dress to impress
Connor White, 26, of Coeur d’Alene, will be unveiling his first clothing collection, “This is Not a Dream,” from 5 to 9 this evening at the Innovation Den in downtown Coeur d’Alene. Photo by AARON BAREITHER
Coeur d’Alene fashion designer and 2010 Coeur d’Alene High School graduate Connor White will be launching his “This is Not a Dream” clothing line from his company, Contrary to Popular Belief, at the Innovation Den from 5 to 9 this evening. His creations have California and Pacific Northwest influences and include items of global fabrics such as satin, flannel and denim that are built to last. (Photo by AARON BAREITHER)
COEUR d’ALENE — As the son of a swimsuit designer mom and a fashion-forward businessman dad, Connor White was destined to be a child of style.
"I grew up liking fashion and style and valuing the impression I could make with the way that I dress," White said Wednesday during a phone interview with The Press. "In college, I played basketball, and that was a huge part of the culture so I could learn about it and love it."
White is a 2010 Coeur d'Alene High School graduate who attended North Idaho College for two years and obtained a degree in theology from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa. He serves as a pastor at Heart of the City Church in Coeur d'Alene.
Throughout his studies and athletic activities, Connor said he had a pent-up creative energy that he had to unleash.
"I just started designing stuff I would like that I thought would be cool," he said. "I started knocking on doors and looking for opportunities and everything just fell into place."
The 26-year-old, self-taught fashion designer founded his own brand, Contrary to Popular Belief, and will be debuting his introductory designer clothing collection during a launch event this evening at the Innovation Den.
Connor has been developing his brand for three years and has spent more than a year traveling between Los Angeles and Coeur d'Alene working on inventory production. Its moniker was inspired by his desire to live a life beyond the potential-limiting boundaries of society.
His first fall/winter collection is titled "This is Not a Dream" and shows influences of California and the Northwest. The clothing is made in ethical and safe factories in L.A. The fabrics include flannel, cotton, denim and satin from around the world.
"You could say it is both inspired by the L.A. urban style, but that blended with the Pacific Northwest culture and style," he said. "We created things that referenced both those styles and regions."
He emphasized his desire to make timeless, quality, durable clothing that men and women will be able to wear and keep in their closets for years to come.
"We took common pieces like pocket T-shirts, long-sleeve T-shirts and flannels and we put different details and twists on them that would make them unique," he said.
While it’s creative and entrepreneurial, White said he primarily views the business and brand as an opportunity to create high quality garments for people who want them.
The Contrary to Popular Belief launch event opens at 5 p.m. Connor will host a question-and-answer session at 7 p.m. and the doors close at 9 p.m.
All the styles from the collection will be available to purchase. Connor has also collaborated with Coeur d'Alene Cellars to create a limited label of the signature No. 6 red wine, bottles of which will be available as gifts for those who make a purchase or support the business.
The Innovation Den is located at 418 E. Lakeside Ave., Coeur d'Alene.