Interview with Michael Quester (CASSIDA Luxury Fashion)

1. Who are you?
I’m Michael Quester, the owner and designer of CASSIDA luxury fashion (www.cassidashop.com) and have launched my first independent fashion line in 2008. The design background is the powerful and decadent roman empire with all it’s luxury and glamour. I’m austrian and our headquarter is located close to Vienna.

2. What do you like about what you do?
I love the creative part of my job and the satisfaction seeing people on the street wearing my designs. As all designs are made by myself with a lot of passion and dedication it’s simply a great feeling when people appreciate your style.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
Everything that has to do with uncreative issues like administration …

4. Please tell us about your company Cassida and your future goals?
CASSIDA stands for „metal helmet“ in Latin and is the number one Newcomer Label in the Luxury fashion business. The background and inspiration of the designs is the glory and glamour of the ancient roman empire. The excellent unique style and a perfect combination of multiple colors, extravagant prints, applications and glitters satify already a wide range of several celebrities as Johnny Depp, Rihanna, Elle MacPherson, Samantha Ronson, Jessica Alba, Sabrina Setlur and Eva K. Anderson.
My future goal is to establish Cassida as a leading fashion company in the worldwide luxury fashion business. Further I’d like to open Cassida flagship stores in Los Angeles, New York and Milano. Concerning the flagship store for Vienna we are already negotiating with possible partners.

5. Are you working with blogs and if yes, what is your favourite blog?
Actually we support several fashion blog writers of whom we think that they are doing a professional job. One of them is: www.iloveteedesign.com
Of course we are running our own blog as well at: www.myspace.com/cassidafashion
Outside the fashion business we appreciate the Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton www.perezhilton.com

6. Your experiences with the overall fashion industry?
So far it’s a 100% positive experience. Most of the people involved are doing a very professional job and the majority is very open minded. The only negative thing I’m experiencing is that most labels are only interested in maximising their profits by following trends and gathering inspirations from other designers. From my point of view it’s essential to set trends, not to follow them. In that case you will be always be second and to be honest I hate it to be second…;-)

7. Tell us about your favourite fashion articles or designers
Actually I know several designers personally, but I have to admit that I’m not looking at their collections in order to avoid any influences on my personal style. Considering the Top designers my absolute favourite is Tom Ford, as he is the only designer who created really timeless collections.

8. Any comments you want to share with us?
First of all I want to thank all readers of your Blog for reading this interview and I wish all of them, that they can live their dreams like I live mine. Further I can only say, that we have started to book the “The Ring” for all our international customers coming to Vienna as your hotel is the number one place to stay in Vienna.