Coloured Muses

It’s quirky, it’s eccentric, and guess what, Tome NYC might set up shop in India soon.

- Mitali Goyal

What makes designer duo behind Tome—Ramon Martin and Ryan Lobo — click? Their mastery over silhouette or their penchant to create unique colour palette? Or the fact that they seek inspiration from women artists as their muse for each collection? We decided to speak to them to get it from the horse’s mouth.

We see a deep thought process behind the name Tome. How did you come up with it?

Ramon and I have known each other for over 20 years and we have always been storytellers. The one idea that saw us collaborating together was the thought of a book metaphor. A Tome NYC is a book, particularly a large, heavy, and scholarly one.

…and you both came together in 2010 to launch the brand. What was the reason for a break?We met when we were just 18 years old and we were always curious to explore the international fashion world. Always looking out for possibilities rather that hurrying to start something of our own. Ramon had lived in Europe for 10 years before we both finally settled in New York City in our early 30s.

Were there any struggles with working together?

We were on the same page from the first day we met. There was never a question of the kind of brand we wanted and what it should say.

That must have made the strategies for the brand clear, but what made them right too?

We believe that an ideology gives way a strategy — it was never the other way around for us. Sincerity is key. We put out into the world what we believe in, and if the world responds positively we feel grateful.

We feel your garments have a story. What is your design process like?