Designer friends Claire McKinney and Sophie Andes-Gascon are redefining what indie fashion can feel like with their SC103 label. 

Its website states, “All items are made in-house and made-to-order. Some items are made from pre-existing or hand-processed materials which may show slight signs of wear or variation. Any such discrepancies are considered unique characteristics of the materials used.”

A couple of scrolls through SC103’s feed and you’re caught in the spell of their craft.

Sophie and Claire are committed to maintaining and celebrating the soul of fashion. Their visions align in what they call “radical craftsmanship,” which begins in their Brooklyn studio in a historic building dating back to 1869. They lean into sustainable fabric choices, often working with deadstock, upcycled materials, or vintage finds, letting the past live again through their work.

The duo’s process is rooted in improvisation, where fantasy meets practicality to transform these materials into streetwear classics — a process that feels genuine and authentic.

Their imagery inspires one to wonder how their minds work and how these ideas take shape.

The brand makes its debut on the Official New York Fashion Week Schedule next month, so we checked in with the designers to get a little closer to the magic.

Where are you from? How is your hometown or background woven into your designs?

Sophie Andes-Gascon: Born to Canadian and Brazilian parents, I grew up around family in Manaus until I was six and then moved to Maryland.

Taking part in folkloric festivals like Parintins, consuming fresh water river fish like Tambaqui, swimming with Amazonian river dolphins, catching frogs at Camp 41, voyaging to visit family in river municipalities like Coari…My mom was dutiful in keeping me connected with our Manauara family at the same time I was becoming immersed in American suburban culture and its soothing hum.

Claire McKinney: Growing up in Oregon, I cherished annual summer trips to rural Eastern Oregon where you can still see Oregon Trail wagon ruts across the sagebrush. I often revisit our century-old family albums of ranchers and shepherds as a way to see inside life and dress in its most practical forms.

In the beginning stages of creating a collection, where do you search for inspiration?

Less searching, more living and seeing what sticks. Thumbing through past dormant ideas, letting a single new technique take over your mind for a week…

What was your first experience with NYFW and how has that shaped you as a designer?

We moved to New York in 2011, shortly after NYFW exited Bryant Park. The range of unique show experiences across boroughs since then has given us the freedom to dream up shows of our own without rules.

If you had to use one of your own pieces for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?

Our Links Tote is the official security blanket for us both. Tactility is essential for busy hands!