Kellan on His New Fashion Line and the Final Twilight Film

Teen Vogue How does a guy from a small town in North Dakota get interested in fashion?

You just want to explore every avenue there is to be creative. You explore your imagination, because there's not so much to do. I started out modeling at a young age and surrounded myself with different brilliant minds. I have so many people to get educated from, and I've been a sponge. That's how the collection came about—it's always been a goal of mine.

What did you learn about the fashion industry from modeling?

What I've learned from different designers is that it's key to be true to who you are and your vision. That's always been my line of thinking. Working through the whole design process, I don't want to create something I wouldn't be proud to wear. I've always been a fan of the people who endorse their own product, and you can tell when something is really that person. That's the key concept.

What's your personal style like?
I'm an easy going guy. I lived on a farm in Iowa. I like comfortable articles of clothing, fabrics that breath, something you can move around in. Things you can wear from daytime to night. I'm a jeans and t shirt kind of a guy. Great fits, comfy fabrics... and simplicity is key.

What's the biggest fashion faux pas you've ever made?
You really learn from your mistakes. You learn when things just don't work. You look at yourself and think, "What was I thinking that day?" My most recent moment is white board shorts. They can be quite, um, revealing.

Where did the name Abbot + Main come from?
Picking a name is one of the hardest things. I was making quite a list and nothing felt right. I was living [in Los Angeles] on Abbot Kinney and Main St, right on the corner. If you look on Mapquest, it's a crossroads, and I incorporated that in the symbol. It seemed classy, yet cool.

Are you more passionate about fashion or acting?
It's all one creative net for me. I just love being creative. I'm all about creating and inventing. If you put fashion and acting side by side, they're part of the same culture. Acting is designing and producing a character that you get to interpret. The same goes for fashion.

You've worked on movies with some serious style icons. What kind of fashion advice have you picked up from costars?
I really learned from the designers and wardrobe gals. Working with Catherine Hardwicke on the first two movies, I really learned about stuff because she was very much a teacher to me. With Ashley and Kristen, when they step outside and dress up, they stay true to they are. They have very different looks and style senses. They're relateable, though. Same goes for Freida Pinto, who I worked with on Immortals. She had her own style.

How do you feel about Twilight coming to a close? What else is next for you?
It's opened up so many doors; I have to say thanks to everything Twilight's given me. It's put me in position to do this clothing line, but it's like my first year of acting because we've only been going about eight or nine months. I just gotta absorb, absorb absorb. I have a lot of fashion designers out there that I get to ask questions to and run stuff by. I'm like a kid in a candy store.

I'm also directing a short movie, to see if I like directing. I never really thought of it before, but it's all about learning myself, to see if I have an interest. The great thing about this industry is that I'm in no rush to work. I just want to keep on challenging myself and doing something outside of what I've done before.