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Posts Tagged: "Anna Sui"

VIRAL MOMENTS AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK FALL 2023

- - Fashion Shows

Looks from Rodarte’s Fall 2023 Collection. (Photo Credit: Imaxtree)

New York Fashion Week just wrapped and because it’s one of the most important events in the fashion industry (attracting designers, buyers, and fashion lovers worldwide) AND because it has become a viral sensation (blowing up everyone’s cell phone), we thought it would be fun to take a look back in time of how it all began:

  • In 1943, fashion publicist Eleanor Lambert organized “Press Week” to showcase American designers who could not travel to Paris during World War II.
  • The first official “New York Fashion Week” was held in 1945, with shows held in various locations throughout the city.
  • In 1993, the event was centralized in a single location: Bryant Park, located behind the New York Public Library and called “7th on Sixth”.
  • The event grew in popularity throughout the 1990s & 2000s, with designers such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Marc Jacobs becoming household names.
  • In 2010, the event moved to Lincoln Center, where it was held until 2015.
  • In 2011, NY designers began live-streaming shows.
  • In 2013, The Shed at Hudson Yards became a new NYFW venue.
  • In 2016, New York Fashion Week spread throughout various locations around the city, including Skylight at Moynihan Station and Skylight Clarkson Square.
  • In 2020, due to the Covid pandemic, almost all shows were pared down and went virtual, but came back ‘in real life’ September 2021.
  • In 2023, Spring Studios at 50 Varick Street  became the main headquarters with some designers hosting runway shows throughout the city. Some shows were  livestreamed on NYFW.com and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (the agency behind New York Fashion Week), stream events on its Runway 360 hub.

Backstage looks at Coach’s Fall 2023 Show. (Photo Credit: Vogue)

Here are some of the viral moments that took New York Fashion Week 2023 by storm.

Looks from Marc Jacobs’ Fall 2023 Collection. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

New York Fashion Week Fall 2023 officially kicked off on Friday, February 10th and wrapped on Wednesday, February 15, 2023. The show calendar was jam packed to pre-pandemic levels. Always one to beat to his own drum, Marc Jacobs opted to show his grand fall collection on February 3rd before the official start of New York Fashion Week and paid tribute to the great Dame of Punk, Vivienne Westwood, who sadly passed away on December 29, 2022.

NYFW was filled with so many great moments, beautiful clothes – from whimsical to wearable – and, as always, a slew of celebrity sightings.

Rodarte founders Sarah and Laura Mulleavy asked their artist mother to create the fairy drawings that appeared as prints throughout the collection. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Rodarte returned to the runway and helped kick off the season as sisters, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, presented a collection inspired by gothic fairies. It was an editorial favorite.

Ella Emhoff Really, Really Likes to Knit. (Photo Credit: Vogue)

Ella Emhoff (the stepdaughter of Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States) held a pop-up presentation to showcase her colorful knitwear, with pieces available for both preorder and purchase.

A look from Thom Browne’s Fall 2023 Collection. (Photo Credit: AP Photo)

Thom Browne made a return to the runway with his Little Prince-inspired collection that was delightfully playful. The CFDA chairman showed on Valentine’s Day and presented his partner Andrew Bolton, who is curator at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, a box of chocolate hearts to celebrate the occasion.

A look from Anna Sui’s Fall 2023 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue)

Anna Sui is also back after being on fashion week hiatus since the start of the pandemic. Sui told Vogue in an email, “My choice to do an intimate show in a nightclub was inspired by the Peppermint Lounge, a little restaurant on 45th Street that was converted to the hottest club in the 1960s for dancing. There is an incredible picture of Jane Holzer dancing the twist at the club, and with further research I discovered the Beatles and the Rolling Stones all went there to dance. This inspired a collection of clothes to wear to twist the night away.” The show was a delight.

Chloe Sevigny walks Proenza Shouler’s Fall 2023 Show. (Photo Credit: Fashionista)

Leave it to Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the design duo behind the cult favorite brand Proenza Schouler, to have Chloe Sevigny open their show. The duo showcased an intimate collection for the modern woman. Celebrating their 20-year anniversary of the label, the designers returned to what started it all: the women in their lives who inspire them most, and whose wardrobes they want to create. (After all, Proenza Schouler is the combination of their mothers’ maiden names.)

Bulan’s Fall 2023 Collection shown during Men’s Day. (Photo Credit: Bulan)

While most cities have their own Menswear Fashion Week, once upon a time New York did too. This season we had Men’s Day, which took place on Friday, February 10th at Hudson Yards. The event hosted 12 emerging menswear and genderless designers.

Looks from Tory Burch’s Fall 2023 Collection. (Photo Credit: Imaxtree)

Tory Burch presented a stellar collection. The designer told WWD she wanted to play with traditional female tropes and actually deconstructed old girdles to subvert shape-wear conventions.

A look from Christian Siriano’s Fall 2023 Collection. (Photo Credit: Launchmetrics)

Christian Siriano jumped on the ‘no pants required’ trend that fashion ‘It’ girls have been currently rocking.

A banana-inspired look from Area’s Spring 2023 Buy Now Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue)

Hungry? Some designers created food-inspired looks. Puppets and Puppets showed egg nipple coverings, while Area and Melke presented fruit-inspired novelty pieces.

Comedian Nikki Glaser in Cynthia Rowley. (Photo Credit: Cynthia Rowley)

Cynthia Rowley sure likes to have fun with fashion. For her fall collection she hosted an all-female stand-up show. Comedians Nikki Glaser, Rachel Feinstein, Ego Nwodim and more took to the makeshift stage in vibrant hues, fun flares and feathers. “I see fashion and comedy serving women in the same way,” said Rowley in a press release. “If you can be funny, you can feel confident. If you love what you’re wearing you feel confident. And if you can have both, even better.”

A look from Michael Kors’ Fall 2023 Show. (Photo Credit: Vogue)

Pile on the accessories was the motif at Michael Kors, as the designer sent out big belts, statement geode necklaces, wraparound sunglasses, fringe and fur shawls and more, in monochromatic looks.

Looks from Collina Strada’s Fall 2023 Collection. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Hillary Taymour called her latest Collina Strada collection “Please Don’t Eat My Friends” as her models strutted down the runway in prosthetic animal faces.

There were many viral moments during New York Fashion week, so tell us, what was your favorite moment?

FASHION SHOWS ARE COMING BACK STRONGER THAN EVER: NY FASHION WEEK FALL 2022

- - Fashion Shows

A Backstage look at Collina Strada’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Hunter Abrams for Vogue Runway)

The fashion industry was hit hard by the global Covid-19 pandemic, but designers have pulled through and found creative ways to present their latest collections. In New York City, thanks to high vaccination rates, the city lifted its indoor mask mandate on February 9th just in time for New York Fashion Week, which kicked off on February 11th and ended on the 16th. Although the season was far from pre-covid days, social distancing and smaller audiences were still being implemented to keep everyone safe, but there were definitely plenty of IRL shows to get fashion insiders excited– six jam packed days of back-to-back appointments, screenings, and of course, live fashion shows that took take place all over Manhattan, as well as a few that opted to cross the river into Brooklyn, such as Gabriela Hearst and Dion Lee.

While a few of the established designers opted out of showing during New York Fashion Week, such as Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, and Ralph Lauren, there were plenty of emerging designer labels that made a splash this season, such as Shayne Oliver. He is the designer of the gender-fluid label Hood by Air (which was put on pause in 2017), but this season the designer launched ShayneOliver. Oliver’s new namesake collection is a high-concept luxury womenswear and menswear fashion brand offering seasonal collections and he staged a three-night residency at The Shed’s Griffin Theater in the fashionista hot spot, Hudson Yards.

A look from Shayne Oliver’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: The New York Times)

Last week at UoF, we spoke about fashion in the Metaverse and this season, the young and clever designer Maisie Wilen, took a digital approach to presenting her collection. Wilen partnered with Yahoo on a virtual installation that debuted on February 15th. The designer’s fall 2022 collection was presented on 7-foot-tall holograms, bringing the digital into a physical space in a new way.

Maisie Wilen presented her Fall 2022 Collection on 7 foot tall holographic models. (Photo Credit: Maisie Wilen)

Also on Feb. 15th, The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art held a press event for Part Two of their fashion exhibit, “In America: An Anthology of Fashion.” The show itself will open to the public from May 7 – September 5, 2022, and be housed in the museum’s period rooms, merging fashion’s past and present in vignettes that reflect the shifts in American taste.

Ball gown by Marguery Bolhagen circa 1961. (Photo Credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

A literal social media frenzy was created when actress Julia Fox, making her runway debut, opened the show for LaQuan Smith. The designer dressed Fox in the ultimate revenge dress after her very publicized month-long relationship with Kanye West ended earlier this month.

Julia Fox opens the show for LaQuan Smith’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

Tory Burch delivered a heartwarming New York moment as the designer’s fall collection was a Valentine’s love letter to New York City. Burch used the city as her canvas and literally lit up the night when she held her nighttime show on the 25th floor of the trendy Hudson Commons building at Hudson Yards with floor to ceiling windows and the historic New Yorker Hotel sign lighting the runway background.  Burch helped fund the restoration of the iconic sign on the Art Deco landmark, which opened its doors in 1930 as the city’s largest hotel. “It’s such an iconic building,” said the designer in an interview with WWD, who upped her profile around the city in other ways, too, teasing the runway show with light installations at the Frick Museum, Union Square and seven other landmarks and live-streaming the show in four other locations.

A look from Tory Burch’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: WWD)

And let’s not forget about the fabulous street style looks that were back in full force and the celebrities that flocked the front rows again!

Blake Lively Plays the Bombshell at Michael Kors. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

While Tory Burch celebrated her beloved city, here are some of the hottest trends coming out of New York Fashion Week for Fall 2022:

BRINGING SEXY BACK

Now that we’ve turned a corner on the pandemic (hopefully) and the world is beginning to open up again, designers showcased plenty of sexy looks for fall 2022 with a focus on strategic cut-outs reminiscent of 1980s Jean Paul Gautier (for all you fashion history buffs out there).

A look from Bronx and Banco’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Christian Cowan’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Eckhaus Latta’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from LaQuan Smith’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Prabal Guring’s fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Michael Kors’ Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

DAYTIME GLAM

As we head back into the world of IRL, designers are offering plenty of glamorous daytime looks that can carry you from the office to cocktails with friends. From sequin knits to feather cardigan coats, these looks will brighten any fall day.

A look from Brandon Maxwell’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Altuzarra’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Alice & Olivia’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Christian Cowan’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Markarian’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from The Proenza Schouler’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

LEATHER CHANNEL

Leather is a staple in every fall wardrobe, but for fall, designers are softening up the textile in a variety of dresses, from sleek, form fitting styles to feminine, corset variations.

A look from Khaite’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Prabal Gurung’s fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Michael Kors’ Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Staud’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Gabriela Hearst’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Brandon Maxwell’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

GOTHIC GLAM

Goth kids take a walk on the glam side with ruffled neck blouses paired with plenty of pearls, and corset evening gowns – all in moody hues of inky blues and black.

A look from Christian Siriano’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Batsheva’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Khaite’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from R13’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

BLACK AND WHITE

There is nothing simple about fall’s graphic black and white looks. From Carolina Herrera’s bow motif evening gown to The Row’s colorblock coat, these looks offer plenty of impact.

A look from Carolina Herrera’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Christian Cowan’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Jason Wu’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Peter Do’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from The Proenza Schouler’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from The Row’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Oscar De La Renta’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

METALLICA

Shine on! Designers are offering plenty of sparkle this season with sequin dresses in metallic tones. From Altuzarra’s gold oversized paillette dress to Bronx and Banco’s silver sequin minidress, one things for sure, party season is back.

A look from Altuzarra’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Bronx and Banco’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Bronx and Banco’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Christian Cowan’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Jonathan Simkhai’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway_

Looks from Naeem Khan’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

ORANGE ALERT

Designer’s are offering plenty of bold colors for fall 2022, but one color really stood out this season – orange. The hue stood out in a variety of shades from bright to muted. The color was found in everything from evening dresses to a belted leather coat.

A look from Victor Glemaud’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Carolina Herrera’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Michael Kors’ Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Anna Sui’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Staud’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Maryam Nassir Zadeh’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

KNIT WHIT

Knits were all over the fall runways from crafty crochet dresses to fisherman cable knit tops. Now you can look cozy and chic.

A look from Gabriela Hearst’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Altuzarra’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Frederick Anderson’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Dion Lee’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

A look from Batsheva’s Fall 2022 Collection. (Photo Credit: Vogue Runway)

So tell us, what is your favorite trend from New York Fashion Week?

IN HONOR OF ASIAN AMERICAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH, LET’S CELEBRATE ASIAN DESIGNERS WHO ROCKED THE FASHION WORLD

Clockwise from top left: Joseph Altuzarra, Chris Lebe, Eunice Lee, Jenny Cheng, Gauntlett Cheng, Bibhu Mohapatra, Makié Yahagi, Jade Lai, Creatures of Comfort, Dao-Yi Chow, Public School, Yeohlee Teng, Phillip Lim, Kimora Lee Simmons, Richard Chai, Kevin Kim, Tommy Ton, Thakoon Panichgul, Kim Shui, Rui Zhou, Prabal Gurung, Sandy Liang, Laura Kim, Mary Ping, Snow Sue Gao, Peter Som, Jason Wu, Ji Oh; Dylan Cao, Jin Kay and Huy Luong, and Derek Lam. Photographed at the Morgan Library in New York City Feb. 17, 2020. (Photo Credit: Renee Cox for The New York Times)

In the United States, the month of May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The University of Fashion would like to take this opportunity to highlight and celebrate some of the most influential Asian fashion designers, both in the U.S and around the globe.

THE HISTORY OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH

Before we focus on the work of  these multi-talented designers, let’s take a look at how the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) helped shape our history and our identity from the first wave of Asian immigrants in 1763 to the present day.

According to the U.S. Government: the term “Asian American” includes persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. “Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander” includes persons having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands.

We could easily fill an entire volume listing the contributions made by the AAPI community, from the building of the transcontinental railroad to major breakthroughs in the world of science and technology. According to History.com, “Though the Gold Rush triggered the first major wave of Asian immigrants to the United States in the 1840s, their presence in America predates the country itself. For example, in 1763, facing a life of forced labor and imprisonment during the Spanish galleon trade, a group of Filipinos jumped ship near New Orleans and established the settlement of Saint Malo, forming one of the first documented Asian American communities in North America.”

More than 2.5 million Chinese citizens left their country and were hired in 1864 after a labor shortage threatened the transcontinental railroad’s completion (Chinese immigrants made up 90% of the workforce).

In the field of science, Chinese-born female physicist Chien-Shiung Wu, Ph.D., was instrumental in the developing field of atomic science in the 1940s and 50s, which included the Manhattan Project: the code name for research into atomic weapons during World War II.

Philippine-born Larry Itliong immigrated to the United States in 1929 and began working as a laborer. In 1930, he joined striking lettuce pickers in Washington and eventually became a union leader, forming the Filipino Farm Labor Union in 1956. Together with Delores Huerta and Cesar Chavez from the National Farm Workers Association, they formed the United Farm Workers.

Having spent two years in internment camps during World War II, Japanese American Yuri Kochiyama’s would dedicate her life to  civil rights work that extended to causes impacting Black, Latinx, and Indigenous Peoples, as well as Asian American communities. Together with her husband Jerome, she campaigned for reparations and a formal government apology for Japanese American interned during World War II. Their work became a reality in 1988, when President Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act into law.

Indian American computer architect Ajay Bhatt not only had a hand in developing a range of computer-related technologies, but the one he’s best known for is the Universal Serial Bus—better known as the USB.

Taiwanese American Steve Chen and Bangaledeshi-German American Jawed Karim, were among the core team that co-founded YouTube.

And the list goes on and on…

In June of 1977, Representatives Frank Horton, and Norman Y. Mineta, introduced a U.S. House of Representatives resolution to proclaim the first ten days of May as Asian-Pacific Heritage Week in recognition of Asian Pacific Americans. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate a month later by Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga. The month of May was chosen for two reasons: the first, because on May 7, 1843, the first Japanese immigrant arrived in the United States; the second, because on May 10, 1869, the golden spike was driven into the first Transcontinental Railroad. On October 5, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a joint motion for the celebration. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a bill passed by Congress to extend Asian-American Heritage Week to a month and May was officially designated as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month two years later.

Although progress has been made with regard to  Asian American and Pacific Islander communities throughout the United States, sadly, anti-Asian attacks across the America have been on the rise, spurred on by the COVID-19 crisis and hateful speech by some of our nation’s politicians and media.

(Photo credit: CFDA.com)

In solidarity, the fashion industry is using its clout to stand up for the AAPI community, as demonstrated by the CFDA’s statement on their website. Brands like Valentino, Nike, and Adidas have been very outspoken in denouncing the violence and are donating proceeds to AAPI organizations. But, this it is not enough. We all need to do our part to support the AAPI community in any way we can.

Join us in celebrating some of the talented designers who have made innovative and groundbreaking contributions to fashion in the global community.

Yohji Yamamoto

A portrait of Yohji Yammamoto. (Photo Credit: Forbes)

Yohji Yamamoto is a Japanese fashion designer based both in Tokyo and Paris. The 77-year-old designer is considered a master tailor and known for his avant-garde tailoring, featuring Japanese design aesthetics. His fashion continues to influence the way we dress through his deconstructed androgynous pieces since the 70s.

Yamamoto debuted his collection in Tokyo in 1977 and in Paris for the first time in 1981. His first women’s collection under the label Y’s, mirrored typical men’s garments, cut in uncluttered shapes, in washed fabrics and dark colors. In an interview with The New York Times in 1983, Yamamoto said of his designs, “I think that my men’s clothes look as good on women as my women’s clothing […] When I started designing, I wanted to make men’s clothes for women.” More recently he has explained: “When I started making clothes for my line Y’s in 1977, all I wanted was for women to wear men’s clothes. I jumped on the idea of designing coats for women. It meant something to me – the idea of a coat guarding and hiding a woman’s body. I wanted to protect the woman’s body from something – maybe from men’s eyes or a cold wind.”

Yamamoto won notable awards for his work, including the Chevalier/Officier/Commandeur of Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon, the Ordre national du Mérite, the Royal Designer for Industry and the Master of Design award presented by Fashion Group International.

A look from Yohji Yamamoto’s Fall 2021 collection. (Photo Credit: Yohji Yamamoto)

 

Rei Kawakubo of Commes des Garçons

A portrait of Rei Kawakubo. (Photo Credit: WWD)

Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garçons and Dover Street Market, is a Japanese fashion designer who is also based in Tokyo and Paris. Her experimental creations have forever transformed the way women dress and given females the power to explore the boundaries of gender, body, and femininity through vanguard, deconstructed pieces. On May 5, 2017, in tribute to her notable design contributions, Kawakubo was only the second living designer to be honored at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with an exhibition entitled, Rei Kawakubo/Commes des Garçons, Art of the In-Between.

Looks from the MET Exhibit: Rei Kawakubo/ Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between. (Photo Credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Kawakubo established Comme des Garçons Co. Ltd in Tokyo in 1969 and opened her first boutique there in 1975. She launched menswear in 1978 and presented her collection in Paris in 1981, where she would open a boutique a year later. By 1980, CDG was on the global fashion map, with her signature color palette of black, dark grey and white. The emphasis on black clothing led to the Japanese press describing Kawakubo and her followers as ‘The Crows’. Her fabrics were often draped around the body, with frayed, unfinished edges, some with intentional holes. Kawakubo was part of the ‘decontruction’ movement, popular in the 80s, that followed the traditional Japanese aesthetic known as wabi-sabi, an acceptance of the beauty of imperfection.

Kawakubo continues to be hailed by other major designers for her originality and her impact on fashion. In a broadcast interview with NHK (Japan Broadcasting Company), Alexander McQueen stated: “When Kawakubo designs a collection, it seems kind of absurd, not just to the general public. But when you watch someone’s challenging themselves like she does every season, it makes you understand why you are in fashion in the first place because of people like her.” During the same broadcast, Viktor & Rolf added: “The first time we became aware of Comme de Garçons was in the 80s. I think we were 12 or 13. It made a very strong impression because fashion in general was something that we were starting to discover and Rei Kawakubo was part of this … an enormous outburst of creativity in the beginning of the 80s. So for us she was part of the way we started to think about fashion.”

Two other early supporters of Kawakubo were Jean-Paul Gaultier and Donna Karan. During the NHK broadcast for Kawakubo, Gaultier stated: “I believe that Kawakubo is a woman with extreme courage. She is a person with exceptional strength. Moreover, she has a poetic spirit. When I see her creations, I feel the spirit of a young girl. A young girl who still has innocence and is a bit romantic. Yet she also has an aspect of a fighting woman, one who fears nothing as she thrusts forward.” Donna Karan added: “Rei Kawakubo is a very interesting designer to me as a woman and a female designer. As a person, she is very quiet and rather withdrawn, yet her clothes make such an enormous statement.”

Issey Miyake

A portrait of Issey Miyake. (Photo Credit: The New York Times)

Japanese designer Issey Miyake began his career working at Givenchy Paris before launching his own brand in the 1980s, Miyake Design Studio. He is most known for his technology-driven clothing designs, such as his signature iconic thinly pleated pieces, that would allow both flexibility of movement for the wearer. His garments are cut and sewn first, then sandwiched between layers of paper and fed into a heat press, where they are pleated. The fabric’s ‘memory’ holds the pleats and when the garments are liberated from their paper cocoon, they are ready-to wear.

As a child, Miyake dreamed of becoming a dancer, and so he extended his talent in creating costumes for Ballett Frankfurt. Made from permanently-pleated ultra feather-polyester jersey, he designed hundreds of garments for dancers to wear, a different one in each performance of  ‘The Last Detail.’ This led to the development of his very popular label Pleats, Please.

A look from the Issey Miyake archives. (Photo Credit: Issey Miyake Archives)

In March 1992 Miyake was quoted in the International Herald Tribune as saying, “Design is not for philosophy—it’s for life.”

In 1994 and 1999, Miyake turned over the design of the men’s and women’s collections respectively, to his associate, Naoki Takizawa, so he could return to research full-time. He was one of the pioneers of creating innovative, technological advanced pieces.

Kenzo Takada

A portrait of Kenzo Takada. (Photo Credit: Harper’s Bazaar)

Japanese-born Kenzo Takada was always inspired by Paris, especially designer Yves Saint Laurent, and moved to the French city in the early 60s. But working in the fashion capital was not easy and he struggled by selling sketches of designs to fashion houses for 25 francs each. After only a few months in Paris he planned to move back home to Japan, but he was determined to open a fashion boutique first.

In 1970 the late designer’s dreams came true and he opened a small shop in the Galerie Vivienne. Takada hardly had any money to work with, so he mixed and matched fabrics from the Saint Pierre market in Montmartre, creating an eclectic and bold first fashion collection. The designer presented his first collection but without any money to afford professional fashion models for the event, let alone hair and makeup professionals, Takada and his friends decided to paint the pimples of an acne-covered model, green. Making quit a splash.

In June 0f 1970, Elle magazine featured one of Takada’s looks on the cover. As his success grew, he moved his shop from the Galerie Vivienne to the Passage Choiseul and presented his collection in New York and in Tokyo in 1971. By 1976 he opened his first flagship store in the Place des Victoires. Kenzo had a flare for the dramatics and has even had shows in circus tents with performers.

Kenzo Takda helped put Asia on the Global Fashion Map. (Photo Credit: WSJ)

Since 1993, the Kenzo brand has been owned by the French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, but in 1999 Kenzo announced his retirement to pursue a career in art. On June 2, 2016 Takada was given the Knight of the Legion of Honour and was also presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 55th Fashion Editors’ Club of Japan Awards in 2017. Sadly, he died of Covid-19 in 202o.

Anna Sui

A photo of Anna Sui. (Photo Credit: WWD)

Anna Sui is a Chinese American designer that hails from Detroit, Michigan. She was named one of the “Top 5 Fashion Icons of the Decade.” In 2009 she earned the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), joining the ranks of Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, and Diane von Furstenberg. In addition to her clothing brand, Sui has added footwear, cosmetics, eyewear, accessories, and home goods to her brand portfolio.

Upon graduation from Parsons, Sui began her career designing for several sportswear companies in the NYC garment center. It was at one of these firms, Charlie’s Girls, that she reconnected with fellow friend and classmate Steven Meisel (famous photographer). Sui’s work as a fashion stylist for Meisel’s photo shoots were featured in the Italian magazine Lei, and were very well received.

Shortly after Charlie’s Girls shuttered, Sui began designing and making clothes out of her apartment inspired by a desire to dress rock stars and people who attended their concerts. With an initial investment of only $300, she brought her collection of five pieces to a New York trade show where they caught the attention of Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. A few weeks later, her clothes were featured in an advertisement in The New York Times.

During the 80s Sui was one of the few designers who distanced themselves from traditional fashion houses and explored the grunge fashion scene, together with designers such as Marc Jacobs, Daryl K and Todd Oldham. Sui managed to carve out a niche for herself that allowed her to break through the noise and as a result, gained a global cult-like following. She expanded her brand in the mid 90s, thanks to a partnership with the Japanese fashion powerhouse, Onward Kashiyama.

Anna Sui’s Fall 2021 Collection. (Photo Credit: Anna Sui)

Sui held her first New York Fashion Week show in 1991 at the persuasion of her high-power friends: Steven Meisel, Paul Cavaco (fashion editor/stylist) and supermodels: Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista. The show was the biggest breakthrough of Sui’s career, with The New York Times commenting, “That those beauties [Campbell and Evangelista] were then at the height of their fame helped stoke the reception Sui got from buyers and the news media.”

Of course, it didn’t hurt her career either, when Madonna wore one of her looks in Paris to a Jean Paul Gaultier fashion show and then again wore the same outfit for Meisel’s photoshoot for Vogue.

Anna Sui opened her first boutique in New York City’s Soho neighborhood in 1992 and received the CFDA’s Perry Ellis Award for new talent later that year.

Bibhu Mohapatra

Bibhu Mohapatra with his models. (Photo Credit Elle)

Bibhu Mohapatra grew up on the East Coast of India in Rourkela, Odisha. In 1996, he moved to America and earned his master’s degree from Utah State University in economics, however, he always had a love for fashion. So in 1999, he moved to New York City and enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology where he won the 1997 Critics’ Award for Eveningwear Designer of the Year.

Upon graduation, Mohapatra worked for prestigious brands such as Halston and J. Mendel, but in 2008 he decided to launch his namesake collection of evening dresses and ready-to-wear looks. One of his biggest honors was dressing former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama wore Bibu Mohapatra during a trip to India. (Photo Credit: WWD)

Mohapatra has presented his collection of luxury women’s ready to wear, couture and fur, in New York, Mumbai, Frankfurt, Beijing, and New Delhi. His collections are sold around the world at stores including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Nordstrom and in China at Lane Crawford. His work has graced the pages of many fashion magazine’s including Vogue, New York Magazine, Time, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, and Gotham magazine.

In 2010, Mohapatra received the “Young Innovator Award” from the National Arts Club and the same year was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

We would also like to applaud the work of other AAPI designers: Hanae Mori, Vera Wang, Jason Wu, Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, Naeem Khan and the countless other Asian and Pacific Islander designers who continue to make an impact on the fashion industry!

So tell us, which Asian or Pacific Islander designer do you think had the biggest impact on the fashion industry?

 

Halloween Inspired Looks Right Off The Runway

- - Fashion Shows, Trends

In Need of a Costume……..

Thom Browne Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Thom Browne Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

We look to Fashion Week for the latest trends and style inspirations, as well as celebrity sightings, street-style stars, and drop-dead gorgeous models, but at times, runway looks can be a great source of originality for Halloween costumes. Forget the creepy, zombie  motifs. The spring/summer 2018 collections offer more feminine and sexy variations to play dress up in. Themes ranged from Disney princess’ to Andy Warhol pop art prints.  So take a look below, and see the most creative styles that’ll have you covered when it comes to costume originality and give you major high-fashion cred.

Prada Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Prada Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Swan Lake

Every little girl dreams of being a ballerina and for spring, Thom Browne created an alternate universe at the Hôtel de Ville with magic wands and pouches full of glittery fairy dust. The possibility of magic and mischief filled the air. This whimsical show was an ode to childhood fantasies – think mermaids, unicorns and ballerinas. Browne’s vision of a ballerina was am encrusted pearl studded bodysuit as they danced down the runway, now that’s what you’d call a fairy-tale beginning.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Scott was also inspired by the ballet, but his version was a tougher girl, for his Moschino show – think biker ballerina. Scott showed a variety of leather jackets, satin bustiers, tulle tutus, and fishnets in a couple dozen variations on the runway.

Thom Browne Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Thom Browne Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Moschino Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Moschino Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Fairy-Tale

Fairy Tales do come true – and no one was able to capture the joy of fairytales and princesses better then Walt Disney. For spring, Philipp Plein’s theme was “Good Gone Bad.” His recurrent logo was a ball-gagged and bonded Alice in Wonderland character (or was it Cinderella?). Plein anlo showed a handful of T-shirts that read “Plein Fairytale Crew”. Was it a fairy tale? No. But wouldn’t it make a great costume?

Meanwhile, Alessandro Michele showed an intense, contradictory, and literally dark experience, for his spring 2018 Gucci show. It was full of glitter and glam, ’80s shoulders, English tweeds, Disney and Sega references, with all his recognizable eclectic mix of reworked vintage chic. Who wouldn’t love a Snow White sequin sweatshirt?

 

Philipp Plein Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Philipp Plein Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Gucci Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Gucci Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Gucci Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Gucci Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

 Pop-Art

The fashion and art world go hand in hand as many designers look to artists for inspiration. For Spring, both Raf Simons for Calvin Klein and Donatella Versace where influenced by the works of Andy Warhol and his iconic Pop-Art prints. For Raf Simons’s Calvin Klein, he experimented with American classics but in a subversive way. His new motifs for spring included Andy Warhol prints of Dennis Hopper circa Easy Rider and a 1971 Sandra Brant (is there an art movement more American than Pop?), cheerleaders, and horror movies.

Meanwhile, Donatella Versace gave a tribute to her brother Gianni,  founder of the Versace label, as the 20 year anniversary of his murder just past. It was a tribute celebrating Gianni’s inspirations and creations, and  “a genius . . . an icon . . . my brother” stated Donatella Versace.  She wanted the focus to be on his life, not his violent end, but also his feminist leanings and the eternal relevance of his designs. So of course, among the medusa and baroque motifs, there were plenty of Andy Warhol prints.

Miuccia Prada was also inspired by pop art, but of the comic book variety. Prada presented an empowering show, set among the work of women cartoonists and manga artists whose drawings dominated the company’s huge headquarters. The collection was based on putting her stamp on a blank canvas. Coats, jackets, and cropped pants were screen-printed in the various artists’ works. The result was a strong and feisty collection, with a nod to the early 80’s clubkid; but all with Prada’s sophisticated and chic hand.

Versace Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Versace Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Calvin Klein Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Calvin Klein Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Calvin Klein Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Calvin Klein Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Prada Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Prada Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Groovy

One of the easiest Halloween costume trends to pull off are the Sixties, think peace, love and happiness. Think Woodstock. And no-one does it better than Anna Sui. She laser-cuts through the past, pulling references together for a beautiful collage that is at once nostalgic, modern, and a bit kooky.

Marc Jacobs showed a happy and upbeat spring collection with giant daisies and other overscale flowers; the collection was filled with Crayola colors, tinsel trimmings, and sequins, sequins, sequins. Jacobs’s idea here was to return to the archives, passing old ideas and former hits through “exaggerated, decadent, and exotic” filters. This is hippy chic in the most lux sense.

Stacey Bendet, the quirky designer behind the Alice + Olivia label, also gave a nod to the sixties with a re-imagined version of the hippy-chic with floral peasant dresses and bohemian inspired tops with bell-bottom denim.

Anna Sui Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Anna Sui Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Alice + Olivia Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Alice + Olivia)

Alice + Olivia Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Alice + Olivia)

 

 

Marc Jacobs Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Marc Jacobs Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Dynasty

With the remake of the 80’s television series Dynasty, Eighties inspired costumes will be a sure fire hit. Anthony Vaccarello, the young designer behind Saint Laurent had plenty of dresses to choose from – from ostrich feather knee high boots to bubble hem dresses. Vaccarello’s collection was bold and cohesive, a real tribute to the founder Yves Saint Laurent. The show, held under the Eiffel Tower, was a bright and brilliant shot of sexuality, provocation, and the promise of all kinds of fun for a new generation. It was the Eighties in the most fabulous way.

Meanwhile, Waight Keller debut her first collection under the Givenchy label. Keller looked back and was inspired by the founder of the house, Hubert de Givenchy. She looked to his dynamic sketches, and zeroed in on how he started everything with the ‘shoulder;’ also, that he was a fan of graphic prints. So naturally, her runway looks were filled with strong shoulder looks, graphic prints and bold colors – just perfect for an Eighties revival costume theme party.

 

Saint Laurent Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Saint Laurent Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Givenchy Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

Givenchy Spring 2018 Show (Photo courtesy of Vogue.com)

 

So with all these easy to interpret runway looks, what will you be this Halloween?