Sunghee Bang – Fall 2011

Sunghee Bang’s Fall 2011 collection one again put her different imaginative take on both form and function on display. The garments showcased complex knits and leathers that used a large grain but were traditionally treated and normally finished. This created a unique feel and look which serves as a fine example of what makes Sunghee Bang’s designs special.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon

Sunghee Bang’s Fall 2011 collection once again put her different imaginative take on both form and function on display. The garments showcased complex knits and leathers that used a large grain but were traditionally treated and normally finished. This created a unique feel and look which serves as a fine example of what makes Sunghee Bang’s designs special. Ms. Bang’s different experience with clothing and fashion has created a very distinct sense of fashion design. Continue reading “Sunghee Bang – Fall 2011”

Jose Duran – Fall 2011

Duran’s vision is a clever play on these historical themes. His designs included chunky layers of woolen tartans, split jackets, twisted turbans, and pooling silken transparent gowns. His monochromatic use of grays and blacks recall the historical black and white images of these unsung heroines.

story by Carmella Bella McDonald
photos by Charles Beckwith

Dominican Republic-born designer Jose Duran returns to New York Fashion Week with a historically-inspired show that deals with gender and androgyny, based on the mid-Victorian Pit Brow lasses; women who dressed in mannish attire and flaunted traditional female roles in order to support their impoverished families during the Industrial Revolution. During this period, women were prohibited from working in the coalmines of Great Britain. In order to support their families, women camouflaged their gender, wearing such non-traditional clothing as trousers, short skirts, mannish boots, and caps, they forged a life for themselves and their families.

Duran’s vision is a clever play on these historical themes. His designs included chunky layers of woolen tartans, split jackets, twisted turbans, and pooling silken transparent gowns. His monochromatic use of grays and blacks recall the historical black and white images of these unsung heroines.

Continue reading “Jose Duran – Fall 2011”

Study NY – Fall 2011

Ms. St. James is very experienced with textiles, not only in sourcing but down to the weft and warp level of creation. This collection could be easily worn for work or casual events, and I’d be fascinated to see what she would do with formal evening attire.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Stephen F. Bodi

Tara St. James’ Study New York collection for Fall 2011 was full of details and different ways of creating visual interest. There’s a myth in popular culture that great fashion design is extravagant. Great design in fashion or in anything is determined by two key factors: does it do its intended purpose exceptionally well and does it provide a positive user experience? That’s it, that’s what makes great fashion. There are, of course, a number of factors that can help attain that standard, and this collection exercised quite a few of them. Continue reading “Study NY – Fall 2011”

Katie Gallagher – Fall 2011

Overall, Katie Gallagher’s Fall 2011 collection keeps this young talent on the map and headed in the right direction.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Ned & Aya Rosen

Katie Gallagher’s Fall 2011 collection continued an exploratory growth of her art as a designer. Her developing signatures of mixing hard and soft and flow and structure were still strongly in evidence, but this time there was a little bit more flow than stiffness. The most prominent development this season was in her intelligent use of textured fabrics. Fabric sourcing is a key component in the process of designing a collection, and Ms. Gallagher once again displayed a keen eye in her choices. Her ridged, dappled and textured fabrics were incorporated into garments in sections or squares that peeked from under flowing cuts in some pieces and stiff structured designs in others. This had the impact of creating the appearance of strength as the revealed sections felt strong and armored.

Ms. Gallagher also continued to provide NYC’s Generation Next with some of the most intriguing tights that can be found anywhere. Each season she manages to find new ways to render such a simple item in myriad new and interesting ways. It was pleasing to see some bright colors finding their way into the collection and I do hope that in the future they find their way into more of her work. Overall, Katie Gallagher’s Fall 2011 collection keeps this young talent on the map and headed in the right direction. Continue reading “Katie Gallagher – Fall 2011”

Daniel Vosovic – Fall 2011

To add a little sex appeal and fun elements to his collection, he added accessories like sex masks, stripper heels and handcuffs to add more dimension to the story.

story by Kerry Kong
photos by Stephen Bodi

I always knew that I wanted to be in the fashion ever since I was little. At school, I spent most of my time complaining about having to take all these history, math, science classes when I could spend all that time, analyzing fashion trends and making beautiful clothing. That was, until I came to Daniel Vosovic’s Fall 2011 show, I finally recognized some value in the study all these other irrelevant subjects… inspiration. This former Project Runway star probably did pay good attention in history classes, as he was imaging what he wanted to see on his women, and an image of strong frontier life women in 1850s suddenly hit his head. Ding, that’s it. Continue reading “Daniel Vosovic – Fall 2011”

Odilon by Stacey Clark – Fall 2011

Clark feels this is one of her most mature shows, which in turn shows her growth.

story by Dana Varon
photos by Aeric Meredith Goujon

LA based Stacey Clark and her assistant designer Harold Kuhn are cool and they are young. Budding into the scene with their Odilon Fall 2011 collection, their third, Clark feels this is one of her most mature shows, which in turn shows her growth. Fittingly, the Greek goddess Persephone, who has a classic story of growing, inspired it. Starting as a young, naïve girl, she got taken by Hades, got her heart broken, found out that the world is not such a wonderful place, eventually evolving into a jaded, sad, and unwilling goddess of the underworld. But a bit of her innocence remained. The designer wanted this line to reflect that journey, but with the added element of psychedelic rock and roll, like an acid trip via Sergeant Pepper’s, circa 1970. Continue reading “Odilon by Stacey Clark – Fall 2011”

Jen Kao – Fall 2011

On your next night out if you’re going to leave an impression regardless by what you choose to wear, wouldn’t it be lovely to be a bird of paradise as created by the talented new designer Jen Kao?

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Freda Henry

All fashion is costume. Even if you try to not make a statement and put no directed thought into what you wear, you’ll end up expressing something about yourself. Call it compulsive communication, it just goes with being human. Of course it goes without saying that you ought to put thought into what you communicate through your clothes, even if it is only to convey something like professionalism. Designers think about what they want you to wear, and great designers think a great deal and give you an array every season with which to make powerful statements. Jen Kao’s Fall 2011 collection gives you the ability to speak volumes. From the orange and yellow glowing faux lava that lined the upstage runway, to her lush dreamscape palette of golds, purples, reds, and blues, the color drenched show cast quite the spell over the packed studio at Lincoln Center. Continue reading “Jen Kao – Fall 2011”

Logan Neitzel – Designer Dossier

Photo editorials are usually styled by, well, stylists. However, we at modaCYCLE like to see what the designers would do if they styled a shoot themselves. We call this a Designer Dossier.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
fashion styling by Logan Neitzel
makeup by Marni Giannotti
hair by Annabell Lausch
model is Flynn Kelly from Fusion Models

Photo editorials are usually styled by, well, stylists. We at modaCYCLE like to see what the designers would do if they styled a shoot themselves. We call this a Designer Dossier. Continue reading “Logan Neitzel – Designer Dossier”

Timo Weiland – Fall 2011

The Timo Weiland fall 2011 collection was an impressive step forward for the label’s designers Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein. The cuts, details, and fabric treatments spoke to an increasing maturity and level of sophistication.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero

One of the great joys of being privileged to go to fashion shows season after season is the opportunity to watch talented designers grow as artists, to see them pare away what is superfluous or unnecessary and to grow stronger and stronger in their signature touches and their overall artistic self expression. The Timo Weiland fall 2011 collection was an impressive step forward for the label’s designers Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein. The cuts, details, and fabric treatments spoke to an increasing maturity and level of sophistication. Continue reading “Timo Weiland – Fall 2011”

Billy Reid – Fall 2011

This is just what you get when you take a Southern gentleman and transport him into New York City.

story by Dana Varon
photos by Aeric Meredith Goujon

This is just what you get when you take a Southern gentleman and transport him into New York City. Not only is Billy Reid a transplant, but so is everything in his downtown store’s digs. So, it seems just right that he also constructed everything on his set for his Fall 2011 show. Feeling like you are in an old Southern home, models traipsed around dark wood benched tables and treaded on warm wood floors. Above hung an old weathered painting of your great grandpa who was a colonel or something but amongst it is the cleanest, crispest line. The fresh-faced boys were right at home with their more grown up school kid navy blazers, cords and cabled turtlenecks. Caramel tan cowboy leather jackets look well worn and winsome wingtip loafers walk by. Washed navy selvedge chinos cuffed at the ankle bring back the pants in a cuter way. For the girls Mr. Reid wanted the classic men tailored pieces to be more romantic, with French seams and floating fabrics. Double silk georgette oversized blouses, and un-dyed velvet dinner jackets are more ladylike and luxe.

Continue reading “Billy Reid – Fall 2011”