spring 2011 – Page 3

Araks – Spring 2011 – New York

If Araks Yeramyan has a consistent theme in her aesthetic it would have to be revelation. She plays with transparency, she plays with cut outs and sheer patterned fabrics and prints. It’s that element and the even further contrast it creates with her full cuts that make her work so intriguing.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero

Some designers’ creations fall neatly into the hands of certain verbs and adjectives. The fact that describing their work comes easily usually indicates that they are creating clothing that while uniquely theirs and of a high quality has in a general way been seen before. There is an existing set of descriptors that will allow a writer or reporter to pass on the experience of the garments and of the collection. However, every once in a great while a designer makes the terms of the past fail in the present. Araks Yeramyan is very much one of those designers. Her clothing is not only stubbornly different from anyone else, but it is so in a way that is eludes description. Her Araks Spring 2011 collection was inspired by Dutch dress of the 20th century, and on a few of the pieces the rustic feel could be felt emanating from some of the design details. An homage to a wholesome simpler time this was not though, as the models’ breasts were plainly visible on several of the garments and bras were seen through others. That contrast right there is a part of Ms. Yeramyan’s aesthetic; for example, her love of early 20th Century shirt collars which make appearances in many of her collections appearing on a shirt so sheer you can see everything. The saying is that “the devil is in the details,” but in fashion that’s often where the designer is, where the signature is penned. Continue reading “Araks – Spring 2011 – New York”

Angel Sanchez – Fall 2011 Bridal – New York

For his Spring 2011 Bridal collection, Mr. Sanchez used a touch of technology and his structural skills to create a dozen white and off white gowns, (and one incredible cocktail dress), which all possessed a beautiful fit from the waist up and lovely body to the floor.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Sandy Ramirez

Context is an overwhelmingly powerful experience. The human mind organizes things constantly of its own accord and when something triggers a preexisting context all further thoughts will be informed and shaped by the context without the owner of said mind even knowing that it’s happening. Want an example? Wedding dress. See, you already have a picture in your head. To read the words is to have an instant expectation as well as dozens of other associated thoughts. The reaction of a fashion designer to bridal wear is another matter entirely. The challenge of that wheelbarrow full of expectations is in large part the biggest obstacle in designing bridal gowns. Imagine that you’re going to create 10 to 20 white or off white dresses two times a year for the next two decades and they all have to feel fresh and different but still be sellable. Does that sound enjoyable, feel like making that you life’s work? It’s no wonder that many designers will running screaming at the thought of doing bridal, yet for others it is a life’s passion. Angel Sanchez splits his heart between beautiful bridal couture and stunning evening wear and his been sending his creations for the betrothed down the runway since 1999. He is a master at meeting the expectations of bridal wear while still experimenting and growing his art in each new collection. Continue reading “Angel Sanchez – Fall 2011 Bridal – New York”

Elise Overland – Spring 2011 – New York

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero

If Formula One racing ever needs an official women’s wear designer the position must be awarded to Elise Overland. No recent fashion designer has been able to capture speed, quickness, and agility in clothing as well as the Norwegian former competitive slalom skier. The easy argument to make is that it is her famous leathers that link her to those qualities, but it is not so. Every season there is a great deal of focus on Ms. Overland’s leather looks and while her skins are certainly unique and powerfully sexy, the question that begs though is, what is the caliber of her fabric garments? Ms. Overland is certainly not exclusively a leather worker, she possesses the design and construction skills to create memorable garments in wovens. In her Spring 2011 collection she displayed that her true signature is not the use of leather, it is her cuts that create her body-hugging silhouette. Continue reading “Elise Overland – Spring 2011 – New York”

Sohung Tong – Spring 2011 – New York

In his latest collection for the Spring 2011 season, he takes this theme of reconstruction a step forward and uses raw materials as well as items that are in use in tailoring as decorations.

story by Aya Rosen
photos by Ned Rosen

One of the main themes of Sohung Tong‘s past collections has been the deconstruction of garments and using those would-be discarded parts for the recreation of new articles of clothing. The results have been resourceful, creative, and shown a strong sense of humor. In his latest collection for the Spring 2011 season, he takes this theme of reconstruction a step forward and uses raw materials as well as items that are in use in tailoring as decorations. Zippers are stitched together to create sculptural strong shouldered bolero jackets, flizelin and plastic mesh is used for elaborate collars, and safety pins hold skirts and add a punk vibe to an otherwise traditional evening dress. Continue reading “Sohung Tong – Spring 2011 – New York”

Sunghee Bang – Spring 2011 – New York

ASTRONAUT VS. SAMURAI…. FASHION!

story by Aya Rosen
photos by Ned Rosen

Two outfits on mannequins were displayed at the entry to The We the People Designer Collective, where Sunghee Bang was presenting her Spring 2011 collection. The garments adorning the mannequins clearly showed her source of inspiration as well as capturing the name of this collection, “Astronaut vs. Samurai.” The clothes dressing the mannequins represented the tension between past and future, tradition and innovation, and East and West. Elements of this tension appeared in all the looks in this collection. Continue reading “Sunghee Bang – Spring 2011 – New York”

Timo Weiland – Spring 2011 – New York

Visions of summers in the Baltic are what inspired the Spring 2011 collection for the Timo Weiland label.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Sandy Ramirez

What do Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia , and Sweden have in common? Have to grab your Google? You could just ask Alan Eckstein and Timo Weiland, they would tell you that all of those countries are lucky enough to border the beautiful Baltic Sea. Visions of summers in the Baltic are what inspired the Spring 2011 collection for the Timo Weiland label. The color palette of primarily reds, blues, grays, and blacks carried part of the feel home but it was a clever mixing of stripes and unique prints that really bore the message. Managing an inspiration can be difficult for designers. Too many references and the collection starts to feel forced and stale, too few and it will have no character. The proportion in this the label’s third collection was perfect. Just the right amount of mild nautical touches and some spellbinding Scandinavian prints and you could almost smell the sea and taste the fiskepudding. Continue reading “Timo Weiland – Spring 2011 – New York”

Suno – Spring 2011 – New York

With this Suno’s seventh collection Mr. Osterweis continued to hit all of the notes that have brought him so much success but lightly played a few new tunes as well. A Suno collection is always lively and vibrant and Spring 2011 was no exception.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero

The globalization of fashion is a great thing. No, not the globalization of the commerce of fashion, or the globalization of the manufacturing. I am speaking of the whole world being a designer’s oyster of inspiration. Suno’s founder and designer Max Osterweis’ love of the East African garment called a kanga has moved him to do great things, found a label, export another culture’s art, and provide employment in Kenya. With this Suno’s seventh collection Mr. Osterweis continued to hit all of the notes that have brought him so much success but lightly played a few new tunes as well. A Suno collection is always lively and vibrant and Spring 2011 is no exception. The collection is full of the vivid and fun loving prints which are the signature of the brand and also included a sprinkling of some lovely white and cream-colored creations. When a brand has a reputation for one style of fabric, as with Suno and prints, the inclusion of a garment cut from a plainer fabric has a refreshing feeling. Continue reading “Suno – Spring 2011 – New York”

Monique Lhuillier – Spring 2011 – New York

Fundamentally, artists are artists because they see life differently. Monique Lhuillier is one of the great fashion artists working in America today and Ms. Lhuillier most assuredly must see this life differently than most.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Freda Henry

Imagination is one of the most indispensable qualities an artist can have. Unbounded talent will turn out stale copies of others’ work without imagination. Great artists always have great imaginations, and this vital resource affects them in two critical ways. The obvious is that they visualize things that nobody else does, but less understood is that their imagination, almost as if by sheer mass, shifts their perspective. Fundamentally, artists are artists because they see life differently. Monique Lhuillier is one of the great fashion artists working in America today and Ms. Lhuillier most assuredly must see this life differently than most. After recovering my breath from the beautiful breeze that was her Spring 2011 collection, I have but one question; can she teach me to see the world as she does? Continue reading “Monique Lhuillier – Spring 2011 – New York”

Copperwheat – Spring 2011 – New York

With their Spring 2011 collection, cousins Ben and Lee Copperwheat are continuing to push the envelope on the use of prints and refined tailoring for American menswear. This collection had a more militaristic feel, but not in any way you would expect if you weren’t already aware of the brand, being far less dress blues than implying some sort of army reserve unit stationed in Amsterdam for a little too long. It’s wearable but it’s really out there.

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by Adrianna Favero

Jose Duran – Spring 2011 – New York

The talented Dominican designer has proven time and time again that he possesses an incredible amount of talent, yet seems to sometimes have trouble with retaining coherency in his collections. Mr. Duran refrained from setting a theme or stating an inspiration for the show, so the audience had little idea of what to expect beforehand.

story by Rachel Gill
photos by Freda Henry

Jose Duran’s Spring 2011 collection’s public debut, held in the Time Warner Center, was highly anticipated. The talented Dominican designer has proven time and time again that he possesses an incredible amount of talent, yet seems to sometimes have trouble with retaining coherency in his collections. Mr. Duran refrained from setting a theme or stating an inspiration for the show, so the audience had little idea of what to expect beforehand. Unfortunately, the collection proved to do little to alleviate the ambiguity over the focus and theme. Continue reading “Jose Duran – Spring 2011 – New York”