Author: archive

All Keyed Up – Does Fashion Week Still Work?

In 1943 Eleanor Lambert organized something called “Press Week” which was held in New York City two times per year to give the fashion press access to the newest designs from the likes of Vera Maxwell, Claire McCardell, Norman Norell and many others. This was primarily due to the fact that U.S designers no matter how brilliant were barely covered by the fashion press of the day. This press week was renamed “Seventh on Sixth” in 1993 when the shows begun to be held in Bryant Park. Now as we close out our first full year in the new tents at Lincoln Center I’ve begun to wonder if Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 2011 still does what Mrs. Lambert wanted it to do when she founded it almost 60 years ago.

story by Seth Friedermann
photo by Aeric Meredith-Goujon

In 1943 Eleanor Lambert organized something called “Press Week” which was held in New York City two times per year to give the fashion press access to the newest designs from the likes of Vera Maxwell, Claire McCardell, Norman Norell and many others. This was primarily due to the fact that U.S designers no matter how brilliant were barely covered by the fashion press of the day. This press week was renamed “Seventh on Sixth” in 1993 when the shows begun to be held in Bryant Park. Now as we close out our first full year in the new tents at Lincoln Center I’ve begun to wonder if Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 2011 still does what Mrs. Lambert wanted it to do when she founded it almost 60 years ago. Continue reading “All Keyed Up – Does Fashion Week Still Work?”

Ravel

Gail Travis has some very unusual cuts and concepts in her clothes. In fact, the full name of her label [N:F:P] is New Form Perspective. To show her clothes it was felt that motion was an essential element, so Aeric Meredith-Goujon set out to create such a piece.

directed by Aeric Meredith-Goujon
choreography by Irina Constantine Poulos
set design by Vita Tzykun
music by Aeric Meredith-Goujon and Andrew Burns
performed by Anna-Louise
makeup by Jewel Whinfield
hair by Dominique
second camera and technical assistant Aleks Degtyarev

Gail Travis has some very unusual cuts and concepts in her clothes. In fact, the full name of her label [N:F:P] is New Form Perspective. To show her clothes it was felt that motion was an essential element, so Aeric Meredith-Goujon set out to create such a piece. Here is the result, titled “Ravel.” Continue reading “Ravel”

Diego Binetti Never Fears Fantasy

There is a long and splendid line of designers who create romantic and imaginative designs that spring from an idealized woman in their head.Very often this mythical muse has had a grip on their minds for a long time. When that designer is successful it is almost solely due to the fact that the woman in their head is whom the women of their time aspire to be.

text by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
garments and styling by Diego Binetti
hair by Annie Reynor
makeup by Jacque Greco
model is Sima of Elite Model Management
styling assistants Zimir Hernandez, Sierra Baskind, & Ashley Roberts

 

modaCYCLE’s editors wish to express their
sincere thanks to Old Westbury Gardens
and its staff for the use of their spectacular
grounds in the production of this feature.

 

There is a long and splendid line of designers who create romantic and imaginative designs that spring from an idealized woman in their head. Very often this mythical muse has had a grip on their minds for a long time. When that designer is successful it is almost solely due to the fact that the woman in their head is whom the women of their time aspire to be.

Diego Binetti is precisely that type of designer and his shows at New York’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week are always a sumptuous and stylish feast for the senses.

Continue reading “Diego Binetti Never Fears Fantasy”

Araks Makes It Sexy But Not Salacious

“I want women to feel beautiful, special, in a quiet way, in a subtle way.” Araks Yeramyan’s greatest strength as a designer may be her thorough thoughtfulness. She is a very considered person and has developed a design process that blends focus and freedom, which is a comfort zone reserved for veteran artists alone. Her clothes are soft, subtle, refined and beautiful. There is structure and detail, but it is incorporated in a seamless way. Her flow and softness are never disturbed.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Aeric Meredith-Goujon
makeup by Samantha Lennon
hair by Karima Murphi
styling by Seth Friedermann
models are Deborah and Laura from Q Model Management
garments by Araks, with shoes by A Detacher

“I want women to feel beautiful, special, in a quiet way, in a subtle way.”

.

Araks Yeramyan’s greatest strength as a designer may be her thorough thoughtfulness. She is a very considered person and has developed a design process that blends focus and freedom, which is a comfort zone reserved for veteran artists alone. Her clothes are soft, subtle, refined and beautiful. There is structure and detail, but it is incorporated in a seamless way. Her flow and softness are never disturbed. There’s not a great distance between the woman and the fashion she creates. Araks Yeramyan is a soft-spoken woman, but there is an intelligent strength to her that is not that far from the surface. So it is with her designs, whether her ready to wear or lingerie, they are feminine but not frilly, sexy but not salacious. Continue reading “Araks Makes It Sexy But Not Salacious”

Sally LaPointe – No Wonder Lady Gaga Is Wearing It

Sally LaPointe is one of the higher crests on the new wave of New York City fashion. This is not because her work has been being worn by Lady Gaga. That is a nice moment, but it is an effect not a cause. It is her intriguing creations that place her near the top of this new flood of talent that has been flowing down the catwalks of New York Fashion Week for the past few years. Her personal discipline and artistic self awareness are much greater than you would expect from a 27 year-old.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Ned and Aya Rosen
fashion styling by Michael Tucker
hair styling by Hitomi Mura
makeup by Isabel Ruiz
models Andrea I. and Sofia Monaco from Ford

Sally LaPointe is one of the higher crests on the new wave of New York City fashion. This is not because her work has been worn by Lady Gaga. That is a nice moment, but it is an effect and not a cause. It is her intriguing creations that place her near the top of this new flood of talent that has been flowing down the catwalks of New York Fashion Week for the past few years. Her personal discipline and artistic self awareness are much greater than you would expect from a 27 year-old. It’s possible to ascribe that to her being a native of Marblehead Massachusetts and coming from sturdy, “New England stock,” but closer to the mark is that Ms. LaPointe has an impressive history of decisiveness and drive. This has been on display since she was accepted into the outstanding Rhode Island School of Design for painting in 2007 and realized she wanted to be a fashion designer instead. From that fateful day she’s been a committed creator and has had a laser-like focus on improving her artistic expression. It is an inner journey but it is in no way a leisurely wander. Continue reading “Sally LaPointe – No Wonder Lady Gaga Is Wearing It”

Bodhi – Work, of art.

When you first see one, it’s immediately apparent that Bodhi handbags are different. Their mix of artistic creativity, cutting edge functionality, and a dash of humor is a potent mix. The root of their distinctiveness begins with the company’s founders, Angela Han and Joseph Janus. Mrs. Han is the founder of the wildly successful Eastport brand, and Mr. Janus is a creative director and marketer with a proven vision having reinvigorated JNCO jeans and created the successful music agency Fearless Management.

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Ned and Aya Rosen

When you first see one, it’s immediately apparent that Bodhi handbags are different. Their mix of artistic creativity, cutting edge functionality, and a dash of humor is a potent mix. The root of their distinctiveness begins with the company’s founders, Angela Han and Joseph Janus. Mrs. Han is the founder of the wildly successful Eastport brand, and Mr. Janus is a creative director and marketer with a proven vision having reinvigorated JNCO jeans and created the successful music agency Fearless Management. While Mrs. Han is content to remain a silent partner, Mr. Janus is a restless soul who is constantly active, compulsively creative and possessed of a fevered imagination, which is forged into excellent designs only by a learned and disciplined work ethic. Continue reading “Bodhi – Work, of art.”

Jolibe Sets A Course For Uncharted Waters

Here there be dragons…maybe. Jolibe designers Joel Diaz and Christina LaPens have seen everything that fashion industry can throw at them. From being a struggling independent designer to having your clothes sold at Henri Bendel and becoming a right hand to Helmut Lang, for Mr. Diaz, and a successful career as a marketing and creative director for industry titans Victoria’s Secret, J. Crew, and many others for Mrs. LaPens. Then culminating with their label Jolibe being awarded a spot in the very first class of the CFDA’s Incubator, there’s no way they can be surprised by this business any more, right?

story by Seth Friedermann
photos by Adrianna Favero
hair and makeup by Claire Marshall
model is Lara from Fenton Moon

Here there be dragons…maybe. Jolibe designers Joel Diaz and Christina LaPens have seen everything that the fashion industry can throw at them. From being a struggling independent designer to having your clothes sold at Henri Bendel and becoming a right hand to Helmut Lang, for Mr. Diaz, and a successful career as a marketing and creative director for industry titans Victoria’s Secret, J. Crew, and many others for Mrs. LaPens. Then culminating with their label Jolibe being awarded a spot in the very first class of the CFDA’s Incubator, there’s no way they can be surprised by this business any more, right? Continue reading “Jolibe Sets A Course For Uncharted Waters”

All Keyed Up – August 2011

A few well-known fashion industry people who are also show-biz types once told a designer friend of mine that there was no place in the real world for her designs, and that they knew this because they were the experts on fashion, not her. Not only are they most certainly not, “experts on fashion,” the fact that they think such a position exists shows that they don’t even view fashion in the proper context. This incident importantly points out what is wrong with the way these “experts,” and the industry as a whole, see designers and designs.

from the desk of Seth Friedermann, Managing Editor
photos by Charles Beckwith

A few well-known fashion industry people who are also show-biz types once told a designer friend of mine that there was no place in the real world for her designs, and that they knew this because they were the experts on fashion, not her. Not only are they most certainly not, “experts on fashion,” the fact that they think such a position exists shows that they don’t even view fashion in the proper context. This incident importantly points out what is wrong with the way these “experts,” and the industry as a whole, see designers and designs. Continue reading “All Keyed Up – August 2011”