Fashion Incubator – CFDAI 2.0

It’s tough to be a new designer. There are a million problems to deal with but you’re out of school, so you can’t turn to a professor for help at every step. Combined with the down economy and the changing marketplace, what hope is there for someone trying to independently get their own label off the ground? Enter the CFDA Fashion Incubator, a project sponsored and mentored and contributed to by a fairly large number of concerned parties in the industry. The Incubator provides most importantly mentorships, most obviously visibility, and most enticingly cheap studio space, to a class of twelve emerging designers every two years.

story and photos by Charles Beckwith
photo editing by Bonnie Rodriguez

It’s tough to be a new designer. There are a million problems to deal with but you’re out of school, so you can’t turn to a professor for help at every step. Combined with the down economy and the changing marketplace, what hope is there for someone trying to independently get their own label off the ground? Enter the CFDA Fashion Incubator, a project sponsored and mentored and contributed to by a fairly large number of concerned parties in the industry. The Incubator provides most importantly mentorships, most obviously visibility, and most enticingly cheap studio space, to a class of twelve emerging designers every two years. Continue reading “Fashion Incubator – CFDAI 2.0”

Jolibe – Fall 2011

The First Lady wore a Jolibe piece on her Christmas vacation and it created a nice buzz for the brand. However, it is the couple’s imagination, talent and savvy that will most certainly carry Jolibe into the future of American fashion.

Writer: Seth Friedermann
Photographer: Adrianna Favero

Joel Diaz and Christina La Pens’ Fall 2011 collection continued the striking new direction they forged last season. While they continue to maintain their trademark of manipulating fabric through imaginative construction and technique into unique and stunning shapes, they now do so in garments that are very easy to wear and integrate into your existing wardrobe. The challenge of the marketplace is sometimes very good for designers. It doesn’t always force them into some sort of hackneyed compromise, designers can use their imagination to re-envision how they express their own core design principles while still maintaining integrity and finding expressions that are retail-friendly, yet still very much their own. Continue reading “Jolibe – Fall 2011”

NY Fashion Industry Pitches In For Good Causes

As part of Mayor Bloomberg’s Five Borough Economic Opportunity Plan, nearly 100 retailers will keep the doors open until 11pm on September 10th. Also, Adam Lippes will open his New York City Meatpacking District boutique, ADAM, for one day of dog adoptions to help the many animals in need find homes. The dogs, ranging in breed and size, will be showcased in the windows of the boutique on Sunday, May 31st from 2-4PM.

story by Charles Beckwith
images provided by Fashion’s Night Out and ADAM

ADAM, CFDA, and Mayor Bloomberg have some special events planned.

Continue reading “NY Fashion Industry Pitches In For Good Causes”