Fashion Designers

Fashion Design is a very prestigious art form. Designers work and aspire their entire lives to be well known and respected in the field, and it is not an easy task to achieve that goal. That is why the fashion designers who are prevalent truly deserve such a title. Success is not guaranteed with hard work in this business, so much more than talent is required to work one’s way to the top. There are many elements involved, when it comes to putting together a collection, which all designers must consider. For example; the specific garments that will appear in the collection, how they will relate to each other and have a common theme, the different types of fashion that the line will include (such as Haute Couture, Ready-to-wear, and Mass Market) and also, how the garments will provide income, and at what rate they should be priced. We’ll approach our exciting journey through the world of fashion design, by stopping through three of the biggest fashion capitals in the world: New York, Paris and London. In each capital, we will discuss the work of today’s most iconic designers from the respective locations. We will examine designers such as, Vera Wang, Christian Dior, and Alexander McQueen, just to name a few. Quite often, the importance of fashion is overlooked and frowned upon as being shallow and superficial. However, fashion is quite contrary to these opinions. It is a very powerful medium because it translates how one feels is appropriate to present themselves to the public eye. These successful designers are crucial to our lives because they are setting the standard for the styles that we all are choosing to best represent ourselves, and their current work will go down in history as illustrating the styles of our generation.

New York

The first stop we will be making on our journey through modern fashion is in the great city of New York. New York is considered the economic and true current media fashion capital of the world. The city has a longstanding tradition of excellence and creativity in design and is an important historical center of artistic fashion design for many years.

Vera Wang

Vera Wang is a very successful, New York City-native designer. Wang began her design career in 1989 with the opening of the Vera Wang Bridal House, designing a signature collection of streamlined and sophisticated bridal wear. Vera Wang launched a ready-to-wear (RTW) line in 2004. Decorative, feminine, and artsy-intellectual, Wang favors the long and lean, with a keen interest in silhouette and a passion for the sheer and textural. Wang is perhaps best known for her romanticism. Whimsical and feminine without looking saccharine, luxurious materials get worked and finessed with a singular flourish. Wang’s designs are often adored for the sophistication and elegance that they are created with. This style may root from her many intensive years of training as a professional figure skater. She draws her exquisite perfections from the poise and beauty that an ice skater must posses. With a heavy interest in history, Wang looks to all sorts of outlets as inspiration. She has even admitted to analyzing history from czarist Russia to Ancient Rome as muses for her collections.

Michael Kors

Located at 11 W 42nd St in New York City resides the humble fashion headquarters of Long Island-born designer, Michael Kors. Kors received an education from the Fashion Institute of Technology and first set out to design clothes at the age of 19. He launched his first line of womenswear at high-end department stores in 1981. The vibe for his Fall 2010 collection portrays him as a minimalist. He uses a general palette of charcoal, camel, olive, and black. With such an easy-going palette, Kors strategically lets his creativity shine in the meticulous accents to the details in his pieces. For example, he would be known to pair a distressed jacket with a big, fur, collar. He is known for creating American sportswear with a chic and luxurious, but sensible aesthetic. In an attempt to translate fashion into “living the dream”, the company’s mission is to encompass every aspect of a luxurious and polished lifestyle. From a sporty day of tennis, to cocktails at the club, Kors designs for the ultimate sporty-chic pair. After years of designing, and many awards on his shelves, Kors remains a powerful brand in the American fashion landscape. Simply put in a 1996 review, The New York Times fashion critic Amy Spindler said of Kors: "Michael Kors is a designer with so much integrity in his work that it is wonderful when fashion comes back to the sort of simple, beautiful clothes he does so well."

Marc Jacobs

Next on our American runway stop, let’s review the latest looks of Critic’s favorite, the established designer, Marc Jacobs. With an education from Parsons The New School for Design, Jacobs delved into his interest in fashion at a young age. Before opening his own brand in 2008, Jacobs had first begun designing at Perry Ellis after its founder had died. In 1997, he was appointed Creative Director at Louis Vuitton, where he created the company’s first ready-to-wear line. Marc Jacobs’s creativity and originality with runway looks has been said to “stun/delight/scare the fashion world, twice a year”. He draws references from unlikely sources, and always incorporates fluxus into his work. (Fluxus is an artistic movement, literally meaning, “to flow” in Latin. It capitalizes on experimental art, by blending different artistic medias and disciplines.) A look into Jacobs mind to find inspiration: “I like romantic allusions to the past: what the babysitter wore, what the art teacher wore, what I wore during my experimental days in fashion when I was going to the Mudd Club and wanted to be a New Wave kid or a punk kid but was really a poseur. It's the awkwardness of posing and feeling like I was in, but I never was in. Awkwardness gives me great comfort.” Jacob reflects his own life from his unique collections. He capitalizes on the awkwardness he felt growing up, and that awkwardness has now made him the coolest of kids.

Betsey Johnson

Quirky, whimsical, and full of life, the designs of Betsey Johnson always stand out in a crowd. Often times her designs are considered “over the top”. She graduated from Syracuse University and got her first push into the fashion world as an intern at Mademoiselle fashion magazine. Johnson is grouped with the 1970’s youth quake fashion movement and Andy Warhol’s underground scene. She began her own fashion line in 1978, her first collection was a great success and her second was not as fortunate. Her designs reflect inspiration tapping into a punk-Warholian aesthetic. These designs strongly portray both the “flirty” and “sassy” looks. Her eccentric nature, and outrageous designs truly contribute to the culture of American style, and set her apart from other designers, not to mention, they also make for great and exciting fashion shows.

Paris

The next stop on our tour to the fashion capitals of the world will be in the prestigious city, home to the Champs Elysees, Paris, France. Paris and London are considered the symbolic fashion centers of Europe and the world, due to their long standing histories as centers of art and fashion, and being home to several renowned fashion houses.

Christian Dior

When a fashionista hears the name, Christian Dior, they automatically are aware that high fashion, and high prices will be involved. However, another immediate assumption, or thought is that whatever the product is, it must be very elegant, well designed and luxurious. The influential French fashion designer began what would be an incredibly successful life in Granville, France in 1905. At the beginning of his fashion career, he made money by selling his sketches outside for about 10 cents each. After his schooling, he opened a small art gallery where he sold art by the likes of Pablo Picasso. In 1939, he was recruited into the military, and after leaving the army, Dior founded his own fashion house on October 8, 1946. His first clothing line was titled Corolle (meaning circlet of flower petals).

Dior's designs were more voluptuous than the boxy, fabric-conserving shapes of the recent World War II styles, influenced by the rations on fabric. Dior is remembered as a master of creating shapes and silhouettes. His designs employed bustier-style bodices, hip padding, and petticoats that made his dresses flare out from the waist giving his models a very curvaceous form. Some controversy arose when women protested the designs because the dresses covered up their legs. Due to the previous limitations on fabric from the wartime shortages, women were used to conserving fabric. Dior created designs with the hem of a skirt ending at the ankles, ignoring the fabric limitations, but the opposition ceased as the war ended. Dior’s designs and unique, inventive sense of style revolutionized women’s dress and reestablished Paris as the center of the fashion world after World War II. His designs will always remain greatly inspirational and appreciated amongst fashion designers.

Chanel

Another one of the finest and most legendary fashion designers that Paris is home to is Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel. Chanel’s pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. Her extraordinary influence on fashion led her to be the only person in the field to be names on Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century. When Coco opened her first small millinery shop in Paris in 1913, little did she know that she was laying the foundation for what would become the world’s most acclaimed fashion houses. With the outbreak of World War I the popularity of Chanel’s new kind of chic only grew. Women sought more comfortable garments to replace constrictive corsets. One of Chanel’s most iconic creations was the Chanel suit for women. She was revolutionizing the way women dressed, and as a reaction, women now had the opportunity to have a comfortable suit to work in, as simple as a man’s business suit. Chanel’s life began with humble beginnings in an orphanage. She faced much struggle, but that is possibly what makes her pieces so beautiful. The passion that she gained from the hard times that she faced only made her stronger, and her work more elegant and admired. As a fashion designer, Coco Chanel made great strides for the progression of women in the 20th century, and for style. It is clear that she was one of the most important designers, because her influence is still relevant in fashion today.

London

Moving onto the final fashion capital we will discuss, for the purpose of one great fashion designer, London, and the work of Alexander McQueen. London, along with France and Milan is one of the powerhouses of fashion in Europe. It is home to many top designers and modeling agencies, and much business generated is influenced through media and fashion. It is the vibrant capital of the United Kingdom and is renowned for its unique art and antiques that are displayed in museums. Fashion statements and trends that are established in London eventually become followed all over the world.

Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen dropped out of school at age 16 to pursue a career in fashion design, learning tailoring on Savile Row and pattern making from costumiers Angels and Bermans. He showed his degree collection fresh out of the Central Saint Martins Masters program in 1994, which was bought in its entirety by style icon and fashion editor Isabella Blow . The label is known for its dramatic, gorgeously constructed pieces, combining elements of British tailoring with French couture. Signature looks included billowy dresses cut in hourglass silhouettes, frock coats paired with skinny pants, sharp, angular suiting, and darkly romantic gothic gowns covered in intricate embroidery and lace. In 2004, McQueen designed his first menswear collection and was named British Menswear Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council. In January 2006, the brand launched McQ, a more affordable, denim-based ready-to-wear line including menswear, womenswear, and accessories. McQueen was always known for provoking his audience’s extreme emotional reactions. One season, his audience shed tears over his inhospitable venue, and then tears of joy from the beauty of his clothes. Tragically, McQueen continued this play with emotions until his very recent last day when was found dead in his London apartment in February 2010. The cause of death was suicide. His powerful work showed what great thoughts he must have had; unfortunately, these thoughts led him too far. There is much grievance in the fashion community over this event, but at least he left us with his groundbreaking collections and visions to look back on and remember him with.

Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 Runway Show

One thing that all of these designers have in common is their great contributions to the development of fashion throughout the decades. All are inspirational, and all have influenced the casual trends that we purchase and claim as our own personal styles. Not only do they create apparel for us be clothed with, but they create statements with their series of collections. They’re powerful voice is heard when their designs are brought to life, walking down the runway. Each of these designers is unique in their own way, and they all differ from each other through elements such as purpose, concept, style, and even through the materials that they use.

“Fashion is a form of imitation and so of social equalization, but, paradoxically, in changing incessantly, it differentiates one time from another and one social stratum from another.” This quote is interprets role of fashion in society. It is inevitable for art to be some form of imitation, but that combined with originality creates the styles produced by such iconic designers. In the future, fashion trends will continue to change, but the present collections of our designers differentiate our generation now from all others in the past and future.

Trends In Accessories

Trends in accessories include bags, jewelry, headbands and hats, sunglasses, scarves and belts and shoes. There are common trends throughout all of these as well as others that are specifically for one category. For the spring of 2010 there are new colors and prints that are now in. Shoes also have a different style that have now become very popular and have been seen through the shoes of several different designers. All the accessories follow the trends for the spring and each designer interprets it in there own way to make an accessory that people will buy.

Every designer interprets the new trends in their own way and incorporates that trend into their accessories using their unique style. Each designer has designed accessories that will be popular for the spring 2010 and has showed these new looks on the runway during Fashion Week.

Starting with the trends in shoes for the Spring 2010, designers have shown that several zippers and buckles, army style boots, studs, animal prints, and leather are all in for the spring season. The army style boots are being introduced early and are intended to be more of a trend for the summer, but designers have already shown their interest in putting out their shoes for this trend. The animal print trend includes prints such as tiger, zebra, leopard, and snakeskin. This trend is a very popular one that has been seen in not just shoes and has had a great impact on the spring 2010 designs.

Another very popular trend that is huge for the spring 2010 is the use of several zippers, buckles and straps for shoes. There are several designers such as Steve Madden, who have designed boots that go up to the knee and have one long colored zipper along the back. Jimmy Choo has taken this trend and made shoes that are very strappy and very high as well. Other designers have decided to just have one zipper or buckle, and have chosen from a variety of heel size. The style of the heel has also been part of a trend that is a really high heel or a very low, almost flat heel.

Color-block, has been a pattern that has been used by several designers in their shoes for the current season. The color-block pattern includes several different colors that are put together to present not only an attractive but fun type of shoe. The shoes shown below are examples of how this fad has been interpreted by designers to create a unique shoe of their own.

Jewelry follows, for the most part, similar trends as the other accessories but also creates its own for the spring of 2010. Flower prints are in right now for the spring as well as for the summer. The possibilities for creating clothing, shoes, etc. are endless when it comes to floral prints and it gives designers the opportunity to express themselves in a way that distinguishes them from others. With jewelry it is easy to get creative and the simplest idea can transform into one that stands out over others. Flower rings have become a well-liked piece of jewelry that can be found in small or really large flowers. The larger flower rings are a very bold look and can we worn on an everyday basis or for a night out with the girls. The flowers don’t stop with rings, and have made its way to earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Designers have created beautiful art through their jewelry and have constructed one of a kind pieces.

One of the other trends seen in jewelry are the two finger rings that range from simple architecture to much more complex designs. These rings go across two fingers and can simply be explained as two rings connected as one. The designs of these rings can be a word, a flower, a simple band etc. they are unique and as the months have passed by they have become more and more fashionable. After celebrity Lauren Conrad was seen wearing one on an episode of “The Hills” girls watching the show wanted one of their own and the trend of the two-finger ring has become a popular one.

There are several other pieces of jewelry and each one has its own trend that has been seen for the spring. For bracelets, thick bangles have become the new fad and these bangles follow the trends of accessories. The tribal print has been used for bangles and because they are thick it is easy to incorporate this pattern then it would be for a ring. Bracelets have also followed the trend of shoes using studs and have also been using silver for several pieces. These new bracelets have also come out where they are thick like bangles but tighter on the wrist and flat. They have different shapes, some being in the shape of flowers and others being flat with designs engraved in them. Plastic bangles have also become big and can be found in all different colors, plain or with a funky design

Bags are a huge and important part of the accessory department because they are necessary daily to pretty much carry our lives in a small compartment. The new styles for bags that are in for the spring are fringes, tribal print, animal prints, and leather. Messenger bags are also coming back and have become a wanted style in bags, as well as the straps of the bags being chains. The bags that have been developed incorporate the main trends in accessories as well as trends that can be found for clothing of the spring. The tribal pattern for example isn’t seen much throughout jewelry besides on bangles but in the bags department it is seen frequently this spring. Several designers have taken this print and created gorgeous unique looking bags that are a big hit. Just like the tribal pattern that is a fashion trend for not only accessories but for clothing as well, the animal print has become one that can be used through all of fashion. With the bags department more snakeskin has been seen than other animal prints. The snakeskin has been combined with leather by some designers to create a different looking bags than just one simple pattern, in a sense these designers use the color-block trend but with snakeskin and leather.

Hats and headbands have become a growing trend that started to become trendier recently with the fedora and flower headbands. Since last summer the fedora was in and was seen all over the fashion magazines. With the summer approaching soon the new styles of fedoras have been coming out with different styles than last years and have also seen other styles of hats being created. Another kind of hat that is now the new hot thing for the spring and summer 2010 is the Panama hat. It is similar to the fedora but has a flatter but longer rim around the hat. With these two hats out, the designers have taken it into their hands to create on of their own.

Headbands have been out for the past years but recently there has been a higher demand for them. The flower trend fits perfect into the headband category because they have become so popular and look great on a headband. Flower sizes range from small to large as with the rings and in all different colors. These headbands are fun to wear and can turn a simple outfit into one that stands out. Feathers on headbands are also a trend that is being seen more now as well and have been arranged differently to create several styles.

Sunglasses have now become an accessory that is necessary especially in the spring and summer with the sun being out more often. The print of sunglasses has followed the spring trends of animal prints. Leopard and tiger print can be found on sunglasses as well as the color-block trend. Neon colors has become a big trend as well and is seen so much through sunglasses. The style of the frame is also another trend that can be found for this accessory and of course has its own separate ones from that of the accessories department as a whole. Aviators, wayfarer, and big-framed glasses are what are in for the upcoming seasons of 2010. All these frames have been out before this year but it is the new patterns with these frames that make them the new trend for this year. Ray-ban has become one of the leading sellers of the wayfarers and after coming out with simple color ones last year; they have decided to take it to another level now and add bright colors to their glasses. One the recent demanded wayfarer’s are those with the bright bold color inside the frame and either black or another color on the outside. They have also taken the floral pattern trend into their hands and created sunglasses with these prints that are also in demand.

Aviators seem to never get old and instead of just that gold metal frame there have been all different kinds of colors along with plastic frames. These sunglasses are not seen with the floral print or color block but instead do have different color frames and lens. The combination of colors is what makes each pair unique and trendy. The plastic aviators have also become in several different colors and also fit into the big-framed trend because they are coming out bigger than the normal size aviator.

The newest trend to the sunglasses section is squared frames. These have been growing and were seen on the runway. They haven’t been seen as much but it is a trend that has potential to become popular this summer.

There are several different sections to accessories due to variety of items that it covers. Overall there are trends that can be found for the section as a whole and then those trends that fit only for a specific section. Each accessory has its unique style and thanks to the designer’s creative style, there are endless items that are created taken from one overall theme. The spring trends don’t end with the season and will be seen during the summer but of course those trends intended for the next season will be seen more. Designers will continue to develop new styles with these trends and will evolve the world of fashion as they have been for all these years.

Forget the Fashion Police..They Wear What They Want To

Regardless of the fashion police and the general public’s comments on their choice of outfit, all of the celebrities have their own unique style.

Some other women celebrities, however, always choose to go for the elegant look. Taylor Swift is an example of one celebrity who does this. With her (usually either gold or silver) sparkle dresses and up-do she always tries to look very classy on the runway.

Some celebrities, however, choose to stand out on purpose. They may not want to follow the stereotypical red carpet look of elegance. For example, Lady Gaga is now known, not only for her musical talents, butalso for her outrageous fashion choices. She once chose to wear an outfit made out of bubbles.

Her Kermit the Frog outfit and other outrageous fashion choices have definitely made Lady Gaga the talk of the town.

Two celebrities can also arrive at a red carpet event wearing the same outfit and one may rock it differently than the other. Although two celebrities may be wearing the same designer, they each wear it in their own unique way. One style may look better on one celebrity than it does on another. For example, at the 2009 MTV Music Awards, singer Pink and Shakira both showed up wearing the same dress.

Needless to say, both Pink and Shakira are two very different women with two very different personalities.Even though they’re wearing the same dress they each have a different body type and each of them is wearing it differently. Shakira decided to wear the high boots and Pink decided to go with the black heels. It was a matter of opinion who looked better in the dress. Both of their styles may be more on the edgy side

New York Fashion Week!

Spring fever may officially set in with the beginning of April. For many, the onset is triggered by the reappearance of plants that look alive, longer sun filled days, and warmer weather. For others, the fashion obsessed, the fever is fueled by the reappearance of the spring wardrobe, longer sun filled days in which to show that wardrobe off in, and of course, the lessening of days till New York Fashion Week. The start of April brings the countdown for the annual Fall Fashion Week down from a half a year to only five months! And yes, for the fashion obsessed, the elimination of the ‘year’ time frame is as liberating as the warm weather. Not to mention the fact that this upcoming Fashion Week, September 2010, will be the first to set stage in it’s new home! So congratulations fashion lovers let the spring fever commence!

As if that wasn’t enough, Fashion Week does not approach without an entourage of events at its side. The flood of both pre and post-show parties are on their way and meticulously planned to ensure all attendees will soon have a good time! Not lucky enough to be part of the selected few to get a personal invite? You can enjoy all of the glamour and glitz associated with the shows social scene from within the comfort of your own home. Newspapers, magazines, tabloids, the Internet, and TV will supply you with all of the fashion fun and entertainment to be had as well. Looking for a more interactive activity? Use the nice weather as an excuse to get out there and people watch! There will be lots of tourists arriving in New York City to check out the shows and the hotel social scene will be at a high. In addition, there are also lots of celebrities to be found. So use this as an opportunity to walk around the city and get some exercise, you never know who you may spot hiding behind their oversized shades.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Still need more reason to contract Spring fever? This upcoming Fashion Week will mark a historic change, as the long-time backdrop for the tents of Fashion Week will not be the same. During World War II members of the fashion industry were unable to travel to Paris to view the designer’s collections. As a result, in 1943 New York City organized it’s own Fashion Week. Establishing a tradition where setting bears pivotal power, the celebration of creativity is one of the staples for New York, that unites colleagues and commemorates their independence. Although New York Fashion Week will not be leaving Manhattan, the changing of scenery from Bryant Park to Damrosch Park at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is, to say the least, a momentous one.

Conveniently located next to the garment district, Bryant Park’s great big lawn was an obvious choice of venue for the big tents to be placed. Since becoming host to New York Fashion Week in 1993, Bryant Park has grown over the last 17 years into a Fashion landmark. Tommy Hilfiger’s Fall 2010 collection was the closing line that brought an end to Fashion Week and Bryant Park’s run as home to the renown event.

Tommy Hiifiger’s finale at New York Fashion Week

Famous designers such as Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, and Oscar de la Renta, are just a few among others that take part in the esteemed tradition of wheeling the racks of clothes over from their offices to the park. For designers, the transporting of the clothes is a symbolic transition of their pieces moving into completed works of art that are ready to be shown.

However, not all New Yorkers view the wheeling of the racks as an exciting tradition. Rather, it is part of a hierarchial practice that produces traffic and the right for designers to blockade the only grass, found in Midtown, off for the elite individuals who received an invitation.

Bryant Park

In addition to those upset with the city for allowing the shows to take place, the exponential growth in number of shows that take place had Park Management concerned. The initial thirty-five shows that made up Fashion Week has grown significantly to around seventy per season, out growing the space actually available. After two years of searching for a suitable new venue, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and IMG Fashion were finally able to establish a viable solution, coining Lincoln Center as the new home for Fashion Week.

Although the move may only be forty blocks away from the garment district, it is a monumental one. There are many in the fashion industry that feel that New York City, through the ability to collectively show in Bryant Park, was made into the global fashion capital it is today. At the Avenue of the America’s and 41^st street, the opening of Bryant Park, an array of quotes to honor it are found written by people within the fashion industry. Hanging right at the front of the entrance is a notable quote by Anna Wintour that reads, “Bryant Park became the beacon of what New York fashion stands for- an industry that’s fearless, tireless and always moving forward”(NYT,Wilson). A high compliment to be given by Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue magazine, and perhaps one of the most powerful, recognized, and respected people in the business.

The prominently placed sign hung over the door, signifies that Bryant Park, despite no longer being the official host of Fashion Week, will remain synonymously remembered with fashion. It is a bittersweet move to Lincoln Center for the iconic tents, but the show must go on! Without missing a beat, the Spring and Summer 2011 collections are scheduled to walk the cat walk at the new address this September.

Photos Of Lincoln Center- photographed by Madeleine Hoffman

Lincoln Center cont. photographed by Madeleine Hoffman

New York Fashion Week is where designer’s visions come to life. It is also where the future trends for the following season are established. September 2009’s Spring/Summer show was full of new trends. Like many Spring/Summer shows before it, a plethora of florals were shown. However, a new theme was found among many of the designers that presented their collections. Mark Jacobs’s collection had models parading down the runway wearing ruffled dresses, tailored jackets, and silk shorts. Designer Derek Lam also focused on structured jackets, jumpers, and pieces that were both fitted and loosely flowing. Both designers are leading influences within the industry, and their collections were among several others that displayed similar trends. The runway was all about fun, flirty, skin-baring, looks that were feminine and sophisticated. The contrast of the designer’s whimsical and light pieces paired with the straight cut and structured ones expressed the overriding trend for Spring/Summer 2010. As forecasted at New York Fashion Week, escapism is the essence of the trends now in style. So, while April has brought on the reappearance of the spring wardrobe, and longer sun filled days in which to show it off in, you must not forget the essential spring cleaning that comes first! Keeping the timeless classics and warm weather basics, its time to rid your closet of what’s left and make room for the new looks of 2010. Clearly, the looks to hit the runway are strong predictors of what will be all the rage next spring and summer 2011. Time to get excited fashion lovers because New York Fashion Week is just around the corner! And for the first time at Lincoln Center, you never know what fresh new trends may emerge inspired by Fashion Week’s new home.

Madeleine Hoffman