Designer Excerpts

Abigail Glaum-Lathbury

"Glaum-Lathbury, a Philadelphia native, studied design at the School of the Art Institute. After several stints working for other designers, she started her own eponymous line because “it became clear that it could be a reality.” She made a splash on the design scene with a showing in the Gen Art Fresh Faces runway show at Fashion Focus 2007. The pieces: Structured, architectural clothing crafted from rich fabrics. With a focus on neutral colors, her collections are simple, expertly tailored, and combine clean lines with movement. Designer inspirations: French designer Madeleine Vionnet. “She changed my way of thinking about patterns. She taught me that there aren’t really rules.” In addition to designing an eponymous ready to wear collection, she has also created costumes for dance collectives The Seldoms and the International Contemporary Ensemble.

Anna Coroneo

"Anna’s entrepreneurial spirit and creative flair drove her to start her fashion label in 2001, where she began by selling her designs at the Bondi Beach markets in Sydney. From there, she was snapped up by buyers and stocked in various boutiques throughout Australia. Today, Anna is based in New York, where her fashion designs continue along her initial concept of marrying a relaxed Sydney beach-chic lifestyle with the fast and flirty energy of NYC.

"Anna is also an artist who exhibits with the Art Focus gallery in Sydney and New York. Her latest paintings are a series of abstract works (ink on card), inspired by the juxtaposition of the natural world with the built environment. Her works often exude a vibrant liveliness, which have a dramatic presence and are often translated into print designs for textiles and wallpapers."

BGN

"It’s a spirit, Paris : a perfume ? A gaze of a woman ? An eyelashes flutter ? Heels that spin on the asphalt ? A jupon flying in the wind ? A spirit who, like a stream of air must be brought before the flight to start a wonderful romance..."

Camilla & Marc

"Sydney based fashion label camilla and marc has experienced a meteoric rise in Australian and international fashion since it's inception in 2003 headed by brother and sister duo, Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman. In 2003, Camilla was awarded a scholarship to the world-renowned Accademia Italiana Arte Moda Design in Florence, Italy on completion of Sydney's Whitehouse Institute of Design, while Marc Freeman brings to the duo a background in engineering and commerce. At their debut at Mercedes Australian Fashion Week 2003, camilla and marc presented their spring / summer collection, “a Warm Summer's Afternoon” which heralded favourable reviews from the media and was purchased by select Australian boutiques. On completion of 2003, Camilla travelled to Florence, Italy completing her masters in fashion design and finalising the Winter 2004 collection. Showing in November at Melbourne, they secured Australian department store Myer and Selfridges of London, with rave press reviews. History was made; it was the first time an Australian department store had decided to stock a label in its first year of business."

FIN

"FIN is exquisite, made with elegance and style. FIN is where design and awareness are combined into fashion. From our headquarters in Oslo, Norway, new designs and new environmental friendly and social responsible ideas of fashion production are born. When the idea of FIN was conceived we set out on a path that has led us to so many different corners of the world and now involves a lot of people. Without the enthusiasm of all the FIN fans, FIN wouldn't have been where we are today. We are quite ambitious about the future, and we are proud to have notable persons such as Keira Knightly and Kate Bosworth among our FIN fans. We let all the levels of perfection define our style. That's why FIN is more than luxurious."

Graey

"Graey is a mischievous young woman who relishes unpredictability. Artist/designer Janet Kim has studied fashion and drawing all over the world, from Harvard University in Chambre Syndicale in Paris. With work experience at Christian Dior in Paris and Proenza Shouler in New York, she is thrilled to now present her own line and welcomes you to the world of Graey.

Heidi Merrick

"The clothes I make are the clothes I want to wear. I believe there are more girls like me. I didn't wear store-bought clothes until the fourth grade. And after that, I didn't wear another thing my mother made until the day I got married. Since that day, I only want to wear something one of us has made. She is my muse. I believe what you wear on the outside affects who you are on the inside. It is so much easier to be kind when you feel beautiful. Put on love."

House of Spy

"A lab couldn't contain the creative prowess of former biology student, Wendy Wong. Busting loose of her scientific constraints, Wong burst onto the fashion scene in 2000 with her clothing line, House of Spy. While studying Biology at the University of Toronto, she took a part time job as a receptionist at the International Academy of Design and Technology. Discovering one of the perks of the job was free courses, Wong wasted no time getting stuck into pattern drafting and clothing construction courses. By her second year, in the war between science and fashion, fashion was definitely winning. She finished up her dress and got straight to work making clothing sample."

IVANAhelsinki

"IVANAhelsinki is an exclusive art fashion brand. It brings delicately together Slavic rough melancholity and pure Scandinavian moods. Paola Ivana Suhonen is the artist behind the fashion pieces, starting from her dark naive mind-landscapes, northern legends and western romantics, doing prints, graphics, shortmovies and well, everything that is involved with the visuals. She runs the family-owned company with her older sister Pirjo. Every single IVANAhelsinki piece is ateljee manufactured in Finland. The whole production philosophy is based on ethical and ecological choises. There are a lot of handmade details and traditional Finnish handcraft methods are featured."

Jessica Joyce

"Dutch fashion designer Jessica Joyce, is an explorer in the field of refine contemporary women's wear. Her designs make women feel sensual and attractive. After the Royal Academy for the fine arts in Antwerp, Belgium she got her degree as a fashion designer at the Arnhem Academy of Art and Design. Jessica Joyce finds her inspiration in nature, photography, jazz, figurative and modern art. She loves the work by artists like; Bill Viola, M.C. Escher, Ernst Haeckel, John Currin and Sam Taylor Wood."

Keemia

"KEEMIA was founded in January 2005 by designer Keemia Ferasat. In March 2005, KEEMIA showed the debut collection, 'Love on the Loire', during Los Angeles Fashion Week. Her first collection of intricately designed pieces defined and set the pace for the now highly covetable KEEMIA signature aesthetic. The KEEMIA woman is feminine, at ease with herself, and chic. Following her first show, KEEMIA's collections have continued to gather momentum, cementing her reputation as one of Los Angeles' leading up-and-coming designer talents."

Kloset

"Founded in 2001, Kloset is run by a small group of people who are strongly passionate about fashion. The obsession for all kinds of hand made things of the founder, Ms. Mollika Ruangkritya, as well as her childhood hobbies in making dolls, toys, headbands, and used clothes have powerfully affected Kloset's creations. Kloset red carpet blends street style with refined glamour adding a classic touch, which we call Street Couture."

Lorick

"The mastermind behind Lorick is Abigail Lorick. Born on Amelia Island, Florida, Abigail knew the South couldn't contain her. At the age of 18, she moved to Paris and Milan to model for designers such as Alberta Ferretti and Mossimo while appearing in acclaimed magazines French C'osmopolitan, American Elle and American Harper's Bazaar. Working as a model only enhanced her love of fashion and led her to move in 2003, to New York City to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology while working simultaneously at T.S. Dixin. Quickly hereafter in the Spring of 2007, she conceptualized and launched the Lorick brand."

Lucullen

"Its all about Lucullen fabrics. Lucullen's collections are filled with uniquely creative ways of sewing and hemming the most sought after fabrics from Italy, France and Japan into a complete dress that simply fits to the contour of a woman.  Lucullen's seasoned designer creates sophisticated lines where a woman's desire for beauty and empowerment effortlessly compliment each other. Joyce Huang is an industry veteran who has successfully designed various collections in cities such as Taipei, Shanghai, Toronto and New York. She possesses the raw talent to weave the passion and confidence of a true woman into the fabric of her creations. Her style is described as "Soft but sculptured, creating an essence of professional appeal. Tender and demure, but bold – desiring attention. Delicate and discreet while fearless and assertive." Joyce Huang's lines are all these and more, in every city."

Mel en Stel

"Mel en Stel is not meant to be glamourous or luxurious. It's meant to be touch like the cold war materials Ilse Eriksson once used in a few art fashion pieces. It's supposed to be a little earthy, a little rugged, a little barefoot like the Belgian brains beind this grounded one-woman clothing operation. It's meant to be a product of dissecting and loving shape and fabric." (ZooZoom Magazine)

Mimi Turner

"Born in Cuba, Mimi Turner was destined to travel far. Raised between Spain and the United States, she found that her chameleon like adaptability would become her modus operandi. Mimi Turner knows her customer and where she is going.... "my customer is a bit of a tomboy with an I can do anything attitude, she has an acquired sense of her own femininity, style and sexiness. She doesn t mind standing out in a crowd". With its underground appeal, Mimi Turner has a loyal "cult" following. On the subject of her signature look, the designer says "all clothing must be fundamental and straightforward enough to be worn day after day,--and still catch someone's eye". Each and every hang tag on her garments attests to her beliefs and reads "the universe rewards those who are courageous."

Mulcair

"The daughter of an eclectic mother and an entrepreneurial, art admiring father, Juliana Bennett was born in Montreal on November 10th, 1982. Spending her formative years in Montreal and Paris, Bennett was exposed to a visual onslaught of international culture and style; an experience that both forged her love of fashion and formed the foundation of her creative self. During her senior year (at a Parsons) Bennett interned at Brooklyn's Vena Cava and, upon graduation, ambitiously launched Mulcair, her own fashion label. Drawing inspiration from 1930's high society and the chic rigidity of military uniforms, Bennett's designs are architecturally boxy, yet feminine. From the organic fabric used in Mulcair pieces to the sweatshop-free labor used to manufacture the Mulcair line, Bennett is philosophically committed to designing high fashion clothing that is consistently ethical from concept to completion."

Nomia

Yara Flinn created Nomia in 2006 after working at Prada Foundation and an internship at United Bamboo. Without formal apparel design training, design comes naturally as she fell into fashion design when she made a dress for a friend and that piece immediately picked up other custom orders.

Plaid

"PLAID is a contemporary denim and sportswear collection designed by Erin McColl. Erin was inspired at a very early age by her grandmother, a dress and doll maker, and also by the rich history of denim and textile manufacturing in her home state of North Carolina. Erin's years of design experience began in New York, where she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, and got her start designing skirts and dresses for American Eagle Outfitters. This experience laid a foundation for her careeer in design, and particularly sparked her interest in denim. Since relocating to Los Angeles, she has designed for Yanuk, Imitation of Christ, Rachel Pally, and Seven for all Mankind. PLAID is the culmination of the designer's years of experience developing fits, fabrics, and washes. The line is inspired by design with a timeless quality, and strives to incorporate unique, elegant, and understated details to classic silhouettes."

Quail

Quail: A term used in 1960’s hipster slang to describe a woman or girl.

"LA native Michelle Nguyen Williams, founder and designer of Quail, has come quite a long way from elementary home economics sewing and the endless scouring of secondhand stores in search of that hidden gem. Quail is the girl who sees the beauty in all things—the beauty in the moment—the potential for expression in every piece of clothing, new or old, perfect or imperfect. Williams takes pride in creating affordable, wearable classics with modern, unexpected twists and is intimately engaged with every aspect of the designing process."

Raquelle

"In the summer of 2008, Raquelle dreamed of a dress, which she then had made by a seamstress friend. Passing an outdoor cafe in the West Village of New York City, she caught the attention of a perfect stranger dining outdoors. Upon seeing the dress, the woman ordered 3 of them on the spot! Never having thought of designing as a business, Raquelle immediately headed 38 blocks north to the best fabric store in the city and spent every penny of her savings on fabric. That very fabric was spun into the first collection."

Stylein

Elin Nystrom created Stylein after completing her degree at FIT in NYC in 2001. She was a former world championship level gymnast. She visited New York initially to take a break from training but ended up staying in NY and discovering a creative side that she never knew she had. Since the launch, Stylein has expanded globally. The brand is currently based in Gothenburg and all dresses are made in Sweden. Elin does all screen printing herself in the studio and many of the pieces are handmade.

Sublet Clothing

"Built on principles of social and environmental responsibility, new york-based sublet clothing's mission is to design and manufacture sustainable garments for the creative community that inspires their collections. they design simple, refined silhouettes balanced by thoughtful details. Best friends turned business partners, tara and inessah, met in 2005 through a Craigslist post for a summer roommate. in their search for an environment that fosters creativity and collaboration, they decided to create Sublet, a line inspired by these circumstances that enabled them to cross paths."

T.Tandon

"The T.Tandon line comes into being after Tina's 10 years experience in the fashion industry. Having a dream of selling under her own label since childhood, Tina took fashion design courses during high school, where she won great recognition for her work. She later graduated with honors from Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, gaining much recognition and awards from FIT faculty and top industry professionals. Always a believer of finding a balance with nature for inner tranquility, and an admirer and keen observer of different cultures and places she visits, Tina tries to bring some of that exotic beauty and balance in her collections. Tina also believes in giving back and donates a percentage of the profits to the underprivileged children causes and charities that help them, so that they may not be forced into child labor."

Yoana Baraschi

"Born in Bucharest, Romania, Yoana Baraschi was raised in a family of artists, rich in culture and style. Yoana studied drawing and sculpture from a very early age. She continued her artistic studies at the Fine Arts Institute of Bucharest where she received a BA in Sculpture. In 1978, a few years after the death of her parents, Yoana left communist Romania for Paris, where she got her first design job working for Emmanuelle Khahn as an embroidery designer. The turning point of Yoana’s designer career came in 1999, when she began working as Creative Director for Betsey Johnson. She was heavily influenced by not only business success the company had achieved, but also Betsey’s own originality and vision. It was this time period that allowed Yoana the courage to live her own vision and believe that she could start her own collection."