Bobbin Talk

Amsterdam Fashion Week

As Amsterdam Fashion Week wrapped up yesterday the videos are amassing and I am happy to share:

My favorite so far is Roparosa with big shoulders and geometric shapes and a fun 80s influence. I have to admit: It it looks like so much fun!

Amsterdam Fashion Week - On Twitter

Following a fashion week from far away has never been easier, especially with Twitter updates! Instant updates from multiple sources creates the best overview. Here are some of the people I follow on Twitter throughout the Amsterdam Fashion week:

First, for all official schedules, designer intros, photos and videos of course the official source @AIFW2010

But for the instant photo satisfaction I look for the bloggers on the go:

Kentroy Yearwood's Show

@fashionized

@Ireeeeen

@BlaQQa

And found one of my favorite videos through: @Fashionchick

Amsterdam Fashion Week (AIFW) starts July 14 and it is one of the more exciting fashion events for me because I love the Dutch influence in fashion. AIFW happens twice a year and started in 2004 as an initiative to put Amsterdam on the map as an international destination for Fashion with a full schedule of catwalk shows, trade fairs, presentations, lectures and parties.

AIFW takes place at the former Gas Factories in Amsterdam's ‘Westergas' area. Young and established designers show their collections on the Amsterdam catwalk. I'll be looking into the young designers rather than the established ones. For full schedule visit their website AmsterdamFashionWeek.com

Here are some of my favorites:

Bibi van der Velden catwalk with amazing audio visual effects on the runway and incredible accessories

Mada van Gaans with edgy fashion

And my alltime favorite: OntFront

I completely missed the Sidewalk Catwalk event while I was in Europe but luckily I have plenty of photos and inside info from participants. The Sidewalk Catwalk public art event celebrates the home of American fashion and the design talent who have made the Fashion District one of New York City’s great neighborhoods. From June 24 to September 3, SIDEWALK CATWALK you can see on display 30 mannequin with the artistic interpretations from New York’s leading designers and two student design teams from Parsons and FIT. The one of a kind mannequins can be found on Broadway from Times Square to Herald Square (map). You can learn more about the event and visit their website at: Sidewalk-Catwalk.com

Betsey Johnson


Parson's winning mannequin created by Niyati Karwat and Emily Saunders with Timo Rissanen overseeing the project. There are seeds of moss planted within the "skirt" of the mannequin which will grow throughout the summer.

Carlos Falchi, his daughter {who is involved in the business} and Rick Darling


Catherine Malandrino's Flag under wraps


DVF


Fern Mallis in front of Naeem Khan's mannequin


Fern Mallis inspecting Isabel Toledo's mannequin

Jason Wu's mannequin


John Bartlett


Norma Kamali's mannequin covered in Scanlife logos and bar codes- scan with the iPhone app to view Norma's shows


Prabal Gurung

All photos by Fiona Dieffenbacher

 

Mood board created by Eveline Gonçalves in my online accessory design course at FashioneTutor.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are interested in learning about accessory design or would like to start your own line I have two classes starting as soon as next week that might be helpful to you.

If you live in or close to NYC I am teaching "How to Style, Merchandise and Plan an Accessory Line" at FIT, starting Tuesday, June 8th. All info is on the FIT website: http://fitnyc.edu/3063.asp Scroll down to: SXF 218 {and here is the recap}

SXF 218 How to Style, Plan and Merchandise an Accessory Line
0 credits $225

Learn to create a cohesive and saleable accessory collection, merchandised to a specific brand that targets the right customers. Program includes information on all the elements of a cohesive line, the right colors, trims, materials, and silhouettes. Price points for materials and finished goods are discussed as well as price-range positioning in the market. The pre-production process and production requirement, including prototype fitting modifications, and vendor communications are covered. Industry professionals and store owner speakers give business tips and advice on presenting a bag, shoe and small leather goods collection.

Instructor: Aneta Genova, accessories designer and creative director for major brands, with industry experienced guest speakers

SUMMER
4 sessions: (55A) June 8, 15, 22, 29

CRN	Section	Day	Time	Location
7533	55A	T	6:00 pm-9:00 pm	TBA

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are not in NYC you can take my online class "Fundamentals of Accessory Design", starting June 14. This one will take you through the fundamentals of designing an accessory line from concept and inspiration, through sketching design ideas, developing technical flats and a tech pack.

All info is on the official website FashioneTutor.com

Or if you like you can watch the video with me explaining all the details

It pains me to write this post! Supporting the garment center and all the people who work and create there is such an important cause and I was stunned to see the actual Design Trust presentation on June 2nd. The event was held in a tiny, dark, muggy corner at Port Authority in what seemed to be a random space. One felt a big disconnect between the glamorous fashion shows of Anna Sui, Yeohlee, and Alexander Wang and the money spent on PR and venues for runway shows as opposed to saving the jobs of the people who work in the garment district. How is this possible with major sponsor and CFDA behind it and who will care if this is how the problem is presented? How many commuters bustling to get on their bus and get out of the city will actually stop to take a look?

I agree with Deborah Marton, executive director of Design Trust for Public Space that: "Ultimately, {this} project is about much more than fashion. It's about one of the last neighborhoods in Manhattan that has not yet been remade by recent waves of new development. It's about jobs and immigrant workers. It's about the decisions City officials make to support certain kinds of businesses and land-use development, whether it's baseball stadiums, high-rise condominiums, or factories. Made in Midtown is about what kind of City we want New York to be--we think it should continue to be a place that promotes creative industries of all kinds, including fashion." As quoted from her June 2nd article at the Huffington Post.

In reality there are so few people who can produce only in NYC and if the opening night is any sign of who supports this then garment center is in big trouble. I personally doubt that a few rolling racks with safety-pinned patterns and tech-packs will attract the attention that this project needs. If anything they made me feel that there was little care in the general organization of this important event. While the main website MadeinMidtown.org is well built and already asking for your generous contribution, try to access the official "Made in Midtown" video on Vimeo! You'd be surprised by the sign that it says: "This is a private video! You do not have permission to watch this private video" AT least one can grab the embed code and place it within an online article!

Made in Midtown: Proximity from Design Trust for Public Space on Vimeo.

Is the situation so desperate that it needs to look like it is! I doubt that that was the thought behind this event!

I am getting more and more emails every week from major companies asking me to refer students to them for free internships! I know more graduates that have been working for free for famous designer and large companies than ever before! The garment district DOES matter and I want to tell the world that so many of my friends are loosing their jobs as designers, pattern-makers, seamstresses, etc. but there has to be a better way to get the word across!

Made in Midtown, was created by the partnership of Design Trust and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to create a study of how the Garment Industry works and why it's an integral part of New York City's economy, identity, and sense of place. The interactive project website launches June 3, 2010 with a series of public events.

PUBLIC LAUNCH + POP-UP EXHIBIT
Date: Thursday, June 3
Time: 8:00am - 8:30pm
Location: Fashion Center/Times Square Pop-Up Space in the Port Authority Bus Terminal (8th Avenue at 41st Street)

One of the biggest supporters of this project is Anna Sui

Anna Sui photo by Jordan Alport

INSTALLATION
Free and open to the public all day, this installation will include large-scale video projections, computer kiosks, a show of locally-produced garments (from such top designers as Nanette Lepore, Rag & Bone, Anna Sui and YEOHLEE), a newspaper highlighting stories from the district, and an interactive street map that traces garment production through the neighborhood.

BROWN BAG PRESENTATIONS
12:30pm and 1:30pm
Design Trust executive director Deborah Marton and program director Jerome Chou present an overview of Made in Midtown's key findings and how this project will help chart the course for the future of creative industry in New York City.

MAKING MADE IN MIDTOWN
6:30 - 8:30pm
Ever wonder how a Design Trust project unfolds? Made in Midtown project fellows join Design Trust staff to explain the collaborative, cross-disciplinary work behind Made in Midtown and answer your questions about our process.

Jason Wu by Interboro

Beautiful weather and a long weekend ahead! Hope you all get to enjoy the Holiday! Here are some photo from the LVMH/Parsons event on Governors Island which marked the successful completion of the mega project The Art of Craftsmanship Revisited. Twenty three teams of interdisciplinary students from five departments within the New School for Design came together with established artisans to create designs and videos of their collaborative efforts. To learn more and see the videos visit: ArtofCraftsmanship.com

It was a short ferry ride from Manhattan into Governors Island

Fashion design student Stacey Cunningham wore the perfect outfit to be blown in the wind!

I had never been to Governors Island and was quite curious to see what it looked like.

I have to admit the island felt like the perfect getaway to spend a week here. Such a short ride from Manhattan {less than 10 min ferry ride} and so beautiful!

Naturally there were quite a few fabulous outfits! A bit of sparkle added quite a lot of glamor for Fabiola Beracasa'selegant bright blue dress with matching headpiece.

And the design work was displayed within a few of the surrounding houses. The following outfits are the result of the student collaborations with the artisans.

 

Each established company or artisan also created a display to feature their own craft.

 

Miss Dior {above}


Fendi handmade bags and one of the men who has been making them for the last 15 years.

The workstation of calligrapher Brernard Maisner, who was part of the winning team.

All photos by Aneta Genova

I love the Hipstamatic photo app for the iPhone. You can get such a wonderful vintage feel and look with your own iPhone. Here is a photo of my dress on the boat to Governors Island en route to the Parsons-LVMH event The Art of Craftsmanship Revisited. You can learn more about this incredible partnership on the official website: ArtofCraftsmanship.com I'll be posting coverage of it later tomorrow, but for now here are some photos I took with the Hipstamatic app.

I premiered my most colorful dress in the hottest day of the year!

A boat sailing back to NYC.

Governors Island is 800 yards just south of Manhattan, a short ferry ride. It used to serve as a was a military base - home to the US Army and after 1966 it served as the operation base and residence for the Coast Guard. Now it is open to the public June 5 - Oct 10 Fri, Sat, Sun.

Guests of the LVMH party frolicked happily on the spacious island, enjoying champagne, wine and artisanal foods.

Hyeyoung Kim and Akalaksna Baenchata were happy graduates even before they knew they were the winners of the LVMH contest.

This was actually the sunset on the way to Governors Island, but it really looks like the moon, doesn't it?

All photos by Aneta Genova, , {Hipstamatic app, John lens, Kodot Verichrome film}

Recent Parsons design graduate Alexa Winner has been styling photo-shoots and celebrities for the past year. As a culmination to her graduation she just had an amazing event at the Hugo Boss store, where she styled and merchandised the women's collection.

This unique concept store is created specifically for this NYC location in conjunction with star Italian architect Matteo Thun. The spacious store features gray stone floor and exposed brickwork, both of which have been preserved in their original state. Diamond shaped
structures in wood extend throughout the full interior. The dressing rooms in the back are adorned with leather and velvet and create a VIP backroom atmosphere. The elaborate illumination system is designed in cooperation with the renowned light artist AJ Weissbard. Overall a spectacular and airy atmosphere!

Two women's looks, styled by Alexa Winner.

Above: Alexa Winner and me

For Amanda Lyons' outfit, Alexa used a men's tie as a belt and created a one of a kind signature look for her!

Here is what the front of Amanda's dress looks like. 

Liam McMullan, his fiance actress Aesha Waks and Alexa Winner.

These guys looked so adorable and completely unphased by their fame I couldn't resist posting two photos of them. In addition to everything else they do Liam is creating a line of men's clothes, based on Steve McQueens signature style and Aesha and Alexa are coming out with their own women's clothing line! I cannot wait to see it all!

All photos by Aneta Genova

Amsterdam Fashion Week (AIFW) 2010

Amsterdam Fashion Week (AIFW) starts July 14 and it is one of the more exciting fashion events for me because I love the Dutch influence in fashion. AIFW happens twice a year and started in 2004 as an initiative to put Amsterdam on the map as an international destination for Fashion with a full schedule of catwalk shows, trade fairs, presentations, lectures and parties.

AIFW takes place at the former Gas Factories in Amsterdam's ‘Westergas' area. Young and established designers show their collections on the Amsterdam catwalk. I'll be looking into the young designers rather than the established ones. For full schedule visit their website AmsterdamFashionWeek.com

Here are some of my favorites:

Bibi van der Velden catwalk with amazing audio visual effects on the runway and incredible accessories

Mada van Gaans with edgy fashion

And my alltime favorite: OntFront

Sidewalk Catwalk

I completely missed the Sidewalk Catwalk event while I was in Europe but luckily I have plenty of photos and inside info from participants. The Sidewalk Catwalk public art event celebrates the home of American fashion and the design talent who have made the Fashion District one of New York City’s great neighborhoods. From June 24 to September 3, SIDEWALK CATWALK you can see on display 30 mannequin with the artistic interpretations from New York’s leading designers and two student design teams from Parsons and FIT. The one of a kind mannequins can be found on Broadway from Times Square to Herald Square (map). You can learn more about the event and visit their website at: Sidewalk-Catwalk.com

Betsey Johnson


Parson's winning mannequin created by Niyati Karwat and Emily Saunders with Timo Rissanen overseeing the project. There are seeds of moss planted within the "skirt" of the mannequin which will grow throughout the summer.

Carlos Falchi, his daughter {who is involved in the business} and Rick Darling


Catherine Malandrino's Flag under wraps


DVF


Fern Mallis in front of Naeem Khan's mannequin


Fern Mallis inspecting Isabel Toledo's mannequin

Jason Wu's mannequin


John Bartlett


Norma Kamali's mannequin covered in Scanlife logos and bar codes- scan with the iPhone app to view Norma's shows


Prabal Gurung

All photos by Fiona Dieffenbacher

Upcoming Accessory Design Courses!

 

Mood board created by Eveline Gonçalves in my online accessory design course at FashioneTutor.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are interested in learning about accessory design or would like to start your own line I have two classes starting as soon as next week that might be helpful to you.

If you live in or close to NYC I am teaching "How to Style, Merchandise and Plan an Accessory Line" at FIT, starting Tuesday, June 8th. All info is on the FIT website: http://fitnyc.edu/3063.asp Scroll down to: SXF 218 {and here is the recap}

SXF 218 How to Style, Plan and Merchandise an Accessory Line
0 credits $225

Learn to create a cohesive and saleable accessory collection, merchandised to a specific brand that targets the right customers. Program includes information on all the elements of a cohesive line, the right colors, trims, materials, and silhouettes. Price points for materials and finished goods are discussed as well as price-range positioning in the market. The pre-production process and production requirement, including prototype fitting modifications, and vendor communications are covered. Industry professionals and store owner speakers give business tips and advice on presenting a bag, shoe and small leather goods collection.

Instructor: Aneta Genova, accessories designer and creative director for major brands, with industry experienced guest speakers

SUMMER
4 sessions: (55A) June 8, 15, 22, 29

CRN	Section	Day	Time	Location
7533	55A	T	6:00 pm-9:00 pm	TBA

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you are not in NYC you can take my online class "Fundamentals of Accessory Design", starting June 14. This one will take you through the fundamentals of designing an accessory line from concept and inspiration, through sketching design ideas, developing technical flats and a tech pack.

All info is on the official website FashioneTutor.com

Or if you like you can watch the video with me explaining all the details

Made in Midtown - Who Really Cares?

It pains me to write this post! Supporting the garment center and all the people who work and create there is such an important cause and I was stunned to see the actual Design Trust presentation on June 2nd. The event was held in a tiny, dark, muggy corner at Port Authority in what seemed to be a random space. One felt a big disconnect between the glamorous fashion shows of Anna Sui, Yeohlee, and Alexander Wang and the money spent on PR and venues for runway shows as opposed to saving the jobs of the people who work in the garment district. How is this possible with major sponsor and CFDA behind it and who will care if this is how the problem is presented? How many commuters bustling to get on their bus and get out of the city will actually stop to take a look?

I agree with Deborah Marton, executive director of Design Trust for Public Space that: "Ultimately, {this} project is about much more than fashion. It's about one of the last neighborhoods in Manhattan that has not yet been remade by recent waves of new development. It's about jobs and immigrant workers. It's about the decisions City officials make to support certain kinds of businesses and land-use development, whether it's baseball stadiums, high-rise condominiums, or factories. Made in Midtown is about what kind of City we want New York to be--we think it should continue to be a place that promotes creative industries of all kinds, including fashion." As quoted from her June 2nd article at the Huffington Post.

In reality there are so few people who can produce only in NYC and if the opening night is any sign of who supports this then garment center is in big trouble. I personally doubt that a few rolling racks with safety-pinned patterns and tech-packs will attract the attention that this project needs. If anything they made me feel that there was little care in the general organization of this important event. While the main website MadeinMidtown.org is well built and already asking for your generous contribution, try to access the official "Made in Midtown" video on Vimeo! You'd be surprised by the sign that it says: "This is a private video! You do not have permission to watch this private video" AT least one can grab the embed code and place it within an online article!

Made in Midtown: Proximity from Design Trust for Public Space on Vimeo.

Is the situation so desperate that it needs to look like it is! I doubt that that was the thought behind this event!

I am getting more and more emails every week from major companies asking me to refer students to them for free internships! I know more graduates that have been working for free for famous designer and large companies than ever before! The garment district DOES matter and I want to tell the world that so many of my friends are loosing their jobs as designers, pattern-makers, seamstresses, etc. but there has to be a better way to get the word across!

Made in Midtown - Come, See, Support!

Made in Midtown, was created by the partnership of Design Trust and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) to create a study of how the Garment Industry works and why it's an integral part of New York City's economy, identity, and sense of place. The interactive project website launches June 3, 2010 with a series of public events.

PUBLIC LAUNCH + POP-UP EXHIBIT
Date: Thursday, June 3
Time: 8:00am - 8:30pm
Location: Fashion Center/Times Square Pop-Up Space in the Port Authority Bus Terminal (8th Avenue at 41st Street)

One of the biggest supporters of this project is Anna Sui

Anna Sui photo by Jordan Alport

INSTALLATION
Free and open to the public all day, this installation will include large-scale video projections, computer kiosks, a show of locally-produced garments (from such top designers as Nanette Lepore, Rag & Bone, Anna Sui and YEOHLEE), a newspaper highlighting stories from the district, and an interactive street map that traces garment production through the neighborhood.

BROWN BAG PRESENTATIONS
12:30pm and 1:30pm
Design Trust executive director Deborah Marton and program director Jerome Chou present an overview of Made in Midtown's key findings and how this project will help chart the course for the future of creative industry in New York City.

MAKING MADE IN MIDTOWN
6:30 - 8:30pm
Ever wonder how a Design Trust project unfolds? Made in Midtown project fellows join Design Trust staff to explain the collaborative, cross-disciplinary work behind Made in Midtown and answer your questions about our process.

Jason Wu by Interboro

Governors Island

Beautiful weather and a long weekend ahead! Hope you all get to enjoy the Holiday! Here are some photo from the LVMH/Parsons event on Governors Island which marked the successful completion of the mega project The Art of Craftsmanship Revisited. Twenty three teams of interdisciplinary students from five departments within the New School for Design came together with established artisans to create designs and videos of their collaborative efforts. To learn more and see the videos visit: ArtofCraftsmanship.com

It was a short ferry ride from Manhattan into Governors Island

Fashion design student Stacey Cunningham wore the perfect outfit to be blown in the wind!

I had never been to Governors Island and was quite curious to see what it looked like.

I have to admit the island felt like the perfect getaway to spend a week here. Such a short ride from Manhattan {less than 10 min ferry ride} and so beautiful!

Naturally there were quite a few fabulous outfits! A bit of sparkle added quite a lot of glamor for Fabiola Beracasa'selegant bright blue dress with matching headpiece.

And the design work was displayed within a few of the surrounding houses. The following outfits are the result of the student collaborations with the artisans.

 

Each established company or artisan also created a display to feature their own craft.

 

Miss Dior {above}


Fendi handmade bags and one of the men who has been making them for the last 15 years.

The workstation of calligrapher Brernard Maisner, who was part of the winning team.

All photos by Aneta Genova

Hottest Day - Brightest Dress

I love the Hipstamatic photo app for the iPhone. You can get such a wonderful vintage feel and look with your own iPhone. Here is a photo of my dress on the boat to Governors Island en route to the Parsons-LVMH event The Art of Craftsmanship Revisited. You can learn more about this incredible partnership on the official website: ArtofCraftsmanship.com I'll be posting coverage of it later tomorrow, but for now here are some photos I took with the Hipstamatic app.

I premiered my most colorful dress in the hottest day of the year!

A boat sailing back to NYC.

Governors Island is 800 yards just south of Manhattan, a short ferry ride. It used to serve as a was a military base - home to the US Army and after 1966 it served as the operation base and residence for the Coast Guard. Now it is open to the public June 5 - Oct 10 Fri, Sat, Sun.

Guests of the LVMH party frolicked happily on the spacious island, enjoying champagne, wine and artisanal foods.

Hyeyoung Kim and Akalaksna Baenchata were happy graduates even before they knew they were the winners of the LVMH contest.

This was actually the sunset on the way to Governors Island, but it really looks like the moon, doesn't it?

All photos by Aneta Genova, , {Hipstamatic app, John lens, Kodot Verichrome film}

Alexa Winner for Hugo Boss

Recent Parsons design graduate Alexa Winner has been styling photo-shoots and celebrities for the past year. As a culmination to her graduation she just had an amazing event at the Hugo Boss store, where she styled and merchandised the women's collection.

This unique concept store is created specifically for this NYC location in conjunction with star Italian architect Matteo Thun. The spacious store features gray stone floor and exposed brickwork, both of which have been preserved in their original state. Diamond shaped
structures in wood extend throughout the full interior. The dressing rooms in the back are adorned with leather and velvet and create a VIP backroom atmosphere. The elaborate illumination system is designed in cooperation with the renowned light artist AJ Weissbard. Overall a spectacular and airy atmosphere!

Two women's looks, styled by Alexa Winner.

Above: Alexa Winner and me

For Amanda Lyons' outfit, Alexa used a men's tie as a belt and created a one of a kind signature look for her!

Here is what the front of Amanda's dress looks like. 

Liam McMullan, his fiance actress Aesha Waks and Alexa Winner.

These guys looked so adorable and completely unphased by their fame I couldn't resist posting two photos of them. In addition to everything else they do Liam is creating a line of men's clothes, based on Steve McQueens signature style and Aesha and Alexa are coming out with their own women's clothing line! I cannot wait to see it all!

All photos by Aneta Genova