- Title: USA: Designers prepare ahead of New York's fashion week
- Date: 4th September 2008
- Summary: (W5) NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 02, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DESIGNER THUY DIEP AT WORK IN HER SHOWROOM, MEASURING MODEL AND PREPARING CLOTHES ON RACK (SOUNDBITE) (English) THUY DIEP, DESIGNER SAYING: "Absolutely not, I think I'm going against that, if anything the collection is very optimistic, it is very colourful, I think it's uplifting, for me as a designer, obviously you can't really deny that the economy hasn't been the best, but I'm looking at more long term, and at this point in my life, I need something that is going to uplift me, and so the collection reflects that." VARIOUS OF DIEP CASTING MODELS FOR BRYANT PARK SHOW (SOUNDBITE) (English) THUY DIEP, DESIGNER SAYING: "Tired. It's been a lot of work, I mean it's so exciting, I have always, obviously as a designer, the tents are such a famed place to showcase your work, so for me, just thinking back to the days when I was a student, this is a big moment for me." VARIOUS OF ASSISTANT DESIGNERS AT WORK VARIOUS OF CLOTHES ON RACK
- Embargoed: 19th September 2008 11:25
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVAI2H6Q70OEYMZBFXLUYOZ0B9C
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Designers showing at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Bryant Park in New York City were putting the finishing touches to their collections on Wednesday (September 3), set to have every seam stitched perfectly for what is generally considered to be the most prestigious fashion event in the United States.
Spanning over eight days, the hectic schedule will consist of shows ranging from haute couture to ready-to-wear lines, with even the popular reality television show "Project Runway" staging its finale at the world famous tents.
Showing at New York's fashion week is vital to any designer looking to expand their branding potential globally, and can help generate revenue and publicity for any fashion line.
"For me, it is something very important, since my first presentation here in New York, we had a better distribution not only in the American market, but also in Japan, also in Europe, so my feeling is that New York Fashion Week, it really radiates the work of the work of the designer world-wide, so it's very important to show your work here," said Amir Slama, designer for luxury bathing suit line "Rosa Cha."
Basing his spring line on the colours of his native Brazil, as well as inspirations taken from Brazilian modernist painters, Slama has kept his flare among what stylists are predicting will be a more conservative spring season, which might reflect the feelings of some buyers who are looking for low-key chic devoid of excessiveness in the current economic climate.
"Well it's hard to make predictions," said style.com Executive Editor Nicole Phelps.
"I do think that designers have been paying a lot of attention to the economy, how could they not, it's what everyone is talking about. I think there will be some who will respond and will continue along this new minimalism, this new path that sort of has started the last couple of seasons."
But Slama hoped his collection might help combat the sombre mood that some consumers may be experiencing due to the economy.
"I think that people, when they are very tired, stressed, they really want to feel better and the clothes help them change the mood, you know?" says Slama.
Designer Thuy Diep, a graduate of Parsons School of Design and the American raised daughter of Vietnamese-born tailors, was very excited to be showcasing her work at Bryant Park for the first time, a step in her career that she has dreamed about for many years.
"Obviously as a designer, the tents are such a famed place to showcase your work, so for me, just thinking back to the days when I was a student, this is a big moment for me," she said.
Preparing for runway shows at New York's Fashion week takes months, all for whatup being a ten minute parade of a designers' collections.
In the days ahead, models must be selected, alterations made, and the final line-up is decided on, sometimes minutes before the show begins.
Confessing a deep love for the look of the 1920s and inspiration taken from the 2006 film "The Painted Veil," which starred Naomi Watts and Edward Norton, Diep said she felt that her collection properly reflects her as a designer, regardless of whether or not it goes against the conservative trends of the day.
"I think I'm going against that," said Diep.
"If anything the collection is very optimistic, it is very colourful, I think it's uplifting."
Mercedes Benz fashion week begins in New York on Friday (September 5th) and runs until September 12. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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