USA: Designer Richard Chai presents his Spring/Summer 2012 collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York

Record ID: 776808

  • Title: USA: Designer Richard Chai presents his Spring/Summer 2012 collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York
  • Date: 9th September 2011
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICHARD CHAI, FASHION DESIGNER, SAYING: "It's actually the very first time that I am doing combined men's and women's show together. So that's another reason why it's different and quite exciting. The 'Richard Chai Love' collection was inspired by the men's collection when I started it. So essentially it just completely made sense to kind of bring it all back full circle and do a show together. "
  • Embargoed: 24th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA3VE527CUMIJV705LCZIBXM61W
  • Story Text: Designer Richard Chai created a colorful kaleidoscope of go-with-the-flow clothes for beach boys and girls in his Spring/Summer 2012 collection, which he showed on Thursday (September 8) at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York.
    Coral, blue, plum and bright green popped off the runway in floral prints or solid colors, with an occasional mix of stripes thrown in for fun. Messy hair and bright makeup -- teal lipstick, for example -- complemented the designer's colorful beach theme.
    Chai, a Korean-American designer who is based in New York, looked as relaxed backstage as if he were at a pool party while he talked with Reuters Television about his spring and summer collection.
    "Coming off of last season, which was really a study on textures and structure and just kind of a refined silhouette, I wanted to go in a much more stronger direction this season," Chai said.
    "So there is lots of color. It's kind of a mash-up of different things that I was feeling. Lots of prints, lots of patterns and kind of a kaleidoscope of shapes and -- it's very different."
    Even the Hawaiian shirt got a makeover in his cotton iris print in versions for men and women.
    An electric blue silk dress in a one-shoulder style flowed as the model walked the runway.
    The women's clothes ranged from maxi skirts and flowing patio pants paired with lean little tops to short shorts, dresses and mini skirts worn over pants.
    For men, Chai showed board shorts, bike shorts and oversized pants in bright orange and green cotton. He layered a sheer white T-shirt over a cadet blue-and-white floral shirt -- a fresh look for men's casual wear.
    Chai's runway offered 46 looks, a sizable collection compared with others presented in Lincoln Center.
    "It's actually the very first time that I am doing combined men's and women's show together," Chai told Reuters Television.
    "So that's another reason why it's different and quite exciting. The 'Richard Chai Love' collection was inspired by the men's collection when I started it. So essentially it just completely made sense to kind of bring it all back full circle and do a show together."
    When asked how his Asian heritage may have influenced his designs, Chai spoke about the advantages of his upbringing.
    "Certainly growing up Korean-American and growing up with the values of my family is instilled in me, certainly I think to some degree," Chai said.
    "But I think I am Korean in a lot of ways, but I am also so New York and so American at the same time. So I have the best of both."
    He described how his parents' professional backgrounds and encouragement have played a role in his success.
    "My parents have been so incredible," Chai said in the backstage interview with Reuters Television.
    "My mother was a painter her whole life and really enjoys it. And my father is a chemical engineer with a PhD so he's that side. But I think at the end of the day, they understood that there is a talent that I had, it was something that I wanted to do, and as long as I worked really hard, they always said, 'Be the best at what you can do.'"
    Among those spotted on the front row at Chai's show was Steven Kolb, the CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Chai's show was one of the first on the schedule for the first day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York, which runs through September 15th in Lincoln Center and at other venues around Manhattan.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register