Tag Archives: NYCEDC

Design Entrepreneurs NYC is Recruiting the Class of 2013

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KahriAnne Kerr presenting her plan to a panel of industry experts

Looking to take your fashion business to the next level and need the tools and knowledge to help you run your day-to-day operations while you grow your brand? If so, we encourage you to apply to Design Entrepreneurs NYC. In its second year, our free “mini-MBA” program brought to you by FIT and the NYCEDC will consist of 35 designers for its 2013 class.

Designers selected into the program will participate in weekend intensive seminars from industry leaders on topics such as operations, marketing, financials and other brand building topics. Participants will be paired with a mentor and will use the summer months to work on their business plan. Those that complete the program will also have the opportunity to pitch to a panel of influential industry leaders.

Here’s our criteria for eligibility:

  • Must be a NYC-based (all 5 boroughs welcome) fashion designer
  • Have a NYC-based fashion design business including: womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, and/or accessories
  • Be committed to attending all mandatory events (e.g. kick-off, weekend intensives, presentation skills workshop, closing events)
We’d also like you to: 
  • Have been in business for at least one year
  • Have demonstrated traction in the industry (e.g. press coverage, sales, etc.)

The deadline to apply is March 31 at midnight. Learn more about the program at Design Entrepreneurs NYC. 

Design Entrepreneurs in the News: Fashion Week Roundup

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Our design entrepreneurs had a strong presence at New York Fashion Week. From showing at Lincoln Center to the piers and all over the city, their spring collections were wonderful. We weren’t the only ones that noticed their talent. Take a look at just some of the clippings!

Sarah Canner featured on CrainsNewYork.com 

 

Suzanne Rae featured on Ecouterre.com 

Parke & Ronen featured on GQ.com 

Soham Dave featured on EcoSalon.com 

Marlon Gobel featured on GQ.com 

Q&A With Design Entrepreneur Katerina Lankova

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We had a chance to sit down with Katerina Lankova, one of our design entrepreneurs to learn more about STEE-LETAS, a fun, legwear label that keeps ladies in style below the knee!

Can you tell us about your brand?
STEE-LETAS is a different kind of legwear that can serve as a substitute for boots, and keep you warm and protected from the weather. They are highly fashionable and you will be noticed once you put them on! You’ll probably also get asked questions about what they are when you wear them!

They are a great accessory between the seasons too. You can wear them when it’s cold or warm because they are made out of many different materials such as lace, leather and anything in between.

How did you get started? 
I have been sewing all my life but in 2007, I left Aspen after six years and came to NY with conscious plan to become a fashion designer. So I believe that was the start of my fashion career. I wanted to design skiwear but then when I created STEE-LETAS it changed my direction.
STEE-LETAS® were purely made out of necessity. I was sitting in my apartment at 3 a.m. with no money to spend on boots, so I made my legwear out of old stretch turtleneck and piece of a leather skirt. It worked!When I began, I was only using leather but then I thought of legs as a canvas and started using other materials and techniques such as lace, feathers, embroidery etc…The options are pretty much endless. You can use the front panel for a piece of art if you wish.
Did you go to design school? 
I did go to school for textile of manufacturing and technology back in the Czech Republic and I learned how to make clothes, but I had no idea I would become a designer. That was a process and journey, something you are given and cannot be learned. You just have to discover it within yourself. It took me a long time to find it and own it.
What’s your aesthetic?
I would say fashion forward and edgy. I believe I am innovative and also like to recycle and use materials from vintage stores to incorporate them into my designs because the end product has more personality.
Tell me about all of your lines you are currently working on?
At this moment I am mainly focusing on STEE-LETAS®, but on the side I’ve been involved with other projects such as designing costumes for music videos and dance performances.
In ski season, I also make special custom pieces for ladies in Aspen. It has always been my passion. I can make endless designs of STEE-LETAS and I can do it with my eyes closed, but to make something like ski pants gives me more of a challenge. I need that besides making something as simple as legwear. I like the intricate and tailored jackets and creating skiwear and equestrian one-of-a-kind pieces gives me feeling of true satisfaction.
But I like it all, and I love to sew. I make everything myself and don’t have a seamstress. My ideas come through while I am working on the actual piece and touching the material.
Check out more at Katerina Lankova

Q&A With Design Entrepreneur Sunghee Bang

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Sunghee Bang Spring/Summer 2013

Here’s our latest chat with design entrepreneur Sunghee Bang. She describes her brand as a beautiful, quality label with an element of surprise that is for women who enjoy the luxury feel of knitwear and strong craftsmanship.

How long have you been designing? I have been designing my line for 3 years.

You started you line after attending FIT. Did you work for McQueen before or after school? I interned for Alexander McQueen right before my senior year. It was my last summer break in my life, so I wanted to experience something special. In 2008, I designed the Eiffel Tower and coil body prints for his Spring 2009 collection. Working in London with Alexander McQueen provided me with an entirely different perspective on fashion. McQueen’s approach to design showed me that there is no one-way to design.

Sunghee Bang Spring/Summer 2013

What’s your inspiration for spring/summer 13?
This season is all about sporty, versatile and easy-to-wear knits. The collection consists of minimized silhouettes with unusual twists such as combining stripes and flower prints with shiny and matte textures, creating asymmetrical silhouettes with un-matched seams along with tailored woven and soft knit shapes.

Using unique techniques and playing with perforated textures, I created 54 pieces that worked together to harmonize various ideas.

Continue reading →

See What Our Design Entrepreneurs are Posting on Instagram

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Tirana Jewelry

Instagram has been on the rise for some time. When it became available on Android this April, the craze got even bigger with over 10 million user signups in 10 days reports American Express Open Forum in a story on why brands should be on Instagram. Oh, and yes, there was the Facebook acquisition for $1 billion dollars too.

Our smart and savvy designers have made their way onto Instagram with some product pics and behind the scenes shots. Here’s what they have going on:

Between The Sheets Lingerie

Adam Sirak

Check Out Our Designers at MAGIC

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     Parke and Jessy at PROJECT

Three of our designers spent last week at MAGIC, the tradeshow that’s held in Las Vegas twice a year. We were out there to support our Design Entrepreneurs and see them in action!

Recollection by Sandra Murphy and Anjelika Krisna-Daftau of A.D.O. were two out of 10 designers that were selected to participate in the Launchpad Emerging Designers Showcase, an initiative sponsored by Fashion Business Incorporated, Balluun and Global Purchasing Agencies that gave up-and-coming designers prime real estate on the show floor and exposure to buyers, press and industry resources.

Parke & Ronen were at PROJECT introducing their latest sportswear and swim collections.

Anjelika and Sandra at Launchpad

Q&A With Leota New York

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Sarah Carson Cloud, Founder of Leota New York, the womenswear label that designs refreshing ladylike silhouettes for a touch of everyday wearable glamour gave us the scoop on her spring/summer 2013 collection and threw in some fun facts too!

Tells us about your spring 2013 collection?

With every collection, I make dresses that instill just a bit of unexpected delight into our daily routines. For spring 2013, I was inspired by a photograph of Grace Kelly strolling along the beaches of Monaco. I used rich aquatic blues, bright floral prints and warm colors to evoke the feeling a blissful seaside vacation.

What inspires you?

My great-grandmother Leota (the brand’s namesake) is a huge inspiration. Her heyday was the 50’s, and she got dressed as if every day was a special occasion. A lot of my inspiration comes from old family photos and mid-century screen sirens. My dresses evoke that classic glamour without requiring a girdle!

What is the best advice you have ever received?

Good manners go a long way towards building lasting relationships. At the Leota studio we always say that good manners and everyday glamour never go out of style. My team and I walk that walk every day.

What direction do you see women’s fashion moving in for the upcoming seasons?

Women will always want clothes that feel chic without sacrificing comfort. Our lives are getting busier, so versatility will continue to be important. Every season we keep the line fresh with a new collection of prints in iconic silhouettes. Styles like our faux wrap and reversible dresses, show that fashion can be simple and elegant, timely and timeless, which is what we all want.

What would people be surprised to know about you?

I have a black belt in Kung Fu. I took a year off in college to train and compete in the World Tournament, and won a few U.S. and European Titles. Martial Arts is about hitting the mat and getting back up to try again. It was the best preparation for my life as a business owner and for learning how to turn obstacles into opportunity.


Check out the label at Leota New York.

Celebrate the Arrival of Suzanne Rae Fall/Winter 2012 at Steven Alan on August 22

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You’re invited to celebrate the launch of Suzanne Rae’s fall/winter 2012 collection at the Steven Alan retail store in Chelsea. A D.J. set by Whitney Fierce Hercules and Love Affair will kick off the night and shoppers will receive a 10% discount on the collection.

Suzanne, a Brooklyn-based womenswear designer and DENYC participant,  keen on empowering women through her well-fitting blouses, pants and dresses, gave us the scoop on what’s ahead.

Can you tell us about your fall/winter 2012 collection?

The collection is inspired by the internal revolution channeling the spirits of Jim Morrison, Aldous Huxley and William Blake. Poetic and rock-n-roll, the
collection is fueled by a quest for knowledge and heightened consciousness.

You’ll see hand-screened prints designed to connect with the natural world through wood and fur inspired prints created by artist Sam Dakota. Dresses and gowns, jacket and capes, as well as separates come in bold silhouettes in rich velvets and wools to add depth the the collection.

Learn more about the label at Suzanne Rae and rsvp to rsvp@statepr.com.

Suzanne Rae Fall/Winter 2012 Preview
August 22 from 7-9pm
Steven Alan
140 10th Avenue, NYC
(between 18th & 19th)

Behind the Scenes With Between The Sheets

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Layla L’obatti, Arden Leigh and Treacle Tart from the Lingerie Addict

This week we had a chance to meet up with Between The Sheets, an effortlessly sensual and no doubt comfortable line of lingerie that’s Made in New York during their market week. We got a preview of their spring/summer 2013 collection, sat in on an editor appointment and learned more about the label.

Here are some fun facts about the brand and their new collection:

  • Between The Sheets began as a fashion show event that Layla L’obatti founded while she was a sophomore specializing in intimates at FIT. The show ran for three years and was covered in Women’s Wear Daily and drew an audience close to 1000 people during its final season.
  •  Every Between The Sheets collection uses some sort of clever combination of the word play (e.g. Airplay, Venus in Play) and is stamped on their label. Spring 2013 is all about shades of heather grey, ambrosia, and olympian blue in draped jersey knits that are soft, easy and are perfect to lounge in.
  •  Their premium line, Layla L’obatti for Between The Sheets uses silk rolls, lace folds and velvet bows for their Arabesque collection. You’ll see delicate bralettes and tap pants, gorgeous robes and surprising versatile stretch velvet garters (you can wear it as a belt too) that will make you want a new wardrobe!
  • Both of their collections are made in two separate facilities in NYC, one that specializes in cut and sew knitwear and one in silks. The sewers and workers at each of these facilities are highly specialized in their handling of these specific materials.
  • Each piece of lace in their Arabesque collection is meticulously hand cut. The tap pant & gown has six pieces and the wrap robe has eight that need to be cut to exact angles for each size in order to fit on the body of the garment. These pieces are then stitched together with zero tolerance because they have to form a perfect miter, then appliquéd to the silk, and finally the silk behind is cut away to create the cut-out design. They hand cut hundreds of pieces of lace between our fall/spring production of these styles.
Learn more about the brand at Between The Sheets.