Edited by Lester Brathwaite
Two lucky so-and-so’s from the graduating class of the Parsons School of Design will get the internship of a lifetime thanks to a partnership with luxury conglomerate PPR and the website, The Fancy.
Edited by Lester Brathwaite
For Christmas this year, Santa slipped down my chimney Tim Gunn‘s handy dandy tome on all things classy, A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style. Perhaps the big man was trying to tell me something, but I nonetheless was eager to explore what words of dry wit and wisdom Ms. Gunn had to share with me. Taking a break from making his usual acerbic asides and berating the brash hopefuls of Project Runway – with a little help from Parsons colleague and co-writer Kate Moloney – Gunn tells you how to get the most out of your wardrobe and, of course, how to “make it work.”
Edited by Lester Brathwaite
This Wednesday, November 2nd, a panel of top industry leaders will converge at the Tribeca Grand Hotel for the latest Creative Minds Salon Series to discuss “The Correlation of Fashion and Culture.” The distinguished panelists are Joseph Altuzarra, the brilliant mind behind Altuzarra; Pierre Rougier, founder of PR Consulting; Jenne Lombardo, founder of The Terminal Presents; Dean of the School of Fashion at Parsons, Simon Collins; and top fashion photographer David Armstrong.
Edited by Lester Brathwaite
Stefani and Natali Germanotta, known to the world as Lady Gaga and — in some parts of the world — Baby Gaga, are reportedly in talks to launch their own fashion line that will be — get this — “relatively normal and wearable.” In the Gagaverse, “normal” and “wearable” are always relative, but when the standard is a sheer Mugler bodysuit perched atop a 12-in tranny heel, how normal and wearable can we possibly get?
Edited by Amanda Gabriele
Satya Twena didn’t fall into design by mistake. Raised in an eclectic family of artists, the appetite to create was in her blood from the very beginning. After years working in the interior design business, Satya decided to test the waters of the fashion industry after realizing her great love for millinery. Lucky for us, her architecturally-inspired hats designed with experimental materials are truly wearable art. I got the chance to sit down with Satya and chat about her family history, vertical inspiration and the rise of the fascinator.
Edited by Amanda Gabriele
Colette Malouf is a lifetime New Yorker. Born, raised and currently creating in SoHo, she has been surrounded by the energy of emerging artists, both in her neighborhood and family, her entire life. There was never a shortage of elegance or grace in Colette’s home, and we are lucky to have that sophistication translated into her gorgeous hair accessories and costume jewelry. I met Colette in her beloved neighborhood for lunch, and she painted beautiful narratives of shopping with her father, Sundays at her grandmother’s and what she would wear to a cabaret in 1920.
Edited by Rebecca Alexander
A group of young designers originating from Parsons School of Design are launching a new boutique at 616 E. 9th Street in the East Village, entitled “Absolute Beginners.” The store opens September 2nd, 2009 at 12pm. Hours: W, Th 12-8pm; Fri, Sat 12-10pm; Sun 12-6pm; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Reception to follow on the evening of Friday, September 11th.
This venture has been organized by rising senior Fashion Design students and faculty in Parsons’ Integrated Design Curriculum. Students Michael DiPietro and Rebecca Lesesne collaboratively wrote the business plan and organized an extensive renovation process for the space at 616 E. 9th Street, the former office of the HDFC building which houses the shop. Viewing each step of the process as an experiment and learning opportunity, the students found the store’s mission on the guiding philosophy of the IDC program: “demystifying the established commercial model to create pieces, events and interactions that have an expansive energy to them.”
The boutique will house clothing, jewelry and art all created by young designers, for many of whom this will be the first entry of their work onto the market. For the several students involved from Parsons’ IDC program, it will be an application of their wide interdisciplinary skills in the fine arts, business management, marketing and merchandising, as well as designing. The store is viewed as a work in progress, and its installation and interior will be constantly evolving. Absolute Beginners also plans to host a wide variety of art parties in the store throughout the year. The founders hope to create a platform for fresh new design for years to come.
For more information, please contact the store’s press managers below:
Michael DiPietro
mdipietro_arts@yahoo.com
Rebecca Lesesne
rebecca.lesesne@gmail.com
