A look by Parsons student Alexandra Nam

Current seniors in Parsons BFA Fashion Design program will compete to win internships at one of PPR’s 16 luxury brands, which include Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Stella McCartney and Gucci. The two winners — one in ready-to-wear and one in accessories — will also be featured on The Fancy, a combination magazine/shopping guide/social network, and showcased at Barneys New York‘s Madison Ave store in September.

Centered on PPR’s “Empowering Imagination” theme, the competition is designed to stimulate new ideas at PPR’s stable of brands.

Today, a panel of judges including model Dree Hemingway, Vogue‘s Candy Pratts Price and Barneys creative director Dennis Freedman, will whittle down the top 20 candidates to five finalists based on their thesis collections and how well they exemplify the theme. The five finalists will then have their collections featured on The Fancy in mid-June with the winning look and accessory voted on by the public.

“Partnering with PPR and The Fancy,” said Simon Collins, dean of the School of Fashion at Parsons, “will provide our students with an international perspective, thus positioning them as design thinkers poised to lead fashion globally.”

The winners, announced at the end of June, will receive an expense-paid internship up to $10,000 at the PPR label of their choice.[WWD, sub req'd]

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Alexandra Nam

These bikinis are limited edition! Today is the last day to buy them and they'll ship on May 15th.

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Born in a family where the matriarch was an artist and both parents had the artistic vein, Nick Turner was surrounded by artistic expression, the things that make him who is is today. Born in Boston, Nick grew up in Maine and was home schooled until age 15. His next adventure was in France to continue his studies, where he remained until he concluded his Baccalaureate at the International School of Toulouse.

Nick was fortunate enough to be accepted into Parsons Paris campus, so he packed his bags and moved to the city of lights. During his attendance at Parsons, Nick developed a long and debilitating depression and found solace in his artwork. It was at that time he met the photographer Francois Rousseau, who was then working on the book Atelier, inspired by Patrick Grainville’s novel L’Atelier du Peintre. Rousseau cast Nick as one of the main characters in this photography book,  the role of the tortured artist, a natural fit for Turner. Rousseau and Nick developed a great friendship/mentorship that made Nick realize art was a passion he should seriously pursue.

Read the rest of this article at LOOKBOOKS.com.

- Parsons took on FIT in their annual student designer competition, the Fusion Fashion Show, with Parsons strutting home the victor. [Paper]

- Brazilian hoofer Caroline Trentini editorially jumped the broom this weekend, marrying photographer Fabio Bartelt. [Made in Brazil]

- John Galliano’s still lurking around Paris, as dandy as he wants to be in a beanie and pencil-thin moustache. [WWD]

- Marc Jacobs pays his models in “trade,” i.e. clothes and judging from his last collection, a lot of girls went home severely underpaid. [Huff Po]

- Human Care Bear Alber Elbaz broke out his singing chops during his tenth anniversary party and then a glitter rainbow shot out from his bowtie. [Grazia]

- Vogue Italia‘s editrix-in-chic Franca Sozzani will receive France’s highest civilian honor, the Legion of Honor, which she will hopefully turn into a cocktail ring used to slap insolent interns. And she’ll call it “getting honored.” [The Cut]

What owning this book says about you: “Sure, I’m a slob, but at least I’m willing to admit it, dammit.” Gunn truly offers a lot of useful style tips from dressing for your particular body shape to organizing your closet, even how to walk like a friggin’ lady. Think of him as the Professor Higgins to your Eliza Dolittle.

What will people say?: “Money can’t buy you class, what makes you think this book can?” Timbo is nothing if not practical — perhaps a little too practical — and he lets you know from the get-go that this book isn’t supposed to change who you are, just improve and enhance. It’s not like you’re going to go from Guidette to Countess after thumbing through, but if you need to know the difference between Black Tie, White Tie and California Casual, both you and your friends could benefit from Gunn’s guidance.

How this book will make your fashion brain grow: Alongside the sartorial tips, Gunn adds a plethora of fashion facts and historical figures that take this above and beyond your usual self-help book. As incredible as it seems, I hadn’t even heard of Deeda Blair, one of Tim’s childhood heroines and the most likely inspiration for Cruella de Vil, before now.

If you like this, you’ll love: Gunn’s Golden Rules: Life’s Little Lessons for Making It Work, Tim’s follow-up to his popular guide offers even more taste tips, poise points and conduct cues.

11. University of Delaware Newark, DE

Campus Tour: The smallest state also has a small design program that is focused on quality garment making from every angle. The program follows a garment through its entire lifecycle, from the creative design and tailoring, to a focus on sustainably producing goods on both small and large scale in a socially and environmentally minded manner. An entirely student run fashion magazine, UDress, and fashion shows exist outside of class, working to show and pull fashion out of this college driven town.

Programs: Apparel Design, Merchandising, Sustainability

Student Body: 16,500

Tuition:  $27,000

Star Alumni: Well, me. And a fierce force that is the backbone of the garment industry.

Alexander McQueen

BEVERLY HILLS, CA - JANUARY 16: Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones arrives at the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton hotel on January 16, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

attends the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2011 in New York City.

Rick Owens

Alber Elbaz

The idea behind this new fashion adventure is “to remodel the styles of classic icons from the past, for example, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Katherine Hepburn.” Well, you can never go wrong with old Hollywood, I always say, and it would be interesting to see Kitty Hep’s trouser-loving style translated by someone not really known for wearing pants.

Natali, a Parsons grad, is already outfitting an off-Broadway show and will presumably handle the lion’s share of design duties; especially since big sis is stretched thin as it is, what with the demands of being a global phenomenon and all — something I can identify with (no big deal). Gaga the Younger is rumored to be “coming up with a slew of design options” and rest assured, “everything will have their twist on it.”[Grazia Daily, Daily Telegraph]

You come from an eclectic, non-traditional family of artists. What type of art did you grow up around?
My grandfather revolutionized the interior design industry. He was one of the first people to bring colored wallpaper to California during the late 1960s and 70s. My cousin was in the music industry and has written songs for Whitney Houston. My grandmother was an illustrator, my mom’s first cousin’s husband is a well-known sculptor and she is an amazing painter who began her craft at 50 years old. Hillary Clinton asked her to paint a portrait of Chelsea when they were in the White House. My entire family gets together in Ojai, CA for Thanksgiving, and it’s like Woodstock revisited – with all these artists together, it’s the best energy and love you could ask for.

So you were very encouraged as a child to follow your dreams and do whatever your heart desired?
Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, so it makes sense that my brother, sister and I are independent. I wouldn’t say art was pushed on us, but we went towards it naturally. I spent most of my early days as a soccer player, competing on the early Olympic Development Team and in college as well. But somewhere in college, I decided I wanted to do something creative. I thought maybe I didn’t have the art gene, but suddenly, it’s all I wanted to do. I went back to school to study interior design at Parsons and took milliner classes at FIT. I secured an interior design job working with Bill Sofield, where I worked on everything from high-end residential to Tom Ford stores to the SoHo and Tribeca Grand hotels.

Interior design can be a very mathematical and structural craft. How did working in that industry influence your millinery?
I always say I make structurally interesting hats. Because I worked for an interior/architecture firm, I consider proportion, scale and how things move and look. I have the mind of an interior designer and the advantage of having worked with different materials. Unlike many designers perfecting their craft in the fashion industry, I came from people working with wood and ceramic. I am always asking how can I take these materials and techniques and construct them into something else, something new. That is my challenge, working with non-traditional materials.

Hats are almost becoming a lost dressing art. What made you want to go into the millinery business? Was it a lack of good product in the industry?
My aunt was a fashion designer in California and was always putting us kids in the fun hats she was making. Apparently, my great-grandmother was also a milliner in New York. My husband used to go to a milliner in the East Village, who we loved. I wanted to figure out how a milliner worked, so I asked if I could apprentice her, an unpaid position. Unfortunately, she rudely said no. It was very discouraging, but it motivated me to learn the trade and prove her wrong.

It came to the point where I was working long hours at the firm and was constantly stressed out. I asked myself “if I only had six months to live, would I be doing what I am doing now?” And I thought, “no, I would be working on my own. “ I looked down, saw all these hats I made and realized how much I loved making them. Selling hats to friends turned into selling them online. I just began selling at Charles Nolan, ABC Carpet & Home and will be in Treasure & Bond in the fall. But my big goal is Bendels.

Where does your inspiration come from on a daily basis? Do nature and people inspire you? What about the architecture of the city?
It’s so random. My husband and I travel a lot, and I spent a lot of time photographing anything I find interesting. I often find myself searching for things I photographed more than fives years ago and is relevant to my current project. I could be walking down the street, see something and think it would make a terrific structure or a cool color combination. People must think I’m a tourist because I walk the city with my head up. I see plants and flower arrangements and examine the proportion compared to the vase. I don’t make many large hats; I try to take the idea of a big hat and make it more me. I just styled women for the Frederick Olmsted Awards at Central Park and the Kentucky Derby with small fascinators and headpieces. I think small is the new big – fascinators are really in this season.

In the future, is there any other type of art you want to explore? What else could you design that the Satya woman would love?
I am a huge fan of dresses with pockets. Charles Nolan and I began our friendship over it – he always made them and I always love them. So I think next year, there might be a collection of vintage-inspired dresses and smoking jackets for women. I strangely like uniforms. Like the cartoon Daria, I work towards wearing the same thing every day. I want the same dress in a dozen colors and patterns to wear with black tights, black shoes and a jacket. I don’t like to think hard about what I’m going to wear. Comfortable, beautiful and chic is my motto. That is the Satya woman.

You can see more photos of Satya’s work and read her blog on her website.

You grew up in creative New York neighborhood SoHo in the company of artists and in the midst of your family’s loungewear business, Perfect Negligee. What influences from your background, both culturally and business-wise, do you interpret for your own line?
My grandfather left Lebanon in 1920 and started Perfect Negligee based on the caftan. My great-grandfather was cultivating mulberry trees for silk worms, so there has also been a history of textiles and silk in my family.

I grew up with Canal Street in my backyard and spent time rummaging through the odds and ends I found there. I was seeing the emerging scene in the East Village and SoHo, and loved it because I’m a creative person. There is always a refined angle to my designs because you can’t take elegant out of my DNA. I grew up in velvet robes with lace collars. Sunday at my grandmother’s was layers of china, crystal and silver. My family was extremely formal and my father very dapper. He never wore jeans. I remember going shopping with him and I would be like “look daddy this is so cute” and he would say “no honey look at the poor stitching.” I couldn’t buy anything that was bad quality.

So you spent a lot of time in your grandmother’s attic and exploring the treasures of Canal Street. Do you have any favorite pieces that continue to inspire you?
Oh yes, I have a lot of those things. I saved all the leather suitcases and lots of jeweled shoes. I have this bronze statue of a 1920s girl arched back holding a dish. I saved perfume bottles from the 20s that belonged to my grandmother. I discovered these Elizabethan-looking velvet sleeves adorned with white mink and tubes of black velvet. I was saving everything as soon as I got my paws in the drawers, and those objects continually inspire me.

I found this really cool chain on Canal Street once. It’s an intricately designed, cast leaf texture on figure-eight shaped link. I found out it’s a chandelier chain because I recently saw it on the Bowery in a store going out of business. I loved all the little trinkets I would find on Canal.

Your father always made you pay attention to the quality of a garment, and your customer is looking for this same type of elegance. What do you do to make sure your product stays consistent with these expectations?
It all starts from the beginning. When I decide to work with a material and a factory, I have to be able to trust the quality. If I think the material is too fragile, I decide not to work with it, even if I love it. We ship internationally and a material must withstand production, handling and wear. There are things I can’t do because I know the quality will disappoint my customer.

Do you ever find you are inspired to create around a fabric rather than starting with the design itself first?
I look at many aspects when I approach design. I look at all materials to see what I like and then figure out what to do with them. I look at the attributes and obstacles to working with them. What are the confinements and what are the opportunities? Then I look at all of the manufacturing possibilities. Some pieces require handwork, and others are made with machinery. I take everything into consideration before settling on a final design.

What can the Colette Malouf lady not leave the house without? Who is your customer, and what is she like?
She is highly educated, likes to travel and try new things. She has a very strong sense of integrity. Before buying something, she carefully decides if she identifies with its quality or originality. She’s curious and a culture seeker. She goes to the theater and listens to music – she’s so interested in life. She shops in the most expensive stores, but also goes antiquing and likes to find unusual things to mix with her collection of modern pieces. Something old, something new, always elegant in her motto.

You occasionally lecture students at Parsons about design and the fashion industry. What do you tell young designers in the industry about starting a business? What can you learn from these students?
I tell young designers to think about what it means to have your own company because it’s a huge sacrifice to have all that responsibility early in life. I can’t even count how many times I couldn’t attend Sunday brunch or go on vacation. Owning a business isn’t for some but inevitable for others. I couldn’t work for anybody else because I needed to express this strong vision I have. My life is dedicated to my vision, and I’m sure you’ll hear the same story from many designers.

I look to young people in the industry as a checkpoint. I ask myself if I’m getting too serious or too safe. I try to listen to my assistant because even if I can foresee obstacles with certain designs, it’s good to be open to others’ opinions.

Do things like nature, architecture or other designers inspire you? What really speaks to you?
For a long time, I was really nature and object-inspired. But now I’m much more passionate about being experientially-inspired. I feel a piece can be inspired by one single element, but it doesn’t work that way for the collection as a whole. A recent trip to Turkey heavily inspired me, as do the 1920s. I think about what I would wear sitting in a cabaret in 1920 and bring the customer into a narrative. It’s the storytelling that I really enjoy and find inspiring.

Sometimes its hard to remember why I get into something, but seeing a picture, texture or material can start to spark my inspiration. I have all these impressions of life stored in my memory bank that I build upon and turn into a story.

All photos are from the Colette Malouf Fall 2011 collection lookbook. To view past collections and learn more about the brand, visit her website at colettemalouf.com.

This week, students from Parsons New School of Design and The Fashion Institute of Technology faced off in the final round of the Fusion Fashion Show to determine: Which school has the best designers? This show has featured contestants in the past that you may have heard of: Alexander Wang, Chris Benz, Prabal Gurung. Yeah. So I watched with a keen eye as 15 designers from each school presented a collection of four or five looks; which of these talents might we see next at NY Fashion Week? Fashion Indie caught up with the Best Designer at FIT (the only designer I put a star next to in my Moleskin, pegging him the winner during the show) Wonki Lee. He just so happened to come from the winning school. Congrats FIT! Could Wonki be the next Prabal? Interview after the jump.

Your collection is entitled “Industrial Art: The Elegance of Mechanization,” what draws you to the industrial arts?

Whenever I am about to start working on a project, I try to go to a museum to get some inspiration. When I applied for Fusion, I got into some industrial arts at MOMA and took pictures of them. Usually, Industrial art is made with wood or metal marterial, so it has a kind of rough feeling. However, what I came up with for my collection was to translate the feeling of Industry art into an elegant mood concentrating on the geometrical shapes.

Yes. I made some kilts for men in my collection. The Kilt has been recently adapted as an item of fashionable male clothing and we’ve seen this fashion item on the runway for years. I felt that the pleats in the the kilt matched the geometric shape that I took from my inspiration. Also, I thought the kilt would be a good item to capture the audience’s attention because it’s unusual but it’s truly trendy and fun.

It is true that Fusion is a competition, but FIT and Parsons truly worked together. I would say that we are both winners. FIT designers were motivated by Parsons designers and I hope they were, too.That is what makes Fusion get more high quality collections. I think that Fusion makes both schools more strongly connected with each other. I hope that Fusion inspired  both school’s students.

Since my arrival here in New York, one and a half years ago, I have surely learned a lot about menswear design and the construction of garments. I wanted to show off my knowledge about menswear and Fusion gave me that chance. It was a great opportunity for me to share my passion with other  talented and amazing fusioners. It was such a pleasure to work with them. I will remember them for the rest of my life.

All winners:

FIT: Runner up – Alexa Wright. Winner – Wonki Lee

Parsons: Runner up – Meghan Spielman. Winner – Victoria Hayes.

School: FIT

Irina Shabayeva, winner of Project Runway season 6 (my, they are adding up, what are we on, 8? 9?), fine tuned her inherent eye and deep desire for designing forward thinking womenswear at Parsons. Her look is winning on the red (blue) carpet, and you can expect to see more this season of awards.

Selena Gomez 2011 People's Choice Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live - Press Room Los Angeles, California - 05.01.11 Mandatory Credit: FayesVision/WENN.com

Don’t miss these tidbits about some of the world’s top fashion designers:

Point of origin

• Kate Spade – Kansas City, MO
• Yves Saint Laurent – Oran, Algeria
• John Bartlett – Cincinnati, OH
• Anna Sui – Detroit, MI
• Texas – Todd Oldham, Tom Ford
• Bronx, New York – Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein

Getting started

• Marc Jacobs — stock boy for Charivari, a New York clothing store
• Ralph Lauren — road salesman for a neckwear manufacturer
• Halston — window dresser at Carson-Pirie-Scott
• Coco Chanel — clerk in a hosiery shop
• Tommy Hilfiger — freelance designer for Jordache jeans
• Tom Ford — actor/model in TV commercials
• Michael Kors — sales assistant at a boutique
• Giorgio Armani — buyer’s assistant for a department store
• Alexander McQueen — tailor’s apprentice
• Jil Sander — fashion journalist
• Laura Ashley — secretary
• Manolo Blahnik — jeans buyer
• Salvatore Ferragamo — factory worker making cowboy boots

Education

Fashion Institute of Technology

• Calvin Klein
• Norma Kamali
• Jhane Barnes

Parsons School of Design

• Donna Karan
• Mark Badgley & James Mischka
• Tom Ford Anna Sui
• Alexander McQueen – St. Martins School of Art
• Issey Miyake – Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne
• Gianni Versace – No formal training, learned tailoring from dressmaker mother

Started on a different path

• Vivienne Westwood — teacher
• Thierry Mugler — dancer
• Christian Dior — art dealer
• Miuccia Prada — PhD, political science
• Joan Vass — museum curator

(Credit: About.com)

Models display creations of Prada Spring/Summer 2010 ready-to-wear fashion show on September 24, 2009 during the Women's fashion week in Milan. AFP PHOTO / Giuseppe Cacace (Photo credit should read GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images)

Photographer: Samantha West

Photographer: Samantha West

From three-finger rings and mixed-metal necklaces to spiked bangles and shoulder-duster earrings, the collection includes custom-designed pieces of unrivaled quality and undeniable impact.

Melissa is committed to the belief that a single, strong statement piece can be enough to create a compelling look; she designs with an eye for sculptural art and a focus on sterling silver. The line’s name is intended to evoke timeless concepts of femininity while celebrating the many manifestations of beauty, as represented in Melissa’s use of contrasting materials. She aims to create modern relics — durable pieces that pay homage to ageless standards of quality while offering a current perspective for a new generation of women.

This jewelry is brilliant indies, so go out and support a local, talented and artistic designer. You know you’re sick of the cookie-cutter bullshit anyway.

LINK LOVE: LADY & RUIN

Photographer: Samantha West

While the photos are unmistakably well done, one has to wonder what Chesky’s motives were.  Were these done in the spirit of art?  As a denouncement of our society?  One commenter on another blog seems to think so, saying:

This piece is about materialism and consumerism. It’s critiquing the very nature of this blog and it’s (sic) followers.

That’s all well and good, but when reading Chesky’s own quote on the project, it makes you wonder if that’s the case or if she’s just dumb (but skilled!):

“Our lovely model, Chris, has lived on Mercer Street for a few decades by choice. I’m calling this series The Original Hipster because on most days he doesn’t even look like he’s truly homeless.“

Um…what?  Or am I just being an asshole?  Yeah, I’m probably just being an asshole.

LINK LOVE: HighSnobiety

A friend referred me to David Alexander’s site, and on viewing his collections I fell in love with the fur, leather, mesh, studs, jewels, and all of my favorite things compiled into one fashion show. Once I began to speak with David, I found his quirky, enthusiastic and overly creative personality absolutely thrilling, and had to share it with you.

Here’s a little anecdote that got me hooked on David straight away:

So my friend Susan calls me and says ” your gonna be so mad at me.” and as I put down my Playstation controller and jogged over to my computer I see this email and I’m like…..who is that, and she goes “Well I dunno, but she is prolly never gonna buy another skirt from you or Curve again..” and Im like omg omg did i fudge up and the skirt zipper was broke because I do pride myself on an 100% usa made quality product…”She goes well I saw her in the skirt and I freaked out and ran over and I was lil drunk and I sort of shook her cause I was in the gold one and was like OMG OMG my friend made these arent they great”….So basically if you buy my clothes in NY and a crazy beautiful woman runs over to you its my friend Susan haha I cant be mad she is just all about my designs and gives me so much support.

I was also lucky enough to hear from David on a few questions that I asked:

FASHION INDIE:  How did you get your start in designing?

DAVID ALEXANDER: I started designing at 12 when I started drawing super hero costumes, and worked watched my grandma design wedding dresses for fun, then eventually went to FIDM and Parsons where I got my BA in Fine arts Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing. I have done freelance work for Juicy, DKNY, and Simon G.

FI: Your collection ‘Broken Princess and Her Secret Prince’ features a secret prince named David…any chance it’s named after you?

DA: Yah sort of I design clothing based on stories I come up so with every outfit I took all the women I know and work with and sort of designed around that, the princesses name was Alexis after my little sister.  I guess my ultimate ambitions of having a luxury line, a comic book, and an action cartoon television series haha.

FI: Can you tell us anything about your new line? I hear from a super secret source that it’s called Dahlia Dangeroux

DA: So far yes, it’s designed around inspiration from the Black Dahlia, and my non-fiction short movie ill be working on with an actress friend of mine….Im about 60% it will be called Dahlia Dangeroux or Fleeting Stars…but around the same concept, which is a young hollywood actress is kidnapped by mad man who is kidnaping the creme de la creme of Young Hollywood, and while knocked out in the drunk she dreams of all the movies, red carptes and wonderful things she could do if she survives…..and the unfolding of the story. it was inspried by a spoken word song called victim by the golden palminos. I know weird right? LOL im totally a nerdo

FI: I’ve noticed you shoot a lot with the fabulous Laura La Rue.  Has she, or any other models acted as your muse to your lines?

DA: I use people who i feel are truly beautiful inside and out, that brings out the best in a dress a confident sexy woman..Laura is also a red head like my mom and as an ode to her I always use red heads and brunettes …I also love love love Monica Bellucci she is a muse as well as Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li and my other friend Iwona Lis. one of my new muses is Karen Elson (YSL model) and Chanel Iman.

FI: You make everything from evening gowns to menswear..how on earth does your brain balance all of that?

DA: I have no clue I think my skull is full of clouds red bull, anime and video games. I always make these collections and when im done im like does is this stuff go together at all and then when people read the story there like ya…and im like…….( O_o…..ok) I guess i just do my own thing and so far its worked…

FI: What’s next? Red carpet looks, diffusion line, world takeover?

DA: (Hehehe :::Twiddling Fingers:::: World Domination All My clothes have secret tracking devices MWAHAHA)……. Um well winter is always BOOM BOOM glamour because it can be heavier but my winter is gonna be very high end couture with a few actual everyday..well what I call everyday dresses if it were up to me everyone would run around in evening gowns and furs trying to one up each other….But I just got signed on by SAGA FUR for the Royal Vision Team so I will be taking a trip in October to see all the techniques and amazing things they can do with it im thinking Chains Metal Spikes and Sable… Im def working on some casual items that are more affordable but they will still retain there runway glamour look and probably only kick the price down a good 40 or 60 bux but hey save where u  can save and where the same dress every day…I wear the same jeans….they just fit so well!

FI: Any advice for hopeful designers?

DA: YOU GOTTA WORK!….Um I dunno…ya know the world of fashion is tough and there are moments you can get very heavy hearted my advice is to if you wanna be a designer get tough skin and a shit load of 5hour energy because when you think you have made it or you have caught up you realize its 2 months from your next show and your scrambling from fabric shop to shop looking for your inspiration …..Haha I guess I have alot of advice to give like dont judge any other designers work unless there an asshole then rip up there dress, but if there cool compliment them because everyone has there own style and when u see someone and out and your like OMG what are they wearing well there wearing someone design which is more then I can say for some other people who spend all day judging…but I wont give up to much info its best to learn as you do the ups and downs create great great collections.

–

If you aren’t sold on David Alexander yet, see more of his looks on Envy. Check out his site, and shop at the following locations:

“how do u kill a blonde u give her spike shoulder pads and ask her a question ( raising shoulders) she answers “I dunno”

Flora Gill and Alexa Adams of Ohne Titel, German for ‘no title,’ met at Parsons and are greatly inspired by German artist Anselm Keifer. Beyond that, there is nothing Teutonic about them.

Read the interview here.

Thanks Trend de la Creme!

You have to admit, now is probably the scariest time to graduate. Designers are bellyflopping. Retailers are downsizing. Buyers ain’t buying. But thanks to Lisa Weiss and Debut, her downtown boutique, students might actually have a prayer at making some bank. Many pieces from the Parsons senior collection will be on sale during the week of June 16th. If you’re not in the market to buy, at least stop on by the Mulberry street store to check out the designs and show your support. These young designers need as much consumer feedback as possible! 

Debut: 298 Mulberry Street   (On sale starting June 16th for one week)

Thanks The New York Times!

The sudden onslaught of Gossip Girl ready fashions and looks from designers setting out to dress the four twatasaurus’ from Sex and the City has gotten me on the watch for a designer who can really add a category in the “look to aspire to” section of the department stores.

Newbie designer Teddy Willoughby, 28, of Bland might just be the designer I was looking for.  With a collection that was created for the “art gallery girls, artists, movers and shakers”, Teddy  is helping usher in a new type of look, one in which who you know is just as important as what you wear.

“Think Kim Basinger’s character in ’80s movie “9 1/2 weeks”–she plays a SoHo art dealer–strong, beautiful and edgy; women whose closets might be full of Japanese labels like Yohji Yamamoto or Comme des Garcons or Alaia and Balenciaga. ”

Sci-fi inspired cuts and tongue in cheek accessories, like a hair clip made from fake cigarettes, play a role in his Spring collection, while techno fabrics like those used in backpack straps, create the canvas for his truly unique designs. With only one season under his belt, this designer will surely be getting a lot of attention in the next coming weeks as he presents his newest collection, and becomes one of Fashion Indie’s designer to watch. Seriously, we see this Parsons grad becoming the next Alexander Wang, so watch for him to make major strides in 2009.

Thanks to FWD for spotting this amazing designer.

FWD105 A hairpiece made out of fake cigarettes designed by Teddy Willoughby of Bland for his Spring 2009 presentation is displayed in his New York studio on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. (Fashion Wire Daily/Renata Espinosa)

FWD104 Mannequins wearing designs by Teddy Willoughby of Bland for his Spring 2009 presentation during New York Fashion Week on Sept. 10, are shown in his New York studio on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2008. (Fashion Wire Daily/Renata Espinosa)

FWD103 Pictured is a design by Teddy Willoughby of Bland from his Spring 2009 collection to be shown in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. (Fashion Wire Daily/HO, Courtesy of Bland)

FWD102 Pictured is a design by Teddy Willoughby of Bland from his Spring 2009 collection to be shown in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. (Fashion Wire Daily/HO, Courtesy of Bland)

FWD101 Pictured is a design by Teddy Willoughby of Bland from his Spring 2009 collection to be shown in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008. (Fashion Wire Daily/HO, Courtesy of Bland)