Mercedes Benz Fashion Week NYC: Son Jung Wan Fall/Winter 2015

Ever since I attended the Concept Korea fashion show a few years ago at Lincoln Center, I've been a big fan of Korean designer Son Jung Wan.  This season's Fall/Winter 2015 show did not disappoint.  

 The color wheel ran the gamut of rich hues including fuchsia, violet, orange, turquoise, mint gree, with metallic gold and silver thrown in to the mix.

I imagined myself wrapped in the brilliantly colored and  luscious coats made of fox and beaver fur, cashmere coats dramatically trimmed in fur, ideal for frigid New York City temperatures.  

These brightly colored pieces would definitely make an sophisticated alternative to the masses of urban black puffer coats (e.g. Canada Goose, Moncler) and keep you warm!

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week: Leather Japan 2014

For Mercedes Benz Fashion Week,  Leather Japan showcased at contemporary art gallery, Thomas Erben Gallery, featuring a group of select contemporary leather craft works from the fields of fashion, craft work, and art.  The creations ranged from ancient Japanese traditional artifacts to everyday goods and artistic works.  For this special exhibition, nine designers and ten contemporary artists from Japan and abroad created original pieces with the theme “Japanese Leather”.

 It was amazing to see these quality Japanese leather goods, made by craftsmen using top caliber artisan techniques.  s.

I also bumped into Mr. Kosuke Tsumura, a well known Japanese designer of brand Final Home.  And I also met  the famous Susie Bubble who was very sweet and graciously accepted a photo request from me and friend

Vivienne Tam Fall 2014 Collection

This season, Vivienne Tam's Fall 2014 collection was inspired by a well-kept memory of the hidden treasures of DunHuang, the gateway to the West, at the heart of the Silk Road and pays homage to one the most revered cultural heritage sites and art shrines in the world.  It celebrates the beauty of the cave murals and underscores the imperative of historic preservation. 

The exquisite, ancient frescoes are captured in the collection through digital prints and the artwork developed for them transcend time to be relevant today.   


Earth tones of sepia, amethyst, carnelian, lapis lazuli, oxidized and jade green, sometimes interlaced with metallic gold and bronze,

JSong and ...Way Spring/Summer 2014 Collection

The JSong and …Way Spring/Summer 2014 collection of easy-to-wear pieces in vibrant colors and flattering silhouettes, showed that comfort is not a compromise to style.

The color palette was a splendid and full of pretty pastels and bright colors, with appealing names that conjured up images of springtime picnics like green apple, honey yellow, and butter yellow.

Here are some highlights from the show:

The show began with a models in bold contrasting navy linen pantsuit and skirt suit with ice blue geometric stitching.

Next came some everyday looks, such as a versatile pleated surplice top that could be worn as front or back.

Layered pieces followed in a bright pink and pastel chiffon top paired with pastel pink chiffon A-line skirt and a layered citrus green & light green chiffon top with grass green classic linen pants.

Draped chiffon dresses in cream were pretty and romantic, as well as elongating to the figure.

We then traveled back in time for mod and chic look in the form of a orange multi color block dress and orange multi color block top paired with white pants.

One of the showstoppers was a white circle lace pillow tunic paired with beige linen embroidered with white geometric stitching, an unexpected but beautiful combination.

The show ended with an elegant long sleeved red lace dress that was reminiscent of the wedding gown worn by Duchess of Cambridge.

JSong and …Way showed a lovely collection of their signature embroidery and linen pieces, both feminine and wearable.

Article written by Alice Chin, also posted on 247feature.com and AsianinNY.com

Photo credit Emily Cheng/AsianinNY.com

Monique Lhullier Spring/Summer 2012

Monique Lhullier, known for her bridal wear and red carpet gowns, strayed from her usual and showed a line of sportier looks at her Spring/Summer 2012 fashion show at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.  "With women more into fitness and healthy lifestyles, I compliment their physique using intricate seaming to outline the body".  Body hugging gowns in cobalt blue, cadminton yellow, with color blocking and sequins along the fron and sides created a streamlined effect, reminding me of a sports car.   Monique Lhullier also used leather accents for an edgy contrast with the soft chiffon gowns.  The collection was very flattering and slimming, embracing the female physique.   

Jen Kao Spring/Summer 2012

The Spring/Summer 2012 Jen Kao show opened dramatically with a model wearing a flowery tentacled "Paper Crown Imperial Masque", an intricate paper fascinator/mesh mask, with a glowing ball of light at her chest.  The mask was created by Paper-Cut-Project designers Nikki Salk and Amy Flurry and was part of the sensory feast that followed. The lighting was warm dusky orange which created a dreamy background.  The rest of collection had a lot of colorful prints in soft swirling hues and checkered patterns in green, blue, orange, pink.  The jewelry included rose gold skeleton earrings and floral pins and headpieces.  Afterwards, we met up with Taiwanese American designer backstage to talk about the inspiration for her Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

How did you come up with your inspiration?
I started developing after a conversation with a friend about lucid dreaming.  Lucid dreams are when you feel like you're paralyzed.  I used to have these dreams everyday when I was younger.  In these dreams, there are always visitors.  Usually they're very sinister and make you feel like you're in peril.  I like to turn negative things into positive things. So this is a romance story where the visitor coming is the love of your life.    And you're patiently waiting while they're coming slowly.  You feel intoxicated and paralyzed by how they make you feel. As a backdrop, I went to Alnwick England this summer and went to The Poison Garden.  I saw all these flowers that bordered between something that's fatal and something that is beautiful.  I love that duality of something that is very dangerous, lustful, and passionate.  So that created the landscape.

How do your ideas come to you?
It just comes.  The poem that I wrote, I wrote six months ago.  I picked the song 6 months ago.  All these wonderful coincidences happened.  Some things happened in my life matched the song.

Where can people buy your line?
 Internationally, New York, LA, Chicago, China, at boutiques.

Designer Jen Kao with parents

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Christian Siriano Spring/Summer 2012

Christian Siriano Spring/Summer 2012 -    Christian Siriano showed a strong collection of effortlessly glamorous designs this season.  The show began with sleek looks with fresh pops of tropical shades in chartreuse and coral paired with neutral white and oyster.  It appears that long, lean silhouettes will still be a strong trend next season. Long chiffon skirts and crepe drawstring waist wide leg pants in chartreuse and coral looked chic and easy.  Siriano's organza pleated maxi skirt paired with white jersey sleeveless oxford elongated the already lengthy legs of the models, which is a look that many will find appealing.  A coral crepe oxford with textured chiffon sleeve gave an otherwise simple shell brocade pencil skirt an extra edge and structure.

"For Spring'12, my inspiration is exotic tropical underwater specimens found while traveling to Bali, Honduras, and Belize." said Siriano in his program notes.  One of his chiffon gowns had bands of sheer and textured chiffon in oyster, giving the impression of being a delicate,  floating creature, perhaps a jellyfish.  The show ended with all the models gliding down the runway in a cloud of gorgeous gowns and sexy cocktail dresses with textured applique in chiffon and tulle.   Christian Siriano Gold  Shoes For Payless were also whimsical and fun in design with lots of organic shapes and bright colors.  For fans of the Project Runway winner and for anyone seeking great looks that stand out from the crowd, you won't be disappointed.

textured chiffon sleeve paired with shell brocade pencil skirt

Silk Striped Bustier Tulle Ball Skirt

Nicholas K Spring/Summer 2012

At the Nicholas K Spring/Summer 2012 fashion show, soft layered looks in muted tones inspired by the beauty of nature created interesting shapes and shadows.  Beautifully draped pieces with hoods were romantic and sporty at the same time.  The accessories were perfect for the collection with bohemian headscarves, super long fringed leather bracelets and fringed scarves.  This was my first time attending a Nicholas K show, and I  looking forward to seeing more of their work.