With the growing popularity of fashion design among Asian youth and the notable rise of Asian American designers (Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, Phillip Lim, Richard Chai) in the fashion industry, it’s encouraging to hear about initiatives like Concept Korea, a program backed by the South Korean government to nurture their nation’s leading designers and promote them in the U.S. fashion industry.
After debuting in Feb. 2010, Concept Korea will be returning to New York Fashion Week on Sept. 9 for their fourth installment, “Concept …

Co-designed by Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein, the Timo Weiland spring 2011 presentation on Sunday titled “A Wharf on the Baltic” was a well-edited, contemporary collection for the young, polished consumer with distinct, bold style. Proving the duo as up-and-coming designers with tons of potential, the collection reflected a nautical spirit, inspired by the modern lifestyle of Scandanavia’s fjordlands and archipelagos. With bright bold colors and prints, color blocking, and playful twists, there was great detail and character embedded in each look.

Captivated by the allure of desert landscapes, Ports 1961 designer Fiona Cibani delivered a mesmerizing collection for spring/summer 2011. Drawing inspiration from the contrasts of jagged geometric forms against the sensuous curves of sand dunes, Cibani showed robust silhouettes that encompassed delicate, fluid shapes in both draped and tailored pieces.

The runway debut of Zac Posen’s lower-priced contemporary line, Z Spoke by Zac Posen, made a loud and clear statement. It was hard not to feel the immense hype in the room, as we immediately noticed there were celebrities everywhere in the front row. From Kimora Lee Simmons and Russell Simmons, to Michelle Trachtenberg, Jaime King, Claire Danes, Devon Aoki, Leigh Lezark and Kristin Cavallari to name a few, high expectations were set for the show.

This season’s Tadashi Shoji presentation was all about silk chiffon. The Japanese designer showed an angelic collection of beautifully draped dresses and gowns.
Neutral tones dominated the lineup, but pastel purple and blue appeared as subtle hints. The collection is very wearable, with cute shorter dresses that complement the floor length formal gowns. Even so, the longer gowns were not over the top.  From what Tadashi showed, it appears that the one shoulder style will carry over from this fall to next spring.