Fashion Designers Pivot to Sewing Masks for Healthcare Pros

Christian Siriano led the charge to answer Governor Cuomo's plea for help. In turn, he inspired me, and many other fashion designers into sewing masks for healthcare professionals who need them. My little fashion accessories brand is part of the NY Handmade Collective. Our team members are furiously cranking out cotton masks that will be used by medical facilities, seniors, and other vulnerable people. There is a drastic shortage of N95 masks that are needed to protect against the Coronavirus. The grassroots efforts by me, many of my industry colleagues, design studios, crafters, sewers are a great way to stay productive and help the front line workers during the crisis. Personally, being able to do something active to help went a long way in helping my anxiety and feeling helpless.
Craft stores like Jo-Ann's are offering pre-cut fabrics to anyone who wants to sew them for free at their stores.
Facebook group Sew the Curve Flat has a running list of facilities that need masks and lots of resources for best practices and patterns. It's also just a great group for support.
I am so touched at how many people shared my original social media posts and have come forward to volunteer. Even those who don't sew were keen to contribute. There is a website designer who would create a site for donations. Another was a food truck influencer who volunteered to pick up supplies and deliver masks. The goodwill here was exactly what I needed in contrast to the media reports of hoarding, ignorant politicians, scary statistics, and xenophobic attacks I felt overwhelmed with.
In a time of global crisis, kindness is the one thing that we can all participate in together, and ultimately will be what saves most of us. We can't control politicians or science, but we have complete control over how we choose to act towards others. Take back how you spend your time and how you perceive the world around you. Find something to do that makes you happy right now and brings you fulfillment. If it also helps others, that's good karma that you can use too.

This post was featured on Links à la Mode fashion roundup by Independent Fashion Bloggers.
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5 NYFW Designers Who Cast Real People for Spring 2017

In recent years, NY Fashion Week runways have slowly begun to become more diverse. But, while some designers are featuring a mix of ethnicities, it is still rare that catwalks will include a range of ages. Even fewer are showcasing models in different shapes or sizes. However, Spring 2017 runways revealed the beginning of a shift in attitude. Several designers made a point to feature models with realistic bodies that actually reflect their customers.

Byron Lars recent hosted a conversation on body diversity with top influencers in full figured fashion, His NYFW presentation featured both Fall 2016 (ready to buy) and Spring 2017 styles. He showed his collection from sizes 0 to 22. He spent months collaborating with patternmakers, technical designers, plus sized fit models and fans to ensure ALL of his fans could enjoy his impeccable fit and construction.

Images from stylishcurves.com

Project Runway champion Christian Siriano made headlines this past summer when he came to the rescue of Ghostbusters star Leslie Jones. The SNL cast member lamented that she could not find a designer to dress her atypical (by Hollywood standards) figure. Siriano stepped in and styled her for the movie premiere. He continued his message of celebrating all sizes by including models of different shapes in his Spring 2017 runway. Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn has also been on a mission to take the fashion industry to task for not acknowledging the reality of their customer base.

photo by Catwalking/Getty

J. Crew cast their Spring 2017 with their own employees. Who would best represent their collection than the people who worked on it all year? The showcased a wide sampling of people who work for the company, even including bios at the show of each person. It was a wonderful way to pay tribute to the faces, experience and diverse bodies behind the brand.

images from nymag.com

The Chromat runway showed pear-shaped models, muscular Olympic medalists, top-heavy, hourglass figures. The functional and high-fashion collection demonstrated that all body types could look fantastic enjoying fitness. The swimwear dominant collection had pieces that were on-trend with graphic athleisure looks. Designer Becca McCharen-Tran wanted customers to be equally comfortable at the gym and the club. 

image from metro.us

Did you love Archie's comics as a kid? I did, but always thought the depiction of Betty and Veronica's fights over a boy were problematic. The real heroines of those comics were paid tribute to in Rachel Antonoff's Spring 2017 collection. Models of varied sizes modeled whimsical looks inspired both the characters styles and featuring artwork featuring the iconic ladies. 

So does seeing models who reflect real people make you more likely to buy from NYFW designers? As a shopper, I am more confident in buying something with less guess work on how it will look on me if I see the garment on someone that looks like me. Is casting real people a trend? Or a tiny step in how fashion week needs to modernize itself?

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#NYFW: Christian Siriano Spring 2015

Christian Siriano is no doubt Project Runway’s most celebrated alumni.  The impish designer showed his spring 2015 collection in Chelsea yesterday, surrounded by a crowd of celebrities and hardcore fans.

Before the fashion show, there the crowd was hyped up about Orange is the New Black stars Uzo Aduba and Jackie Cruz. Supermodel Coco Rochas and lovely Mena Suvari were in attendance.  One of my favorite comedians Amy Schumer was holding court and making people laugh. Jada Pinkett Smith was smoldering with her upcoming show Gotham ready to launch.

The crowd hushed quickly when the fashion show started. The collection started with a group of beautiful white dresses. The silhouettes were reminiscent of the high glamour of the 1980’s but made in more contemporary fabrics. There were slick 80’s blue and mint green outfits paired with blown out blonde hair and sunglasses, very Rodeo Drive. 

I loved the beading and embroidery of many of his looks in the second half of the fashion show. Siriano has a great sense of being able to take classic Haute Couture references and re-interpret them for a younger, modern crowd.  I keep noticing that looks that appear on his runway “inspire” more established designers two seasons later, probably designers he once looked up to.

Christian Siriano blasted out of the reality show spotlight and flourished amazingly well ever since. As skeptical as I am about up-and-comers, I have to admit this Siriano is going to be an icon in the making.

photos by Mariana Leung

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Fashion's Night Out 2012 -Kim Kardashian, Cyndi Lauper, Rachel Zoe

Fashion's Night Out is a global shopping party to support your local retailers.  If you are a fashion fan, you already knew that.  So let's chat about which events are you most excited about?  Check out all the parties on their website.

Here are a few of our favorites so far (will be adding more and more)

Project Runway's most celebrated alum, Christian Siriano is hosting a shopping party at his spanking new Soho boutique.  Meet the designer in person, have him sign your purchases, dance to the surprise DJ and win tickets to his Fashion Week show!
Where: 252 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY 10012


Alexander McQueen will have a DJ and cocktails and chances to win 1 of 9 fabulous McQueen products.  Register for priority admission.

Salvatore Ferragamo's Russian Fete with The Coveteur will feature street style stars and music from Russian Pop trio Tesla Boy to get you dancing in the streets....


Affordable, infinitely chic label Taylor Dress is toasting shoppers with champagne along with L'Elite magazine and Effy Jewelry.

Kim Kardashian will be at Lord & Taylor, Rachel Zoe will be at Bergdorf Goodman, Cyndi Lauper will be at Manolo Blahnik... Check out Racked's Celebrity Stalking roundup for more.

Refinery 29 has a great roundup of the best party-worthy spots for Fashion's Night out.

If you prefer to avoid the chaos, shop online, Hello La Mode will have one-night-only discounts and free gifts September 6.

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Scream Queen Glamour - Christian Siriano Fall 2012

Did you ever find classic horror heroines elegant and sexy?  Apparently designer Christian Siriano did.  For his darkest collection yet, the Project Runway winner paid homage to the divas of scare Saturday night at EyeBeam Studios. 

The prolific dressmaker sent elaborately detailed fishtail gowns, floating wings, ruched tulle, sequins and satin.  The palette had lots of sculptured black, dark blood red, with some ghostly white thrown in.  Hair was a severe pulled back ponytail and deep vamp lipstick.  Red carpet fantasies for those with a wicked sensibility.

Yes, we may have seen a lot of fishtails at recent awards shows, but Mr. Siriano exaggerates the silhouette even more, with more fluid fabrics.  Draped shoulder details turn into wings when the model moves.  Instead of ruching as a trim, it is stacked upon stacked to built structure.

Congratulations Christian, you have achieved elegance for the post-Twilight generation!

Photos by Ching Leung

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NY FASHION WEEK:Christian Siriano Fall 2011

Project Runway's most celebrated alumni sent his darker event dresses down the runway at the beginning of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.  He played with volume and sheer, with elaborate ruffling to dress up the ballgown silhouettes.  Black favored heavily in the overall palette, as Christian Siriano understands what "fierce" NY women like to wear.  One would think that the monochromatic presentation would be boring, but the designer kept the visuals interesting by mixing the weights and textures of the fabrics within each fabric.  Knits were layered with satin, chiffon with wool, etc.  

Accessories on the other, were not as successful.  Mr. Siriano's collaboration with Payless Shoes has been heavily promoted by the brand, but the footwear chosen for the show was awkward.  Perhaps the Payless platform just wasn't made for the runway walker, as several models were visibly challenged by them.

Siriano's glam-licious creations always bring out the stars...Mena Suvari, Gabrielle Union and Alexa Chung were spotted shopping from the front row.

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NY FASHION WEEK: Christian Siriano - Spring 2011

Project Runway’s most successful alum presented his show yesterday at Lincoln Center.  The majority of the collection consisted of very wearable (retail-bait) dresses.  Many of the looks had his signature one-shoulder flourish.  There were the mass-appealing whites and tans for spring.  There was a beautiful collection of artful brush prints.

However, Christian Siriano fans did not come to the show for saleable clothes.  You could almost hear the sign of satisfaction (or relief?) when the over-the-top ballgowns came down the runway.  The drama queen of “fierce” did not disappoint.

The young designer is collaborating with Payless shoes.  I’m not sure what that partnership has done creatively, but the shoes on the model got pretty wild.  The avant-garde heels suited the flamboyant personality of the collection

Spotted in the front row: Veronica Webb, Maggie Grace, Alan Cummings

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NY FASHION WEEK: Christian Siriano Fall 2010

Probably one of the most successful of the Project Runway alumni,Christian Siriano showed his third runway collection at Bryant Park. The looks included some sleek femme fatales, a few of the ballgowns that made his mark on Bravo and some 1980’s glamor queens. Perhaps this collection is prepping you for Wall Street 2? The handbags were also a mix of recent past silhouettes of patterned patent leather in structured shapes. A power bag, a power clutch, absolute style. 

Spotted in the front row: Veronica Webb, Mena Suvari

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