Pratt Graduate Fashion Show - Part One

The Pratt Institute celebrated its 114th graduate fashion show last night with an innovative fashion show.  It was presented in the round with theatrical lighting.  Vogue editor Hamish Bowles presented Pratt's Visionary Award to menswear icon Thom Browne.

Designer Macy Smith showed a witty collection in candyland colors.  Big faux fur handbags and jackets were shown with wavy waisted pants.  The embellishment of choice for dresses looked like eyeballs.

Hannah Ross had a contemporary global chic vibe to her collection.  She used prints that looked vaguely tribal but had a marbleized effect.  The basic pieces looked like comfortable knits.  The jackets, capes and outerwear however had a very interesting modular quilted effect.

Kindall Almond had a serene color palette of grey, mint, silver and white.  The designer had a sporty look, playing with sheers and cutouts.

Emma Hastil had the most colorful collection in the first third of the show.  She mixed lots of bright prints together in easy, comfortable silhouettes for both and women.

photos by Mariana Leung

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Pratt Fashion Design Graduate Show 2012

Last Thursday night, the fashion industry's top mentor gathered in the front row to cheer on the design talent of the Pratt Institute's graduating class. Champion to all of NY fashion, Fern Mallis was honored at the event, with Calvin Klein handing her the award. Stan Herman, Hamish Bowles also chatted up their favorites to the industry and family crowd.

The evening started with a video of testimonials of designers who had been inspired by Ms. Mallis. She was one of the founders of 7th on 6th (now Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week), founding board member of DIFFA and a warrior to bring International awareness to American designers.

The design student's collections on the runway showcased a diverse vision of style. A few favorites:

Dana Hurwitz brought the use of mixed media to elegant heights with fur and vinyl. Kelsy Carleen Parkhouse brought a quaint homestyle look to her collection with quilted details in updated fashion silhouettes. Beatrice Weiland showed she knew how to brand a collection. She used urban silhouettes and bold, graphic prints with her name incorporated into them for her group. Kate Wilkoff's sophisticated collection was a study in dressmaker details. She used delicate pleating, trapunto stitching and light as air carwash fringe for an elegant evening look. Meredith Lyon took a strong social message and managed to communicate it in a witty, but chic collection. Her PSA against smoking used strategic graphics and a great cigarette print. She gave new meaning to cigarette pants, seamed like actual cigarettes, while maintaining their signature silhouette.

See the rest below:

Photos by Mariana Leung

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NY FASHION WEEK: Cynthia Rowley Spring 2012

All that shines here is gold.  Cynthia Rowley brought her tongue-in-cheek contemporary dressing to Lincoln center yesterday with a gilded flair.  It started with a shiny gold runway that was being polished by multiple people prior to the show.

Silhouettes were fit and flared with skirts and dresses above the knee.  There was a black and gold grouping with graphic Aztec-inspired prints or more Baroque gold embellishment prints.  There was a lighter gold and cream grouping with more solid knits.

My favorite was the abstract, painterly floral print that looked like it was splattered across charmeuse and satin.  The florals were a mix of bright spring colors against a black or cream backdrop.

Cynthia Rowley not only gave good "runway", she was there to service her fellow fashionistas.  Parked outside the fashion week venue was the "Glambulance" to fix fashion malfunctions, cover up blisters with embellished band-aids and rescue beauty emergencies.

Spotted in the front row: Lindsay Lohan, Hamish Bowles

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NY Fashion Week: Bibhu Mohapatra Fall 2011

The fashion elite literally kissed designer  Bibhu Mohapatra at his Fall 2011 presentation at the Box at Lincoln Center.  Styled by Vogue's Lauren Santo Domingo, the collection was one of the standouts for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. It was well edited and beautifully presented like a Vogue magazine editorial, the models were elegant, chic and edgy at the same time. 

Ladylike black leather gloves were covered with glittering bracelets from Dannigo and edged with black feathers on the models.  They looked every inch the lady but with a definte dark edge.  There was a gorgeous fluted column dress, shirred chiffon column dresses, architecturally folded bodices punctuated occasionally by a piece with flat rivets, each piece had a specific direction. 

There were a few standout jackets cut extremely well and flattering to the body.

Bibhu’s collection was based on the ‘sinister glamour of nature, at once frightening and very tempting…”

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Pratt Fashion Show 2010 honors Catherine Malandrino

The Altman Building played host to the Pratt fashion show students of 2010 Thursday night. A mixture of sportswear, menswear, costume and evening/bridal looks walked down the runway. Notable guests included Vogue's Hamish Bowles and Kim Hastreiter, of PAPER magazine.

The charmingly down to Earth Catherine Malandrino accepted the 2010 Pratt Institute Fashion Icon award. On fashion, Catherine said “For me it was always to dress women with elegance as a wife, mother and lover. It’s not just about clothes. All the time, it’s making a beautiful world.”

Our favorite looks were from Mayu Samoto who showed charming, flirty pastel shorts, fitted tops with piping details. Jennifer Damm’s collection of origami like silks, precisely cut triangles definitely showed her training as curatorial intern at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

K.Paige Regan may have started a new Williamsburg hipster look of super-sized black-framed glasses and sharkskin pants for men.

The most entertaining was the costume category. Emma Madnick showed off a riotous mix of carnival inspired looks. Rayneese Primrose stirred up the audience as a zombie Michael Jackson moonwalked down the runway.


Devin Cole showed feminine pastel printed chiffons with pleats, ruching and weaving over long and short lengths.

The most promising designer was Eveningwear award winner Timothy Kuzmeski. There was a moment of laughter when the model walked to the backstage but her sculpted dress still trailed in after her exit.

Timothy took his bow onstage with a tee that read “Thank you, Mom + Dad” . Talent and humor to remind us again why we love fashion in this city.

Story and photos by Ritika W and Mariana L

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Anna Wintour's Master Class

Monday night, an intimate group of fashion students, the style savvy and curious industry vets were privy to a master class at Pratt Institute given by legendary editors Anna Wintour and Hamish Bowles.

The evening started with Ms. Wintour’s remembering of iconic fashion photographer Irving Penn. While many people know her as the muse for a certain Prada-wearing Devil character, it was actually touching to hear her get choked up about her friend. Media insiders smirked when she recounted several anecdotes where Mr. Penn took her to task for making Vogue too commercial. The editor also reminisced about his gracious manner and how he dressed formally to walk 5 blocks to work, only to dress down into jeans again at the office.

The dapper Hamish Bowles next led a discussion about other notable contributors that shaped the magazine. He described Mainbocher as a “Truffle hound for talent”. Under his direction came striking images by Horst. Diana Vreeland brought movement and energy along with photographer Richard Avedon. Mr. Bowles presentation led up to contemporary work by Annie Leibowitz, Bruce Weber and Mario Testino.

In the Q&A portion of the event, Anna Wintour was asked what she was doing to help young designers. That particular person was verbally spanked as she replied that the student had not done her homework. She explained that her Vogue/CFDA fashion fund had developed, promoted and financially aided many talents like Alexander Wang and Rodarte.

On the subject of sustainable fashion, Ms. Wintour noted that there was a new style ethics column, and green fashion designers that were helped by the fashion fund as well. She was also supporting an eco-collection by Michael Kors.

On the touchy subject of fashion bloggers, Hamish Bowles and Anna Wintour graciously noted that all coverage of fashion was a good ting. They embraced it, but pointed out that Vogue’s own website had it all and their professional experience made the difference…

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