A FASHION FIRST FOR FASHION LAW INSTITUTE
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine NolanThough we are barely through the winter, Spring/Summer 2013 is on the minds of the fashion industry and with a new season comes vibrancy and rebirth from a cold harsh winter.
Sometimes it isn’t always the traditional designer that catches your fancy. During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013 held in New York City this past September, there was a presentation that took place at Lincoln Center, The Box, showcasing fresh florals, lavish layering, gorgeous geometric designs and even savvy swimwear.
It was a showcase of multiple designers showing under Fashion Law Institute. This is a non-profit organization that is the first of its kind totally dedicated to law and the business of fashion. The Council of Fashion Designers of America and their president, Diane von Furstenberg, lend support and advice to make this as overwhelmingly accepted and successful as it has become and they provide training for the fashion lawyers and designers of our future, legal services for the design students and assist with solutions to handle issues that may arise in the fashion industry itself these days.
Professor Susan Scafidi plays a pivotal role as founder and current academic director of the organization. The Institute has a distinguished board of members that are experts in law and the fashion industry.
Rather than a traditional runway show, the presentation gave us models standing beautifully statuesque and perfectly still so that we could study and appreciate their outfits.
EMC2 Emmett McCarthy gave us all the images that excite us in the spring. Florals and a plethora of patterns were ever more stimulating in bold and brilliant colors. This is truly a vision that Emmett brings to life with masterful mind.
Another artistic designer was Vespertine. Her collection can best be summed up as safety wear for the new Urban lifestyle using eco-friendly and luxurious fabrics, exquisite tailoring and the most reflective 3M Scotchlite materials. Vespertine uses drama and spectacle to get her clothing recognized and stylish cities such as Paris, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, New England and New York inspire her as she combines different looks into creative designs. We were in awe at the many versions of the vest and a trench coat in oyster with reflective Cinch belt in citron. The racing jacket was ready to greet the formidable weather.
Kelima K. designs for the consumer undergoing perpetually powerful yearnings. Her collections are geared towards couture bridal but she is branching out into the ready-to-wear and her Spring/Summer 2013 Collection is full of attractive pieces with a long hand-draped dress in men’s shirting, a blue asymmetrical hand-pleated dress with white cherry blossoms from Kimono fabric, many magnificent florals, fabulous fabrics of Italian silk and one of her most original pieces, a rare turquoise wedding kimono with cherry blossom embroidery.
Of course as warm summer breezes begin to blow, we flock to the beach and Keely Rea provides simplicity in design, whimsical and worldly in spirit. The swim and resort-wear collection that was shared at this Fashion Week gave us unique and refined prints in classic silhouettes. A variety of looks were inspired by nature and travel. Being actively involved in water sports themselves, the designers behind the label, Maureen Cahill and Elizabeth Crotty, know that texture, fabric and the durability of both are major considerations in a line and their swimwear stands up to the test of time. We were treated to a white linen beach top with drawstring detail over a bandeau bikini with silver detail in an Indian Wells Ocean print and a tube-top beach dress in Goa.
Gemma Redux provided all the feminine and finely crafted jewelry that create a fluid, serpentine form that organically envelop the body in magical ways. Every piece told their own fascinating story. Rachel Dooley is the creator behind the gems. Her talents were recently recognized as one of the 12 Emerging Designers selected for the CFDA’s Fashion Incubator programs and one of the exclusive designers to showcase her glistening jewelry at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center in the CIRCA Accessories Salon in February 2012. She has been featured in several fashion magazines and is now a member of the CFDA.
The Fashion Law Institute is gaining rapid recognition for all that they put forth in the fashion world and the guidance that they exemplify. By being a part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week it gives them the advantage of spreading the word even further to a much wider audience. The Fashion Law Institute endorses the show guidelines set forth by the CFDA Health Initiative and the Model Alliance.
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