Ports 1961 – Fall 2010 Collection – New York

story by Michael Fragoso
photos by Freda Henry
photo editing by Katie Piper and Freda Henry

Ports 1961’s collections always seem to take you somewhere new. Many designers are jumping the bandwagon of “killing the trend,” but Tia Cibani was already there. She sees her collection as always against the norm, using her travels as an inspiration, and the brand story is always about that girl traveling the world, but this season, she seemed to take a slightly different course, with not a specific location being central in the looks, but rather the idea of traveling between places, as classic aviation looks and the global nomad persona took center stage. … Continue Reading

They’re Making It Here, Not Just Anywhere – New York, New York

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by Bill Wang

While visiting the Garment Industry Development Corporation’s Showroom New York during New York Fashion Week, I met Bill Wang, marketing manager for Johnny Wu Designs, who invited me to a Chinese New Year celebration at their factory showroom on 38th Street. Johnny Wu, as it turned out, is a master pattern maker who helps a lot of emerging and established designers bring their rough ideas to life, and he does it right in the middle of Manhattan, as one of the many small businesses still holding on in the shadow of what was once New York’s largest industry, the garment business. … Continue Reading

Dutch Fashion (R)Evolution

story by Karine Bloem
photos by Ralph Lemarechal

In this article, guest writer Karine Bloem from TheDigitalistas.com explains the past and present of Dutch fashion, and gives insight into what is happening with Amsterdam International Fashion Week. … Continue Reading

Jsong – Fall 2010 Collection – New York

story by Michael Fragoso
photos by Freda Henry
photo editing by Katie Piper

Demure in a floor length black brocade gown, designer Way Zen pours Ti Kuan Yin tea for herself in preparation for her show. “I don’t care about any of the trends of today, I just worry about what I like,” she says. Way’s homeland of China is what she calls her “roots,” but her main inspiration for the line is a merging of Ancient Chinese and Old New York. “However, I prefer to use a blend of New York and Chinese heritage, since I’ve lived here for so long.” … Continue Reading

Lovely London Lovely Lovely

photos by Boris Marberg, Freda Henry, and Wolfgang Wöhrle

Here is a preview of some of the shows we are covering in London. Lovely. … Continue Reading

Georges Chakra and Adam Lippes Interviews

Here are five previously unreleased interviews from New York Fashion Week back in September. Adam Lippes, George Chakra, Yannick Dias (lead hair stylist for Adam Lippes), Amy Farid (lead hair stylist for Georges Chakra, and Gregory Arlt (lead makeup artist for Georges Chakra) … Continue Reading

Vivienne Westwood, Fall 2010 Collection at Milan Moda Uomo

story by Charles Beckwith
photos by Boris Marberg and Wolfgang Wöhrle

This is why we’re out here. This show is why modaCYCLE exists. Here is a storyteller showing a collision of fantasy, reality, and optimism. The wisdom and intelligence and style were all there in this show. … Continue Reading

Shakeup In Berlin

story by Boris Marberg and Charles Beckwith
photos by Boris Marberg and Alexander Palacios

Several decades ago, Berlin was one of the most important fashion capitals in Europe. That hasn’t been the case for a while now, but in the last few years Berlin has gotten some of its mojo back, with the fashion week events established by IMG and their naming rights sponsor Mercedes-Benz in 2008, and built onto by others since then in the form of trade shows and other kinds of complimentary events. The impact of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin has been very positive for the city and designers in the region, continuously growing with each new season. This season there will be roughly 30 collections presented in the Bebelplatz tents. Most people involved seem to agree that IMG has done a very good job. … Continue Reading

Timo Weiland – Spring-Summer 2010 (Debut) Colection

story by Faith Bowman
photos by Adrianna Favero

Timo Weiland  began 2009 with a successful line of neckwear and wallets. By fall, duo Alan Eckstein and Timo Weiland had dreamed up and designed a breakout  RTW collection, featured in WWD in September. The cover image, their silk chiffon tank top paired with cummerbund inspired silk charmeuse and chiffon skirt, epitomized the funky uptown/downtown vibe of the line and let the world know that they had arrived, with this debut at the 22nd Street non-profit Manhattan artspace X Initiative sealing the deal. … Continue Reading

The Harlem Fashion Row – Spring 2010 Collections

story by Faith Bowman
photos by Charles Beckwith

Shortly after New York Fashion Week, Harlem’s Fashion Row geared up to present collections by emerging designers at a fine arts venue in Harlem called The Gatehouse. Operated by a collective dedicated to promoting Harlem’s enduring influence and contribution to the fashion world, Fashion Row featured four lines, including one by recent Project Runway alum Epperson. … Continue Reading

Badgley Mischka Bride – Spring 2010 Collection

photos and interview by Charles Beckwith
photo editing by Faith Bowman

I recently had the opportunity to view the Spring 2010 Badgley Mischka Bride collection in the Badgley Mischka showroom during New York Bridal Market Week. After the show, I was able to ask designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka a few questions about their collection and recent shifts in the wedding fashion market. This show also included eight new bridal looks from their lower price point Mark & James line.

… Continue Reading

Thakoon – Designer Dossier

photos by Boris Marberg

Designer: Thakoon Panichgul
Astrological Sign: Libra
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Labels: Thakoon and Thakoon Addition; designer for Hogan through fall 2009; guest-designed for both Target and Gap; Thakoon shoes are Giuseppe Zantotti for Thakoon
Web Site: www.thakoon.com

Thakoon Panichgul was recently nominated for the Swiss Textile Federation’s prestigious Stella Contemporary Fashion Award. He graciously responded to our correspondence interview prior to the awards show.

… Continue Reading

Ohne Titel – Designer Dossier

photos by Boris Marberg

Designers: Alexa Adams and Flora Gill
Astrological Sign (Alexa): Libra
Astrological Sign (Flora): Aquarius
Hometown (Alexa): Washington, D.C.
Hometown: (Flora): Alfred, NY
Label: OHNE TITEL
Web Site: www.ohnetitel.com

The Ohne Titel (translation: “untitled”) designers were recently nominated for the Swiss Textile Federation’s prestigious Stella Contemporary Fashion Award. They graciously responded to our correspondence interview prior to the awards show.

… Continue Reading

Ari Fish – Designer Interview

interview by Charles Beckwith
photos by Kevin Schowengerdt at Rush Wade Studios

If you saw the first episode of the most recent less-than-spectacular Project Runway season, you may have caught a glimpse of avant garde artist Ari Fish breaking the mold. Many fans of edgier fashion and conceptual art would have liked to have seen more of her in the series, but there appear to have been obtuse fashionistas blocking the driveway. As Ari does not seem to identify herself as a fashion designer, we have dispensed with our normal designer dossier questionnaire. … Continue Reading

Stella Contemporary Fashion Award 2009

story by Boris Marberg
photos by Boris Marberg and Alexander Palacios

Thursday November 12th, 2009 – the tenth annual Swiss Textiles Awards ceremony took place in Zurich. The event is produced by The Swiss Textile Federation, which is the leading trade association for textile producers in Switzerland, with about 200 companies counted in its membership. The finalists for the Stella Contemporary Fashion Award this year were Erdem, Alexis Mabille, Ohne Titel, Thakoon Panichgul, Peter Pilotto, and Alexander Wang. During the last ten years the award went through several conceptual changes, but it is now one of the most prestigious garment design awards in the world, as well as one of the most financially attractive competitions for rising star designers, with its 100.000€ (U.S. $150,000) prize. … Continue Reading

Loris Diran – One Runway Away

photos by Sandy Ramirez
story by Seth Friedermann
styling by Loris Diran, Seth Friederman, and Anna Lisa
models are Creing Wittingham from Major’s mens division, and Elen Capri from Elite

Loris Diran is a formidable rising force in fashion. Diran possess the spirit of a chess master; he is considered and thoughtful with an obviously tactical mind, but just under the surface is an aggression that is waiting to pounce. He has married a strong and very honed artistic aesthetic with a muscular business sense, he both thinks and feels his way forward. … Continue Reading

Brooklyn Fashion Festival – Spring 2010 – Backstage

photos by Charles Beckwith

Here is an exclusive behind the scenes look at Tom McAlister and Xing Xu’s Brooklyn Fashion Festival. The Festival was a two day event, September 18-19, 2009. All of these shots are from the first night. … Continue Reading

Side Trip to Venice – A Photo Editorial and Travel Story

story and photos by Charles Beckwith
model is Kristina Günther of Beatrice in Milan

I was in Italy for the main womenswear fashion week in Milan, Milan Moda Donna, in late September. Looking at the schedule about half way through the week, I realized the last two days would be fairly slow. I decided to ditch fashion week and do a day trip, so I could see some more of the country. It was a toss up between taking the train to Venice or Verona, and I decided on Venice “to see it before it sinks.” What does a fashion photographer take with him when sightseeing in interesting places? A statuesque brunette, of course! … Continue Reading

Christian Siriano Spring-Summer 2010 Collection

story by Michael Fragoso
photos by Hendrik Ballhausen

Petite wonderboy Christian Siriano smiled and chattered calmly backstage with press and a small army of celebrity friends and fans (such as Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Jay Alexander, Tori Spelling, Heidi Montag, Hayden Panitierre, Vivica Fox, and several other famous faces) as a public relations management nightmare raged in the more public areas of the tents at Bryant Park. … Continue Reading

Crossing The City – A Photo Editorial

photos by Alexander Palacios
styling by designer Marc Stone
models are Lasse Larsen and Amando Campbell from Next NY

This is the second of three editorials made by Alex and Marco during their New York trip a few weeks ago. The first, Manhattan Daylight, appeared on modaCYCLE last week. Marco is the designer of Swiss label Marc Stone, and they were here in the city to shoot his Spring-Summer 2010 catalog. … Continue Reading