Samantha Mark Spring 2009

Samantha Mark shows her Spring 2009 collection
at the
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS SHOW

Emma @Samantha Mark
Megg @Samantha Mark

Alle @Samantha Mark

Shaila @Samantha Mark

Elise@Samantha

Nana Boateng Spring 2009

Celebrity Designer Nana Boateng shows of his amazing mens collection
at the
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS SHOW SPRING 2009

Reid @ Nana Boateng
Alan@Nana Boateng
Travis@Nana

Sean@Nana Boateng

Megan Crook Spring 2009

Megan Crook shows her Spring 2009
at the
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS SHOW

Ticiana @ Megan Crook

Katarina@Megan Crook
Elle @ Megan Crook
Shaila@Megan Crook

Rome by Romero Bryan Spring 2009

Celebrity Designer Romero Bryan debut his new line ROME
at the
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS SHOW

Shafny @ ROME

Johanna @ ROME

Agnessa @ ROME

Elise@ROME

Roger Gary Spring 2009

Roger Gary Shows his Spring 2009 Collections
at the
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS SHOW

Emma@ Roger Gary


Sheadith @ Roger Gary
Ticiana @ Roger Gary

Nana @ Roger Gary

Larry Moultrie Spring 2009

Larry Moultrie shows debut his Spring 2009 Mens Collection
at the
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS SHOW

Casting for Larry Moultrie
by Tyron Barrington @Barrington MGT

Dominque@Larry Moultrie
Hats by Johns Hats
Nicolas@Larry Moultrie
George@Larry Moultrie
Shoes By Lincoln's New York
Claudio @ Larry Moultrie
Sean @ Larry Moultrie
Bag by Lincoln's New York

Kae Couture Spring 2009

Kae Couture by Kenyatta Williams shows her Spring 2009 Collections
at the
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS SHOW

Emma @ Kae Couture
Shaila @ Kae Couture
Shafny@Kae Couture

Herani Spring 2009

Herani Ethiopia shows her Spring 2009 collections
at the
INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS SHOW

SHAFNY @HERANI

JOHANNA @ HERANI

RED NYC TV-RED WOMEN CASTING

Casting at RED NYC
Filmed by Froylan Flowers of Froylan Flowers Production
Directed By Christie Dinham
Produced by Christie Dinham Productions & Froylan Flowers Production
for
RED NYC TV

RED NYC TV-RED MEN CASTING

Casting at RED NYC
Filmed by Froylan Flowers of Froylan Flowers Production
Directed By Christie Dinham
Produce by Christie Dinham Productions & Froylan Flowers Production
for
RED NYC TV

Designers - Nana Boateng

Fresh off of a plane from Como, Italy, Nana Boateng, the creative genius behind Akua Adoma, emailed me to setup a brief chat about life, fashion, and changing things up. The self-confessed workaholic, who has no formal training in fashion, has garnered attention from both industry insiders and Hollywood's elite alike. He boasts an impressive list of celebrity clients like David Beckham, Boris Becker, Djimon Hounsou, James Franco, and Boris Kodjoe, has had his garments featured in major publications including Essence and People, and is rumored to be romantically linked to Ugly Betty's Vanessa Williams. All of this, along with a relationship with Sony Pictures Entertainment that has Boateng doing costuming for major motion pictures as well as studio executives, and he's only 31. Born in Ghana, and raised in Europe, his life as a citizen of the word has greatly influenced his designs, from the exquisite tailoring of his garments to the rich colors and textures, its not hard to see why fashionable men would feel at home in these pieces. His inspiration comes not only from the national dress of various countries he's visited but also his family, in particular the suits he remembers his uncles wearing in his childhood. Unlike most designers who prepare for next season's shows almost a year in advance, Boateng assured me that most of his work is done on the plane as he travels from one point to another. He said "You can't force work. When inspiration doesn't find you, you have to find it." Along with seeking inspiration instead of waiting for it to come, he also attributes his success to being humble, respecting his past, and the ability to think out of the box and change things up, saying "When everyone goes left, I go right. Then when it works they'll be saying I changed history." This was the running them of our conversation, that and how being humble is the one thing that never goes out of style. He also alluded to whispers that he's trying to start a career in acting when telling me the best advice he's ever gotten, "Stay in your lane and see what windows start opening up. You see a lot of rappers getting into acting, like Common he's doing well because he did well in rapping first and now he's on billboards and in movies. You have to evolve in your field first then you can branch out to different things." In respect to his current career as a designer I did touch on the collection that he will be debuting in September at the FashionHow International Designers Show. Ever the creative thinker, when I asked what we can expect from your new collection he turned the question on me. "The answer to the unanswerable question." He responded, then asked me "What would impress you?" I, not expecting this turn, answered "Something new and unseen, that hasn't been done before." To which he replied "Very close to that." We ended our phone call by touching on Nana's personal style, which has landed him on The Sartorialist blog, by telling me that he doesn't have a favorite piece of clothing because it gets really boring and that you have to change things up to keep them interesting. Nana Boateng is definitely keeping things interesting and I can't wait to see what he changes he has in store for us next. By Anastassia Simon

Designer - Romero Bryan

Romero Bryan, designer "Boy Wonder", took a few minutes to type out the answers to my questions via email from London, England. Romero began designing at the tender age of 11 when he asked a local tailor to make him a shirt for his final primary school dance, unable to afford the tailor's asking price the youngster began doing odd jobs around the shop in exchange for lessons in pattern making and eventually the shirt was done. The rest as they say was history, while most kids his age were begging their parents for a weekly allowance 12 yr old Romero was making shirts to order. Now his he can count Beyonce, Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss, and Kelly Rowland as admirers of his designs. He hopes one day to add singers Estelle and Amy Winehouse, as well as media mogul Oprah Winfrey to his list saying, "I love women who are powerful and make moves in society/world. She has always been an inspiration for me and someday I know I will have the opportunity to specially design an outfit/gown for her." He counts his determination, drive and knowledge as keys to his hard earned success; although in his humility he doesn't count himself amongst the successful set at this point in his career. With respect to his upcoming Spring/Summer 09 line Romero has pulled inspiration form the ever increasing demand for pieces that are both fashionable and affordable, giving birth to his Rome by Romero Bryan line. The line is "…a diffusion of my exclusive line, Romero Bryan, but of affordable glamour using similar design ideas and more cost effective fabrics. Rome is for the confident working/partying woman that loves shopping at high 'haute street level'." This new more affordable line will surely draw more media attention to the young designer, not that he's in short supply of it these days. After being listed on the Royal Bank of Scotland's 2020 Rich List back in September 2003 at the age of 19, Romero has been in major publications including The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian, and has made several television appearances and even getting advice from fashion stylist and fashion editor at Dazed, Cynthia Lawrence John. The press and publicity hasn't disrupted his life however, aside from bringing his career to the next level and freebies Romero says "I'm a fashion designer not a brain surgeon. I'm not into all that fake fashion lifestyle; I'm more about meeting the demand of what I feel females want/need." Level headed, humble and a great designer, not bad for a guy who would probably have been a brain surgeon had he not found his calling in fashion. Since signing with Willbaforce Management, Romero's future is so bright he may need to start designing shades. He aims to become a leader in the "Haute Street" market by further developing his Rome by Romero Bryan brand and by doing the same thing with his high end line Romero Bryan. His most important future goal however is "…to encourage others from my background that any dream worth dreaming about, is worth the hard work, and therefore is achievable." I couldn't have thought of better parting words myself. by Anastassia Simon

Designers - Samantha Mark

London born Samantha Mark is more than excited to be showing her third collection this September in the Mecca of American fashion, New York City. The young designer is heavily influenced not only by her life spent in the clash of cultures that exist in London, but the art world as well. When asked about which artists in particular inspire her pieces she remarked "From Kahlo to Rothko, from Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art, there are just too many to mention. However, it is not only the products of their labor, but the quirks and determination of their personalities that I am also drawn towards." Although her first collection debuted only two years ago, she is now standing on the brink of greatness and will soon begin working at Alexander McQueen. With regards to her placement with such a prestigious designer, Samantha says that McQueen is a great inspiration to her and that she will be in awe to be working under the same roof as he and his team. She also mentioned that he was the artist she based her "chosen designer" on when winning the FashionHow Young Designer Award. Getting back to her upcoming show in New York, Samantha is expecting a warm reception form the New York audiences and is looking forward to seeing her garments make their inaugural stroll down the runway. She also warns the audience to expect of all things, humor and irony in her collection. Since she loves working with prints, textures and colors in different ways to give her work "edge, a tactile quality, and an appeal of irony and personality" we can expect to be wowed by her use of these elements. If Samantha continues to surprise the fashion world with by injecting her designs with humor and paradox, drawing inspiration from the art world and honing her skills under the roof of greats like Alexander McQueen, her future will be just as she predicted it, filled with "Much more to come." By Anastassia Simon

Designers - Herani Ethiopia

For Herani Ethiopia design is all about the cut, saying "A good cut is what determines the fit and the feel of a garment." Hailing from Erithea and now living in London, this young designer was inspired by the exquisite tailoring of Savile Row to learn about as much about tailoring as possible and to find other ways to cut. With her love for executing the perfect cut and fit in her garments and drawing inspiration from the world around her, New York audiences should expect great things from Herani's collection debuting at the International Designers Show during fashion week. Like most designers showing at New York fashion week for the first time, she's beside herself with excitement that stems not only from the exposure she'll gain but also from seeing her garments come to life on the runway. Her upcoming collection draws its inspiration from the English countryside and according to Herani "it pays close attention to oppositions, masculine v feminine, delicate and tough while complimenting each other." Being that Herani enjoys working with unconventional fabrics we should expect to see some of those in her collection as well. Her love of innovative fabric choice comes from her love of a challenge and desire to evolve as a designer, "I have used fabrics such as plastic and Hessian both of which are a nightmare to work with, but you definitely feel a sense of accomplishment when you see the finished garment. I like to challenge my self in that sense and explore different materials to work with. There's definitely a lesson there, you either learn never to use them again or you find new ways to manipulate materials." Her future goals as a designer are to simply continue developing the skills that have gotten her thus far and to keep pushing the boundaries of her creativity. Through finding new ways to manipulate materials, developing a keen eye for details and adding elements of contradiction to her work, Herani has definitely earned her spot amongst the talented designers showing in New York this September. By Anastassia Simon

RED NYC TV- Casting by Barrington for Larry Moultrie

CHECK OUT SUPER AGENT GEORGE GIVING THE RED MEN ADVISE ABOUT WALKING, JUST BEFORE THEY SEE CASTING DIRECTOR TYRON BARRINGTON!

Designer - Larry Moultrie
Philadelphia native Larry Moultrie had one word to sum up is upcoming trip to New York Fashion Week, "EXCITED!" The young designer will be showing during fashion week for the first time ever, at the FashionHow International Designers Show. In 2005 Larry started his own clothing line, L. Moultrie, and is embarking on a fashion career full of promise. He was drawn to the world of design because it presented him with a challenge like no other and served as a great creative outlet. The ability to bring his dreams to life as garments is one of the ways that Larry keeps his creations fresh. He told me that his nightly dreams as well as the natural world around him inspire his work. As far as the collection that he has developed for fashion week he told me "It's going to be rock 'n' rock meets urban style. The pieces will be all around and multi-functional." By thinking outside of the proverbial box, I'm confident he will achieve his long term goal of "Creating clothing that are fashion favorites amongst his all long list of clients that travel in from all over, just to have one of his signature tee -shirts." His parting advice for potential young designers was to be persistent and never take no for an answer, and to ignore those who insist that you'll never make it due to the intense competition in the fashion industry. I can't wait to see what Larry Moultrie has dreamt up for us this September. by Anastassia Simon

Designers - Megan Crook

American girl turned Londoner, Megan Crook, is not only looking forward to showing in New York to further her career but more importantly it gives her a chance to see her family, "With me living in the UK and all my family in the states this will be the first time they've seen my work on the runway, its a really important event for me." Having moved to the UK about four years ago this single mother founded her company, Crooked Knitwear, in 2005 and has used her move as a catalyst for her drive and ambition. Her greatest challenge as a designer has come with the balancing act that all mothers face saying, "There's just not enough hours in the day, you can try so hard to be superwoman but you can't do it all. I've had to learn that my best is good enough, I have to stop being so hard on myself." Moving back to her upcoming show in New York, Megan assures us that this collection, like all of her other work, is full of color and texture. Currently she's been experimenting with leather and new ways to work with yarns in an effort to expand her knowledge and move forward as a designer. The biggest challenge this collection has presented her was showcasing her creativity as much as possible while still providing a cohesive collection in only 12 looks. All things considered, I'm sure Megan's unique creations will generate the kind of buzz stateside that she's expecting and then some. For Megan, the girl who not only survived the leap across the pond but is coming back to show us what she's been working on, the sky is the limit. She looks forward to expanding her brand in the future and knows she can't do it alone, "Like I said before, there's only so many hours in a day, when you design a product, make it, market it, and try to sell it all by yourself, you limit yourself as to how much you can realistically accomplish. My goal now is to seek some financial backing and start outsourcing the labor here in the UK so that I can concentrate on new designs." Quoting her favorite teacher's saying "the artist never stops moving", Megan plans to keep learning, evolving, and pushing boundaries in what she feels that knitwear can be. By Anastassia Simon

Designers- Roger Gary

Speaking with designer Roger Gary this week, I not only got a feel for his up coming collection of women's wear, inspired by an imaginary midnight visit to the South American rainforests, but I also got a feel for what makes his designs truly unique. Gary's beautifully unpredictable work has been seen in various publications including Essence Magazine and industry go to guide Women's Wear Daily, as well as on BET's "Rip the Runway" and VH1/Vogue First Fashion Awards. Born in Guyana, South America, Gary often draws from the colorful landscape of his homeland when working. During our interview he told me that he finds inspiration in everything from the simple to the unusual, citing a past collection he presented after Halle Berry won her Oscar in 2002, " After her win she was talking about starting work on a James Bond film, then I thought Bond and my next collection was based on the James Bond films." Turning back to his company and his successes as a designer he informed me that listening to his inner voice and being just as careful in the end as he is in the beginning have helped him immensely, "You have to make sure that the quality level at the beginning is maintained. You can't rush to finish things." This advice, I'm sure, has proved helpful for Gary not only in his career as a designer but also in his years as a student at both the Pratt Institute and Parsons School of Design. We ended our conversation with a look at the future of Roger Gary Designs by Gary telling me that he lets things evolve organically, "I'm pleasantly surprised by how things have gone and I want to continue to grow the company. You have to let things happen naturally you can't force them." If letting things evolve naturally has lead to such a successful career for Gary, the natural evolution for years to come will surely be both exciting and inspiring. By Anastassia Simon

Designers - Kenyatta Williams

Up and coming designer Kenyatta Williams, recently shared a few minutes of her time with me to bring us all up to speed on what it's like to be showing during New York Fashion Week for the first time. The Clark Atlanta University student began sewing at 15 after her mother bought her a sewing machine one Christmas. Two years later, while most girls her age were having trouble concentrating on homework, Kenyatta launched Kae Couture, a line of swim wear for women looking for more options than the standard bikini or one piece. After doing fashion shows at school and around the Atlanta area, she attended a FashionHow seminar which gave her the industry insight and inspiration to get moving towards her goal of becoming a top designer and hasn't stopped moving since. I asked Kenyatta how it felt to be living out every design students dream by showing during the FashionHow International Designers Show during New York Fashion Week, " Crazy!" was her response. With all the excitement of a kid at Christmas Kenyatta told me she felt as though she was "floating on cloud nine" and that she had been dreaming about this moment. She also told me what to expect from the collection she will be showing which is entitled Tainted Love. "The collection", according to Kenyatta, "will be intimate and full of color. It will evolve like love, from pure to tainted." If the sophisticated sex appeal of her past pieces are any indication, we will all be falling in love with Kae Couture this September. Being that she is very busy preparing for fashion week, Kenyatta kept it short and sweet when asked for the best advice she could give to young aspiring designers, "Never give up, stay persistent, and think positive."