On Thursday, February 9th after a 2 year break Gen Art returned to the fashion world with a runway show called New Garde Crest 3D White held at Exit Art in NYC. The show, which was hosted by Entourage actress Emmanuelle Chriqui, showcased the designs of three emerging designers; Gemma Kahng, Samantha Pleet and sibling duo line William Okpo.
Gen Art is dedicated to showcasing and elevating emerging talent in film, fashion, music and the visual arts. Gen Art hosts an array of high profile signature events including the Gen Art Film Festival and Fresh Faces in Fashion, and will be introducing exciting new events this year at Coachella and Art Basel. Gen Art has a 16 year history cultivating an extensive following of loyal supporters who view them as arbiters of emerging talent. Gen Art’s designer alumni include Zac Posen, Rebecca Taylor, Philip Lim, Duckie Brown, Vena Cava, Rodarte, Ohne Titel, Alexandre Plokhov, Raquel Allegra and countless others.
Reality Star Whitney Port opened the show introducing the designers and DJ Harley Viera-Newton kept the crowd upbeat.
The first designer to present her collection was Gemma Kahng. In 1990, Gemma started her own namesake fashion house. For her first season, she showed a tightly edited collection representing her personal style. As a total surprise, that first collection was a big hit, opening over 30 top retail accounts across the country. It was also featured in a full page editorial in Vogue Magazine. From then on, Gemma was well on her way to be recognized as a respected designer in the fashion industry and soon became a member of the CFDA. Her collection was a mix of leather and lace with a gothic feel. The color palette was dominated by black with some cream silk dresses and skirts.
Next up was Samantha Pleet who called her Autumn/Winter 2012 collection “Romantic Revival”. Her story began in 2006 when Brooklyn Designer Samantha Pleet debuted her namesake collection, intertwining elements of the mysterious and fantastical with a sense of modernity. Each season new and ancient ideas from music, art, history, and literature are conjured along with various feelings and are transformed into Pleet’s silhouettes, then shown in collaborative projects from films, photographs to unique installations. The clothes, made in New York City using organic materials whenever possible, have become favorites among creative girls around the world including musicians like Beach House, The Dirty Projectors, and Au Revoir Simone. The collection was the flower child casually strolling at a beach resort in floating floral silk viscose print dresses. The models wore boots and brimmed hats giving the collection a boho chic feel.
The last designer was the duo that calls their label William Okpo. Gen Art alumni designers, Darlene and Lizzy Okpo created the women’s wear collection, William Okpo in 2010. A nurtured love for fashion and creativity brought about the birth of the collection named for their father, William Okpo. The concept behind the William Okpo line is inspired by the parents of the Okpo sisters. Daughters of Nigerian immigrants, Darlene and Lizzy were motivated by the interplay of their parent’s personal style with the American culture. With William Okpo, the Okpo sisters wish to illustrate the unique aesthetic that results from the juxtaposition of the immigrant’s sense of style against American cultural sensibilities, offering the modern feminine designs with touches of masculine elements. William Okpo is for women who celebrate their cultivated sense of style. This was the collection that infused bright colors with a college prep vibe. There were pants and skirts in orange, fuschia, yellow, turquoise and forest green. Some looks were accessorized with plastic aviator hats and neon ankle socks worn with handmade african shoes.
Let’s hope this is only the beginning of a long career in the fashion industry for these designers. As far as Gen Art they have many events coming up in 2012 so stay tuned.
Photos: Gen Art
