New York Fashion Week | Sep 2019
Meet the Designers
Karina Edmonds
Karina’s collection was inspired by the seamless balance between nature and her multicultural upbringing. She took a spin on the theme given, “Who I am”. Rather she has turned it into a question “Who am I?”. Karina still ponders this elusive question realizing it may never be answered.
Through the creative process, she has defined her life as a seamless line in constant change. Her collection is also inspired by the environment. Karina believes we all are influenced by our surroundings and as our environment changes, in turn, we are changed. Her collection significantly uses layering as a metaphor. The use of multiple layering in her collection mirrors life's complexity and her multicultural background, and persona. In two of her garments she even echoes and recognizes the beautiful artisanal work of indigenous women in Mexico, by using their divine patterns from different regions.
Each garment in her collection is a reflection of the current stage of her life with a specific story to tell. Each design is courageous visual poetry of inward self-reflection.
RENEE GAO
Taking the inspirations from her childhood in Vancouver, Renee translates her favourite fairytales and the city's mood into her pieces for New York Fashion Week. She highlights one of her dresses, which has an umbrella-like silhouette to represent Vancouver. She believes that fashion design has evolved into a more symbolic and representative field in 2019, and she wants her creation to be an expression of her identity. Renee dreams of attending university in New York, dual majoring in business and fashion. Inspired by the designer Coco Chanel, she aspires to have her fashion business and brand in the future.
Inspiration: Fiction, fantasy books & movies
Dream dinner guest: Coco Chanel
Favourite season: Spring/Summer
ANNA HAN
Inspired by the contrast of two formative stages in life, the rebellious youth and the innocence of childhood, Anna captures the in-between with her use of colours. She notes that black represents the restless teens and pink symbolizes the childish, and those are the colours she wants to highlight in her pieces for New York Fashion Week. The K-pop group BLACKPINK and Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo are the main influences of her design. Anna's favourite season is summer, and she loves anime. She believes that keeping her childish side alive to this day is her form of rebellion.
Dream dinner guest: Rei Kawakubo
Favourite season: Summer
AMY LIN
Amy's design is the representation of her eye for details and how to translate them into her unique pieces. She combines dark colours, such as black and gray, with feminine and flowing organza fabric for her New York Fashion Week pieces. Amy believes that creating a difference with her design is the most important thing, and she dreams of dressing the actress Yang Mi on the red carpet. Comparing it to her hobby, which is baking, she notes that design is also about highlighting the character of the product and show it in the most appealing way to the audience.
Dream celebrity to dress: Yang Mi
Noelle yau
Noelle’s pieces reflect her interest in the way clothing can express the wearer’s feelings, boost confidence and reveal personality. A proponent of inclusivity in fashion, Noelle believes in fashion as a force for change – echoing and commenting on events happening around the world through design. Noelle is also an avid badminton player and track and field athlete, and her love of movement shows in her fashion design. She hopes to pursue Psychology or Social Work at the University of Toronto, and currently attends Crofton House School.
Dream dinner guest: Coco Chanel
Favourite season: Spring/Summer