A Little Bit Different: Telfar

Hey Guys!
Day one of fashion week was exhausting (Shameek insisted on after parties), so I decided to take a momentary hiatus from the chaos of the Tents and pop into a smaller show by indie designer, Telfar:

Cute.
You might be wondering: What’s the difference between a tent show and a smaller show? Well for starters, this one was held in a super cool loft space…
…and instead of everyone jockying for seats, most people stood to the side or sat wherever they could find an open nook. Bonus: the attitude-y/ ‘what are you doing here’ vibe was totally nonexistant.
So if you don’t know about Telfar, he was raised in Liberia, and describes his clothing as “simplexity” i.e. he uses simple materials to make complex clothing with unexpected silhouettes and details.
A few looks from last night’s collection:

Telfar goes for a sporty vibe with a twist. He sticks to a neutral color palette of gray, white, black, and brown, and works with fabrics like cotton, jersey, and voile. While his clothes may look like standard gym issue at first glance, details like pockets, draping, hoods, and bunching at the legs, arms, even the back….
…set this line apart. Telfar wasn’t your average show, which is why it was amazing.
As fun as it was, I’m plunging back into the melee today with shows by Tracy Reese, Max Azria, and ooooh…Baby Phat. For once, I just might have to give you a weekend update!
And, guys, if you’re in NYC, last call…

…come to my party on Saturday!
It’s just gonna be fun. No stress, no drama, just good ol fashioned fun! RSVP to fu***************@gm***.com
Smootches!
PS After the show, I ran into designer Malcolm Harris and we kicked it for a while (even did a little party shoe shopping). Don’t know who he is?? Really!?! Well, he’s the Creative Director for the made-to-order fashion brand Mal Sirrah. I wrote about him here. You should also check out his blog (yes!) Cut, Sew, and Blog (www.cutsewandblog.com). He’s the bomb y’all!
PSS Duh, Real Style. So I’m going for ‘different looks’ in these pictures, and the guests at Telfar didn’t dissapoint. I ran into Regina…
…a model booker who struck me with her quirky steeze. I appreciate how her chunky gold chain stood in contrast to her demure haircut and bookish glasses. Slap on some tights with boots…chick is stylish in her own way.
As a booker, of course I had to ask her about the ethnic models issue. She revealed that she had booked two models for the Telfar show, and said that it all, “Depends on the girl and the desire of the designer. It’s a combination of things.” So perhaps in order to see ethnic models we need more ethnic designers showing at Fashion Week?? Hmm…a whole ‘nother issue. Maybe Malcolm can weigh in…