Local fashion designers ready to shine

Local designers will show off their original work at a special showcase as part of this year’s Fashion Festival organized by the City of Hamilton.

Five designers will be featured in a runway and reception style presentation on July 4 at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.

All five designers were paired with international fashion editors who mentored them on their collections during the spring.

The fashion presentation will be invitation-only and will be hosted by fashion mogul Rebecca Minkoff.

Danilee Trott is organizing the event and said there were 11 submissions and five designers chosen to be a part of this presentation.

“Each selected designer was partnered with an industry professional, editors of fashion publications in the United States to mentor them for two months.

Professional guidance

“The goal was to give them professional guidance in creating a collection that would be ‘ready-to-wear’ and professionally presented.”

Asked what she hopes the designers got from the experience, she said: “I hope that they would be able to expand their horizons, prepare collections that are practical for resale and receive some real world constructive praise and encouragement, together with criticism that will help them to grow as a professional.

“They will also be exposed to opportunities that would not have normally been possible and we hope they all take full advantage of it.”

One designer Julianna Gibbons has designed women’s ready to wear pieces along with evening wear.

She said her clothing is for the customer who “values functionality and wearability, but who also has an appreciation for the transformational capabilities of fashion”.

Speaking on the experience, Gibbons said: “Having a mentor working with me to help develop this collection has been a fantastic resource.

“Adding another perspective to the creative process always strengthens the work through additional ideas and directions.

“As a designer, I’ve been taught to fully explore my particular aesthetic.

“Sometimes it’s easy to get caught in one direction, which can end with designs that haven’t reached their full potential, another point of view successfully strengthens what’s already been created and acts as an additional platform for further development.”

Asked what she has learned so far, Gibbons said: “I’ve learned to broaden the scope of my collection, and to pay attention to the design details I’ve created so that I can ensure that the outcome will have the strongest visual impact possible.

“Producing a collection from start to finish is an invaluable experience, understanding consistency and moving from concept to 3D execution is what fashion is all about, and even at this point in the process I feel like I’ve learned a lot about creating a collection that will translate from my 2D concept to a 3D garment successfully.”

As far as what she hopes to get out of the experience, she said: “I hope to improve my ability to produce fashion from inspiration to finished product.

“As cliche as it sounds, the only way to learn how to sew is to make as many mistakes as possible.

“Having the opportunity to produce more than a few garments from a collection I’ve designed is something new to me and I hope that the time I spend making these looks is time I spend learning how to be a better designer from a 3D perspective.”

The Fashion Festival begins on July 1 with Mannequin Mondays and finishes on July 6 with the Evolution Fashion Show.