Chic Galleria » A. Finney

Spotlight on Chicago Fashion Designer Horacio Nieto of Horacio Nieto

A. Finney — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:50:28 +0000

Rising star and stylemaker, Horacio Nieto is the multi-talented designer behind his brands Arlo Menswear, a trend-setting menswear company and, Horacio Nieto, an attention-grabbing women’s fashion company. The Horacio Nieto collection includes ready-to-wear, eveningwear and bridalwear. The exquisite dresses have lots of ruffles, winged shoulders, sexy bare or one shoulder styles, and all are stunners.

“I usually choose fabric that is textured or that has something to it, whether it is the color or fabric content,” Horacio said.

Horacio says he knew he wanted to be a fashion designer around the age of 13 or 14, when he would sketch dresses for his mother. He is originally from Texas but in 2000, he moved to Chicago to pursue his love for fashion. He attended the International Academy of Design & Technology, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion. Soon, he began designing one-of-a-kind pieces and, the orders starting piling up from the clubs in Boystown. He knew he was going to be a success then.

I asked Horacio to describe his philosophy about fashion and his mission statement:

My philosophy of designing clothing is a combination of strength, fluidity and sex appeal. At Horacio Nieto we are here to provide our customer with clothing that has design, integrity and quality. We shall work to our best ability to provide our customer with clothing that will satisfy them and make them continue to be a loyal customer.

In describing his design style and collection, Horacio said:

I would describe my style as a ready-to-wear style but with elements that make them stand out and more fashion forward. everything is wearable and made with quality and design.

In 2008, Horacio won the AOL Latino Fashionista Design Competition. Some of Horacio’s favorite designers are Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera and Valentino. His favorite celeb to design for would be Selma Hayek.

Horacio’s advice to aspiring fashion designers:

You will need to learn draping, pattern making, have sewing skills and definitely know how to make a garment. Anyone can design but, when it comes to making the garment, then you will see who really knows what they are doing.

Prices range from $100 to $1,500. Women’s collection at www.horacionieto.com and his men’s collection is at www.arlomenswear.com

On April 30, 2011, Horacio will be presenting “Mining The Ming Dynasty” Fashion Exhibition debuting his Fall/Winter 2011 Collections at the Loft on the Lake, 1366 W. Lake St Chicago, IL 60607. To purchase tickets, visit his website. You can keep up with Horacio on Facebook.

Horacio says if he was not designing fashion, he would probably be an entertainer.

Spotlight on Menswear Designer, George Zaharoff of Zaharoff

A. Finney — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:33:26 +0000

Tastemaker and world traveler, high-end menswear designer, George Zaharoff, developed his craft in places like New York and Milan. He designs his signature line of men’s clothing using luxe and exotic fabrics like Italian bamboo silks, linen weaves, and cashmere. His elegant American-made mens suits come in pinstripes and other cool patterns that go effortlessly from office to dinner and beyond. George is a designer with a social conscious who strives to leave only a small carbon footprint. He says his motto is: “Everything in moderation.”

George has traveled the world, raking up well over 2 million miles – 1.5 million on one airline alone, and, of course, he’s bilingual. “There are very few places I’ve never been, Antarctica (no desire), small sliver in Northwest South America and a part of West Africa,” George said. “When I daydream, it’s me either in the Maldives or on an airplane.”

George’s mother was a fashion designer in the late 70s and 80s, and he remembers wanting to be a fashion designer since around the age of 4. He also remembers being told, “Oh no, fashion designers are for little girls, not boys.”

I asked George how he got into the fashion business, and he responded:

It’s a very long story, but I had gone to school to become an aerospace engineer. During my sophomore year, I changed degrees and schools and decided to get a business degree in operations management from DePaul. Ideas and designs always came easy to me, but it was the degree from DePaul that taught me how to combine my talents to construct a beautiful finished product.

While at DePaul, I went for long weekends to Paris and Milan. I dreamed of an international fashion house. In 1995, we were admitted in the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (the Italian fashion council) and began actively showing in Milan.

Asked to describe his mission and design philosophy, George said:

To create a first-class brand everyone would be proud to be a part of.

Fashion is very particular – and there is so much that goes into a garment that you see on a sales floor. So many people rely on supporting their families – from the fabric mill and seamstresses to the retail floor. For me, fashion is not just a jacket or a dress; fashion is life.

George’s advice to up-and-coming fashion designers:

You have to know who your customer is and to not deviate. There’s production, finance, sell-ins, sell-throughs, all which can be overwhelming. But the most important thing for a designer to know is that it is all about the brand. The brand is its own entity; there is no room for egos.

Although George gives credits to all of the mentors he has had throughout the years, he says, “Neiman Marcus’ fashion director, Joan Kaner, had a tremendous influence in my life from when I started in Milan, all the way up to when she retired three years ago.” “My second mentor, Mara Urshal, who one might recognize from “Say Yes to the Dress” on Lifetime was an incredible inspiration during my beginning in Milan.”

I asked George to describe his style and collection:

Zaharoff is American style with a touch of European flair. Just a little different to make someone stand out of a crowd. For Zaharoff, it’s all about fabric.

I love the movement of people and goods and the most exciting place for me is an international airport.

How does George create his collection?

In order to keep fresh ideas flowing and to stay inspired, I am non-judgmental and open to anything – new thoughts, new discussions, and new places.

George Zaharoff is kicking off the Spring/Summer 2011 season with a personal appearance and trunk show at the Nordstrom Michigan Avenue store in Chicago, Illinois from noon until 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, and the Nordstrom Old Orchard, Skokie, Illinois store from noon until 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 2.

Prices for the collection range betwen $895 and $3,000. You may purchase the Zaharoff collection at select Nordstrom and Mark Shale stores.

George added that he is living his dream right now.

Keep up with George Zaharoff on Facebook and follow him on Twitter. To view more of his collection, visit his website.

Spotlight on Fashion Designer: Shai Medalsy of Stone Rose

A. Finney — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 07:10:41 +0000

Style. That’s what the Stone Rose collection has. Say bye-bye to boring and hello to cool sexy menswear. The Stone Rose collection has that “wow” factor. Designed for the fashion-forward male, these shirts and blazers are created for men who must look good whether at work or at play. The shirts are created with over-the-top coolness and details like collars with contrasting colors and patterns inside, straight collars and contrasting buttons and cuffs. The hot blazers are extra cool with contrasting piping along the lapel and pockets. These are definite must-haves for the male wardrobe. Shai Medalsy says he designs and creates all the products using new cutting edge materials with synergies of new colors always fitting comfort in with the look. He says he uses a lot of 100% rich cotton fabrics to create his fabulous line, but does not limit himself and experiments with a lot of different fabrics in interesting ways.

Growing up with a father in the apparel industry, Shai tried resisting going into the family business – apparel industry. He finally stopped resisting and here he is today making these fabulous collections of men’s shirts. Shai says one of the reasons he resisted so long is because while growing up, he saw the industry as being very tough and competitive. But, in 2002, he kind of fell into the fashion industry. At age 24, he started his first menswear shirt company. He started creating new styles with interesting color combinations, and says working in the fashion industry now, allows him to be creative and expressive with his product designs.

Starting out as a designer, Shai needed to establish production of his clothing line. He and a partner went to Istanbul, Turkey, because Istanbul is renowned for their craftsmanship in the men’s shirt market. Going to Istanbul, Turkey soon became an adventure in shirt-making production.

Regarding his foray into the world of men’s shirt production, Shai said:

We would walk up and down the most bizarre areas with heavy bags on our shoulders in intense heat. We found ourselves in places we had never seen before. For example, some places had bathrooms which were a hole in the floor! We got to explore different countries and cultures in the most unexpected ways.

Because neither of them spoke the native language, they hired a translator who followed them around Istanbul to help communicate their production desires to the local factories. Shai and his partner brought along samples of the shirt designs they wanted produced and would show them to the workers in the factories. Shai says the workers would respond with “yes, yes, yes,” to every statement or question posed by the translator about making the shirts. Happy the conversation exchange between the translator and manufacturer had gone well, Shai and his partner thought everything was fine. But, when they received the first samples (and they were all made wrong), they realized the manufacturer had not understood a single thing, and apparently the translator did not understand them either! They quickly realized communicating your fashion concepts in Turkey was much harder than they had expected.

What’s the lesson here for the rest of us?

Lesson number 1: Make sure you understand the language of the country – just a little.

Lesson number 2: Make sure the “translator” understands both your languages – more than just a little!

When asked who his mentors in the industry are, Shai said:

My father has been my greatest mentor, teaching me to always be a step ahead and to keep my head up but I have also met numerous special caretakers in my life that have taught me many great lessons. The best advice that keeps me going on no matter what the situation I was going through was “It doesn’t matter how many times you fall, it’s how fast you get back up!” If I could give one piece of advice to someone, it would be: sometimes you have to lose to win! And: always laugh!

Shai’s advice to up-and-coming designers is:

You must have originality and be an imaginative spirit with guts. You have to dare to be different and try new things. You must also be very thick-skinned. The fashion industry is always criticizing and ready to run you over.

Shai says fashion is a great way to express yourself and show others who you really are. He describes his style and collection as, “Style based on the ‘live in the now’ mantra, that is easily transitioned from desk to dinner.”

Shai’s perfect celebrity to design for would be Matthew McConaughey, because what you see is what you get.

If Shai was not designing his fabulous menswear line, he would be a philanthropist.

The Stone Rose collection ranges in price from $139 to $395. To purchase the Stone Rose collection, visit Akira Chicago.

A. Finney is the founder and head designer at Andrea and Me and Me Too. Her firm designs funky women’s handbags, fashion jewelry, and home decor. Having worked in the legal industry for the past 20 years, she says her passion has always been to create beautiful accessories. She started her business in 1999, and in 2001 she won in the accessories design category at the Black Fashion Museum for her belts called Waist Accents. She uses a lot of vibrant colors to make statements with her accessories and art designs. Their motto is they make designs for women with “way too much attitude.” A. Finney can be reached at: www.andreaandmetoo.net

Chicago Fashion Designer, Mona Muhammad of KnottyLoop Creations

A. Finney — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 07:25:54 +0000

This is where crocheted apparel takes a beautiful turn with the updated styles by KnottyLoop Creations. The KnottyLoop Creations collection redefines the art of crocheting. Mona Muhammad makes crocheting hot and sassy. Self-taught emerging design talent, Mona Muhammad, has taken crocheting to a whole new level with her fresh design ideas for her funky sheer dresses, dresses in silhouette, caps, scarves. She also creates styles for men and children. “It’s not your grandmother’s crochet,” says Mona.

“With the KnottyLoop Creations collection, you will find something you will want to wear to social events, dancing and to the beach. Yes, beach! KnottyLoop Creations will offer the best of both worlds – Sass with Class,” says Mona.

Mona has a degree in business from National Louis University and finds that training very useful in running KnottyLoop Creations. Mona says her artistic and creative sides did not really show up until 2005. One day in October 2005, while looking through a magazine with a friend, they came across a pricey crocheted dress and Mona told her friend that she could make the dress for much less. Of course, her friend, being skeptical that Mona could crochet, let alone make that dress, was in for a surprise. By December 2005, Mona made 4 dresses which were worn by the friend, and Mona’s sisters to an event. Mona received overwhelming compliments and, shortly after, Mona launched KnottyLoops. She learned the art of sewing and crocheting from her mother. Once a struggling mother of 4 young children, Mona knew how to creatively stretch a dollar by drawing on the sewing and crocheting lessons taught her by her mother.

I asked Mona when she knew she wanted to be a designer. “I don’t think that I had conscious thought of becoming a fashion designer until recently,” Mona said. I think Mona had an inkling she would become some sort of designer when she was a young child draping her cousins in old curtains, and when she would add embellishments to her own boring outfits.

After launching KnottyLoops, Mona quickly learned what it means to be an entrepreneur. She realized she had to wear many hats – CEO, CFO, designer and everything in-between. Using the skills she acquired at National Louis University, she started promoting her business and soon, she was being featured on ABC News and in online magazines. She is a regular exhibitor at the One of a Kind Show held every December at the Merchandise Mart Chicago.

Mona’s perfect celeb to design for would be Beyoncé.

“I truly believe that clothing should adorn both the body and the spirit; when you look your best, you surround yourself with a positive energy and you instinctively feel great,” Mona says.

KnottyLoops’ clients range in ages from 2 to 82. When I asked Mona about her company’s mission statement, she said:

My goal is to create sophisticated; yet sassy fashions for women that are both unique and classic. KnottyLoop Creations will offer the best of both worlds – Sass with Class.

Mona’s advice to aspiring fashion designers out there is to be creative, have an eye for color and a desire to be distinctive.

In the next five years, Mona plans to focus more on the design side and less on the production. I think she is well on her way.

If Mona wasn’t creating these stylish crocheted fashions, she would be working in a field that helps young people.

The KnottyLoop collection price range is $35 to $450 and may be purchased online.

Keep up with Mona on Facebook.

Spotlight on Fashion Designer: Kay Unger

A. Finney — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:42:21 +0000

Meet designer Kay Unger, a New York-based designer, who has all the bases covered with her brands Kay Unger New York, and Phoebe Couture. Kay Unger has been creating beautiful designs since the age of 8, when she would cut up her parents’ bedspreads to make dresses (while they were asleep). Today, she uses sumptuous fabrics to create stunning designs that range from classic day wear to glamorous evening wear, and she has been featured in many publications.

After attending Ray-Vogue College of Design, Washington University, and later Parson’s the New School for Design, she apprenticed with Geoffrey Beene in the 1960′s. Shortly after that, she decided to develop her own line. And later, with business partners, she founded The Gillian Group, and sold her dresses under that label. When that venture ended, she started Kay Unger New York.

The Kay Unger New York line makes classic styles look sexy with eye-catching day and evening dresses and suits that have cap sleeves, cinched and bowed waists, and skirts that are short and sassy.

The Phoebe Couture line creates a little drama with its stylish and flirty dresses that have bare shoulders, frilly bottoms, or dramatic one shoulder designs for its evening wear collection.

So, whatever style you are looking for, it seems Kay Unger New York and Phoebe Couture has the dress for you.

Besides being the design guru for her two companies, Kay Unger is a mother, and cancer survivor who, while president of FGI, helped raise over $250,000 for cancer research. She is also a philanthropist. Kay was the first woman board member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and she is one of the founders of The Committee of 200, an organization that advances women’s leadership in business. And that’s not all, she is a current CFDA board member.

Some of Kay’s style mentors and elegant women she admires have been women with timeless style such as Jackie O and Audrey Hepburn. The designers she is inspired by are YSL, Dior, Valentino and Chanel. Her perfect celebrity to design for would be Kristen Davis (Charlotte) in Sex in the City.

Kay’s mission statement is: Respect our customer and make her feel fabulous by consistently making beautifully made feminine clothing.

When Kay was asked to describe her style and collection, she said, “The Kay Unger New York line is feminine, sophisticated and body conscious, and the Phoebe Couture label is fun, flirty and trendsetting.” In five years, Kay has plans to expand her brands to include a wider product assortment.

You may purchase her lines at Neiman Marcus, Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom. To view the Kay Unger New York and Phoebe Couture lines, visit her website http://www.kayunger.com. Keep up with Kay on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo credit: Orlando Behar.