Look at the Back of my Red Zipper Dress from Fall 2011

This silk zipper dress, designed and made be me, was created in Summer 2011 and shown at the Fashion Group International (FGI) Ready-to-Wear Show in Fall 2011 and at the Induction of Ralph Rucci and Donald Brooks to the Fashion Walk of Fame in October 2011.

 

 

FGI NY R-T-W Trend Overview and a new design by me

I just love to be "artsy". A woman called me so last week, when she saw me in the ZIPit dress. Can't stop. Finished a new zipper dress version (ZIPit-two) made again only with zippers. It is white, fitted and has a decorative functional triple zipper in the back. My fingernails are gone, but I think it was worth it.
I wore it when I attended the Fashion Group International's R-T-W Trend Overview Spring/Summer 2011. It was an amazing presentation by Marylou Luther with a noon panel discussion about the newest trends in the Fashion Industry. The panel included Mickey Boardman (Paper Magazine), Colleen Sherin (Saks 5th Ave), Jane Larkworthy (W Magazine), Roopal Patel (Neiman Marcus), Cindy Weber Cleary (InStyle Magazine), and  Betsey Johnson as guest moderator.

Guess who was standing in front of me and told me that she loved my dress?

SUCCESS WITH SUPIMA: Brigitte Schwenner in WWD

Friday, January 15, 2010

NEW YORK -- Two years ago, when she was one of the winners in the first Supima Design Competition, we knew Brigitte Schwenner was going to go far.

Now she's been nominated for one of the Fashion Group International's prestigious Rising Star Awards for women's wear--the most ultra-competitive category.

Here, in a article headlined FGI ANNOUNCES RISING STAR FINALISTS, is what WWD reporter Marc Karimzadeh had to say:

NEW YORK — The Fashion Group International unveiled the list of finalists for its Rising Star Awards later this month.

In the women’s apparel category, they are Joseph Altuzarra of Altuzarra; Prabal Gurung; Nima Taherzadeh of Nima; Peter Hidalgo; Matthew Ames; Michael Angel; Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs of Cushnie et Ochs; Bibhu Mohapatra, and Brigitte Schwenner of Sievering.

In men’s apparel, they are Loris Diran; Anthony Keegan and Richard Christiansen of Commonwealth Utilities; Paul Marlow of Loden Dager, and Stefan Dahlkvist, Simen Staalnacke and Peder Borresen of Moods of Norway.

The accessories finalists are Amanda Pearl Brotman of Amanda Pearl; Cornelia Petronis of Mark; Shai Levy of Seventy Eight Percent; Adriana Castro; Robin Frances Stern of It’s About Time, and Katherine Fleming. For fine jewelry, they are Visnja Brdar of Visnja Jewels; Kelly Amorim of Carla Amorim Jewelry; Monica Rich Kosann of MRK Fine Arts, and Nina Basharova of Nina Basharova Jewelry Design.

In retail, the award could go to John Bartlett; Helena Greene of Swing Concept Shop; Edward Chai and Paul Birardi of Odin New York; Barbara Moore of B. Moore Designs, Inc., or Alexandra Galgano of Charm and Chain.

As in previous years, there are two beauty categories, for fragrance corporate and fragrance entrepreneur.

In the fragrance corporate category, the finalists are Irina Burlakova of Givaudan Fragrances Corp.; Jerome Roux of Coty Prestige; Juliette Karagueuzoglou of International Flavors & Fragrances, and Jaclyn Rebecca Davis of MAC Cosmetics. For fragrance entrepreneur, they are Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz of Malin + Goetz; Lisa Hoffman of Lisa Hoffman Beauty; Frederick Bouchardy of Joya; Janet League-Katzin of Sphatika International, and Danny Seo of Wholearth Beauty and Bath.

Finally, the home-interior design Rising Star honoree will be selected from among Luke Vahle of Fifth Season Design; Shawn Henderson; Dror Benshetrit of Dror, and Joey Roth.

This year’s Rising Star Awards luncheon will take place at Cipriani 42nd Street on Jan. 22. Nina Garcia, Marie Claire fashion director and “Project Runway” judge, will be the event’s keynote speaker.
Posted by Greg Wang at 1:51 PM
http://supimacotton.blogspot.com/2010/01/succes-with-supima-brigitte-schwenner.html

WWD: Fashion Group International Names Rising Star Finalists. And - I am one of them!

Thank you SUPIMA -world's finest cottons for such a nice post about me

http://supima.com/design-competition
http://supimacotton.blogspot.com/2010/01/success-with-supima-sievering-nominated.html

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

SUCCESS WITH SUPIMA: Sievering nominated for FGI Award
NEW YORK -- She was one of the winners in the first-ever Supima Design Competition. And now she's a finalist for one of the industry's top honors.

Brigitte Schwenner, designer and owner of the Sievering couture collection, has been named one of the finalists in the Fashion Group International's Rising Star Awards, which will be named at a luncheon at Cipriani here in New York on January 22.

Schwenner, as fans of the 2008 Supima Design Competition may recall, impressed the judges with her superb execution of two technically difficult designs, including a long and elegant evening sheath of Kaihara stretch denim (pictured at right), which featured a minimalist neck-to-hem, two-way zipper construction--creating a face-graming "necklace" neckline in front and a dramatic, exit-making back view.

The feat was all the more impressive since Schwenner was more accustomed to working with couture-quality silks and satins.

"The elasticity of the denim supported the perfect fit of that gown," explained Schwenner, who also turned out a strapless dress made of Choi & Shin pique for the Supima runway finale.

A native of Germany, Schwenner studied chemistry and lived in Japan before coming to the U.S. in 1999. A summa cum laude graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, Brigitte’s training in haute couture has also included internships under Francois Bouchet in Carolina Herrera’s atelier.

In 2006, she began Sievering, her own custom-couture business. Her philosophy: "We work with our client to create a design to suit you. Every step of the way we engage you in the design development process to establish a look that is uniquely yours. Together we will select the fabric, the color and the silhouette that expresses who you truly are. Explore the possibilities with a creation that is personal rather than manufactured and expresses the different aspects of today’s woman."

Log on to the Sievering website to see her latest bridal, evening, and cocktail dresses.
Posted by Greg Wang at 8:18 AM

FGI Rising Star Competition

I am very happy to be one of the finalists in the Fashion Group International Rising Star Competition. The winners will be announced during the awards luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street, NYC. Nina Garcia, fashion director at "Marie Claire" and judge at "Project Runway" will be the keynote speaker.
Thank you to everybody who voted for me!!