A crop of independent designers are making headlines, such as Thuy Diep of the label Thuy, Ophelie Klere and Francois Alary of Devastee, Gaspard Yurkievich of his namesake label, and Filip Arickx and An Vandevorst of AF Vandevorst.
Born to Vietnamese tailor parents who instilled her with a love of fabric, Thuy Diep graduated from Parsons with the goal of creating a label that would forge a personal connection between the wearer and the creator. Diep debuted her Fall 2007 collection at New York Fashion Week.
Ophelie Klere and Francois Alary of Devastee met in high school and instantly collaborated to form their dream label. The two self-professed ‘morbid designers’ incorporate dark and sinister elements into their creations (ghouls and graveyards anyone?).
Gaspard Yurkievich was inspired by Paris in the 1970’s for his Spring 2008 collection. Yurkievich does a wonderful job in evoking the extravagant, chic look that was iconic during that decade, using a lot of yellow and blue and maintaining an ease of wearability. The native Parisian creates clothing that appeals to an energetic, youthful market.
Photos courtesy of the Fashion Spot forums.
