21 April 2010

New York's New Fashion Hotel Opens Doors

The Independent

 
 
Wyndham has joined the fashion-conscious hotel world by launching Fashion26, a new concept in New York City's trendy Chelsea neighborhood.

The chain hopes Fashion26 can propel it into the high-fashion world of brands such as W, which recently hired its own fashion director, and the properties opened by brands such as Moschino and soon, Armani.

The 22-story glass and steel tower is the setting for a rotating "art program", featuring photography created by students at the Fashion Institute of Technology, just across the road. Designer Glen Coben took inspiration from the hotel's area, modeling the lobby's reception desk after a fashion studio cutting-room table.

Staff uniforms, of course, have also been subjected to the fashionista treatment. The merino wool knits take inspiration from design houses such as Faconnable, Pink and Ralph Lauren, whilst doormen will be dressed in Kangol knit hats.

"Fashion 26 - A Wyndham Hotel makes an exciting statement about architectural imagination, refined service and unique amenities in one of the city's most vital and vibrant neighborhoods," said Jeff Wagoner, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts president.

The 280-room hotel says that it has paid as much attention to the amenities as it has the style, promising extras such as cupcakes from the nearby Crumbs bakery at check-in, free wireless internet, and premium Frette linens and terrycloth towels for guests. The hotel's rooftop bar, Rare View, will open in late spring.

Symbolically, the hotel is offering 26 percent off its usual room rate until June 31, 2010 - rooms start at $299 (€220).

20 April 2010

Teen Attends Prom in Dress Made of Gum Wrappers

NY Daily News


Chew on this, DIY fashionistas: A high school junior from Iowa is going to prom in a dress she made from discarded chewing gum wrappers.

Elizabeth Rasmuson of Garner got the sticky idea after hearing about someone who made a prom dress out of duct tape, KIMT-TV reported.

Her boyfriend, Jordan Weaver, has a gum-wrapper vest to match.

"She bought a ton of gum and gave it out to friends and then would collect the wrappers back," Weaver said.

The dress is comprised of hundreds, if not thousands, of chewing gum wrappers - Rasmuson stopped counting after 200 - and is finished with a vinyl top coat to prevent breakage.

The gum of choice was Wrigley's 5 because she liked the colors, Rasmuson said. "We started collecting the specific colors at the very beginning of the year in August."

Now that the dress is finished, the budding designer says she's done with the gum wrapper medium for a while.

On the other hand, she said, Wrigley's "just came out with a new 5 gum, which is black, so I really want to."

14 April 2010

Last Bark for Bryant Park

Examiner

A Fashion Show for Dogs

 
On April 12 from 5-6:30 the grounds of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology was full of woofs and growls in the 2nd annual "Last Bark for Bryant Park" fashion show. Students in FIT's Pet Product Design and Marketing program worked hard to make the show memorable for all in attendance. In addition to the viewing some of the future fashion trends for dogs, attendees received a goody bag full of pet-related products.

Some of the more memorable designs included:

    * motorcycle jacket worn by Sophie the shih tzu
    * leather bomber jacket
    * camouflage outfit
    * sequined wedding gown (the finale)

Most of the dog models belong to the FIT family, but there were also a 2 shelter dog models. The shelter dogs are available for adoption at the North Shore Animal League.

The event was judged by Mario DiFante, and winning designs will be featured at dog events around the world.

According to Cheryl Fein, an FIT spokeswoman, "No one barked, bit, peed, jumped, growled or otherwise misbehaved."

Are you interested in pet product design and marketing? FIT's Center for Professional Studies offers several non-credit and certificate programs. According to the FIT website,

"The Pet Product Design and Marketing Professional Development certificate program is offered by FIT's Center for Professional Studies. The noncredit program consists of six courses: How to Get Your Pet Apparel and Product Concepts to Market, Fashion Design for Pet Apparel, Pet Accessories and Lifestyle Product Design, Quick Sketching for the Pet Product Business, Pet Accessory Design Studio, and Introduction to Pet Product Branding. Students receive a Pet Product Design and Marketing certificate upon completion of the program."