Joy Cioci: New York’s Protégé

Joy Cioci comes from an ideal fashion background. She studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, and she has a great Italian last name to go with her effortless style. It is quite obvious that she knew about her talent at a very young age. The institute is a great place for artists coming out of high school. When it comes to fashion, New York City provides all the inspiration and motivation that one could want. The city has so many cultures and tastes, and it is a melting pot that clearly loves change and innovation. Everyday Cioci is exposed to different ideas and trends. It may not be so obvious to the first time observer, but her work is the product of decades of evolution in the Mecca-Empire of the world. The university that she attended is said to have an enrollment of over 10,000 students. Out of 10,000 students, only a select few make it big. Cioci is clearly one of them. With her famous Wink and Chelsea Flower lines, her name became more prevalent in the fashion capitals across the world. Recently, she has began pioneering on her own, and the media loves her for it.

Cioci specifically designs clothes for women. She is well known for her elaborate, flesh-showing, elegant dresses. She has been called to show her line at the world renowned Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Many of her dresses are conservative and realistic. In other words, they are not as outlandish as most runway lines. While at Mercedes Benz Fashion week, Cioci remarked, “I like to bring a sense of feminine touch to every piece of clothing that I do and create especially for spring there is much allure and sex appeal that you can provide in clothing, so, I hope to make sure that it is in every article I make.” Behind the  scenes at The Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Cioci told reporters that she designed this particular show with two of her best friends in mind. One of her close friends decided with her boyfriend to travel around the world for a year. Cioci explained that this line was intended to represent fearlessness and the love this couple shared. She intended this line to show playfulness and the allure that comes from traveling around the world as well. Cioci always tries to develop clothing that can fit and look good on all women. One of her goals is to stay diverse. Cioci is clearly a genius, and her success will only continue to mount.

This twenty-seven year old knew fashion was going to be a major part of her life since she was a little girl. In an interview with City’s Best she explains her leap into the fashion industry. She also explains why she decided to branch out on her own, away from WINK and Chelsea Flower. “Once I decided I needed to be in design, I got a freelance job with a corporate fashion company until I got stir crazy. A good friend of mine saw on Facebook that one of her friends was looking for a designer to start a company with and within 30 minutes I went to meet her, and within two minutes, she said I was hired!” She is a great example of how a student can defy teachers and certain customs to come up with something original and own it.

She took her genius to a new level by creating her own brand, and now she produces some of the finest garments and dresses in the world. On Satineboutique.com I discovered one of Cioci’s creations. She presents a long dress made from 100% silk. The dress is just under $500. It contains a ruffled collar and a ruffled waist. Even with that conservatism, the dress remains sleeveless. At first I thought the dress was different and awkward, something that could be worn on the runway, but never to a dinner party or show; however, the dress looks immaculate when it is worn. In fact, it is one of the nicest pieces of fashion I have ever seen. For $935 dollars you can purchase Cioci’s Mariana Hi-lo Gown. This gown falls to your feet in the back and rises above the knee in the front. It reminds me of the wedding dress worn in the music video “November Rain” by Guns ‘N Roses.

Joy Cioci has a studio in SOHOand she is involved in several charities including The Knock Foundation. This organization combats poverty. Her fame always goes towards helping a great cause. She simply brings joy to people all over the world and it all started with her passion for fashion.

Website: joycioci.com

-Stan Walters