Category Archive: Fashion

Tori Soudan: Changing the Face of Shoe Design

Most famous shoe designers are older white men, many of whom mass produce their products. Baltimore shoe designer Tori Soudan is changing the game, she brings shoe designs to life with her own special touch. She believes that shoes are emotional, and not something to be made on an assembly line.

Soudan’s start in fashion began at the age of nine when her mother began teaching her how to make Easter dresses, then as she grew older as a teenager, her mother showed her how to make prom dresses for her friends. While attending Spelman College in 1994, the shoe designer participated in a study abroad program and traveled to Italy. While overseas she developed an interest in shoe design, after witnessing a demonstration by a master shoemaker on the outskirts of Venice.

After graduating from college, Soudan went on to study at the Parson’s Institute of Design in New York, which led to an internship with Tommy Hilfiger. Following these achievements, she earned an MBA in finance from Northeastern University in Boston, so she would have the knowledge to start her own business.

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Lucid FC: Taking the Fashion World by Storm

Getting into the fashion industry is not an easy task. Fashion evolves quickly and nothing is predictable, designers have to be alert and stay on their toes.  Dedication and hard work are just a couple of the attributions one would need to make a name for themselves in the world of fashion.

Those characteristics are exactly what gave two young teens an opportunity to get their foot in the door and turn their dreams of owning a clothing line into a reality. Lucid Footwear and Clothing, was founded by twin brothers Betts and Chet DeHart when they were just 13-years-old. They used the funds they made from their YouTube channel to jump start their brand. Lucid FC fashion label based in Atlanta has gained popularity for its high-end streetwear and eye-catching logo.

“I’ve always not wanted to live the normal lifestyle of working all day and then coming home at dinner time. It sucks. I don’t want to do that. I guess that’s another reason why I do this,” said one of the twins in their Materialistic Documentary, detailing their start in the industry.

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Brian Atwood: Footwear Fornication

Google Brian Atwood. You will find brilliant shoes. His name is plastered on every major high-end retailer’s website: Neiman Marcus, Saks, Bloomingdales, and Nordstrom, to name a few. The wonder of how top designers make it to such a high status is always a query of the fashion conscious. Atwood’s rise to the design world was unique in comparison to his competitors, and he is definitely someone who found his niche. While his path to design may not have always been clear, Atwood has always found himself dabbling in modeling and clothing design ventures, his passion for creating beautiful accessories has become the height of his career.

Atwood shared with Business of Fashion, international retail industry blog, that a psychic once told him, “‘I see you being famous for something to do with feet,’ It made no sense to me, because, at that point, I hadn’t designed shoes. I still have the cassette tape somewhere.” Apparently, fate was in favor of his flourishing career.

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Dapper Dan: Bringing Luxury to the Streets

Thirty-five years after having his shop closed for illegal use of luxury brand materials, Daniel Day better known as ‘Dapper Dan,’ Harlem’s hip-hop tailor, has partnered with Gucci and opened Harlem’s first luxury brand boutique.

“[It’s] a sign of the times,” he tweeted as he went on to explain that his new shop will feature made-to-order garments specifically designed for his clients’ unique tastes. But the new shop is more than a sign of the times - it’s a sign of evolution for ‘Dapper Dan,’ as Day is affectionately called— and for Gucci. It’s a shift from traditional expectations of luxury brands and a shift from the man Dapper Dan used to be. But one thing has remained the same: stylist and fashion designer Dapper Dan - then and now - has always been about bringing luxury to the streets.

Born and raised in Harlem, Day’s “eye for style” has always been influenced by a mix of of street life and a love of classic, wealthy attire. Despite being drawn to hustling, shoplifting and gambling as a teenager, Day’s love for a pair of sophisticated shoes from a local Goodwill, helped plant the seed of style in his heart.

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Fashion designer Collette Dinnigan is all about appealing to the femininity in women -- her two most recent collections, despite being for the fall and winter seasons, were entirely comprised of skirts and dresses, save for a single pair of shorts. The colors she utilizes speak to the same type of woman, with remarkably soft pallets and, at times, careful hints of lace. Her choice to dedicate her line to this type of client makes sense when considering that the South African-born and New Zealand-raised blonde beauty got her start in the world of lingerie. And despite expanding her fashion repertoire, Dinnigan has continuously devoted her time to this particular style.

Dinnigan, now based out of Australia, is capable of dressing her clients at any point in their lives. From the bedroom, their wedding day, to more simple street wear, her collections have them covered. Her once dry-clean only lingerie collection now boasts playful yet classy pieces, sporting both soft colors with lace trim to more bold animal prints. The intricacy of lingerie is one of her favorite aspects of the design process, as she tells New Zealand online fashion magazine Fashionz, "...what I love is that it’s all so tiny and small, it’s almost like you want to frame pieces! Whereas when you tend to get big gowns, with a lot of fabric, there isn’t the same ‘smallness’ of it, you know, the attention to detail? And I think you can use some really beautiful print, and not necessarily have to be so traditional. And it’s just the femininity of it all, really, and the trimmings, those are the bits that I love." Her bridal collection ranges in style as well, but ultimately goes for a classic look in cool whites. Some are decorated with a more delicate silk organza while others are fully embroidered in Swarovski crystals. Her ready-to-wear pieces also go for bright looks, flirtatious dresses, and occasionally sheer and bold trim. This ability to take on all types of design makes her a powerhouse in the fashion world.

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Kenzo Takada: Introducing Fashion to Japan

Everyone knows that Paris is the fashion capital of the world. The pinnacle of fashion success lies in the heart of France. With that being said, making it to the top is anything but a walk in a beautiful Parisian park. Kenzo Takada is a prime example of the hard work that it takes to make it in the Paris fashion world.

Kenzo, born in Himeji, Japan in 1939, is the first Japanese designer to be recognized by French fashion professionals, while also being considered one of the most influential ready-to-wear designers. Kenzo first became interested in fashion after looking at his sister's magazines. He knew that Japan was no place for a fashion designer, so it wasn't long before Kenzo was on a boat to Paris intending to only stay for six months. However, as soon as he landed in Marseilles he knew this would become his new home.  

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