Author: danieldcnyc

A Heartfelt Catwalk

At the end of New York Fashion Week, it was a Sunday filled with all the glam and powerful color, sequins, and statements to be made, it’s the Infinite Exposure Shows with 5 designers that include Virginia Cathey Collections, MJ-My Joy, Charmonisky, Glow-Art, and Jiovanna Gordon, all impactful with their designs, and supporting the American Heart Association.

Virginia Cathey Collections

This is the My Elegance In Focus collection by Virginia Cathey, comprised of hooded green dresses with split, red sequin dress, versatile vests, multi-colored body tight dresses and leggings, as well as multi-colored hoodies in same printed designs, a collection that is a can’t miss.

MJ-My Joy

MJ-My Joy designs its collection of super-enhanced comforts being tops, bottoms, and hoodies out of a life that was lost before it was even born, MJ’s son was born a still born, and did not have a chance to come into the world, so creating MJ-My Joy the collection was created with a purpose with the love and support of his family, as MJ did not just come to live very briefly without meaning.

Charmonisky

With its Egyptian theme dresses, Crochet jumpsuits, and Crochet dresses, Charmonisky has apparently made Crochet designs a high-end fashion luxury one must invest in not only for style, but for a very strong staple to hold in your closet.

Glow-Art

Apparent from its inspiration of still art and a huge play on distinct colors, Glow-Art is a portal to experience the ethereal through the use of everyday earthly items, including people, make up and lighting, it is a GOD Source inspired photography, Creator, Ron Vestal, says he does it to expand the conscious and unconscious feeling and though of his audience.

Jiovanna Gordon

For both womenswear and menswear, Jiovanna Gordon delivers hard-hitting and elegant pieces that are a cause to stop and stare at the play on a collaboration of colors with men’s, and a play on feathers with women’s.

Infinite Exposure Shows with their talented designers are not just about walking the runway of New York Fashion Week, #IEFW is all about raising money, where 100 percent of all proceeds go to the American Heart Association.

Daniel Quintanilla

Rising Stars

Albeit it was a dark historic 20th anniversary of 9/11 in New York City during New York Fashion Week, this day also brought a sign of life and hope for an extremely bright future in the world of fashion as Fashion Bomb Daily held its day long runway show featuring up and coming designers such as Bree Original Designs and Khangle.

Bree Billiter (Bree Original Designs)

Bree proudly presents the collection of “The Ocean’s Cathedral”, where the ocean will forever be part of who Bree is.

In Bree’s words…. “Stage 1 of my life cycle ..me as a caterpillar.

My foundation is soaked in the colors of the ocean and the magic that floats within the waves.

Colors dance across the tides as the ocean distorts them creating stained glass lasting till the horizon.

We worship the beauty and bask in the colors as the sun sinks into the water and bright orange and pinks wash over our skin.

This collection is called the Ocean’s Cathedral as it mimics not only the magical colors of the ocean but the creatures within it… mystical or otherwise.”

Khangle

Khangle is a “Dreamer”, filled with metallic and artistic prints painted onto menswear, and especially womenswear where all the colors are brought into a canvas of ambitious designs consisting of blue, white, purple, and violet acting as one, but each color having its own space to be who it truly is, plus silhouettes and symmetric design justifying the abstract paint canvas inspiration which Khangle aims for in his Spring & Summer 2022 “Dreamer” collection.

Daniel Quintanilla

A Century In

Hours after the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks were observed in New York City, the five boroughs continued on with New York Fashion Week where Daniel plus Lauren headed off to Brooklyn to encounter a trip into the the middle of the 22nd Century with Perfect Universe and its bold Spring/ Summer 2022 collection that plays off the idea of the future.

Perfect Universe is an extension of Perfect Population by KL Allen, taking fashion into the year 2160, who went crazy with a lot of different prints by creating signature prints that set KL Allen apart from other designers, it’s big designer prints with a futuristic tone.

Perfect Universe is a utopia of bright colors where greens, yellows, and grays play a very prominent role in the circuit boards inspiration, the year 2160 has molded itself as the absolute flawless world to live in with no fears, no troubles, no worries, and all the chaos is eradicated so much, that fashion is the number one and only thing you need to worry about.

Perfect Population strives to focus in on quality and style, creating wearable trends that are chic and fashion forward for the everyday man and woman.

Perfect Population specializes in Women’s sportswear, evening gowns, party dresses, men’s sportswear, casual wear and accessories which include sunglasses, handbags and footwear.

Daniel Quintanilla

Celebrate, We Are Strong

Days after Summer unofficially winded down, and 5 days before Broadway made its triumph return post the COVID19 pandemic, New York Fashion Week was roaring as strong as ever with in-person runway shows again gracing the many spots of Manhattan, Daniel plus Lauren with partner, Patricia Ann Parenti, were at Sony Hall on Friday, September 10 to witness the Anthony Rubio collection, celebrating what life in New York City once was now that the COVID19 lockdown is over, albeit COVID19 is far from over.

The Anthony Rubio Spring & Summer 2022 collection is a much-needed gift to those New Yorkers who’ve endured 15 months of lockdown where New York Life suddenly stopped and was at a standstill, no crowds, no theater shows, no nightlife, just social distance, no holiday festivities, just last calls before 11 p.m. and take home cocktails to say the least.

Anthony Rubio’s NYC SS2022 collection is made up of bright colors, festivities, and joy, designs celebrating the opulence for women, men, and their dogs which are the centerpiece for Anthony Rubio’s pieces, Anthony uses luxurious fabrics such as brocades and sequins in gowns along with high and low style designs.

Anthony Rubio makes your dog look as beautiful as you with dresses for dogs in the same fabrics, it’s all about dressing up again post COVID19, going out of the house and living as you were before the Coronavirus pandemic ever hit our shores.

Anthony Rubio’s love letter to New York City with its joyous Spring/ Summer 2022 collection beautifully tells the world that NYC is alive and kicking, NYC is still showing its best, and like the rest of the world, NYC still has lots of work to do to get out of the tunnel that is still the COVID19 pandemic, but New York’s hard work and grit move it further along to the light.

You can learn more about this extraordinary Spring & Summer 2022 collection for you and your dog BFF by going over to anthonyrubiodesigns.com.

Daniel Quintanilla & Patricia Ann Parenti

The Beauty Of Black

Negris Lebrum made its bold comeback on the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks just below Union Square in Manhattan at Ideal Glass Studios for New York Fashion Week with its Spring & Summer 2022 collection, continuing its “Love Story” series with the next chapter with new and exciting plaids, also partnering with LaunchMetrics for its triumph return to the runway after runway shows were out of commission for 18 months thanks to the COVID19 pandemic.

This Love Story is the foundation of Negris LeBrum, and is rooted in the company slogan Lenoir est Joli…”Black is Beautiful.”

Brand founder Travis Hamilton’s design process is heavily influenced by his Southern Creole roots, and the Negris LeBrum love story is a tale of an older woman of the same name who lived in the designer’s hometown.

As a light-skinned Creole young woman, she could pass as a white person but chose to remain true to her Black roots.

She fell in love with a dark-skinned Black man, and their romance caused an uproar.

Each collection pays homage to the courage of this amazing woman, and the boldness of the color black.

“She was a grandmother in our hometown. I knew her and her family. Her granddaughter and I are very good friends,” Hamilton recalled. “I always felt that people not liking you because of the choice of you loving someone because of their color always bothered me. I just wanted to do something and bring out the positive in it.”

Each collection pays homage to the courage of this amazing woman, and the boldness of the color black!

Daniel Quintanilla & Patricia Ann Parenti

Arriving Back

For 19 months, we’ve been waiting for this moment to return, the time where we seek out the latest fashions, designs, and prints for the upcoming Fall, Winter, Spring, or Summer season, the time where buyers put in their orders in their department stores and boutiques, plus celebrate the season that’s ahead, all that’s been missed thanks to the COVID19 pandemic, while also mired with fall starts, but today’s the day where Coterie by Informa Markets gets to have its long-awaited return like Broadway did earlier last week, Coterie kicks off today once again its 3 day fashion trade show from the Javits Center here in lower Manhattan at New York City’s Hudson Yards, showing off the Spring/ Summer 2022 season, and it’s no better time than to dream of the resort destination we’ll go to next year, the perfect candidate Daniel plus Lauren sought out for resort wear is Moda Baronessa.

First launching in Mexico with 3 retail stores, Moda Baronessa found its way to being a resort destination collection while having a pop-up store in Beverly Hills, California in COVID19, where Moda Baronessa launched as a private label, and only being exclusively available in resort wear areas, it’s now added traditional retail department stores and boutiques to sell its debut collection around the world, and here in the United States of America.

Buyers are into the fitted tailored dresses and silks, there’s also a sale on a Mystique style piece that’s very Bristol which is an open kimono and a tailored dress at the same time, where you get multiple wears out of a single piece which people have been buying and loving out of Moda Baronessa.

Moda Baronessa works solely with ready to wear silks, fabrics that are manufactured and designed in India, Moda Baronessa’s swimwear fabrics range from nylon to spandex, and are manufactured in China.

In this beautiful collection made by Moda Baronessa, they’ve gradually launched their resorts wear destination collection around the world, now they’ve gone on a feverish pace in retailers to launch this debut collection here in the U.S. in universal retailers, and are due to launch another new collection in February for the Fall/ Winter 2022-23 season.

Daniel Quintanilla

Tasou Spring Summer 2022 season was held during New York Fashion Week at a new venue called NYFW on Fifth located at 608 5th Avenue at 49th Street.

The theme of the runway show was “The Athletic Side of Us” and was designed by CHUKS COLLINS for men and women.

These are clothes to wear for athleticwear and streetwear.

The collection is based on functional clothing that also focuses on sustainability by being ecofriendly.

When I did a quick interview with Chuks who is originally from Nigeria, he told me many of his fabrics were made from recycled plastic bottles, organic cottons, hemp and repurposed fish nets.

By sitting close to where the models were coming out from dressing area, I could see the clothes up close and by doing so I could see Chuks Collins uses very high-quality fabrics that will retain their shape wearing after wearing.

I know textiles very well since I use to source fabrics and still attend textile shows.

By Patricia Ann Parenti

His men’s collection consists of shorts for running, swimming or just staying at home to lounge around.

They are also long enough in the leg to be worn on the streets after sports.

I especially loved his graffiti print short and top outfit.

The women’s collection offers function and comfort that can be worn to the gym and out at night.

His exercise clothes are perfect for weight training at the gym for ladies.

I love his use of color in his collections also. Many of the styles such as tee shirts are gender neutral.

His inspiration for the collection was fashion forward, comfortable and easy to wear clothing that was upbeat and summery at the same time.

The charitable side of Chuck has focused his collection to help other people who desire to be athletic but have been limited to due to limb deficiencies.

The brand is helping people that have limited mobility in his home country of Nigeria by donating some of the proceeds from the sale of the collection by providing sustainable prosthetic limbs to children through Tasou’s partnering organization called The Irede Foundation.

For further information on his collection, or to buy something you like in my photos go to WWW.THEATHLETICSIDEOFUS.COM

Patricia Ann Parenti

An Open World

Somewhere in the middle of New York Fashion Week on the night before the 20th anniversary of 9/11/2001, Daniel plus Lauren paid a visit to a discussion of a new independent film from India titled “Call Me Dancer”, where a Hip Hop Dancer is forever changed when entering into Ballet by accident.

The life of a hip-hop dancer from Mumbai is forever changed when he accidentally walks into a ballet class.

Manish is captivated by ballet’s athleticism but doesn’t tell his struggling parents that he has dropped out of school and used their savings to pay for dance classes.

70-year-old Israeli-American Yehuda Ma’or arrives in India to teach ballet at an inner-city dance school after losing his last teaching position.

He once had a renowned career as a dancer and had been a teacher to ballet’s greatest stars, like Rudolf Nureyev.

Teaching at an inner-city dance school in Mumbai is not what Yehuda is used to – but he needs the job.

When he discovers Manish, he feels like he’s won the lottery.

Yehuda believes that Manish has the right stuff to dance professionally.

His dedicated student renews Yehuda’s excitement in teaching.

For two years he trains him hard: prodding, cajoling, and encouraging him through 4 classes a day.

But the competition is incredibly daunting.

Only 3% of dance students are invited to join professional companies.

And Manish started late, at the age of 20, when most students have been training since they were small children.

There is a lot of catching up to do – and the odds are further stacked against Manish because of his background.

India has no ballet tradition, and he faces constant pressure to earn money to support his family.

His father is a taxi driver barely able to make ends meet. “Dancing is a hobby for rich kids,” he tells him.

The relatives criticize Manish’s parents, shaming them because their only son isn’t employed.

He is invited to study internationally, a remarkable triumph for Manish and Yehuda.

His career is about to launch when he suffers a major setback: an injury that requires surgery and a lot of time to heal—a dancer’s worst nightmare.

Manish completes rehabilitation from his injury and trains hard in preparation for auditions outside of India.

But the pandemic is upending everything.

Suddenly he has an offer in New York City…but can he take it?

“Call Me Dancer” is a story of hope, heartache, and hard work.

Together, Manish and Yehuda transform each other’s lives, searching to uncover who and what they are.

Yehuda seeks a purpose and a place to call home.

Manish dreams of dancing on the world-stage but struggles to break free from the confines of his own economic and social circumstances.

Directors, Leslie Shampaine and Pip Gilmour, intentions for “Call Me Dancer” are that the arts can change lives and can act as an instrument for erasing boundaries – be it racial, religious, socio-economic or national.

Ballet master Yehuda Ma’or approached me to tell this story because I am a former professional ballet dancer and he knew I would bring an insider’s point of view, sensitivity and understanding to this story.

I wish to convey the passion and inner joy that dancers feel and that allows them to push past pain to become as good as they can be.

I want audiences around the world to be moved by the telling of this story and to appreciate the enormous potential of this athletic art form to bring people together.

You catch the trailer on the highlighted link here for “Call Me Dancer”.

And you can get more information about “Call Me Dancer” through First Hand Films, where you can find ways that you can fund the film.

Also, this article is a collaboration between Daniel plus Lauren and Patricia Ann Parenti.

Daniel Quintanilla & Patricia Ann Parenti

The Body Of Korea

New York Fashion Week last week in New York City brought the first signs of life returning not only in the five boroughs, but around the nation and the world as we emerge from 18 months of lockdown thanks to the COVID19 pandemic, along with Summer 2021 hanging around longer outside our window today with unseasonal temperature and humidity, it’s also a great time to aim for a fully functional Spring and Summer 2022 with “the STOLEN GARMENT” and it’s Korean fashion collection, created by Jungwoo Park, who’s inspiration stems from a homeless person wearing a garment stolen.

“the STOLEN GARMENT” specializes in hammered silk, with all crystal buttons on its jackets made up from digital prints, there’s also cotton twill pants with waist band dipped in the back, the front of these pants has detailed stitching.

“the STOLEN GARMENT” and it’s poly satin coats have zippers on sleeve unlined, but they’re bounded with inside seams; jewelry with “the STOLEN GARMENT” are made up of sterling silver with crystal balls under the aegis of the “Geometric Study Of Jewelry”, and it’s twisted circle bracelet is very lightweight with its unique silver twisted design.

Mini Bags with “the STOLEN GARMENT” are made by hand crochet and macrame nylon cord strap with plastic beads crocheted right into the strap, the rectangle handbags also have a magnetic in cork closure for quick and strong close so style is not compromised just by closing your bag, it’s also meant to keep your items secure, and it’s priced from $580 to $1,500.

“the STOLEN GARMENT” specializes in unisex clothing where both men and women, and it’s yarns are 75 percent recyclable, showing off the full throttle of sexuality on both men and women, and it’s small, medium, and large size options make “the STOLEN GARMENT” a very special thing to wear that makes you look good.

You can buy all the great pieces “the STOLEN GARMENT” has to offer at http://thestolengarment.com.

Daniel Quintanilla & Patricia Ann Parenti

What’s The Root Cause?

Fashinnovation’s 5th Annual Worldwide Talks today uncovers an overlooked truth about what keeps women down leadership roles of fashion, media, and in the world of business, it’s other women mainly of their peers, as well as younger or older, who pledge their support of their male counterparts to head the companies they work for, simply because of women fearing other women they may have to answer to, the female mind’s instinct of jealousy and cattiness kicking just like it would on the social scene outside the workplace.

Therefore, men have been writing the narrative of how a woman should succeed in the corporate world, as well as steer the wheel of how women are marketed in fashion, business, and all other industries where women are used; it’s mainly women who comprise the fashion industry in designing clothes, working the floor, and promoting their brand, women also are the buying power of fashion whether it’s their own money or not.

The only way women can be put into more leadership roles is have 100 percent support from other females also in leadership, as well as those above and below them, work on rising above the fear a woman may have about another woman in their position, share the fears they may have, sometimes share their intentions, and this will eventually lead women to head their companies, and now write the narrative about women.

Daniel Quintanilla