NBC Fashion Star
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Sarah ParrottThursday, March 22
Label: Parrott Proving that you don’t have to go to design school to make it big, self-taught fashion designer Sarah Parrott entered CFW’s 2011 Emerging Designer Competition: East and took home a People’s Choice award for her “feminine with an edge” style—think cutouts, color blocking, and mix-and-match materials (leather with jersey) in separates, updated maxi dresses, and gowns alike. And though the 31-year-old mother of two from Marietta, Georgia, could be seen as a relative latecomer to the fashion scene, she says starting a family before becoming a designer shaped her aesthetic and built up her creative vision. “My designs are effortlessly chic,” she says, “and I think that’s what the majority of women want in their clothes.” Meet Sarah:My favorite fabrics are silks and leather because silks drape so well on a woman’s body. Leather, on the other hand, brings out a person’s edgier side. Most people don’t know that in addition to designing, I also enjoy a competitive game of tennis. When I’m working I listen to anything and everything—from Phantogram, Metric, and My Morning Jacket to Beastie Boys and Outkast. |
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Luciana ScarabelloThursday, March 22
Label: Scarabello “I design clothes that make a woman feel special and stand out in a crowd,” says Luciana Scarabello, who started sewing dresses on consignment in 2008. Today, her sexy Scarabello line is sold in more than 100 boutiques in the U.S., as well as Canada, Japan, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, and Australia. “I create pieces that are original and innovative, but I focus mostly on the cut and the fit of the garments,” says the 30-year-old native of Buenos Aires who lives in Miami, Florida. “I know I have succeeded when I feel special in the garment and can’t wait to wear it at some trendy spot!” Meet Luciana:My proudest moment in the fashion business was when I sold my first dress. There have been a lot of amazing moments as I achieved different goals, but nothing compares to that first dress. My inspiration wall is filled with fabric swatches, color cards, prints, photography, and ads—anything that inspires me and gets me thinking. Most people don’t know that in addition to designing, I also enjoy bowling! I used to be on the Argentinean Bowling Team when I was younger. |
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Nikki PoulosThursday, March 22
Label: nikki poulos & nikki poulos swim A former marine biologist who spends her free time atop a paddleboard, surfboard, or snow skis—now that’s the kind of gal you want designing your swim and resort wear. Nikki Poulos—an Australia native based in Delray Beach, Florida—founded her eponymous label in 2008, introducing boho-chic designs carried today in high-end resorts and boutiques across the U.S., Caribbean, Canada, Australia, and Mexico. One of her proudest moments thus far? Having Anthropologie pick up pieces from her collection of colorful—and often convertible—swim suits. As Poulos debuts her first fall line at CFW, look for pieces inspired by her “love of old Hollywood glamour and the icons of fashion, film, and art, particularly from the ’30s and ’40s,” she says. “My other love, that of vintage-inspired patterns and bold, sassy colors, will be the absolute showstopper, with graphic all-over prints in a color palette of mostly red, white, and black.” Meet Nikki:My favorite fabric to work with is silk jersey because it feels oh so good on the skin, and it drapes beautifully. My design process involves switching off completely from work, getting absorbed in books or films, or getting out in nature. I have to decompress, and then the idea rhythm starts to flow. It’s a gradual constructing and deconstructing process, kind of like creating a collage and then breaking that collage down into individual, interconnected pieces. When I am working, I listen to NPR, Raphael Saadiq, Donavon Frankenreiter, and Jay Z—at least that’s what I’m listening to this week. |
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