NEW YORK — Gen Art’s “New Garde” fashion presentation will venture back here after a three-year hiatus.
The presentation, slated for Feb. 10, will spotlight four “fresh face” designers via “live model vignettes,” in place of a traditional runway, at Drive In Studios at 443 West 18th Street. This year’s show has an additional new element to it: eco-friendly fashion. Beginning in October, Plastics Make It Possible collaborated with Gen Art on a new designer competition, in hopes of increasing awareness as to the usability and general pervasiveness of plastic-based fabrics. Through an online community-voting process, as well as a multistep judging procedure, design team Wesfeld was selected out of a pool of 160 applicants. Wesfeld is made up of two “Project Runway” alums, who, without the prize-winning grant of $10,000, would be financially unable to complete a full collection, according to Gen Art’s chief executive officer, Ian Gerard.
“New Garde” also will showcase three other new designers: Gar-De, Nomia and Sophomore, who were selected by Gen Art’s senior fashion program manager, Kristen Amato. Actor and model Molly Sims will emcee the event.