Fashion Week 2012: Gen Art Show Helps Young Designers Break Out
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The Gen Art fashion show in Hell's Kitchen helps the next generation of designers mark their mark on the runway. NY1's George Whipple filed the following report. It is the chance of a lifetime for a few young designers to show their wares to fashion press and industry in Hell's Kitchen, courtesy of Gen Art.
Gen Art is a national organization dedicated to showcasing and elevating emerging talent, and this year's design competition has only one rule: the clothes have to be white.
One of the judges, TV personality and designer Whitney Port, announced the contest winner, Wen Shi.
"I'm working with Crest, basically partnering them with Gen Art in order to judge this competition where they gave keywords like 'brilliant' and 'dazzling' and 'white.' And so we were looking for something that just really represented that and kind of 'Winter Wonderland' theme," says Port.
Shi was under pressure to get her clothes to the runway on time.
"I actually did the five looks within 10 days because we only had two weeks' notification. I had to pull favors from everybody I knew," says Shi.
The night is not just about the winner, it also giving other young fashion designers a chance to show their stuff during New York Fashion Week.
Two sisters who make up a design duo are strongly influenced by their African background.
"Our parents are Nigerians and growing up around them they were always very fun with colors," says Lizzy Okpo, one of the designers.
The fun thing about seeing emerging designers is one never knows if someone among them may become the next star.
"It's really awesome to be here. As a Gen Art alum myself, I got to show my line at a Gen Art event in Miami, I just know how important it is to support up and coming designers and so it's really, really cool," says Port. "I can't say I'm a veteran or anything, I'm still trying to make it as well. So it's cool just to have that camaraderie."