While the luxury industry keeps growing, the league of craftsmen who sew the garments, cobble the shoes and work the leather keeps shrinking.
That’s why luxe conglomerate LVMH has yet again partnered with Parsons The New School for Design–this time, they’ve given students a backstage pass to the studios of some of New York’s most celebrated artisans, from textile designers to wood carvers to clothing conservationists.
Each team of students–23 teams in total–was assigned to one master artisan in September 2009. Since then, they’ve spent hours observing and learning about their specific guru’s work, creating fashion designs and short documentaries inspired by it. The pieces will be judged on February 17 at MAC & Milk, which will be a nice distraction at the end of Fashion Week.
We’re looking forward to seeing what they’ve come up with. In an era when the work of these experts is overlooked, it’s nice to recognize their importance.