Twentyten

I’ve seen a lot of shows this week, mostly established designers with a known aesthetic. I’m always excited to see what they produce, but that element of surprise isn’t always there. The Twentyten is a relatively new label, but I suspect name recognition won’t be a problem for them much longer. Jeff Dodd, David J. Krause, and Nina Zilka are the designers behind the label, and they all met as students in the Pratt Institute’s fashion design program. The name is a reference to their graduation year. This is their fourth collection together, and their first as members of the Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation. The Incubator’s mission is to “link sustainability to enterprise.” The Twentyten designers are the first fashion designers to be members (the Incubator is for all design disciplines.) They don’t get financial support, but they get invaluable services such as assistance with business plans and exhibition space, like the open sunny loft overlooking the Hudson where they displayed their wares. The designers make everything locally in NY’s Garment Center, and several of their pieces are made from scrap leather and organic bamboo. When I read the inspiration for the collection, I was slightly worried that this was going to be a beautiful yet unwearable, artsy mess. The collection was based on a “fictional female character and her descent into madness.” (Quite appropriate for the last few days of fashion week.) What I saw when I walked in, however, was an utterly hip and wearable collection of tops, pants, and dresses. The vibe is definitely downtown, but I live uptown and I wanted a good chunk of this collection.