by trish on September 17, 2008
I have had the great pleasure of meeting Annie and Karen Lin, designers for the clothing line AIRA at a party Jack + Bill PR threw for the winners of their casting call in NYC during this past New York Fashion Week. Keep your eye on these two young up and coming designers. Just to remind you they were the fashion designers chosen at the Jack + Bill PR casting call. After talking with Lauren and Claire from the PR agency, they said that these two young designers caught their eyes while waiting in the line of 150 + designers that showed up for the call.
This season the two decidedly went more feminine. The fabrics are softer and more fluid but the collection retains the same attention to detail the two are becoming known for. You will still see beautiful seams, pleats, tucks and other tailored details in the architecture of the clothing. They also made a conscious decision to focus on more dress silhouettes than they have in the past.
Karen and I created AIRA to represent both of our passions for art and fashion and creating a brand for woman that are sophisticated, comfortable in their own skin, loves the details in life, and enjoys art and fashion for themselves. AIRA, coined by the word ‘era,’ is an ever evolving ‘era’ by the air around. We recently just launched in Fall 2008 and we’ve started our blog and online boutique in mid year 2008. AIRA believes in bridging the gap between the customers and high-end designers, and presenting a real woman in the new ‘era’ as the real fashion statements. We believe that as glamourous as high end fashion is, we like to be accessible for our customers and more personal in communication and knowing what is happening around us as inspirations to our art and fashion designs. Right now, we are currently a fashion and art brand, hoping to branch out into a lifestyle brand including accessories and the small details in a woman’s lifestyle that is necessary and appreciated.
This Friday Sept 19th if you find yourself in NYC, the designers Karen and Annie Lin of AIRA will be showing a sneak preview of their Spring 09 Collection at Colico 275 Mott St. Bonus, there will be 10 % off Fall 2008 collection. More details here.
by trish on September 15, 2008
I want to start the week off sharing some community news of what happened last week and what is coming up for this week. There is lots to share. I love all the emails I get keeping me informed about all the fabulous things going on for indie/emerging fashion designers everywhere. Keep them coming, especially if you want me to blog about it.
First of all a huge congrats to Bob Bland designer/owner of Brooklyn Royalty on the success of her fashion show Sunday, Sept. 7th. The show was held in a private loft and went off in front of a packed house. The show was featured in The Huffington Post. When you read it don’t for get to Buzz it up. You will see what I am talking about when you get there.
If you think you may have missed something during fashion week, visit Inside The Tents to catch up on the blogs, videos and pictures you may have missed during the frenzy. This blog was put together by our good friends at My It Things and Gift Girl. (tune in tomorrow Gift Girl 2.0 launches tomorrow and we have an exclusive interview w/ Jean Pratt, the brains and beauty behind this fabulous site!)
Crosby of PR Couture loved our interview w/ Yuli Ziv president of My It Things and featured it in her blog. Many thanks to her for that.
Style Expose has been following the darling blog and always has great posts to keep indie designers informed especially in the Chicago scene. Big thanks to them for referencing our blog. To see you have to click on their blog archives and click on A New World of Fashion.
Krelwear 2009 Spring/Summer Naturally Organic Collection debuted in NYC Sept 13, 14 & 15 at the Chelsea Museum 556 West 22nd Street, New York, NY. Highly regarded for its innovative knitwear KRELwear has expanded its palette to include 100% organic pima cotton dyed in natural pastel and neutral shades. KRELwear’s new collection is uncompromisingly chic. Reinterpreting its one-of-a-kind pieces, KRELwear’s striking new collection boasts sexy and versatile shapes, rooted in the company’s signature concept of “tubular” construction. Can’t wait to see it posted on Smashing Darling! The collection moves onto LA Oct 17, 18 & 19. Keep checking back so we can tell you where.
Coming up this week is Boston Fashion Industry Expo is holding an event in Cambridge MA Sept. 18, 12-8. You can see all the details in the events section of Smashing Darling. (please feel free to add any indie fashion events you know of to this section.) Check out Boston Fashion Week to see all the events taking place from Sept. 12 – 19 in Boston. Catalina De La Torre will be one of the featured designers at the Emerging Trends 2008 event that wraps up the week in Boston.
This Friday Sept. 19th if you find yourself in NYC, the designers Karen and Annie Lin of AIRA will be showing their new collection at Coclico 275 Mott St.Bonus, there will be 10 % off Fall 2008 collection. More details here.
Portland Fashion Week (Oct. 8 – 12 ) tickets are on sale already and if you get them early they are 15 % off.
For more information about other shows or to add your indie fashion event to our website go Events.
by trish on August 23, 2008
Karen and Annie Lin are the sisters that make up the fashion design duo behind the collection called AIRA. The name Aira was chosen because it refers to an ever evolving ‘era’ driven by the air of change. The sisters launched their line in fall 2008 and are gearing up for there second season with spring 2009. They also were one of the lucky designers that tried out for the Jack and Bill casting call and won.
‘Our Spring 2009 Collection is inspired by Aphrodite, the great Olympian
goddess of beauty, love, pleasure, and procreation, love for Adonis, a handsome
Cypriot youth who was tragically killed by a boar. Adonis visits Aphrodite every spring
to reunite their love for one another.’
Karen Lin graduated from the University of Texas, Austin and studied fashion for one year in Florence, Italy. Her passion for fashion design moved her to New York City to study in the AAS program at Parsons, The School of Design. Thereafter, she interned at Araks, freelanced as a children’s wear designer at Estella, and assisted the boy’s department designer at Tommy Hilfiger. With AIRA, Karen’s role is fashion designer. She specializes in designing the pieces of the collection and works closely with Annie to determine the perfect fit, style and design for every piece.
Annie Lin studied at the University of California, Irvine and studied at Parsons, majoring in Design and Management focusing on Illustration. Annie has experience working in several retail stores, including Nordstrom and Diesel, and worked as a buyer’s intern at Max Mara and designer’s assistant to Angela Horton. Annie manages AIRA and designs with Karen. They work together, blending two different perspectives, to define the details in each collection and perfect the architectural romance in each of their pieces. Annie also develops the graphic designs and illustrations that represent all of the little details and inspirations in life.
