In the world of fashion education, Parsons The New School for Design is the Harvard of burgeoning fashion designers. With competitive entry and a rigorous curriculum, it is held in high esteem for producing world renowned fashion designers like Donna Karan and Marc Jacobs. Every year, the Parsons graduating class puts on a runway show to showcase the next generation of design talent, and three lucky students are crowned Designers of the Year in the respective fields of Womenswear, Menswear, and Children's Wear. I was completely BLOWN AWAY by the work of these talented students. There was children's wear made of the most insanely—yet beautifully—structured knits. Layered menswear with way oversized messenger bags drew gasps while look after look of mega tailored noir womenswear kept everyone bobbing their heads like at an intense tennis match. All in all, it was something truly special to behold and begs the question: Which one of these up-and-comers will be the next Alexander Wang or Prabal Gurung?
JIN KAY
Runway looks from student Jin Kay at the 2012 Parsons Benefit Runway Show.
Photo: Dan Lecca/Courtesy of Parsons The New School for Design
The title of 2012 Womenswear Designer of the Year was awarded to Jin Kay from Seoul, South Korea. Kay's cohesive collection of all-black structured looks were both dramatic and wispily feminine. The entire collection was wearable, covetable, and just what you might imagine a downtown gal wearing to her boyfriend's gallery opening. Every look accentuated the body in a chic yet subtle way, and though you can't tell from these photos alone, the craftsmanship was bonkers. These looks need to be on racks, red carpets, and upon my person immediately. I have a good feeling we'll be hearing more about Mr. Jin Kay in the future.
