
The nation’s capital’s fashion week will feature designers from Cote d'Ivoire, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Mozambique, Uzbekistan and the United States. DC Fashion Week is February 14 - 22, 2009. The Tenth International Couture Collections Show will take place at the Embassy of France on February 22, 2009
The eight day event will include fashion industry networking parties, an outdoor festival showcasing local designers, & designer trunk shows.
A partnership of independent fashion designers,
producers and models, DCFASHIONWEEK creates increased economic development in
the area of fashion design, clothing merchandising and modeling as well as
enhances the visibility of the nation's capital as a center of international
fashion. DC Fashion Week is held twice a year (February/September) and draws
thousand of patrons to its shows.
HEYDARI
Mariam Heydari has garnered a loyal following for more than 25 years. Consistently buying designer clothing may lend itself to curiosity and mystique about the personality of the designer. But her success is built not on personality, but on her personal touch, attention to detail and unique styling. Mariam states, “as a clothing retailer for 28 years, I learned that clothing has to be comfortable while in motion as well as at rest. I desire that each piece works together to produce a piece of art that provides long-lasting pleasure - a statement of individual style that will be worn with pride.” There is no mass production involved in Heydari, which provides customers with clothes of distinction that are never shocking. Heydari wraps the wearer in elegance through a process of layering, manipulation and addition of appropriate elements until the final vision is achieved. Behold texture, color and uneven lines and enjoy Heydari’s wearable art!
For additional information about Mariam Heydari contact DC Fashion Week
SHAZRAY KHAN
Sharay Khan
Shazray Khan is from Lahore, Pakistan, and currently a new resident of McLean, Virginia. Shazray has added a lot of sparkle and glamour in the Washington DC area since moving in 2006. Having studied at the International Academy of Design and Technology in Canada, Shazray returned to Lahore and joined her mother's couturier business called "Pieces of Passion". Her expertise and education added volumes to the business, as she developed her signature cocktail jackets covered with swarofski crystals, hand embroidered chrysanthemums, and semi-precious stones. Her designs appeal to both Eastern and Western audiences. They combine the rich legacy of eastern hand embroidery, gems, and fabrics, with the clean, tailored look typical of classic Western clothes. Her collection was shown at Bridal Asia 2005 thru 2008; and that is just the beginning for this talented, young designer. For additional information about Shazray Khan contact DC Fashion Week
TSYNDYMA
Tsyndyma was born in Siberia. After studying in Moscow and receiving a degree in Engineering, she acquired a love for fashion. Infusing mathematics and geometric precision into her designs, the couture fashion designer, Tsyndyma, was born. After maintaining a celebrity clientele in Moscow and Paris, she relocated to Washington, DC in 1999. Believing in the use of luxurious fabrics, and capturing the unique and simple essence of a woman, Tsyndyma realized that her core value was beauty. Her philosophy is: “Anything can make you beautiful, as long as it makes you happy”.
For additional information about Tsyndyma contact DC Fashion Week
GLAMOUROUS GOWNS BY GLYNN
Glynn Jackson, President and CEO of Glynn Jackson Productions, has for the past 25 years established himself as “The Maven of Everything Fabulous – it’s not hot if it’s not Glynn Jackson.” As the creator and founder of the only high caliber hair event - The Golden Scissors Awards – Mr. Jackson has heightened the level of excellence in the hair industry locally, nationally and internationally. While there are other hair shows, for the past 15 years, The Golden Scissors Awards has been recognized and considered as the “Oscars of the hair industry.” Glamorous Gowns by Glynn Jackson blends sophistication with urban chic in a dazzling display of disparate design concepts. Jackson believes that the relationship between hair, beauty and fashion is passion.
For additional information about Mr. Jackson contact DC Fashion Week
HOUSE OF JOLA
Joan Okorodudu was born on October 28, 1958. She hails from Aniocha North Local Government Area in Delta State, Nigeria. She graduated from the prestigious Boston University with a political science degree in 1981, and returned to Nigeria to fulfill her Youth Service commitment. During that same year, she was named first runner-up and later Miss Nigeria. This was also the year she became a fashion designer. Okorodudu showcased her House of J’ola Clothing lines in many African nations’ fashion weeks. She is a well tested fashion designer and also the Chief Executive of House of J’ola Designs, which produces exotic designs for all ages and occasions. House of J’ola stocks original fabrics from Gucci and Roberto Cavalli, including silk and taffeta, French and original woodin. Her sojourn into fashion designing dates back to 1990 when she opened her first fashion house in Wilmington, Delaware, which she ran for three years before returning to Nigeria. Joan, or “Mama J” as she is fondly called by close friends and relatives, is a mother and wife of 26 years.
For more information about Joan Okorodudu contact DC Fashion Week
U YUMJIR
Yumjir Urjnee was born August 22, 1977 in Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar. After graduating from the Nogoon Mori Art School, she went onto receive a bachelor’s degree in clothes design and art from the Creative Arts Institute in 2001. In October 2008, she successfully organized an independent fashion show, “GLAMOUR,” displaying over 100 casual, luxurious, traditional and seasonal clothes for women and men. In 2004, she displayed her own collection at a family exhibition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of her grandfather, U. Yadamsuren, a Mongolian National State Awarded Artist. Yumjir states, “Continuing the deeds of my grandfather and my father, I dedicate myself to studying Mongolian traditional clothes and developing them in the contemporary world.” She regularly takes part in the Goyol Contest-Festivals with luxurious, casual and traditional style collections for men and women.
For additional information about Yumjir Urjnee contact DC Fashion Week
ESTELLA COUTURE
Estella Ogbonna is a Nigerian-born, Washington DC-based designer founding Estella Couture. With its fresh, unique and original presence in the American, African, Canadian and European fashion scenes, Estella Ogbonna is the brain behind all the ethnic-inspired, original couture designs. Her signature is the ability to cut richly textured African fabrics into sexy, wearable and chic silhouettes that are perfect for the very cosmopolitan African and/or Western woman. In addition to her fashion, she is also involved in community development activities and has been featured on TV shows that promote fashion designing all over the world.
For additional information about Estella Ogbonna contact DC Fashion Week
N.G.U DESIGNS
Diane Linston has been sketching and designing women’s clothing designs since the age of 12. An Alabama native, growing up she felt a lack of sophisticated yet spirited fashion choices available for women. Fueling her passion for fashion into a career, she attended and graduated from the Virginia Marti College of Art & Design in Lakewood, Ohio, and subsequently launched Styles of Imagination in 1999, a store front boutique located in Maple Heights, Ohio. Styles of Imagination opened a second store in downtown Cleveland Ohio, named II Styles of Fashions. After closing both stores in 2005, she went on to start her own clothing line: The N.G.U. Designs. Though Styles of Imagination is the umbrella name of all her collections, it is the N.G.U. by Design Y label that is her signature line. N.G.U., which stands for Never Give Up, and has been Diane’s rallying cry throughout her entire pursuit of becoming a fashion designer. Diane resides in Maple Heights, Ohio with her husband of 18 years, their two teenage children and one dog.
For additional information about Diane Linston contact DC Fashion Week
DIALLO
Diallo DeJaun is an up-scale designer label that specializes in creating and manufacturing haute couture and ready-to-wear. DeJaun is based in Loundoun County in the Washington, DC area, with an haute couture house in Rome, Italy. The designer ensures that his collection uses only the best fabrics in the world alongside natural artistic ability. DeJaun's mission is to bring unique style and creativity to couture and ready-to-wear products that will inspire, empower and take fashion to the next level. Inspired by bold diversity, DeJuan is dedicated to providing and attracting a new look for his high-end clientele, based on sophistication and quality fabrics.
For additional information about Diallo DeJaun contact DC Fashion Week
CORJOR INTERNATIONAL COUTURE
Ean Williams used his two oldest sons' names, Corey and Jordan, to coin “Corjor” as his label's name. After landing in the pages of Upscale Magazine (Feb. 2004) and gracing the cover of the Prince George’s Gazette, Williams decided to go one step further and enable the world to see the tremendous designing talent that is thriving in the nation's capitol by producing and sponsoring DC Fashion Week. He is dedicated to helping other aspiring designers show their collections and build their businesses. He is also an advisory board member for the Black Fashion Designers Association, Inc. In 2003, Williams won the "INDIE Best Menswear Designer" award in New York. Corjor International has three brands: Corjor Sport, Corjor Menswear and available by special order -- Corjor International Couture.
For additional information about Ean Williams contact DC Fashion Week
September 2008 Exhibiting Designers (Spring/Summer 2009 Collections)
September 2008 Exhibiting Designers (Spring/Summer 2009 Collections)
Akkenje Devyatko was born in a remote
Alvin Thompson is a native Washingtonian who
founded New Couture in June of 2004.
We began
New Couture’s bridal collection to solve the age old problem of what to wear on
your wedding day. Most brides find
aspects of three or four different dresses they would like to wear on their
wedding day. But how does one turn
aspects of four different dresses into one dress? As
Barbara Leber has a theme she lives by, “The
wedding… is a dream where you are the heroine and when you want to show your
prettiest self.” She goes on to state, “I enjoy every single phase of my work,
I am constantly keeping an eye on the outfits made in our atelier, as each
dress is different, and – only I know exactly what I would like to see on its
wearer. Naturally, I am also present at
every fitting, since a more sophisticated dress needs three-four fittings
before finishing. This gives me the chance
to build a relationship with many fascinating people. When designing my new collection, I do not
want to be given any guidelines, instructions or directions, I just jot down
any emerging impressions, intuitions and ideas on paper. It is totally different from designing for
somebody, when during our conversations I empathize completely with my guest
and I simply start to see the perfect dress for her. But these moments of clarity and insight are
preceded by an in-depth questionnaire about the occasion, the place, the
materials and the colors she likes. I
closely listen to how much skin she would like to reveal, and most importantly
what kind of woman she would like to portray. All these individual facts are blended into a totality and then my
special creation will begin.” Barbara
Leber obtained her degree in the
Bayartsetseg Enkhtuya was born in the city of
• Studied
at the Institute for Fine Arts of the
• Worked as designer for the “Chimbai”
studio since 2004
• Special prize from the fashion-show
“Beauty of Spring,” 2003
• 2nd prize from the “World Fashion Festival of the Mongolian Peoples,”
2004
• Special prize from the fashion-show “Beauty 2005,” 2005
• Special prize from the “2nd World
Fashion Festival of the Mongolian Peoples” , 2005
• 2nd prize from the fashion- show
”National Fashion”
• Special prize from the fashion
festival "Silk Road" in city
• Took part in the international arts
festival in
• Participation in the Mongolian-
Korean “Days of Ethnic Costumes” 2006
• Successfully
organized the “City fashion” activity in cooperation with the Tourism Dept. of
the Metropolitan Administration within the “City culture” initiative of the
Metropolitan Governor, 2007
• Participation in the “Fashion World –
• Grand
Prix from the Festival of the Mongol Costumes of the World with collections
‘Ladies’ evening’ and ‘Goddess of Arts’, 2008
Bayarzul Enkhtaivan was born in the city of
• Studied
in the Decorative Arts Department at the
• Participation in “Fashion World—
• Fashion show at “ART EXPO-2007”
International exhibition in
• Commenced
studies for the Master degree with specialty Arts Critic at the Humanity
Institute of the
• Elected as a young leader in arts and
culture of
• First
prize from the World Mongol Costumes festival with collection “Heavenly Singers
of Lullaby,” 2007
• Second
prize from international festival of ethnic costumes “Ethno Retro” with
collection “Coins” in
• “Theatre Moda” to
• Second prize at the International
festival of “The White Standard” in
• First and second prizes from the
fashion show “Ethnic Costumes,” 2005
• Special prize from the “2nd
World Fashion Festival of the Mongolian people,” 2005
• Special prize from the fashion show
“Beauty 2005”
• Second prize from the fashion show
“Beauty of Spring,” 2004
Corjor International - Using his two oldest sons' names,
Corey and Jordan, Ean Williams came up with Corjor as his label's name. After
landing in the pages of Upscale Magazine (Feb 2004) and the front page of the
Prince George’s Gazette, Ean Williams wants to go one step further and enable
the world to see the great designing talent that is here in the nation's
capitol by producing and sponsoring DC Fashion Week. He is dedicated to helping
other aspiring designers show their collections and build their businesses. He
is also an advisory board member for the Black Fashion Designers Association,
Inc. In 2003, Ean Williams won the
"INDIE Best Menswear Designer" award in
Darrell Cortez realized his gift as an artist at
the ripe age of 7, drawing everything in sight. He continued his path in the arts all through high school, where he
graduated from the
Kuralai Nurkadilova Fifteen years ago a young and
talented
Lola Babayeva is a young
She has
participated in many international fashion shows and contests and won awards for the best embodiment of
traditions and best costume. Lola has
shown her designs in many international shows.
Renee France Designs is by fashion designer Renee Hill
and has become the epitome of haute
couture fashion. Her product line
Renee France Designs caters to the needs of women and children.
Suvd Banzragch is the Executive Director Of The
Academy Of National Costumes, Director General Of Mongol Costumes LLC. She graduated the Kiev Technological
Institute of Light Industry with specialty of fashion designer-engineer in 1980
and also studied for a doctoral degree at the
Thomas La'Vone-Woodard won International Design for the
Cover of Style Magazine 2000 Awards Gala where Nicole Miller was the
featured designer. After graduating from
Tony Joshua Sanna is from
Vanda Tique was born in Maputo-Mozambique to a
family of artists. She expressed her
innate creative gift in fashion design, which is her passion in life. After completing high school in
Zagodi Fashion operated by Mohamed, a renowned
designer from